Entertainment
Brooklyn Beckham, Wife Vacation With His Godfather Elton John
Brooklyn Beckham reconnected with his godfathers, Elton John and David Furnish, amid his family feud with the rest of the Beckhams.
On Saturday, August 1, Brooklyn, 27, and his wife, Nicola Peltz, were photographed vacationing on John, 79, and his husband Furnish’s yacht near Nice, France, per People. (John and Furnish, 63, were named as Brooklyn’s godfathers by his parents, Victoria and David Beckham, while his godmother is actress Elizabeth Hurley.)
The two couples were snapped while sitting around a table together on the yacht and then stepped off the vessel to do some sight-seeing.
Brooklyn wore a white T-shirt, denim shorts and a cream-colored baseball cap as he held Peltz’s hand. The model and actress was dressed casually in a white lace minidress and nude kitten heels, accessorized with sunglasses and a shoulder bag.
Brooklyn Beckham seemingly has a smooth relationship with wife Nicola Peltz Beckham’s family despite an estrangement from his own. “[They welcomed him] like another son,” Nicola, 31, told Elle Spain in a profile published Friday, March 20. “He gets along really well with my brothers. They play soccer together a lot.” Nicola is one of […]
The two couples vacationed together while David, 51, and Victoria, 52, spent time with their three other children — sons Romeo and Cruz Beckham and daughter Harper Beckham — as well as Romeo’s girlfriend, Kim Turnbull, on the small Spanish island Formentera this week, per The Sun.
John nor Furnish have ever publicly commented on Brooklyn’s rift with his parents.
Brooklyn was noticeably absent at two major milestones for his family this summer — he missed his dad David’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star induction ceremony in June despite living nearby and later skipped sister Harper’s 15th birthday party in July.
Brooklyn went public over his falling out with his parents by releasing a scathing statement in January, in which he alleged that “Brand Beckham comes first” in their family.
“Family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it’s at the expense of our professional obligations,” he wrote at the time. “We’ve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show ‘our perfect family!’ But the one time my wife asked for my mum’s support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.”
Nicola Peltz Beckham praised her dynamics with her in-laws less than two years before their relationship seemingly fractured. “I come from a big family that we are all so close, and now [I have] an even bigger family,” Nicola, 31, said on the Today show in resurfaced footage originally broadcast in February 2024. “Brooklyn [Beckham] […]
Brooklyn accused his parents of meddling in his marriage and fostering a “completely backwards” narrative that he is controlled by his wife, Peltz.
“I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,” he alleged. “I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”
David and Victoria have only offered measured public responses to their son thus far. In April, Victoria was asked about “a very public and challenging year” for her family during a live interview on NBC’s Today.
“Myself and David, we’re so close,” Victoria said. “And we have incredible people around us. We’re very close to my parents and David’s parents, and we support each other through everything that we do.”
David was less willing to engage with the topic, as he shut down a Variety reporter for bringing up his “family strife” in June.
“To be honest, I’m sorry to stop you there, but that’s a private matter,” David insisted. “That’s the one thing that I don’t want to talk about.”
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Jack Osbourne showed just how fast his baby daughter, Ozzy Matilda, is growing up in an adorable new family photo.
“Little miss ozz already has a mischievous sparkle,” Jack, 40, wrote via Instagram alongside a darling snapshot of his baby sitting on his lap.
Ozzy Matilda is all smiles in a pink romper while her dad cradles her in his arms in the photo. The comment section on Jack’s Instagram post was filled with comparisons between little Ozzy and her late grandfather and namesake, Ozzy Osbourne.
“She’s got a twinkle,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “She has your dads smile n eyes! 😍”
“She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s named after a legend,” another fan declared.
Jack and his wife, Aree Gearhart, announced the arrival of their newborn daughter in March — around eight months after Jack’s dad, Ozzy, died at age 76 in July 2025. (Ozzy’s death certificate clarified that he died from cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease.)
Last December, Jack confirmed to The Sun on Sunday that he and Gearhart, 35, were able to tell Ozzy he was going to be a grandfather again before his death. (Jack also shares daughters Pearl, 14, Andy, 11, and Minnie, 8, with ex-wife Lisa Stelly as well as daughter Maple, 4, with Gearhart).
Jack credited the impending arrival of his and Gearhart’s daughter with helping his family grieve the late rocker following his shocking death.
Jack Osbourne‘s wife, Aree Gearhart, is speaking out following the death of father-in-law Ozzy Osbourne. “I’m pretty sure I have the coolest father in law around, and the best papa to my kids,” she wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 3, sharing a handful of family photos with the late musician. “The world got a […]
“It’s awesome,” Jack told The Sun at the time. “I think it’s been partly a healthy distraction, partly healing – probably in that kind of ‘full cycle’ category, in a weird way.”
He went on, “It’s very much taken energy out of the grieving side of things and parked in a bit more hopefulness. It’s been easy for me – I think it’s been a lot harder for my wife!”
Jack added that he and Gearhart viewed the arrival of Ozzy Matilda as a moment of renewal for the Osbourne family.
“We’re super-excited [for the baby],” he said in December. “It was sort of planned, I should say. It was maybe a little earlier than expected. But it’s definitely something that we were wanting to pursue and somehow it happened, miraculously.”
More recently, Jack fired back over speculation about his weight after competing on the jungle-based U.K. reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in late 2025. (His mother, Sharon Osbourne, and sister Kelly Osbourne, have also slammed the social media conversation around their weight in recent years.)
Jack Osbourne brought two of his look-alike daughters along to cap off a special night honoring his late father, Ozzy Osbourne. Jack, 40, was photographed with kids Pearl, 13, and Andy, 10, at the Universal Music Group’s Grammys afterparty on Sunday, February 1, just hours after Ozzy was commemorated at the Grammy Awards with a […]
“I cannot believe I’m having to actually make this f***ing video. If I see one more article written about me saying how I’m ‘sick,’ I’m ‘grossly underweight’, [that I’m] ‘health crisis Jack’ … It’s f***ing insane,” he vented via Instagram in May. “I have lost no weight since I got out of the jungle doing I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! six months ago.”
“I’ve been the same f***ing weight. The only difference is I shaved my beard and opted for a creepy mustache. That’s the only f***ing difference,” he added. “I’ve been slowly but consistently losing weight for the last three and a half years. I shot up to about 220 pounds about three and a half years ago and decided that I wanted to make some changes, so I did.”
Everyone loves a good anti-hero who can blur the lines between good and evil. These characters aren’t just sympathetic villains, but individuals who lack specific heroic traits, like Link from The Legend of Zelda, yet still move the plot forward through individual goals that can sometimes be considered good. They also aren’t heroes who bend the rules sometimes, like Leon from Resident Evil.
Fans love these types of characters because they are complicated, messy, and more relatable, with everything they do shaping the good or bad inside them. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest video game anti-heroes of all time based on writing, characterization, development, moral ambiguity, flaws, relatability, and overall quality.
10
Geralt of Rivia
‘The Witcher’ Games (2007–Present)
Fantasy games take one of two approaches: either a whimsical world full of adventure, or a dark and bleak existence. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is part of the latter, meaning there are many anti-heroes, including the protagonist, Geralt of Rivia. As a Witcher, he faces constant discrimination, yet he continues to do whatever job he is paid to do, simply existing for monster hunting and coin.
However, his motives and goals evolve far beyond monster hunting and coin later in the series, with him trying to protect Ciri and needing to choose lesser evils. His personality and cynical views shaped by the bleak world can’t help but steer his decisions even if he wants to do the right thing, making him a fantastic protagonist in one of the best video games of the past century.
9
Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi)
‘Mortal Kombat’ Games (1992–Present)
Mortal Kombat is one of the greatest fighting game franchises of all time, and any good fighting game needs a roster of engaging characters. Mortal Kombat has a lot of brutal personalities, but the one who sticks out the most is Scorpion. After his family was murdered by Sub-Zero, he spends the rest of his life and afterlife hunting him down until he can drag Sub-Zero into hell.
Scorpion used to just be a badass video game character who said “get over here,” but the modern reboot has evolved him into an anti-hero. He doesn’t give up on killing or his revenge, but it is a sort of noble vengeance that drives him. By the end of the games, he has restored his clan, come to terms with his past atrocities, and made peace with the younger version of Sub-Zero.
8
Wario
‘Super Mario’ Games (1985–Present)
Most anti-heroes are meant to be taken seriously, as they are deeply flawed, compelling, and they work best in a mature setting. However, Wario proves that even silly characters can be anti-heroes. He doesn’t have too big of a focus on many narratives, but his greed drives every instinct in his body, whether that makes him an enemy or an ally of Mario and friends.
Maybe Wario is still villainous, but that is just because of his unwavering greed, which can also make him do good, even if he doesn’t mean it. He is the definition of a selfish video game character whose goals only lie in personal motivation. Wario is a fun parody and too stubborn to lose, proving why he is a beloved video game character.
7
Kazuma Kiryu
‘Yakuza’ Games (2005–Present)
The Yakuza franchise is one of the most bizarre, but players can’t help but get sucked into its world and characters, such as the anti-hero Kazuma Kiryu. He is a yakuza enforcer who operates outside the law, which doesn’t sound too anti-hero-like until fans learn about his moral code and the fact that he doesn’t even want to be a yakuza member.
Despite surrounding himself with yakuza and a villainous life, Kiryu aims to free himself of these shackles, deconstructing the glorification of organized crime. He is a bright anomaly inside the underworld, trying his best to do the right thing when he is forced to be the bad guy, highlighting his character arc and unwavering good inside him.
6
Max Payne
‘Max Payne’ Games (2001–2012)
Rockstar Games is known for making morally ambiguous games with anti-hero protagonists, with a couple on this list, starting with Max Payne. After a group of junkies murders his wife and child, Max has nothing else to live for and decides to go on a killing spree. His rampage takes him through the underworld of New York City, getting back on anyone who is even remotely evil.
If “Woe Is Me” were a character, it would be Max Payne, who constantly suffers in his own grief and despair. Killing hundreds of people isn’t exactly a good thing, but at least none of them are considered good people. His suicidal mission is driven completely by revenge, grief, and depression, which results in one of the best action video games of all time.
5
Booker DeWitt
‘BioShock Infinite’ (2013)
There aren’t many morally righteous characters in the BioShock franchise at all, and who would be with society looking like that? But it seems the best there can be is Booker DeWitt, the protagonist of BioShock Infinite. He is a disgraced agent and a veteran who sold his daughter to pay off his debts, but he takes on a job to rescue a girl named Elizabeth to free himself of his financial issues.
Booker is a definitive example of what an anti-hero should be. He drives the story through his selfish goals and features a troubled backstory where he was clearly in the wrong. Yet despite his shortcomings, he forms an authentic bond with Elizabeth and fights the true evil in this world. By the end of BioShock Infinite, Booker is a complicated character who must make the toughest sacrifice ever, completing his character arc.
4
Shadow the Hedgehog
‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Games (1991–Present)
Wario isn’t the only character on this list from a platforming franchise, as Shadow the Hedgehog is just as iconic from the Sonic the Hedgehog game series. He was created in order to be the perfect lifeform, but this gave him a cynical life view, and when the only light in his world died, he lost all goodwill. However, he slowly gains it back, switching between villain and hero depending on the game.
Shadow the Hedgehog used to be a full-fledged villain, but he is such a universally beloved character that he now adopts more of an anti-hero role. He serves as a perfect foil to Sonic, only making a noble sacrifice after remembering his past. However, since his original appearance, Shadow has worked together with Sonic for good while maintaining his dark and edgy style.
3
Joel Miller
‘The Last of Us’ Games (2013–Present)
Some of the best anti-heroes are also part of the greatest video game narratives, including the top three characters on this list, starting with Joel Miller from The Last of Us. After watching his family die in the zombie apocalypse, he is a grizzled veteran who does whatever it takes to survive. But his paternal instincts kick back in when he must escort Ellie across the country and help find a cure.
The years of fighting for his life pushed him to do evil things, but it was all necessary for his survival. This is especially seen as his bond with Ellie grows over the course of the game. He softens up and begins to feel again, but this love is exactly what makes him an anti-hero. Joel acts based on selfish love, ending in a shocking plot twist that remains a staple in the community, highlighting why The Last of Us is an influential video game.
2
Arthur Morgan
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)
As mentioned, Rockstar Games loves their flawed protagonists, and their greatest one yet is Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. He is the leader of a cowboy gang set in 1899, the dying era of the Wild West. When Arthur learns of his tuberculosis, he sets out on one final adventure across the American Frontier in search of redemption, to make up for all the bad he has done.
Arthur’s change of heart doesn’t come from some awakening, but through the bleak reality of his impending doom. He has done many bad things, but his one last mission is to leave the Earth having done something good for once: saving John Marston and his family. Unfortunately, his redemption comes too late, cementing him as a profound character in an unforgettable narrative.
1
Kratos
‘God of War’ Games (2005–Present)
Kratos is one of the greatest video game characters of all time, and while he definitely wasn’t an anti-hero in the original God of War games, the 2018 reboot made him into one. After a life of murder and killing, he was exhausted from it all and left for a Norse region where he fell in love and had a child. Unfortunately, the death of his wife and attacks by the gods bring back his old habits.
Throughout the game, Kratos tries to be a good father, but he can’t help but be harsh due to his past nature and the dire situation. He begins to let go of his old selfish reasons for killing and does it to protect Atreus. Still, his growth is earned because Kratos remains a brutal killer who tries to better himself, yet can’t fully commit, highlighting why God of War has the best character development in gaming history.
Entertainment
Tom Hardy’s $100 Million Sci-Fi Masterpiece Is Officially the Biggest Streaming Hit of His Career
What a year it’s been for Tom Hardy, who was once again battling allegations that he could be a troublesome presence on set following the news that he had been fired from MobLand. The rumors of Hardy’s firing have since been put to bed, and it’s been confirmed that he will return as Harry Da Souza, should the show be renewed for Season 3. He will also be seen in Season 2 of the show, which begins streaming in less than two months, on September 18. Hardy is fresh off his three-time role as Eddie Brock in the Venom movies, which never quite managed to win the hearts of critics. However, this wasn’t an issue for Sony, as the studio pocketed over $1.5 billion from the franchise over the course of three movies.
We’re now more than 10 years removed from the biggest year of Tom Hardy’s career, when he starred in two of the biggest projects of his life. Hardy earned his first and only Oscar nomination for his performance as John Fitzgerald in The Revenant, the sweeping Western epic directed by Alejandro G. Iñárittu, who is soon to direct Tom Cruise in Digger. However, back in 2015, Hardy also starred in the most successful sci-fi movie of his career, Mad Max: Fury Road, which was written and directed by the great George Miller. Mad Max: Fury Road won six Oscars at the 2016 Academy Awards, including Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Production Design. All these years later, Mad Max: Fury Road is still a streaming super-hit, solidifying it as one of the most successful streaming movies of Tom Hardy’s career.
What Is ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ About?
The official synopsis for Mad Max: Fury Road reads as follows: “In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is captured by the tyrannical Immortan Joe and forced into servitude. When rebel warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads a daring escape with Joe’s five wives, Max joins her explosive fight for freedom. Racing across the desert in a war party of chrome and fire, they battle for survival, redemption, and a chance at a better future.” Mad Max: Fury Road earned a nearly perfect score of 97% from critics to pair with a solid 86% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The film grossed over $380 million at the box office against a $150 million budget — it was a success, but not as much as the reviews might allude to. It was once streaming on HBO Max before being removed from the platform.
Check out Mad Max: Fury Road on VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Hardy’s future projects.
- Release Date
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May 15, 2015
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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George Miller
- Writers
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Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris
- Producers
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Doug Mitchell, P.J. Voeten
Entertainment
Forget ‘Taken,’ Liam Neeson’s Ultimate Action Thriller Is Officially Dominating Streaming
Liam Neeson had a period, a golden age if you will, where he was the King of Geriaction. Hollywood had decided, after Taken proved to be a bizarrely big hit, that Big Liam could be dropped into absolutely any dangerous situation and audiences would happily watch him fight his way out. Kidnappers, terrorists, unruly passengers, angry commuters — the opposition didn’t matter as long as Neeson punched someone. But along the way, one of the best movies from Neeson’s unexpected transformation into an action star barely resembles the films that followed it.
More than a decade after its release, Joe Carnahan’s relentlessly bleak survival thriller, The Grey, remains one of the most overlooked movies of Neeson’s career and an essential streaming watch. The Grey currently carries an impressive 81% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and while it was a success when it arrived in 2012, the movie has become somewhat lost among the seemingly endless action thrillers Neeson subsequently made. That’s a shame, because The Grey is considerably more ambitious than its wonderfully straightforward “Liam Neeson versus wolves” reputation suggests.
‘The Grey’ Is Much More Than Liam Neeson Fighting Wolves
Neeson stars as John Ottway, a sharpshooter employed to protect oil workers in Alaska from wolves. When the plane carrying Ottway and several workers crashes deep in the frozen wilderness, the survivors suddenly find themselves stranded miles from civilization. The weather is trying to kill them. Their injuries are trying to kill them. And, yes, an extremely territorial pack of wolves is also trying to kill them.
The Grey performed respectably at the box office, earning approximately $81 million worldwide against a reported $25 million production budget. Critics were particularly impressed, with its 81% Rotten Tomatoes score making it one of the best-reviewed films from Neeson’s post-Taken action run.
The Grey also stars Frank Grillo (Tulsa King) as John Diaz, Dermot Mulroney (Zodiac) as Jerome Talget, Dallas Roberts (The Walking Dead) as Pete Hendrick, Joe Anderson (Across the Universe) as Todd Flannery, Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones) as Jackson Burke, James Badge Dale (The Departed) as Luke Lewenden, and Ben Bray (Gone Baby Gone) as Hernandez.
The Grey is streaming now on Netflix.
- Release Date
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January 26, 2012
- Runtime
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117 minutes
- Director
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Joe Carnahan
“The Rise of Skywalker” left many “Star Wars” fans disappointed with Disney after the Skywalker Saga came to a close in 2019. The sequel trilogy began with 2015’s “The Force Awakens” and created a whole new band of heroes to root for. However, 2017’s “The Last Jedi” proved divisive and eliminated several of the plot threads that “The Force Awakens” had created. By the time “The Rise of Skywalker” rolled around, Emperor Palpatine came out of nowhere to become the overarching villain, and with the death of Ben Solo, the Skywalker bloodline officially died off. Rey took the name “Rey Skywalker” at the end of the film to seemingly continue the story, but even that decision proved controversial with fans who felt that she had not done anything to “earn” the mantle.
There hasn’t been a movie related to the Skywalker Saga since “The Rise of Skywalker” came out. In fact, Disney stopped all theatrical releases in favor of Disney+ shows. Although the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” proved successful, the third one drew heavy criticism.
Other shows, like “The Acolyte,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Skeleton Crew,” met criticism for one reason or another. It was the second and final season of “Andor” that finally gave fans hope that Disney might be getting “Star Wars” back on the right track.
However, in May 2026, Disney decided to try to bring “Star Wars” back to the big screen. Instead of moving ahead with the fourth season of “The Mandalorian” as planned, they asked Jon Favreau to turn it into an adventure set for a theatrical release called “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
The movie had low stakes, little character development, and didn’t tease any broader adventure or tie it into the larger universe. As of now, fans don’t actually know if there will be a fourth season of “The Mandalorian,” or what Disney plans for the character following its abysmal performance at the box office.
Where Ryan Gosling Comes In To Save ‘Star Wars’
The next movie on the docket is 2027’s “Star Wars: Starfighter.” Although little has been released about the project so far, the movie stands out from other movies set in a galaxy far, far away in a unique way. This one boasts a unique cast of A-list stars: Ryan Gosling, Mia Goth, Amy Adams, and Matt Smith, among others. Many unknown actors have made a name for themselves after appearing in “Star Wars.” Now, “Starfighter” is flipping the script by bringing in a talented cast from the start.
The movie is also being directed by Shawn Levy, who is still hot off the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Levy’s films are consistently delivered on time and on budget, which is a massive win for Disney. The studio notoriously had to undergo extensive reshoots for its first two standalone movies: “Rogue One” and “Solo,” both of which fell under the “A Star Wars Story” banner. “Solo,” especially, was a massive bomb at the box office following the controversy brought on by “The Last Jedi,” although it still managed to perform better than “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
Another Promising Sign For The Franchise
There are two reasons why Ryan Gosling is inspiring hope in a galaxy far, far away. The actor starred in another space movie – 2016’s “Project Hail Mary” – which currently has a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With the exception of several flashback scenes, Gosling is basically a one-man show up in space, communicating only with an alien made of rocks called Rocky.
Gosling is great in front of the camera, but fans also need to consider what goes on behind-the-scenes. There were no reports of a troubled production this time around. In fact, Disney seemingly loved the pairing of Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy so much that they’ve decided to give them another go.
At San Diego Comic Con, Marvel boss Kevin Feige announced that Gosling would be taking on the role of Ghost Rider in the MCU. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, creating a second partnership for the Disney studio.
This is a pretty promising sign. Disney execs will have already seen a rough cut of “Starfighter,” and apparently, they liked what they saw so much that they were willing to greenlight another Ryan Gosling/Shawn Levy collaboration before waiting for the audience reaction to “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
It’s not a sure sign that the movie will be a hit with fans, but some franchises were built on hope.
There are so many incredible sci-fi shows out right now. Shows like Pluribus, Star City, Foundation, and Alien: Earth are all blowing people’s minds with their inventive storytelling and exciting plots. The sci-fi genre is a fantastic way to escape our own reality — even if a dystopian setting makes us even more scared of the future. There’s one sci-fi show on Apple TV that mixes the post-apocalyptic setting of Prime Video’s Fallout with the mind-bending mysteries of Severance, and it’s begging for a binge-watch.
What Is ‘Silo’ About?
Silo is a dystopian drama that premiered back in 2023. It’s based on Hugh Howey‘s trilogy of novels, also called Silo. The sci-fi hit follows a community that lives in a giant underground silo after an apocalyptic event has occurred. Taking place more than a century after the world basically ended, this group of 10,000 people coexists in the 144-level structure. There are specific rules set out to help govern the place, but the peace in the silo starts to come to an end when several citizens begin to question what the outside world is really like.
Holsten Becker (David Oyelowo) is sheriff of the silo, but his life becomes much more complicated when his devoted wife, Allison (Rashida Jones), starts to get more curious about the laws surrounding their everyday lives. She crosses paths with the taciturn Head of IT, Bernard Holland (Tim Robbins), and his ruthless fixer, Robert Sims (Common), who play critical roles in the silo’s survival. As the first season unfolds, we also meet the true protagonist of the series, Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), who works as an engineer to keep the silo functioning. Silo is a fascinating drama with twists and turns, and storylines that demonstrate that no one is truly safe within the walls of the silo.
‘Silo’ Combines Some of the Best Elements of Other Sci-Fi Shows
The most obvious comparison to another sci-fi series is Fallout, which first dropped in 2024. That drama also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where survivors are relegated to underground bunkers to escape deadly nuclear fallout. The world has become fairly uninhabitable, and the people who have been smart enough to endure it are both cunning and terrifying. When the outside world is depicted, it portrays people who have divided into factions. This is similar to the setup of Silo, since there are groups of people that have lasted generations in their chosen fields. They’re mostly determined by lineage, but even in the silo, this constitutes a sort of strict class system. These separations create even more fractures and conflicts, representing a very realistic social system in a microcosm of the silo. Just like Fallout, Silo also illustrates the characters’ hopeful need for wanting to see what the outside world holds. From the very first episode, the desire to find out what has become of the rest of the human race is a driving force for the narrative.
At first, the only connection to Apple TV’s other massive sci-fi hit, Severance, would seem like the twisty storytelling itself. But there are also definitely higher-ups who rule with an iron fist and with an extremely secretive nature, just like the folks over at Lumon Industries. Later episodes of Silo include more technology-focused plot points, which reflect Severance‘s modern complexity. And now that Silo is in its third season, the biggest link to Severance is the way the series is diving into the fascinating topic of memory. Without giving too much away, Juliette experiences a total wipe of her memory when Season 3 opens. Just like the severed characters on Severance, much of Juliette’s identity is erased because she has no context for her past. She has no familiarity with the people in her life, even those who have loved her since she was young. The battle of the season becomes trying to bring Juliette back to who she was, which is a compelling exploration into how our memories help to define us.
There are only 20 episodes to binge before you can start Season 3 of Silo, which means that it’s actually an easy show to get caught up with. If you want a gritty, complex sci-fi series that presents unique problems and mysteries like Severance, or highlights the hardships that exist when a population is forced to live in close quarters like Fallout, Silo must be added to your watch list now.
Silo is available to stream on Apple TV in the U.S., with new episodes dropping every Friday.
Silo
- Release Date
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May 5, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Graham Yost
- Directors
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Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino
While some adaptations have succeeded in staying relevant to their source material, many leave the audience wishing they had just read the book instead of watching it. The anticipation of viewers that comes along with adaptations is now next to impossible to eliminate. Books can paint an elaborate picture of the fictional world, while television screens can only scratch the surface.
But a few shows demonstrate that adaptation is not limited to mere duplication of the written work. Good adaptations recognize that the medium has its own advantages, ranging from outstanding performances to diverse storytelling and creative changes made to retain the essence of the plot.
5. You
Caroline Kepnes’ You introduced readers to one of modern fiction’s most unsettling narrators: Joe Goldberg, a charming bookstore manager whose romantic obsession with aspiring writer Guinevere Beck quickly spirals into stalking, manipulation, and murder. Told entirely through Joe’s disturbing inner monologue, the novel traps readers inside the mind of a man who genuinely believes every terrible thing he does is an act of love. Netflix’s adaptation stays remarkably faithful to that premise while expanding the story well beyond the page.
The series succeeds largely because of Penn Badgley’s nuanced performance, which somehow makes Joe both charismatic and deeply unsettling without ever asking viewers to excuse his actions. The adaptation also enriches the supporting cast by introducing original characters like Paco, whose relationship with Joe adds surprising emotional complexity, while expanding storylines for characters like Candace in later seasons. Rather than simply translating Kepnes’ novel, You builds an even richer psychological thriller that grows more ambitious with every season.
4. The Queen’s Gambit
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Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel The Queen’s Gambit follows orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon as she rises through the competitive chess world while battling addiction and loneliness. Already considered one of the finest novels ever written about the game, the story seemed difficult to adapt given how much of Beth’s brilliance and emotional struggle unfolds internally. Netflix’s 2020 miniseries not only solved that problem but became one of the streamer’s biggest success stories.
Most of the credit for that success goes to Anya Taylor-Joy, who conveys Beth’s inner life through expressive acting without narration. The chess game is transformed into an actual cinema experience through innovative visualizations, polished production design, and tasteful direction. While remaining remarkably faithful to Tevis’ novel, the adaptation makes a handful of thoughtful changes — particularly to Beth’s emotional journey — that create an even stronger payoff by the time she reaches Moscow. It’s one of the rare adaptations that refines an already exceptional story rather than merely recreating it.
3. Normal People
Sally Rooney’s Normal People traces the long-term romantic relationship between Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, which continues through their school years and into university despite some bumps along the way. One of the highlights of the novel is how Rooney manages to expose the inner worlds of her characters, which makes them very difficult to represent visually, but the BBC and Hulu seriesproved that it could be done.
The show, instead of narrating everything through voiceovers, relies on the acting of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. They indeed manage to convey everything through their performance, together with the muted directing style of Abrahamson and Macdonald. It should also be noted that the series improved the ending of Normal People by allowing Marianne to be a bit more powerful in the final conversation and by slowing the conversation, which made the outcome more satisfying.
2. Big Little Lies
Liane Moriarty’s novel Big Little Lies is a brilliant domestic mystery that follows three women living apparently flawless lives in Monterey; their lives fall apart as a series of secrets, lies, and violence leads to a shocking murder. HBO’s adaptation is faithful to the central mystery while also providing a stronger impact through an ensemble cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz.
Jean-Marc Vallée‘s direction turns Monterey into a character that adds its own identity to the narrative, thanks to the crashing waves and surreal editing. Plus, as examples of the brilliant performances, Kidman’s emotional portrayal of Celeste’s abusive marriage provides the drama and emotional power that surpass those in the book, while Dern’s Emmy-winning performance as the marvelous Renata reveals the character’s unexpected weaknesses.
1. The Leftovers
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta presents a scenario in which two percent of the population disappears inexplicably, leading to permanent changes in the universe. Instead of concentrating on what happened during the incident, Perrotta writes about what occurred afterward, including the grief, bewilderment, and spiritual conflict among survivors trying to make sense of it. The HBO adaptation remains true to the material for a while before moving completely away from it.
Just after the first season’s completion, Lindelof and Perrotta extend the narrative into uncharted territory. They attempt to answer questions the novel never raises and prefer to leave them open rather than resolve the ambiguities. The series becomes one of the most significant depictions of loss, belief, and relationships, owing to the incredible performances of Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon. When it comes to the acclaimed ending, the series went beyond the boundaries of the source material.
2026 has been one of the biggest years for gaming in recent history, and every new release is building towards perhaps the most important launch in gaming history, Grand Theft Auto 6. GTA 6 is the first GTA game in over 10 years, and the first new release from Rockstar Games following the massive success of Red Dead Redemption 2, which is one of the best-selling games of all time. Before the arrival of Grand Theft Auto 6, fans will have the chance to play the next Marvel game from Insomniac, Wolverine, which is set in the same universe as all three previously released Spider-Man games from the studio. Following the success of Elden Ring a few years ago, fans are still impatiently waiting for news about the next FromSoftware game, but it has yet to be officially announced.
While perhaps not as popular as Elden Ring, one of the most beloved FromSoftware games ever made is Bloodborne, which was first released on PlayStation 4 back in 2015. There have been whispers of a potential Bloodborne sequel for years, but fans have had to live without an official announcement on this front, forced to replay the original for over 10 years now. While there may be no Bloodborne 2 coming anytime soon, it was announced earlier this week that the franchise is getting an official new release from SuperGroupies, which comes in the form of new licensed merchandise. The new gear dropping in January 2027 includes a Hunter Model Jacket, Hunter Bag, Lady Maria Bag, and even a Bloodborne-themed wallet. The first-look images at all the new gear dropping early next year can be found below.
What Is the ‘Bloodborne’ Game About?
The official synopsis for the award-winning FromSoftware game reads as follows: “In the plague-ridden city of Yharnam, a lone Hunter awakens to a nightmare of beasts and blood. Guided by cryptic elders and haunted by cosmic horror lurking beneath the surface, they must fight through grotesque monstrosities and rival hunters to uncover the truth of the Healing Church’s forbidden experiments. From developer FromSoftware, this gothic action-RPG delivers brutal combat and unrelenting atmosphere.” Bloodborne is also one of the highest-rated games of all time, according to Metacritic. It holds a “must-play” 92 from reviewers on the aggregate site, paired with a “generally favorable” 8.9 from players.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the Bloodborne franchise and other FromSoftware games.
Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for multiple TV shows.Some television episodes stand as incredibly memorable, not because they’re shocking or twist-wielding, but because they leave viewers sitting with a deep emotional weight that stays with them long after the credits roll. The heaviest episodes of the last 25 years often force audiences to face grief, loss, trauma, injustice, or the painful truth behind a character’s journey, slowing everything down and hitting them where it hurts.
Episodes like When They See Us‘ “Part Four,” which carries a rawness and the pure devastation of lost time, real injustice, and survival after irreversible harm, and Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s “The Tales of Ba Sing Se,” which delivers one of animation’s most heartbreaking moments, are just two episodes that brilliantly prove that TV can be at its most powerful when it refuses to look away from tough emotions. Compiled on this list are iconic episodes that are some of the heaviest ever created in the last 25 years.
7
“My Moon My Man”
‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ Season 1, Episode 10
This Netflix animated series saves a truly heavy emotional blow for its finale, “My Moon My Man.” Set in Night City, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follows a street kid named David Martinez (Zach Aguilar) who, after a personal loss, joins the mercenary underworld, which pushes him toward cybernetic enhancement. During the show’s finale, Episode 10, “My Moon My Man,” the series makes it clear that it has officially left its kinetic rise-to-power story behind and entered its final, last-stand collapse, with David clutching to his purpose, identity, and love in a city designed to grind all three into ash and chrome.
What truly makes the big finale of a rather thrilling animated series so enticingly heavy is its steady refusal to preach the fantasy that sheer willpower is enough to overcome a system built entirely to consume people. “My Moon My Man” is violent and action-filled, but its real weight is the haunting inevitability of sacrifice. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a fantastic series, and its finale stands as one of the absolute heaviest episodes of the last 25 years, one that fans still single out as a devastating watch as it turns the colorful and stylish show into one of outright heartbreak.
6
“The Tales of Ba Sing Se”
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2, Episode 15
Avatar: The Last Airbender, “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” is one episode that no fan of the incredibly fun series ever expected to be as heartbreaking as it is. The show centers around the young Avatar Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) as he, with the help of his friends, attempts to master the four elements and end a world war. “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” gifts audiences a quiet collection of small character stories before hitting them with the centerpiece of the episode, Uncle Iroh (Mako), whose heartfelt remembrance of his son transforms the installment into one of the most heartbreaking moments seen in animation.
“The Tales of Ba Sing Se” is a true contrast to what Avatar: The Last Airbender normally gives its viewers, which makes it all the more devastating to watch. By the time the episode is done with its usual playfulness, Iroh’s segment hits harder than ever, as it shows that grief often lives within ordinary errands, quiet remembrance, and songs, rather than maximum-volume, dramatic tragedy. “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” blinds audiences with unexpected pain, not because it’s loud but because it’s tender enough to ensure absence feels enormous.
5
“Jurassic Bark”
‘Futurama’ Season 5, Episode 2
“Jurassic Bar” of the sci-fi animated series Futurama is one of TV’s most well-known emotional gut punches of the past 25 years. The series follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), who, after he is accidentally frozen, wakes up a thousand years later in the sci-fi epic future. “Jurassic Bark” sees Fry discovering the fossilized remains of his old dog, which triggers an emotional journey through memories and reveals just how much of Fry’s pre-future life still aches inside him.
Futurama‘s “Jurassic Bark” is an easy addition to this list, as the normally chaotically hilarious watch delivers one of the most heart-wrenching installments ever seen on television. The episode’s gut punch lands effectively, creating a genuinely heavy viewing experience because it understands both loyalty and abandonment are inseparable pains—the fear of being forgotten, only to discover being remembered can hurt a hundred times worse. “Jurassic Bark” earns its rank as one of the most canonical answers whenever fans ask for the saddest animated TV episode and definitely deserves its flowers as one of television’s heaviest watches.
4
“Whenever You’re Ready”
‘The Good Place’ Season 4, Episodes 13 & 14
This impactful episode of the high-concept comedy about the afterlife, The Good Place, is honestly one of the heaviest—if not the heaviest—episodes of the entire series. The show focuses on Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), as she and her friends attempt to become “good people,” who are deserving of “The Good Place.” The series finale, “Whenever You’re Ready,” is a culmination of every emotional lesson each beloved character of the series has learned, delivering a rather moving farewell about love, life, and learning to let go.
While The Good Place‘s heaviness is unusually gentle, especially compared to some on this list, the heartache it leaves within its audiences is astonishingly profound. There is no betrayal bomb, gore, or terrifying reveal; instead, it’s just the quiet realization that even joy can grow to be unbearable if it never changes shape. Even years since its conclusion, “Whenever You’re Ready” remains quite memorable for the heartbreak it instills in its viewers, leaving them in real tears as they say goodbye to beloved characters and the profound lessons that shaped their journey.
3
“Long, Long Time”
‘The Last of Us’ Season 1, Episode 3
This episode of The Last of Us stands strong as one of the heaviest of the last 25 years because it takes a break from the show’s norm and instead delivers an epically tragic love story. The show mainly focuses on hardened smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) and immune teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they attempt to survive the apocalypse, but Season 1, Episode 3, “Long, Long Time,” follows the heart-aching love story of survivalist Bill (Nick Offerman) and outsider Frank (Murray Bartlett).
The Last of Us is rife with devastation, but something about “Long, Long Time” ruins fans unlike any other. The episode’s heaviness comes from showing that love isn’t just a brief light in the darkness, but an entirely different way of valuing life. The sadness comes from the abrupt realization that even in a broken world, a private life built well and with tons of love may still end in pain. The installment is considered utter devastation to fans as it delivers a rare genre detour into a manifesto on why living for someone matters at all.
2
“Part Four”
‘When They See Us’ Season 1, Episode 4
When They See Us is all around a difficult watch because of its heaviness throughout its limited episode, but “Part Four” of the series delivers an emotional weight that allows it to stand as one of the heaviest chapters to come out of the last 25 years. The series dramatizes the Central Park Five case following the boys facing the miscarriage of justice. “Part Four” mainly highlights character Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome) as he moves through the adult prison system even as the truth begins, far too late, to surface.
“Part Four” is exceptionally heavy because it makes state violence feel intimate rather than simply procedural. Every step of the way, audiences are forced to feel and acknowledge the characters’ suffering, as the installment frames it not as an abstract injustice case file, but as a devastating human tragedy. “Part Four” is often singled out as the episode that is sure to break viewers’ hearts, enraging them in a way that lingers long after the credits roll.
1
“The Body”
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Season 5, Episode 16
Few episodes of television have truly captured the total numbness of grief as realistically as Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s “The Body.” The supernatural series focuses on teenager Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) as she attempts to balance her life with her destiny as the Slayer, protecting the world from demons, vampires, and other supernatural threats. The show’s sixteenth episode of its fifth season doesn’t offer the usual monster battle or magical solution; instead, it follows the kick-butt protagonist as she faces the death of her mother.
“The Body” is one of the finest examples of TV’s understanding of grief, especially in the early hours immediately after loss. The episode is heavy because it’s so real, from its lack of score and fragmented reaction to its awkward details and refusal of big emotional speeches, making it crushing in a way TV rarely dares. “The Body” isn’t simply “sad,” in the polished prestige-drama way; it’s instead ugly, numb, disorienting, and brutally ordinary. That particular ordinariness is exactly why, even so many years later, the episode still ruins its viewers. “The Body” is a brilliant and absolutely heavy episode, one that definitely earns its rank on this list of TV episodes that are clear masterpieces of true emotional devastation.
Throughout its rich history, which has all but defined the modern age of prestige television drama, HBO has presented not only an abundance of thrilling and captivating small-screen stories, but many of the greatest characters the medium has ever seen as well. The premium cable network’s unflinching interest in human drama ensures that its series run not only as enthralling narratives, but also as astute character studies defined by their depth, nuance, and conviction.
Some of these shows revolve around one central figure, a complex yet compelling protagonist whose tumultuous life and shifting fortunes present a perfect framework to explore the intricacies of the human condition. Others feature numerous major leads, all of which are defined by their detail and depth to stand, each in their own right, among the best characters in the history of television. From the enigmatic and complicated to the utterly iconic, these are the best main characters HBO has produced thus far.
10
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)
An underrated gem from a decade that HBO dominated, Six Feet Under blurs the line between dysfunctional family drama and dark comedy as it focuses on the funeral home managed by members of the Fisher family in the wake of their father’s death. The characters have to battle not only the logistical side of a business, but a litany of their own personal issues as well, and even simmering conflicts between the family members.
The five-season series effectively follows four primary characters in the form of the three Fisher siblings and their mother, Ruth (Frances Conroy), but its scope never diminishes its depth or impact. Ranging from dilemmas of sexuality to mental health crises, the navigation of coming-of-age rebellion, and repressed grief, all while the series maintains an overall focus on existentialism and mortality, the main characters of Six Feet Under are among the most complex, grounded, and intriguing television has ever seen.
9
‘Barry’ (2018–2023)
The use of dark comedy, absurdism, stylized ultra-violence, and blindsiding psychological drama to explore the human condition has been a defining trend in entertainment in recent years. No series has embraced this bizarre yet commanding tonal mixture quite like Barry. Created by and starring Bill Hader, it follows Barry Berkman, a former U.S. Marine struggling with PTSD and depression who tries to give up his vocation as a low-level hitman when he discovers a passion for acting.
The titular character presents a fascinating dichotomy. On one hand, he is a chilling, cold-blooded killer ruled by his eruptions of violence and his icy sense of self-preservation. However, there is also a piercing vulnerability to Barry as well. Viewing himself as a fundamentally good person constantly victimized by circumstance, Barry Berkman is one of the most challenging and intriguing characters television has seen in recent years, one who defies any notion of easy redemption.
8
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Even with its immersive fantasy world-building, astonishing production value, and its frenetic story of violence and betrayal, one of the most engrossing aspects of Game of Thrones was its characters. Based on George R. R. Martin’s stunning fantasy novel series, the show is imbued with an ability to lean on archetypical character designs while subverting them. Its heroes are deeply flawed and complex, while its major villains compel with their rich complexity and shrouded morality.
With such an extensive cast, Game of Thrones wafts over a litany of characters over the course of its eight-season run, and, such was the show’s unpredictable allure, initial leads like Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) and Robb Stark (Richard Madden) didn’t live for long. However, in the midst of the carnage, there did emerge a core group in the stoicism and conviction of the surviving Starks, the lost heir Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), and the three Lannister siblings. Whether they were heroic, heinous, or something in between, the leads of Game of Thrones mark some of the best and most absorbing characters television has ever seen.
7
‘Veep’ (2012–2019)
Strong character design is an essential component of any television series. This fact is only enhanced when it comes to comedy. Soaring as a masterpiece of scorching political satire, Veep follows former American senator Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in her tenure as the country’s vice president. As she works to stifle a ceaseless procession of emerging political catastrophes, she also navigates issues in her own family life and tries to use her station to bolster her own legacy.
Series creator Armando Iannucci revels in the depravity and immorality that so many fear resides at the heart of political power. The chaos of the White House extracts every ounce of corruption, self-interest, ego, and narcissism from its characters, with the juxtaposition between Meyer’s true, acidic self and the pampered image she strives to present to the world making her a particularly exceptional commentary on modern-day politics. Also defined by her penchant for biting vulgarity and Louis-Dreyfus’s mesmerizing performance—for which she won six Emmy Awards—Selina Meyer is HBO’s greatest ever comedy character.
6
‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
Skewering inherited wealth and elitism in the modern day, Succession strikes an intoxicating and remarkably precise balance between barbed satire and gripping, high-octane tension. The biggest reason why it works so well is the series’ main characters, with the four-season arc revolving around the three Roy siblings as they find themselves embroiled in a bitter feud against each other as they all try to position themselves to succeed their aging father as the new CEO of Waystar RoyCo.
As Logan Roy (Brian Cox) says, the Roy siblings “are not serious people.” In many respects, they are trapped in the safety net of the wealth they have always known, existing as emotionally stunted and deeply insecure people who crave the opportunity to prove they can be self-sufficient, yet crumble when such a time arises. While each of the siblings is distinct and defined in their own way, they all share an air of tragedy and ambition as they strive to earn their father’s approval while wrestling with the lingering trauma of their tumultuous upbringings.
5
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026–Present)
The past 30 years of television have largely been defined by powerful and, at times, confronting drama. With HBO being a major catalyst of this tone, it is rare for the network’s productions to flaunt joyous and uplifting heroes. Rare, but not non-existent. As a delightful expansion of Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms surprised many with its gleeful and warm-hearted tone as it follows an aspiring knight who makes for a tourney to prove his worth and finds himself becoming an unlikely hero of the common folk when he stands against a cruel prince.
Its charm resides in a great many qualities, but chief among them is the beautiful bond between Dunk (Peter Claffey) and his young squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). Dunk’s humble, morally upright, and occasionally naïve view of the world is perfectly complemented by Egg’s sharp wit and inquisitive wonder of the world beyond a Targaryen castle. Quaint, wholesome, and often hilarious, while still exuding earnest qualities of chivalry and hope, Dunk and Egg are not only enshrined among HBO’s greatest ever heroes, but they are also arguably the most likable characters of any major show the network has produced.
4
‘Deadwood’ (2004–2006)
Deadwood is another in a long line of HBO series that flaunts magnificent production design, gripping storytelling, and an unrelenting sense of visceral tension and atmospheric pull, but is ultimately defined by the strength of its characters. Given the Western series excels with the strength of its ensemble, it is difficult to contain it to just a handful of key characters, but overwhelmed lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) and conniving saloon owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) are two standouts who loosely occupy the station of hero and villain respectively while illuminating the depth of moral ambiguity and character nuance the series was renowned for.
It is easy to view them as opposite sides of the same coin. While they are cast on opposite sides of the law and share something of an antagonistic relationship throughout Deadwood’s three-season run, the two leads do share a grudging respect for one another as Bullock’s staunch moralism and fiery integrity complement Swearengen’s cunning and pragmatic realism. They both represent different pillars of American society, and many of the secondary characters the show features exist somewhere between their conflicting ideals of justice, order, and industry. With both characters brought to life with exceptional writing and memorable performances, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen present perhaps the best hero-villain combination in HBO’s television catalog.
3
‘True Detective’ (Season 1) (2014)
Even as somber and atmospheric mystery has become a staple of crime television since True Detective’s impeccable first season aired, the original eight-episode season of the anthology show remains something of a high point in the genre’s recent history on the small screen. An essential reason for this is the strength of its lead characters, two partnered detectives who, in many ways, serve as each other’s antagonists even as they fight on the same side of the law and work to bring an occultist serial killer to justice.
Matthew McConaughey’s portrayal of Detective Rustin Cohle was instantly iconic, with the character’s bleak pessimism, poetic worldview, and rich philosophical depth making him an endlessly compelling figure. Detective Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson) is something of a straight man by comparison, even if he is forced to grapple with a litany of his own personal issues throughout the season’s 17-year timeline. Both Cohle and Hart are outstanding characters in their own right, but as a pairing that perfectly complements and contrasts each other, they stand tall among the greatest detective duos television has ever seen.
2
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
The Leftovers is one of the most underrated series in television history, a hidden gem of HBO’s illustrious catalog that unfolds in a world mourning the “Sudden Departure,” an inexplicable event in which two percent of the world’s population mysteriously vanished. Rather than running as a high-stakes mystery thriller or a ferocious post-apocalyptic drama, the three-season series unfolds more as a meditative exploration of grief, loss, and humanity. It is an approach that thrives thanks to the contemplative depth of its writing, the air of empathetic gravitas the series conjures, and the incredible strength of its lead characters.
Both Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), a police officer trying to maintain some semblance of normality, and Nora Durst (Carrie Coon), a woman who lost her entire family in the Sudden Departure, are rife with psychological intrigue. Desperately clinging to their sanity in a maddening world, they both strive to present an image of calmness and composure even as their own mental states continuously spiral due to their personal issues. Like every major character in The Leftovers, both Kevin and Nora are realized with exceptional emotional intelligence, making for two of the most intimately examined and dissected characters in television history, and two wonderfully complex, self-contradicting, and captivating explorations of the human condition.
1
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
Breaking Bad gave the world Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Mad Men presented Don Draper (Jon Hamm). Even The Shield deserves consideration for the complexity of Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis). But when it comes to great television antiheroes and the best protagonist the medium has ever seen, there is only one answer. The Sopranos revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey mob boss whose struggles in his intense professional life and spiraling personal life lead to him attending therapy in secret.
The series presented a dramatic shift for crime drama at large, with Tony still featuring the volatile gangland ruthlessness associated with the genre but exhibiting a tender vulnerability and profoundly human complexity as well. Anchored by what is the greatest performance the small screen has ever seen from Gandolfini, The Sopranos features the finest main character in television history, a challenging, confronting, and confounding meditation on morality that remains the greatest icon of the medium even nearly 20 years since the series concluded.
The Sopranos
- Release Date
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1999 – 2007-00-00
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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David Chase
- Directors
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Tim Van Patten, John Patterson, Alan Taylor, Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Daniel Attias, David Chase, Andy Wolk, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, James Hayman, Lee Tamahori, Lorraine Senna, Matthew Penn, Mike Figgis, Nick Gomez, Peter Bogdanovich, Phil Abraham, Rodrigo García
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