Everyone loves a good cartoon, whether they grew up with nostalgic classics or continue to watch the medium evolve with its audience. Animated series are some of the most inventive and entertaining shows around. However, just because some cartoons were good when fans were kids doesn’t mean they have aged perfectly, such as Johnny Bravo and The Smurfs.

On the other hand, some cartoons not only retained their quality today, but are even better, which is why this list will rank 10 classic cartoons that have aged like fine wine. Based on popularity, cult following, animation, style, art, story, relevance, cultural importance, and overall quality, these 10 shows keep getting better no matter how old they get.

1

‘Clone High’ (2002–2003)

Image via Max

Some classic cartoons are so good that companies can’t help but bring them back in the form of a reboot, but they are rarely as good as the original. One such example is Clone High. A government experiment clones some of history’s most influential figures, hoping to use them as strategic pawns in the future. But for now, they are a bunch of high school students.

They tried to reboot Clone High, but it didn’t achieve the same success or acclaim as the original, meaning the classic show aged too well. Canceled after one season, Clone High was controversial for its time, but it became such a cult hit that 20 years later, it found a new audience, proving it aged like a fine wine. Plus, its visual style holds up magnificently.

2

‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ (1999–2002)

Image via CN

Some of the best cartoons ever have come from the 1990s, and one such icon is Courage the Cowardly Dog. The titular pup is timid and constantly paranoid, and despite his owners not noticing anything, he goes through traumatic horror-movie situations daily, fighting for survival every episode.

For being a kids’ cartoon, Courage the Cowardly Dog is surprisingly scary, using its unique visual style and blend of animation to create an uncanny and unsettling animated series. But no matter how scary the monster, Courage always stood his ground, and this formula of unconditional love made it a heartwarming and comforting cartoon that is still good nowadays.

3

‘Total Drama’ (2007–2014)

Image via Cartoon Network

Shows like Survivor are some of the most popular on TV, but some spoofs of these iconic reality shows are just as entertaining. Total Drama is a spoof show that parodies various reality shows. Each season follows a group of teenagers who compete in various activities to earn a large cash prize, but chaos and drama usually unfold.

Total Drama was shockingly investing, because even if it parodied the format of elimination-style reality shows, it was also one, and therefore created an entertaining, drama-filled masterpiece. Satires specifically seem to age better than most shows, and while certain humor is outdated and awkward, Total Drama as a whole is still a comfort show for many.

4

‘Gargoyles’ (1994–1997)

Image via Walt Disney Television Animation

There was a certain type of cartoon getting popular during the mid-1990s, and Disney wanted to capitalize on its success, resulting in Gargoyles, a dark animated series that took the world by storm. Hundreds of years ago, Gargoyles used to roam free, but a curse petrified them for centuries. However, with the curse lifted, they are free to roam and get accustomed to the modern-day world.

Gargoyles tried to be the next Batman, and while it won’t ever match that series, it did become its own thing. This cartoon was dark, gritty, and shockingly mature, providing some insightful and complex storylines that made it a standout series. Mature cartoons age better than most, and Gargoyles had an emotional sincerity and flawless writing that make it a wonderful series to revisit.

5

‘King of the Hill’ (1997–Present)

Image via Fox

After ending in 2009, King of the Hill returned for a new season over a decade later, proving fans still wanted more of this all-time classic American sitcom. Following an American family in Texas and their neighbors, this animated series is about their lives and the mundane reality they go through, finding humor in everyday happenings.

King of the Hill is all about struggling to adjust to modern times, which is a timeless theme that is still relevant today. Its unique portrayal of characters and American culture is realistic, entertaining, and well-written, creating a relatable and hilarious cartoon. King of the Hill isn’t just a sitcom, but a character study that is still relevant today.

6

‘6teen’ (2004–2010)

Image via Teletoon

Fans don’t realize how many of their favorite cartoons are Canadian, with two already featured on this list: Clone High and Total Drama Island. A third is 6teen, which, albeit less popular, is another fantastic series. Following a group of teenagers working at the mall, it is about their daily life growing up and having fun while causing mayhem.

6teen is one of the greatest Canadian cartoons of all time, but it never got the recognition it deserved, despite aging perfectly. 6teen feels like a time capsule from the 2000s, from its style to its animation to its mallrat culture, making it a true product of its time. However, that nostalgic vibe is all the rage right now. Plus, its unique 2D animation feels classic, but also in style, meaning 6teen is an underrated gem that gets better with age.

7

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon is known for its many classic children’s cartoons, but one show that broke the mold was Avatar: The Last Airbender. When the world needed the Avatar the most, Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) disappeared, only reappearing hundreds of years later after the Fire Nation took over. Now, he needs to master all four elements in time to stop the Fire Nation from completely taking over the world.

Shifting to a dedicated story rather than an episodic release, this cartoon hooked everyone’s attention with its endearing characters, riveting story, and intriguing worldbuilding. It may be one of the newer shows on this list, but as time passes, no cartoon has as gripping a storyline. The animation is flawless and better than most series today, making Avatar: The Last Airbender arguably the greatest cartoon of all time.

8

‘Freakazoid!’ (1995–1997)

Image via Kids’ WB

Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest directors of all time, with movies such as Jaws and Saving Private Ryan, but many fans might not have known he tried his hand at animation, delivering Freakazoid! Set in Washington, D.C., the series follows a superpowered teenager who uses his goofy powers for good and justice, stopping heinous criminals and foiling their evil plans.

The ’90s were a golden age of cartoons, meaning underrated shows like Freakazoid! flew under the radar, but even if it wasn’t as popular, it has aged better than most. Known for its satirical humor and silly antics, this animated series is all the more relevant now. Freakazoid! is a ’90s cartoon that deserves a reboot, mainly because it was ahead of its time with its referential humor and pop culture satire.

9

‘Batman: The Animated Series’ (1992–1995)

DC is known for its animated series, and its most iconic is undoubtedly Batman: The Animated Series. Following the Caped Crusader’s (Kevin Conroy) battle against crime around Gotham City, he takes on some of the most dangerous villains, including the Joker (Mark Hamill). This show features an episodic format and is a deep dive into all the villains and their psychological issues.

Batman: The Animated Series is the best superhero cartoon of all time, and a standout in DC’s catalog. However, it also ages better every year. The Art Deco aesthetic and Gothic style create a unique vibe that influenced future iterations of the character. The animation holds up, and the stories are revolutionary. Batman: The Animated Series aged so well because of its psychological focus on its villains and its profound insight.

10

‘The Simpsons’ (1989–Present)

Image via Fox

Advertisement

Animation is mainly viewed as a kids’ medium, and many of the cartoons featured are for a younger audience, but The Simpsons proves that adult animation is just as in style and essential. Following an ordinary family in a seemingly average town, this series is about their daily life and the chaos it causes, from the nuclear power facility to the local school.

Truthfully, the latest seasons of The Simpsons have not aged well, clearly outliving its lifespan and now delivering mediocre episodes that are a shell of its former self. However, early seasons of The Simpsons continue to age perfectly, which is why this animated icon deserves the top spot on this list. Not only is this series one of the funniest animated series of all time, which naturally makes it age well, but it is also known for predicting the future with extreme precision. The Simpsons is a masterclass of comedy and animation, and its in-the-know writers helped it become a series that aged like fine wine based on its insight into the future.

Advertisement

The Simpsons

Advertisement

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Network

Advertisement

FOX

Directors

Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller

Advertisement

Advertisement

• 

  Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)

• 

  Julie Kavner

  Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)

  Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Magic City Legend
Come Check Us Out, Luke Kornet
… Don’t Knock ‘Till You Try!!!

Published
March 8, 2026
12:30 AM PST

Blade Runner is to science fiction what The Godfather is to crime/gangster cinema, sort of. Neither movie invented the genre either belonged to, with great sci-fi movies having existed for decades, and iconic gangster movies becoming popular back in the 1930s, yet both can be seen as redefining what was possible for those respective genres. With Blade Runner, it still holds up tremendously (and especially) well on a technical front, which is handy when it was made about the future.

You have a futuristic movie that ended up being appreciated in the future, to the extent that Blade Runner is actually now set in the past (the year 2019), but it’s still incredible and pretty close to flawless. Therefore, any movie that’s on the same level as Blade Runner is going to be within the realm of masterpiece territory, and that indeed can be said about the following sci-fi movies, most of them older classics that have also stood the test of time.

‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2017)

Duh. Good to start with the easiest one. Blade Runner 2049 is a pretty fantastic sequel all-around, and so much better than people were probably fearing a Blade Runner sequel might be, back pre-2017. It didn’t seem like a great idea, and maybe in a financial sense, it never was, since Blade Runner 2049 underperformed, though narratively and thematically (and quality-wise), this one did impress.

As the title suggests, it takes place 30 years on from Blade Runner, and depicts the dystopian world as having gotten noticeably worse, while the plot also (eventually) involves the first movie’s protagonist, Rick Deckard (played again by – a surprisingly enthusiastic and not checked-out – Harrison Ford). Visually, Blade Runner 2049 is one of the best-looking sci-fi movies in recent memory, and the fact that it exists as a worthy follow-up to such a legendary film is very much worth celebrating.

‘Godzilla’ (1954)

Image via Toho

Advertisement

There are a few Godzilla movies that could be called legendary as far as science fiction cinema’s concerned, but it feels safest to single out the one that started it all. 1954’s Godzilla has a good deal less action than many of its sequels/follow-ups, and a focus on horror, still feeling pretty creepy in that regard, and also remaining relevant with the fears surrounding nuclear weapons that it explores so effectively.

Other Godzilla movies have social commentary, of course, though Godzilla (1954) probably proves the most thought-provoking and also the heaviest. It stands out in those ways, and for also being so significant for the giant monster movie sub-genre overall. Godzilla Minus One could well be a better starting point if you’ve somehow never seen a Godzilla movie before, just because it’s a little sleeker and more approachable pacing-wise, but historically, and as far as classics go… yeah, it’s got to be the original. Obviously.

‘Alien’ (1979)

Image via 20th Century Studios

It’s tempting to say that it’s obvious Alien would be a sci-fi movie, given it’s called Alien, but then again, Parasite (2019) exists, and that one’s not about a literal parasitic creature or monster the way you’d expect it to be. And with Alien, there is a bit more to it beyond the narrative, which is really just people having to survive on board a small spacecraft where an alien is loose.

In that sense, Alien is easy to compare to Jaws, which also has a simple title and a straightforward premise, albeit with a little more under the hood if you want to dig into it, in that way. Both movies are amazingly well-crafted, too. Further, with Alien, it’s worth comparing it to Blade Runner and highlighting it as a classic of the sci-fi genre, since Ridley Scott was the director behind both.

‘The Thing’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

The setting is different from Alien, but the premise of The Thing is quite similar. There’s an alien, and people have to fight to stay alive. The Thing takes place on Earth, though it still manages to feel claustrophobic when needed, since it’s more specifically a film that takes place in Antarctica, and the conditions there keep the human characters confined to a research facility while the “thing” that wants to kill them is on the loose.

It does a lot with a little, and the level of suspense throughout is undeniably high. The Thing is also a bit of a miserable watch, owing to how dark and hopeless it feels for much of its runtime, but it’s a horror movie, so that ends up being a feature rather than a bug and all.

‘WALL·E’ (2008)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Possibly the best family-friendly sci-fi movie of all time, WALL·E is also a highlight within the entirety of Pixar’s output. It is another instance of the studio giving human emotions to things that don’t usually have human emotions, doing so after the first two movies with toys, and that one with the fish, but before there was the exploration of “what if emotions had emotions?”

And then as far as animated science fiction movies are concerned, they don’t get much better than WALL·E. It’s also a post-apocalyptic movie, in a sense, just a good deal more optimistic than most post-apocalyptic movies. Also, like with Godzilla, the concerns WALL·E is concerned with regarding humanity and its future (or lack thereof) remain relevant, not to mention surprisingly weighty for what might initially look like a kid’s movie.

‘Back to the Future’ (1985)

Image via Universal Pictures

Back to the Future is about as comforting and easily approachable as comfort movies get, and so, unsurprisingly, it’s also very nostalgic. And it’s the kind of nostalgic that has that feeling on multiple fronts, as it was made more than four decades ago, and is very of its time stylistically, while the time travel plot also has its teenage protagonist ending up stuck in the past, 30 years earlier, so in that sense, Back to the Future would’ve felt nostalgic back in 1985.

Going much further than that is hard, discussion-wise. Back to the Future is a classic and one of those movies that’s potentially almost impossible to dislike. Maybe there’s someone out there who just doesn’t like it, and they’re well within their rights to not like it, but also, maybe you’re within your rights to think – ideally just to yourself, in the interest of not being too rude – that there might be something wrong with that particular individual.

‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004)

Image via Focus Features

Romance movies focused on break-ups are already a little less common than more conventional (and pleasant) romance movies, but romance movies about break-ups that also count as sci-fi films? That’s an inevitably even smaller camp, and yet it’s a camp that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind belongs to. This one’s about a couple who’ve broken up, and they both choose to have a procedure that deletes all the memories they have of the other person.

You could play something outlandish like this for laughs, and you throw Jim Carrey into the mix, and you might expect something funny, or maybe more of a dramedy, like The Truman Show, yet that’s really not what you get here. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is heavy-going, and it’s also one of those movies that gets admirably more difficult to watch the older/more heartbroken you get. That might not sell the film particularly well, but it’s what it’s going for and trying to do, so you have to admire it, even if you might not feel particularly keen about having it in rotation among other movies you might consider actually rewatchable.

‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The first Star Wars might be more historically significant, and potentially also the bigger crowd-pleaser, yet it’s The Empire Strikes Back that’s the overall stronger film. Both films, and most in the Star Wars franchise, are fantasy in space, rather than strict science fiction, but that sub-genre (the space opera) does still require, you know, space and other sci-fi elements, so here The Empire Strikes Back is.

It’s relentlessly paced and undeniably exciting, even if you enter into it knowing the biggest surprises it has in store, or are otherwise familiar with much of it because it’s been so frequently parodied and referenced by other pieces of media. No matter; The Empire Strikes Back is still a strike. All 10 pins are knocked down. 10 out of 10 pins. Hey, 10 out of 10. What do you know? It’s all coming together, now.

‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968)

Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

2001: A Space Odyssey is one of those rare movies that’s about almost everything, doing so by covering such a vast expanse of time. You get the early stretch of the movie dealing with humanity’s ancestors, then some stuff in the titular year (which wasn’t the distant future in 1968, but probably still seemed decently far off to most), and things conclude with a more mysterious sequence that seems like it’s taking place extensively into the future, kind of beyond comprehension and stuff.

Also, 2001: A Space Odyssey does this while being patiently paced, certainly not racing through all the years by any means. It takes its time while taking place over so much time, and that approach, coupled with the undeniable ambition, is one of many reasons why it’s such a fascinating and easy-to-revisit film (and it’s a landmark piece of science fiction in countless other ways, too).

‘Metropolis’ (1927)

Image via Parufamet

As mentioned before, Blade Runner was released far too late to come anywhere close to defining science fiction, as a genre within cinema, but Metropolis, on the other hand… yeah, this one kind of defined science fiction. There were some sci-fi movies released before 1927, with maybe the best known being 1925’s The Lost World, yet not many. And at least as far as feature-length sci-fi movies go, this was probably the first genuinely masterful one.

So, Metropolis has that going for it, and then visually and thematically, it’s also got quite a bit in it that seems likely to have influenced Blade Runner, plus a good many other sci-fi movies released post-1927. Technically, much of Metropolis still impresses, and it’s also easy to single it out as one of the greatest filmmaking accomplishments of its century, science fiction or otherwise.

Advertisement

Metropolis

Advertisement

Release Date

February 6, 1927

Runtime

114 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Fritz Lang

Advertisement

Writers

Thea von Harbou, Fritz Lang

Advertisement

• 
• 

Advertisement

Advertisement

Chrisean Rock is speaking out after Blueface doubled down on not being the biological father of her son, Chrisean Jesus. In his post, Blue accused Rock of preventing him from seeing Chrisean Jr., but she said she’s been protecting her peace. Rock also called Blue out for apparently disrespecting both her and Chrisean Jr. while he was on a livestream. Overall, she feels Blueface has just been trying to provoke her, and she’s not here for it at all!

RELATED: Blueface Doubles Down On Not Being The Biological Father Of Chrisean Rock’s Son & Says Her Ex Ronnie Is His Real Dad

Chrisean Rock Reacts After Blueface Denies Being Her Son’s Father

On Saturday, Chrisean Rock hopped on Instagram to clear the air after Blueface denied being Chrisean’s Jr. father. Rock said she’s been protecting Jr. and wasn’t feeling Blue disrespecting her and him. Rock claimed Blue threw shots at them in a freestyle on a livestream with PlaqueBoyMax. Although he didn’t name drop anyone, he could be heard saying, “If we have a baby it’s probably going to be dumb.” That led Rock to clap back in her message with, “You called both of us Dumb on PlaqueBoyMax stream insinuating our kid is dumb … then later after that u made a statement about his hair.” 

Rock said that after Blue made those comments, she’s been turning down his event invites. She admitted that ever since she started pulling back, she thinks he’s been trying to provoke her with statements that are “simply not true.” Rock also made it clear that she’s done going back and forth on social media. Her main focus right now is raising and protecting Chrisean Jr.

Blueface Claims Rock’s Ex Is Her Son’s Father

Blue had folks online scratching their heads, wondering what was going on the behind the scenes that made him speak on Chrisean Jr. On X (formerly Twitter), he said he’s tired of being called an absent father to a child that’s “not biologically his.” He also claimed that Jr.’s real dad is Rock’s ex-boyfriend, Ronny Doe, who tragically passed away after being shot in Maryland in February 2025. Prior to his passing Ronny did approach Rock about Jr.’s paternity, but confirmation of whether he’ was actually the father is still unclear.

“Jr is not my biological son RIP to his father Ronnie I can no longer continue the plot it doesn’t feel right as a present father in all my kids life to be discredited as a absence father to a child that is not biologically mine I tried my best to fill in the blanks because his biological father is no longer with us but I can’t continue the plot it doesn’t feel right ” Blue wrote.

Blue Previously Claimed That DNA Test Proved He’s Not Chrisean Jr.’s Dad

This isn’t the first time Blue has denied being Chrisean Jr.’s dad. Back in December 2023, he said he swabbed Jr. and received DNA results proving that he’s allegedly not the father. In another post, he admitted he was happy about the news, saying he thinks it was in his “best interest.”

RELATED: She’s Ready! Chrisean Rock Shares Clip Of Her Boxing Skills & Internet Users Are Hyping Her UP (WATCH)

Rosanna Arquette has raised questions over the death of her friend and late Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.

“I knew Virginia. I don’t think she killed herself,” Arquette, 66, told London’s The Times in an interview published on Saturday, March 7.

Members of the Giuffre family announced in April 2025 that Virginia had died by suicide at age 41. Viriginia had previously shared numerous alarming messages about her health in the days leading up to her death. (Virginia was survived by her and estranged husband Robert Giuffre’s three children: Christian, Noah, and Emily.)

“Giuffre lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,” her family said at the time. “Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure. The light of her life were her children: Christian, Noah, and Emily.”

Related: Biggest Bombshells From Virginia Giuffre’s Unseen Interview About Andrew

The late Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre made shocking new allegations about disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor in a previously unseen interview. Giuffre died by suicide at age 41 in April 2025 — mere months before the publication of a posthumous memoir where she shared stunning new details about her alleged abuse at the hands […]

Discussing her friendship with Virginia, Arquette told The Times that she identified with all of Epstein’s victims because of her own experience with disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. (Arquette accused Weinstein, now 73, of grabbing her hand “and pull[ing] it toward his penis” at The Beverly Hilton in the 1990s. Weinstein denied those allegations.)

“I had many conversations with the Epstein women,” she said. “Those women are warriors right now, and we need to protect them.”

Asked directly if she believed Virginia died by suicide, Arquette replied, “I do not.”

Arquette is not the first person to raise questions over Virginia’s 2025 death. Her father, Sky Roberts, called for an official inquiry into Virginia’s death last April and pointed to past social media posts stating that she had no suicidal ideation.

Virginia’s lawyer Karrie Louden told The Sun in April 2025 that she also had “big question marks” about how her client died.

“When I got the phone call, I was like, ‘Are you joking?’” Louden recalled. “Because there was no sign that that was something she was considering.”

Virginia accused Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell of sexually trafficking her to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Britain’s Prince Andrew, three times, including when she was 17 in 2001. Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, told Newsnight in 2019 that he had “no recollection of ever meeting” Virginia and denied any wrongdoing towards her.

Mountbatten-Windsor later reached a private settlement with Virginia in 2022 after she sued him for sexual assault. The former prince did not make any admission of guilt as part of the settlement.

Epstein died by suicide at age 66 in August 2019 following his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. Maxwell, 64, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 after being convicted on sex trafficking charges. (Maxwell maintains her innocence to this day and has asked President Donald Trump for clemency.)

Advertisement

Related: Questions and Some Possible Answers About Vrginia Giuffre’s Death

Virginia Giuffre’s tragic death at the age of 41 has raised some questions amongst some family members and the general public. On April 25, Giuffre’s family confirmed the woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse and sex trafficking had died by suicide in Australia. “Giuffre lost her life to suicide, after […]

Meanwhile, Giuffre’s family most recently spoke out following Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. Mountbatten-Windsor has been accused of sharing confidential information with Epstein while serving as a U.K. trade envoy from 2001 and 2011.

“At last,” Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson told NBC’s Today on February 19. “Today our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty. On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the Thames Valley Police for the investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.”

If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

The following article contains spoilers.There is a question that we have been pondering for months: What makes a great redemption story? It’s a question that has been particularly vexing since our research began many months ago, and the answer was clearly right in front of us. A great redemption arc on television sticks the landing, where that character is totally redeemed from their past, deeply flawed era.

So, using this as a metric, we set out to find TV characters who entered their redemption era and came out better on the other side. These are the characters who recognized that they had huge red flags attached to them, and they made the changes needed to become better. These are the ones that we root for, and once you reach the end, dear reader, you will root for these characters as well.

10

Loki

‘Loki’ (2021–2023)

Image via Disney+

When we were first introduced to Loki (Tom Hiddleston), he was a powerful villain with a thirst for power, with a narcissistic sense of self to match. But when Loki made the transition to the small screen, he transformed from the villain that we originally saw him as, and into a character that showed a profound transformation that largely worked.

Loki was a character who was ripe for a redemption arc. He had all the qualities needed to make it happen in Loki. All that was needed was a writing staff who saw the potential in this transformation, and the end result was a character who went from being a narcissistic, unlikable villain to a powerful being that showed remorse and cared for others. When he destroyed the Temporal Loom, which he wanted to desperately control, he completed his arc from villain to hero, and we all stood and congratulated him for it.

9

Petra Solano

‘Jane the Virgin’ (2014–2019)

In the early seasons of The CW’s criminally underrated comedy-drama Jane the Virgin, no one could reasonably believe that Petra Solano (Yael Grobglas) could have a redemption arc that people actually believed in. She was the scheming, cheating wife of Rafael Solano (Justin Baldoni), and she was a character that audiences were meant to hate with a searing passion.

Then, something amazing happened. After the birth of her twin girls, Petra slowly shed her villainous persona and became a complex individual who was, dare we say it, more likable. This was thanks to her growth into motherhood, and Petra finding real love with JR (Rosario Dawson), which allowed Petra to finally open up and be more vulnerable, with her coming to the satisfying realization that, deep down, she actually is a good person.

8

Nathan Scott

‘One Tree Hill’ (2003–2012)

Image via The CW

There are traditional redemption arcs, and then there’s the redemption of One Tree Hill‘s Nathan Scott (James Lafferty). His transformation was so astounding that, toward the end of the series’ run, one could swear that they were watching an entirely different character. We were first introduced to Scott, who was the arrogant, cruel star of the Tree Hill Ravens’ basketball team.

There was really nothing to like about Scott early on, but in Season 1, he starts dating Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz), which softens Scott’s aggressive and selfish demeanor and begins his remarkable transformation. Along the way, we find out that Scott desperately wanted to be a better man than his father, and in the latter seasons, he successfully achieved this. He was a better father, a better husband, and, above all, a more mature, responsible person who developed empathy toward others rather than let apathy run his life. Nathan Scott was a redemption story that should be admired.

7

Theon Greyjoy

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Image via HBO

You had to feel for Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), even though at the beginning of the acclaimed HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, it may have been hard to do so. Greyjoy’s early arc was full of arrogance, but when he was captured after the seizure of Winterfell and broken to become “Reek,” the seeds of a character-defining redemption were set into motion.

Greyjoy managed to break the submissive “Reek” persona, and he became a character who died in honorable sacrifice. So while he ultimately died, leaving the world behind, trying to protect someone you care about represented a complete 180-degree change from the unlikable persona he once embodied. Viewers were initially not supposed to like or root for Theon, but we felt bad for him when he was relentlessly tortured, and we were able to honor him when he died trying to protect Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright). That reader is a classic tale of redemption, and it made us see his character in a completely different light.

6

Alexis and David Rose

‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)

Image via CBC Television

We will admit, it was really fun watching Schitt’s Creek‘s David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) Rose in their shallow, entitled phase. After all, they grew up as socialites, unable to connect to the wider world that didn’t have nearly the same things nor were afforded the same lifestyle that they enjoyed. But it was also fun and quite rewarding to see David and Alexis grow out of that superficial persona and become more empathetic and independent of their parents.

For Alexis, this character-defining redemption arc meant overcoming toxic relationships and a lack of direction to find purpose and learn how to become her own person. For her brother, that meant getting past dramatic, guarded tendencies and embracing the fact that vulnerability can be a good thing. By embracing change, Alexis and David Rose became better people, completing a redemption arc that fans of Schitt’s Creek didn’t have much hope for in the beginning.

5

Chuck Bass

‘Gossip Girl’ (2007–2012)

Image via The CW

To this very day, fans of the iconic CW drama Gossip Girl debate the redemption arc of Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick). When we first met Chuck, he was a character that everyone despised. He displayed the persona that made everyone hate rich people. He was manipulative, arrogant, hedonistic, and there was no question once, ever, that Chuck was the main antagonist in Season 1.

But his love for Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), a character with her own set of flaws, became the driving force for Chuck to start evolving into a character that fans could actually feel empathy for instead of resentment. His relationship with Blair forced Chuck to look at himself in the mirror, confronting his toxic behavior and cold demeanor, and begin his maturation. Chuck’s redemption arc is unique in the fact that it isn’t a straight line from arrogant you-know-what to the picture of maturity. His redemption was indeed a “one step forward, three steps back” scenario (remember, this is the guy who traded his girlfriend for a hotel), and this is why his road to sensible character is still debated today. But, in the end, he did become a better person, and it was a process that, while slow, eventually redefined his character (and resulted in one of the best relationships in Gossip Girl).

4

Jin-Soo Kwon

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Image via ABC

One of ABC’s Lost’s best aspects was its “flashback” moments within its episodes. It was during these flashbacks (and flashforwards) that we were able to get a deeper glimpse into the characters who were marooned on a tropical island inhabited by polar bears (yes, we’re still not getting over this). One of those flashbacks centered on Jin-Soo Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim), who was abusive and controlling to his wife, Sun-Hwa Kwon (Yunjin Kim).

But, being stuck on a remote island with no help coming soon has a way of changing people, and we got to see Jin-Soo Kwon develop from that insecure, possessive husband who isolated his wife from the other survivors, and into a loving, selfless person who tried hard to communicate, helped the other survivors on the island, and, most importantly, worked to change his relationship with his wife, which was showcased in a tragically beautiful moment when he chose to die alongside her in a sunken submarine instead of leave her.

3

April Ludgate

‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009–2015)

Image via NBC Universal

Not all character-defining redemption arcs follow the traditional path of a terrible personality who matures into a respectable and well-liked person. Sometimes that redemption can result in the character becoming a “softer” version of themselves. Enter Parks and Recreation’s April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), who we first met as an intern at the Pawnee Parks and Recreation department.

Ludgate was often described as “aggressively apathetic,” a person who didn’t have a care in the world for anyone, speaking in a deadpan manner, and was proud of the fact that she was difficult to have a relationship with. But that began to change thanks to Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), whose mentorship helped April channel her intensity into meaningful work. And, later, April’s relationship with Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) allowed her to finally drop some of the walls she put up emotionally. While April still retained her edge, she became a character who realized that she can be a caring and responsible person without losing her sense of self.

2

Michael

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Image via NBC 

At the beginning of the NBC fantasy comedy The Good Place, Michael (Ted Danson) was not the person viewers initially thought he was. Michael was introduced as an angel and “architect” of the “Good Place.” However, toward the end of Season 1, we saw Michael’s true colors; he was a demon that tortured the show’s protagonist in a Bad Place that masqueraded as a Good Place.

Make no mistake, Michael was quite sadistic, a demon who relished torturing the show’s protagonists. We learn that this came about because Michael had a lack of understanding of human empathy, but as he teams up with the humans to protect himself from his boss, he begins to feel empathy and form a friendship with the human protagonists. In the end, Michael learns a lot about human experience, leading him to finally be able to be at peace.

1

Schmidt

‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)

Image via FOX

Shallow, selfish, and a perceived “ladies’ man,” there wasn’t a lot to like about New Girl‘s Schmidt (Max Greenfield). He was very obsessed with himself, and was a person who always cared about his status and how he looked. It was toxic, no doubt about it, but over the seasons, we began to see why Schmidt was the way he was, as it was born out of insecurity, and he began to further change when he began a romantic relationship with Cece Parekh (Hannah Simone).

Although fans debated his behavior during Season 3, where he was in a relationship with both Cece and Elizabeth (Merritt Wever), this moment allowed Schmidt to finally confront his toxic personality, and from there, he grew a genuine love for Cece and became a more caring and vulnerable person, one that fans grew to love by the time the show came to a close.

Advertisement

New Girl

Advertisement

Release Date

2011 – 2018

Advertisement

Network

FOX

Advertisement

Showrunner

Elizabeth Meriwether

Directors

Advertisement

Trent O’Donnell, Jay Chandrasekhar, Max Winkler, Fred Goss, Jesse Peretz, Steve Welch, Lynn Shelton, Josh Greenbaum, Russ T. Alsobrook, Bill Purple, Christine Gernon, Lorene Scafaria, Michael Schultz, Peyton Reed, Tristram Shapeero, Eric Appel, Alec Berg, Jason Winer, Michael Spiller, Steve Pink, Alex Hardcastle, Andrew Fleming, Craig Zisk, Daniel Attias

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ryan Reynolds had the support of his wife, Blake Lively, as his soccer team, Wrexham AFC, lost a grueling FA Cup match on Saturday, March 7.

The Deadpool actor, 49, shared a kiss and hugged Lively, 38, from a VIP box at Racecourse Ground in Wales. The couple were quite animated during the most dramatic moments in Wrexham’s clash with Chelsea and were joined by fellow Wrexham owner Rob McElhenney before their squad ultimately suffered a 4-2 loss.

Lively looked casually fashionable in a denim jacket over a striped top while her husband seemed to be equally comfy in a dark grey pullover.

Via his Instagram Story, Reynolds posted footage of himself and McElhenney, 48, giving Chelsea a respectful clap as a show of sportsmanship. McElhenney and Reynolds also shared a hug as they came to terms with Wrexham falling short of a quarterfinal placement in the FA Cup.

“Three years ago this week, we battled Maidenhead United to a draw. Today we pushed Chelsea to extra time,” Reynolds tweeted on Saturday. “So incredibly proud of Wrexham’s performance today.”

Lively later shared a selfie shot from the field at Racecourse Ground as she cuddled up to her longtime spouse. (Reynolds and Lively have been married since 2012 and share four children: James, born in December 2014, Inez, born in September 2016, Betty, born in October 2019, and Olin, born Feb 2023.)

“What. A. Game,” Lively beamed in the caption.

The couple have been seemingly lying low to start out the new year. Their latest major public outing was in November 2025 when Lively offered a sneak peek at their pre-Thanksgiving date night in New York City.

At the time, Lively joked that she was “putting [her] ‘night out hair’ to good use” for a romantic evening with Reynolds. They even posed in front of the Empire Hotel, which was a recurring filming location on her classic teen drama Gossip Girl.

“I spy the Empire Hotel iukuk [if you know, you know],” Lively joked via her Instagram Story.

Related: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Bring the PDA to Wrexham Weekend Game

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively seldom miss a chance to cheer on his Wrexham soccer team, and the Saturday, April 26, home game was no exception. “Let’s g⚽️ boys @wrexham_afc,” Lively, 37, wrote via Instagram Stories on Friday, April 25, smiling in a selfie with husband Reynolds, 48. In the snap, Lively wore a team-branded […]

In February, Lively and This Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni were both spotted entering the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City for a settlement conference ahead of their upcoming trial. Lively arrived solo in a gray suit with a pink and white button-up and a striped green cardigan whereas Justin — who was dressed in a green coat with a pink scarf — was joined by his wife, Emily Baldoni.

Justin’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told Deadline later that day that settlement talks were “unsuccessful” but that there was “always a chance” of making a pretrial deal. Freedman added that he was “looking forward” to the two sides finally facing off in court later this year, should there be no pretrial settlement.

Lively filed suit against Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation in December 2024, claiming that his alleged behavior on the set of It Ends With Us had caused her “severe emotional distress.” (Baldoni has denied her accusations. He countersued for $400 million, but his claims were thrown out in June 2025.)

The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18. An original trial date was set for March 9 but Judge Lewis J. Liman delayed the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York because of conflicts with an unrelated criminal trial.

“[The other case is] as important as this case is … criminal trials take precedent,” Judge Liman announced from the bench in December.

Kim Kardashian is showing off her family’s four new puppies whether PETA likes it or not.

“Welcome to the fam,” Kardashian, 45, captioned an Instagram photo of her baby Pomeranians on Friday, March 6.

Two photos feature the adorable puppies — a pair with jet black coats, another with a cream coloring and a fourth with sable fur — snuggling up together on a couch. Several of Kardashian’s famous social media followers were overwhelmed by the cuteness on display.

“Omg. They’re so cute,” Vanessa Bryant replied, with close family friend Khadijah Haqq McCray adding: “They’re so cute, they almost don’t seem real!”

Kardashian originally shared both photos on Christmas Day when she revealed that she’d given each of her four children their own Pomeranian as a holiday gift. (Kardashian and her ex-husband Kanye West share four kids: North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 6.)

“Each kid got a puppy,” she announced via her Instagram Story on December 25, 2025.

The All’s Fair actress posted several videos of her kids playing with the Pomeranians on Christmas morning, including one clip of two of the puppies sharing a sweet kiss.

Not everyone was thrilled with the furry additions to the Kardashian family. Animal rights group PETA’s cofounder Ingrid Newkirk slammed Kardashian’s Christmas gift, insisting that “puppies are not plushies.”

Advertisement

Related: Precious Pooches! See Kardashian-Jenner Kids Snuggling Their Sweet Pets

It’s been well-documented that the Kardashian-Jenner family loves animals, a trait that they’ve already passed down to their children. Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian gifted their daughters — Penelope and North, respectively — twin Pomeranian puppies in June 2017. Penelope — whom Kourtney shares with ex Scott Disick — chose to name her pup Honey […]

“It’s a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups,” Newkirk, 76, told the Daily Mail in December. “Ignoring the homeless animal crisis is inexcusably callous.”

Newkirk demanded that Kardashian “call PETA or a local shelter the next time” she was looking for a pet.

“[She can] try to make some amends now by sending [her] kids to volunteer at a local shelter or paying for a local shelter adopt-a-thon,” Newark demanded.

Kardashian never directly responded to criticism from PETA.

In the meantime, Kardashian has been spotted on numerous outings with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in the past few months. Us Weekly exclusively reported in February that Kardashian and Hamilton, 41, had “a few dates recently” but were keeping things “casual.”

“She has felt ready to put herself back out there recently,” a source told Us in early February. “Everyone around her wants her to be happy after everything she has gone through.”

That same month, Hamilton and Kardashian had their first major outing when they watched the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Us exclusively learned earlier this month that Kardashian and Hamilton have been spending more time together in recent weeks — including taking a trip to Arizona — because their busy schedules eased up.

“They both had a break in their schedules and decided to take another trip to spend more time together and really get to know each other,” an insider revealed. “It’s going well, and Kim has been genuinely enjoying her time with Lewis.”

The source insisted that Kardashian is “taking it slow” with Hamilton for now because he’s “the first person she’s been romantically involved with in a long time.” (Kardashian dated Pete Davidson from 2021 to 2022 and Odell Beckham Jr. from 2023 to 2024 following her 2021 divorce from West, 48.)

“Lewis is such a great guy and has really been courting her and treating her right. He’s been making all the plans and making sure she is taken care of,” a source told Us this month. “Everyone around her thinks it’s really sweet and what she deserves. Kim has had such a relaxed aura recently in all aspects of her life. Her mindset has totally changed. She’s not forcing anything, just letting it unfold naturally.”