The police procedural has a long and storied history, from the days of Dragnet to the recent premiere of CIA on CBS. The latter series is the latest creation from Hollywood heavyweight Dick Wolf, the man behind the One Chicago universe and the all-encompassing giant that is the Law & Order franchise. Like any procedural that wants to separate themselves from the pack, the flagship Law & Order series had a unique spin that used a “ripped from the headlines” formula, with episodes split between the police work of the first half that’s needed to bring criminals to justice through the courtroom drama of the second half. Yet the series of the Law & Order universe have nothing on Homicide: Life on the Street, a largely forgotten crime drama that changed the police procedural — and, by extension, television — forever.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Brings the Brutal Reality of Police Work to Television

At its simplest, Homicide: Life on the Street, which premiered in 1993, follows the experiences of the detectives in a fictional Baltimore Police Department homicide unit, based on a non-fiction book by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon, who spent a year shadowing the day-to-day proceedings of the real Baltimore P.D. Homicide Unit (and served as consultant and co-producer). Those detectives, led by Lieutenant Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto), include Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin), Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor), Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher), and John Munch (Richard Belzer), among a host of others.

There’s nothing simplistic about Homicide: Life on the Street. From the start, it was set up to showcase the ugly reality of working on a homicide unit: the psychological toll, cynicism, paperwork, the hours of interrogation spent talking, the dark humor, and the often-quarrelsome relationships between partners. Homicide: Life on the Street also dared to show the numbing indifference that real homicide detectives approach each case, with Simon saying:

“The greatest lie, I think, in dramatic TV is the cop who stands over a body and pulls up the sheet and mutters, ‘Damn’ and looks down sadly. To a real homicide detective, it’s just a day’s work.”

The on-location shooting in Baltimore, filmed using hand-held cameras, gave viewers that same front-line feel that Simon himself witnessed over his year with the homicide unit. All of it was seamlessly brought together to honor the truth of the thankless — yet necessary — role of a homicide detective.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Radically Changed the Police Procedural Going Forward

Homicide: Life on the Street was a radical departure from the glamorization of the police detective that beset television police procedurals historically, and one of the few shows to accurately bring the reality of that world to viewers (surprisingly, sitcom Barney Miller is cited as another). However, both NYPD Blue, which premiered the same year, and Law & Order, a 3-year veteran at that point, had also claimed a “gritty reality” through complex characters and boundary-pushing elements, a more Hollywood-ized reality than that of Homicide: Life on the Street.

But those series still featured cases that were largely wrapped up within the hour. Homicide: Life on the Street didn’t play by those rules, with a penchant for following concurrent investigations within an episode, some of which were resolved and some of which, as happens in real life, remained unsolved. The most prominent example of the latter comes with the first season episode “Three Men and Adena,” where the investigation into the death of an 11-year-old girl falls apart after 12 hours spent interrogating Risley Tucker (Moses Gunn in his last role) goes nowhere. Coupled with the ambiguity regarding Tucker’s guilt, the episode challenged the idea of a case-of-the-week with an antagonist that falls clearly into black hat territory.

Related

2 Years Before ‘The Wire,’ Its Creator Made a Gritty 6-Part HBO Crime Miniseries That Aged Perfectly

David Simon is the master of the crime genre.

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Homicide: Life on the Street proved that the police procedural didn’t need action pieces or neatly-wrapped stories, but rather focused on intelligent, intense, dialogue-driven scenes in the hands of a stellar cast, most notably Andre Braugher, who earned a Primetime Emmy Award in 1998. Braugher is charismatic in the role, with a deliberate and impeccable timing that radiated intensity and confidence — the same things he would utilize effectively is his self-parody role of Captain Ray Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

‘Law & Order’ and ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Had Crossover Episodes

Image via NBC

Interestingly, despite their difference in approaches, Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order held three sets of crossover episodes, the first of which, a two-part event across the former’s “For God and Country” and the latter’s “Charm City,” aired in February 1996. That opened the door for Belzer’s John Munch to join Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999, which, in turn, was opened after NBC cancelled Homicide: Life on the Street the same year.

David Simon would find vindication, however, when he created and produced famed crime drama The Wire, which utilized and expanded on his vision of truthfulness, finding a more willing partner in HBO than with NBC, who decried the risks and disregard for the rules of police procedurals (per The Guardian). Homicide: Life on the Street may have lost the battle, with police procedurals falling back to the case-of-the-week format, but it won the war by paving the way for series that defy conventional wisdom to deliver intelligent, challenging stories, and for that alone it should be celebrated.

Days of our Lives 2-week spoilers for March 02 – 13, 2026 divulge EJ DiMera‘s (Dan Feuerriegel) latest accusations, Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) reaching a breaking point. And the mystery of the lady in the pod finally coming to a head.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers: EJ DiMera’s Sinister Scheme and the Secret DiMera Lab

EJ is worked up about the recent DiMera kidnappings and may be offering Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) an ultimatum. EJ understands that Liam is broke and might offer him a payment to come clean before the police find out he was doing dirty work for Stephanie Johnson‘s (Abigail Klein) stalker. Meanwhile, the search for Stephanie continues as Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) join the effort.

Rafe is planning to sneak into the secret lab within the DiMera lab. We expect this is when he finally sees the big blue human test tube while searching for Stephanie. Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) is using an ISA tool to read the door codes. But EJ claims he will allow access to check if Stephanie is being held there. The tension is rising as the true purpose of this lab begins to surface.

DOOL Spoilers: The Search for Stephanie Johnson and Owen Kent’s Return

Steve and Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) are out searching for Stephanie, who has been stashed in an industrial-looking storeroom. While the police are currently focusing on Jeremy Horton (Trevor Donovan) as the primary suspect, many in Salem are making dangerous assumptions. Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) is convinced of Jeremy’s guilt after seeing a photo of a man in a mask. But the evidence is thin on Days of our Lives.

In a shocking twist, Owen Kent (Wes Ramsey) is back in town. Steve recently grabbed a man in a black hoodie in the park, expecting it to be Jeremy. But it turned out to be Owen. This suggests that Jeremy might be a red flag and that Owen is the one actually responsible for the kidnapping. Stephanie is still fighting to get free, tied to a chair as her stalker closes in.

Abe Carver’s Scheme and the Lexi Carver Revelation on Days

Abe and EJ DiMera are discussing a shady side deal regarding the DiMera CEO position. EJ wants his son Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) to keep the job long-term as a way to stay in his life. But Abe wants Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson) out of the company for good. Abe is determined to prevent Theo from returning to the CEO role. And the revival of Lexi Carver (Renee Jones) plays a massive part in this plan.

It is nearly time for EJ to show Paulina Price (Jackee Harry) exactly who is in the stasis pod. All signs point to the “Pod Lady” being Lexi. This revelation is set to shock Paulina and could change the power dynamics in Salem forever. The timing of Lexi’s potential awakening is no coincidence, especially with the DiMera family legacy at stake.

Philip Kiriakis’ Frantic Financial Struggles and Gabi Hernandez’s Guilt on Days of Our Lives

Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) is currently encouraging Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez). But his support is only making her feel guiltier. Gabi planted a bug that wrecked Titan and has been lying to Philip to cover her tracks. Now, she is entering a full-blown romance with him while keeping these massive secrets. Philip is frantic as Titan faces significant financial trouble. And Gabi’s omission could lead to a total betrayal.

Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) is also working behind the scenes to prove that Gabi’s divorce documents were faked. He is gathering handwriting samples to have the FBI lab verify the forgery. As Philip struggles to save his family’s company, the truth about Gabi’s involvement is a ticking time bomb that could destroy their relationship and the Kiriakis empire.

Stefano DiMera’s Will and the Danger for Shawn-Douglas Brady on DOOL

The time has finally come for Stefano DiMera’s (Joseph Mascolo) last will and testament to be read. EJ is certain he knows what the document contains. But Stefano was famous for his last-minute shenanigans. There is a high probability that the Phoenix altered his will one final time to cause chaos from beyond the grave.

While the family prepares for the reading of the will, Shawn-Douglas Brady (Brandon Beemer) and Jack Junior (JJ) Deveraux (Casey Moss) are facing mortal danger. They are working with Liam to find the man who hired him. But a shooter named Klaus is expected in Salem soon to tie off loose ends. A stray bullet aimed at Liam might find a different target, putting Shawn’s life on the line during this high-stakes investigation.

Dax Shepard is ready to open up about his childhood sexual abuse in a new memoir.

Shepard, 51, revealed that he’s writing a memoir during the Monday, March 2, episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast. While he plans to discuss being molested as a child in the book, the Parenthood actor admitted that he struggled for several months to put the story on paper.

“I have, for years on here, been acknowledging that I have been molested. And that was its own hurdle to just say that. And I got quite comfortable being able to say that. That was fine. And now I’m writing a memoir. And last year, really, the whole year was about, ‘Do I have the balls to write down the details of this?’” Shepard told guest Marcus Mumford, who detailed his own experience with childhood sexual abuse on his 2022 single “Cannibal.”

Shepard continued, “The details were always going to be mine. I didn’t want anyone to be envisioning me. It’s weird that that was still some wall between my shame. Like, I can say that happened, but I don’t need you to know anything that actually happened.”

Related: Dax Shepard’s Ups and Downs: Jonathan Van Ness Drama and More

Dax Shepard is always one to speak his mind — which has occasionally landed him in hot water. The “Armchair Expert” podcast host made headlines in September 2023 when he got into a heated discussion with Jonathan Van Ness about gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Van Ness, who is nonbinary and uses all pronouns, broke […]

Shepard said it took him “four months” to be able to tell the story in his memoir.

“And when I’m writing it, I cannot help but think of people knowing this about me and how still exposed that feels,” he admitted, adding that he was “emotional” during the months it took him to write the story.

“I was having really weird kind of spikes of emotions and moodiness. And I would forget that’s why I was having that,” Shepard added.

The Zathura star said he felt better once he finally finished that portion of the memoir, but the next challenge will be actually publishing the book.

“I finished it, and something about it existing there feels like a lot of weight is off my shoulders. But for me, there’s still the hurdle of, like, [putting the book out there],” he concluded.

Shepard first opened up about his experience in 2016.

“Yeah, I was molested,” he said on SiriusXM’s The Jason Ellis Show at the time, revealing that he was abused by an 18-year-old “dude in my neighborhood” when he was 7 years old.

Though Shepard called the molestation “minimal,” he added that it likely played a role in his struggles with addiction later in life.

“If you’ve been molested, you only have a 20 percent chance of not being an addict,” Shepard explained, noting that he thought his addiction was a result of heavy partying. “But when you hear a statistic like that, I’m like, ‘Oh, no, I was going to be an addict, period.’”

Shepard said it took him “12 years” to open up to someone about his experience.

“And then all that time, I was like, ‘It’s my fault,’ as generic as that is, I’m like, ‘It’s my fault. And I’m gay, I must have manifested this because I’m secretly gay.’ I had all these insane thoughts for 11 years or 12 years,” he continued.

Related: Kristen Bell Shares Photos of Kids With Dax Shepard to Celebrate His Sobriety

Kristen Bell is celebrating Dax Shepard’s 21-year sobriety journey by sharing some sweet photos of the actor with their kids. Bell, 45, posted a touching message to her husband of nearly 12 years via Instagram on Thursday, September 4, thanking him for “getting sober.” “This is what 21 years of sobriety looks like,” she captioned […]

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Shepard’s wife, Kristen Bell, whom he married in 2013, exclusively told Us Weekly at the time why her husband decided to go public with his story.

“Well, in truth, he has dealt with it many, many years ago,” Bell, 45, said at the time. “It wasn’t a moment he revealed. It’s a lifestyle he lives, where he’s honest and brave. The entirety of the radio show, he was relating to the host who had a similar revelation, and they were communicating.”

Bell continued, “I think that, to me, is the more profound thing, that he does talk about it. Anytime someone can admit a vulnerability, and it can be helpful to others, it should be done when said person is ready. That emotion is maybe one of the most profound ones we have. I, particularly, I’m taken with vulnerability when you’re in any sort of conflict. If you come at the other person, come back to the other person with vulnerability, you can never lose. It always makes the situation better.”

If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.

On 90 Day Fiance, Elise Benson proceeds to Australia to meet Josh Lawson and while they hit it off the circumstances are less than ideal. Forrest stands his ground and stands up for Sheena when Molly attacks their engagement. Aviva Duhamel is wishy washy in the face of hard evidence that Stig Da Artist is unfaithful. And Lisa comes clean after a messy incident with Daniel. Let’s break it all down in this recap of Season 8, Episode 12 Final Boarding Call.

90 Day Fiance: Elise Meets Josh in Australia

Elise Benson packs for her trip to Australia to meet her online boyfriend Josh Lawson on 90 Day Fiance. The late season couple look great on paper. But cracks are already appearing. It seems Josh text Elise about an incident on his job as a yacht broker. He took a yacht on an unauthorized joyride and crashed it. Elise Benson is still going to follow through with the trip. In spite of Josh throwing red flags at every turn.

We get a glimpse of Josh Lawson and his roommate cutting up like 40 something frat boys. And Josh reveals that he really wasn’t living with his parents. He was living with his best gal pal Nat. He admits he left that part out when speaking with Elise Benson. She packs bikini bottoms rating them on the likelihood of getting laid. Josh’s friend and roommate Chris placed a painting of himself above the bed where Josh and Elise will sleep among other things.

Elise Benson confides Josh’s man child antics to her closest friend on 90 Day Fiance. Ultimately her friend has concerns. Elise believes he’s the one. After some glitches with her tourist visa she arrives down under. To find Josh and Chris waiting in sport coats while she’s in a sports bra and leggings. They want to whisk her to a bar to watch a night of racing. Elise and Josh make out while Chris watches. They convince her to change at the airport to go out. She agrees, dons a yellow dress and goes commando.

90 Day Fiance: Forrest Stands up for Sheena

Forrest and Sheena find themselves under attack on Before The 90 Days. Once they told Forrest’s mom Molly of their engagement, she went on the attack. She calls Forrest stupid for being manipulated by Sheena. And tells him he’s more full of ish than a Christmas goose. Sheena encourages Molly to let Forrest make his own decisions. And that only enrages Molly further. She even suggests Forrest would stay with Sheena if she “diddled” someone else.

Forrest has had enough of her nasty attitude and seeks support from his stepfather Dev. Who seems terrified to go against Molly. But Forrest stands his ground. Even going as far to issue an ultimatum to Molly. Accept the engagement or be cut out of their lives. Molly doesn’t take this well. And suggests he not come crawling back to her when this fails. She later cries that she feels she has lost her son.

TLC Couple Aviva and Stig Deal with Rumors

On 90 Day Fiance, Aviva Duhamel also deals with meddling relatives. Her Aunt Spring is on a mission to unsettle Aviva’s relationship with Belizean singing star Stig Da Artist. At the center of the investigation is a photo of Stig laying a smooch on a bikini clad woman. Spring’s niece claims this girl is a friend of hers from way back. And has been casually hooking up with Stig for awhile.

Over tropical drinks, Aviva, Spring and her niece Corrinth decide to call the woman in question to get the truth. Stig was left behind and wonders what kind of conspiracies they will feed Aviva. It was a one sided phone call. You couldn’t hear the other woman’s voice. But Corrinth says her friend didn’t know of Aviva. And later text that she was going to San Pedro with him later in the month.

Aunt Spring is smug. But Aviva Duhamel isn’t sold and is set to meet Stig’s dad that evening. Even Stig’s father admits his son is a bit of a player. Aviva brings Aunt Spring along. Spring suggests a strong round of libations called “panty rippers”. Aviva imbibes and questions Stig about the picture. And Corrinth’s phone call. He swears none of it is true and doubts that girl even has his number. With weak evidence and the help of the panty ripper, she forgives him. But he admits to production he’s not innocent.

Before The 90 Days: Lisa’s Dirty Secret Gets Real

It’s been quite a wild ride for Lisa on this season of 90 Day Fiance. She’s been under the microscope since she arrived. Deprived of her vape, shamed when she appeared without her wig in front of Daniel and placed in front of a “king” wearing a plush lion, it doesn’t seem like it could get worse. But it does. Apparently the Nigerian cuisine caught up to her. And Lisa had an accident and pooped the bed. She is mortified, but Daniel tells her it’s ok while ironically gnawing on a Baby Ruth bar.

But she doesn’t realize it’s about to get worse. Over some wine and a home cooked meal she spills most but not all of the beans to Daniel about her past. She admits to five marriages. And in spite of being separated for 9 years she’s still married to number five. But fails to divulge that it’s a woman. Daniel freaks out over the fact he’s been sleeping with another man’s wife. He fears being banished from his tribe.

Lisa sobs and finishes off the wine while Daniel rants. They ride back to the hotel together in silence on 90 Day Fiance. He won’t even sit by her in the car. Lisa realizes she should get her own room for the night. Once she does she calls her daughter revealing what happened. Her daughter isn’t really surprised. But suggests she must come all the way clean about her life and that she’s actually married to a woman. But Lisa doesn’t think she can.

90 Day Fiance: Rick Bets on a Rumble and Wins Trish Back

In spite of admitting he jetted to Colombia for a tryst with his ex after just a few days of no contact from Trish, Rick Van Vactor manages to win her back. She’s hurting. And doesn’t want him to touch her. But the 90 Day Fiance couple decide to finish out their vacation and watch an outdoor Moraingy match. Rick heckles the bare-knuckled brawlers. And Trish softens a little bit wagering a night of sex. Rick takes the bet and wins. But she suggests she’s not putting out.

Trish admits she isn’t sure if she can trust Rick Van Vactor going forward. But acknowledges he makes her happy and she does love him. But there’s the matter of taking him to meet her father. Rick is nervous about it too. But she doesn’t plan on telling her family about the indiscretion. Rick knows he probably has several strikes against him already. Mainly his age and the fact he’s not thrilled about more children. So, it’s a gamble. Till next time!

One day, I wanted to know how many Stephen King novels hadn’t been adapted into TV shows or movies. And so I went through them all, and, at the time of writing, it’s… actually, it’s complicated. The Dark Tower complicates things. Let’s just address that first and foremost. It’s obvious that Salem’s Lot has been adapted as both a miniseries and a movie, while The Stand has had two miniseries, and Pet Sematary has had two movies, and so on, but The Dark Tower only kind of has The Dark Tower (2017).

But then that adaptation isn’t really an adaptation of one specific book. For present purposes, maybe it’s best to say that it kind of lines up with book #1, The Gunslinger, though not really. And so all the other books definitely remain unadapted, but if they were to be adapted, it would make sense to do them as one big adaptation, like a multi-season-long TV show. So, multiple unadapted books = one potential adaptation that’ll hopefully come out one day. Taking those unadapted books as one story, and almost imagining the unadapted Gwendy books as getting one adaptation, there are 22 unadapted stories, not counting novellas or short stories that haven’t been adapted. And if you separate out the Gwendy and Dark Tower books, there are 29 (out of 66) novels that haven’t yet been adapted into a movie or miniseries. That’s a higher number than expected, in all honesty, even if many of those novels are more recent ones that’ll likely get adapted eventually.

There are also some older books mentioned here that might, post-2026, have adaptations. This whole endeavor will likely age faster than most rankings, but for now, it’s accurate and thorough. For now, you can only really experience these Stephen King novels on the page, or as audiobooks, and that’s one of many good reasons why reading every now and then (like, generally) is worthwhile. Those still-to-be-adapted novels are ranked below, starting with the messy/not-so-good ones and ending with those where it’s surprising adaptations don’t yet exist.

22

‘The Regulators’ (1996)

Image via E. P. Dutton

It would make the job easier to skim over the Richard Bachman books that Stephen King wrote under his pseudonym, as of the seven, only three have been adapted to film (The Running Man twice, though, for what that’s worth). Still, we know Bachman is King now, and vice versa, and in 1996, people knew that, so King releasing The Regulators as a Bachman novel was sort of him being cute.

And he also did so in order for it to be a companion novel with the slightly better Desperation, which has a TV movie adaptation. The Regulators is an incomprehensible book, though, and so it would likely make for a similarly frustrating movie. Points for trying something weird, and the act of comparing and contrasting The Regulators and Desperation is sort of interesting if you’re a big King fan, but The Regulators on its own is just not a particularly good read (sorry).

21

‘Holly’ (2023)

Image via Charles Scribner’s Sons

Even if Holly might not look too long, compared to other very long Stephen King novels, it feels agonizingly drawn out, and is among his weaker books overall. It’s the first novel of his to give Holly Gibney a central role, after she was a supporting player in a handful of other Stephen King books, most of them crime/mystery-focused, but not all without horror elements altogether.

Some of those books have had adaptations, like the Mr. Mercedes TV series that ran for a few seasons, meaning it could also adapt Finders Keepers and End of Watch, and then also The Outsider, which Gibney was a supporting player in. There’s one other Holly book after Holly that’s also unadapted, and is a little better overall (still not perfect, but an improvement nonetheless is still worth appreciating).

20

Two Books in the ‘Gwendy Trilogy’ (2017–2022)

Image via Cemetery Dance

It wouldn’t take much to make the stories in the Gwendy trilogy equal to the books, in terms of quality, were they adapted, though one has to wonder who’d want an adaptation in the first place. This is also a bit of a Dark Tower situation where things get complicated. Here, it’s because there are three books, and no indication of how they’d be adapted if an adaptation were attempted, and also, King didn’t write or co-write the second one, as that was a solo effort by Richard Chizmar.

Honestly, Gwendy’s Button Box is a decent enough read, only really suffering because it’s short and very, very reminiscent of other books by Stephen King. The third book, Gwendy’s Final Task, almost feels like a practical joke, and then the second, written only by Chizmar (and called Gwendy’s Magic Feather) is very forgettable. Judging the series as a whole, it’s not very good, but that first book on its own is just fine (still wouldn’t really ever need an adaptation, though).

19

‘From a Buick 8’ (2002)

Image via Charles Scribner’s Sons/Stephen King

You can write about From a Buick 8 multiple times, and it never gets easier. The same can sort of be said for The Tommyknockers and Dreamcatcher, but even those somehow got adaptations (a two-part miniseries and a movie, respectively). From a Buick 8 might well be unadaptable, since it’s even weirder, despite being shorter and so technically not having as many strange directions it can rampage off in.

But just as the characters in Seinfeld have “got to see the baby,” anyone talking about From a Buick 8 has got to try and say what’s more or less about. A spooky car? Alien life? The nature of storytelling? Policing? It’s far more common to come away from a Thomas Pynchon novel not knowing what the hell you read, but for a storyteller like King, who usually lays everything out so smoothly, to deliver something this weird… well, maybe it’s a sign of range? If you really want a silver lining.

18

‘Sleeping Beauties’ (2017)

Image via Scribner

The idea of Sleeping Beauties is interesting, like, premise-wise. And then it’s also nice that Stephen King wrote a novel with one of his sons, Owen King. As a duo, they made something that wasn’t terrible, and yeah, the premise is good. Sleeping Beauties is about women all being affected by some sort of unknown event that makes them fall into comas, and get cocoons wrapped around them.

The men left conscious all panic, especially because bad things happen whenever someone tries to wake up one of the women. Once answers start being revealed, Sleeping Beauties falls apart a bit, and that’s a problem for obvious reasons. It’s one of those “King started it well, but didn’t really know how to finish it” books. Or, more specifically, “two Kings started things well, but then neither had a great idea of how to finish things.”

17

‘Elevation’ (2018)

Image via Charles Scribner’s Sons

Keeping it short when it comes to Elevation, because this book is tiny, it’s basically about a guy who starts becoming lighter and lighter. That also happened in Thinner, which was a Richard Bachman book (the last of King’s Bachman books before people found out the truth), but that had a horror slant to the premise, whereas this one’s kind of trying to be a tearjerker?

It’s weird, how sentimental Elevation tries to be, not because it plays out more like a fantasy story than a horror one, but because it’s really sappy and just absurd at the same time. Is it a novella or a novel? Different sources define it differently, but that length (or lack thereof) does mean it could be adapted pretty directly. Question is, would anyone want it? Is anyone really that much of an Elevation fan?

16

‘The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon’ (1999)

Image via Scribner

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is another Stephen King book that keeps things on the shorter side, for better or worse. Or for better and worse? It’s for the better, because it’s about a young girl who gets lost in the woods on her own, and you can only do so much with that premise. But maybe also for the worse, because King’s taken a simple adventure and/or survival story and expanded it in significantly more interesting ways before.

There are also a few more fans of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, it seems, compared to Elevation, but still probably not many girls or boys or women or men who love The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It’s a bit too slight, but it’s not bad. It has its moments. And it would translate well to film (not a TV series, or even a miniseries; there’s just not enough here to adapt).

15

‘Rage’ (1977)

Image via Signet Books

Given how King feels about Rage, and his stance on it being a good thing that it’s out of print, a movie or TV adaptation of it feels like it might well be the least likely unadapted book of the author’s to ever get one. It’s about a student who brings a gun to school, killing two teachers with it before taking his class hostage, and then that whole situation is what most of the story is devoted to.

It’s understandable why King feels the way he does about Rage, even if movies dealing with similarly upsetting subject matter have been made before (see Polytechnique and Elephant). As for the quality of Rage itself? It’s not terrible for an early work by the author, and you can sort of admire what it’s going for to some extent, but it’s not handled ideally, and even with its relatively short page count, Rage does end up feeling a little drawn-out.

14

‘Roadwork’ (1981)

Image via Signet Books/Stephen King

While not quite as disturbing as Rage, Roadwork is a similarly angry and intense book, and it has some flaws as well, like that other early Bachman book with a single-word title (and that word starts with “R”). It’s also the case that Roadwork would probably work better as a movie, or be a little easier to tackle, even if adapting it, you’d run the risk of making something too similar to Taxi Driver or Falling Down.

That’s because Roadwork is one of those stories about a man pushed to some kind of limit, and then he lashes out because of the injustice he feels in society. Here, he just has a run of very bad luck, and King gets some engaging material out of the whole “How far do you want to go before you start seeing him as a villain more than a victim” kind of thing (see also any number of more recent TV shows about anti-heroes).

13

‘Never Flinch’ (2025)

Image via Charles Scribner’s Sons

Two years on from Holly, Holly Gibney herself was also the protagonist of Never Flinch, and it feels a bit silly to include it on this ranking at this present time, since it’s very recent and adaptations usually take time… unless it’s Christine, for whatever reason. That Stephen King book came out in the first half of 1983, and the movie adaptation came out right near the end of the very same year.

But to stay focused on Never Flinch, this one might be difficult to adapt because it’s sort of a messy combination of two ideas that might have been two novellas on their own, or overall neither was long enough to be fleshed out into a novel. So King threw them both together here, and had Holly Gibney tackling two different cases that are interesting on their own, but don’t really cross over or come together in an especially satisfying way. It’s a novel that’s less than the sum of its parts, though at least many parts of it are pretty good.

Hillary Clinton’s Epstein Depo
Leak My Pic?!? I’m Done With This!!!

Published
March 2, 2026
2:36 PM PST

Beyond the Gates spoilers for March 2 – 6, 2026 see Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) getting grilled and Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) cornered.

Beyond the Gates Monday, March 2nd: Anita’s Chemo Struggles and Hayley’s Anniversary Crashers

On Monday, March 2nd, Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacob) helps Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) through a tough time. She’s getting another chemo session and looks really annoyed but Ashley’s there for her. Anita is in chemo and then she tells Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) she doesn’t know if she’ll win her battle or if she can handle this.

By the way, Anita’s in a blue cap thing during chemo and those are cooling caps that are attached to a little A/C system and cools down the head which can help slow hair loss from chemo. So, Ashley might’ve suggested it, we’ll see.

Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) gets a proposition from Katherine “Kat” Richardson (Colby Muhammad). Is it about moving in with her while Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) is undercover?

Hayley and Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) celebrate their anniversary but they have several crashers that interrupt. Hayley and Bill are at Fairmont Cross Country Club for dinner and looking awfully annoyed when they get unwanted company.

Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) wishes Bill and Hayley a happy anniversary but sarcastically. Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) is there with her. Dani reaches in her purse and says she had to commemorate this occasion and Bill looks worried when Dani digs in her purse. Is he expecting a gun?

BTG Spoilers Tuesday, March 3rd: Izaiah Gets Put on the Spot and Bill Wants a Baby

On Tuesday, March 3rd, someone puts Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe) on the spot. Is Ted grilling him about him and Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) and intentions as Dana “Leslie” Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) asked him to do?

Hayley’s stunned when Bill presses her about expanding the family. Bill asks Hayley if she’s ready to try again for a baby.

Tomas “Tom” Navarro (Alex Alegria) gives Eva advice. Is it about dealing with Kat?

Leslie says she doesn’t know what Eva’s talking about but she reminds Leslie that she taught her everything she knows about revenge.

Leslie runs into Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix). Next week, Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli) tries to keep the peace when things get heated between Leslie and Nicole. Vanessa and Nicole are at Uptown and Leslie plops down being catty and Nicole reminds Leslie that the last time she goaded her, naughty Nicky came out and put her hands on her—she asks does Leslie remember how that turned out? Vanessa reaches for Nicole’s hand before she does anything impulsive.

Beyond the Gates Spoilers Wednesday, March 4th: Ashley Helps Grayson and the Duprees Get a Surprise Visitor

On Wednesday, March 4th, Vernon supports Chelsea Hamilton (RhonniRose Mantilla). Is this about her wedding plans or something else? Bill calls in a favor. Is it from the Duprees? Is this about what he wants from Hayley?

The Dupree family receives a surprising visitor. Kyle gives Vanessa an update that will affect Nicole. Is Kyle house hunting to stick around the DMV because he’s really into Nicole and wants to be around to pursue her?

BTG Thursday, March 5th: Ryland Keeps Hayley on Track and Derek Gets Stuck in the Middle

On Thursday, March 5th, Derek Baldwin (Ben Gavin) is stuck in the middle when Leslie and Vanessa are bickering. Madison and Chelsea notice an unusual couple. Who’s together that stuns them? Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom) doesn’t want to do something but agrees anyway. Does Bill ask him or Vanessa?

Friday, March 6th: Jacob’s New Assignment and the Plasma Ring Reveal on BTG

On Friday, March 6th, Jacob gets a new assignment but it may wreck the undercover op into the plasma ring. Martin tries to connect with Bradley “Smitty” Smith (Mike Manning) and Samantha Richardson (Najah Jackson). Why is he feeling disconnected?

A shocking person is revealed to be involved in the plasma ring. Joey? Izaiah? Leslie? When Vernon’s surprise arrives, Anita doesn’t feel well. These side effects are really starting to take their toll and she’ll need the family to rally around her. That’s your Beyond the Gates weekly spoiler outlook.

‘Real Housewives of New York City’
Carole Radziwill’s Back in the Mix for Season 16!!!

Published
March 2, 2026
2:18 PM PST

The nominations have been announced, and the stage is almost set for the 98th Academy Awards, which takes place at the Los Angeles Dolby Theatre on March 15. Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically poignant One Battle After Another, Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed vampire flick Sinners, and the quietly stunning Danish-Norwegian drama Sentimental Value lead the way as favorites, although, as the recent BAFTAs have proven, anything can happen on awards night.

Of course, taking home a gold statue is certain to cement someone’s legacy in the annals of cinema history. However, as years pass, the respect and reputation of any given win can fluctuate, with many now being considered to have aged like milk. Instead of focusing on those negatives, here’s a look at ten 21st-century Oscar wins that keep getting better with age, proving the Academy very often gets it really right.

10

Peter Jackson – Best Director for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

Image via New Line Cinema

Nominated, but not winning, for The Fellowship of the Ring, and being entirely snubbed for The Two Towers, director Peter Jackson went into the 76th Academy Awards in 2004 as the overwhelming favorite to take home the Best Director prize, with many seeing a triumph as collective adulation for the trilogy as a whole.

As one of Return of the King‘s record-tying 11 Academy Awards that night, Jackson’s victory for Best Director was arguably the most deserved, the long-overdue recognition for one of modern cinema’s most impressive visionaries. Over 20 years on, as shown by the trilogy’s recent hugely successful box office re-release, love for the Lord of the Rings franchise hasn’t faltered, making Jackson’s win all the sweeter.

9

Christoph Waltz – Best Supporting Actor for ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)

Image via The Weinstein Company

Twice Christoph Waltz has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, and twice he has won. His first victory, three years before triumphing for Django Unchained, came at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, as he swept aside the competition to take home a golden statue for his intelligently deceptive portrayal of S.S. Colonel Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino‘s revisionist WWII epic, Inglourious Basterds.

Oozing with charisma and frighteningly evil, Hans Landa is one of Tarantino’s best creations. As time has passed, it has become evermore clear that no one could’ve nailed this duplicitous and challenging role quite like Waltz. The Austrian actor’s methodical approach to the art of acting is able to squeeze every last ounce of menace out of an already wicked character.

8

‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004) – Best Original Screenplay

Image via Focus Features

In the past 27 years of cinema, there’s perhaps no better screenwriter than Charlie Kaufman. Despite being involved in some of the most intriguing philosophical movie musings in modern memory, the genius behind the likes of Being Jon Malkovich and his directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York, has only ever won one Academy Award.

For his simply stunning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kaufman carved a story that was ahead of its time. The film itself has become iconic, a defining piece of 21st-century romance that has inspired waves of creatives and become a masterpiece in the eyes of audiences. It is because of this that the Academy’s choice to declare it as the best in class at the 77th Oscars in 2004 is so impressive, and it has aged like a fine wine.

7

J. K. Simmons – Best Supporting Actor for ‘Whiplash’ (2014)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

Few actors could turn a bitter jazz instructor into one of the scariest villains in modern movie history. That’s exactly what J.K. Simmons did with Terence Fletcher in Damien Chazelle‘s pulse-pumping masterpiece Whiplash, as he goes head-to-head with budding young drumming prodigy Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller).

Against a stacked 2015 line-up, Whiplash entered the 87th Academy Awards unsure of victory in any category. However, if anyone deserved a golden statue, it was Simmons, with this most likely his career-best work. A decade on, and no Supporting Actor winner can really come close to this stunning performance from Simmons, and thankfully, the Academy recognized it.

6

‘Spirited Away’ (2001) – Best Animated Feature

Image via Studio Ghibli

The success of an anime at the Academy Awards might not look so surprising today, especially in light of The Boy and the Heron‘s 2024 win, but back in 2003, it was unheard of. Against tough competition in the form of Treasure Planet, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Ice Age, and Lilo & Stitch, Spirited Away left the 75th Academy Awards as the surprise winner of the Best Animated Feature prize.

Today, anime has boomed from a niche interest to a global phenomenon, and, through that simple fact, this win for Spirited Away back in 2003 is truly one of the best the Academy has ever awarded. It goes without saying that Hayao Miyazaki’s modern fairytale masterpiece is worthy of this Oscar and many other accolades.

5

Charlize Theron – Best Actress for ‘Monster’ (2003)

Image via Newmarket Films

Of all the 21st century Best Actress victories, none have proven as enduring as Charlize Theron‘s in Patty Jenkins’ 2003 crime drama Monster. Completely unrecognizable as serial killer Aileen Wuornos, Theron’s performance is the epitome of an actor losing themselves to a role, with people still shocked to this day to learn that it is the Bombshell star behind the dental prosthetics.

The best performance in a career stacked with great turns, Theron’s work is simply spectacular. The Academy’s choice to award Theron the victory might’ve been unsurprising given the star’s victories at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Critics’ Choice Awards, but let that take nothing away from how well this has aged. If Roger Ebert calls it “one of the greatest performances in the history of the cinema,” who are we to argue?

4

Bong Joon-ho – Best Director for ‘Parasite’ (2019)

Image via NEON

There are few superlatives left to attribute to Parasite. Ever since the genius South Korean thriller debuted in 2019, it has been praised to the highest degree by anyone with even the slightest interest in film. Despite all that acclaim, director Bong Joon-ho‘s win for Best Director in 2020 is an easy choice for this list.

Although Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director for the Spanish-language film Roma in 2019, Joon-ho’s win a year later will forever be heralded for ushering a new Academy appreciation for non-English language filmmaking. There is plenty more to be said about the movie itself, although that should be saved for later in the list.

3

‘Moonlight’ (2016) – Best Picture

Image via A24

For a few moments on February 26, 2017, the winner of the Best Picture Oscar was the colorful, romantic musical La La Land. Thankfully, although La La Land is an excellent movie, the mistake made by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway was quickly rectified, Barry Jenkins‘ Moonlight was announced the winner, and the rest is history.

One of the best coming-of-age drama tales of all time, Moonlight won three of its eight Oscar nominations, with Mahershala Ali‘s Best Supporting Actor triumph almost worthy of a place in this list. However, given the film’s minuscule budget of just $4 million and the impressive success of small-budget indie flicks since, it is fair to say that today’s film landscape would look considerably different without Moonlight‘s Best Picture win.

2

Daniel Day-Lewis – Best Actor for ‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)

Daniel Day-Lewis is undeniably one of the greatest actors of all time, and his Best Actor win for There Will Be Blood is the best of his three Academy Award victories. As the misanthropic oil baron Daniel Plainview, Day-Lewis combines with the genius of Paul Thomas Anderson to craft one of modern cinema’s greatest performances.

Many actors go to extreme, seemingly performative lengths to prove their ability. Day-Lewis’s two-year isolation in Ireland to prepare for this role is one of the only times such radical methods paid off. Earning a plethora of best actor nominations from various award boards for this performance, There Will Be Blood is Day-Lewis’s magnum opus, and his Best Actor win is one of the best decisions the Academy has ever made.

1

‘Parasite’ (2019) — Best Picture

Image via NEON

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As the first non-English language film to win Best Picture, Parasite‘s win at the 2020 ceremony marked a huge shift in the Academy. Today, the likes of The Secret Agent and I’m Still Here are easy considerations for Best Picture nominations, and the Academy itself now boasts a much more international blend of members.

Whether you believe it is one of the greatest movies of all time or not, the film undeniably changed Western attitudes to international filmmaking for the better. Reported to be the most-logged movie on Letterboxd, Parasite‘s popularity continues to grow thanks to the increase in attention to non-English language films — a movement the movie itself helped propel forward.

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