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Exclusive: Pendragon Cycle’s King Custennin On The Merlin Brotherhood And What’s Next
By Jennifer Asencio
| Updated
The Pendragon Cycle on Daily Wire+ was widely enjoyed by viewers, as evidenced by an 86% fresh audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show follows Merlin, long before King Arthur’s rise, during the era of Uther Pendragon and the Saxon invasions that would shape Britain.
Steve Varnom plays King Custennin, Merlin’s father-in-law, in the series. I caught up with Steve, and he was kind enough to take some time out to answer some questions about the show for GIANT FREKAIN ROBOT. I’ve reviewed and commented a lot about the show previously, so it was interesting to talk with one of its stars, who also turns out to be a great storyteller.
The Man Behind King Custennin
I asked Steve Varnom what interested him in acting, and his answer was humanistically geeky! “I knew I wanted to be an actor very early in my life,” he explained. “I think it was seeing Star Wars for the first time that lit the fuse for me! I want to do THAT!” But it took time, he admitted. “I went to drama school in London (LAMDA) and was lucky enough to get a job with the RSC when I graduated. I’ve had a pretty varied career, a lot of ups and downs, like most actors. It can be a challenging career at times – a lot of disappointment and frustration, but when it’s going well, there’s nothing better in the world!”
Steve Varnom is an experienced stage actor who has toured the world. He was educated at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and went on to perform in two productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as numerous productions on London’s West End, the UK equivalent of Broadway. His stage credits are numerous.
Varnom has performed in A Clockwork Orange with music by Bono and The Edge. He was in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White as Count Fosco and understudied Michael Crawford, the legendary star of The Phantom of the Opera. His love of acting has long been about the camera, and he brought his stage success to roles on both Coronation Street and EastEnders, two long-standing British soap operas that have launched some of that nation’s biggest stars.
Custennin first appears in episode 5 of The Pendragon Cycle, when Merlin returns to his late wife’s home to apply to her father on Uther’s behalf. The tragic story of Ganieda and the bitterness between Custennin and Merlin are explored in episode 6, and in episode 7, as he rides in to help save the day as the Britons defend their island from invasion.
I asked Steve what interested him in the project and in the character Custennin, and what he liked about the character. “From the first audition scene I was sent, it was apparent this was a very well-written character,” he told me. “Custennin was complex and three-dimensional, with an interesting series arc. Believe me, this is something that you very rarely get. Before this, the screen roles I auditioned for were, for the most part, pretty dreadful – just cliched exposition devices, no real character, just there to make the series regulars look good! Usually, a meaty part like Custennin would be played by a “name,” so I was delighted when it was offered to me, and I decided to make the very most of it, to take chances with the character, to take a big swing!”
The Brotherhood Of The Cast
Talking a bit about the rest of the cast, Varnom was very excited by the production that was assembled. On social media, he and other members of the cast and crew have talked about how close everyone was on set.
“Jeremy Boreing and the team did an incredible job with the casting of the show – they gave amazing, ostensibly unknown actors who wouldn’t normally be cast in major roles the opportunity to show what they were capable of. It was a risk for them, but I think it paid off! They made some incredible discoveries with this show. I mean, Tom Sharp anyone?! What a find.”
One of the show’s biggest strengths is the performances of its actors, especially that of newcomers like Tom Sharp in the lead as Merlin, Alex Laurence-Phillips as Pelleas, and actors without a “name” like Steve in major roles. It gave them a chance to exhibit their talents, rather than headlining big names that overshadow the story.
Steve explains, “The cast became very close during the months we spent together in Budapest. I made some lifelong friends. Tom, Alex and I bonded on the very first day of principal photography. The first sequence we shot was the dock scene, the climax of episode 5. It was a BIG scene which demanded a lot of focus and emotional intensity – we were thrown in at the deep end, quite literally in Alex’s case. It became immediately apparent that I was working with actors of real quality – you never really know until you’re toe to toe in a scene!”
Of the star of Rise of the Merlin, he said, “Tom and I quickly established a great working relationship. He approaches the work the same way I do – he’s a hard worker, he takes it seriously, he turns up with ideas. Alex astonished me, too,” he added. “This was his first professional job, fresh from drama school! Incredible. Such composure and professionalism, he’s going to have a big career!”
The relationships didn’t end when the camera stopped rolling, either. “Tom, Alex and I speak very regularly, but I also got really close with Myles (Uther), Finney (Aurellius), and George Osborne (Lot) too. Great guys. My brothers from other mothers! I’ve never worked with a company of actors who bonded together like this one.” This chemistry was all over the screen in The Pendragon Cycle and made vivid the kinship amongst the Britons.
About his character, he told me, “One of the things I loved about Custennin’s character was his sense of humor. There was a hint of it in the script, but I decided to lean into it. A lot of the other characters are pretty serious, so I thought it was a great opportunity to make him more relatable, and, even though he’s Atlantean, more human!” Custennin is grieving when we first meet him, but Steve’s performance highlights the contrast between Custennin who is grieving and the genuine and powerful king.
Becoming King Custennin Means Sword-Fighting And Speaking Atlantean
Custennin lives in the 5th century, and as a king, is responsible for leading warriors into battle and fighting himself. I spoke with Steve about his sword-fighting experience and how it helped him play the character, especially since he loses an arm during the story.
While I’d bet this lifelong Star Wars fan probably got early practice pretending to wield a lightsaber as a kid (didn’t we all!), it turns out Steve is an experienced swashbuckler. “I’ve done quite a lot of sword-fighting for jobs in the past, mostly in the theatre, when I worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, for example,” he said. “The challenge with Custennin was doing it with one arm! I’m a righty, so welding swords with my left felt so unnatural. We had an amazing stunt and fight team in Hungary, though, and they choreographed some really stunning sequences for us. Those guys made us look good!!”
Custennin’s appearance in the final battle, during which he smacks people around with a very unusual weapon, was priceless, and calls to mind what he said about “taking a big swing” with the character. For Steve, this was as literal as his portrayal of Custennin’s emotional range.
Custennin is one of the Fair Folk who hail from Atlantis, so his character needed to speak the Atlantean language like a native. Steve told me how he made it look easy: “I had fun with the Atlantean language! Rose, Tom, Emree and I worked with Spencer Klavan, who devised the entire language, and I think he did an amazing job. It adds a level of authenticity to the world-building – like Elvish in Lord of the Rings, or Dothraki in Game of Thrones. It was challenging to nail it, but very rewarding when it came together. I didn’t have as much as the other guys – they had pages and pages of it!”
That’s right, scholar Spencer Klavan invented an entire language for the show, just like Tolkien did for The Lord of the Rings.
Living the Medieval Life
I’ve praised the set in the past, and my favorites all revolved around Custennin. His stronghold of Goddeu was beautiful and realistic, and the war camp and final climactic battle against the Saxons all had an authentic feel that reminded me of the Society for Creative Anachronisms’ medieval-themed wars.
“The sets and locations were incredible,” Varnom told me. “They brought such a feeling of authenticity to the show – something you wouldn’t get if you were filming on a backlot or against green screen. Goddeu was a fabulous set – it’s basically an entire town that was originally built for another show, The Last Kingdom, I believe. Our design team repurposed it for Pendragon, and I think they did an amazing job. I particularly liked how they designed Custennin’s great hall, which was brought to life by Kris Kimlin’s extraordinary lighting design. So atmospheric. It certainly made my job easier, being in those surroundings. My abiding memory of those sets is how cold it was! You can see our breath steaming in those scenes – that’s not CGI! The war camp and the battle scenes were the same, up to our knees in freezing mud, huddling around portable heaters between takes!”
Also noteworthy were The Pendragon Cycle’s camp and battle scenes, and hearing Steve talk about working in them and the conditions during filming really brings home what we see on the screen. People like King Custennin and his allies historically made such encampments to fight real wars, just like the ones we see on the show. Steve’s experiences on set emphasize what we can’t feel when we see them huddling around campfires and in tents or grappling with enemies in a field of blood and mud.
I asked Steve what his favorite scene was to shoot. He replied, “I loved Custennin’s very first scene, when Merlin and Pelleas arrive in my hall. Tom and I were really looking forward to shooting it, as it was such a meaty, emotionally complex scene for both of us. We finally did it toward the end of the shoot, and it was a joy. Working opposite an actor of Tom’s caliber just makes it so easy. We fired off each other and discovered some really fun, interesting moments.”
Meanwhile, as a viewer, he admitted, “I have so many favorite scenes, but I think the dock scene stands up as one of the dramatic high points of the series.”
Life After The Pendragon Cycle For Steve Varnom
Fans are desperately hoping for a second season, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Steve would return to fill Custennin’s throne. He admitted, “I’d love to play Custennin again. He’s such a gift for me, such a rich character. I’m so delighted he’s been received well by the viewers of the show, and I hope to strap on that metal arm again very soon!”
Talking about how many actors are getting their start from The Pendragon Cycle, I asked Steve how his appearance on the show has affected his own career. The transfer from stage to screen wasn’t easy for the actor: “It’s difficult for an “unknown” actor to score decent roles in movies and tv shows – producers always want actors with profiles, it maximizes their chances of success and viewing figures, so when I was offered Custennin it meant such a lot. My profile is rising, thanks to this show, and I’m beginning to be considered for the types of roles I’ve always wanted. I’ll always be grateful to Jeremy for believing in me and trusting me with such a great character!”
Other roles have also materialized for him. “Later this year, you’ll see me in a very unusual movie, a Western called Run Honey Run. I play the villain, Brigham Thorne, a demented, murderous Mormon banker, and I had such a blast with him. It’s written and directed by Baylee Toney, who I think is going to be a major player in the business, and it also stars a couple of my Pendragon cohorts – Myles and Alex! I think it’s destined for cult status. Can’t wait for people to see it!” Steve Varnom having fun led to an excellent performance in The Pendragon Cycle, so I’ll be looking for Run Honey Run to see what happens when he’s allowed to cut loose as a villain.
Given the trajectory of his career, I asked him what advice he had for other up-and-coming actors, but his advice is resonant wisdom for all creatives. “The best advice I can give to up-and-coming actors is to believe in yourself,” Steve told me. “It can be a hard slog, but keep working at your craft and hold onto that belief. Most importantly, when an opportunity comes along – and it might take years for that to happen – don’t waste it. Don’t play it safe, take a big swing!”
A big swing, indeed.
See Steve Varnom take his big swing as King Custennin in The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, streaming in its entirety on Daily Wire+.
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As one of the most powerful figures in modern TV, Ryan Murphy has created a slate of genre-defining shows that consistently dominate both ratings and the cultural conversation. This year alone has already seen the release of the sci-fi body horror The Beauty and the biographical romance anthology Love Story, both of which have earned generally favorable responses from critics and audiences alike. That’s not all from Murphy in 2026, however, as his biggest fantasy series is set to return this fall after a lengthy wait, much to the excitement of longtime fans.
Having last aired in 2024, American Horror Story is back in production in New York City with some fan-favorites confirmed to return for the show’s 13th run. While primarily described as a horror anthology, the series has long incorporated elements of fantasy and the supernatural, including witchcraft, demons, vampires, and ghosts. The new season was originally expected to premiere on Halloween, October 31, 2026; however, as Murphy recently teased on Instagram, American Horror Story Season 13 may arrive sooner than anticipated.
The 13th installment of the iconic horror series turns its gaze back to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies. About 24 hours ago, Murphy made the announcement, revealing the show’s return window and confirming Sarah Paulson‘s return as Cordelia Goode. “AHS 13,” the iconic director wrote. “The Return of @mssarahcatharinepaulson as Cordelia Goode. The Supreme Rises. And yes, we have rebuilt the entire Robichaux Academy. Coming this September.”
Who Stars in ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13?
Last Halloween, Murphy revealed the cast list for the highly anticipated Season 13 on Instagram, and, as American Horror Story fans know, it is similar to that of the Coven and Apocalypse seasons. The cast list includes Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, new addition Ariana Grande, and, surprisingly, Jessica Lange. Lange, in a February 2025 interview, claimed she would not return to the series; however, on April 6, 2026, Murphy posted first-look photos of the actress dolled up like Constance Langdon, standing in front of the window of her beloved Murder House. The Instagram post’s caption read: “American Horror Story, Season 13. Day One. The return of Jessica Lange!”
American Horror Story returns this year with Season 13. You can see the first look image of Paulson above and the other posts with Roberts and Lange on Ryan Murphy’s official Instagram page. Stick with Collider for the latest entertainment updates.
- Release Date
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October 5, 2011
- Directors
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Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Jennifer Lynch, Michael Uppendahl, Loni Peristere, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Ryan Murphy, David Semel, Howard Deutch, Michael Lehmann, Angela Bassett, Jeremy Podeswa, Max Winkler, Michael Rymer, Paris Barclay, Axelle Carolyn, Anthony Hemingway, Craig Zisk, Elodie Keene, Jennifer Arnold, Jessica Yu, John Scott, Laura Belsey, Liz Friedlander, Maggie Kiley
- Writers
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Halley Feiffer, Ned Martel, Crystal Liu, Charlie Carver, Kristen Reidel, Adam Penn, Douglas Petrie, Todd Kubrak, Reilly Smith, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Joshua A. Green, Akela Cooper, Asha Michelle Wilson
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The streamer features shows with versions of the future filled with space tourism, cannibalism, and cultural collapse.
Of all the characters that deserve the chance of a second adaptation in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, Sirius Black is high on many people’s lists. It will be at least two years until we first see how the series chooses to reinvent one of the most intricate characters in the novels, with the movies unable to dedicate enough time to his brief, three-book run. Of course, Black was played in the movies by the great Gary Oldman, and remains one of his more memorable cinematic performances.
However, the peak of Oldman’s career came after his time in the Wizarding World, when he finally took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill in director Joe Wright‘s Darkest Hour. One of six nominations the film earned at the 90th Academy Awards, Darkest Hour also picked up a second prize for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, awarded to Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, and Lucy Sibbick. Set in the early days of World War II, the film follows Oldman’s newly appointed prime minister as he faces the tough decision to either negotiate with the opposition or forge a legacy for himself that will be remembered forever.
At the box office, Darkest Hour was a huge success, no doubt thanks to the positive discourse around Oldman’s lead performance. Against a reported budget of $30 million, the movie grossed a huge $150 million worldwide, split between a $56 million domestic haul and $94 million from overseas markets. Almost a decade since the film’s theatrical debut, anyone looking to watch this WWII biopic will have to hurry, as Darkest Hour is officially leaving Netflix on May 1, 2026.
How Did Critics React to ‘Darkest Hour’?
The years since its Academy Awards success haven’t been kind to Darkest Hour, due mainly to many thinking it was chosen to win Oscars in the place of more deserving nominees. However, at the time it was released, Darkest Hour was nothing short of a critical darling. Scoring a “certified fresh” rating of 84% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus from critics on the site reads, “Darkest Hour is held together by Gary Oldman’s electrifying performance, which brings Winston Churchill to life even when the movie’s narrative falters.”
Darkest Hour is set to leave Netflix on May 1, 2026. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
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November 22, 2017
- Runtime
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125minutes
- Director
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Joe Wright
- Writers
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Anthony McCarten
Paulina Porizkova is showing off her stunning figure in a vibrant red bikini ahead of her 61st birthday.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, April 9, Porizkova flaunted her abs in the swimwear as she shared an empowering message about aging.
“I’m trying on this new super cute summer bikini and I’m reminded how far I’ve traveled in self-acceptance. I will be 61 tomorrow,” she said via the social media clip. “And I understand that this might sound crazy to you, but 40 years ago when I was 21 and when I was at the height of my career and supermodel-dom, that was when I felt the most insecure.”
Porizkova explained that there were several factors in her younger years that caused her to be insecure.
“[It was] partly because [of] the endless comparisons to other models by the people who employed me. I never seemed to be good enough,” she explained. “And of course, partly because my self-worth was entirely tied to my looks.”
Porizkova said she was leaving behind the insecurities to embrace her current age.
“So today I’m trying on this cute summer bikini and I flex muscles that I’ve been working my cellulite butt off for. And not necessarily so I can look best in this bikini, but to feel my best in this sixth decade,” she said.
She then joked, “You know, actually? Who am I kidding? I kicked my workout up like 10 notches because I do want to look my best this summer, but not necessarily in a bikini… in a wedding dress.”
Porizkova has often been candid about aging, beauty and body positivity via her social media posts.
Last month, Porizkova stripped down to lingerie for a shoot she shared via her Instagram, telling her followers that “good light and posing” is the secret to looking great.
“Smoke and mirrors, folks. That’s how you make it look good for a moment,” the model captioned the March 12 post. “The truth is, gravity takes its toll. But! Gravity has also built your strength so you can hold your head higher than ever.”
In July 2025, Porizkova shared another sizzling lingerie snap via her Instagram and spoke about the effort she’d put in to maintain her figure.
“This is 60 years of sometimes healthy eating, sometimes not,” she captioned the post. “60 years of sometimes working out, sometimes not. 60 years of doing the right things followed by doing the wrong things and over again and again.”
Porizkova added that she’s still learning things in life, even when she thinks she’s “figured” everything out.
She continued, “The beauty of 60 is that now I understand the importance is IN the lesson, not passing the exam.”
Mick Fleetwood is celebrating love once again, as he marries for the fifth time. The Fleetwood Mac drummer has been married four times before to three different women, with his last divorce finalized in 2015. Now, he appears to have found happiness again, embracing a new chapter with his longtime partner, Elizabeth Jordan.
Mick Fleetwood Married In Secret
Mick Fleetwood is celebrating his marriage to Elizabeth Jordan, sharing the news on social media. On March 28, the 78-year-old drummer took to Instagram to share a few snapshots, writing that he was enjoying his honeymoon in the South Pacific.
One of the photos shows the couple, who appeared to be dressed in their wedding attire, posing for a snapshot with Fleetwood concealing their faces from the camera with his fedora. In another photo, the newlyweds were captured mid-kiss, with Jordan’s back facing the camera. Two other photos showed the musician enjoying the view and the crystal blue waters.
It isn’t known when the wedding occurred, but as musician Mike Lawson revealed on Threads last year, as reported by the Daily Mail, they were engaged in March 2025. “Mick Fleetwood just texted and said he is marrying his girlfriend of five years, Elizabeth. How cool, finding love and making that commitment is beautiful. Congrats!” Lawson wrote.
The Couple Has Been Together Since 2023
According to reports, Fleetwood and Jordan have been together since 2023, making their relationship public at the Grammy Awards, where the drummer performed a tribute to her late Fleetwood Mac bandmate, Christine McVie, who died of a stroke in 2022.
Jordan is a licensed realtor based in Hawaii and owns a property management company with properties in New York, California, and Maui. Moreover, she serves as the director for the Mick Fleetwood Foundation, a non-profit organization that Fleetwood launched in 2023 to promote and fund music education in schools.
Mick Fleetwood Has Been Married Five Times
Fleetwood has had a well-documented romantic history, with the latest union with Jordan marking his fifth marriage.
His first wife was Jenny Boyd, whom he married in 1970 and divorced six years later. However, the couple reconciled briefly, marrying for a second time in 1977 and divorcing again in 1978. They share two daughters, Amy and Lucy.
Fleetwood had an affair with bandmate Stevie Nicks while he was married to Boyd, with the drummer describing that time as “very bright and crazy” in his 2014 memoir “Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac.” Nicks also acknowledged the affair publicly, admitting that the song “Sara” was about Fleetwood.
In 1988, Fleetwood tied the knot with Sara Recor, who was one of Nicks’ closest friends. The drummer had an affair with Recor while he was with Nicks, which strained the friendship. However, the two later reconciled. Fleetwood and Recor divorced in 1995.
Fleetwood’s third wife was Lynn Frankel, marking his fourth marriage. They married in 1995 and welcomed twin daughters, Tessa and Ruby, in 2002. They separated in 2013, and their divorce was finalized in 2015.
Online Users React To Mick Fleetwood’s Fifth Marriage
Many fans were surprised to hear about Fleetwood’s marriage and expressed their reactions on social media.
“I don’t think there’s a reasonable limit for rock stars,” one wrote, noting the drummer’s fifth time getting married. “People who marry that many times are the ultimate optimists. Congrats to them,” another added. “Still a good looking man and she is very pretty. Best of luck to both of them,” one wrote.
“He will never break the chain,” one user commented, referencing Fleetwood Mac’s classic song, “The Chain.” “Fifth time lucky!” said another.
Fleetwood Mac Conquered The Music World
Fleetwood Mac was formed in London in 1967, with the original lineup consisting of founder and vocalist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood, guitarist Jeremy Spencer, and bassist John McVie. Green left the band in 1970, and McVie’s wife, Christine McVie, joined as a keyboardist.
Fleetwood Mac moved to the U.S. in 1974, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined that same year. With the latest additions, the band found a new voice. Their 1977 album “Rumours,” which was a massive commercial and critical success, remains one of the best-selling albums in history.
Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, cementing their status as one of the defining bands of their generation.
At a time when Netflix wasn’t taking risks, Altered Carbon had the makings of a sci-fi classic. Adapted from Richard Morgan’s book of the same name, the series showcases a cyberpunk future where the rich have become so powerful that not even death can stop them. This dark sci-fi series shows the worst-case scenario of how bodily autonomy can be disregarded — bodies are just flesh vessels to be used and discarded. Altered Carbon had a lot of potential, like so many Netflix series, but faded into purgatory. However, another show is just as relevant thematically while somehow being an even darker depiction of sci-fi.
Pivoting off the success of CD Projekt Red’s video game, Cyberpunk 2077, Netflix released an anime set in the same world. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners ran for 10 episodes and maintains all the hallmarks of the most emotionally traumatizing anime. With the use of animation, the series plumbs the depths of darkness that Altered Carbon could only dream of.
‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ is What Sci-Fi is All About
Just as Altered Carbon demonstrates the dangers of the uber-rich, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners wastes no time in showing the dystopian landscape of a world controlled by corporations. This is established early on in Cyberpunk 2077 when the protagonist V saves a woman wealthy enough to pay for the privatized Trauma Team, while others cannot. Even so, viewers don’t need to have played the game to understand Edgerunners, and in many ways, it hammers home the themes even better.
Edgerunners follows David Martinez, a poor teenager in Night City, a city run by corporations. His mother, Gloria, works as a paramedic, but that isn’t enough to help her son pull himself up by his bootstraps. David is looked down on at his private school because he can’t afford the upgrades to his school software. Things take a turn for the worse when Gloria is killed in a drive-by shooting, and their lack of funds directly impacts her quality of care.
In a thinly veiled criticism of capitalism, David’s only recourse is to become an Edgerunner. Arming himself with cybernetic upgrades, he becomes a mercenary for hire in a world that doesn’t accept anything but the ultrarich. As David tries to make his way in the world, he falls in with a found family, including Lucy, a netrunner.
David finds his place, but Night City is still unforgiving. Edgerunners makes no secret about its disdain for corporations and demonstrates how capitalism victimizes everyone. The series is a 10/10 when it comes to storytelling, but its animation is where the series really shines. Edgerunners benefits from the mesmerizing animation style as David goes through love, loss, and sacrifice. The visual beauty of the series accompanies the futile actions of the characters. As viewers fall in love with these nuanced people, they are all subjected to the inhumanity of living in Night City.
Edgerunners takes the fascinating lore of ripperdocs, cybernetic implants, and cyberpsychosis, elevating it beyond its original form. The first season is short and sweet, but viewers can catch it on Netflix before the release of Season 2.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2022
- Network
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Netflix
- Writers
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Mike Pondsmith, Yoshiki Usa, Masahiko Otsuka
- Franchise(s)
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Cyberpunk
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There’s no doubt about it: Pants are beyond versatile and can look effortlessly stylish — but a tight, restricting silhouette can quickly erase those benefits. So, when I saw lululemon’s new sweatpant-like jean, my heart skipped a beat. Can there really be a pant style that is both chic and comfortable? Yes.
The EasyFive Wide-Leg Pant doesn’t make you choose between elegance and ease, offering a trendy low-rise waist and flattering design. But the real standout star is the fabric. The cotton-blend offers a hint of stretch, resulting in an unrestricting, billowy feel. The result? A silhouette that moves with you — and one that’s undoubtedly coming after your yoga pants.
Get the EasyFive Low-Rise Classic Wide-Leg Pant for $148 at lululemon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Petite and tall shoppers will also be pleased to know that the cut comes in three lengths, delivering the perfect fit. Four colors — navy, ivory, tan and black — also allow for peak wardrobe versatility. Plus, five carefully-placed pockets keep all of your belongings safe and secure.
Everyone wants to feel cool and comfortable while running errands, dining alfresco and doing anything outdoors. But in the spring? There’s a whole other layer of complication. The tricky weather can be cool and rainy one minute, and then sunny and sweat-inducingly warm the next. If you ask Us, it’s why adding linen clothing to […]
Thanks to the unfussy design, the lululemon pants are simple to dress up or down. Style the bottoms with tennis shoes and a baseball cap for a laid-back look, or reach for strappy kitten heels and a tube top for something more elevated.
The pants’ fabric, fit and versatility aren’t just winning me over; reviewers are just as obsessed. “Best pants ever,” raved one shopper. “Rip to my wallet when I buy every color.” Another fan said, “These pants are amazing . . . ‘I love them’ is an understatement.”
The lululemon EasyFive Wide-Leg Pant is officially one of the hottest styles on the market — case closed. If you don’t want to miss out, snag a pair ASAP. After all, who wouldn’t want sleek, stretchy, do-it-all pants?
Get the EasyFive Low-Rise Classic Wide-Leg Pant for $148 at lululemon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more pants here and don’t forget to check out all of lululemon’s best sellers for more great finds!
If your jeans have been feeling a little too stiff, heavy or just plain uninspiring lately, it’s not just you. Spring has a way of making denim feel out of place — especially when lighter, breezier pieces exist. The shift in seasons calls for something that feels just as put together, but far more comfortable. […]
Entertainment
Pink 'really excited and very nervous' to host the 2026 Tony Awards: 'That girl is a tough crowd!'
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“It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest working people in showbiz,” the singer shared in a statement.
In the popular consciousness, John Wayne is primarily viewed as a cultural figure first and foremost, and an actor second. Wayne, despite winning a late-career Academy Award for True Grit, relied on familiar beats and recurring character archetypes as an actor, a formula that certainly won’t impress audiences raised on transformative method acting and naturalism in the modern age.
His best performances, including his refreshingly tender and wistful turn as a boxer acclimating himself to his Irish roots in The Quiet Man, see him subverting his unabashed patriotism and mighty heroism, which are routinely deployed in countless Westerns and war epics. No director utilized Wayne’s prodigious stature better than John Ford, and the director’s most ingenious casting of the star was in his St. Patrick’s Day classic.
John Ford and John Wayne’s ‘The Quiet Man’ Is a Gorgeous Love Letter to Irish Culture
Separating the art from the artist is a tricky act of compartmentalization when chronicling the filmography of John Wayne, whose staunch nationalist politics were often inextricable from his portrayal of American excellence. The harshest reflection of Wayne’s notorious history of racism is in his Westerns, which frequently demonize the existence and minimize the plight of Native Americans. Still, no matter how self-conscious he was about maintaining a squeaky-clean, government-approved image, Wayne’s most trusted collaborators knew how to imbue his persona with darkness and complexity. Howard Hawks and John Ford operated within the familiar Western genre, but films such as Red River and The Searchers were biting deconstructions of Western protagonists that plunged into the dark psyche of America’s core regarding violence and racism.
With The Quiet Man from 1951, Ford stripped away Wayne’s unflinching poise and fortitude, despite his character, Sean Thornton, being a retired professional boxer. Born in Ireland but raised in America, Sean returns to his birthplace, Inisfree, to purchase his family’s old farm. However, his return home is not entirely festive, as he encounters the cutthroat politics of the local land barons and the domineering presence of Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), over his free-spirited sister and love interest to Sean, Mary Kate (Maureen O’Hara). The film, which earned Ford his fourth Academy Award for Best Director, is a visual feast, with Winton Hoch’s photography of the Irish countryside and the luscious green fields representing the apex of Technicolor. Ford became the poet laureate of the American West, but his Irish roots were rarely explored with such passion as in The Quiet Man, which embraces the rambunctiousness and elegiac beauty of the culture.
‘The Quiet Man’ Is John Wayne Like We’ve Never Seen Him Before
Sean Thornton can brawl his way out of any skirmish, as displayed in the rollicking, extended climactic fistfight with Will throughout town. His burly stature is intimidating to the Irish natives, but he is no match for the fiery spunk of Mary Kate, the rare female character to upend the prowess of her male counterpart in a Ford movie. The Quiet Man is Ford’s utopia of a tight-knit community that’s unafraid to indulge in booze, pick a fight, but still love each other altogether. Frequent stock company player Maureen O’Hara symbolizes Ford’s ideal woman: a plucky redhead whose enigmatic aura makes her autonomous from all her surroundings. Wayne allows Sean to be openly smitten and hesitant around Mary Kate, making this perhaps Wayne’s most vulnerable and relatable performance. The actor’s subtle gestures and restraint embody the feeling of being unable to quit someone, even if you know they only bring turbulence.
After a series of Westerns like Stagecoach and Fort Apache, Ford dropped Wayne into uncharted territory in this romantic dramedy about societal etiquette and strict tradition. Between his distinct voice and gait, Wayne was a portrait of life unto himself, but in The Quiet Man, he never felt smaller. In various interactions with eccentric locals and priests, Sean is on his heels, oblivious to the otherworldly nature of a place of heritage that he thought he understood. This quality taps into Wayne’s effortless ability to appear aloof, a quality that always complements his lanky build. Rather than exerting brute force, the Duke was much easier to romanticize when he allowed himself to be naive and bumbling.
No one understood John Wayne’s strengths and vices better than John Ford, who fleshed out his worldview in the actor’s most soulful role. Radiating charm throughout The Quiet Man, a traditional viewing experience on St. Patrick’s Day, Sean Thornton is an avatar for Ford’s vision of the modern man — one defined by hard-nosed masculinity and wistful romanticism.
Entertainment
Prime Video’s 5-Part Sci-Fi Superhero Series Officially Beats ‘Invincible’ at Its Own Game
Of all the exciting returning shows in 2026, few were as hotly anticipated as The Boys. Prime Video’s gory superhero satire has been stunning audiences since it first arrived in 2019, and has picked up a total of four Primetime Emmys, alongside many other awards and nominations. A blood-soaked disassembly of modern American attitudes to celebrity worship, the series finally returned for its final season this past Wednesday, hoping to bounce back from a divisive fourth season.
And bounce back it has, with Season 5’s opening episode earning a huge 9.1/10 on IMDb. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Season 5 has already earned a near-perfect 98% score, although that is subject to change as more opinions are submitted. The consensus on the site reads, “The Boys stays true to its form and completes its mission with ample panache, narrative pay-off, and an excess of blood and guts to deviously glorious effect.”
Perhaps the most unsurprising of all The Boys Season 5’s early success comes on the streaming charts, where it has already flown straight to #2 in the global and U.S. Prime Video ranks. However, another superhero series stands between The Boys and the top spot, with Robert Kirkman‘s violent animated series Invincible continuing its impressive run at the summit. A synopsis for Season 5 reads:
“In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.”
What Did Collider Say About ‘The Boys’ Season 5?
In Nate Richard‘s review of The Boys Season 5 for Collider, he agreed with most that the show has returned to form for its final outing. “Prime Video has been holding the series finale back for now, which makes perfect sense, but if the last episode can maintain the quality of the previous seven, The Boys Season 5 may just be one of the show’s best,” Richard wrote, adding, “It has all the gore, dark comedy, action, and vulgarity that you would expect, while also never veering too far out of control ahead of the final hour. In the words of Billy Butcher, Season 5 is bloody diabolical.”
The Boys is available to stream on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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2019 – 2026-00-00
- Showrunner
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Eric Kripke
- Writers
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Eric Kripke
- Franchise(s)
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The Boys
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