The conveyor belt that is the K-drama world is packed with shows that just keep on coming. With Netflix Korea getting more traction and a higher budget, as well as other streamers investing their money into great original Korean programming, there will soon be a time where everywhere we look, we will have an array of K-dramas to watch (in a good way).

However, that type of constant influx of new titles can become overwhelming, as some good shows can then stay buried unless we pay attention to them. There are many great shows hiding under piles of brand-new titles with big names, waiting to be discovered. Here are K-dramas that everyone forgot about that are worth your time.

‘Prison Playbook’ (2017–2018)

Image via tvN

Prison Playbook has recently re-entered the mainstream conversation, but it’s been largely forgotten over the past few years. Created by the writer behind Reply 1988, the show has a meditative and warm energy nurtured by the ensemble in their best form. Less interested in prison-drama darkness than in the small, absurd, genuinely funny rhythms of people making do in an impossible situation, Prison Playbook is a comedy as often as it’s a drama, and it shifts between genres without ever losing its footing. Park Hae-soo, years before Squid Game made him a global name, leads the ensemble as the protagonist while Jung Kyung-ho anchors the supporting cast as Park’s childhood friend and long-term prisoner. The two leads have a kind of effortless chemistry that can’t really be manufactured, and their rapport makes the show all the more compelling.

Prison Playbook follows Kim Je-hyeok (Park), a professional baseball pitcher who is days away from his Major League signing, when he’s arrested for assault after defending his sister from an assailant and sentenced to serve a one-year prison sentence. Prison Playbook follows Je-hyeok’s adjustment to life inside, the weird and wonderful array of inmates and guards who become his unlikely community, and the slow, patient understanding of prison life, survival, and that all of it is less about toughness and more about figuring out who to trust. The show aired in 2017, and it predates the global K-drama boom by several years, which is why it lacks more international recognition; this show’s been waiting for new audiences to find it ever since it aired, and now’s the perfect time to rediscover it.

‘Through the Darkness’ (2022)

Image via SBS

It’s safe to say that the raging success of Mindhunter reached all corners of the world, including South Korea. However, a show about special agents, profilers, and chasing serial killers isn’t a novelty in the K-drama world; Korean filmmakers and showrunners love their killer hunts, maybe even more than Hollywood does. Through the Darkness was based on the memoirs of a prolific South Korean profiler, Kwon Il-yong, the first to carry the title in the country and who wrote about his chases for serial killers across Korea during the 1990s. The comparison to Mindhunter here can and probably will come immediately, but that’s flattering. Both shows are far more interested in the psychological toll of crawling inside a killer’s head than in procedural mechanics.

Set in 1990s Seoul, Through the Darkness follows Song Ha-young (Kim Nam-gil), a perceptive detective recruited to join Korea’s very first Criminal Behavioral Analysis team, formed specifically to track a serial killer dubbed “Red Cap” who has been terrorizing the city. Criminal profiling doesn’t yet exist as a recognized discipline in Korean law enforcement, which means Ha-young has to build the entire playbook from scratch while simultaneously convincing a skeptical police hierarchy that the whole enterprise is worth funding. Kim delivers an outstanding performance, as he portrays a man who sacrifices his own psychological state in order to interrogate criminals. Through the Darkness is absolutely a forgotten gem, and if you like serial killer chases, intriguing real-life drama, and some thrilling pursuits, this show should be your priority viewing.

‘Navillera’ (2021)

Image via tvN

Navillera is the kind of “it’s never too late” story that will make you laugh, cry, and question your own opinions and prejudices. This twelve-episode story has no filler and no wasted scenes, with Park In-hwan, who was around 76 years old when he made the show, delivering one of the most compelling and compassion-inducing roles of his career. Active since the 1960s, Park is one of Korea’s most prolific actors, and a role like the one in Navillera is nothing new for him—but it might have been novel for his physical prowess. Park stars alongside Song Kang, who apparently trained seriously for his role and is one of the biggest K-drama names of the 2020s. Navillera was released under the radar and is only being rediscovered now.

Navillera follows Shim Deok-chul (Park), a 70-year-old retired postman with one dream he’s spent a lifetime putting off: learning ballet. His family is horrified by this resolution, while his body absolutely has its own opinions on the matter. However, he signs up anyway and meets Lee Chae-rok (Song), a 23-year-old dancer with real talent, struggling financially and on the verge of quitting the thing he loves most. The two form an unlikely mentorship that ends up going both ways; the old man finds his dream, and the young one rediscovers his reason to fight for his. The show also has a dementia subplot, which arrives mid-series and is handled with a care and honesty that most dramas couldn’t pull off without tipping into melodrama. With bigger names and titles, Navillera wasn’t the most popular show of its time, but it aged really well and is one of the most emotional and beautiful shows you’ll ever get to see.

‘Black Dog: Being a Teacher’ (2019–2020)

Image via tvN

Advertisement

Another highly beloved K-drama trope is high school drama, though that’s not purely reserved for Korean shows and audiences. The entire world is obsessed with the drama between a bunch of 16-year-olds and their teachers, classmates, and parents, and there’s no sign that shows with this theme are about to die out. Black Dog: Being a Teacher is from 2019, and it’s a fairly forgotten series with a high school theme. If you have most recently watched Teach You a Lesson, Netflix’s most popular K-drama of the summer, Black Dog is its distant, forgotten cousin that tackles similar themes and packs just as a powerful punch as its successor. Seo Hyun-jin and Ra Mi-ran star as a newcomer teacher and a veteran who takes him in and mentors him, and their relationship is filled with (platonic) chemistry that works well on-screen.

Black Dog follows Go Ha-neul (Seo), who arrives at Eungyo High School as a new temporary teacher. Ha-neul is naive about how deeply the politics of the Korean education system run and immediately starts learning that surviving in a private high school staffroom requires as much strategy as anything happening in the classrooms. The show, written by a former teacher, is a sharp, unsentimental look at Korea’s hyper-competitive academic culture told entirely from the staff’s perspective rather than the students’. What separates Black Dog from the dozen other school-set K-dramas is how little interest it has in glamorizing teaching or the institutions around it. The staffroom is political, exhausting, and often unjust, and Ha-neul’s idealism gets ground down and rebuilt across the entire show, showing the true strength of perseverance. Black Dog aired in 2019 and garnered moderate ratings without much buzz despite being one of that year’s best dramas.

‘Song of the Bandits’ (2023)

The Good, the Bad, the Weird isn’t the only South Korean Western—Netflix’s own Song of the Bandits is another Western told from the Korean perspective, and just like the Song Kang-ho-led film, the show is set during the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea. Song of the Bandits is another series on this list that stars Kim Nam-gil, who transforms into a gun-slinging revolutionary effortlessly and with great style. This show came out in 2023, but it’s been largely ignored at launch despite being one of Netflix Korea’s more ambitious originals that year; a Korean period Western was probably much harder to sell than the platform’s algorithms were prepared for, but it’s still not too late to rediscover this gem and make it a part of your K-drama watchlist.

Set in 1920s Manchuria during the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea, Song of the Bandits follows a group of former soldiers and displaced Korean exiles. Some of them are idealists, some are criminals, but most of them land somewhere in between; this group of Korean freedom fighters band together to fight back against the forces occupying their homeland. One of them, Lee Yoon (Kim), is a stoic, morally gray ex-soldier and gunslinger trying to survive while the world he knows collapses around him, reluctantly becoming a leader for people with nowhere else to turn to. The action sequences are genuinely impressive, the ensemble is stacked with character actors doing strong work, and the show possesses a compelling political depth about the colonial period Korea lived in that gives even its most genre-conventional moments real-life weight.

Advertisement

Song of the Bandits

Advertisement

Release Date

2023 – 2023-00-00

Network

Advertisement

Netflix

Directors

Hwang Jun-hyeok

Advertisement

Writers

Han Jung-hoon

Advertisement

• 
• 
• 

  Yoo Jae-myung

  Advertisement

  Choi Choong-su

• 

  Lee Hyun-wook

  Lee Kwang-il

  Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

House Velaryon is one of the key players in House of the Dragon. They are one of the wealthiest houses and have the greatest armada in Westeros. They have the legendary Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) as their lord, though the situation might get a bit dodgy when it comes to who might be his heir. Still, they are an illustrious Valyrian house during the era of the Dance of the Dragons. But by the time of Game of Thrones, the Velaryons are but a shadow of what they once were. The house’s name is barely spoken in the series, and some members briefly show up in the A Song of Ice and Fire books, but in subordinate positions — not nearly as influential and important as they once were. What happened to “the old, the true, and the brave?”

The Dance of the Dragons Starts the Decline of House Velaryon

The Dance of the Dragons is actually the starting point of House Velaryon’s decline. For more than a century, House Velaryon held control of the Narrow Sea even in the face of foreign threats such as the Triarchy, but the civil war forces them to direct most of their efforts to the blockade on the Gullet. The Battle of the Gullet causes great damage to the Velaryon fleet, as well as the plundering of Driftmark. This is the beginning of House Velaryon’s decline, although it would take some decades for it to fully be realized.

In Fire & Blood, after Corlys dies, it’s Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), legitimized as Alyn Velaryon, who inherits Driftmark and becomes the head of House Velaryon. Alyn proves to be a great commander and manages to continue House Velaryon’s supremacy in the waters, but he was never a sharp political player. With the Velaryon fleet based mostly on Driftmark and the Gullet, other houses started building their own naval power until eventually the Velaryon fleet was no longer the biggest proverbial fish in the sea. Couple that with the lost riches after the sacking of Driftmark, and the house was in clear decline.

House Velaryon Lost Their Naval Dominance After the Dance

Eventually, other naval powers emerged on the other side of Westeros. House Greyjoy has always been powerful but never reliable; they attacked and led invasions into the Westerlands and the Reach. Consequently, House Lannister developed their own way of protecting themselves by building an armada based in Lannisport. For example, after the War of the Five Kings , they are the most powerful navy in Westeros. For the same reasons, but further to the south, House Redwyne also begin to build their naval forces. Located on the island of the Arbor, they have always been prone to seafaring and grew to the point of surpassing House Hightower’s naval prowess.

Even so, House Velaryon still held some influence, with many Velaryons holding the position of Master of Ships in the Small Council. By the time of King Aerys II(David Rintoul), for example, Lord Lucerys Velaryon plays this role in his council but is also one of the Mad King’s advisors who preys on his decline for his own benefit. Robert’s Rebellion drastically shifts the power balance, with House Baratheon now becoming the major naval power in Westeros.

Because House Velaryon are also a Valyrian house, they have always been allied to House Targaryen. The house itself is sworn to the Prince of Dragonstone, and when Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) becomes king, he appoints his brother, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), as the new prince. Stannis then starts his own branch, House Baratheon of Dragonstone, to whom House Velaryon is currently sworn.

By the Time of ‘Game of Thrones,’ House Velaryon Is Only a Minor Player

Image via HBO

In the Game of Thrones books, House Velaryon continues to be sworn to Dragonstone, so they join Stannis Baratheon’s forces in the War of the Five Kings. Lord Monford Velaryon is even present at the Battle of Blackwater Bay, but dies as his ship sinks. His six-year-old son, Monterys, then succeeds him as Lord of Driftmark. When Stannis calls his banners to go to the Wall, House Velaryon sends a host, and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) even notices Velaryon banners among the ones of House Baratheon when Stannis defeats Mace Rayder’s (Ciarán Hinds) wildlings beyond the Wall.

In the Battle of Blackwater Bay, Lord Monford’s bastard half-brother, Aurane Waters, is captured and forced to bend the knee to King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). He later becomes Master of Ships and even starts working on expanding the Lannister armada in King’s Landing. He even briefly antagonizes Lord Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths). Still, when Aurane hears of Cersei Lannister’s (Lena Headey) imprisonment by the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) and the Faith of the Seven, he flees his post, his whereabouts currently unknown.

Taylor Hanson confessed his brothers were surprised to hear he would be competing on Dancing With the Stars season 35.

“My brothers were pretty shocked that I would consider honestly putting myself on the dance floor,” Hanson, 43, exclusively told Us on Wednesday, September 2, following the official DWTS cast announcement. “But everybody’s supportive. Everybody’s excited.”

Taylor added that while his family is happy for him, he is also “excited” to be part of the DWTS family.

Taylor formed the music group Hanson alongside brothers Isaac Hanson and Zac Hanson in 1992. The boy band is best known for their 1997 hit “MMMBop” which is nearly three decades old.

Related: Whitney Leavitt’s Husband Conner Reveals Her Advice for ‘DWTS’ Competition

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt is following in his wife Whitney Leavitt’s footsteps by lacing up his ballroom shoes on Dancing With the Stars. “There aren’t words in the English language to describe how proud I am of my wife,” Conner, 32, exclusively told Us on Wednesday, September 2, gushing over […]

“It’s a song I’m proud of. It’s a song I wrote that was nominated for [the] Grammys. I mean, I have never been shied away from embracing where I’ve been,” he said of the iconic tune. “And honestly, that song talks about things that matter, things that stand the test of time. That’s all I’ve ever done is try and do things. I hope I actually look back and go, ‘I’m so proud of that.’”

While Taylor is best known for being on stage with a microphone, he’s ready to start a “new season of doing different things.”

“We are here to have a great time. I have a great teacher,” Taylor said, referring to his partner, Britt Stewart. “There’s really no loss in this for me. Every day we’re doing [this] it’s a win.”

Taylor shared that he “absolutely” wants to go “all the way” to win the Len Goodman mirrorball trophy. However, he thinks that “learning to dance” will be his “biggest competition.”

“I’m here to leave it all on the dance floor,” he said. “So my only competition is the challenge of being excellent.”

Taylor shared that he and Stewart have yet to pick their official team name. The musician told Us that he would “love to involve the fans” in the creative process for brainstorming their team name.

“They always come up with some amazing, creative team name. So it’s still forming,” he teased to Us. “It’s still in the works.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

In addition to trying something new in the ballroom, Taylor teased to Us he’s working on something special.

“This is kind of the beginning of a new journey. I’m working on stuff that I’ve never, never done before: solo music,” he said.

Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC and Disney+ with a two-night event beginning Tuesday, September 15, at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes will stream the next day on Hulu.

Alphonso Smith Jr. left behind a legacy on the football field that stretched from Wake Forest to the NFL. Now, his loved ones and fans are mourning the former standout cornerback after heartbreaking news about the 40-year-old surfaced Wednesday.

RELATED: Yikes! Man Arrested After Posing As San Francisco 49ers Player To Scam At Least 26 Women Out Of $1.3 Million

Alphonso Smith Jr.’s Final Post Revealed His Inner Struggles

According to TMZ, Alphonso Smith Jr. reportedly died by suicide Wednesday at a housing community in Florida. The former NFL cornerback was 40 years old. News of his death has since prompted an outpouring of reactions as those who knew him and followed his football career remember his impact both on and off the field.

Before his death, Alphonso shared a deeply emotional final Facebook post that appeared to reflect the emotional struggles he was experiencing. “Do not cry for me! I tried everything in my power to fight the demons behind the ones that someone put into ME! I did not want to be that WAY! I know I have disappointed so many folks. This is a DEMON in me! But not only me! It’s EVERYONE! I have HURT so many! I needed help & did not get it!” Alphonso repeatedly apologized in the post, described himself as a “coward,” and referenced abuse he said he experienced as a young boy. He ended the message by writing, “I am SORRY! THIS IS IT!”

Alphonso Smith Jr.’s Football Journey

Alphonso made his mark at Wake Forest University from 2004 to 2008, earning All-American honors during his senior season before being inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2022. The Denver Broncos selected him in the 2009 NFL Draft, and he was later traded to the Detroit Lions, where he spent three seasons before ending his career after the 2012 campaign. Across 42 NFL games, Alphonso recorded 88 tackles and eight interceptions.

Other NFL Players Have Added To Mental Health Conversation

In late 2025, more NFL players began opening up about their mental health struggles, bringing increased attention to the pressures athletes can face behind the scenes. Marshawn Kneeland’s death has further highlighted that conversation, particularly as details surrounding his final hours continue to emerge. The tragedy is also renewing attention on the emotional challenges professional athletes may experience away from the spotlight.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Marshawn Kneeland, Dallas Cowboys Defensive End, Dies At 24 From Apparent Self-Inflicted Wound (UPDATE)

An adult whose identity has not yet been released will potentially be criminally charged after a 2-year-old boy died in a pool while under their watch, though the toddler’s mother insisted she believes it was an accident. .

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said that it has completed its investigation into the boy’s death and submitted the case to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, according to News 4 San Antonio.

The district attorney’s office has now been tasked to review the case and determine what charges are appropriate or if the adult will be charged. No charges had been filed as of Friday, August 28, per the outlet.

Despite confirming that the case is under evaluation, the sheriff’s office has not said who they believe should face charges or what potential offense they may have committed.

Related: Inside Emilie Kiser’s Son’s Redacted Police Report

New details surrounding the drowning death of Emilie and Brady Kiser’s son Trigg, 3, have emerged following the release of the redacted police report. The documents, obtained by Us Weekly on Friday, August 8, detail the events that led up to Trigg’s death on May 18 after he was pulled unconscious from a pool at […]

The tragic incident happened earlier in August when Malachi LeBlanc was attending a playdate that was supervised by a trusted adult. He nearly drowned during the playdate at a community pool in San Antonio’s Indian Springs subdivision, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The newspaper reported that the adult was supervising LeBlanc and several other children at the time.

The boy’s mother, Grace LeBlanc, spoke to San Antonio Express-News and said she had “complete faith in” the adult who was supervising her child at the time and “wholeheartedly believes” his death was an accident.

Grace went on to say that she strongly opposed criminal charges against the adult and did not know that the sheriff’s office intended to pursue charges until the newspaper contacted her to discuss the situation.

Grace and her husband, Myron LeBlanc, were not at the pool when Malachi was found unresponsive.

First responders performed CPR before he was taken to North Central Baptist Hospital for treatment. Doctors determined that Malachi was brain dead and could not breathe independently, and he died four days after the incident on August 9.

Malachi’s death was ultimately ruled an accident caused by complications of near-drowning, per the newspaper.

Grace shared that her family regularly went swimming together and said that Malachi loved the water. “I’m convinced that he thought he could swim because he would try to get in the water all the time without his floaties,” she told the outlet.

After Malachi was declared brain dead, his parents decided to donate his organs after they were approached by the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance.

“If God wasn’t going to give us the miracle that we’re praying for, then this can be a miracle for other children,” Grace recalled Myron telling her while they were discussing the decision.

Related: Couple Accused of Killing Son, Dad Blamed Car Seat Accident for Injuries

A couple in Arkansas has been accused of killing their 2-month-old son after the father initially blamed the boy’s fatal injuries on an accident that involved a car seat. Gabrielle Elaine Ayers was taken into custody on Sunday, April 19, and was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree endangering […]

Grace said that doctors retrieved Malachi’s heart, kidneys and liver that went to three children in Texas awaiting transplants.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

She also opened up about her son’s legacy and said she wants Malachi to be remembered for his joyful personality, as well as that he saved lives.

“He always knew how to make you feel beautiful,” she said. “He loved to say, ‘I love you,’ and he meant it when he said it.”

Grace continued, “Knowing that I will see my son again has really carried me through this. I know that right now, where he’s at, he’s being loved on more than we could ever love on him.”

After retreading familiar ground, the latest episode of Ted Lasso proved its titular character is learning from his mistakes. For its fourth season, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) returned to AFC Richmond to help launch its women’s program according to the “Richmond Way.” A new team means a slew of new characters joined the Apple TV hit, including Tanya Reynolds as the newest assistant coach, Alice Chilton. Despite her stoic demeanor earning early comparisons to Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), this latest episode revealed she is actually following in the footsteps of Nathan “Nate” Shelley (Nick Mohammed).

In its initial 3-season arc, Nate started as a lovable kit manager who eventually became an assistant coach. But he grew resentful amid mounting feelings of being overlooked. Throughout “Riches of Embarrassment,” Ted noticed Coach Chilton was becoming increasingly harsh with the players. Despite Ted delivering one of his classic parables urging her to curb the behavior, she only became more derisive during the game. “You know, Alice, I had the privilege of working with another coach who had your fire. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice what was going on with him before, well, before he’d been burned to a crisp,” Ted told her at the end of the episode. “So in the hopes of learning from my mistakes, I’m going to try a different approach with you. I’m gonna suspend you for a match.” The suspension would be an extended break, with only one game left before their holiday break.

Ted Lasso Uncharacteristically Addresses Coach Chilton’s Harsh Behavior

Image via Apple TV

Ted Lasso fans first met Coach Chilton in the second episode of the season, when she resigned after being passed over for manager of the women’s team. In convincing her to stay on as an assistant coach, Ted revealed her career as a player was cut short after a succession of injuries. She has built a rapport with Ted and Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and shown moments of empathy when a player is injured. But she also has a tendency to be hard on the players, exemplified by her tense dynamic with the team’s striker Gemma (Abbie Hern). The duo were former teammates, with Gemma temporarily quitting the sport because of Coach Chilton’s intense criticism.

Coach Chilton has struggled to adapt to the “Richmond Way,” creating an inclusive and positive environment to foster players’ abilities to perform their best. This was no more evident than in the fifth episode. She was taken aback when the women’s team took an interest in Ted’s personal life. She revealed she didn’t garner the same attention and became increasingly agitated throughout the week. An escalating incident during practice resulted in the whole team doing 15 laps after Gemma stood up for a struggling player.

Her story is starting to mimic Nate’s — feeling professionally overlooked, not forming deep personal relationships and being unable to express her more difficult emotions. So, despite Ted equating people to barbecue, getting tougher if overcooked, she continued calling the players “pathetic” and “embarrassing” throughout the game. In a move uncharacteristic of his often overwhelming optimism and kindness, he sidelined Coach Chilton so she has time to “make some adjustments.”

Coach Chilton’s Story Mimics Nate Shelley’s Arc

Longtime Ted Lasso fans remember what happens when Ted’s proclivity toward kindness prevents him from addressing an increasingly difficult personality. Nate started as a kit manager, often taking the brunt of disgruntled players. But Ted, who was new to soccer, noticed Nate’s aptitude for creating successful plays. When Ted appointed him as an assistant coach and bought him a suit, Nate started displaying an increasing confidence.

But confidence soon gives way to an inflated ego. One of the first cracks appeared when Roy took Ted up on his standing offer to join the coaching staff. He started taking his frustration out on the lowest member of the team, a position he used to hold, the kit manager. His tendency to roast the players was initially received as funny, but with his increased position of power, was instead becoming a degrading habit. He refused to acknowledge his flub, saying “wonder kid” when he intended “wunderkind.”

Not able to impress his parents, or to reserve his desired table at a restaurant, he turns to Keeley to help him gain fame and mistakes her kindness as attraction. The combination of growing agitation and embarrassment comes to a head at the end of Season 2, when Ted finally asks what is making him so mad. “You made me feel like I was the most important person in the whole world. And then you abandoned me,” Nate said, explaining he continued to try to get Ted’s attention, to no avail. His outburst continued, calling Ted “a joke” and after AFC Richmond’s men’s team earned their promotion to the premiere league, he ripped Ted’s “Believe” sign that hung in the locker room.

‘Ted Lasso’ Rushes Nate Shelley’s Redemption Arc

Despite spending two seasons establishing Nate’s turn as an antagonist, Ted Lasso spends very little time wrapping up his arc. When Ted Lasso returned for Season 3, a new Nate had taken over. Now sporting gray hair and dark clothes, he has gone to coach for the rival team owned by AFC Richmond’s former owner, Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head).

Nate may seem more confident, but he still seeks external validation, looking at online opinions of himself and seeking Rupert’s praise by emulating his ruthless tactics. He seeks attention from women he wouldn’t normally approach. But he still experiences anxiety when dealing with the press and is instinctually disgusted by Rupert’s womanizing ways. It all comes to a head, and he quits in the season’s final quarter.

Ted Lasso tried to force his redemption arc before the Season 3 finale, which was originally believed to be the series finale. In the penultimate episode, Beard explains Ted’s transformative influence on his life and extends that same forgiveness to Nate. Criticized for rushing the storyline, many fans haven’t fully embraced the character again.

While Alice Chilton is not a carbon copy of Nate Shelley, she fits a similar archetype — someone struggling to find their footing in life who turns that internal conflict into external aggressiveness. This time, Ted finally recognized the warning signs and took decisive action. It is a move to protect the players, but also hopefully, the fans from enduring another unsatisfying redemption arc.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

August 14, 2020

Network

Apple TV

Advertisement

Directors

Declan Lowney, MJ Delaney, Erica Dunton, Matt Lipsey

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Travis Kelce is pulling back the curtain on his marriage to Taylor Swift nearly two months after their spectacular Madison Square Garden wedding.

The Kansas City Chiefs star offered his most emotional account yet of the July 3 celebration, calling the experience “insane” while admitting he wished their unforgettable night could have lasted longer.

Travis also proudly showed off the wedding ring marking his new chapter as Swift’s husband.

Travis revisited the star-studded celebration during the September 2 season premiere of his “New Heights” podcast with older brother Jason Kelce.

After Jason excitedly declared, “You’re finally married!” the 36-year-old grinned, held up his left hand and proudly responded, “I am a married man.”

Advertisement

According to PEOPLE, the gesture gave fans their closest look yet at Travis’s intricate gold wedding band, which features an engraved criss-cross pattern.

However, the ring was only the beginning of his newlywed revelations.

Reflecting on the wedding itself, Travis said, “It’s been so much fun, it was insane,” before expressing gratitude to everyone who helped make the celebration memorable.

“Me and Taylor are so thankful for everybody that showed up,” he said, recalling everything from their vows to hearing guests’ stories about the evening. “It was just so magical, man. I wish it could have lasted longer than it did.”

Advertisement

The comments offered a more intimate account than Travis gave at Chiefs training camp in August, when he described marrying Swift as the “best night” of his life but kept most details private.

Adam Sandler Made ‘Biggest Night’ Even More Memorable

3

One person received particularly glowing praise from the groom: Adam Sandler.

The Hollywood star officiated the ceremony after getting ordained in New York, and Travis Kelce suggested Sandler delivered far more than the couple expected.

“He has been just the f-cking best person on this planet,” Travis said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Travis praised the actor for officiating “in the very Sandman style” and helping elevate what he described as “the biggest night of our lives.”

Advertisement

Sandler’s involvement had already emerged as one of the wedding’s biggest surprises.

Previous reports revealed that he “said yes right away” when asked to officiate, with a source saying the opportunity was a “huge honor” for the actor.

More From The Blast

Travis Kelce Explains Why Madison Square Garden Was Perfect

Holding one of the world’s most scrutinized celebrity weddings inside Madison Square Garden might sound counterintuitive, but Travis said privacy was central to the decision.

“We wanted to do it somewhere where we could have a very intimate and genuine setting without a lot of distractions,” he explained, adding that MSG “went above and beyond” to create the private atmosphere they wanted.

The venue also carried personal significance for the NFL star.

Advertisement

Travis previously revealed that attending a New York Knicks playoff game at MSG had been a childhood dream.

Swift made it to a game while he was tied up with Chiefs minicamp, but marrying her inside what he called “the Mecca of all sports venues” ultimately gave him an even bigger first experience there.

Taylor Swift Wedding Was Shielded By Intense Security

3

Creating that intimate atmosphere required extraordinary measures given the level of attention surrounding Swift and Travis Kelce.

Security around the wedding reflected the intense public interest in the couple.

Streets surrounding Madison Square Garden were closed, while curtains and tents shielded arrivals and helped keep guests away from cameras.

Advertisement

The secrecy did not end when the celebration was over. Despite enormous interest in what happened inside the star-studded ceremony, wedding photos and footage from the celebration have remained private.

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Return To Reality After Wedding High

3

Their marriage also began with an unusually quick return to work.

Travis spent much of the summer preparing for another NFL season with the Chiefs, while Swift resumed her own commitments and traveled to London for the wedding of recording engineers Oli Jacobs and Laura Sisk.

The newlyweds have still found time for celebrations together, including attending Travis’s former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster’s California wedding shortly after their own.

Now, with Travis proudly flashing his wedding band and speaking more freely about July 3, he appears to be embracing another title alongside NFL superstar.

Advertisement

As he happily reminded Jason, he is officially “a married man.”

Sydney Sweeney is the moment.

Sweeney, 28, showed off her chic sense of style while arriving at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, September 2. For her first look, the Euphoria alum rocked a tan outfit by Georges Chakra. Her sheer top featured a ruffled neckline, lace details and a high-low hem that exposed her sideboob. Sweeney styled the top with knee-length shorts finished with a belt tied in a knot at her hips.

She elevated her look with a tan shoulder bag, clear heels, diamond stud earrings, a delicate gold watch and brown, oval sunglasses. For glam, the Anyone But You star rocked a full beat including dewy skin, manicured eyebrows, rosy cheeks and pink, lined lips. Her blonde hair was parted down the middle and styled in a half-up hairdo with her ends curled.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

This isn’t the first time Sweeney has shown some skin. Just last week she celebrated her coming 29th birthday with a steamy Syrn ad. Sweeney kicked off the promotional video by wearing a sheer bra and matching G-string with blue floral details. She reached into a fridge and pulled out eggs before turning around and giving the camera a look at her bum.

While baking a cake, the actress wore a pastel pink top with a sheer bodice and halter straps. Sweeney got to work and measured flour, which she then brushed off on her butt. To make the video even hotter, she then went topless while holding two mini cakes in front of her chest. She walked through the kitchen in nothing but pink underwear with ruffled lace straps.

Sweeney then brought her cakes to a table, which she placed down and crawled across the wood to more desserts. She then tasted the icing with her finger while gazing into the camera.

Apple TV has several unforgettable, feel-good comedies, from Ted Lasso to Shrinking, but before either of those shows even aired, the streamer pulled off a miracle with Trying, which evolved from a heartfelt story about a couple’s adoption journey into a series about an established family parenting two teens. After a huge time jump before Season 4, the series became stronger than ever as it explored the family bonds set up in the previous seasons. Now that Season 5 has concluded this chapter of the characters’ lives, it’s time for Trying to reinvent itself yet again.

Even without news of an official renewal as of this writing, Trying still has a lot of potential to mine, yet the stories fans most want to see are a few years from where Season 5 leaves off. Luckily, the series has already proven how effective a time jump can be, and with several storylines that would benefit, Season 6 seems like the perfect opportunity for Trying to take that leap once again.

‘Trying’s Time Jump Changed the Apple TV Show for the Better

While some shows reach a point where they can’t continue, Trying has already overcome the issue once before. The show’s original story focused on Jason (Rafe Spall) and Nikki (Esther Smith) trying to adopt two children, Princess (Eden Togwell) and Tyler (Mickey McAnulty). After many mistakes and false hopes, the family was officially united at the end of Season 3, and their story seemed to reach a natural ending. But adoption itself is only one part of the journey, and, after a six-year time jump, the series tackled another major struggle in the life of an adopted child as the kids’ biological mom, Kat (Charlotte Riley), came back into their lives.

Technically, this storyline could have happened at any time, but jumping ahead by six years greatly impacted the character dynamics, giving the family’s relationships time to grow. Meanwhile, recasting and aging up Princess (Scarlett Rayner) and Tyler (Cooper Turner) allowed them the maturity this particular plot called for. The change may have been drastic, but it was a breath of fresh air that shifted the focus from adoption itself to life as a family. Ultimately, Trying‘s time jump placed the characters in situations that could never have happened if the story had picked up immediately after Season 3, and Seasons 4 and 5 are better for it.

‘Trying’ Should Take Another Leap Forward in Season 6

Although Trying‘s time jump allowed Seasons 4 and 5 to explore a different story, that has wrapped up as well, with the Season 5 finale forcing Princess to accept that she will never get the answers that she wanted from Kat. While it is a big moment for her, this growth also puts the family on equal footing again, much like Season 3’s conclusion. Trying has already proven that it can thrive with change, and that is a constant reality for any family. If the Apple TV series continues, Princess will need a new storyline, and the most natural choice would require another time jump. Skipping just a few years could take Princess to the point of leaving for college, which would be a transition point for any family, but most especially for a child who has only settled in relatively recently.

Princess isn’t the only character who could benefit from another time jump. Recent seasons of Trying have put both Nikki and Jason on new career paths, specifically with Jason choosing to become a social worker. Season 6 could tackle his professional growth, revealing what happens after he earns his degree. This storyline could also take the show full circle, with Jason helping others through the same struggles his family experienced. Although Trying hasn’t been renewed yet, the cast is on board and has even suggested another time jump themselves. With the Apple TV show now being more about the ups and downs of family than anything else, jumping forward could allow the series to not only keep growing but thrive for many more seasons to come.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

2020 – 2023

Network

Apple TV

Advertisement

Directors

Ollie Parsons, Ellie Heydon, Elliot Hegarty, Jim O’Hanlon

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hey, General Hospital fans, we have got your early weekly spoilers for the week beginning September 7th, with Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) attacking Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) and kicking off her torture and murder plan. This is going to get so messy really soon.

Plus, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) is suspicious about the Jack Brennan incident and also about Anna. Also, in the week of September 7th through the 11th, we have Drew Cain Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison) and Ava Jerome (Maura West) doing a successful body dump, Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright) panicking, and Danny Morgan (Asher Jared Antonyzyn) making a critical confession to his dad. And as we always do on early edition day, we go over what is happening the rest of this week, then we get into what is coming next week. So, let’s unpack the good stuff.

General Hospital Spoilers: Gio Romances Emma

Wednesday, September 2nd, on General Hospital, we have somebody getting a romantic surprise from Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza). Obviously, that’s going to be Emma. And I’m wondering if the song he and Trina perform has special meaning for Gio and Emma. And he tells her he wrote it for her. Gio is also telling Brooklyn that he feels like something is a bad sign. And I think this is about Gio worrying because Simon (Grady Eldridge) took off during the show.

So, maybe he went to add to his Trina stalker board. But I still kind of suspect that Simon might be a red herring and it’s really Quinn (Jequan Jackson) who is Kai’s friend because they didn’t bring Quinn back for nothing. Britt hears Lucas’ latest news because he and Britt are having drinks at the Metro Court bar, and Lucas is telling her about his new place and tells Britt there’s one unexpected surprise. So Lucas is going to tell Britt that he and Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennet) are roommates now.

And Britt may start asking questions that make him blush. We also have Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) getting reassurance from Danny. This is about them coming across Brennan’s dead body in the Metro Court pool and then taking off. Charlotte’s freaking out, but Danny reassures her nobody saw them.

GH Spoilers: Danny & Charlotte Panicking

I’m sure Charlotte and Danny are waiting to hear about the cops coming to the Metro Court. But that may not manifest. Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) gets a hunch and trusts her gut, and this may be about Hudson Parker (Troy Lennon Appel) and him being weird at the bar while they were doing business. Or Carly may call to ask Joss if she has seen Jack Brennan because his room was rifled.

Anna feels hesitant. She’s with Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) at the gun range this week, and Anna says, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to.” I think Valentin’s trying to help her work through things. Because he’s worried about Anna, as Valentin should be, especially given what Anna is up to by the end of this week. Also, Carly tells Jason that somebody searched Jack’s room and they didn’t cover their tracks.

And since Ava dragged Drew out before he could finish searching, he didn’t have time to put things to rights. Although the room doesn’t look ransacked, it definitely looks a little bit disturbed. But let’s be real, why would Brennan have that evidence that Drew wants in his Metro Court hotel room? Seems like he would have any important files and evidence locked up in his office at the WSB local station, where there’s a lot better security.

Drew & Ava Bury Brennan on General Hospital

So, Drew tells Ava as they’re out in the Pine Baron’s woods with shovels that this is the perfect place to bury Brennan’s body. Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) is there to say, “I found the suspects.” Now, this was edited in the promo to make it look like Chase wanders up on Drew and Ava burying Jack’s corpse.

But I don’t think it’s that way at all. I think Chase is out by the trees by the boathouse on the Quartermaine estate and then walks in and starts quizzing the teens, maybe about the scratched vehicle. But since he’s a cop, we may see Charlotte and Danny on edge talking to him, and Chase may notice they seem off.

GH Spoilers: Joe & Chase Investigate

Thursday, September 3rd, on General Hospital, Chase and Joe are comparing notes. This may involve Brennan going missing and his room being rifled, or it may be about Jordan’s accident. Because Chase and Joe both want to find the second driver. Joe is especially interested because Lucy’s testimony was false and led them falsely to Willow, and then, you know, Joe didn’t like how that all came out in court.

So, Chase knows that Lucy was plotting with Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton). But he has no idea his investigation is going to lead him straight to his wife as the second driver. However, the Brennan case may distract all the cops from Jordan’s crash for now. Drew does something vengeful, and with Brennan missing, maybe he frames someone for kidnapping Brennan because without a body, there’s just suspicions about him suddenly being MIA. You need a body to say, “Oh, he was murdered.”

General Hospital Spoilers: Danny Comes Clean

Also, Danny confesses to Jason, and this is where things turn. Because I think Danny’s going to tell his dad he and Charlotte found Brennan’s body and he was definitely dead. Danny and Charlotte are the only ones who saw Jack’s dead body, and then the body is gone.

So, will Jason advise them to go talk to Anna about this or not? We’ll see. Carly and Valentin develop a theory, and this may be about who was snooping in Brennan’s room. They may suspect Drew. But will Jason tell Carly what Danny confessed to him about Jack being dead? Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) pitches an idea to Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). Maybe personal, maybe professional.

Also, this week, Anna makes a move and she lures Britt out to the mountain property she just bought from Sonny. And Britt asks Anna why they had to meet all the way out there in the woods, and Anna pulls a gun on her and says, so no one can hear you scream, and Britt looks terrified, as she should be.

GH Spoilers: Trina in Shock

Friday, September 4th in General Hospital, Trina gets some shocking information and this may be about her stalker and Jason crosses paths with Anna and Jason may realize something is off with her and this may be hot on the heels of her kidnapping Britt because I’m sure Anna is scrambling to seem sane which she is not. Ava’s thinking fast on her feet.

She may be questioned by the police in the Brennan missing person’s case because she was one of the last people seen with Brennan before he went missing. Unless, of course, Jason lets the cops know he’s actually dead. I don’t know if he will though, because Danny might be implicated just for finding the body and not calling the police. Drew is raging on Friday and this may be because he didn’t get the evidence that Brennan has.

And Drew also may find out someone searched his office, which I’m guessing he would suspect Carly and Jason of doing it. But it was Carly and Valentin. Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) is talking about a legal issue with Sonny, and I wonder if she’s going to tell him about Willow trying to kill Drew.

General Hospital Spoilers: Chris McKenna Out

Then the week of September 7th through the 11th, of course, we know Jack Brennan is dead and Chris McKenna is officially out at General Hospital. But how long until the police decide that Brennan is dead versus missing? Because Danny and Charlotte are sitting on this key information, passed it to Jason. But he’s not exactly somebody who chats easily with the cops.

We’ll find out more about Drew and Ava and how close they get after hiding Jack’s body because now they’re in this real deep together. Too deep for Drew and Ava to go their separate ways. Drew is going to be feeling confident about the body dump. But I expect Ava to be spiraling, and Ava may start pushing Drew to get busy taking down Sonny.

We should see Lucas getting closer to Joe, and Serena Baldwin (Kelly Kruger) and Michael are getting closer as she keeps working that honeypot plot. More comes to light about Trina’s stalker, and Chase may soon find out Brook Lynn left the scene of Jordan Ashford and Curtis Ashford’s (Donnell Turner) accident. Although she didn’t know, so technically she was just continuing to drive.

GH Spoilers: Hudson Goes after Phoebe

Hudson’s got to figure out what to do about getting his daughter Phoebe (Lucia & Luna Brighton) away from Brook Lynn and Chase. And we’ll see who gets Jenz Sidwell’s (Carlo Rota)assets because the auction is set for mid-September. So things start amping up in advance of a bidding war, especially over those piers.

Britt has to deal with psycho Anna, and I’m sure it won’t be too long before Britt realizes just how unhinged that Anna is. And Britt may be twice as scared if she hears Anna talking to ghost Peter. Jason’s going to soon realize Britt’s missing and may talk to Sonny about Anna. And from there, Jason may check out the property Sonny sold her. I’m thinking he’ll save Britt. But we’ll see.