This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Once Hollywood’s reigning king of comedy, Judd Apatow is directing his first narrative film in four years, and it couldn’t have a more appropriate title. Glen Powell, who is on the comeback trail himself after the critical and box office disappointments of The Running Man and How to Make a Killing, will star in The Comeback King. The comedy is now in production.
The Comeback King will star Powell as a down-on-his-luck country singer; the rest of the plot is being kept under wraps for now. It also features Cristin Milioti (The Penguin), Madelyn Cline (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Stavros Halkias (Bugonia) and stand-up comedian Li Jin Hao. In addition to directing, Apatow is also co-writing the script with star Powell, who previously co-wrote the successful Netflix comedy Hit Man (which he also starred in) and wrote for his Hulu comedy series Chad Powers. The film is set to be released on February 5, 2027, by Universal Pictures.
Advertisement
What Has Judd Apatow Been Working on Recently?
Apatow’s most recent film was the 2022 Netflix comedy The Bubble, which centered around the experiences of a film crew attempting to make the latest installment of a blockbuster franchise during the COVID-19 lockdowns. That film was excoriated by critics. Since then, Apatow has helmed a number of non-fiction projects. They include Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, a documentary about the stand-up comedian’s struggles with mental health; George Carlin’s American Dream, a two-part documentary on the life and times of the iconic comic; and this year’s Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!, a celebration of the nonagenarian comedy legend. He also produced the gay rom-com Bros and the Peacock-original Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Spanning as far back as the earliest days of the medium, crime drama has been a defining staple of television entertainment. From police procedurals to legal dramas, the history of the genre’s small-screen exploits have been instrumental to the popularity and prominence of TV as a storytelling art form at large. As such, it is no surprise that crime television has played such a monumental part in the medium’s ascent to prestige entertainment throughout the 21st century.
It is also no surprise that each year of the 2010s has its own collection of outstanding crime dramas. This list will focus on only series that premiered each year—making Breaking Bad’s third, fourth, and fifth seasons ineligible—meaning the strength of the show’s debut as well as its longevity and impact have been considered. Such is the abundance of brilliance crime television experienced across the decade, such great series as Boardwalk Empire, Ozark, and Unbelievable haven’t made the cut. These are the shows that have exemplified crime drama at its absolute best.
Advertisement
10
‘Sherlock’ (2010–2017)
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock in a park with members of the Royal Guard behind him.Image via BBC
Functioning as both a mesmerizing adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary stories and an ingenious modernization of them, Sherlock marks one of the defining triumphs of British television, a fun and inviting mystery thriller that thrives off the back of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman’s sublime chemistry. They star as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson respectively, with the series following their friendship and professional partnership as they work as consulting detectives, solving unusual and overly complex cases while battling criminal masterminds like Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott).
From the outset, Sherlock exudes an infectious blending of high-stakes, fast-paced tension with accessible and witty humor, ensuring viewers care not only about the cases being explored, but the relationships and livelihoods of those investigating them as well. Defined by its gleefully absorbing dynamic between Holmes and Watson, Sherlock’s four-season run, despite consisting of just 13 episodes in total, epitomizes crime television at its most exuberantly adventurous and inviting.
Advertisement
9
‘The Bridge’ (2011–2018)
Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) stands at the edge of a bridge in ‘The Bridge’ (2011-2018).Image via SVT1 & DR1
The 2010s saw a rampant rise in international interest in “Nordic Noir,” the glum yet gripping detective mysteries originating from the Scandinavian countries. Among the best and most influential of these Nordic Noir shows is The Bridge, which became an instant classic of crime television with its intoxicating first season seeing investigators from Sweden and Denmark having to work together when the bisected body of a prostitute is discovered on a bridge that serves as a border between the two nations.
Richly atmospheric, sharply paced, and bold enough to cover timely issues like immigration, social inequality, and political divides, The Bridge finds great confidence in its storytelling that enables it to tackle crime darkness with tremendous impact. That being said, it finds an important beating heart in the unlikely friendship between Saga (Sofia Helin), the socially-awkward though brilliant Swedish detective, and Martin (Kim Bodnia), the more personable Danish cop. Its later seasons may not match its early heights, but The Bridge is undoubtedly a landmark of international television and a true icon of crime drama in the 2010s.
Advertisement
8
‘Line of Duty’ (2012–Present)
Kelly Macdonald as Joanne and Vicky McClure as Kate in Line of DutyImage via BBC
Thriving off the back of Jed Mercurio’s brilliant writing, Line of Duty is a flawless marriage of detailed, authentic realism and searing dramatic intensity as it focuses on the cases investigated by a police anti-corruption unit. While the revolving door of talent has seen such stars as Stephen Graham, Lennie James, Thandie Newton, and Kelly Macdonald feature in major roles, the series follows DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) and DC Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) through the many corrupt police squad’s they investigate while trying to figure out the identity of “H”, a senior officer in the police force with ties to organized crime.
Finding dramatic importance not only in field work, but in the details of paperwork, police surveillance, and the need to cover legal loopholes, Line of Duty commits to its real-world authenticity with a dedication that is utterly captivating. This quality is best seen in the series’ now-famous interrogation sequences, which run as psychological cat-and-mouse games executed in one-take that can run for as long as 20–30 minutes. The series has released six seasons thus far, with Line of Duty Season 7 scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Advertisement
7
‘Hannibal’ (2013–2015)
Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) embraces Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) in ‘Hannibal’ (2013-2015).Image via NBC
One of the most audacious and daring series to screen on network television in recent decades, Hannibal presents a transfixing marriage of visceral visual horror and psychologically-charged crime investigation to stand as one of the most pulsating series the genre has ever seen. Based on ‘Red Dragon’ and other works by Thomas Harris, the NBC series follows disturbed FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) as he uses his ability to empathize with violent criminals to deduce their motives and figure out their next move. Due to his fragile temperament, the FBI contracts the esteemed Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to supervise him in the field.
Every aspect of Hannibal exudes an arresting theatricality, be it the lavish set design and richly impressionable performances or the gory artistry of its elaborate murder scenes. Complemented by the macabre majesty of its writing, the engrossing character dynamics, and the stunning cinematography, Hannibal makes an immediate impact with its first season and continues its stylish decadence through to the end of its three-season run.
Advertisement
6
‘True Detective’ (2014–2024)
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson stand together by bushes in True Detective.Image via HBO
Perhaps the greatest single season in the history of television, Season 1 of True Detective is a groundbreaking masterpiece of crime television. Its slow-burn approach to murder mystery and its ability to extract drama from the detectives’ personal lives as well as the central case has become prolific in crime television in the years since, but it has seldom been replicated with the same atmospheric brilliance, which was itself a byproduct of the eerie Southern Gothic allure, outstanding production, Nic Pizzolatto’s writing, and two exceptional lead performances.
The first season follows two detectives in Louisiana and their decades-spanning connection to a disturbing case of a killer with ties to the occult. Eerie, unnerving, and laced with a pervasive sense of festering evil, it is a masterpiece of moody murder mystery. Efforts to expand the series as an anthology of sorts have garnered mixed results, but even the show’s most egregious failures have done nothing to tarnish the cultural standing and critical acclaim of its first season.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Advertisement
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
Advertisement
🚀Star Wars
Advertisement
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
Advertisement
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
Advertisement
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
Advertisement
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
Advertisement
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
Advertisement
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
Advertisement
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
Advertisement
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Advertisement
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
Advertisement
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
Advertisement
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
Advertisement
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Advertisement
5
‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)
Jimmy McGill in court in ‘Better Call Saul’Image via AMC
Advertisement
One of the greatest spin-offs in the history of television, Better Call Saul runs as something of a prequel to Breaking Bad following the corruption and moral decay of Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk). Starting out as a conniving lawyer willing to resort to unethical methods to support his clients, he soon becomes embroiled in the drug trade, advising violent and ruthless criminals as he adopts the moniker, Saul Goodman.
With the first three seasons run by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, Better Call Saul is a perfect expansion on the Emmy Award-winning drama, one that excels at continuing and evolving the story world while still maintaining a distance to the original series that allows Better Call Saul to soar as its own, unique story. Bolstered by its astonishing writing and direction, the series’ six-season run presents a masterclass in character study drama, one supported by enthralling slow-burn pacing and a commanding grasp on cinematic tension to be one of the best and most addictive crime series of the past decade.
4
‘The Night Of’ (2016)
DA John Stone (John Turturro) sits in court with his client Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed) in ‘The Night Of’ (2016).Image via HBO
Advertisement
2016 saw a number of iconic crime series premiere, from gangland dramas like Animal Kingdom and Queen of the South to morbid murder mysteries like Marcella and even absorbing legal thrillers like Bull and Goliath. Despite the longevity and cultural impact of all of these titles, the year’s best crime television exploit is the largely overlooked HBO miniseries, The Night Of, which blends together elements of crime investigation, courtroom suspense, and immersion in the criminal world throughout an incredible eight-episode arc that challenges the structure and methodology of the legal system.
Riz Ahmed stars as Nasir Khan, a Pakistani-American who is arrested and charged with murder after he wakes up next to a girl he was partying with to find she has been stabbed to death. The case seems clear-cut, but low-level defense attorney John Stone (John Turturro) believes there is more to the crime. With its imposing atmospheric intensity steeped in brutal realism and unflinching thematic gravitas, The Night Of is one of the most underrated crime series of its decade as well as one of the outright best.
3
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff show a crime scene photo to someone off-screen in Mindhunter.Image via Netflix
Advertisement
Edging out two other major Netflix productions in Ozark and Money Heist to take the place as the best crime series to debut in 2017, Mindhunter has become a cultural touchstone of modern crime suspense in entertainment. Combining a harrowing deep dive into the psychology of real-life evil with a simmering atmosphere of dread and tension, the series takes place in the 1970s as the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit—comprised of two agents and psychologist—travel around America interviewing detained serial killers to gain insights that can be applied to active cases to pinpoint suspects.
Enriched by David Fincher’s involvement, the series steers investigative drama away from the urgency of an active case in favor of a cerebral and surgical analysis of why serial killers experience such impulses. This focus is evident in the way in which the series builds suspense, emphasizing prolonged and detailed interview discussions that fester in the audience’s imagination rather than showing graphic gore. Bolstered by razor-sharp writing and exemplary acting, Mindhunter is as divine as it is dark, with its two-season, 19-episode run marking a highlight of modern television.
2
‘Barry’ (2018–2023)
Bill Hader looks confused in a Barry close-up shot.Image via HBO Max
Advertisement
As tonally daring as any crime series ever made, Barry juggles elements of hitman thrills, tragic drama, psychological character study, and absurdist black comedy to present what is one of the most captivating and unique series audiences have seen in many years. Bill Hader stars as Barry Berkman, a former U.S. Marine living with PTSD while working as an assassin. While tracking a target, he walks into an acting class in L.A. and discovers a passion for performance, one he tries to pursue while struggling to leave his life of crime behind him.
Not only starring Hader, but co-created and often directed by him as well, Barry flaunts a slicing satirical wit when it indulges its comedic inflections, but the series also delivers agonizing suspense and gripping action sequences as well. Also fueled by bold writing that relishes the chance to present a jaw-dropping plot twist yet never sacrifices its emphasis on character development and thematic might, Barry is a complex yet compelling masterpiece of crime television that is as unpredictable as any show that has ever been produced.
1
‘When They See Us’ (2019)
Image via Netflix
Advertisement
Another year when the genre was defined by the triumphs of Netflix, 2019 saw two astonishing and timely crime miniseries produced in Unbelievable and When They See Us, both of which excel with their punishing thematic wrath and their shocking basis on true stories. Determining which is the better series is no easy feat, but When They See Us gets the nod on this occasion, with its heartbreaking story of injustice and systemic racism following five young Black and Latino men from Harlem as they are falsely convicted of rape and embark on a lengthy and agonizing process to have their sentences overturned.
Creator, director, and co-writer Ava DuVernay wields the passion injustice inspires from an audience with masterful prowess, focusing not only on the brutal journeys of the five men, but exploring the impact their incarceration has on their families and loved ones as well. Within its analytical dissection of the horrific failures of the legal system, it still recognizes the five wrongly convicted men as human beings rather than as symbols, imbuing the miniseries with profound humanity. It’s challenging, raw, and viscerally confronting, but it is also an essential masterpiece of crime television.
“I loved them. I was really close to Ashley and Mary Kate … from the beginning,” Sweetin, 44, said on the Tuesday, April 21, episode of the “McBride Rewind” podcast. “I would go to their room and hang out and play with them.”
She continued, “I loved being the older one [and the] caretaker like, ‘Let’s be friends.’ They would come spend the night at my house. They’d come to my cabin on the weekends with my parents and I. We’d go horseback riding. We’d go to Disneyland. I mean, I’ve got pictures of us playing dress up at my house, like, they’re 3 [and] I’m 6, like, just kid stuff and I loved it.”
Sweetin starred as Stephanie Tanner on Full House from 1987 to 1995, while the Olsen twins, now both 39, shared the role of younger sister Michelle Tanner. Sweetin and the rest of the OG cast reunited for Netflix’s Fuller House revival, sans Ashley and Mary-Kate. (The Olsens now run a renowned fashion empire and have stepped back from the Hollywood spotlight.)
You got it, dude! America fell in love with the Tanner family in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and fans celebrated when news broke that the cast would be reuniting for Netflix’s Fuller House — see then-and-now photos!
“We haven’t talked,” Sweetin said of her relationship with the twins on Tuesday’s episode. “I think after Full House and growing up and everything, they’ve had an extremely different trajectory than any of the rest of us. People say, ‘Oh, well, do you guys not talk? Is it bad?’ No, they were 8 years old when the show finished, [and] we weren’t as close as we were. I didn’t see them all the time.”
Advertisement
Sweetin had spent time with Ashley and Mary-Kate at “family events and dinners,” which became less frequent after Full House wrapped.
“It wasn’t like there was bad blood between any of us, but they moved to New York and then got married and [built their] fashion empire and moved into that world,” Sweetin acknowledged. “It was, like, we just sort of drifted apart.”
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
Advertisement
Mary-Kate Olsen, Jodie Sweetin, Candace Cameron Bure and Ashley Olsen attend the Los Angeles premiere ‘New York Minute’ in 2004.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“I think they fiercely protect [their] privacy, but when Bob passed, it was the first time that all of us had been together in a long time,” Sweetin said. “Bob would see them in New York, and I had seen them in L.A. It wasn’t bad blood, but that was the first time we’d all really been together again. It was just like it was before. It was normal. We all spent four days just constantly together after Bob passed, and it was like nothing had changed.”
She concluded, “It’s not that there’s not a relationship there, it’s just that we live very different lives.”
The pro tennis player had to call a medical timeout during the second set of her match at the Madrid Open against Sorana Cirstea on Sunday, April 26, running to the side of the court before getting sick.
The short delay didn’t hold her back long, as Gauff went on to advance in the tournament, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
“I don’t know how I got it done,” Gauff told Sky Sports after the match. “Just dealing with a lot of trying to keep my food down. But once I threw up — and I was able to throw up after the first set — I felt a bit better.
Coco Gauff is advocating for player privacy after TV cameras captured her smashing her racket following a loss at the 2026 Australian Open. “I kind of have a thing with the broadcast,” Gauff, 21, told reporters after her quarterfinal loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday, January 27. “I feel like certain moments — the same […]
She continued, “It was just a tough match. I think I got the Madrid stomach virus that’s going around. I’m usually someone who doesn’t get sick. My luck today just wasn’t good.”
Advertisement
Gauff’s medical issues came just one day after Iga Swiatek had to retire in the third set of her match. Swiatek also took a medical timeout but — unlike Gauff — ultimately had to step away from the court.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but I had zero energy,” Swiatek told Tennis.com after withdrawing. “I just felt really bad physically and yesterday, even worse. So I thought maybe today it’s gonna be better, but maybe it was, but not enough to play a match.”
She continued, “The symptoms are not something you want to hear about.”
Coco Gauff reacts after victory over Sorana Cirstea at the Madrid OpenDavid Ramos/Getty Images
Nearly half a dozen players have been forced to retire from the tournament so far due to an illness that is seemingly making its rounds.
“When I actually threw up on the court, that was a little bit embarrassing,” Gauff told reporters, per the WTA. “Then after that first game and the second, I was like that took everything out of me. I’m someone who doesn’t like to pull out [of matches]. I don’t like to do that unless I really feel like I have no other options.”
Advertisement
She continued, “So the plan was to always just try to finish, even if it ended up with me, just playing just to get through it.”
No. 2-ranked Coco Gauff was noticeably off her game in her shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon on Tuesday, July 1, to unseeded Dayana Yastremska. Gauff, 21, lost 7-6 (3), 6-1, and finished with 29 unforced errors and nine double-faults. After the match, she opened up about what went wrong, saying her French Open win last […]
Advertisement
Gauff next faces No. 13 Linda Noskova on Monday, April 27.
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
Jannik Sinner — the World No. 1 on the men’s side — said he’s doing everything he can to avoid the stomach bug.
Advertisement
“I come match days a little bit earlier, but practice days are very late,” Sinner said. “I practice, and then I get away. But this is how I do every tournament.”
He continued, “I don’t know if it’s something that’s just around here or in general, but this can happen. When one gets sick, you’re always quite close to each other in the dining rooms and in the gym.”
There are some sci-fi movies that age, and then there are the ones that somehow get sharper every single year. Ex Machina is very much the second kind. Alex Garland’s directorial debut still feels sleek, unsettling, and way too relevant, even more than a decade after it first landed. It’s the kind of film people keep rediscovering because the ideas haven’t gone stale, the performances still hit, and the whole thing remains just a little bit unnerving in the best possible way.
If you’ve been putting off a rewatch, you don’t have much room left. Ex Machina is leaving HBO Max at the end of April, with May 1 marked as the cutoff. That gives viewers only a short window to catch it before it drops out of the platform’s library. That matters because this one isn’t just “good for sci-fi fans.” It’s one of the defining genre movies of the 2010s, full stop. With Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac doing some of the best work of their careers, the movie turns a contained premise into something tense, intimate, and deeply creepy. It’s smart without being smug and stylish without losing its edge. HBO Max losing it is a blow, so yeah, now would be a very good time to press play.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Advertisement
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
Advertisement
🚀Star Wars
Advertisement
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
Advertisement
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
Advertisement
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
Advertisement
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
Advertisement
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
Advertisement
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
Advertisement
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
Advertisement
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Advertisement
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
Advertisement
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
Advertisement
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
Advertisement
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Advertisement
How Good Is ‘Ex Machina’?
The cast is a huge part of why the movie works as well as it does. Gleeson and Isaac play off each other superbly, and Vikander delivers a star-making performance that’s one of the decade’s finest. Collider’s Perri Nemiroffreviewed the movie at SXSW in 2015, and she was a huge fan of what she saw from Garland’s debut outing:
Advertisement
“Clearly Garland set out to deliver a deeply character-driven A.I. film and picking apart her programming could have steered it in a different direction, but the idea is so surprisingly grounded that that’s what I was most interested in. Ex Machina is a strong feature and a huge achievement in a number of ways. There’s a surprising amount of very effective humor courtesy of Isaac’s character, there’s an extremely riveting scenario at the core of the film, and there’s also tons of stunning visual work to admire as well. But, for an exceptionally unique and layered character study, Ex Machina has a surprisingly minimal amount of humanity and that keeps the film from striking a chord on a deeper level and having a lasting effect.”
You probably know Bill Murray as one of the greatest comedic minds of the 1980s through the mid 2000s. If you’ve followed his career closely, you’ve seen him put audiences in stitches with performances in Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Zombieland, and everything in between. Still, every actor makes a few questionable choices in their time, and not every Bill Murray performance is a slam dunk. Fans of the comedic A-lister were shocked, for instance, when Murray agreed to voice the titular orange cat in 2004’s Garfield: The Movie, a role he later revealed he took by mistake after mistaking writer Joel Cohen for Joel Coen.
When this casting news was first announced, fans pontificated on the reason why Bill Murray would agree to lead a highly sanitized PG movie. After all, his other projects around that time include such mature, introspective hits as The Royal Tenenbaums,Lost in Translation, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Surprisingly, it turns out that Murray signed on to voice Garfield not for a quick paycheck, not out of love for the original comic strip, but purely by accident, due to this case of mistaken identity.
Not The Coen He Was Looking For
2004’s Garfield: The Movie was written by a screenwriter named Joel Cohen. Cohen is credited as a writer on such hit films as Toy Story, Cheaper By The Dozen, and Evan Almighty. When Bill Murray saw the name on the screenplay for Garfield: The Movie, he mistook the scribe for the very similarly-named Joel Coen, of the Coen Brothers. The Coens, as you likely already know, have a penchant for writing off-beat comedic films that would be a much better fit for Bill Murray’s off-the-walls personality than Garfield: The Movie.
Bill Murray spoke on this subject over a decade ago during a Reddit AMA session. Responding to a fan who asked if there would ever be a third Garfield film, Murray stated “I wasn’t thinking clearly, but it was spelled Cohen, not Coen. I love the Coen brothers movies. I think that Joel Coen is a wonderful comedic mind. So I didn’t really bother to finish the script, I thought ‘he’s great, I’ll do it.’” The comedian claims that he didn’t realize Cohen and Coen were different people until months later, after he started laying down his lines.
A Simple Misunderstanding Extrapolated To Absurdity
In that very same comment, Bill Murray outlined his process while working on Garfield: The Movie, and spoke as though the experience was complete torture. He adds “It was sort of like Fantastic Mr. Fox without the joy or the fun.” Furthermore, Murray claims that all the live action parts of the film were shot before he laid down any lines, and the Garfield model was composited in as a gray blob. It’s well known that Murray improvised heavily throughout the recording process, but he revealed during his Reddit Q&A that he made numerous attempts to reframe entire scenes by swapping his dialogue with jokes that more closely aligned with his vision, much to the chagrin of Joel Cohen.
In an era of social media, it seems like celebrities are more accessible to the public than ever before. Even still, I’m not sure there’s anything more relatable than a guy taking on a massive months-long job based on a simple miscommunication because he couldn’t be bothered to proofread for a single letter H. To this day, Bill Murray has still never worked with the Coen brothers, but he did complete two Garfield films, which are currently available to stream on Hulu.
For a director so closely tied to giant robots, slow-motion chaos, and things exploding in increasingly dramatic ways, Michael Bay has one movie that always feels a little overlooked in the conversation. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is still very much a Bay movie, but it’s also one of his leanest and most relentless. Based on the 2012 attacks in Benghazi and adapted from Mitchell Zuckoff’s nonfiction book, the film follows six ex-military operators defending a CIA annex under overwhelming pressure. It’s now part of Paramount+’s May 1 arrivals, which gives the movie another shot at finding a bigger streaming audience.
The movie is a classic combo deal: It has the trapped-in-combat intensity and tactical grit of a modern war thriller, but it’s filtered through Bay’s love of scale, impact, and sensory overload. That mix didn’t make it one of his biggest box office hits, but it has helped the film build a reputation as one of his more mature and grounded efforts.
The cast of 13 Hours includes James Badge Dale (The Departed, World War Z) as Tyrone “Rone” Woods, John Krasinski (A Quiet Place, The Office) as Jack Silva, Pablo Schreiber (Den of Thieves, Skyscraper) as Kris “Tanto” Paronto, Max Martini (Pacific Rim, Captain Phillips) as Mark “Oz” Geist, Dominic Fumusa (Focus, The Irishman) as John “Tig” Tiegen, David Denman (Brightburn, Rebel Ridge) as Dave “Boon” Benton, and Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) as Glen “Bob” Doherty.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
Advertisement
🔧John McClane
🎭Ethan Hunt
Advertisement
01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
Advertisement
02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
Advertisement
03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
Advertisement
04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
Advertisement
05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
Advertisement
06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
Advertisement
07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
Advertisement
08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
Advertisement
09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
Advertisement
10
It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
Advertisement
Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Advertisement
Rambo
Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
Advertisement
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
Advertisement
John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Advertisement
Ethan Hunt
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
Advertisement
Is ’13 Hours’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that 13 Hours is one of the clearest examples of Bay’s strengths and weaknesses colliding in the worst way. On one hand, the film has scale, noise, and plenty of chaotic action. On the other, it takes an incredibly complicated real-world event and flattens it into a shallow, macho action story with almost no nuance. That leads into the review’s biggest criticism: the film’s politics and worldview. Even when Bay claims the movie is just about honoring the men involved, the storytelling reduces everything into armed American heroes versus sinister enemies, while anyone outside that frame is treated as weak, clueless, or disposable. The review argues that Bay has no interest in complexity, only in turning the story into another siege movie with lots of gunfire and hard-edged posturing.
Netflix has delivered hit after hit when it comes to engaging series, and within its massive library are rare gems that hold audiences’ attention from the very beginning, right on up until the end. The true standouts of those captivating series are those that never lose momentum, whether with the help of interesting characters, carefully paced narratives, or simply gripping storytelling.
Impeccable Netflix series like the brilliant romance drama,One Day, which stands as one of the most heartfelt and well-done miniseries to ever exist, and the iconic horror epic, The Haunting of Hill House, which blends emotional depth and psychological horror to create a tense and layered narrative, are two prime examples of the kinds of series within Netflix’s catalog that can turn a casual viewing experience into a full-on binge session. Compiled on this list are other such shows—Netflix greats that keep viewers hooked from start to finish.
Advertisement
10
‘On My Block’ (2018–2021)
On My Block’s main cast standing at someone’s front door wearing varying expressions.Image via Netflix
On My Block is an entertaining combination of humor, coming-of-age storytelling, mystery, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. The underappreciated teen drama follows a tight-knit group of friends—Monse Finnie (Sierra Capri), Ruby Martinez (Jason Genao), Jamal Turner (Brett Gray), and Cesar Diaz (Diego Tinoco)—as they navigate adolescence, family pressure, crushes, gang activity, and neighborhood volatility.
On My Block is one of Netflix’s most underrated series. It may be a teen drama, but the story tends to resonate with viewers of all ages. On My Block hosts a fast-moving plot and a vibrant batch of characters that genuinely captivate audiences. The series is often truly heartfelt and wields a laugh-out-loud comedy that never denies the high stakes of the story, keeping its momentum strong throughout its run. With friendships vivid enough that every fracture hurts, and an evolution that keeps climbing without losing its coming-of-age heartbeat, On My Block offers audiences a truly great time from beginning to end.
Advertisement
9
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff show a crime scene photo to someone off-screen in Mindhunter.Image via Netflix
This masterclass in psychological drama wields extremely meticulous storytelling. Set in the late 1970s, the Netflix series, Mindhunter, focuses on FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), and Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) as they help build the FBI’s behavioral-science approach by interviewing serial killers and trying to understand their patterns of violence before other crimes occur.
Mindhunter has often been lauded as a “just one more episode” kind of series. The show’s addictive combination of procedural structure with creeping psychological contamination keeps viewers thoroughly engaged and hanging on to every quiet revelation and unsettling conversation within each episode. Mindhunter is consistently strong across its two seasons, and even with an abrupt end, it stands as one of Netflix’s most hypnotic unfinished masterpieces.
Advertisement
8
‘The Last Kingdom’ (2015–2022)
Three men preparing for battle in The Last Kingdom Sequel Seven Kings Must DieImage via Netflix
The Last Kingdom is an ambitious Netflix gem that doesn’t get talked about enough. The sweeping historical drama centers around the Saxon-born Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon), who, raised by Danes, is permanently split between bloodlines, ambition, and loyalties as the kingdoms rise and fracture around him.
The Last Kingdom is pure bingeable material. Its historical nature tends to suck audiences in as it wastes very little narrative energy. From politics that remain legible and strong action, to character arcs that carry enough personal resentment that even viewers are able to feel it, the series delivers a binge-watch that is consistently entertaining for its entire run. Season to season, The Last Kingdom gifts audiences with rising stakes and powerful character arcs, making it an insanely good time for viewers—a watch that never truly falters.
Advertisement
7
‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)
Victoria Pedretti as Nell in a night gown standing on a balcony next to a rope in The Haunting of Hill House.Image via Netflix
This limited horror series is quite the watch, and stands as one of Netflix’s most memorable standouts. The Haunting of Hill focuses on the siblings—including Steven Crain (Michiel Huisman), Shirley Crain (Elizabeth Reaser), and Luke Crain (Oliver Jackson-Cohen)—as they’re forced back to their family home, rife with trauma, after a family tragedy reopens old wounds.
The Haunting of Hill House is absolutely peak binging material as it keeps a quality balance of deeply emotional storytelling and psychological horror, weaving together past and present timelines to increase both character depth and chilling tension. The series consistently widens the mystery of its world with each episode, ensuring viewers are engaged enough to steadily wonder about the much bigger picture. With a literal haunting atmosphere and a steady maintenance of a gripping narrative, The Haunting of Hill House stands as a strong single-season watch that easily earns its place on this list.
Advertisement
6
‘3 Body Problem’ (2024–Present)
Jovan Adepo as Saul Durand, Eiza González as Auggie Salazar looking up in episode 101 of 3 Body Problem.Image via Netflix
3 Body Problemis a fantastic sci-fi series that offers audiences a complex narrative grounded in global stakes. The series follows a group of investigators and scientists as they uncover a mysterious signal that threatens civilization as they know it, triggering a chain of events that disrupts scientific reality and forces humanity to confront a coming extraterrestrial force.
With a solid combination of mystery-box plotting, a cosmic threat, philosophical inquiry, and pure scientific dread, 3 Body Problem delivers a solid, binge-worthy watch. From beginning to end, the series ensures that its audience is on the edge of their seats, absolutely desperate for answers. Despite quite a few slower moments, the series remains completely engaging, never offering a dull moment that feels unimportant. With each captivating installment, 3 Body Problem’s story scale changes, making it a genuinely gripping show that keeps its viewers thoroughly hooked throughout its run.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Advertisement
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
Advertisement
🚀Star Wars
Advertisement
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
Advertisement
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
Advertisement
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
Advertisement
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
Advertisement
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
Advertisement
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
Advertisement
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
Advertisement
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Advertisement
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
Advertisement
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
Advertisement
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
Advertisement
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Advertisement
5
‘Alice in Borderland’ (2020–Present)
Image of Tao Tsuchiya in ‘Alice in Borderland’ Season 2.Image via Netflix
Advertisement
This Netflix sci-fi series is an underrated watch about deadly games of survival. The Japanese series, Alice in Borderland, centers on Ryohei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), as he and his two close friends are thrown into an emptied-out Tokyo where survival depends on deadly games.
Before there were icons likeSquid Game, there were thrill rides such as Alice in Borderland. The series is an intriguing blend of mystery, action, and psychological tension. Alice in Borderland quickly establishes its high stakes, hooking viewers in almost immediately. Its constant twists maintain a gripping pace that keeps audiences guessing until the very end. Alice in Borderland is an underrated sci-fi epic that remains addictive throughout its entirety, keeping viewers hooked from start to finish.
4
‘Blue Eye Samurai’ (2023–Present)
Close-up of Mizu scowling with her face covered in bloodImage via Netflix
Advertisement
Blue-Eye Samuraiis a fantastic adult animation that has a brilliant story and captivating action sequences. The show’s story is set in Edo-period Japan and focuses on a disguised swordsman, Mizu (Maya Erskine), as she desperately pursues revenge.
Blue Eye Samurai is one of those rare watches that hosts episodes that feel handcrafted and purposeful. Not only is the series’ character work strong enough to support its almost constant state of violence with a visual style that gives quieter scenes momentum, but Blue Eye Samurai also offers audiences quality depth that is genuinely moving. The show stands as one of Netflix’s finest modern animated series, and its ability to remain intense and engaging makes it a bingeable good time from beginning to end.
3
‘One Day’ (2024)
Dexter sitting with a vision of Emma in the finale One Day.Image via Netflix
Advertisement
This limited series is as beautiful and heartbreaking as it is deeply personal, tracing a love story that is quite intoxicating to witness. The Netflix romance drama One Day, centers around best friends Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) as their relationship evolves while they revisit the same day each year, reconnecting and drifting apart as their lives unfold.
One Day is truly a watch unlike any other. It’s an absorbing, binge-worthy series for its romance story and calendar structure. Every episode sparks curiosity in viewers: what has changed, what the characters have lost, and what might still be possible for them and those around them. One Day’s design creates emotional cliffhangers at the end of each installment, never relying on unnecessary plot gimmicks, which results in a genuinely compelling romantic drama that feels intimate, cumulative, and very hard to pause in between episodes, right up until the end.
2
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
Beth looking down at a chess board in The Queen’s Gambit.Image via Netflix
Advertisement
The Queen’s Gambitdelves deep into addiction, ambition, and genius as it builds consistent tension through character and strategy. The Netflix miniseries focuses on orphaned prodigy Beth Harmon’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) rise to an elite chess contender as she battles addiction, loneliness, and the psychological costs of being a genius.
The Queen’s Gambit sparked an almost instant new passion for chess around the world, as the show turned the game into gripping cinema by framing every competition as an extension of Beth’s internal state, and somehow never reducing her to talent. The captivating limited series wields a posh combination of visual polish and sports-drama momentum that makes certain that no scene is wasted. The Queen’s Gambit is truly gripping from its very first episode and builds towards a rather satisfying conclusion that makes even the quiet moments feel tense and deeply impactful.
1
‘Sense8’ (2015–2018)
The cast of Sense8 look serious, facing the same direction and looking at something off-camera.Image via Netflix
Advertisement
This quiet icon may be one of Netflix’s most underrated shows ever, but it also happens to be one of the platform’s most brilliant gems. Sense8follows a group of strangers bound by a psychic connection that allows them to share each other’s thoughts, skills, emotions, and even physical presence across continents.
Sense8 is undeniably a fantastic watch that explores identity, connection, and love. It’s an ambitious story that draws viewers into its intricate web of emotion. Sense8 is such a great bingeing experience, mostly due to the show’s emotional generosity that’s baked into its high concept—a sincerity that transforms its story’s romance, action, and conspiratorial plotting into something deeply human, marking it as a perfect addition to this list of Netflix shows that will keep its viewers hooked from start to finish.
Now that Netflix’s live-action One Piece Season 2 has been out for awhile, you’ve probably become curious about how it matches up to the original One Piece anime. As with the first season, manga creator Eiichrio Oda was actively involved in all stages of production, even helping with adjustments from the source material and giving them his blessing. His level of involvement is why the series is the new gold standard for live-action adaptations.
The Garp And Gol D. Roger Flashback
Ripped from the Marineford arc and dropped at the start of Season 2’s Loguetown episode, Garp and Gol D. Roger’s conversation is a bit of misdirection. Fans watching only the live-action series would think that Roger is asking Garp, who we know is Luffy’s grandfather, to take care of his son. That would mean Luffy is the son of the greatest Pirate in history.
Except he’s not. Long-time fans know that Roger’s son is Ace, part of Whitebeard’s pirate crew, and user of the Flame Flame Devil Fruit. DC’s Blue Beetle, Xolo Marideuna will play Ace when he makes his first appearance in Season 3.
For now, the flashback to Roger’s execution hints at the existence of his son, misdirects the audience, and lays the stage for something Oda did a lot during One Piece Season 2: placing events from future arcs much, much earlier than before, but where they make perfect sense.
Bartolomeo Appears Much Much Earlier
An example of an early appearance comes right in Episode 1, when the memorable green hair and canines of Bartolomeo appears as a very confused bystander in Loguetown. He doesn’t appear in the anime until episode 633, over 500 episodes from the events of the first episode. But what he does do in the anime, is mention that he saw Luffy during the events in Loguetown. That makes this one of the best changes any live-action adaptation has ever made.
Bartolomeo may not be an East Blue mob boss, but his inclusion in Roger’s execution is technically, not a change from the anime. It’s a bit of a tease for fans as we may not see him again during the Netflix show’s run, unless they start compressing even more arcs each season, and they did a great job bringing the character’s strange appearance to life. He’d eventually become Luffy’s biggest fan, and his ship, the Going Luffy-senpai, is as ridiculous as his fashion sense.
Brook’s Human Form
Yet another pull from the future came in Episode 2, “Good Whale Hunting.” Anime viewers didn’t get to see Brook as a human until long after they got used to his undead skeleton form. His backstory isn’t shown until episode 379, over 40 episodes after his first appearance, and by then, it’s been hundreds of episodes since Reverse Mountain. Including the flashback right away, to explain Laboon’s obsession with ramming the mountain, teases fans with what’s to come, and gives the heartbreaking story maximum emotional impact.
If Brook ever does return to the live-action One Piece, at least Martial T. Bachamen has nailed the look for one of the most unique Straw Hat Pirates. Fans will have to keep waiting to see how they’ll get across his skeletal appearance and wild fighting style in live-action.
Luffy Befriending Laboon
The live-action series changed a lot about the Reverse Mountain arc, from Crocus living inside Laboon, to the weird sky painted on the inside of the whale’s stomach. Among all the changes, Luffy’s plea for friendship is one of the best. It’s perfectly fitting that Luffy, the most joyous, upbeat, enthusiastic character in One Piece, would use the power of friendship to win over the massive whale.
In the anime and manga, Luffy stabs Laboon with the mast of the Going Merry. Instead of declaring their friendship, he announces that he and Laboon are now rivals. On the one hand, that’s how boys make friends, on the other, the live-action did it so well while being true to Luffy’s nature, that both versions work.
Luffy And Zoro Don’t Fight
Zoro gets his shining moment in Whiskey Peak by taking on 100 members of Baroque Works, in what’s not only the highpoint of Season 2, but in the running for Netflix’s best action scene ever. What’s left out, is what comes next in the other adaptations: Luffy attacks Zoro for killing a lot of people he has no idea are Baroque agents. It’s the first real showdown between the two friends and it only comes to an end when Nami acts as the voice of reason. Sort of.
It was a stand out moment in the anime as anime fans love nothing more than debating who can beat who (saying Saitama form One-Punch Man would win is always an immediate flag on the play). Zoro, the greatest swordsman, against Luffy, the indestructible rubber man? It’s a great match up, which Luffy would win 10 out of 10 times, but it’s also easy to see why the live-action series cut it out.
Zoro And Sanji’s Dino Hunt
Little Garden is an interesting early island. Giants weren’t enough, it had to include actual dinosaurs. In the Netflix series, Zoro and Sanji argue over who can take down the biggest beast, and they end up arguing over who landed the killing blow on a massive T-Rex. In the source material, they each take down one of their own. They still argue, but it’s more evidence that Sanji isn’t the joke his only-kicks fighting style can make him look like.
Another small change that ties into the fauna of Little Garden is the missing shot of the insect that bites Nami and gets her sick. Removing any foreshadowing of the illness worked, and Nami going down during the party is an effective teaser for the next part of the journey.
Advertisement
The Marines vs. Baroque Works
Season 1 add a whole new subplot with Kolby and Helmpopo, so it makes sense that Season 2 keeps the Marines involved by including a sequence with Smoker and Tashigi investigating a Marine listening post under a Baroque Works assault. This is the type of addition that helps expand the world of One Piece. Even when the focus is on the Straw Hat Pirates, other characters are going on adventures in the background.
The other reason for the addition is to remind viewers that Smoker is an absolute unit. Without breaking a sweat, he goes through a unit of Agents and Miss Thursday. There’s nothing wrong with letting cool characters show why they’re cool. It’s the basis of Shonen anime.
The Flag
It’s one of the moments in the anime that establishes Luffy as a badass. When he dives and saves Chopper’s flag from destruction at the hands of King Wapol, he’s covered in smoke. Then it clears, and there’s Luffy, holding onto the tattered flag, standing on top of the castle. The kids call this aura farming.
During the Season 2 live action climax, Luffy still saves the flag and gives his speech about what the flag represents to an astonished King Wapol. The scene is still there, but the scale is smaller, the only ones present are Wapol and the crew of the Going Merry. It’s a great moment, and Luffy shows a small fraction of his potential power in absorbing the direct hit, but as with most of the changes from the anime to the live-action, it cuts everything down. Which is understandable, but if more adaptations did it like this, the track record would be a lot better.
One Piece is a Netflix Original, and can be streamed with an active subscription.
During Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) more-than-eventful years at Hogwarts, many background students have made their own little yet memorable impacts on the magical franchise. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it is a young, overly enthusiastic photographer who gives us no choice but to keep our attention on him. Colin Creevey (Hugh Mitchell) was always accompanied by the bright flash of his camera, an incessant grin and a starstruck expression every time Harry was near him. However, he notably disappeared from the rest of the films in the franchisedespite being featured in the remaining novels. So, what happened to this slightly irritating, but amusing Harry fan?
Why Did Colin Creevey Disappear in the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies?
Colin Creevey, played by actor Hugh Mitchell, looking chirpy and holding a camera against a sparkly green background at Hogwarts.Image by Zanda Rice
Advertisement
While Colin only had a brief role in Chamber of Secrets, he was a scene-stealer whenever he appeared on-screen. No one can forget his limitless bounds of childlike excitement, especially as he latches onto Harry and idolizes him. In both the film and the book, Colin became one of the victims of the Basilik Harry was fighting up against, avoiding death through his passion for photography as he only saw the snake through the camera. Though he was cured of his petrification by the end of the film, Colin was nowhere to be seen in the rest of the franchise.
There has never been an official announcement regarding his exit from the movies nor was there any in-film explanation for his disappearance. Fans have theorized that Colin’s exit from the franchise could be due to a growth spurt, which would undermine the innocent appearance of the character. This theory arose after another character was given similar treatment — a movie-only character who replaced Colin’s story arc from the novels.
Colin Creevey Was Replaced in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’
William Melling as Nigel Wolpert next to Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Advertisement
Nigel Wolbert (William Melling) was introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireand, despite being a character that was created solely for the movies, fans quickly recognized that he replaced both Colin and his brother from the books. Colin’s younger brother was introduced as a first-year in Goblet of Fire, just as Nigel was, but Nigel’s later role in Dumbledore’s Army is more akin to Colin’s story in the books. During an interview at Leakycon 2012, Melling revealed that the plan for Nigel’s character was to face the same fate Colin would have, had he stayed on in the films. However, Nigel doesn’t appear at the end of the battle against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 at all.
Melling explained that Nigel was supposed to be killed off, but they were unable to include that scene because he was “a lot bigger” by that point and thus didn’t look “innocent enough.” In the novels, Colin’s death at the end of the battle was a brief yet provocative detail, made even more awful by how young he was. As such, the slightly more grown version of Nigel wouldn’t have evoked the same devastation that a childlike figure would have, leading them to scrap the scene entirely. It is reasonable to guess that Mitchell would have left the films for the same reasons, as he was already older than Melling at this point in the production as well.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it’s your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
Advertisement
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
Advertisement
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
Advertisement
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
Advertisement
03
What does success look like to you? What you’re working toward defines who you’re becoming.
Advertisement
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
Advertisement
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
Advertisement
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
Advertisement
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
Advertisement
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: “You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?” This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
Advertisement
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
Advertisement
Gryffindor Tower · Scarlet & Gold
🦁 Gryffindor
Advertisement
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you’re terrified — especially then.
Gryffindors don’t act because they’re fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
You charge toward what’s right even when the odds are terrible.
Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts’s greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
Slytherin Dungeon · Emerald & Silver
🐍 Slytherin
Advertisement
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
Hufflepuff Basement · Yellow & Black
🦡 Hufflepuff
Advertisement
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
Hufflepuff is not the “safe” house or the “leftover” house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
You show up. You work hard. You don’t need glory or recognition — you do what’s right because it’s right.
Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world’s finest. And now you join them.
Ravenclaw Tower · Blue & Bronze
🦅 Ravenclaw
Advertisement
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you’ve always known it.
Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it’s about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don’t know something yet.
You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
Advertisement
What Happened to Colin Creevey in the ‘Harry Potter’ Books?
If the films had stayed faithful to Colin’s character, we would have continued to see him hang around Harry, despite the latter’s reluctance to drag a younger classmate into his dangerous ordeals. The books subtly created a connection between us and Colin, as he was a constant presence and a gentle reminder of the youth at Hogwarts. When the battle came about, all the underage students were sent home, but Colin slipped through the ranks and continued to fight with Dumbledore’s Army. During the final battle, we don’t see any of the action Colin participates in, which makes his death more devastating, as Harry spots Colin’s lifeless body in the Great Hall and feels a pang of deep remorse over the loss of innocence.
While the Harry Potter films were unable to uphold this wide-eyed character’s storyline, there is still a chance it will come to fruition on the screen with the upcoming TV show. Perhaps casting an even younger actor to avoid the complications of another growth spurt could be possible, or even just sticking it out and trusting the actor to embody innocence enough during those final moments. Though Colin is by no means an integral character to the magical story of Harry Potter, he certainly adds a whimsical spark that we all look forward to seeing — hopefully, in a continued capacity this time.
Fans have been flooding Megan Thee Stallion with support after she confirmed her breakup with Klay Thompson, and a few celebrity friends have been doing the same too. Angel Reese is the latest to seemingly react to the bombshell news that the rapper and baller have split. Angel dropped a heartfelt message for Meg after video surfaced showing her getting emotional following her Broadway performance.
Angel Reese Shows Love To Megan Thee Stallion After Emotional Broadway Moment
On Sunday, April 26, Angel Reese sent Megan Thee Stallion some positive vibes after video footage showed her getting emotional following her ‘Moulin Rouge’ performance. The clip showed her wiping away tears while receiving a standing ovation after the show. Angel reshared the video on X (formerly Twitter) along with a message telling Meg that she’s an inspiration because she always shows up, no matter what she’s dealing with.
“It’s the way you show up even while carrying so much—that’s what makes you THAT girl. You always have a little sister riding for you at dawn. I love you, sister ”
Asian Doll Stands Ten Toes Behind Megan
Angel Reese isn’t the only one standing ten toes behind Megan. Asian Doll also entered the chat to defend her after a troll posted a message saying that Meg doesn’t seem like a good person. Asian peeped the comment and clapped back on X, writing, “Looks can be deceiving b***h!!! She’s actually a GREAT PERSON in person tf.”
Meg Confirms Breakup With Klay In Official Statement
Support and love for Megan Thee Stallion started pouring in after she dropped a cryptic message on her Instagram Story on Saturday, mentioning “cheating” and “mood swings during basketball season.” Fans immediately clocked the post and assumed she was talking about Klay Thompson. Folks online ended up being right, as TMZ later shared an official statement from her where she confirmed that she and Klay split because fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for her.
Advertisement
“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay. Trust, fidelity, and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those are compromised, there’s no real path forward. I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login