As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Transformers: The Movie, Collider was honored to partner with Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment to invite LA fans to an advanced screening of the re-release, plus a sneak peek screening of the after-credits short, Optimus Prime: Awakening. The short film is helmed by filmmaker Joshua Wassung (Predator: Killer of Killers), who joined us on stage afterwards for a discussion about how Awakening came to be, and to honor the late and legendary Peter Cullen, who provided the voice of Optimus Prime for four decades.

In the short, Cullen and Frank Welker, the voice of Megatron/Soundwave, join forces once again for a 12-minute love letter to Transformers. The story, which Wassung reveals contains Easter eggs and clues to the franchise’s future, builds on the acclaimed storytelling and visuals of the 1986 film.

If you missed our early screening and Q&A, you can watch the full conversation in the video above, with a transcript provided below. Speaking with our own Steve Weintraub, Wassung reflects on how he went from his very first job on Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith to co-directing Predator: Killer of Killers with Dan Trachtenberg, eventually landing him an Autobot-sized opportunity with Hasbro. He details how their team honors the original series, from the pilot episode, and how they set themselves apart through stylized animation and storytelling, plus how a Star Trek: Voyager episode inspired one of his favorite shots. Wassung also shares his experience working with Cullen in the recording booth and more.

Josh Wassung’s First Job Was Working on ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’

“They recruited me up to go to Lucasfilm, so I flew across the country and skipped graduation.”

Image via Lucasfilm

COLLIDER: I want to jump backwards, if you don’t mind. I was looking in the always-accurate IMDb, and I think your first gig was working on [Star Wars] Episode III.

JOSH WASSUNG: That’s correct.

How did you get that job, and what did you do on it?

WASSUNG: I worked in the pre-vis department. I was at Skywalker Ranch. I was hired straight out of school. I did an interview at SIGGRAPH in 2002, and they recruited me up to go to Lucasfilm, so I flew across the country and skipped graduation.

Were you a Star Wars fan?

WASSUNG: I mean, of course.

What was it like getting a gig there where you’re seeing what’s going to happen in the final installment?

WASSUNG: It was a dream come true. I actually told all of my classmates that I was going to work on Star Wars one day, and then I did. So, it was a pretty wild overall experience. And then I met all my friends, and we ended up starting a company together, which is The Third Floor, and we did this animation.

So basically it all worked out.

WASSUNG: It worked out.

How ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ Led to Transformers

Wassung co-directed last year’s Predator installment with Dan Trachtenberg.

Image via Hulu

We just watched your short film. I think this is the first time an audience has seen it.

WASSUNG: It is.

So I’m curious, you were sitting there watching it. What were you waiting to hear from people? What was it like for you? I’m sure this is the largest crowd that’s seen it.

WASSUNG: Yes. I was just excited for everyone to finally see it. The team worked so hard. I think maybe my favorite moment is when, finally, Bumblebee makes it all the way there, and he finally fires at Megatron, and just that rapid fire of Optimus turning the tide and chopping his arm off. I was excited for anyone to experience that moment.

Let’s jump backwards. How did this thing actually happen for you? For people that don’t realize, you directed Predator: Killer of Killers.

WASSUNG: Yes.

That was also kind of good.

WASSUNG: [Laughs] I like to think so.

Yeah, it was kind of good. When I say kind of good, I mean it was fucking awesome. How did you get from there, with Predator, to this?

WASSUNG: Well, my reps introduced me to a lot of cool folks after that movie came out, and I got to meet Zev Foreman and Cyrus [Warner] from Hasbro, and they brought up this project they were really excited about. It was kind of their baby that they were brewing up over at Hasbro.

I got really excited myself because I was born in 1980. As a child of the ‘80s, you grew up with Transformers. It’s formidable. It’s part of who I am as a kid growing up, but also when I wanted to be a filmmaker one day, and so I was thrilled at the chance to get to work with these guys on that.

A lot of people are not going to meet with Hasbro for a project, so what was it actually like? Was it a general meeting? You go in and all of a sudden they’re telling you about this?

WASSUNG: Yeah. We were on a Zoom, and they were like, “Hey, there’s this really cool project. Would you be interested?” That’s kind of how it happened. I don’t know how else to explain it. I mean, it helps that Predator was pretty cool.

So you get attached to this, and you’re like, “Oh, this is cool.” Talk a little bit about the genesis of the project. They have this idea; maybe they have the script. How far along was it when they were talking to you about it, and then how did it possibly change once you got the keys to the Ferrari? Or I should say to the Optimus?

WASSUNG: [Laughs] I would say the script that Ryan [Parrott] had written was already super cool. I think it was really just asking us how quickly for myself to direct, but also my studio to do the animation. So we had to kind of analyze what kind of resources we could pull together, and how quickly we could turn this around. Because we knew the clock was ticking to get this ready for the anniversary.

I think that was December, so just thinking about ideas of how to achieve it and started talking with Hasbro about what kind of approach we want? How do we want to honor the original style? How do we want to bring it into something more modern? How to blend those things. And then before we know it, January, we started production.

How ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Honors the Original Transformers Movie

He also breaks down his “three-act” approach to crafting fight sequences.

Image by Trent Barboza

How did you decide on the look of the animation? Because you obviously [pay] homage. There’s stuff from various Transformers in this, and you also have your own style.

WASSUNG: It was really important for us to honor the original. We worked really hard to bring a little bit of a handcrafted styling. It was all made by hand. There’s line work, there’s color. We were really going back to the original art. We looked at original matte paintings from the pilot episode of the series, but also paintings from the movie, and we really analyzed, zooming way in and analyzing the brushstrokes, analyzing the colors.

We have an amazing art director, Ed, and the previs team all were kind of working together. Shout out to the previs team, who’s here in the house. They all worked together, and we really just broke down how was this movie made with a 2D hand-drawn technique? And how can we emulate that hand-drawn feeling, but also pulling from those original colors and kind of just dialing it up to make it a bit more vibrant, and just embrace that style?

You get to direct an Optimus-Megatron fight. What was it scripted like, and then how did you sort of bring that to life with the way you wanted it to stage? Like where they’re going to fight and how is it going to go.

WASSUNG: Well, working on fight sequences is always a blast. I’ve worked on many over my career. I kind of like to think of them as a three-act structure unto themselves, so you really want to think of where the characters are at the start, and what kind of emotions transpire. That’s why we wanted to bring in Bumblebee and get Bumblebee really involved in this fight; he was kind of the emotional stakes of the fight. And then building those ticking clocks, it’s a puzzle piece. You really kind of piece that all together until the puzzle starts to fit together.

And then, team previs, they do a ton of work to kind of elaborate on what exactly those gags are. How is he going to swing that flail? How is he going to swing that axe? And just tracking geography. I mean, it’s a lot of hard work, but honestly, it’s a blast. You’re playing with toys, but you’re doing it on the computer.

“You get chills.”

I just want to point out you were paid to work on an Optimus Prime project, and you were paid to work with Peter Cullen and Frank [Welker]. I have to talk about Peter. I think Peter has impacted everybody in this theater, myself especially, and everyone in here.

WASSUNG: Absolutely. As he should.

Also, I just want to say I was fortunate to interview Peter before, and he was the nicest man. Talk a little bit about getting to collaborate with him. Obviously, you had no idea that it was going to be the last thing that he did with Optimus.

WASSUNG: True. Getting to meet Peter was a wild, full-circle experience, of course, because, just like everybody here, growing up hearing his voice over and over and over again, and then seeing him, also, in the movies, everything, for my entire life, really. And then getting to meet him, immediately he’s a jokester, and he’s just immediately cracking jokes and telling stories.

But what was amazing was he’s lived a full life. He was 85 when I met him, and he looked and sounded like an 85-year-old. And then he sat in that sound booth, and he was like, “Sound check, sound check,” and then he just turns it on, and it’s like you get chills. He sounds like a totally different human. It just turns on. It comes out of him, even at 85. It was very inspiring.

What is it actually like directing him when he knows the character better than any of us? He’s been playing the character for 40 years.

WASSUNG: Intimidating.

Can you share any story of him doing a line reading and you’re like, “Maybe this?”

WASSUNG: Honestly, it’s intimidating. I grew up as a kid listening to his voice, and so how do you tell somebody who was the original guy? And so, he would just do tons of takes — his own. He would just, “Alright, here’s the line. Cool. I’m going to give you a whole bunch.” And he would do, like, 17 of them.

I could tell he wasn’t so sure. You know, “Who’s this relatively young guy, this young whippersnapper,” if you will. And on the comm, I was like, “Hey, Peter, I actually really liked take four out of 17.” And he goes, “That’s the one I liked.” And so I was like, “Yes!” [Laughs] So I feel like that’s when we just became back and forth, and he would ask me questions. And he would always say, “Make sure you get what you need.”

Then we got to talk, from there, about making sure that we pushed the emotion. We really wanted to kind of dig deep into Optimus’s concern. He has all that introspective and thoughts about his life and what it all means, and I really wanted to dig into it. So, it was great.

‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Is an “Open-Ended Question”

“We don’t know all the answers.”

Image via Trent Barboza

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One of the things I think is cool about the short is that it leaves the audience to interpret stuff that’s going on in it. Talk a little bit about that aspect, that you could, as an audience member, think one thing and another audience member might think something else?

WASSUNG: That’s all part of what Hasbro wanted to do. Also, what I wanted to do is we wanted to give fans lots of opportunity to explore, to watch it again, to see, “Oh, are there any nuggets in there? Are there any clues in there?” But we really wanted to leave that open.

It’s like an open-ended question at the end. There’s a journey that’s set out, and we don’t know all the answers, but you get to kind of dig into, like, what does that mean? To really kind of find that balance of giving people a fun ride, but also giving people an opportunity to imagine what comes next, that was really the main goal for the piece.

Before getting this job, what was your relationship with Transformers? Were you a fan, casual viewer, or a collector?

WASSUNG: I was a lifelong fan. I mean, the Transformer toys were my prized possessions as a kid.

You need to be specific. What’s the one that, if you could go back in time…?

WASSUNG: Grimlock. I had a Grimlock. It’s funny because, no spoilers here, but my parents told me that Santa Claus gave me Grimlock. I was very young, maybe four, and I was like, “No, it was you guys. You gave me Grimlock.” So, I wasn’t buying the whole Santa Claus thing, but I was obsessed with Grimlock.

How did you decide on the title?

WASSUNG: I believe that came from Zev, from Hasbro. He had the idea. We were sitting around in a room and kicking around ideas, and he just said, “What about Awakening?” And immediately that just felt right to me. It struck a chord in me. And then it took a while longer before we decided on the full title being Optimus Prime: Awakening, but there was just something about that, you know? This project really is Zev’s baby. It’s something that is a passion of his, and it just was from inside of him.

When did you actually finish this?

WASSUNG: A couple weeks ago. [Laughs] It was recent. It was very recent.

This ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Episode Inspired One of the Short’s Shots

“I had to get it right.”

Image via Paramount Television

What was the last shot or thing that you were working on? I’ve spoken to a lot of directors, and with VFX, they talk about how there’s always one shot that they keep going back to that they’re not 100% on. What was it on this?

WASSUNG: Oh man, there were so many. There was a shot when, without spoilers, there’s a transporting very quickly from one place to another that we did over and over again. There are stars that whoosh by, and we kept on adding elements, redoing, retweaking it, retweaking, and then we added some smoke. It was a whole bunch of small elements that finally clicked.

I was actually inspired by an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, which is like a way callback. There was an episode when the ship gets thrown, like, 11 light-years. I can’t believe I remember this, but anyways, I remember in one shot, the ship got kind of thrown 11 light-years across a galaxy, and that was my inspiration for that shot, and I had to get it right.

Are you also a Star Trek fan?

WASSUNG: To a degree. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of Star Trek.

This is not to do with Transformers, but Next Generation, DS9, Voyager — which is the top one or two?

WASSUNG: Next Generation.

There’s no right answer here. Just curious.

Optimus Prime Looks Back on “This Whole Ongoing Battle”

“What does it really mean?”

Image via Paramount Pictures

At the center of the story is, of course, Optimus Prime. What did you want to explore about the character that audiences perhaps haven’t seen before?

WASSUNG: Most importantly, we wanted to show Optimus really coming to grips with really analyzing his life and what has been this whole ongoing battle, and what does it really mean? It’s kind of brought into question: Was it all for nothing? But he digs deep, and he digs his heels in, and he’s like, “I will not abandon my friends.” That was something that was core to his character, and we really wanted to push him to the limit and really make him face: What does it mean to stand up for your friends, but also for your family, but also, thinking about the greater good of the whole for everyone?

The short is very much connected to the legacy, the ‘86 film, while also pushing the story forward. How did you approach finding that balance between honoring what fans love and creating something new?

WASSUNG: Like I said before, it was really making sure that we embrace the source material, embrace the original. That means everything. That means how they drew the robots, how they moved, how the lines were drawn, how the colors were chosen. It’s literally all these little details that add up to creating a feeling that kind of brings you back but also gets you excited to see what that modern take could be. So, it was just very important that we drew from all those original elements and put that into a new light.

Did you get to have Frank and Peter record at the same time?

WASSUNG: Unfortunately, they were not on the same day. I think one day was Frank, the next day was Peter. But what was interesting is not one, but both of them would impersonate the other. I’m serious. They would impersonate the other and pretend to be having conversations with the other one. They’ve done it so many times. They would have full conversations. I’m not kidding you.

I’m assuming you recorded this.

WASSUNG: I mean, yeah. It was in the recording booth.

I would love to hear that.

WASSUNG: Yeah, it’s good stuff. They’re having fun. It’s almost like they’re telling jokes, but then giving their own joke answers. It was really fun. And Peter’s version with Frank was incredible.

The real question, of course, is did you have anyone record a voicemail, like your answering machine message?

WASSUNG: No, I was too intimidated.

I don’t want to say you failed, but you failed. I’m joking around. What do you think fans would be surprised to learn about making a short like this?

WASSUNG: I touched on it a little bit already, but I guess I would say the surprising thing about making a short like this is how much work — and I do mean the hundreds of hours of work — goes into making something look imperfect. Because if you guys pause this one day when it comes out on whatever format, if you pause it, you look at the lines around the Transformers, they are not perfect; they are sketchy. And that, combined with every little detail, tons of work went into making sure it didn’t feel too clean, not too perfect, because we wanted to give that handcrafted feel.

I really think that Spider-Verse opened the door to a lot of studios and executives being like, “Oh, that’s cool, not making it absolutely perfect.”

WASSUNG: I totally agree. I’m a big believer that animation’s a medium, and that you can use it to do any kind of storytelling. It’s really a form of moving art, and that’s something that I feel very passionate about.

I completely agree.

‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Is Almost “Designed as a Goodbye”

The short marks the legendary Peter Cullen’s final project as Optimus Prime.

Sara De Boer/startraksphoto.com

Knowing that this is Peter’s final performance as Optimus, has the short taken on a different meaning for you personally since you made it?

WASSUNG: Yeah. It was very heavy to hear of his passing, and immediately I go to — without going into spoilers — him walking into the light. There’s such an emotional moment that we put into the performance. By the way, shout out to Jarret, the voice of Bumblebee. He did such a great job. He brought such emotion in this emotional goodbye.

It just felt like immediately, it’s almost like this short was designed as a goodbye, but we didn’t know at the time, you know? So there was definitely a sense of almost like the future is foretold. There’s something very, very moving about it. I’m just so grateful that he was able to participate.

Any Easter eggs that fans should look out for?

WASSUNG: I’m not going to say what they are, but there are clues, maybe some very brief shots if you look closely. There are clues that may or may not pertain to the future. So, I’m not gonna say what they are, but there are a few little nuggets in there.

Are they one-frame things, or are they like you can notice it if you watch it again?

WASSUNG: I would say you could notice it if you watch it again.

On the 17th in movie theaters, Fathom. Check your local listings. What do you hope longtime fans or people just discovering Transformers take away from this?

WASSUNG: My hope would be that people will take away that Transformers can be both nostalgic but also fresh, and that it can bring a sense of hope and adventure, and that it can have emotion. That’s my hope for the takeaway.

The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary is now playing in theaters. You can purchase tickets here.

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Release Date

August 8, 1986

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Runtime

84 minutes

Director

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Nelson Shin

Writers

Ron Friedman

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Producers

Joe Bacal, Lee Gunther, Margaret Loesch, Tom Griffin

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  Norman Alden

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  Hot Rod / Rodimus Prime (voice)

• 

  Jack Angel

  Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)

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  Michael Bell

  Soundwave / Megatron / Rumble / Frenzy / Wheelie (voice)

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  Gregg Berger

  Galvatron (voice)

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Reports last week confirmed that Season 2 of Guy Ritchie‘s The Gentlemen had earned only 6.7 million views in its first few days on streaming, a 45% drop from Season 1. This has been followed by a decline in the Netflix top 10 for the biggest new arrival of the month, which has been replaced at the streaming summit by Crew Girl, Netflix’s newest teen soap. Despite poor reviews from critics, including Collider’s own Jessica Toomer, Crew Girl is proving its doubters wrong. But there’s plenty more to watch if you, like Toomer, aren’t a fan of Crew Girl. With that in mind, here are three shows you should binge-watch on Netflix this week.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

1

‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ (2026)

The ‘Murphyverse’ is expanding again, as the prolific Ryan Murphy adds a new season to his hit Monster anthology series. Having debuted last Thursday, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story tells the story of the infamous 1892 axe murders in Fall River, Massachusetts, and marks the series’ first time focusing on a female lead, portrayed by If I Had Legs I’d Kick You‘s Ella Beatty.

After Season 1 focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, Season 2 on the Menendez brothers, and Season 3 on Ed Gein, this fourth season promises yet more headline-grabbing serial killer drama sure to divide viewers. Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, and Vicky Krieps also star, with the season featuring eight episodes in total, which are destined to shoot straight to the top of the Netflix charts.

2

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ (2026–Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | IMDb: 5.9/10

Monster isn’t the only big series returning this weekend on Netflix. Another that should be at the top of your watchlist is Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, which returns for a second season just five months after the first season debuted. After the Hawkins Investigators Club defeated the Horde Queen, the second season picks up directly in the aftermath, with things not about to get any easier for the gang.

Whether you’re excited for Season 2 or have yet to try this animated series, this weekend is the perfect time to start a binge-watch. Eleven (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Mike (Luca Diaz), Will (Benjamin Plessala), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Lucas (Elisha “EJ” Williams), Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), and Nikki (Odessa A’zion) all return for a second installment of the Flying Bark Productions animation, which will feature 10 new episodes.

3

‘Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope’ (2026)

Anime fans are in for a treat this weekend as the final part of Pokémon Horizons Season 3, Rising Hope, bursts onto Netflix. As Japan begins a new arc called “Wonder Voyage,” Pokémon Horizons Season 3 will come to a vibrant, action-packed end on Netflix in the U.S., as the curtain closes on the journey of Laqua and the Explorers.

Pokémon is one of the longest-running and best-loved franchises of all time for good reason, and Horizons has been one of the best series it has produced so far. After 25 years of Ash Ketchum, the character — or at least how he functions in the series — has been reinvented for a new audience, helping move the franchise along and prove that its future as a major part of our viewing habits is secure. Don’t miss out on an epic conclusion in the latest chapter this weekend.

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Release Date

April 14, 2023

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Network

TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, GBS, TSC, Nara Television

Directors

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Fumihiro Ueno, Hiromichi Matano, Ayumi Moriyama, Yūichi Abe, Junya Koshiba, Hiroyuki Okuno, Masashi Tsukino, Makoto Ooga, Satoshi Saga

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  Daisuke Namikawa

  Welkamo / Lucius (voice)

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  Mitsuki Saiga

  Chili (voice)

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  Kenta Miyake

  Mudoch (voice)

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While Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller’s love story began over two decades ago, the Dodgeballs stars didn’t always think it would last.

Appearing on the Wednesday, September 17 episode of the “We’re Still Here, Babes” podcast, Taylor, 55, admitted she considered Stiller, 60, to be a “rebound” at first because they had both recently been dating other people.

“We both thought [it] was our sort of rebound romance, ‘cause I had just broken up with someone, and he was just getting out of something,” Taylor said. “We just were having fun, and just having a great time together. We kinda kept it on the down-low, it wasn’t like I was telling — I told my closest friends and family, but not my peripheral group of friends for a while.”

Describing the initial dating period as a “whirlwind romance,” Taylor added, “We took a big leap. And then yeah, then we got married in May of 2000, and then I had our daughter the next year, and then we worked together a bunch. We did Zoolander together, we did Dodgeball together.”

Related: Christine Taylor Details ‘Impasse’ That Led to Ben Stiller Separation

A period of personal growth. Christine Taylor opened up about why she and husband Ben Stiller separated — and revealed what led them back to one another. “We got married very quickly after meeting each other,” the Hey Dude alum, 51, explained during a Tuesday, March 7, appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “We knew each […]

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the couple, however. Although Stiller and Taylor got married in 2000 and welcomed two children (Ella, 24, and Quinlin, 21) during their relationship, they eventually called it quits in 2017. In 2022, the pair confirmed they had reconciled during the Covid pandemic.

“We were separated and got back together and we’re happy about that. It’s been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic,” Stiller told Esquire in February 2022.

Taylor spoke about her marriage breakdown and the couple’s ultimate reconciliation while appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2023.

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“Family was always a priority, but I think Ben and I both started to grow in different directions,” she explained of their split. “And when we made the decision to separate, it was not something we wanted to talk publicly about or took lightly. We were at this impasse of, ‘Let’s figure this out, what’s best at this chapter in our lives.’ That’s going back three or four years.”

Related: Christine Taylor Makes Rare Comments on ‘Challenging’ Ben Stiller Split

Christine Taylor candidly discussed how she and husband Ben Stiller reconciled years after their “challenging” 2017 split, crediting the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the pair reconcile. “If there was a silver lining for us during COVID, that was the little gift,” Taylor, 54, said while appearing on the Tuesday, May 26, episode of “The McBride […]

Taylor added that the pandemic’s forced quarantine periods at their uninterrupted time at home gave them unexpected time to work things out.

“We all ended up in our house together with two teenagers and we found this way back,” Taylor said. “We had so much time to talk, there were no other distractions. … It just happened organically.”

The 1960s was perhaps the most important decade for rock music. By then, the genre had had time to mature, and people were starting to recognize it as a serious form of art. As rock ‘n’ roll became more mainstream, bands and artists all over the world started experimenting and pushing the boundaries of the genre, and many songs from that time period became the foundation for modern music.

British bands like The Beatles, The Who and the Rolling Stones were at the forefront of this transformation, innovating within their art form and channeling their generation’s hopes, fears, and dreams into timeless music. Across the pond, artists like Bob Dylan were writing some of the greatest lyrics in music history, unknowingly influencing writers for decades to come. Here are 10 of the greatest classic rock songs from the ’60s.

10

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” — The Beatles (1964)

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is among the most iconic Beatles songs, mostly due to its significance both for fans and for the band itself. It was the first Billboard U.S. No. 1 by the Fab Four, and it marked a definite change in rock ‘n’ roll forever. The Beatles had been steadily growing as one of the most popular bands in Britain, and their manager and record label were pushing for them to tour the United States. However, the band felt they weren’t ready. They believed that, in order to truly make it in the land that created rock ‘n’ roll, they needed to have a U.S. No. 1. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was the song that achieved this, and thanks to this song, The Beatles dared conquer America. Their performance of this song on The Ed Sullivan Show was a monumental moment that went down in history, and this song changed the course of the band, and rock music, forever.

9

“You Really Got Me” — The Kinks (1964)

“You Really Got Me” is by far the most successful hit The Kinks ever had. The beauty of this song is that, while it’s clearly a staple of its time, it’s also timeless enough that you can play it at a party nowadays, and it would still get people to the dance floor. It’s incredibly modern, and it became a huge influence on later rock movements like punk and heavy metal. The lyrics are very classic, straightforward rock ‘n’ roll. “The inspiration for the lyrics and title came to me one night while playing with Dave Hunt at The Scene Club in Soho,” singer Ray Davies explained. From the stage, he saw a very attractive girl, but she sadly slipped away from him. “When we finished, I went off to find her, but she was gone and never returned to the club. She really got me going.”

8

“The House of the Rising Sun” — The Animals (1964)

“The House of the Rising Sun” was not written by The Animals, but it became a rock ‘n’ roll classic thanks to their unforgettable version of it. The first time they performed this traditional folk classic was during a joint concert with Chuck Berry, and it quickly became obvious that the blues rock style fitted this classic perfectly. Eventually, they recorded and released their legendary version in 1964, and it became a huge hit. Nowadays, most people still come back to this version, and some fans even think theirs is the original. That’s how big it became.

7

“Like a Rolling Stone” — Bob Dylan (1965)

Bob Dylan shaped not one, but several decades of music, but if we had to choose just one of his countless iconic tracks, “Like a Rolling Stone” would definitely be at least in the top 5. Released in 1965, it has been perceived by a lot of fans as one of the many tracks directed at Joan Baez, as part of their complicated, on-an-off romance. Though Dylan never explicitly said it was about a former lover, he did admit that it was a song about rightful anger, about proving to someone they were wrong about you. Originally, Dylan said, it was 10 pages long, and it was just him putting all his fury into words. He didn’t have plans to turn it into a song, it happened almost accidentally.

“In the end, it wasn’t hatred, it was telling someone something they didn’t know, telling them they were lucky. Revenge, that’s a better word. I had never thought of it as a song until one day I was at the piano, and on the paper, it was singing, ‘How does it feel?’ in a slow-motion pace, in the utmost of slow motion.”

6

“Hey Jude” — The Beatles (1968)

“Hey Jude” is a legendary track for many reasons. Its release marked an important moment in the band’s history, since they had stopped playing live two years before, and their appearance on David Frost’s TV show to perform it caused excitement among fans. The song was also 6 minutes long, and it was released as a single at a time when singles were meant to be only 3 minutes. Producer George Martin said in The Beatles Anthology that he tried to convince them not to release it as a single, claiming that no record station would play such a long single, but John Lennon argued that they would play it because it was The Beatles. And he was right. The song reached No. 1 both in the U.S. and the U.K. “Hey Jude” was written by Paul McCartney for Lennon’s son Julian, offering him comfort amid his parents’ divorce, and decades later, it’s still an uplifting anthem of optimism.

5

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” — The Rolling Stones (1965)

This is unarguably the Rolling Stones track. While this band has a long list of hits that have shaped modern music, no song better captures the spirit of this British band, especially at the time. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” established the Rolling Stones as the “bad boys” of the British invasion groups, expressing the frustration and anger at the commercialism of the youth of the 1960s. The hook “I can’t get no satisfaction” is simple enough, but incredibly compelling, and the double entendre made it even more edgy and outstanding. In the song, Mick Jagger sings angrily about invasive false advertising and sexual frustration, and no matter how much time passes, young people always seem to go back to this track.

4

“My Generation” — The Who (1965)

Need we say more? “My Generation” by The Who was, explicitly, a song about the youth of the 1960s and their struggle to find their place in a world that had changed drastically from the one their parents knew before World War II. It is, admittedly, very grim, with the band feeling like their generation had no future. Guitarist Peter Townshend explained that he wrote this song about “trying to find a place in society. I was very, very lost. The band was young then. It was believed that its career would be incredibly brief,” he said. Ironically, this song contributed to making The Who’s career timeless, and with his raw and honest music, Townshend helped pave the way for his generation.

3

“Light My Fire” — The Doors (1967)

“Light My Fire” is The Door’s signature song, with perhaps the most recognizable keyboard riff in rock history. The song, written mostly by guitarist Robby Krieger, originated from the lyrics of the Rolling Stones’ “Play with Fire.” Keyboardist Ray Manzarek then added his own spin on the song, creating an organ riff inspired by Bach, and a solo inspired by The Sound of Music (if you listen closely, you’ll recognize the song progression of “My Favorite Things”). This innovative melody, coupled with Jim Morrison‘s hypnotic, velvet vocals, made this song into a beacon of 1960s psychedelia.

2

“God Only Knows” — The Beach Boys (1966)

Pet Sounds contains countless masterpieces, but “God Only Knows” stands out among them. The complex progression and ambiguous sound make this song sound innovative even now. The Beach Boys were at the top of their game when they released “God Only Knows” in 1966, and Brian Wilson‘s songwriting really shines in this earnest ballad. Paul McCartney called it one of his favorite songs ever written, and said that Pet Sounds, and this track in particular, were what encouraged The Beatles to push boundaries and experiment with harmonies and new sounds. So, this song didn’t just represent The Beach Boys’ incredible range, it also became a key influence in 1960s music.

1

“A Day in the Life” — The Beatles (1967)

“A Day in the Life” closes The Beatles’ most groundbreaking album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and it was so mind-blowingly it was even banned by the BBC at the time. “A Day in the Life” was one of the greatest Lennon-McCartney collaborations. John Lennon wrote the opening and closing verses, and Paul McCartney wrote the middle section, which was initially a completely different song. This song feels like a hazy, vivid dream, from start to finish. Lennon’s raspy voice, the crescendo orchestra sections, and the jarring change from the refrain to McCartney’s bridge, marked by an alarm clock, encourage this feeling of standing between dream and reality. This song is considered by many to be The Beatles’ most influential track, which is no small feat, and, much like the rest of the album it belongs to, it changed the rules of rock ‘n’ roll forever.

Brandi Glanville has credited her former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills costar Yolanda Hadid with lending her a helping hand amid her health problems.

“Yolanda’s always been very helpful,” Brandi, 53, shared on the Friday, September 11, episode of her “Brandi Glanville Unfiltered” podcast.

Brandi has been struggling for the better part of three years with a mysterious facial disfigurement, which she said developed after she filmed Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco in 2023. (The Morocco season of Ultimate Girls Trip has never aired because of ongoing litigation between cast member Caroline Manzo and Bravo over an alleged incident involving Brandi.)

The RHOBH alum recently received some concrete information about her condition when she was diagnosed with “highly resistant ESBL Klebsiella and Enterobacter with biofilm, Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever), Demodex dermatitis and Mononucleosis” after spending more than $113,000 on treatment options.

Related: Brandi Glanville Shares Health Update After Facial Disfigurement

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Brandi Glanville is still trying to figure out the cause of her facial disfigurement years later. “I have to give an update on my face, ‘cause we got a lot of comments last time. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, guys,” Glanville, 53, said on the Thursday, […]

Yolanda, 62, documented her own health woes on RHOBH back in the day after she said she’d been diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. (The Mayo Clinic says that chronic Lyme disease is a term that refers to “long-term symptoms [people] think may be linked to an earlier case of Lyme disease” but stressed that “that term isn’t well-defined.”)

During last Friday’s podcast episode, Brandi confirmed that Yolanda recently reached out to help put her in contact with doctors.

“Yolanda’s been very helpful and she’s hooked me up with some doctors,” Brandi confirmed. “It’s just spending, spending, spending. If I had her bank account, it would be different.”

She clarified: “Our things are different. She has Lyme disease and I’ve got [my own health issues].”

One of Brandi’s close friends recently launched a GoFundMe to help raise money for the reality star’s treatment and recovery. As of publication, the fundraising appeal has earned more than $19,500 of a $25,000 goal.

Brandi’s former RHOBH costars Kyle Richards and Camille Grammer joined RHOC OG Vicki Gunvalson and RHOA alum Claudia Jordan in contributing to the GoFundMe.

“As I donated to Jeana Keough, I did for Brandi,” Vicki, 64, told Us in an exclusive statement on Saturday, referring to her former RHOC costar’s ongoing tongue cancer battle. “It breaks my heart that both of them who have been used to working to provide for themselves, are not able to at this time. I wish Brandi continued healing.”

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On Saturday, September 12, Brandi released a new statement to thank the Bravo community for its support during her time of need.

“I’m honestly overwhelmed by all the love and support,” Brandi wrote via her Instagram Stories. “Thank you to every single person who has donated, shared my GoFundMe, checked on me, prayed for me or sent me love.”

Brandi added, “Asking for help isn’t easy for me, but knowing I have so many people in my corner means more than I can ever explain. I still have a long road ahead, but you’re helping me keep fighting. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. I love you guys.”

Barbra Streisand is calling out President Donald Trump and his “unchecked ego” after he threatened to cancel the Kennedy Center renovation plans if his name isn’t added.

Publishing a statement via her website on Thursday, September 17, Streisand, 84, slammed Trump for his actions, which she claimed are “galling and painful to witness.”

“Now, a thoroughly defeated Trump has announced that the Kennedy Center is being closed for what the completely stacked board describes as a major renovation,” she wrote via her website. “Oddly, when Trump’s name was still on the building, there was no discussion of closing it!”

She continued, “You can easily imagine my indignation at seeing this revered institution become the subject of such a bitter struggle over one man’s name and unchecked ego.”

Related: President Trump Threatens to Cancel $257 Million Kennedy Center Renovation

President Donald Trump is supportive of the Kennedy Center’s renovations — if his name can be added to the landmark. “The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction,” Trump, 80, wrote via TruthSocial on Tuesday, September […]

Elsewhere in the statement, Streisand, who accepted a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2008, explained why she felt so strongly about Trump’s repeated efforts to add his name to the building. (The building was originally named for the late President John F. Kennedy.)

“I was deeply honored to be included in the 31st annual class of Kennedy Center Honorees,” she said. “For me, and for so many artists, that honor represented something larger than a career recognition. It represented a belief in the importance of art to the life of a democracy. That is why what is happening to the Kennedy Center is so galling and painful to witness.”

Earlier this week, Trump announced via social media that he would be supportive of the center’s renovations if his name was added to the building.

“The Board of The Kennedy Center today agreed, almost unanimously, to close the Building for Safety reasons, and so that it can begin the process of Reconstruction,” Trump, 80, wrote via TruthSocial on Tuesday, September 15. “The closing will take place immediately, however, the Renovation and Reconstruction, which is a very large and complex job, cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the Board’s approved name.”

The former Apprentice host continued, “If the ruling is a negative one, which it should not be, and is not overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place.”

In his latest post, Trump claimed $17 million — that he allegedly raised — has already been put into The Kennedy Center account to keep it afloat.

Related: Kennedy Family Reacts to Donald Trump’s Planned Kennedy Center Closure

President Donald Trump has even more plans for the Kennedy Center after he worked to rename the landmark. “The Trump Kennedy Center will close on July 4th, 2026, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country, whereupon we will simultaneously begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex,” Trump, 79, wrote via Truth […]

Earlier in the day, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper explained that Congress would need to approve Trump’s name being added to the Washington, D.C., building.

“Simply put, Defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’ blessing,” Cooper said in the latest ruling on Tuesday via the Associated Press.

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Members of Kennedy’s extended family have previously weighed in on Trump’s attempts to attach his name to the Center.

“Adding your name to a memorial already named in honor of a great man doesn’t make you a great man. Quite the contrary,” Maria Shriver, 70, wrote via X in December 2025. “Putting your name on top of someone else’s doesn’t mean that people will speak of you in the same breath as the other man. Putting your name above another man’s name on his existing memorial… What is that about? Truly? What’s that about?”

JFK’s only grandson, Jack Schlossberg, also previously slammed Trump’s actions.

Carmella Garcia and her boyfriend Danny Hampel have “called it quits.”

Speaking to Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast on Thursday, September 17, the Real Housewives of Orange County star, 44, confirmed the couple had split “months ago” after 10 years together.

Carmella told the outlet she had mixed feelings about the break-up.

“I feel a range of emotions,” Carmella said. “I feel sad. It was a 10-year relationship. It was somebody that was around my children. But, at the end of the day, I needed to put myself first.”

Related: RHOC’s Season 20 Trailer Unites Past Housewives — But There’s Still Drama

The show that launched a global phenomenon is back and ready for another juicy season. On Thursday, June 11, Bravo released the official trailer for season 20 of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Jennifer Pedranti are back for more fun as they […]

While Carmella did not specify what exactly caused the split, she claimed that Danny had done something “gravely inappropriate” after RHOC’s season 20 wrapped.

“It was a very difficult situation because it was somebody that I loved very deeply, and I truly did want to get to a place of forgiveness, but I oftentimes ignore my intuition and there was just something deep down that I felt like I just didn’t trust,” she told the outlet. “The dishonesty just continued and I called it quits.”

Carmella added that the split had affected her sons,  Jason, 17, and Jax, 15. (Carmella shares Jason and Jax with her ex-husband, former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia. The former couple also share daughters Presley, 18, and Faith, 14.)

“I have to be enough for myself and for him and for my children, and I was never enough for him,” she said. “That’s an issue that I feel like is his issue.”

Describing the relationship with Danny as unhealthy, Carmella continued, “If I could change it for him, I would, but I can’t. The ship was sinking and I needed to save myself.”

Carmella admitted it was tough watching their relationship on RHOC and added that she has enlisted the help of therapists to move forward.

“I’ve struggled over the years [with] suppressing pain, and I felt like this is exactly where I needed to be,” she said. “I needed to walk through it, and the only way through it is straight through it.”

Carmella and Danny’s relationship problems have been shown on RHOC, with episode 6 showing some of their issues.

“It’s been about four years since Danny’s infidelity. And, admittedly, I do have a wall of resentment.” Carmella said on episode 6, adding, “But I do love him, I do want to live life with him, I do need to know how to forgive, and not just for him, but for myself. I just have to figure out how to do it.”

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For his part, Danny told Carmella during the episode that he wanted to restore the feelings they had in the initial stages of their relationship.

“I just want you back to where you felt like the way you did in the beginning,” Danny told her at the time. “I understand you can’t get there, but.”

Carmella told him, “I’m not getting over it. I made it through it, but I’m not getting over it.”

One of the biggest fantasy franchises of all time is getting a major HBO reboot that has already been greenlit for a second season, and Season 1 hasn’t even released yet! With the second installment in production, fans have begun revisiting the previous adaptation in preparation for the series’ debut.

In April 2023, HBO announced it would release a Harry Potter TV series featuring a brand-new cast and made a bold promise to adapt all seven books, with each season covering a Harry Potter title. The adaptation promised to be a “faithful adaptation to the books,” since the movies cut and altered some content to fit the big screen. While some people were excited about the Harry Potter TV adaptation, it also drew backlash because of J.K. Rowling‘s involvement in the production, especially her views toward the LGBT+ community.

As of writing, Season 2 of the Harry Potter HBO series has entered production and recently announced its newest cast members: Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle, and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey. So, it comes as no surprise that fans have begun to not only revisit the first Harry Potter installment, but the second one as well. The 2002 sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, has recently appeared on the streaming charts, landing at #10 on HBO Max’s Top 10 Movies worldwide, just below Bad Guys. This feature follows 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and explores Harry’s second year at Hogwarts. Since its release, Chamber of Secrets has generated over $883.4 million worldwide, and its success prompted Warner Bros. to adapt Rowling’s third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, released in 2004.

What Do We Know About Season 2 of HBO’S ‘Harry Potter’ Series?

Season 2 of HBO’s Harry Potter TV adaptation will be titled Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Like the first season, it will focus entirely on its corresponding novel, published in 1998. As of writing, a release date has yet to be announced. The second Harry Potter installment will follow Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, as he begins his second year at Hogwarts alongside his friends Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout) and Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton). However, the new school year brings another mystery. A house-elf named Dobby does everything he can to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts, but his attempts fail. Harry also learns that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened as students across the school are mysteriously petrified. Several new cast members have already been announced for Season 2, including Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart (replacing Nicholas Hoult), and Bonnie Hill as Ginny Weasley (replacing Gracie Cochrane).

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is available to stream on HBO Max. Meanwhile, the HBO Harry Potter series is set to come out this December. Follow Collider for more updates.

​​​​​​

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Release Date

November 13, 2002

Runtime

161 minutes

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Director

Chris Columbus

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Writers

J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves

Producers

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David Barron, David Heyman, Mark Radcliffe

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When summer ends and the chill in the air sends a shiver down your spine, two types of TV viewers emerge: the ones who toss on their sweaters, warm up the kettle for some tea, and watch some cozy TV, and those who deck out their homes in their Halloween decor, light some candles, and turn on some spooky shows. No matter which one you are, we’ve officially entered the period where TV viewing shifts to fall essentials. Whether set in the fall or evoking the spirit of the season, the shows on this list are essentially fall.

Each year, we tend to get a smattering of new content that helps us prepare. For traditionalists, it’s the old faithfuls we turn to in order to get in the mood. From the quintessential Gilmore Girls to the campy horror live-action teen scream queens like Wednesday and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, we have shows that should definitely be on your fall must-watch list!

13

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)

Image via The WB

It’s been nearly 30 years since the world met Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in the iconic supernatural horror series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Created by Joss Whedon, the seven-season series follows a teenager who was picked by fate as the “Chosen One” to fight vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Set in the fictional town of Sunnydale, California, the beloved series treats high school as a horror, where real teenage struggles serve as the monsters to be defeated.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer subverts the traditional damsel-in-distress horror by making the titular heroine a strong inspiration. And we all need someone to look up to when it comes to the terrors of high school. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is essential fall viewing thanks to its spooky monster themes and its school setting as its prime locale. Fear not—journeys to the graveyards at night, as creepy beings lurk in the shadows, are the show’s modus operandi. As Buffy grew up, the series allowed her and the gang to embark on fresh starts, just as every fall brings. As you pack away your bathing suits for the season and bring out the leather jackets and chunky sweaters, put on some Buffy the Vampire Slayer for prime cool-weather viewing.

12

‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–Present)

Image via ABC

Perhaps the greatest sitcom to come out of the 2020s is the hilarious Abbott Elementary. Created by Quinta Brunson, the hit ABC series follows the dedicated teachers at the underfunded titular elementary school in Philadelphia. The mockumentary-style comedy chronicles the daily struggles and momentary triumphs of the devoted and passionate staff as they battle low budgets, bureaucratic hurdles, and unexpected hijinks. Featuring a stellar ensemble led by Brunson, Abbott Elementary is a feel-good comedy that brings just a tinge of nostalgia from your school days.

Though Abbott Elementary smartly documents an entire school year, it’s still a fall essential because each new season brings a brand-new school year. Though many school years technically begin while the summer sun is still burning, the start of the school year still evokes fall. If you watch the series in real time, you can also follow the real-time progression of Janine (Brunson) and company as they welcome their new class of whipsmart kiddos. And yes, the kids do matriculate to a new grade each year. Abbott Elementary is a simple joy. It’s pure escapism that harkens back to simpler times.

11

‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021–Present)

Image via Hulu

For decades, we thought we knew who the Three Amigos were, but then Selena Gomez began working with Steve Martin and Martin Short, and a new trio was born. Created by John Hoffman and Martin, Only Murders in the Building has become a long-running masterpiece. Entering Season 6 later this year, the cozy murder-mystery series follows three neighbors—Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), Oliver Putnam (Short), and Mabel Mora (Gomez)—who begin a true-crime podcast inspired by the literal corpses that roll up in their upscale New York apartment, the Arconia. As they dig up crimes, they uncover deep secrets about their neighbors and realize a killer is among them. Alongside a star-studded cast of series regulars and beloved guest stars, Only Murders in the Building is a low-stakes comedic thriller.

Many TV lovers seek something cozy to curl up and watch. Only Murders in the Building is very much that. Through the comforting cadence of poking fun at true-crime podcasts, Only Murders in the Building is the perfect show to watch as the temperature drops. With a usual late-summer or early-fall release, the series has gone hand-in-hand with the season. If fall fashion in New York is your thing, the characters love to layer up in chunky sweaters, heavy overcoats, and stylish hats and scarves. Only Murders in the Building also evokes the season, as its New York backdrop features changing leaves, and warm-toned colors capture the autumn atmosphere. The narrative also happens to pair perfectly with a nice cup of cocoa. Very few true-crime shows are as safe and comforting as Only Murders in the Building.

10

‘Wednesday’ (2022–Present)

Image via Netflix

There are very few families more iconic than The Addams Family. With a plethora of movies and animations based on the IP, a new generation was welcomed into the clan. Tim Burton‘s hit Netflix series Wednesday brings the titular daughter to the forefront as she attends Nevermore Academy. With a dark color palette setting the tone of the series, the Jenna Ortega-led series is the perfect show to binge on an autumn night.

With haunting thrills, chilling twists, and a set of beloved and newfound fan-favorite characters, Wednesday exudes the aura of autumn. Having a spooky background naturally woven in, Burton’s brilliant mind only adds to the flavor and spice. As we’ll often discuss on this list, when a show takes a journey into the woods, it automatically screams fall. When not on school grounds, Wednesday spends much of the action in the forests of Jericho, Vermont, home to terrifying creatures, mysterious creatures, and a mist and fog that lead to a wonderment of danger. Plus, with its two seasons, each featuring a spooky-tinged Lady Gaga track—”Bloody Mary (TikTok Remix)” and “The Dead Dance”—Wednesday is a perfect segue to Halloween.

9

‘Pretty Little Liars’ (2010–2017)

Image via Freeform

Snag your PSL and turn on PLL, aka Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pretty Little Liars. The suspenseful and thrilling series is set in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, as four best friends—Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale), Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson), and Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario)—have their secrets dramatically exposed as they are threatened by the anonymous “A,” who begins harassing the girls after the mysterious disappearance of their clique leader, Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse).

With the series set in the fall and winter semesters, the show not only provides fall vibes with its suspenseful storylines, but also the fashion the characters wear. The autumnal atmosphere is only enhanced by those dreary, rain-filled scenes. Although the series didn’t air during the fall, and there are certainly some episodes that veer into wintertime, diehard fans go back to watching the show when the fall season hits, as PLL is a guiltless slasher series for those who like suspense more than screams.

8

‘Charmed’ (1998–2006)

Image via The WB

It’s the season of the witch, so we certainly couldn’t leave Charmed off the list. Known as The Charmed Ones, the most powerful good witches of all time, sisters Prue (Shannon Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), Phoebe Halliwell (Alyssa Milano), and later Paige Matthews (Rose McGowan), must harness their combined Power of Three to protect the world from evil beings in modern-day San Francisco. During a time in which Buffy the Vampire Slayer was giving teens vampires, Charmed brought the supernatural through magic. With a dominating female-led presence and a cult following of fans, Charmed holds a firm place in television history.

Between the fall vibes and compelling themes, fans often turn to Charmed to get prepared for some cozy nights in. The Halliwell Sisters have become icons in their own right, representing the idea that good will ultimately prevail against evil. There hadn’t been a coven more beloved until we met American Horror Story‘s coven at Miss Robichaux’s Academy. The series did receive a reboot starring Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, and Sarah Jeffrey, but the new generation didn’t pack as much of a punch.

7

‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–2017)

Image via ABC

Absolutely, there is a certain audience who will appreciate the brilliance of Twin Peaks. It may be hard to get into, but if you fulfill your destiny of finishing, you’ll understand the decades of hype and lore of Twin Peaks. Filled with signature David Lynch surrealism and eccentricities, Twin Peaks became an absolute game-changer in the type of stories and characters that could be shared on network television. An American horror soap opera, Twin Peaks features a story that must be seen to be believed. From the naked corpse of the homecoming queen to the possession of her father to Log Lady (Margaret Lanterman) is the most wonderfully twisted series that today’s shows aspire to be.

The setting of the fictional Pacific Northwestern town brings fall to the forefront. Through its wickedly dark themes, spooky atmosphere, and now-retro vibes, Twin Peaks has become a fire-lit, rainy night in bingeworthy viewing for fanatics. The series brilliantly weaves mystery, crime, and supernatural elements with that autumnal mist through the leafless trees of Washington.

6

‘Virgin River’ (2019–Present)

Image via Netflix

The cinematography of Virgin River screams fall! The small-town, cozy-feeling series has become a blanket and snuggle show. The romantic drama set in a picturesque northern California town has been compared to “a soap opera in a sweater.” Virgin River follows Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), who answers an ad to work as a midwife and nurse practitioner in a remote northern California town. Believing it to be a perfect place to start fresh and escape a life of trauma, Mel soon discovers that small-town living is not what she thought it might be.

Virgin River is a low-stress, life-lesson-teaching, heartfelt romance that brings Hallmark vibes on a Netflix budget. The series, based on the novels by Robyn Carr, has earned a devoted following that is filled with wholesome charm, exuding escapism. Just imagine being whisked away to Virgin River, looking out at the mountains, with a morning cup of coffee while wearing your cozy sweater. That’s the escapism that Virgin River celebrates.

5

‘The Vampire Diaries’ (2009–2017)

Image via The CW

Set in the chilling, supernatural hamlet of Mystic Falls, Virginia, The Vampire Diaries exudes the fall. The CW teen drama followed human Elana Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) as she suddenly falls for fellow student-slash-century-old vampire Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). When his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) comes to town, the relationship becomes more complicated as he is on a mission to bring back their past love, Katherine Pierce, a doppelgänger of Elena. With an inherent love triangle at the heart of the story, the brothers must keep Elena safe while maintaining their secret identities as vampires.

Based on the books by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a guilty-pleasure watch that helped those Twilight fans continue their bloodthirsty desire for more vampire-centric love stories. For those who love campy horror romances, The Vampire Diaries will fulfill your every fantasy. If you’re looking for quality substance, maybe this one isn’t for you. The Vampire Diaries never strays away from what it’s destined to be. From the woods to the graveyard, the fall is screaming out on The Vampire Diaries.

4

‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ (2018–2020)

Image via Netflix

The Archie Comics classic Sabrina the Teenage Witch has seen itself by many generations of consumers. Originally published in 1971, the titular character made her animated debut before Sabrina’s live-action TV debut in 1996, starring Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina. The sitcom was light-hearted and fun, with just enough ’90s magic to make you giggle. However, a generation later, Archie Comics released Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a darker take on the titular character. Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa took his work from page to screen with a Netflix budget.

The highly anticipated series starred Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman alongside an ensemble cast. The spell-binding world was a much darker adaptation than the ’90s show, but it screamed a gothic, autumn-esque supernatural thriller. Greendale provides that Halloween feel with the mysterious woods and bountiful witchcraft. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a tried-and-true coming-of-age series that brings bold and dark themes through the lens of teenage life.

Kim Kardashian has revealed her health diagnosis that is related to her dad Robert Kardashian’s fatal cancer.

In The Kardashians season 8 trailer that dropped on Thursday, September 17, there is a glimpse of Kim’s health scare.

Kim, 45, is shown in hospital, where she shares that she has “something called esophagitis.” A voice off-screen can be heard asking Kim, “Didn’t your father — isn’t that what he died of?”

The trailer then jumps to a scene featuring Kim’s mom, Kris Jenner. An emotional Kris, 70, says to the camera, “I can’t. It makes me want to cry.”

Related: Kardashian Family’s Most Heart-Wrenching Quotes About Robert Kardashian

Mourning the family patriarch. The Kardashian family has opened up over the years about the painful loss of Robert Kardashian. The late attorney, who shared Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob with ex-wife Kris Jenner, died of esophageal cancer in 2003 — a devastating loss for all four of his children and his ex-wife. (Robert and […]

Esophagitis is a condition that involves the swelling and irritation of tissues lining the esophagus. Without treatment, esophagitis can lead to a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which can raise the risk of developing esophageal cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Robert died at 59 in September, 2003 following a battle with esophageal cancer. In addition to Kim, Robert shared daughters Kourtney Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian and son Rob Kardashian with Kris.

Over the years, Kim’s sister Khloé, 42, has been particularly candid about her father‘s death.

“At the funeral, when I saw my father in his casket, I completely fell apart,” Khloé recalled in her 2015 memoir, Strong Looks Better Naked. ”I don’t remember the details, but apparently I was an emotional wreck, and I’m told that I was so distraught I actually passed out. At one point I fell to the floor kicking and screaming, and I had to be sedated. It was really intense. I refused to believe my father was gone.”

Khloé also spoke about how quickly the family lost Robert following his diagnosis during an April 2025 episode of her podcast, “Khloé in Wonder Land.”

“My dad died really quickly,” Khloé divulged. “He had esophageal cancer and I think he died six or seven weeks after diagnosis.”

She added, “I don’t think he could accept himself that it was terminal, but he never used those words with us.”

For her part, Kim has credited Robert, who worked on the infamous O.J. Simpson murder trial, as influencing her interest in studying law and giving her advice about the profession.

Kim told Vogue in 2019, “He once said to me, ‘I think you’d be great at it. But I also think that it’s super stressful and exhausting. So, if you want a stress-free life, maybe don’t follow through with law school.”

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At the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour in 2020, Kim reflected on growing up around her dad’s work.

“I think that by the time I was a teenager and he was working on the O.J. case, I was sneaking in his office, looking at all of the evidence and things I shouldn’t have been looking at,” she said.

She continued: “Maybe it was in my soul for years that that’s what I would have wanted to do. And I’ve even seen interviews pop up now from six or seven years ago. People ask what I wanted to do if I wasn’t filming my show. I always said I wanted to be a crime scene investigator or an attorney.”