Clint Eastwood is one of the most influential actors, filmmakers, and artists in cinematic history, and has successfully endeared himself as an icon for multiple generations. While seeing accomplished actors become directors is by no means uncommon, Eastwood’s transition is completely incomparable. After becoming one of the biggest stars in the world in the 1960s, Eastwood decided to step behind the camera and became an even more accomplished filmmaker, winning two Best Director trophies at the Academy Awards for Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven. While it was not his breakout film, nor his directorial debut, the 1973 Western High Plains Drifter was the film that changed everything for Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Made His Directorial Debut With ‘Play Misty For Me’

While he had dabbled in low-budget monster movies during the early stages of his career in the 1950s, Eastwood would have to wait until he stepped outside of the American film industry to get his breakthrough role as an actor. After being cast as the enigmatic “The Man With No Name” in Sergio Leone’s 1964 Western A Fistful of Dollars, Eastwood’s popularity allowed him to star in the sequels For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The success of Eastwood’s international projects gave him more clout when he returned to make American studio films. It was a somewhat ironic fate for an actor who had initially been fired by Universal Studios for not being a typical “movie star.”

Unfortunately, the Western films in the United States had not yet adopted the same stylistic qualities that had hallmarked the “Spaghetti Westerns” that Eastwood had built his reputation on. Compared to the energetic, subversive approach to action and suspense that Leone had epitomized in “The Man With No Name” trilogy, the American Westerns Eastwood starred in felt antiquated and generic in comparison. Both 1968’s Hang ‘Em High and 1972’s Joe Kidd, while being entirely watchable, reflected a more traditional style of Westerns reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood. They simply did not take advantage of the unique talents that Eastwood had as a star.

However, Eastwood was able to experiment working behind the camera with his 1971 directorial debut Play Misty For Me. Essentially a slasher film that drew significant influence from the works of the great Alfred Hitchcock, Play Misty For Me starred Eastwood as the charismatic radio DJ Dave Garver, who is stalked by his obsessive fan Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter). Appearing in a psychological thriller with overt sexual undertones was certainly a change of pace for Eastwood, as it wasn’t a genre that he was that familiar with. Nonetheless, Play Misty For Me indicated that Eastwood could direct a film with energy and vision, showing he had a strong grasp on the genre. It also indicated that he was talented at directing himself, as his performance in Play Misty For Me was far stronger than his work in Hang ‘Em High or Joe Kidd. The success of Play Misty For Me inspired Eastwood to return to the Western genre for a film that he would both direct and star in.

Clint Eastwood’s ‘High Plains Drifter’ Changed the Western Genre

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Set in the isolated town of Lago during the height of the Wild West period, High Plains Drifter was a unique Western that reflected the international influence of Leone’s films. High Plains Drifter lacked the stylized approach to action that had made A Fistful of Dollars so notable, as it opted for overt graphic violence and narrative momentum. However, the meandering pace and focus on building suspense was clearly lifted from the work that Leone had done in the iconic final shootout of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. While this type of filmmaking style was common internationally, Eastwood perfectly synthesized it with the American approach to High Plains Drifter.

While he drew inspiration from his past collaborators, Eastwood developed a style of revisionist Westerns with High Plains Drifter. Compared to the “Golden Age of Hollywood” Westerns that tended to feature easily identifiable heroes and villains, High Plains Drifter had much more ethically ambiguous themes. Eastwood’s character, a mysterious gunslinger known only as “The Stranger,” is presented as a violent thug who is forced to help defend an innocent town from the impending attack of a gang of thugs. While he is forced into a position where he must act heroically, “The Stranger” is not motivated by any obligation to the law. The final action sequence is among the most gruesome that Eastwood has ever directed — it serves as a reminder that “The Stranger” is a character to be feared, regardless of where the characters’ loyalties lie.

‘High Plains Drifter’ Pays Homage to Leone, but Stands on Its Own

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Leone’s influence on Eastwood is written all over High Plains Drifter, from the grizzly, mysterious protagonist with no name to the moral ambiguity inherent in the Spaghetti Western tradition. But while Eastwood’s Spaghetti Western roots certainly shaped elements of his second directorial feature, High Plains Drifter has its own distinct supernatural flair that turns what could be a straightforward revisionist Western into an unexpected ghost story. So while Eastwood could easily have fallen into the trap of crafting a Leone knockoff, another story about a mysterious “Stranger” with questionable loyalties, High Plains Drifter showed Eastwood’s potential to stand on his own as a director.

The film’s grim dismantling of the Western tradition complements the eerie mysticism that is necessary for what is essentially a spiritual ghost story. Eastwood’s directing is much more baroque here than what we typically see in his later films, with High Plains Drifter opting for a much bolder approach than the reserved minimalism of something like Eastwood’s The Bridges of Madison County. With a shadowy, almost gothic-like style paired with the bleakness of a revisionist Western, Eastwood showed with High Plains Drifter that while he certainly had creative influences, he also had his own vision and wasn’t afraid to reinvent himself.

Clint Eastwood’s Later Classics Were Inspired by ‘High Plains Drifter’

By playing such an unusual protagonist, Eastwood proved that he gave his best performances in films that he directed. “The Stranger” was evidently a character modeled after his inherent strengths as an actor, as he only briefly talks and does not engage in social niceties with the people under his protection. While even the films in Eastwood’s Dirty Harry franchise called for him to occasionally give comedic one-liners, High Plains Drifter refused to let Eastwood conform to the more standard qualities of a hero. It was a bold acting choice that Eastwood may not have been able to make had he not directed High Plains Drifter himself.

Earning praise for its novel reinvention of the genre, High Plains Drifter kicked off a new era of Eastwood’s career where he directed many Westerns. Films like Pale Rider and The Outlaw Josey Wales took a similarly grim approach to the genre, allowing Eastwood to play other violent anti-heroes. Eastwood’s 1992 masterpiece Unforgiven was seen as a self-reflective commentary on the revisionist genre he helped create, as it featured an older gunslinger having to return to the lifestyle he had abandoned. Unforgiven’s success wouldn’t have been possible if High Plains Drifter hadn’t laid the groundwork.

​​​​Eastwood Continues To Be an Innovator

Although he is well-known for being an iconic movie star, Eastwood deserves to be regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time, and should be in conversation with legends like Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock. It may be easy to dismiss the types of projects that Eastwood tends to work on as “populist entertainment,” but he has an incredibly versatile filmography that incorporates all sorts of genres. This specificity can even be seen within the different types of westerns that he has made; High Plains Drifter is a very different film than Pale Rider, which is entirely unique compared to Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josey Wales. The fact that Eastwood’s films tend to be popular is just a byproduct of his wide-ranging appeal, as the choices that he made have never been intended to be completely commercial. In fact, High Plains Drifter was released during a transitional point within the history of westerns; the genre began to decline as the “New Hollywood” movement of the 1970s took over, and it wouldn’t be revived again until the 1990s.

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It can be your huckleberry.

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One of the more underrated aspects of his skill set is that Eastwood does a great job at directing himself. While it is not uncommon for actors to become filmmakers, few have been able to balance this quite as well as Eastwood has; directors like Robert Redford and Jon Favreau don’t always appear in the films they make, and some filmmakers like Kevin Costner and Mel Gibson have been called out for giving bland performances when they are directing themselves. It is quite easy for an actor to give themselves a starring role, but Eastwood shows a remarkable degree of self-awareness when casting himself. High Plains Drifter is a great example of this, as Eastwood is playing a dark character who is by no means a traditional hero. High Plains Drifter was quintessential within the changing expectations of what the western could be; during a period where Americans began to reckon with the fact that the “wild west” represented a fairly ugly moment in national history, Eastwood was able to show a toxic character who is forced to find redemption.

What is particularly admirable is that Eastwood has continued to be relevant in his later years by making interesting projects that speak to modern themes. Between the “ripped from the headlines” true stories of The Mule, American Sniper, Changeling, The 15:17 to Paris, and Richard Jewell, Eastwood has shown a keen interest in exploring the nature of real heroes, despite the industry being dominated by comic book franchises and multiverses. Although it barely received any sort of theatrical release, Eastwood’s latest (and presumably final) film, the legal drama Juror #2, might be the best thing he’s made since winning his second Best Director Oscar for Million Dollar Baby. By confronting the ethical gray area of the judiciary system and intertwining a compelling mystery storyline, Eastwood was able to confront his viewers with a serious debate that is bound to spark discourse for many years to come.

Matt Rogers is opening up about where he stands with Fraser Olender after the Below Deck star’s health scare.

“We were already really enjoying being together and then there was this health stuff that entered and so that accelerated things,” Rogers, 36, said on the Wednesday, April 15, episode of his and Bowen Yang’s “Las Culturistas” podcast. “Now where we are at is, he’s off. I can’t say where. … He’s creating the television program many people like. I’m going to see him soon but while he’s been gone and I’ve been sort of busy doing my own thing, we kind of did just take a little bit of space just because of how intense everything had gotten and personal things.”

Rogers and Olender, 33, went public with their romance in November 2025, at the same time that the Below Deck star experienced a health scare. Rogers explained on Wednesday that the pair had been dating for three months when they went to BravoCon.

“I wasn’t even going with the idea of, ‘And we are going to take a photo on the carpet.’ He wanted to take a picture together, I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ I put it on my Instagram. Then all of a sudden, that very weekend, people are like, ‘Oh, Matt and Fraser are dating.’ As that was happening, and I know this is going to sound dramatic, he had a heart attack in front of me,” Rogers said, while guest Lena Dunham replied, “Doesn’t sound dramatic. It’s true. It’s traumatic, is what it is.”

Related: Below Deck’s Fraser Is ‘Grateful’ for Captain Sandy After Onscreen Issues

Fraser Olender‘s onscreen relationship with Captain Sandy Yawn on Below Deck was quite rocky, but they’ve since gotten to a better place. “I saw Captain Sandy in London about three weeks ago. Of course, we get along,” Fraser, 30, exclusively told Us Weekly at BravoCon on Friday, November 3, before waving off their past drama. […]

He continued, “I feel like what people don’t know — or if you know, you obviously know because it’s horrifying and it’s hard to explain but, you don’t know that a heart attack is happening every time. He had very intense chest pains and couldn’t get comfortable and was short of breath and had to bail on the whole night with us.”

Rogers remembered checking in with Olender later, describing the reality TV star’s symptoms as “ongoing.”

“I’m thinking, like, ‘Is this stress and anxiety [or] whatever?’ We find out much later, after tests come in, that essentially because of this poison that got in his lungs, he had what was the equivalent of a heart attack,” Rogers said. “And it was really bad. We were in the hospital until 5, 5:30 in the morning. We really had only been dating for about three months.”

One day after Rogers’ comments, Olender shared a series of photos via his Instagram — including a couple of the “Las Culturistas” host. “Here & there ft. 🫶🏼,” he captioned the post.

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Related: Below Deck’s Fraser Learned A Lot From Captain Sandy Despite Feeling ‘Hurt’

Below Deck‘s Fraser Olender was asked about the rocky aspects of his past working relationship with Captain Sandy Yawn. During the Monday, February 5, episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Fraser was asked to describe his former coworkers. When asked about with Sandy, 58, Fraser replied that he learned “a lot,” but […]

Olender got candid about his health scare in a December 2025 Instagram post, sharing photos from the hospital.

“This is not chic but very important for me to share ⚠️,” he wrote at the time. “A few weeks ago I was rushed to hospital due to severe chest pains and difficulties breathing. Following this, I spent a week in London hospitals seeing specialists to identify the cause and possible damage of the incident. To keep it simple — I had vape poisoning, (an E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI)) and I have never experienced fear or pain like it.”

He continued, “Whatever was in my vape caused me to have a coronary artery vasospasm. Medically, that means the arteries supplying blood to my heart suddenly clamped down. That spasm reduced blood flow enough to cause an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), better known as a heart attack — not because of a blockage, but because my heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen during the spasm.”

Olender shared that he’s “grateful to still be recovering,” and he wanted to share his health scare with his followers because he “never realized something like this could happen.”

“If this experience can help even one person rethink vaping, it’s worth telling,” he wrote. “I haven’t touched a vape since this happened and never will. The pain I endured for 24 hours was inexplicable, 2 rounds of morphine didn’t touch the sides and eventually had to be given the strongest pain relief legal to administer in [the] ER — and that only brought my pain from a 10 to a 7.”

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He continued, “I could have died for the sake of something so ridiculously stupid, so please do yourselves a favour and give it up too – cold turkey. We do not know enough about these horrific things but I can tell you one thing; that was NOT cute, not even for the plot 👎🏼.”

Olender encouraged his followers to “be safe” and put their “health first.”

“P.s. it’s been nearly 3 weeks off the vape — my skin has never been better, brighter and clearer, there MUST be a correlation,” he wrote. “BEST skincare hack out there 👀.”

TikTok star Alix Earle hinted there’s more to the story with Alex Cooper.

“Sorry been busy filming this week,” Earle, 25, captioned TikTok footage of herself taking a pole-dancing class set to SAYGRACE and G-Eazy’s cover of “You Don’t Own Me.”

Several of Earle’s followers, meanwhile, wanted the scoop about the influencer’s supposed beef with “Call Her Daddy” podcaster Cooper, 31.

“WELP WE GOT SOME TEA FROM MARKOS,” one fan wrote in the comments section, to which Earle replied, “Doesn’t mean it’s true 💗 you’ll see.”

Related: What Really Happened Between Alex Cooper and Alix Earle? Drama Timeline

Alex Cooper and Alix Earle seemed like the perfect duo when they initially joined forces — but the social media stars had a falling out. Cooper launched her Unwell Network in August 2023, signing Earle as her first hire. The following month, Earle’s “Hot Mess” podcast released its first episode. More than a year later, […]

TikTok user @MarkosBits claimed on Saturday, April 18, that he knew “the full story” of what went down between Earle and Cooper and alleged that Earle wasn’t happy with her podcast contract that supposedly “heavily favored” Cooper’s Unwell Network production company.

“These sources are so wrong,” Alix’s sister Ashtin Earle replied to Markos.

Earle launched her “Hot Mess” podcast under the Unwell banner. The podcast, however, was dropped in February 2025 amid swirling rumors of a feud between the influencer and Cooper.

“I also have no idea what’s going on,” Alix said in a TikTok video at the time, adding in a follow-up clip, “Don’t really want to get into the details of it all, and I kind of can’t get into the details of it all right now, but I’ve loved it so much, and I’m really proud of what I built with the podcast.”

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Related: Alix Earle Shares Moment She 1st Watched Alex Cooper’s Request to Air ‘Beef’

Alix Earle and Alex Cooper’s ongoing feud doesn’t appear to be simmering any time soon. One day after Earle, 25, announced that she was “on it” after Cooper, 31, requested she publicly break down their mysterious conflict, Earle shared a video that captured the moment she first watched Cooper’s request. “Shoutout to my friends for […]

Cooper addressed Earle’s post via her Instagram Stories, writing, “Hi! I see ur comments. Alix not being able to podcast has nothing to do with Unwell,” Cooper said via her Instagram Story at the time. “IDK why she can’t/what’s going on. Unwell gave her everything back. She owns her IP.”

While neither star initially addressed the supposed drama, Alix raised eyebrows earlier this month when she started reposting shady videos. Cooper then chimed in about the alleged feud.

“You guys know I don’t usually address this kind of stuff because it feels like a waste of time. And honestly, it’s embarrassing to participate in this,” Cooper said in an April 13 video. “ am obviously seeing the videos, and I’m getting tagged. I see the DMs. I see the comments. So, at this point, it just feels long overdue.”

Cooper subsequently addressed Alix directly, adding, “Hey, girl. The passive aggressive reposts and the ‘likes’ and the commenting on things, I gotta call you out here. “Just say what you gotta say about me. There’s no NDA, and no one is stopping you. Stop hiding behind other people and just say it yourself. What’s the beef?”

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Related: Alex Cooper and Alix Earle Fallout Was ‘Ego-Driven’: Feud Reason Revealed

The ongoing drama between Alix Earle and Alex Cooper was rooted in an “ego-driven” conflict that ultimately led to their very public feud, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “It was not one isolated incident that led to the feud. There were multiple occasions where Alex made Alix feel uncomfortable,” the insider explains. “Alix felt […]

Cooper stressed that she had “nothing to hide” and welcomed a conversation with Alix, who responded in the comments, writing, “OK on it!”

While neither Cooper nor Alix have further detailed what led to their falling-out, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that the conflict was “ego-driven.”

“It was not one isolated incident that led to the feud. There were multiple occasions where Alex made Alix feel uncomfortable,” an insider told Us on Friday, April 17. “Alix felt ‘mean girl energy’ from [Alex] especially after they did the podcast together and didn’t think Alex had her best interests at heart.”

More than 40 years after its premiere, The Facts of Life is still giving Us something to talk about.

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The sitcom debuted on NBC in August 1979 as a spinoff of Diff’rent Strokes. The Facts of Life aired for nine seasons, becoming one of the longest-running sitcoms of the ’80s.

Before the series came to an end in 1988, the story of boarding school housemother Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) was expanded with two TV movies. The Facts of Life Goes to Paris aired in 1982, followed by The Facts of Life Down Under in 1987. A third film, The Facts of Life Reunion, brought together nearly the entire cast in 2001. (Nancy McKeon, who played Jo, was unable to participate at the time due to scheduling.)

Scroll down to see where the cast of The Facts of Life is now:

Once upon a time, TV shows just refused to end. Twenty-something episode seasons, filler arcs, and dragged-out storylines were the norm until Netflix changed everything. The streamer practically built its identity on tight, binge-worthy shows with short seasons and quick payoffs. In other words, Netflix has always known exactly when to end a story, and that makes all the difference.

However, the platform is also home to several shows that don’t just want to keep going. Instead, they are actually built on ideas and formats that can continue evolving without ever feeling stale. Here are Netflix shows that could last forever because of exactly that, and honestly, probably should.

8

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ (2022–Present)

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The Lincoln Lawyer is a show that’s just built to last. It takes the familiar format of a legal drama and makes it feel effortless, binge-worthy. The series, based on The Brass Verdict and other novels by Michael Connelly, follows defense attorney Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), who deals with high-stakes trials and a complex legal system while also dealing with his personal baggage. The great thing about the show is how it strikes the perfect balance between procedural and serialized storytelling.

Each episode brings in a new case that keeps things fresh while the audience remains invested in Mickey’s complicated relationships with his team, ex-wives, and daughter. That structure gives the show reason to go on for a long time without ever feeling repetitive. As long as there are new clients, crimes, and moral dilemmas for the protagonist to deal with, The Lincoln Lawyer will never really run out of steam.

7

‘Love, Death & Robots’ (2019–Present)

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Love, Death, & Robots pursues storytelling without any boundaries, and that’s what makes it so great. The animated anthology, created by Tim Miller and executive produced by David Fincher, tells a range of standalone stories that explore subjects including artificial intelligence, war, dystopias, and even human consciousness. Each episode of Love, Death & Robots is like a short film with different animation styles and tones.

However, their themes always tie them together. It’s honestly incredible how much the show manages to do in such a short runtime. Each story feels complete, yet leaves the audience with just enough ambiguity to pique their curiosity. This format makes Love, Death & Robots feel like it genuinely goes on forever. The show has the potential to continue experimenting and evolving over time and with technology.

6

‘Black Mirror’ (2011–Present)

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Black Mirror aims to unsettle, and what a great job it does at that. The series is Charlie Brooker’s masterpiece, which began as a British production before being picked up by Netflix, where it became one of the streamer’s most experimental and thoughtful titles. Black Mirror is also an anthology that explores the impact of technology on human behavior. However, despite all the flashy gadgets it centers on, Black Mirror is an uncomfortable exploration of mankind’s worst instincts. The eerie part is that the series actually takes existing fears around technology and amplifies them to the most extreme degree.

What’s all the more eerie is how close it always feels to reality. The sci-fi show is ambitious, but most of its stories feel like they’re just a few steps ahead of where humanity currently is. They revolve around social media, surveillance, and artificial intelligence. However, none of it ever feels sterile, because at its core, Black Mirror is driven by very human emotions of grief, obsession, and even love. That’s why the show will never run out of stories that feel both futuristic and comfortably familiar.

5

‘Virgin River’ (2019–Present)

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Virgin River is the perfect slow-burning romantic drama, based on the novels by Robyn Carr. The series follows nurse practitioner and midwife Melinda “Mel” Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), who moves to the quiet town of Virgin River to escape her bad past. However, she soon finds herself surrounded by a tightly-knit community that’s filled with complicated relationships, emotional baggage, and some pretty dark secrets. Amidst all this, her compelling romance with bar owner and former Marina Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) becomes the heart of the story.

Now, the premise might sound straightforward, but Virgin River unfolds through an expanding web of storylines that involve medical cases, small-town politics, and even drug operations that are woven into the characters’ personal arcs. The show constantly baits its audience with cliffhangers and rewards them with emotional payoffs, which is exactly what makes it so addictive. Even when the story feels predictable, one just can’t stop watching because of the characters and their chemistry. Virgin River might not be a high-concept show like most other names on this list, but it has mastered the art of comfort watching, and that truly never gets old.

4

‘Bridgerton’ (2020–Present)

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Bridgerton is another cozy romance series that transports its audience to the Regency Era, but with a modern twist. The series, created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shonda Rhimes, is based on Julia Quinn’s successful novel series and follows the lives and romances of the Bridgerton siblings in London’s high society. Each season centers on a different sibling while also leaning into a distinct romantic trope, such as fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, or friends-to-lovers. This rotating structure is one of the show’s biggest strengths.

It allows Bridgerton to reinvent itself every season with new emotional dynamics and fresh pairings, while also retaining fan-favorite characters and expanding their arcs. The show is definitely rooted in the Bridgerton family, but the universe it takes place in is far bigger. The success of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story proved that the franchise can easily branch out into spinoffs and side stories that can explore different timelines and perspectives. The Bridgerton franchise has a built-in framework for longevity thanks to its brilliant character work. The show has never been limited to one central arc, and that gives it the potential to last for a long time.

3

‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)

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Netflix’s One Piece has been a breath of fresh air in the saturated landscape of live-action remakes. The series follows the relentlessly optimistic pirate, Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), who sets out to find the ultimate treasure and become the Pirate King. Along the way, he builds his crew, where each member brings their own backstory and motivation. The story blends action, heart, and humor as the Straw Hat pirates travel across dangerous seas and battle powerful enemies.

What makes the show special is how faithfully it adapts Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga series while still making it feel accessible to a brand-new audience. It captures the spirit of the anime without feeling like a straightforward copy. The world-building feels expansive from the very beginning, and with the manga still ongoing, the Netflix series has an almost endless supply of arcs, characters, and adventures to draw from.

2

‘The Haunting Of’ Series (2018–2020)

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The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor are easily some of the smartest horror TV series of all time. Through their success, Mike Flanagan has actually been able to create something much bigger with his other Netflix shows, including Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, and The Fall of the House of Usher. Of course, the latter shows aren’t direct sequels to The Haunting Of anthology, but they carry the same kind of storytelling that layers emotional narratives with intense psychological horror.

Flanagan is now practically known for blending the supernatural with grief, trauma, and human relationships to create stories that feel connected even when they aren’t explicitly part of the same universe. That’s exactly why this style of storytelling can keep going indefinitely. A continuation of Flanagan’s horror series wouldn’t have to be tied to a single house or family. Instead, it uses the same kind of tone and approach to horror that can be applied to endless new settings and characters.

1

‘Beef’ (2023–Present)

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Anthologies are usually reserved for prestige storytelling. However, Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, applies the format to a comedy that is also a psychological thriller, a social satire, and an existential crisis. Beef Season 1 follows Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a struggling contractor whose road-rage incident with entrepreneur Amy Lau (Ali Wong) spirals into a petty and destructive feud that destroys both of their lives. The conflict starts with something absurdly small and keeps escalating until it exposes the ugly, repressed human feelings underneath.

The show is easily one of Netflix’s best original series and explores what happens when resentment and class conflict collide. Beef Season 2 takes that same formula and applies it to a brand new story that revolves around the setting of a country club, where a young couple witnesses an alarming fight between their boss and his wife. This pivot alone proves that the series can essentially keep going on for years without ever feeling repetitive. Beef is practically designed to show how humans will always find new reasons to clash, thanks to their fragile egos.

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Beef

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Release Date

April 6, 2023

Network

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Netflix

Showrunner

Lee Sung Jin

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Directors

Hikari, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, Lee Sung Jin

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Nancy Sinatra is publicly condemning President Donald Trump for sharing footage of her dad, Frank Sinatra, singing “My Way.”

“This is a sacrilege,” Nancy, 85, wrote via X on Sunday, April 19.

Nancy then responded to a fan who asked if something could be done about Trump’s post, saying, “Unfortunately, no. The only people who can do something are the publishers.”

Nancy also reposted a few comments from fans who pointed out that Frank, who died at age 82 in 1998, would not have agreed with Trump’s actions in office.

Related: Sinead O’Connor’s Estate Bars Trump Campaign From Using Her Music at Rally

Sinéad O’Connor’s estate has a message for former President Donald Trump — stop using the late singer’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U” at campaign rallies. “Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness and decency towards her fellow human beings,” O’Connor’s label […]

“@NancySinatra will confirm again that her father loathed Donald Trump,” one post read, while another user added, “Trump may love Sinatra, but Sinatra did not love Trump.”

Trump, 79, caused concern on Saturday, April 18, when he took to Truth Social with a nearly four-minute-long clip of Frank doing a live performance of “My Way.”

“And now, the end is near/ And so I face the final curtain,” the song begins. “My friend, I’ll say it clear/ I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain/ I’ve lived a life that’s full/ I traveled each and every highway/ And more, much more than this/ I did it my way.”

The president did not add any context to the post, leading to speculation about his reason behind sharing the video.

“Dafuq is going on? Should I be in a bunker or something?” one user wrote via X, while another person added, “Trump just posted a video of Frank Sinatra singing ‘My Way.’ What’s happening?”

Related: James Woods, 78, Calls Donald Trump the ‘Greatest President of My Lifetime’

Actor James Woods is praising Donald Trump despite the president’s less-than-stellar approval rating. “Greatest President and greatest Cabinet, certainly in my lifetime,” Woods, 78, wrote via X on Saturday, February 28, along with a photo of President Trump, 79, and his cabinet posing for a picture in the Oval Office. Woods post came on the […]

“Why is Donald Trump posting Frank Sinatra singing ‘My Way’ in the middle of the night? I guess the Iran stuff is getting REALLY bad,” a third person shared, referring to the ongoing war in Iran, which began in February when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on the Middle Eastern country.

Others believed the post may have been a sign that Trump’s health is declining, which has been rumored in recent weeks. (White House communications director Steven Cheung denied claims that Trump was hospitalized earlier this month, writing via X that there has “never been a President who has worked harder for the American people than President Trump.”)

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“Donald Trump posting Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ has to mean something right … Is he dying? Is he stepping down? Or is he just trolling us?” one person wrote via X.

“Three posts in roughly six days, all built around themes of legacy, morality, and reflection,” another user shared. “That’s not a coincidence. That’s a pattern worth naming. The context underneath. Trump turns 80 in June. He’s the oldest person ever to serve as US president, a record he took from himself.”

Us Weekly reached out to the White House for comment.

[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Beef Season 2.]

Netflix’s hit series Beef returned for Season 2, from three-time Emmy Award-winning creator Lee Sung Jin, with a whole new ensemble and story. With all eight episodes now streaming, Collider’s Steve Weintraub spoke with Lee and star Charles Melton to discuss the nuanced finale, from the two thematic oners to what that final shot actually means.

This season, we followed newly engaged Gen Z couple Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and Austin (Melton) as they found themselves tangled up in their boss’s unraveling relationship. Set against the backdrop of an exclusive country club, after witnessing a heated private moment between their manager Joshua (Oscar Isaac) and his wife Lindsay (Carey Mulligan), the two couples end up in competition, vying for the approval of the club’s billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung). Season 2 also stars Seoyeon Jang (Butterfly), Song Kang-ho (Parasite), Mikaela Hoover (Superman), and William Fichtner (Talamasca: The Secret Order).

In addition to the season finale, Lee shares exciting news for Marvel’s upcoming, as-of-yet untitled X-Men movie, which he’s set to pen alongside fellow Beef collaborator Joanna Calo, with Thunderbolts* and Beef director Jake Schreier at the helm. Don’t miss what’s in store for MCU fans; check out the full conversation in the video above or in the transcript below.

Marvel’s X-Men Movie Just Got a Major Rewrite Update

“I hold all these characters near and dear to my heart.”

Image via Marvel Comics

COLLIDER: Beef Season 2 is just fantastic. You guys did such amazing work.

LEE SUNG JIN: Thank you so much. Thank you. Appreciate that.

Sonny, I have to start with you as an individual, if you don’t mind. I’m sure you noticed that we wrote about X-Men and your involvement. I have to ask you, are you and Joanna [Calo] adapting? Are you working off a draft, or are you guys doing a page one rewrite?

LEE: Oh, man. I don’t know that I’m allowed to say. Where’s my publicist? I know that there was a previous draft, but I also know that Joanna, Jake [Schreier], and I, and Stephen, the producer, and Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito], we’ve been meeting regularly and trying to create a new draft. I love working with these people, often frequent collaborators, so I think the goal for us is just to keep getting in rooms, keep spitballing.

I’m such a huge, huge fan of X-Men. My dad was in town for my daughter’s birthday, my mom and dad both were, and I told them the news about X-Men, and he was like, “That’s the good one.” I have such fond memories of me and my dad on Saturday morning, every morning, waking up, I think it was probably, like, 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. central time. We’d watch every single episode and read the comics. I was a huge Gambit fan growing up, so the love is very strong. I hold all these characters near and dear to my heart.

I think Jake has such a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish through this movie. So, yeah, Joanna and I are here just to service the greater story, and we’re very, very honored to be a part of it.

I’m over the moon that you guys are working on it.

Related

New ‘X-Men’ Movie Officially Hires Creators of 2 of TV’s Greatest Series To Rewrite Script [Exclusive]

The film is expected to premiere in 2028.

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Charles Melton Pushed Himself for the Perfect “Tom Cruise” Shot

“Nobody can pressure me more than I can pressure myself.”

Image via Netflix

Jumping into the show. Charles, I’ve watched your work before, but this is by far my favorite work that I’ve seen of you. You’re just so good in this, and I’m just curious, did you put any additional pressure on yourself once you read the scripts, you saw your scene partners, and realized what you were stepping into?

CHARLES MELTON: Yeah. I work with an immense amount of pressure. Nobody can pressure me more than I can pressure myself. That’s kind of my way of life, I guess. But I think the environment that Lee Sung Jin created, and just the collaboration, I know we all individually, the cast, spent hours and hours and hours discussing existential things and shadow selves and experiences, these characters, which were filtered through the mind of Sunny and his own experience for them to write and have us, the actors, just telegraph these stories. It was such an exciting environment to be a part of. We were laughing… I mean, I wasn’t laughing all the time, but…

LEE SUNG JIN: I don’t know if it’s his football background, because he played football in college, just like Austin did, but Charles has a competitive streak in him that, I think, pushes yourself, whether it’s in ADR. He holds the record right below Song Kang-ho. Song Kang-ho holds the record in terms of how many takes he wants to do in ADR. It’s like literally hundreds. Charles is right there in the 90s.

There’s a shot in the finale when he’s running to grab a taxi. We got it, and we were going to move on. Charles is like, “I can go faster, like Tom Cruise.” We were like, “You can give us the Tom Cruise?” He was like, “Yeah.” So then he went one more time — pulled his hamstring. So, he’s always pushing himself to the limit until his body literally breaks, and I think that’s why we have the performance from him that we do.

MELTON: Thanks, man.

Is Austin Actually Happy in the ‘Beef’ Season 2 Finale?

Charles Melton has the perfect answer.

Image via Netflix

I do want to talk spoilers. I’ve obviously watched the whole thing, and I love the ending. For both of you, what are your thoughts on the way it ended, especially with the Gen Z couple taking over the country club?

JIN: It was really important for us to bookend the season with those two oners at the country club. Even the event in that oner is an event that depicts the four seasons, which is representative of each of the four couples. A big theme is the turning of seasons, the turning of generations, so we see spring turning to summer, to fall into winter. So, it made sense for us to show how Ashley and Austin ended up becoming a version of Josh and Lindsay.

In our youth, there’s so much hubris in terms of the ideologies that we hold, and there’s nothing wrong with those ideals. I think those are good ideals to have. But then life comes at you fast. I think it’s hard to hold on to those ideals when life throws you curveballs, especially financially. So, whether that’s a right or wrong decision, I’m hoping that the show doesn’t come across like we’re judging that decision. I think it really is open to interpretation, whether that’s something that they had to do or not.

Charles, I want to ask you a different question. Do you think Austin is ultimately happy with the decisions he made? Because when he’s in the car, he has the kid, he has the family, he’s walking out, and it’s a hard read. I’m just curious what your take was on where Austin is mentally?

MELTON: Dude, that’s a great question, man. I think about the ending, samsara, the aerial view, with Sunny talking about the cycles of life and things repeating themselves, whether they’re aversions of each other or not. I believe, as an audience member, it changes. I think if I watched it today, I’d say he’s happy and he’s in love. I think it depends on the day you’re watching the ending and what projection you may have in that moment for what you’re witnessing as an audience member. I think that’s up to the audience to decide.

But if anything, I think it’s a slice of truth and of reality. Not everything in life is rainbows and stars and sparkly dust. What is life? What Sunny does is, somehow, in the reality of it, capture that which is very universal. So, I think it just depends on the day when you’re watching that finale. I’m sure you’d have a different interpretation if you watched it tomorrow or the next day after having two hours of sleep.

Beef Season 2 is available to stream on Netflix now.

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Release Date

April 6, 2023

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Network

Netflix

Showrunner

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Lee Sung Jin

Directors

Hikari, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, Lee Sung Jin

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Writers

Alice Ju

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You’re never far from the next Jason Statham ass-kicking, and soon he will be reuniting with acclaimed director Guy Ritchie for his next. The man who awarded Statham his debut role in 1998 with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Ritchie and the British favorite have worked together on five films. Their sixth, Viva La Madness, is a new action-thriller based on J.J. Connolly’s 2011 novel and the follow-up to Layer Cake.

We’ve already seen our first glimpse of a smart-looking Statham filming on Viva La Madness in Malta, and we can’t wait for our first sight of his many acclaimed co-stars, including Vinnie Jones, Jason Isaacs, Babs Olusanmokun, Camila Mendes, Ben Foster, Jonny Lee Miller, and Raúl Alejandro. Whilst the world waits for this pleasure, Statham films continue to dominate the streaming cycle. From recent releases such as 2025’s A Working Man to classics such as Snatch, Statham projects regularly appear in the streaming charts.

Alas, your chance to watch one of the former model’s most underrated efforts is quickly fading. As of May 1, the third installment in the Transporter franchise will be leaving Plex. Written by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton, Transporter 3 was Statham’s last in the franchise, following a reported dispute over pay and commitment to future installments. Deadpool and Game of Thrones alum Ed Skrein took over the role for a disappointing fourth entry: Transporter Refueled.

What Did Critics Say About ‘Transporter 3’?

Image via EuropaCorp

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The Transporter franchise never received much acclaim from critics, but its place in the hearts of fans was tested with this third installment. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s critics’ score of 40% and 48% audience rating is the lowest of Statham’s three Transporter movies. The critics’ consensus on the site reads, “This middling installment in the Transporter franchise is a few steps down from its predecessors, featuring generic stunts and a lack of energy.” A synopsis for the movie reads:

“Mob courier Frank Martin’s (Jason Statham) latest assignment pairs him with Valentina (Natalya Rudakova), the cynical daughter of a Ukrainian official. While her father ponders what to do with three boatloads of toxic waste, Frank must guard the problematic woman and prevent her from wandering too far from his vehicle, or risk triggering the explosive shackles they both wear.”

Transporter 3 is leaving Plex this May. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

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Release Date

December 5, 2008

Runtime

104 Minutes

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Whether it’s in a superhero, science fiction, fantasy, or the viewer’s own universe, everyone and their mother loves a good action-packed project. Sure, it’s fun to see a high-stakes, action-focused romp for 2+ hours, but with action television shows, audiences get to spend hours, on hours, on hours with the characters and the excitement they bring.

Action may be considered a genre, but it’s so general that it’s a genre that applies to all the others as well, which means audiences can get action sci-fi, fantasy, and so much more. The possibilities are genuinely endless with action—because all the term means is that there are chases, stunt-heavy sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and more. Which are some of the best action shows, though? Which are amazing from start to finish?

‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)

Image via Netflix

The 1999 anime, One Piece, is one of the most popular (arguably the most popular) anime of all time. So, it only makes sense that, eventually, it would get a live-action remake. It’s honestly surprising that it took them this long to make one. What makes Netflix’s One Piece so much different, though, is it’s a live-action remake that actually works and is genuinely so dang good.

While making a good non-animated adaptation of an animated show shouldn’t be too difficult, in theory, this project proves that it’s possible (and really shouldn’t be as hard to do as Hollywood seems to make it seem it is). One Piece is a genuinely amazing show that is so entertaining and gets everything right about the original that the studios needed to from the get-go.

‘Invincible’ (2021–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Speaking of animated shows, one of the most popular animated shows of recent years is, without a doubt, Robert Kirkman‘s Invincible. The Invincible (2003) book is easily one of the most influential and important non-Marvel Comics or DC Comics series of all time. Robert Kirkman is the mastermind of comics, bringing to life not just this but also The Walking Dead and Marvel Zombies.

This in mind, with how involved Kirkman is with the show, Invincible is not just one of the coolest action shows out there, but one of the better comic book adaptations on television, too. Paired with great voice acting—Steven Yeun, J. K. Simmons, and Sandra Oh being the stand-outs—and absolutely thrilling action, Invincible is one of the greats.

‘Ben 10’ (2005–2008)

Image via Cartoon Network

While some may not believe it (because of how pushed to the side the series has been in America for quite some time), Ben 10 is actually one of the most popular franchises, specifically overseas—genuinely on the level of Marvel and DC Comics. This is because Ben 10 is not only the perfect fantasy for a young person to be any kind of hero they want, but because it’s just that well-made.

Ben 10 is everything that a good kids’ action series needs to be. It’s not just for younger audiences, but can easily be enjoyed by older audiences, too. It manages to still handle more serious topics and themes, while having a main character that is goofy, irresponsible (some of the time), and fun-loving. All-in-all, it’s really hard not to like Ben 10.

‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)

Image via Netflix

Before the year of 2021, literally nobody would have expected one of the best modern television shows to be based on the infamous video game, League of Legends. However, they’d be proven wrong with the release of Arcane. Bringing an incredibly unique style to the silver screen, Arcane doesn’t just have phenomenal action—who could forget the fight in Season 1, featuring Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) facing off against an army of Turbo Chemtanks?—but even better writing to match it.

Pretty much everyone wished this series lasted more than the two seasons it did, but that short longevity is proof of the masterful writing at play. It does not overstay its welcome. It has a clear beginning, middle, and end, and does not try to push itself further than it needs to just to milk for more seasons, a problem so many television shows have.

‘Reacher’ (2022–Present)

Image via Prime Video

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Remember the Jack Ryan movie series with Tom Cruise? Yeah, not many people do, and that’s for a reason. However, the famous book franchise finally got a wildly good adaptation with the one and only Prime Video series, Reacher, starring Alan Ritchson. This show isn’t just for action lovers, but for those who enjoy a good mystery/thriller, as well.

What’s better than badass action but badass action that features one of the buffest men in Hollywood destroying—and I mean destroying—any person or obstacle that dares stand in his way? Reacher has become extremely popular in the last few years, and that’s for countless reasons, but the action is, without a doubt, one of the strongest.

‘Andor’ (2022–2025)

If one were to ask pretty much anyone who has seen Andor, they’d most likely say that the 2022 show is one of the most well-written Star Wars pieces of media of all time. The overall story is smart, impactful, meaningful, compelling, and tells a tale that has incredible relevance today. Andor stands out for all the right reasons.

For a lot of the series, Andor is a slower, more dramatic story. It’s very much a space political thriller at heart. However, the action genre comes to life throughout the series thanks to the action sequences within it that contrast the slower parts of the story, making them all the more impactful than they’d have been in a faster-paced romp. Andor is a must-watch for any fan not only of Star Wars, but action, too.

‘My Hero Academia’ (2016–2025)

Image via Studio Bones

In the last two decades, anime has become a lot “cooler” here in the West than it ever was before. One of the shows that has directly helped make this possible is none other than the likes of My Hero Academia, created by mangaka Kohei Horikoshi. Following the young Izuku Midoriya (Daiki Yamashita and Justin Briner), a quirkless boy who is given the power of the world’s greatest superhero, All Might (Kenta Miyaki and Christopher Sabat), the story in My Hero Academia is iconic.

Like most shōnen anime, though, what stands out the most about this hit series is the action that takes place within it and helps drive the plot forward. Despite some people having slight issues with the animation in Season 5, My Hero Academia is relatively one of the better animated shows of the modern shōnen anime era, especially when it comes to the most recent final season. Safe to say, the action in My Hero Academia is spectacular, thrilling, and makes it an enjoyable watch the whole way through.

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)

Image via Wit Studio

While My Hero Academia is explosively popular, there are few modern anime that have had the profound impact that the high-stakes, action-packed, amazingly-animated series, Attack on Titan has. People absolutely fell in love with this show almost immediately, thanks to the way it completely subverts the expectations of the viewer just a few episodes in—audiences, thanks to the first few episodes, thought that it was just going to be the Scouts against the Titans, until Eren Yeager (Yuki Kaji and Bryce Papenbrook) becomes one, that is.

Attack on Titan has super fast-paced action via the Scouts and their iconic ODM (Omni-Directional Mobility) gear. Meanwhile, they also get the titanic action of Titan-on-Titan fighting. There’s a variety in the kind of action that is seen, and that keeps things incredibly exciting. Outside of that, though, Attack on Titan is one of the most masterfully-written animated series of all time. It’s phenomenal, and well-worth the watch.

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t just among the best action shows, but it’s genuinely considered one of the greatest television shows ever made. It’s written with a grace, taste, and skill unlike any other airing at the time. Next to that, though, it’s also got some excellent action that is animated with such skill and precision that it’s another huge part of why the show is so successful.

What makes the action in Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s action so special is the fact that, despite being an animated series in a completely fantastical world, it bases its fights and bending in general on real world martial arts styles. Using real martial arts techniques and forms to bring the action to life helps ground the series in a way that is unlike any other animated series of its kind.

‘Daredevil’ (2015–2018)

Image via Netflix

Very rarely does a show get the high praise of being considered “art,” but when Daredevil is in the discussion, said praise is always thrown around. It’s not only one of the best superhero shows of all time, but Daredevil is one of the best streaming shows out there. It’s not just a Marvel superhero series. This is truly a story that is abundantly raw, genuine, and, of course, filled with brutal, gritty action.

Daredevil knows exactly what it is, and delivers on it with every single entry throughout all three seasons. Even at its lowest—Season 2, to most—the show manages to be amazing and tell stories that really feel like the cast and crew put their entire hearts and souls into the production. They made sure that this series turned out as close to perfect as they could. Spoiler alert: they did.

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Daredevil

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Release Date

2015 – 2018-00-00

Showrunner

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Steven S. DeKnight

Directors

Phil Abraham, Stephen Surjik, Peter Hoar

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Writers

Drew Goddard

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