We all love movies that are exactly as stupid as their titles suggest, which is also part of why some of them work so well. This 2010 comedy takes a ridiculous premise and commits to it with enough confidence that the whole thing turns weirdly charming. A bunch of burned-out friends get blasted back to the 1980s through a ski-resort hot tub, and the movie spends the rest of its runtime seeing how much fun it can squeeze out of that setup. And now it’s streaming for free.

What helps is that it’s not just random chaos. Hot Tub Time Machine‘s cast all hit different comic notes, which gives the group dynamic more life than it probably has any right to have. The movie is raunchy, silly, and knowingly nostalgic, but it’s also just self-aware enough to keep itself from getting too smug. And we cannot overstate just how stupid the premise is, but as we’ve already noted, that’s a huge part of why the movie works, especially when it shouldn’t.

The cast of the movie includes John Cusack (High Fidelity, Grosse Pointe Blank) as Adam Yates, Rob Corddry (Cedar Rapids, Warm Bodies) as Lou Dorchen, Craig Robinson (This Is the End, Pineapple Express) as Nick Webber-Agnew, Clark Duke (Kick-Ass, Sex Drive) as Jacob Yates, Lizzy Caplan (Cloverfield, Mean Girls) as April, Crispin Glover (Back to the Future, River’s Edge) as Phil, and Chevy Chase (Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation) as Repairman.

Is ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ Any Good?

Roger Ebert felt that, against all odds, Hot Tub Time Machine ends up being much better than its ridiculous title suggests. It leans into a dumb premise with total confidence and turns it into a genuinely funny, raunchy buddy comedy about middle-aged guys getting the chance to revisit their youth. The movie mostly stays in familiar gross-out territory, but it does it with enough charm and self-awareness to rise above a lot of similar comedies.

Ebert highlights Corddry as the standout, with his performance as Lou giving the movie much of its comic energy. Cusack brings his usual likability, while Robinson and Duke round out the group well. The time-travel setup creates plenty of absurd situations, and the film gets a lot of mileage out of the characters trying to navigate their younger world in their older bodies.

Hot Tub Time Machine is streaming now on Pluto.

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Release Date

March 26, 2010

Runtime

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101 minutes

Director

Steve Pink

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Writers

John Morris, Josh Heald, Sean Anders

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Producers

Grace Loh, John Cusack, Matt Moore

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Met Gala 2026 is shaping up to be as dramatic off the carpet as it is on it, with major names confirmed, surprising absences, and growing controversy surrounding this year’s event. With Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams leading as co-chairs, the Met Gala is once again poised to deliver headline-making fashion moments. But this year, the conversation isn’t just about couture.

Amazon’s reported involvement has sparked backlash, with activist group “Everyone Hates Elon” plastering New York City with “Boycott the Bezos Met Ball” messaging, and social media speculation suggesting some celebrities could face criticism simply for attending.

As buzz builds, several high-profile names are notably absent, including Zendaya, who has been a Met Gala staple for years. After seven consecutive appearances, Zendaya is reportedly sitting out this year. While some have questioned whether the decision is politically motivated, others point to her packed schedule, with multiple film projects releasing in 2026.

Lady Gaga has also yet to appear on any confirmed guest lists, adding to the speculation around who will, and won’t, show up. Meanwhile, some A-listers have long skipped the event altogether, including Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, and Dwayne Johnson.

Meryl Streep’s Absence Raises Eyebrows

One of the most talked-about no-shows is Meryl Streep, who has never attended the Met Gala and may have passed on another invitation this year. The Oscar-winning actress, who shares a well-known friendship with Wintour, was reportedly invited to co-chair in the past and may have received another offer for 2026. However, speculation suggests Streep declined, with some pointing to her political views and possible opposition to Bezos’ involvement as a factor, though nothing has been confirmed.

Despite the controversy, fashion will still take center stage. Brand partnerships are expected to heavily influence red carpet looks, with Kidman aligned with Chanel, Zoë Kravitz tied to Saint Laurent, and Anne Hathaway representing Prada. With Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello serving as one of the event’s hosts, insiders expect the brand to dominate the carpet more than ever this year.

Dress Code Revealed: ‘Fashion Is Art’ Takes Center Stage

This year’s Met Gala 2026 isn’t just about showing up, it’s about making a statement. The official dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” ties directly into the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, “Costume Art,” encouraging attendees to blur the lines between fashion and fine art. Expect bold, conceptual looks that feel more like museum pieces than traditional red carpet gowns.

Curated by Andrew Bolton, the head curator in charge of the department, the theme is likely to inspire some of the most theatrical and talked-about fashion moments in recent years. “I wanted to focus on the centrality of the dressed body within the Museum, connecting artistic representations of the body with fashion as an embodied art form,” Bolton said.

“Rather than prioritizing fashion’s visuality, which often comes at the expense of the corporeal, ‘Costume Art’ privileges its materiality and the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear,” he added. “The opening of the new Galleries will mark a pivotal moment for the department, one that acknowledges the critical role that fashion plays not only within art history but also within contemporary culture.”

‘Costume Art’ Exhibit Will Pair Fashion With Centuries Of Art

The Met Gala 2026 theme goes far beyond the red carpet, with the accompanying “Costume Art” exhibit offering a deeper, more conceptual look at fashion’s place in history. The exhibition will feature nearly 400 objects from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections, pairing garments with paintings, sculptures, and other works spanning centuries.

Rather than organizing the display chronologically, the exhibit will be divided into categories centered around different interpretations of the body, including the naked body, the classical body, the pregnant body, the aging body, the anatomical body, and the mortal body.

What Time It Starts And When Stars Hit The Carpet

Mark your calendars, the Met Gala takes place on Monday, May 4, with arrivals kicking off early in the evening. Guests are expected to begin walking the iconic steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art around 5:30 p.m. ET, with full red carpet coverage starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

That’s when the biggest names in fashion, film, music, and sports will make their grand entrances, and where the internet will inevitably crown its best (and worst) dressed of the night.

There’s something especially nasty about this film that helps it stand apart from a lot of alien invasion movies. For all of its giant-scale destruction and blockbuster spectacle, this 2005 thriller never feels triumphant or crowd-pleasing in the usual way. It feels panicked, ugly, and genuinely frightening, which is exactly why it still works so well. This is a film about ordinary people trying to survive something completely beyond their control, and it never lets that fear drift too far out of frame.

That approach gives War of the Worlds a different energy from most sci-fi tentpoles of its era. Tom Cruise plays Ray Ferrier as an imperfect father thrown into a nightmare he can’t understand, and the film gets a lot of mileage out of that uneasy perspective. Instead of chasing heroics, Steven Spielberg stays focused on confusion, terror, and the desperate instinct to keep moving. That makes the set pieces hit even harder, whether it’s the first shocking tripod attack or the smaller, more claustrophobic moments later on.

Now that it’s streaming free on Pluto, the film has another chance to find viewers who may have written it off as just another loud 2000s blockbuster. Alongside Cruise, the movie features Dakota Fanning (Man on Fire, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Rachel Ferrier, Justin Chatwin (Dragonball Evolution, The Invisible) as Robbie Ferrier, Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Annabelle: Creation) as Mary Ann, Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River) as Harlan Ogilvy, and Rick Gonzalez (Coach Carter, Old School) as Vincent.

Is ‘War of the Worlds’ Any Good?

Collider’s review of the movie stated that War of the Worlds is a brutal, visually striking alien-invasion thriller that delivers incredible spectacle and tension for most of its runtime, but ultimately collapses under the weight of a famously terrible ending. Noting that the movie has some pacing issues, it’s essentially just a series of set pieces strung one after the other — although the one with the ferry is particularly affecting to this writer.

But as the review states, the ending is “pants-sh*ttingly awful.” Admittedly, the original story has a famously flat ending, but surely they could have come up with something a bit better than what they came up with. That said, the mayhem and chaos that preceded it is still worth the ride.

War of the Worlds is streaming now for free on Pluto.

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Release Date

June 29, 2005

Runtime

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116 Minutes

Writers

Josh Friedman, David Koepp, H.G. Wells

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The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is said to be shocked that Anna Wintour and the high-profile team running this year’s Met Gala left her off the A-list invite list. According to a new source, Markle, who is married to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, claimed that while the former “Suits” star is bothered by the snub, she’s holding out hope that she can get her hands on a last-minute pair of tickets to the industry’s most luxurious ball of the year.

According to Soap Opera Spy, Markle is allegedly feeling down about being left off this year’s Met Gala invite list, which will include major celebrities, including Nicole Kidman and Beyoncé.

The outlet stated that Markle, who married into the Royal Family in 2018, was allegedly surprised to be overlooked, given that she and Wintour, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue, bonded in 2025.

A source said the pair spent time together in Paris and that Wintor appeared to have moved past their reported beef.

Consequently, Markle is finding it hard not to view being left off the list as a “deliberate snub.”

Source Says Meghan Markle Is Hoping To Secure An Invite To This Year’s Met Gala At The Last Minute

While it appears that Markle’s chances of making it inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year are slim, another source said that the mother of two isn’t giving up just yet.

“Meghan’s holding out for a last-minute change,” they claimed. “But the longer it goes on, the harder it is to ignore that yet again she and Harry have not been included in the cool crowd. It’s humiliating.”

Continuing, a third source added that the Hollywood crowd appears to be “over her,” claiming the actress-turned-royal “sucks the air out of every room and makes it about herself.”

Beyoncé Said To Have An Issue With Meghan Markle’s Attempts At Getting Cozy With Her

The sources’ claims that major celebrities want to keep space between themselves and Markle could be true, according to a previous report from The Blast.

In March 2026, a source close to the “Cowboy Carter” singer claimed that she was pulling back from Markle after publicly supporting her for years.

The insider explained that Queen Bey has allegedly noticed Markle attending certain events, apparently seeking proximity to her and her mega-famous family.

“Over the last few years there has been a noticeable pattern where Meghan has shown up at events tied to Beyoncé’s world – whether that is functions celebrating Tina Knowles or gatherings where mutual friends are involved. To many observers it has looked like a conscious and a bit of a desperate effort to position herself closer to that circle,” the source claimed.

Per the insider, Beyoncé has a natural instinct to pull back from someone once she feels a shift in their energy. “Beyoncé values relationships that evolve quietly over time, so any sign of pressure or strategic networking can make her more cautious,” they added.

Met Gala Drama Doesn’t End With Markle

Markle isn’t the only celebrity reportedly bothered by the Met Gala’s choice to exclude her from the massive fundraiser set for May 4th.

According to The Blast, Broadway star Billy Porter slammed the Met in a previous interview, claiming he hasn’t been invited to the star-studded event in years.

“I haven’t been invited back since 2019. That’s the only time I’ve ever gone, and the only time I’ve ever been invited, and I was invited by Ryan Murphy that year,” Porter, who starred in “Kinky Boots,” said.

“I’m just gonna throw that out there. I’m good. It’s all good, but the reality is, when people ask me, you need to know: I was not invited. And I don’t go to places where I’m not welcome,” he added.

LeBron James Withdrew From Last Year’s Met Gala After An Unfortunate Injury

Another report from The Blast detailed NBA star LeBron James’ unfortunate exit from last year’s event after suffering a knee injury during the playoff season.

The NBA champion was part of the host committee, acting as an official ambassador for the charity event.

While the Los Angeles Lakers star couldn’t make it, his wife, Savannah James, attended in his place.

“My beautiful powerful Queen will be there holding the castle down as she always has done,” James wrote online.

There are polished classics, and then there are movies like this one, which survive almost entirely on energy, weirdness, and total commitment to the bit. The 1995 adventure thriller is enormous, silly, chaotic, and somehow still deeply watchable because it never seems embarrassed by any of its wild choices. Killer apes, lost cities, lasers, corporate greed, and jungle mayhem all get thrown into the same pot, and the result is exactly as unhinged as that sounds.

That unpredictability is a big part of the appeal. Congo doesn’t have the elegance of the best ’90s adventure blockbusters, but it absolutely has personality. The cast does its best to hold the whole thing together, and ham it up exactly where you’d hope and expect them to, and the whole movie feels like a studio gamble from an era when big-budget genre filmmaking could still get a little messy and strange. And we miss those days a lot, don’t you?

But now that it’s streaming free on Pluto, Congo has another shot at being appreciated for the gloriously chaotic artifact it is. It is demented, and you’ll enjoy it for that. The cast includes Laura Linney (The Truman Show, Mystic River) as Dr. Karen Ross, Dylan Walsh (The Lake House, Secretariat) as Dr. Peter Elliott, Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters, The Crow) as Captain Munro Kelly, Tim Curry (Clue, The Rocky Horror Picture Show) as Herkermer Homolka, Grant Heslov (True Lies, Black Sheep) as Richard, Joe Don Baker (Cape Fear, GoldenEye) as R.B. Travis, and Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead II, Spider-Man 2) as Charles Munro.

Is ‘Congo’ Worth Watching?

Roger Ebert felt that Congo is not exactly a good movie, but it is a very entertaining one if you’re willing to go along with how silly it is. Instead of treating its jungle-adventure setup seriously, the film leans into the absurdity, with the cast clearly understanding that they’re in an over-the-top action comedy. That tone is a big part of why it works. It’s a film built for people who watched Saturday matinees, who don’t take life too seriously, and who don’t roll their eyes when they see a cliché but rather, those who point and whistle at the screen like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. More than that, Ebert heaped praise on Curry’s performance, because he just has one of those faces.

Congo is streaming now on Pluto.

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Release Date

June 9, 1995

Runtime

109 Minutes

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Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza seemingly will not be joining his former Indiana University Hoosiers teammates at an upcoming White House visit.

“I believe May 11th [the day of the Hoosiers’ White House visit] is the first day of OTAs (organized team activities) … if it is on the first day of OTAs, like I say, I’m at the bottom of the totem pole here [in Las Vegas], I’ve got to prove myself,” Mendoza, 22, told reporters on Saturday, May 2.

He went on, “I can’t miss practice. Yeah, I can’t miss practice. … I’m a rookie. I don’t think that’s a good look. I want to try to serve my teammates and I don’t know whether that would be achieving my goal.”

It was reported earlier this week that the White House scheduled a visit from the Hoosiers for May 11, after the college football team went 16-0 last season and clinched their first College Football Playoff National Championship on January 19.

Since that historic championship win, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick in the NFL draft on April 23. The athlete did not attend the draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in person, choosing instead to celebrate his career milestone at home with his parents in Miami.

“My ​​mom really wanted to do it at home and so did [both of] my parents,” he told ESPN’s The Rich Eisen Show last month. “It’s a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation.”

Fernando pointed to practical concerns, since his mom, Elsa, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007 and now uses a wheelchair.

“We’d have to hop on a plane the next morning anyway,” Mendoza explained on The Rich Eisen Show. “For that travel, it would be a lot easier to stay at home. I wanted to stay and make the memory with everybody who poured into my football journey. Mentors, coaches, family, friends. Being able to share that moment with all of them is going to be the best memory that I can make, rather than limiting it to 10 or 12 people in Pittsburgh.”

The athlete celebrated being drafted by the Raiders with an update on his personal favorite social media platform, LinkedIn.

“It’s official. Grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work,” he wrote, with the NFL replying: “Welcome to the League!”

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Related: Heisman Finalist Fernando Mendoza Reacts to Viral Interview: ‘Too Much?”

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is looking back on going viral with an emotional postgame interview after his Big 10 Championship game victory. “It was just genuine raw emotion,” Mendoza, 22, admitted to People in an interview published on Friday, December 12. “Maybe it was a little too much.” Following his Indiana Hoosiers’ victory over […]

Fernando won the Heisman Trophy in December 2025, delivering an emotional speech where he dedicated the prestigious accolade to his mother.

“Mami, this is your trophy as much as it is mine,” he told Elsa from the stage. “You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light, you’re my ‘why,’ you’re my biggest supporter.”

The quarterback grew emotional as he went on, “Your sacrifices, courage, love, those have been my first playbook and that playbook that I’m going to carry by my side for my entire life. You taught me that toughness doesn’t need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong. It’s choosing hope. It’s believing in yourself when the world doesn’t give you much reason to. Together, you and I are rewriting what people think is possible. I love you.”

We all love the kind of movie that knows exactly how ridiculous it is and benefits from committing anyway. Released in that late-2000s stretch when Hollywood was deeply obsessed with surveillance, government control, and the idea that technology had quietly become terrifying, this thriller takes the audience into a conspiracy that quickly grows from strange phone calls to total systemic chaos. It’s glossy, tense, and just self-serious enough to sell the panic.

A big part of the fun is watching how quickly Eagle Eye escalates. Every device, traffic system, camera, and screen becomes part of the threat, which gives the movie a nice sense of momentum even when it’s being delightfully over-the-top. Now that it’s streaming free on Pluto, Eagle Eye is perfectly placed for a reappraisal. It’s one of those mid-budget studio thrillers that used to be everywhere and now feels weirdly refreshing because nobody really makes them like this anymore. In fact, it’s the kind of movie that you’d find Prime Video making and releasing randomly on a Friday in February that you’d watch without thinking. Not always a bad thing.

The cast of Eagle Eye includes Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Disturbia) as Jerry Shaw, Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Gone Baby Gone) as Rachel Holloman, Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent) as Zoe Perez, Billy Bob Thornton (Landman, A Simple Plan) as Tom Morgan, Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) as Major William Bowman, and Michael Chiklis (Fantastic Four, Pain & Gain) as Defense Secretary Callister.

Is ‘Eagle Eye’ Any Good?

Roger Ebert wasn’t sold on the movie, to be honest. His review stated that Eagle Eye is so wildly implausible that it barely feels like it belongs in the real world it pretends to occupy. The movie throws LaBeouf and Monaghan into one ridiculous set piece after another, with a mysterious force somehow controlling phones, cameras, traffic systems, trains, and basically everything else in America. None of it makes much sense, and the story quickly turns into pure chaos.

Ebert felt the narrative was off the rails from the beginning and that it’s essentially just a mixture of CGI and stunt work, while LaBeouf is completely wasted in the lead role because the movie doesn’t have anything for him to do. Lastly, Ebert felt that the editing of the film was terrible, and designed for people with ADHD. Not great.

Eagle Eye is streaming now on Pluto.

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Release Date

September 16, 2008

Runtime

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117 Minutes

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There was a point in the 2010s when found-footage storytelling got shoved into almost every genre imaginable, but this little gem remains one of the better examples of that experiment actually working. It takes a familiar teen sci-fi premise and gives it a frantic, messy, increasingly uneasy energy that suits the material pretty well. The first half has a lot of fun with the possibilities of time travel. The second half is where the movie starts punishing everyone for it.

That escalation is the big reason it sticks. Project Almanac understands the appeal of a bunch of smart but reckless teenagers suddenly having access to something way too powerful, and it lets that excitement gradually turn into panic. It never tries to be the deepest time-travel movie ever made, but it does know how to keep tightening the screws. That makes it a lot more effective than its reputation sometimes suggests. Honestly, it’s probably worth your while if you feel like it.

The movie’s cast includes Jonny Weston (Chasing Mavericks, Under the Bed) as David Raskin, Sofia Black-D’Elia (Ben-Hur, Viral) as Jessie Pierce, Sam Lerner (Monster House, Truth or Dare) as Quinn Goldberg, Allen Evangelista (Secret Obsession, The Deal) as Adam Le, Virginia Gardner (Halloween, Fall) as Christina Raskin, and Amy Landecker (A Serious Man) as Kathy Raskin.

Is ‘Project Almanac’ Any Good?

RogerEbert.com posted that Project Almanac has a clever idea at its center, but it gets buried under an exhausted found-footage approach and a story that eventually falls apart. The film follows a group of teens who discover plans for a homemade time machine and start using it to improve their lives, from school and social status to romance and money. That setup gives the movie some early energy, and for a while, it feels like a fun teen sci-fi ride.

The real problem is the format, because the found-footage style feels completely unnecessary here, and instead of adding realism or tension, it mostly becomes a distraction for the audience. As the story goes on, things get more melodramatic and less convincing. David starts making increasingly selfish choices, and the movie leans too hard into forced drama rather than the smarter consequences of time travel. In the end, Project Almanac has a fun premise and some likable performances, but it doesn’t seem to know how to have the best of both worlds.

Project Almanac is streaming now on Pluto for free.

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Release Date

January 30, 2015

Runtime

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106minutes

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Over the years, there have been several fantasy shows that fired up the imaginations of countless fans, becoming evergreen pop culture landmarks that are still talked about today. But while shows like Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may be perennial topics of discussion among viewers, for better or worse, there are some fantasy masterpieces that, though brilliant in their own way, have become sadly forgotten. However, though they may not be as popular, these shows are just as worthwhile a watch as any of the most famous fantasy shows in the world today.

From breathtakingly detailed worlds to grounded, character-driven narratives, these underrated shows cover a wide range of genres and styles, taking vastly different approaches to creating the perfect fantasy narrative. And though they may not be well-remembered by the general public, that doesn’t mean they’re any less memorable once you see them. Without further ado, here’s our handpicked selection of near-perfect fantasy shows that no one remembers today.

1

‘Carnivàle’ (2003–2005)

Image via HBO

Created by Daniel Knauf, Carnivàle is a fantasy period drama set in the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. The show explores the mysterious destiny that connects Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), a young man with healing powers who works at a traveling carnival, to Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown), a California preacher with psychic abilities, as their separate lives slowly converge into an epic battle of good and evil. The series also features Michael J. Anderson, Tim DeKay, Patrick Bauchau, Debra Christofferson, Diane Salinger, Clea DuVall, Adrienne Barbeau, and more in supporting roles.

An epic saga with complex worldbuilding and an intriguing mythos, Carnivàle isn’t an easy show to get into, but it rewards its fans with fascinating lore and a unique narrative. The series was largely well-received by critics during its two-season run, but it never quite received the sort of sustained attention it required, and the show was ultimately canceled on a frustrating cliffhanger. Despite its premature end, Carnivàle remains an underrated masterpiece that’s worth revisiting for genre fans, particularly those who enjoy elevated, surrealist fantasies.

2

‘Carnival Row’ (2019–2023)

Image via Julie Vrabelova / ©Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection

Set in a steampunk, Victorian-esque world, Carnival Row was created by René Echevarria and Travis Beacham, and inspired by Beacham’s unproduced film spec script, A Killing on Carnival Row. The series revolves around the conflict between the humans of The Burgue and fae refugees who seek refuge in the city, following half-fae inspector Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) as he investigates a series of murders and navigates a complex relationship with his lost love, the faerie Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne). The show also features Simon McBurney, Tamzin Merchant, David Gyasi, Andrew Gower, Karla Crome, Arty Froushan, Indira Varma, Jared Harris, and more in other significant roles.

A two-season fantasy drama, Carnival Row was never a big hit with critics, facing criticism for its sprawling plot, which attempts to explore class politics, sexism, elitism, race, immigration, and more. But while the writing may not be perfect, the production certainly is, and the show expertly transports viewers to a vibrant and meticulously crafted fantasy world. And for what it’s worth, the show’s political themes and perspectives are certainly as valid and necessary today as they’ve ever been.

3

‘Jentry Chau vs the Underworld’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

Created by Echo Wu and produced by Titmouse, Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld is an animated series starring Ali Wong as the titular Chinese-American teen. After rediscovering her suppressed magical powers on her 16th birthday, Jentry finds herself targeted by a demon king, forcing her to move from a boarding school in Seoul, South Korea, back to her hometown in suburban Texas. Besides Wong, the show’s voice cast also includes Lori Tan Chinn, Bowen Yang, Lucy Liu, Jimmy O. Yang, and more.

Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld was universally acclaimed when it premiered in 2024, and though it’s dropped off the radar since then, the show is easily one of the most entertaining fantasy action series released in recent years. Using Chinese mythology and folklore to explore a well-rounded coming-of-age story, the series has been praised for its vivid animation style, high-energy soundtrack, and cultural representation, which it does with far greater care and understanding than most. Overall, the series is a brilliant animated fantasy that the whole family can enjoy, and it’s perfect for fans of shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and American Dragon: Jake Long.

4

‘Hellbound’ (2021–2024)

Image via Netflix 

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A South Korean dark fantasy horror thriller series, Hellbound was directed by Yeon Sang-ho, who also co-wrote the show with Choi Gyu-seok. Based on their webtoon, the series explores the horrific events that ensue when supernatural beings begin to appear and condemn people to Hell, with nefarious organizations playing on people’s fears to amass power. The show’s ensemble cast stars Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Park Jeong-min, Won Jin-ah, Yang Ik-june, Kim Do-yoon, Kim Shin-rok, Ryu Kyung-soo, Lee Re, Kim Sung-cheol, Im Seong-jae, Lee Dong-hee, Hong Eui-jun, and Cho Dong-in.

Hellbound is the first Korean drama ever to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim. After its Netflix debut, the series became the streamer’s most-watched show in the world, surpassing the first season of Squid Game. Though the latter may be more widely known and loved, Hellbound is a fascinating exploration of human frailty in the face of unimaginable horror, dressed in the garb of a brutal horror story. The show also received several accolades, and it’s a must-watch for fans of terrifying fantasy horror.

5

‘Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell’ (2015)

Image via BBC

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Written by Peter Harness and directed by Toby Haynes, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a British historical fantasy miniseries based on the 2004 novel by Susanna Clarke. Set in an alternative 19th-century England, where magic is real but seldom practiced, the show follows the reclusive magician Gilbert Norrell (Eddie Marsan) and his rakish apprentice Jonathan Strange (Bertie Carvel) as they deal with the complications of politics, war, fairies, and an ominous prophecy. The series also features Marc Warren, Charlotte Riley, Alice Englert, Samuel West, Ariyon Bakare, Enzo Cilenti, Paul Kaye, Edward Hogg, and Lucinda Dryzek in other key roles.

Expertly adapting a fantasy masterpiece, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a stellar example of good historical fantasy, fully realizing every detail of its world in just seven episodes. The series was a major success at the time of its release in the UK, and it went on to receive four BAFTA nominations and be named one of the top 10 TV shows of the year by the British Film Institute. The show boasts a spectacular production, compelling performances, and a fascinating story, and though it isn’t very well-known outside of genre circles, it’s easily one of the best British fantasy shows of the 21st century so far.

6

‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)

Image via Kevin Baker/©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

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A prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 film The Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was developed by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, directed by Louis Leterrier, and produced by The Jim Henson Company. Exploring the magical world of Thra in greater detail than ever before, the show follows three young Gelflings as they attempt to unite the Gelfling clans so they can rise against the evil Skeksis. Brought to life entirely through puppetry and practical effects, the series boasts an ensemble voice cast that includes Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nathalie Emmanuel, Simon Pegg, Mark Hamill, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Andy Samberg, Helena Bonham Carter, and more, with Sigourney Weaver as the narrator.

Both The Dark Crystal and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance are landmarks of the fantasy genre that proved just how far puppetry can go. Its impeccable production, imaginative storytelling, and moving narrative earned Age of Resistance near-universal acclaim, and the show received several prestigious honors, including an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program. And yet, despite all that, the series was canceled after just one season, and it’s become sorely underrated in the years since.

7

‘Devilman Crybaby’ (2018)

Image via Science Saru

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Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Devilman Crybaby is an anime miniseries that reimagines Go Nagai’s best-selling manga, Devilman, as a modern story. The show follows high school student Akira Fudo, who is inadvertently bonded to a demon after an encounter with his estranged childhood friend Ryo Asuka, becoming the titular Devilman. Kōki Uchiyama leads the voice cast as Akira, with Ayumu Murase as Ryo, and the series was produced by Aniplex and Dynamic Planning with animation by Science Saru.

Transforming the anti-war narrative of the original manga into a sharp, modern critique of social media-fueled xenophobia, Devilman Crybaby is an intensely dark show that explores themes of bigotry, sexuality, and otherness through the metaphor of demonic forces. Though its extremely graphic content was polarizing among viewers, the series was highly acclaimed by critics at the time of its release, and it’s arguably one of the most brilliantly written, performed, and animated anime shows of all time, even if it’s not as well-known as it ought to be. Devilman Crybaby has also been awarded multiple accolades, including the Crunchyroll Anime Award for Anime of the Year.