Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair has exceeded expectations, with largely favorable reviews and a staggering 8.1 million views globally in its first three days of streaming. The revival has also sparked a renewed interest in the original series, which garnered an increase of 18 million viewing hours compared to the previous week (per Collider). But where do you go now? You could turn to Agent Cody Banks for more of the talented Frankie Muniz, but with a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, perhaps not the best idea. Your best bet lies on Netflix, which has the perfect 9-season sitcom available to binge in order to sate that appetite: The Middle.

‘The Middle’ Features a Quirky, Loving Family

The Middle was originally slated to air in 2007, with Ricki Lake as the lead, but ABC pivoted, ordering a second pilot after recasting all but one role, and switched out Lake for the vastly underappreciated Patricia Heaton. The revamped show, set in the fictional town of Orson, Indiana, premiered on September 30, 2009, with Heaton cast as, funnily enough, “Frankie.” Frankie is the matriarch of the Heck family (and narrator throughout the series’ run), a lower-middle-class family who love one another deeply, simply struggling to get by.

In the grand tradition of sitcoms, the Hecks have their idiosyncrasies that naturally complicate the most benign of situations. Frankie is a borderline neurotic, overworked, and perpetually stressed out by the surrounding chaos, a good portion of which is self-inflicted thanks to procrastination, laziness, and white lies that always come back to haunt her (but God help anyone who wrongs her family). Mike (Neil Flynn), her husband, is the sane voice of reason, a perfect complement to Frankie, and a practical, no-nonsense blue-collar worker with a snarky wit who steers clear of sentiment and social interaction as much as he can.

Rounding out the family are the three Heck children: Axl, Sue, and Brick. Axl (Charlie McDermott), the oldest, is unrelentingly sarcastic, unmotivated, overconfident, and eternally wearing only boxer shorts inside the home. He’s a talented athlete who is smarter than the “dumb jock” persona he has built, and takes great delight in tormenting his siblings. Sue (Eden Sher), the middle child, is optimistic to a fault, holding a stunningly positive outlook on life despite the awkward quirkiness that makes her a social misfit and a magnet for failure. Then there’s the youngest, Brick (Atticus Shaffer), an intellectual who would rather read a book than do anything else, characterized by his unique quirks: inexplicable “whooping”, whispering the last words of his sentences, licking things, and a passionate love for fonts.

‘The Middle’ Is a Heck — Literally — of a Good Show

Bolstered by memorable side characters like crazed neighbor Rita Glossner (Brooke Shields), Brad (Brock Ciarlelli), and standout youth pastor Reverend Tim Tom (Paul Hipp), The Middle is a Heck of a good show, proving popular enough that ABC picked up the series for a full season after airing only two episodes. The choice to center around a lower-middle-class family, woefully underserved in sitcoms as a whole, is brilliant, offering relatable moments like having to choose between fixing the dishwasher or eating, or simply trying to balance work with the chaos of family life. And unlike the trope that sees a childish husband constantly berated by a nagging wife, of which Heaton’s previous series, Everybody Loves Raymond, is a prime example, Frankie and Mike are a team, facing challenges together, making for a more cohesive and grounded family.

Full disclosure: The Middle doesn’t have that same chaotic, slapstick humor of Malcolm in the Middle, but it is equally laugh-out-loud hilarious. Moments like Axl inadvertently asking “Weird Ashley” to the prom, a hellish road trip to the wrong Disney park, the failed driving lesson that sees Brick crash Axl’s rusty Winnebago into the beloved Orson cow statue, the Heck vs. Glossner battles, or Frankie eating Axl’s toenails, clipped into a chip bag, by accident, are just some of the highlights.

The two series do, however, have a number of parallels. Brick and Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan) are intelligent, often overlooked, and odd, while Axl and Reese (Justin Berfield) play the stereotypical “older brother as tormentor” role. Both families struggle financially and exist in a decidedly non-glamorous suburban environment. Both mothers are the primary decision makers when it comes to the family, and are often seen as nagging, while the fathers are more passive. And both series ended on their own terms. Yet the most important element the two series share is the love of family, sometimes hard to see in the moment, but what it all comes back to in the end. That doesn’t, however, make up for the one glorious missed opportunity: a crossover episode. Who wouldn’t want to see Malcolm in the Middle in the Middle? Add Jimmy Eats World‘s “The Middle” into the soundtrack, and you’ve got a winner.

Roommates, it looks like co-parenting between Shakira Hardy and Lil Scrappy includes a hand from his ex-wife, Adiz ‘Bambi’ Benson. Shakira recently posted about Bam and Scrappy spending time with her son Kyrie while she was on a work trip. Meanwhile, the major unanswered question seems to be: are Bambi and Scrappy back together? Especially after their recent court-side outing.

RELATED: Daddy Duties! Lil Scrappy Drops The Most Adorable Video Of His Newborn Son Kyrie (WATCH)

Bambi & Lil Scrappy Spend Quality Time With Baby Kyrie 

Shakira took to Instagram to share a sweet blended-family moment. She shared that her daughter and Bambi held her toddler, Kyrie, down while she was away in Miami for work. A video she shared showed her son eating, sitting on his dad, unbothered! Meanwhile, Lil Scrappy was in the video bragging about his son wanting to chill with daddy!!

“Yall!!! I went to Miami for one day for work so my daughter & @adizthebam held kyrie down. Kyrie hadn’t seen me in about 36hrs which is a first! I rushed back thinking he was having a hard time 😩 Dad picked him up, but when I came to get him, this is how he reacts 😂 It was like he was disappointed! Lmao whyyyyy was he not excited to see me and eager to breast feed?? @reallilscrappy you was way too hype 🙄”

Bam Tells Shakira Hardy “Welcome To The Good Life” 

On her Instagram Stories, Bambi shared a video of Kyrie writing on a piece of white paper with pencil, telling him “you doing good, good job hunny.” She tagged Shakira in the post, writing, “We starting early.” Hardy also wrote separatley on IGS that Kyrie did “so well” with Bambi. “I coulda stayed longer. Super grateful.”

In Shakira’s comment section, Bambi added, “Welcome to the good life my girl !!! Weekends are now yours 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾😂😂😂,” while Scrap said, “Daddy’s lil guy.”  To Bam, Shakira responded, “Girlllll I been praying for this! Lemme go ahead and pre book flights.”

It’s unclear how long Bambi and Shakira have been getting their kids together. Lil Scrappy has five children, Emani with Erica Dixon; Breland, Xylo and Cali with Bambi and Kyrie with Shakira Hardy.

Last Year, Shakira Hardy Blasted Scrappy Over A Birthday Invite

In The Shade Room’s comment section, the roomies applauded Bambi, Shakira and Lil Scrappy for their family vibes. Shakira herself stepped in to say, “Blessed & SUPER GRATEFUL.” Last August, she had a more shady energy for her son’s father after he didn’t extend a birthday party invitation to infant son, Kyrie. At the time, Scrappy was reportedly dating Britney Sims. Hardy seemed to suggest, without naming her, that Sims blocked her invite. “She not even in her own kid’s life,” she wrote on Instagram.

Are Bambi & Lil Scrappy Dating?

By December, video of Lil Scrappy and Bambi at a concert went viral, as the internet started questioning their link-up. Days later, Britney Sims addressed internet speculations that Scrap had left her for Bam. She let the people know: “Nothing can be taken,” from her. Also, she said, “…To be clear , I do the arts and crafts around here ✂️ … I don’t get left, I do the leaving. 🫶🏽”

Amid that, Scrappy had also addressed kicking it with Bambi, writing, “Since it was such a big deal for me and Tha Bam to go watch our favorite singer rock the A, hope this reaches u well, I def love that we can kick it, not be beefing.” 

Most recently, on April 25, the coparents sat together court side for the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks playoffs game in Atlanta. None of the photos available on Getty Images show Scrappy and Bambi cozy or intimate and it appears he performed after the first quarter of the NBA game.

RELATED: Lil Scrappy & Erica Dixon’s Daughter Emani Shares How Her Parents Influenced Her Views On Relationships (VIDEO)

If we had to describe Jessica Alba‘s everyday style, it would hands down be ‘California rich mom cool.’ Her closet is filled with loose, easy breezy pieces that can totally be replicated. However, it’s always a good day when we can find her exact style at an affordable price, and that’s where this Free People lace cami comes in.

While out and about in Los Angeles last week, the Trigger Warning actress was spotted rocking a knit cardigan, relaxed jeans, ballet flats and gold jewelry. But clearly, the star of the show is her easy-going Free People cami in this gorgeous chocolate shade. The only problem is that the top is selling out fast. And with a $48 price tag, it’s easy to see why.

Get the Someone Like You Cami for $48 at Free People! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

The Free People Someone Like You Cami perfectly balances playfulness with everyday appeal, thanks to its lace-trim details, semi-conservative neckline and relaxed fit. We love the intricate accents and triangle-style cut that give the top an edge that far surpasses other plain-Jane tanks. Plus, it has little bow-tie closures on the sides that allow your bralette to peek through. If you ask Us, it’s sexy without being over the top.

Made with a blend of lightweight, satiny materials, the cami top looks and feels lustrous. It has that slight sheen that leans into the rich mom style Alba’s known for, and we can’t get enough of it. Because the top is so airy, you can layer it under a spring sweater à la Alba or wear it solo come summertime. Gotta love that versatility!

The entrepreneur isn’t the only one into the style — shoppers are loving it, too. People appreciate the flowy appearance, flattering look and lacey details.

“This is the most gorgeous camisole I’ve seen,” wrote one reviewer. “I love everything about it. I wanted a little longer, so I sized up. I usually wear a M but ordered a L for a longer fit in the torso. It’s perfect!”

“I am absolutely obsessed,” another shared. “I will definitely be buying this in every color.”

While this top comes in seven pretty hues, we recommend grabbing the chocolate shade to match Alba’s look best. With pieces going fast in her exact shade, it’s wise to grab your size once you see it! Who knows how long it’ll be in stock.

Get the Someone Like You Cami for $48 at Free People! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Related: Jessica Alba‘s Rich-Girl Slides Are ‘Very Comfortable,‘ Per Shoppers

The right footwear is key to staying comfortable during hot, sunny days. You want something breathable and supportive that is still stylish, and Birkenstock sandals check all of those boxes. Jessica Alba proves that the popular sandals can be worn anywhere (and stars like Taylor Swift seem to agree). The best part? This is a […]

Actress Gina Carano is getting ready to head back into the ring against Ronda Rousey in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome on May 16. While her MMA future is certain, her “Star Wars” future is less so. In 2019, Carano joined the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian” as Cara Dune, a New Republic shock trooper. It was rumored that she would star in a spin-off series, “Rangers of the New Republic,” which was seemingly canceled after she was fired by Lucasfilm in 2021 for her controversial social media posts. She has since opened up on her subsequent lawsuit, and her relationships with Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, and “The Mandalorian” co-star Pedro Pascal.

Inside Gina Carano’s ‘Star Wars’ Legal War

In February 2021, Lucasfilm fired Gina Carano after a series of social media posts went viral. Shortly after her “The Mandalorian” co-star Pedro Pascal added his gender pronouns to his Twitter bio, Carano changed hers to “beep/bop/boop,” which some took as a mockery of the transgender community.

She also received harsh criticism for her conservative social media posts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the final straw seemed to be when she reshared an Instagram post that seemingly compared the way American conservatives are treated to the way Jews were treated in Nazi Germany.

A Lucasfilm spokesperson dubbed the posts “abhorrent and unacceptable,” and she was let go from the show. Three years later, she sued Disney for wrongful termination with the financial support of Elon Musk. The lawsuit was settled in August 2025. Although the terms of the settlement were not released, a Lucasfilm spokesperson said that they would “look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”

Gina Carano Has Spoken To ‘The Mandalorian’ Showrunners

While many have speculated about her return to a galaxy far, far away, Carano revealed that she has already spoken to the new Lucasfilm co-CEO, Dave Filoni, and showrunner Jon Favreau.

“I’ve already had a conversation with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. We got onto a Zoom call. It was really nice,” she said during an interview with Ariel Helwani. “Dave is taking over as CEO of Star Wars. We didn’t miss a beat. Jon Favreau got on Zoom and was really funny. He was like so; where did we leave off?”

Although fans have mixed reactions about the return of Cara Dune, it remains to be seen if she will return to her role.

Gina Carano Addresses Her Conversation With Filoni and Favreau

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Carano addressed the conversation with Filoni and Favreau and what it really meant for her “Star Wars” future.

“I think it was, ‘Let’s touch base,’” Carano explained. “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni were two people that I always respected, and we went through two seasons together, and we had a great relationship. And even during everything that was happening, Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau were never the bad guys to me.”

When asked if it meant she was gearing up for a return, Carano replied, “I won’t really disclose any of that, but I will say that, for me, it was an important conversation. To Zoom, to see each other, to mend whatever, to make sure everybody was good. And everybody was good.”

Carano Says Favreau Is A ‘Good Man’

Although she is not in “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” which hits theaters on May 22, Carano did say that she hopes the film does well at the box office.

“Jon Favreau directed it, and he’s a good man,” she said. “He’s a great storyteller. He’s an amazing artist. And I would really like to see all of this turmoil within the Star Wars fandom kind of come to an end. It just feels like it’s a never-ending war.”

She also addressed the current state of the “Star Wars” fandom, saying that there are “two extremist sides” and one “really tried to get me canceled, and succeeded.”

Gina Carano Reveals The Status Of Her Current Relationship With Pedro Pascal

Although Pascal remained largely silent when she was fired from Lucasfilm, rumors circulated that he had tried to convince her to placate her critics before she was formally let go.

When asked where their relationship stands now, she revealed that they had not spoken since their co-star Carl Weathers passed away in February 2024. “Me and Pedro don’t keep in touch,” she said.

She also addressed her relationship with Kathleen Kennedy, who left her position as president of Lucasfilm earlier this year. “I wish her the best,” she said.

In regards to her Disney settlement and whether it means a return to a galaxy far, far away is on the horizon, Carano said, “I’m not able to talk about the details of the settlement. I’m not able to talk about anything regarding it.”

Noah Beck has been open about his relationship with his parents and two siblings through the years.

“Every time I come home, I have this feeling of grounding and normalcy because my parents have lived in the same house I grew up in for 28 years now, even before they had me,” Beck told American Studies in 2025. “It’s home. No matter where I go in the world, coming back here is always special.”

Noah grew up in Arizona with teachers as his parents. His sisters, Haley Beck and Tatum Beck, followed in their parent’s footsteps and each got a degree in education. But only Haley ended up pursuing a career as a teacher.

“My parents emphasized the importance of education, but they weren’t constantly pushing it on us. My sisters and I were good students, and both of them actually went into teaching,” he said. “The biggest thing I took from that environment is curiosity — always being open to learning and never assuming you know it all. To go into every conversation with an open mind. That mindset has really stuck with me. They’re also very, very patient.”

Scroll down to learn more about Noah’s family:

Tim Beck

Noah’s dad played a role in his soccer career, which ultimately led him to playing for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake’s youth academy team during the last two years of high school. He then played on the University of Portland’s team after graduation.

“Growing up, my dad was my coach, so he was always pretty tough on me and instilled certain non-negotiables when it came to training,” Noah told GQ in December 2025. “He instilled a lot of things that live with me today.”

Tim worked as a high school teacher and soccer coach until his 2025 retirement.

Amy Beck

Amy worked as an elementary school teacher in Arizona for over 20 years. In 2026, she was placed on “paid administrative leave” from her school in the Peoria Unified School District in Glendale, Arizona, after a video of her appearing to simulate oral sex on Noah resurfaced online.

A spokesperson for the Peoria Unified School District shared the letter that was sent to the parents of students in Amy’s class, saying that her leave came “out of an abundance of caution.” The letter, obtained by Us Weekly, noted that an investigation has been launched within the school district. The school noted that “this matter does not impact the safety of our students.”

Haley Beck

Haley was a full-time educator at Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona, with the Peoria Unified School District. She was hired in 2020 after graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in secondary education, per her LinkedIn.

In March 2026, news broke that Haley was under investigation for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a male student. As the investigation was conducted, Haley was placed on administrative leave in 2025. The school district ultimately recommended termination.

“After a review of the investigator’s findings, the decision maker found that Ms. Beck groomed a student,” a spokesperson for the school district said in a March 2026 statement. “[She had] a sexual relationship with that student and therefore [we] recommended her termination.”

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Tatum Beck

Tatum attended Northern Arizona University, where she received a degree in secondary education before becoming an influencer. The three siblings appeared on a March 2022 episode of Noah’s “Put a Sock In It” podcast to reminisce on their childhood.

“I was quiet growing up. I was quiet and shy as a baby [and] as a toddler, Haley was the hyper, crazy, crackhead child and Noah was just a chubby kid,” Tatum recalled. “I don’t know how else to explain it.”

This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 19 seconds ago

Here’s a story that dates me (hey, it’s not like anyone else was dating me at the time): I was a high school student when Star Trek: Voyager was on the air. I watched the show with the rest of my geeky friends, and we generally enjoyed the wacky adventures of Captain Janeway and her misfit crew. We also spent hours (and I mean hours) making fun of Neelix. He was the ship’s cook, but he might as well have been its mascot because he was always written as the broadest form of comic relief. Why, we wondered, did Star Trek go out of its way to make a new character such a butt-of-the-joke oaf?

As it turns out, Voyager showrunner Michael Piller shared those same concerns. When reading the script for the Season 2 episode “Twisted,” he began to worry that the writers were transforming Neelix into nothing more than “the buffoon of the ship.” That’s when Piller decided to take definitive action. He didn’t make Neelix into a deadly serious character, but he decided to do the next best thing. In the very next episode, he removed the character’s growing jealous streak that he rightly assumed viewers would absolutely hate.

Orange Man Bad

This all goes back to the most problematic thing about Neelix: his extremely underage girlfriend. In the Voyager premiere episode “Caretaker,” Neelix goes out of his way to save Kes, his Ocampan mate, and they both join Captain Janeway’s crew. Kes presents as an attractive young woman in her early ‘20s, but her species ages at a different rate than those of us here on Earth. She’s only one year old when she joins the crew (no, really!), and the writers had to take care not to present Neelix as the dirtiest old man in the Delta Quadrant.

That’s actually how Michael Piller’s concerns about Neelix began. The previous episode, “Elogium,” dealt with Kes’s mating drive activating years ahead of time, forcing her and Neelix to consider whether they were ready for children. While it’s bizarre enough to watch the weird orange alien try to figure out if he is ready to breed his one-year-old girlfriend, “Elogium” also made Neelix into a jealous figure. Specifically, he started thinking Tom Paris was being too friendly towards her and that the pilot was secretly trying to put the moves on Kes.

Jealousy, That Orange-Skinned Monster

When Piller read the script for “Twisted,” he became concerned about an early plot point in which the crew was celebrating Kes’s birthday (she had finally turned two). Neelix made her a cake, but Tom Paris gave her a locket. Once more, Neelix felt jealous of the hotshot human pilot. According to Captains’ Logs Supplemental – The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, Piller was “terribly concerned about Neelix.” He was “afraid we were going to destroy this character if we made him the buffoon of the ship. If all he is is comic relief, we’re in trouble.”

For better or for worse, Piller decided to focus on only one of the ways the writers had transformed Neelix into the comic relief: his jealousy.  “The jealousy he was showing toward Kes was becoming irritating, so we wanted to put that to bed quickly,” he said. Accordingly, Piller made sure that “Parturition” (the episode that came directly after “Twisted”) killed this particular character conflict. That episode begins with Neelix and Paris having a fight over Kes, but then they are sent on a mission where they crash land on a hellish planet. They must fight for their survival and take care of a baby alien, ultimately becoming friends who never fight over Kes again.

It’s a heavy-handed fix, admittedly, but Michael Piller’s decision is one that Gene Roddenberry would have agreed with. The Star Trek creator never wanted his main characters to constantly bicker with one another, but Paris and Neelix were constantly fighting over Kes. Thanks to “Parturition,” Piller effectively killed the conflict that was driving these two characters apart. If you think that kept Neelix from being written as bad comic relief, though, I’ve got a whole shipload full of leola roots to sell you!

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 4 minutes ago

When someone says they’re an anime fan, it can mean anything. That’s the equivalent of saying “I like watching TV.” Anime is a huge swath of genres, stories, franchises, movies, and shows about anything you can possibly imagine. Who knew a show about giant, naked people would turn out to be one of the best anime of all time? And who would have thought that an anime about an ultrapowerful octopus who destroys the Moon and finds meaning in life working as a teacher for underprivileged children tasked by the Japanese government to kill him before he destroys the planet would be such a touching, thought-provoking, and humorous series?

That’s Assassination Classroom, and with its arrival on Netflix, it’s going to become even more popular. Then again, that also means even more people will judge it for its name, which, coincidentally, plays into one of the themes of your next favorite series. 

Assassination Classroom Is Not What It Sounds Like

Assassination Classroom starts off with the mystery of how this strange, yellow creature managed to destroy the Moon. For what purpose? Why is the Earth going to be next? And why does the creature agree to become a teacher for a year, with the instruction that one of his students will be the one to kill him? Finally, why is the creature, named Koro-sensei by his students, so good at the job? 

The Junior High students in Class 3-E are the real stars of the series, which quickly reveals itself to be more classroom than assassination. Sure, there’s other assassins that show up periodically, but the real joy of Assassination Classroom is to be found in the comedy of Koro-sensei’s hijinks while imparting real life lessons. 

Season 1 follows the basic plot of the students bonding with Koro-sensei and grappling with the idea that, eventually, they will have to kill him. It can be a little slow, and the humor isn’t for everyone, but then Season 2 hits, and the entire series takes off with the speed of a bullet train. By the end, you’ll not only have your own favorite among the students of Class 3-E, but you’ll wish you had Koro-sensei as a teacher. 

Assassination Classroom Faces Constant Bans And Boycotts

If Assassination Classroom is an emotional, comedic version of Dead Poet’s Society, then why has it joined a very different type of school anime and been banned in over 50 libraries and school districts across the United States? The name, for one, as Assassination Classroom puts an image in your head that’s technically correct, but there’s so much more to the story than that. Secondly, students having to kill their teacher sounds horrible in a vacuum, but in context, it’s an uplifting journey. Those who pushed for the bans never read the manga, never saw the anime, and, honestly, they likely haven’t read a book since eighth grade. 

Now that Assassination Classroom is coming to Netflix in May, you can experience the journey of Koro-sensei and Class 3-E for yourself. Lerche, the animation studio behind the series, isn’t a huge name in anime, but they went on to animate Dangonronpa 3 and Classroom of the Elite, making them the go-to for a very specific anime niche. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be impressed at Lerche’s animation style, and in the end, you’ll wonder how one of the best series of the last decade could be hidden away from those who would enjoy it the most.