Out of all the streaming platforms, Netflix is the one that spotlights international TV shows the most. From Brazil’s Radioactive Emergency that premiered earlier this year and reached up to #5 worldwide, to Spain’s beloved Money Heist that became a cultural phenomenon and ran for five action-packed seasons, Netflix has consistently debuted shows from around the world that are brilliantly made, and aren’t afraid to pack a punch. Among them is Crooks, a crime thriller from Germany that just released its second season.

The series, which was first released on April 4, 2024, has become a must-watch on the platform, reaching an impressive 80% on Rotten Tomatoes for Season 1. The warm reception from critics at the time was coupled with high streaming numbers, reaching the top 10 non-English-language series for four weeks, as well as #2 on Netflix worldwide in the second week after its release, per Netflix. With such critical acclaim and viewership numbers, it’s no surprise that Crooks got renewed for Season 2, which premiered on Apr 14, 2026, and is slowly becoming one of the platform’s best crime shows.

What Is ‘Crooks’ About?

The first season of Crooks starts off with former safe cracker Charly (Frederick Lau) as he’s forced out of quiet retirement in Berlin, Germany, to do one last mission: To steal the valuable “Big Maple Leaf” coin. As it turns out, however, the heist becomes the riskiest mission of his career when the assignment takes a fatal turn, and he has no choice but to partner with his driver, Joseph (Christoph Krutzler), a lowly gangster based in Vienna, in order to survive. Together, the unlikely pair must flee a dangerous crime boss, Hassan Al-Walid (Erdal Yildiz), and his clan, as well as rival gangs, all while trying their best to keep Charly’s family safe.

Throughout the first season, as no-nonsense Charly and more thoughtful Joseph bond and become partners in crime, the duo flee from Berlin, traveling to Vienna and later Marseille. In Season 2, the valuable coin goes missing again and the two unlikely “crooks” find themselves on the run for the second time, but this time outside of Europe in all the way to Bangkok, Thailand. Created by Benjamin Hessler, Crooks also stars Svenja Jung as Charley’s wife Samira, Jonathan Tittel as his son Jonas, as well as Kida Khodr Ramadan, Karl Welunschek and Lukas Watzl as criminals with their own agendas.

‘Crooks’ Is a Must-Watch Crime Series on Netflix

Much like Money Heist, in which the series gets its charm through the perfect blend of action and emotional connection between its main characters, Crooks also brings those two genres together. In addition to being a fast-paced action thriller, the series has the unlikely connection between Charly and Joseph as the heart of the show. “Crooks has potential to rise above the usual crime drama tropes, thanks to the unlikely friendship at its core,” wrote one review on Rotten Tomatoes. “Crooks burns all of Charly and Joseph’s chemistry for fuel across multiple European cities in a slew of chases and turns that are easy to predict but enjoyable to watch.”

So, while Crooks has yet to become a household name, the series has been steadily winning over fans on Netflix. And, after an extremely successful Season 1, Season 2 is looking to score in the streaming charts yet again to keep Charly and Joseph’s adventures going for another chapter.

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Release Date

April 4, 2024

Directors

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Cüneyt Kaya, Marvin Kren

Writers

Benjamin Hessler, Marvin Kren, Georg Lippert

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General Hospital delivers Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) hoping to adopt baby Phoebe, but there are obstacles coming their way.

Not only could BLQ’s role in Jordan Ashford’s (Tanisha Harper) crash be an issue, but Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean Parsons) and Kristina Corinthos Davis (Kate Mansi) might also be a problem.

We’re going to talk about a shocker that we might see for little Phoebe’s adoption that could have Brook Lynn and Chase losing the chance to be parents.

Brook Lynn & Chase Want to Adopt Baby Phoebe on General Hospital

So, when Brook Lynn and Chase stumbled across Delilah Wilson (Lily Cardone), that was back in March. They had found her unconscious on the ground and heavily pregnant. Brook Lynn and Chase then rushed her to General Hospital and Delilah ended up needing an emergency C-section and then of course if you remember she just abruptly died. From there Brook Lynn and Chase kept checking on little Phoebe when she was in the NICU and they bonded with her despite Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) saying it was a bad idea.

Now with no apparent family that they can find, BLQ and Chase are hoping to adopt little Phoebe. And Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) is repping them. And she told them today, or rather on the most recent episode, that if they have any skeletons in the closet to tell her now or clean it up before they file those adoption papers. She warned Brook Lynn and Chase the adoption process included a thorough background check.

And Alexis said that any hidden issues could derail the adoption and that left Brooklyn looking panicked. But it’s not just her actions that could mess up the adoption. Chase has no idea he’s being set up by Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) to cheat with Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen). Now, I don’t actually think Chase would sleep with Willow, but he doesn’t have to actually cheat. All Michael needs is for Chase to get in a position with Willow that looks really compromising and then private eye Elaine and her little dog can be there to snap a photo.

Brook Lynn Might Have Been The Other Driver on GH

Meanwhile, Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) has decided that Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) drove off and left him and Jordan in a fiery car crash. Except it sure looks like Brook Lynn was the other driver. But things do appear bad because Isaiah scraped his car in the General Hospital garage and now it’s being repaired. And because he doesn’t want to tell anybody, he was at Lulu Spencer‘s (Alexa Havins Bruening) house treating Rocco Falconeri‘s (Finn Carr)  hand infection off the books. That’s a problem.

Isaiah warned Lulu that she and Rocco are his alibi. But then he later told Portia he’s not actually sure if the time aligns, but he doesn’t seem to have been involved in the wreck unless he’s lying to everybody. But what does seem clear is that Isaiah didn’t see Jordan and Curtis’ car crash either way if he was on the road near them. And neither did BLQ. She was rushing to see Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) perform at Charlie’s Pub, if you remember. And Brook Lynn didn’t find out about the crash until the next day. So, certainly she didn’t see it.

General Hospital: BLQ Comes Forward

So, basically Curtis’ premise is all wrong about the other driver, no matter who it was in that other car. But if Isaiah’s about to go down for it, I do think Brook Lynn might come forward because she’s the one who scraped the guardrail. But also, there was another car on the road. Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) and Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke), they were there. Nobody knows. And it could have been them that caused Brook Lynn to scrape her car. We still haven’t addressed the fourth car on the road.

But again, I don’t think the kids knew that there was another crash on the road. Not that they’ve said Jordan caused the crash. Bottom line. But if Curtis keeps accusing Isaiah, Brooklyn might have to come clean despite what Tracy says, and then they likely wouldn’t be able to adopt little Phoebe.

Ethan Might Be Baby Phoebe’s Father

In the meantime, it is looking increasingly likely that Ethan might be the father of Delilah’s baby. If you remember, Ethan was stunned when Brook Lynn and Chase introduced him to Phoebe and told him about Delilah and how she died. And then later, Ethan was looking at Delilah’s photo and said that he was sorry for not protecting her. And then he burned the photo and he swore to keep the secret. But Ethan also looked very uncomfortable when he and Kristina came over to talk to Brook Lynn, Chase, and Alexis.

And then Kristina was holding baby Phoebe, and she looked all in love, and Alexis thanked Brook Lynn for letting Kristina hold the baby and they talked about her recovering after she lost the baby that she was carrying after she fell through that window. So when Ethan asked Kristina what’s going on, she told him about the baby that died and said sorry for not letting Ethan hold Phoebe, but he said, “Babies scare me.” And then Ethan asked Kristina if Phoebe would be happy with Brook Lynn and Chase. And yeah, I’m sure the baby would be fine with them Quartermaine insanity aside.

Ethan Turns to Kristina on General Hospital

But if it comes out that Chase is accused of sleeping with Willow and Brook Lynn comes forward as the other car in Jordan’s crash, Ethan may reconsider his stance on babies. Now, we all know Kristina was planning to keep the baby that she was supposed to give to her sister Molly. Nothing’s really changed in her attitude. Kristina clearly still wants to be a mom and Ethan may already be a father, but he just isn’t acknowledging it.

But I could see a world where he asked Kristina to help him with baby Phoebe and to get her. So, if he is Delilah’s baby daddy, Ethan should be able to claim the kid no problem. However, Brook Lynn and Chase might fight it with CPS since Ethan didn’t come forward immediately. That’s not a good sign. Ideally, a good parent would want to claim their child.

Could Ethan And Kristina Have A Marriage Of Convenience on General Hospital?

We also had that leak recently, if you are regularly listening here, about a marriage of convenience. And if that happens, I was thinking it’s about avoiding testifying, you know, some kind of criminal thing. But it could be Kristina and Ethan on baby Phoebe’s behalf. Ethan may want to claim and protect Delilah’s baby, but he’s freaked out about the idea of parenting.

Meanwhile, Kristina would love to have a baby. And if there is an objection to Ethan claiming his child because he didn’t speak up, him being married and having a mom there could help. So Kristina and Ethan, by the way, if you don’t remember or weren’t watching then, they have a romantic past.

Kristina had a big crush on Ethan, but then when her violent ex Kiefer Bauer (Christian Alexander) beat her, she blamed Ethan because she was scared if she revealed that it was Kiefer, he would come and just kill her. And Ethan did later forgive Kristina, and it all seems to be water under the bridge.

General Hospital: Ethan & Kristina Take Baby Phoebe from Chase & BLQ?

Now, we also saw this week that Portia told Isaiah that they had to pray that the real driver in the crash would be found or would come forward. So, at present, it looks like it could be Brook Lynn. So, between the crash and Michael targeting Chase, this could get really messy.

And I could see it work out where Ethan and Kristina work together and basically steal little Phoebe away from the potential adoptive parents if they think they aren’t good for the kid. Not steal like kidnap, but steal as in kind of hijack the adoption process.

If you recall, Kristina justified planning to keep the baby from Molly Lansing-Davis (Kristen Vaganos) and TJ Ashford (Tahj Bellow) because of their issues. Kristina claimed that Molly and TJ weren’t fit parents because they argued a few times. And Kristina said that she thought they would split up and that the baby needed stability that they couldn’t provide.

So, while she may tell Ethan that Brook Lynn and Chase will be good parents, we could see Kristina change her mind on that if there are scandals about Brook Lynn possibly being the driver that Jordan almost ran off the road and Chase made to look like he is cheating. So, we’ll see if a twist is coming.

Is there more to Will Smith‘s motive for getting physical with Chris Rock four years ago?

This rising question looms as the comedian’s recent words brew a connection from a previously unexplored angle about the unforgettable 2022 Oscars moment. The actor’s wife dropped a bombshell revelation years ago, highlighting a romantic attempt made by the comedian.

Will Smith’s hand met Chris Rock’s face after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s condition, alopecia. Since then, the actor has shown remorse for his actions, apologizing publicly and trying to make amends, notwithstanding the ten-year Academy Awards ban.

Rock has disclosed that he has an age-old rift with Tupac Shakur over the women they dated, and this confession flips the switch on the 2022 resounding Oscar’s slap. The comedian shared the details on a recent episode of the “Fly On the Wall” podcast with David Spade and Dana Carvey during the Netflix Is a Joke Week.

Rock was asked to name his top 5 favorite rappers, which he did, including most of the heavy hitters who typically make the Mt. Rushmore of rap, but notably omitted Shakur. When pressed to shed more light on his ranking, the comedian confessed that he had beef with Shakur because they often dated the same woman, and the rapper usually won out. 

This revelation is important because Shakur’s most famous girlfriend is none other than Jada, Will’s wife. Although over the years, Jada has vehemently denied dating the iconic rapper, saying they were platonic “soulmates” instead, as reported by TMZ.

Jada Pinkett Smith Previously Shared That Rock Made Moves At Her

This new confession raises the question of whether Rock also dated Jada back in the day, leading to an outpour of overwhelming emotions from Will at the Oscars four years ago.  In 2023, however, the actress revealed that Rock had asked her out on a date years ago when rumors of her supposed divorce arose. 

She claimed that Rock called her, saying, “I’d love to take you out,” a statement which left her stunned. When she asked where his request for a date stemmed from, the award-winning comedian pointed out that he was shooting his shot because he thought she was getting a divorce from Will.

Jada continued, revealing that she quickly debunked the whispers, which left Rock “appalled” as he “profusely apologized” for his misunderstanding and approach. The Blast reported that, according to the “Girls Trip” actress, Rock also approached her after the Oscars incident to apologize for the joke he made onstage, which ignited the whole debacle.

Jada Thought The Slap Was A Skit

Reflecting on the viral incident, Jada admitted she has a limited understanding of the art of comedy, stressing that she does not judge how people express their art.

However, this understanding does not come with a shield on her feelings, as she previously confessed, “I’ll say that several times I’ve had my feelings hurt, for sure. I’ve had my feelings hurt a lot by Chris.”

The “Red Table Talk” podcast host also shared that in the moment, she thought Will going to slap Rock was all part of a skit, but the reality dawned on her after her husband returned to his seat and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fu-king mouth!”

The action brought a 10-year ban from attending any Academy Awards for the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” actor.

Even though the famous couple has yet to divorce, they have been separated since 2016, but still express care and affection for each other.

After the incident, Jada said, “I’m going to be by his side but also allow him to figure this out for himself.” 

Did The ‘Bad Boys’ Actor Apologize For His Actions?

Will previously claimed that he reached out to the comedian months after the infamous slap incident to try to make amends for his actions on a personal level.

He also made videos posted on social media in which he accepted his fault and said he was ready to talk it out with Rock. In one of the videos, Will can be heard saying, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line, and I was wrong.”  

On the other hand, Tony, the award-winning comedian’s brother, claims that Will did not reach out to Rock after the incident. He stated that the actor’s claims that he tried to make amends by directly contacting his brother were false.

As shared by The Blast in a previous release, Tony also noted that Will did not contact him to discuss the incident, and he does not think he ever will.

“My phone number has never changed. So, I just thought I’d get a phone call one day like, ‘Ay, let’s just you and I just talk.’ It hasn’t happened, so I guess it’s not going to happen,” Tony said in an interview.

Chris Rock’s Current Love Life Does Not Feature Will Smith’s Wife

It might remain uncertain whether Jada was in Rock’s past, but certainly, she is not in his present. The comedian made headlines last month after he was spotted with a mystery woman in New York City, doubling down on heavy PDA.

The woman, later identified as Simone Henault, was spotted with the comedian during an afternoon outing in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. The pair walked through a park before sitting on a bench where they locked lips.

This cozy outing marked a rare public appearance for Rock, who is known to keep his romantic life out of the spotlight following his divorce from Malaak Compton-Rock in 2016.

Henault is not the first woman rock has been linked to since his status changed to single. He was spotted with popular actress Lake Bell in 2022 and Amber Rose in 2023.

The Blast covered that Rose shut down the speculations shortly after photos of them began circulating online. She stressed that they were “just friends” who simply enjoyed each other’s company.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 2 minutes ago

While both are highly acclaimed actors, Brad Pitt and Eric Bana haven’t spent much time onscreen together. The major exception is the 2004 sword-and-sandals epic Troy, which portrayed the brutal clash between Greek and Trojan forces. To make it as real as possible, Brad Pitt and Eric Bana made a bet with each other.

While the film (especially the director’s cut) has plenty of larger battle scenes, much of the violence in this movie is very intimate. The best example of this is when Pitt and Bana’s characters have an onscreen duel that recreates one of the most exciting conflicts in literary history. It’s a cinematic clash of the titans that happened well before Bana appeared in Star Trek (2009) and Pitt appeared (blink, and you’ll miss him!) in Deadpool 2.

That onscreen duel is arguably the best part of the film, and one that fans still fondly remember over two decades later. Pitt and Bana certainly remember it, but not for the reasons you might think.

Instead of using stunt doubles, the two did the whole fight for themselves, and they made things interesting with a bet: if one person accidentally hit the other, they’d pay $50 for smaller hits and $100 for larger hits. By the time it was over, one star paid several hundred dollars, and the other paid hardly anything!

Duel Or Duel Not: There Is No Try

For context, Eric Bana plays Hector, the crown prince of Troy, while Brad Pitt plays Achilles, the Greeks’ most powerful warrior. During the Greeks’ prolonged attack against the Trojans, Hector ends up killing Patroclus, Achilles’ beloved cousin.

An enraged Achilles challenges Hector to a duel outside of the city, and they engage in a fierce battle that lasts for nearly three minutes of tense, nail-biting screentime. Eventually, Achilles wins, dragging Hector’s body back to his camp as a kind of grisly trophy of his victory.

Eruc Bana And Brad Pitt Paid Each Other For Hits

Going into this Troy fight scene, Bana and Pitt made the bold decision to do all the stunts themselves. This made it easier for director Wolfgang Petersen to bring this epic conflict to life, but it also made it far easier for the two actors to accidentally hurt each other.

To make things interesting, Bana and Pitt made a gentleman’s wager regarding accidental hits: every time someone landed a smaller tap, they’d pay the other $50. For each larger hit, they’d pay $100. When it was all said and done, Pitt was the real loser here. His character may have won onscreen, but the actor had to shell out $750 for repeatedly hitting Bana.

What about Bana, though? Some versions of this tale claim that he didn’t pay anything at all. But when news of this wager was first reported, the Chicago Tribune claimed that he paid $200 to Pitt for his own accidental hits.

That means that he came out over half a grand ahead of his costar simply by demonstrating a little self-control. There’s some irony there, of course: previously, Bana’s biggest role was the lead actor in Ang Lee’s Hulk, so everyone on set was likely very concerned about making him angry.

After all, you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry! 

As the sun spills down and temperatures begin to rise, I’ve turned my attention to summer-ready wardrobe staples. Cotton dresses, flowing blouses and billowy maxi skirts are all high on my list, embodying an effortlessly polished aesthetic. So, when I stumbled upon a pair of palazzo pants for just $29, I knew I had to have them.

Unlike tight, restrictive jeans, these wide-leg trousers offer freedom of movement and comfort. A cropped silhouette adds a trendy touch, while a drawstring closure makes for a stretchy waistband. Plus, functional pockets seamlessly store your belongings, from lipstick to wallets.

Get the Anyhold Drawstring Palazzo Pants for $29 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Related: Over 900 Reviewers Are Ditching Jeans for These Bestselling Pants: ‘So Comfortable’

There’s a fine line between looking polished and feeling comfortable, and most pants miss it completely. That’s exactly why the Anrabess high-waisted palazzos are getting so much attention on Amazon right now. If you’ve ever changed outfits halfway through the day because your clothes weren’t working, these might be the solution: easy, breathable and surprisingly […]

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While loose pants can sometimes appear formless, these summer-perfect bottoms are actually flattering. The high waist contours the silhouette, and the capri-style pant legs look great on both tall and petite wearers. Not to mention, sizes S to 5XL are up for grabs, ensuring the bottoms skim the frame instead of clinging and bunching.

Thanks to 29 colors and prints, the drawstring trousers pair with nearly everything. Wear the oat colorway with a striped button-up blouse and thong sandals for a sleek, quiet-luxury look. A sky-blue design featuring mini blossoms would look just as chic with a white tee and lightweight sneakers. Put simply, there’s something for every style preference.

However, shoppers are most impressed with the pants’ cooling abilities. “The lightweight, breathable material really keeps you cool and comfortable, making them perfect for spring and summer,” said a California native. Another shopper bought the pants for her mom, who lives in Las Vegas — she loved them so much, they secured a second pair.

Beat the summer heat with the comfy-chic Anyhold Drawstring Palazzo Pants for $29. Just shop them sooner rather than later to snag your choice color and print.

Get the Anyhold Drawstring Palazzo Pants for $29 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more lightweight pants here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s summer arrivals for more great finds!

Related: Shoppers Can’t Stop Wearing These ‘Crazy Good‘ Flattering Shorts

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One week ago, I spent the greater part of my evening doing a major closet clean out, sifting through dozens of dresses, tees and bottoms. I parted ways with worn-out items, pieces that no longer fit my style and — most importantly — silhouettes that pinched or pulled. Because if something isn’t comfortable, it’s unlikely […]