Entertainment
Sleep Supplements Dietitians Recommend for Better Sleep
Search interest in sleep supplements has spiked as more people look for alternatives to prescription sleep aids and endless doomscrolling. Below is what dietitians, physicians and sleep researchers actually recommend, drawing on specialists cited by Eating Well, Johns Hopkins, WebMD, the Sleep Foundation and Yahoo Health.
Does Magnesium Actually Help You Sleep?
Magnesium glycinate can support better sleep by calming the nervous system before bed. It’s one of the few supplements doctors say they feel comfortable recommending given its safety profile.
Saema Tahir, M.D., told Eating Well, “Magnesium glycinate is one of the few supplements I feel confident recommending because the safety profile is strong and the rationale is solid. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system and supports GABA receptor activity, essentially helping your brain and body shift into a calmer state before bed.”
The rationale hinges on the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the body’s rest-and-digest state. Tahir’s recommendation specifically flags glycinate, one of several magnesium forms available on shelves.
How Does Melatonin Work and When Should You Take It?
Melatonin doesn’t force you to sleep. It signals your body that bedtime is approaching, which is why sleep experts recommend it mainly for short-term use like jet lag, insomnia flares or shifting your schedule earlier.
Johns Hopkins sleep expert Luis F. Buenaver, Ph.D., C.B.S.M., told Hopkins Medicine, “Your body produces melatonin naturally. It doesn’t make you sleep, but as melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep.”
He added, “Most people’s bodies produce enough melatonin for sleep on their own. However, there are steps you can take to make the most of your natural melatonin production, or you can try a supplement on a short-term basis if you’re experiencing insomnia, want to overcome jet lag, or are a night owl who needs to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier, such as for work or school.”
Does Ashwagandha Improve Sleep Quality?
Ashwagandha may improve sleep quality, especially among people experiencing stress or insomnia, but more research is needed. Research suggests ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb traditionally used to help the body manage stress, produces small but meaningful improvements in sleep, especially for people with insomnia who take at least 600 milligrams a day for eight weeks or longer.
Leah Rosenbaum, writing for WebMD said, “One study showed taking 300 milligrams of the herb two times a day improved sleep, and another found that people who took 120 milligrams of an ashwagandha extract reported a significant improvement in sleep quality. A meta-analysis of five studies looked at ashwagandha’s impact on sleep in humans. It found that the herb had a small but significant impact on improving sleep, especially in people who had insomnia. The benefits were greatest when people took at least 600 milligrams of ashwagandha each day for 8 weeks or longer.”
What Do Valerian Root and L-Theanine Do for Sleep?
Valerian root and L-theanine are two of the gentler nighttime options that show up on dietitian lists, and neither is designed to force sleep. Both work by supporting relaxation instead.
Valerian root is an herbal supplement traditionally used for relaxation and sleep. L-theanine, an amino acid naturally found in green tea, may promote relaxation by increasing calming brain chemicals, including GABA, dopamine and serotonin, without causing heavy sedation. Since neither acts as a strong sedative, both are typically presented as tools that help the body ease into rest rather than as direct sleep inducers, which is why they often appear in evening blends alongside other calming ingredients.
New research is reframing dreams not as random mental noise, but as one of the clearest signals of how well your body is actually resting. Here’s what scientists now know about dreams, REM sleep and what your nightly patterns may be flagging. What Do Your Dreams Say About Your Sleep Quality? Think of your dreams […]
Can CBD Help With Sleep and Insomnia?
CBD may help improve sleep indirectly, mainly by reducing the anxiety that keeps many people with insomnia awake. Evidence is still developing, and CBD remains legally restricted in some places.
CBD, or cannabidiol, interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in stress, mood and sleep regulation. Lauren Fountain wrote for the Sleep Foundation, “People who suffer from insomnia experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night. Because of their history of poor sleep, people with insomnia may suffer from anxiety about getting inadequate sleep, which can then increase sleeplessness at night. Given the potential positive outcomes of CBD treating anxiety, it is speculated that CBD may also help reduce the anxiety associated with insomnia.”
If you’ve ever had trouble sleeping, you know how difficult it can be to finally get a healthy amount of rest. You need it to function, but sleep can be elusive in so many frustrating ways. Whether you find yourself dealing with insomnia or low-quality sleep, it can be maddening to face the day with […]
Does Tart Cherry Juice Really Improve Sleep?
Tart cherry juice may offer modest sleep benefits, particularly for older adults and people experiencing insomnia or disrupted sleep, thanks to naturally occurring melatonin and antioxidant compounds.
It’s one of the few sleep aids on this list that shows up as a food rather than a capsule. Tart cherries naturally contain melatonin and antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins. “A small glass of tart cherry juice is my ‘secret’ to sleeping better,” Jackie Newgent, RDN, culinary nutritionist, told Yahoo Health. “The juice may help play a role in slightly improving sleep duration and quality, especially for older people or those with insomnia.”
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Professional golfer Sam Burns didn’t expect to be on the course, competing in the 2026 Open Championship, leading up to — and certainly after — his wife gave birth to their baby girl.
“I was expecting to be at home,” Sam, 29, told PGATour.com on Wednesday, July 15, noting Caroline’s due date was one day prior.
Caroline ultimately gave birth to baby No. 2, daughter Belle, on July 3. (The couple, who have been married since 2019, are also parents of 2-year-old son Bear.)
After Belle’s arrival, Sam planned to sit out of the PGA tournament to help his wife recover as they settle into their new life as parents of two. Instead, Caroline persuaded the athlete to make the trip while she stayed home with their kids and her parents.
Pro golfer Scottie Scheffler had a full house cheering him on at the 2026 Masters Tournament. Scottie, 29, competed in the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 8, where wife Meredith Scheffler served as his caddie alongside sons Bennett, 23 months, and Remy, 12 days. “This is what it’s all about!” Scottie wrote via Instagram […]
“I still wasn’t sure if I could get there mentally,” Sam acknowledged on Wednesday. “It’s just a weird dynamic of having a new baby, and you want to be there for them and your family. I think it was ultimately my decision of, ‘Could I get there from a mental standpoint of having to leave?’”
In fact, Sam quipped that he didn’t even swing a club for four days after Belle’s birth but assured reporters that he wasn’t rusty.
“We only get four of these [majors] a year,” Sam stated. “If it was a different event, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
While speaking to CBS reporters later that day, Sam admitted that he thought there was “zero percent chance” he’d be able to make the competition.
“Brett, my agent, was like, ‘I’m just going to sign you up, just in case,’” he recalled in a press conference. “I was like, ‘You can, but [I’m] probably not gonna be able to play. Then, we ended up having [Belle] on the 3rd, and even then I still wasn’t expecting to play by any means.”
Sam further stressed that he only changed his mind after multiple conversations with Caroline.
“She’s just amazing, superhero,” he gushed of his wife. “If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be here.”
Sam and Caroline’s plans appeared to be paying off. The pro golfer sat in first position going into the rounds on Sunday, July 19, though his family remained top of mind.
“My wife’s maiden name is Campbell, and we always loved that name and wanted to try to do something with it,” Sam told reporters on Saturday, July 18, revealing how they picked a name for their baby girl. “That’s kind of where we got it from. … Obviously, it’s not that similar, but [it is inspired by] the Campbell part.”
With 2026 now in its second half, Netflix has officially revealed the movies and shows that dominated the platform during the first six months of the year, and it’s no surprise to see Alan Ritchson‘s explosive sci-fi action thriller leading the list. Released in March, the film quickly became a global hit, debuting at No. 1 in more than 90 countries and holding onto the top spot for multiple weeks. Its massive success has already earned it a sequel, which officially entered development at Netflix last month, with Patrick Hughes reportedly set to return as both writer and director.
Starring Ritchson as an unnamed U.S. Army Staff Sergeant later designated “81,” the sci-fi blockbuster blends intense military action with a relentless extraterrestrial threat. The story follows an elite Ranger training exercise that spirals into a desperate fight for survival after the soldiers come face-to-face with a deadly alien killing machine during the final phase of U.S. Army Ranger selection. Also starring are Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber.
Now, Netflix has confirmed that War Machine has amassed a whopping 147 million views, making it the streamer’s most-watched film of 2026 so far. The feat is especially impressive considering the film holds a 66% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers praising Ritchson’s commanding performance while criticizing the movie’s character development and predictable story. Rounding out Netflix’s top three movies of the first half of 2026 are The Rip with 136 million views and the animated comedy Swapped with 131 million. The latter is already on track to become Netflix’s second most-watched original animated film ever, trailing only KPop Demon Hunters.
What Else Made It to Netflix’s First-Half Rankings?
Looking beyond the top three, KPop Demon Hunters ranks fourth overall with 130 million views, narrowly ahead of Apex, which sits in fifth with 129 million. Thrash follows with 100 million views, while the romantic adaptation People We Meet on Vacation lands seventh with 78 million. Rounding out the top 10 are The Crash (65 million), Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (64 million), and Office Romance (58 million) views.
On the TV side, His & Hers claims the No. 1 spot with 104 million views, followed closely by Bridgerton Season 4 with 100 million. Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You ranks third with 64 million views, while Stranger Things Season 5 and another Coben adaptation, Run Away, round out the top five with 56 million and 50 million views, respectively.
Ritchson’s sci-fi masterpiece War Machine streams on Netflix.
- Release Date
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March 6, 2026
- Runtime
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107 minutes
- Director
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Patrick Hughes
- Writers
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Patrick Hughes, James Beaufort
- Producers
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Todd Lieberman, Alexander Young, Patrick Hughes, Greg McLean, Rich Cook
Hannah Waddingham carries a huge weight away from those hit movies!
The “Ted Lasso” star got candid about the cons of spending long hours on set, especially when she has to leave her daughter at home, and how she navigates its effects.
Hannah Waddingham has spoken about her decision to become a mother at a time that allows her to balance the demands of motherhood with the requirements of her job.
The TV star unveils the emotional tug-of-war she faces when duty calls for her to be on movie sets, leading to time away from her daughter, whom she enjoys spending quality time with.
Traveling long distances has never been easy, and now that she has to do it again for another season of “Ted Lasso,” the actress admitted she is anticipating those feelings. In her words, “I’m about to go away to do press for the next season of Ted [Lasso], and the mummy guilt descends.”
When Waddingham’s daughter was just eight months old, she was approached with an offer to appear on “Game of Thrones” as Septa Unella, who won a lot of fans during her run.
She revealed that she initially considered passing on the offer, but it dawned on her that it would be a career-ending move. Looking back at her scenes on the hit HBO series, Waddingham could see someone trying to balance two overwhelming responsibilities at once.
To keep her grounded, she recalled bringing something her daughter made on set. In her interview with The Guardian, she revealed that she brought a cardboard handbag Kitty created to the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Waddingham picked it over a designer bag because it was practical and, more importantly, served as a reminder that her daughter is always with her in spirit.
Away from the gloominess, the actress went into how her love for performing began, even long before she found fame, thanks to growing up surrounded by theatre due to her mother’s career as an opera singer.
Waddingham recalled spending most of her childhood backstage at the London Coliseum, eventually inspiring her decision to film her Christmas special there instead of a more high-profile venue. The actress had earlier dreamed of becoming a singer whose music could move people emotionally, while also nurturing a passion for acting.
Her career naturally evolved towards appearing on screens in movies, but her international fame has not derailed her from remaining rooted in South West London. The actress then pushed back against the idea that theatre performers are driven by fame, saying her mother’s quiet dedication taught her otherwise.
Waddingham described her late mother as a remarkably gifted yet humble artist and credited it as the reason why she remains fiercely protective of the theatre community, believing its performers are motivated by passion rather than celebrity.
Hannah Waddingham Weighed In On The Realities Of Motherhood In Her Forties
The doting mother shared the truth about the timing of her decision to have a child, reiterating that she waited until she found the right moment to blend motherhood with a thriving career. As stated by Huffington Post, Waddingham added that it was important for her not to raise her offspring bearing resentment or conflict about missed opportunities.
The actress did not malign the blessing of becoming a parent as she conceived her baby naturally at age 39 via holistic wellness practices. Waddingham engaged in several mineral-balancing treatments, Reiki, and guidance from an Eastern practitioner.
However, raising her daughter, Kitty, whom she welcomed in 2014 with Italian hotel manager Gianluca Cugnetto, has not been a walk in the park. She admitted that it can also be draining to constantly show up for her daughter even on days that she had it rough on set.
After her relationship with Cugnetto ended in 2022, leaving her to become a single mother to a toddler, she realized that difficult endings often make way for unexpected opportunities.
She is gradually learning to take pride in her professional achievements, as it is important for Kitty to grow up seeing a mother who loves both her family and her work, just as she once watched her mother do.
The 51-Year-Old Credited ‘Ted Lasso’ For Changing Her Experience With Motherhood
The sacrifices on late-night movie sets away from her daughter paid off financially when the paychecks from her role on “Ted Lasso” came in. Waddingham admitted to The Standard that the show’s success made single parenting easier, giving her financial independence and stability to support herself and her daughter without relying on anyone else.
The show also transformed her personal and professional life as the role of Rebecca Welton marked a turning point, allowing the audience to see her as someone with flaws, fears, and vulnerabilities just like everybody else.
As the new season prepares to air, Waddingham wants viewers to embrace the latest episodes just like they did with the previous seasons. She commended the new female cast members, praising them for exuding confidence as they stepped into their roles, reassuring her that the next generation of actresses are not here to play.
Hannah Waddingham Put A Rude Photographer In Their Place In 2024
As shared by The Blast, the actress showcased her low tolerance for inappropriate behavior on the red carpet for the Olivier Awards when a photographer made a disturbing remark about her legs.
The movie star looked ravishing in a custom lilac number by Marchesa as she stepped onto the carpet at the London Royal Albert Hall, wearing a sparkling, diamond-embellished outfit and matching footwear. The photographer had asked Waddingham to turn and show him more of her legs during the photo session, prompting the actress to decline and protest that they would not make such a demand of a male actor.
Waddingham warned the photographer to desist from making such a sexist statement, as supporters on social media praised her for standing up to such an uncomfortable situation. One fan who shared the clip on social media noted that Waddingham’s response showed exactly why they consider her a role model for calling out misogyny when she encounters it.
In the City star Danielle Olivera is ready to introduce her baby boy to fans after his early arrival.
“Welcome to the world, Aidan Santos Heavey 💙,” Danielle, 37, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, July 18, sharing the first photo of the infant resting in a NICU isolette. “Already making his own rules, Aidan arrived on June 21st at just 28 weeks (+5 days). Tiny, mighty and clearly not interested in our timeline.”
Danielle’s boyfriend, Eoin Heavey, revealed via Instagram last month that their son arrived 10 weeks ahead of his scheduled due date and was “heading to summer camp at NICU” for approximately three months.
On Saturday, Danielle shared an update on Aidan’s developmental progress following his premature birth.
In the City star Danielle Olivera offered a major update on her and boyfriend Eoin Heavey’s baby boy. “Baby and parents are doing well,” she captioned an Instagram Stories post on Thursday, June 25. “Overwhelmed by the love and support, thank you all so much!!” Danielle, 37, added, “I’m still getting through so many of […]
“He’s thriving at @stonybrookmedicine NICU and getting stronger every day while keeping Mom and Dad on our toes,” she wrote. “To the incredible NICU team at Stony Brook, our family and friends, and every NICU mom who’s reached out with love, advice and hope — thank you. You’ve carried us through more than you’ll ever know.”
Danielle further detailed her anticipation for Aidan’s eventual discharge from the hospital facility.
“We can’t wait for the day we finally bring you home, Aidan,” Danielle concluded. “Until then, we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.”
Danielle Olivera and Eoin Heavey with their son. Courtesy of Danielle Olivera/ Instagram
Danielle’s fellow Bravolebrities offered their support — and excited desire to one day meet baby Aidan in person — in the comments section.
“We can’t wait to meet him!!!! 💙,” Lindsay Hubbard replied, while Andrea Denver added, “Sending so much love to little Aidan. He’s already shown how strong he is. Wishing you guys endless strength and hoping home day comes soon.”
Many stars grew their families in 2026. Becca Kufrin, Justin Theroux, MLB player Freddie Freeman, TikTok star Allison Kuch and NFL star Baker Mayfield all welcomed little ones into their respective families in April, followed Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden in May. That month also brought new arrivals to Stephen Coletti, Josh Duhamel and Pat McAfee‘s […]
Danielle rose to fame on Summer House, appearing on seasons 2 through 8. Years after her exit, Danielle reunited with Lindsay, 39, Andrea, 35, Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula on Bravo’s In the City spinoff about their daily life in New York City outside of Hamptons summers. By the end of season 1, Danielle revealed that she was pregnant with her first baby. (Andrea’s wife, Lexi Sundin, as well as costar Yvonne Najor also revealed that they are expecting babies.)
“We always talked about being parents as we were dating, and [Eoin is] very close to his family. I’m very close with mine, and I think that we knew that this would be in our future,” Danielle exclusively told Us Weekly in June before welcoming her baby boy. “He’s just been so supportive at every appointment and making sure that my needs are met and holding my hand through the whole thing. … He’s been doing all the cooking, the cleaning, the heavy lifting, you name it. He’s been great.”
Kylie Jenner found a deeply personal way to remember her beloved grandmother, Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell, following her death at age 91.
The Kylie Cosmetics founder shared a glimpse inside a family memorial on Saturday, revealing that photographs from MJ’s life had been projected onto a large screen. The tribute included childhood memories, glamorous portraits and rare snapshots capturing the matriarch’s close relationship with the Kardashian-Jenner family.
Kylie’s tribute arrived days after Kris Jenner announced her mother’s death in an emotional post describing MJ as the “heart” of their famous family.
Several of the projected photographs showed Kylie and her older sister, Kendall Jenner, during their childhood in the early 2000s. The sisters could be seen posing with their grandmother in coordinated outfits, offering fans a look at their bond years before Kylie and Kendall became internationally recognized stars.
Another striking black-and-white portrait showed MJ as a young woman modeling a halter-neck dress with a voluminous skirt. The glamorous photograph reflected MJ’s early experience as a model and her lifelong interest in fashion.
Kylie shared the images through her Instagram Stories without adding a lengthy message, allowing the family memories to serve as her tribute.
Kris Jenner Calls MJ The ‘Heart’ Of Their Family
Kris announced her mother’s passing on Thursday, July 16, with a collection of family photographs and a heartbreaking message. “Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye,” she began.
“My mom was the heart of our family. She taught me everything that truly matters… to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted,” Kris continued.
The momager credited MJ with teaching the family how to find happiness in small moments and confront life’s difficulties with faith and resilience. “Mom, thank you for every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely,” she wrote. “I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter…”
Kim Kardashian Remembers Her ‘Forever Twin’
Kim Kardashian also honored MJ with photographs spanning several decades of their lives together. “My sweet Grandma MJ, my best friend, my gossip buddy, my forever twin,” Kim wrote before crediting her grandmother with establishing the family values that would be carried forward.
Kim also revealed how MJ influenced her as a businesswoman long before the Kardashian-Jenner family built its sprawling collection of companies. “You were the woman who showed me what it meant to be a hardworking businesswoman. You gave me my very first job at your store in San Diego and taught me lessons about work ethic, strength, and confidence that I’ve carried with me ever since,” she wrote.
The SKIMS founder ended her tribute with a joke that reflected their playful relationship. “I know you are up in heaven, looking at all of our Instagram posts of you from your sneaky finsta account you would always use lol,” Kim added.
Mary Jo Campbell Became A Fan Favorite
MJ later became familiar to millions through her appearances on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and the family’s subsequent reality projects.
Viewers came to know her through her dry humor, close relationship with Kris and candid conversations with her grandchildren. Despite the family’s fame, her appearances frequently centered on ordinary moments between several generations of women.
The Kardashian-Jenners celebrated MJ’s 91st birthday at The Ivy in Los Angeles in July 2025, complete with a floral cake and gold number candles.
Kylie also included her grandmother in a family Mother’s Day post shortly before her death, alongside Kris and Kim. “Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us,” Kris wrote in her farewell.
Kylie Jenner Shares A Kiss With Timothée Chalamet At World Cup Final
Shortly after sharing her emotional tribute to MJ, Kylie stepped out with Timothée Chalamet at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.
The couple arrived hand-in-hand at New York New Jersey Stadium, where Argentina faced Spain. Once inside their suite, Kylie and Chalamet were spotted sharing a kiss before turning their attention to the match between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.
Chalamet was also given a special role in the event, walking onto the field before kickoff to deliver the official game ball. The “Marty Supreme” star had previously attended Spain’s 2-0 victory over France on July 14, where he was seen chatting with soccer legend David Beckham.
Calling The Sopranos the greatest television series ever made is a little like calling Citizen Kane the greatest film ever made. It’s the obvious choice, but that shouldn’t dissuade younger viewers from seeking either one out. Both The Sopranos and Citizen Kane have rightfully earned reputations as towering works of prestige entertainment with a significant influence on their respective mediums. But both also have a secret weapon up their sleeves: They’re really damn entertaining.
The Sopranos was often one of the funniest television shows, and its sense of humor became a defining characteristic of early prestige dramas. While The Godfather and Goodfellas were clear influences on the world that David Chase imagined, seeing the everyday inner workings of the mafia was unprecedented. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) struggling to balance his criminal empire with suburban family life is the heart of the series’ drama. Still, it is also the source of some of its funniest moments.
The supporting cast and their banter also made the series feel remarkably lived-in. Many of The Sopranos’ most acclaimed episodes revolve around Tony, including Season 1’s “College,” Season 2’s “Funhouse,” and Season 5’s “The Test Dream.” Yet the show’s sprawling narrative also allowed supporting characters to take center stage without sacrificing quality. No episode proves that better than Season 3’s “Pine Barrens.” More than two decades after its HBO debut on May 6, 2001, it remains one of the funniest and most influential episodes The Sopranos ever aired.
‘Pine Barrens’ Turns ‘The Sopranos’ Into a Perfect Comedy
As Tony weighs a future with his fling Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra), he dispatches his nephew Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and right-hand man Paulie Gualtieri (Tony Sirico) to complete a transaction with Russian mobster Valery (Vitali Baganov). Christopher and Paulie, who are frequently at odds, initiate a seemingly lethal brawl with the eccentric Russian and plan to dump his body in the Pine Barrens. Unfortunately, Valery survives the attack and disappears into the freezing woods, forcing the pair into an increasingly desperate search.
The trek through the wilderness is miserable for them, but it becomes a hilarious worst-case scenario for the audience. Cut off from Tony by poor reception and increasingly convinced they are doomed, Christopher and Paulie spend the episode arguing, panicking, and making every possible bad decision. Their supposedly simple assignment quickly devolves into one of television’s greatest comedies of errors, allowing viewers to revel in their distress.
Part of the episode’s inherent humor comes from pairing the two mobsters least equipped to work together. Both men are impulsive, but much of Paulie’s resentment stems from his refusal to accept that Christopher may one day lead the family. Christopher is not technically Tony’s nephew, but rather a distant cousin of Tony’s wife Carmela (Edie Falco). Nonetheless, the two are bound by blood, and Christopher remains Tony’s presumed successor. Paulie’s reverence for his boss frequently reaches absurd levels, causing him to compete with Christopher for Tony’s attention like a child fighting for the approval of a favorite parent.
Seeing these two selfish, paranoid man-children forced to rely on one another grows even funnier as they begin to recognize each other’s usefulness in their own unusual ways. It takes a hellish mission gone wrong for the two men to become too exhausted to continue blaming one another. Their induced madness is somehow the only thing capable of drawing out even a flicker of empathy.
This is also one of Gandolfini’s best comedic performances, even though Tony sits out most of the main action and simply barks orders from afar. His unusually upbeat mood, brought on by his affair with Gloria, quickly disappears when he learns of his henchmen’s incompetence, and no one could scream over the phone quite like Gandolfini. Tony’s breakdown into laughter when he sees the affable Bobby Baccalieri (Steve Schirripa) decked out in outdoor gear, spurred by a raunchy real-life prank designed to capture Gandolfini’s genuine reaction, remains one of the most authentic laughs in the entire series.
‘Pine Barrens’ Perfectly Captures What Made ‘The Sopranos’ Revolutionary
The brilliance of “Pine Barrens” is that Christopher and Paulie’s detour mirrors the larger narrative rhythm of the series, transforming what initially seems like a B-plot into the episode’s dominant storyline. The episode arrives near the end of Season 3, when nearly every character is under considerable pressure. Tony’s daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) is locked in a conflict with her criminally inclined boyfriend Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone), Gloria’s erratic behavior threatens Tony’s decision-making, and Tony’s therapist Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) continues recovering from a traumatic assault. Yet, much like Christopher and Paulie’s supposedly simple mission, all of these intense storylines are temporarily derailed.
That willingness to wander is exactly what made The Sopranos revolutionary. It refused to conform to the expectations of either episodic television or tightly serialized storytelling, allowing its narrative to unfold at a more natural pace. Some consequences did not become apparent for several seasons, while other storylines were left hanging without a clean resolution or the satisfaction of a definitive answer. None is more famous than the show’s lingering final shot. Like real life, The Sopranos allowed itself to be heartbreaking, hilarious, exhausting, and even irritating.
That approach occasionally produced storylines that divided audiences, including Vito Spatafore’s (Joseph R. Gannascoli) retreat to New Hampshire in the first half of Season 6 or the increasingly frustrating ramblings of Tony’s son A.J. (Robert Iler). At its best, however, it transformed a story as seemingly trivial as the one in “Pine Barrens” into something equally farcical and poignant. Much of the credit belongs to director and eventual Season 5 co-star Steve Buscemi, whose experience helming slice-of-life independent films like Trees Lounge and Animal Factory proved invaluable when balancing realism with situational comedy.
“Pine Barrens” does not end with Christopher and Paulie luring Valery into an intense final standoff, nor does it culminate in a haunting shot of him escaping into the distance. Instead, it concludes with a spare reprimand from Tony as he, Bobby, Christopher, and Paulie sit together during a car ride quieter than anything they encountered in the empty woods. Just a few episodes later, Christopher and Paulie are snapping at each other once again. That nobody learns anything from the ordeal somehow makes the episode even funnier. They survive one of the worst days of their lives, only to resume bickering as though nothing ever happened.
The Sopranos
- Release Date
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1999 – 2007
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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David Chase
- Directors
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Tim Van Patten, John Patterson, Alan Taylor, Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Daniel Attias, David Chase, Andy Wolk, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, James Hayman, Lee Tamahori, Lorraine Senna, Matthew Penn, Mike Figgis, Nick Gomez, Peter Bogdanovich, Phil Abraham, Rodrigo García
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and his family are reportedly safe after authorities say they were victims of an attempted burglary.
According to the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, officers were dispatched to respond to a burglary at the 29-year-old NFL star’s Pennsylvania home on Saturday, July 18, shortly after 5:00 a.m. ET. According to authorities, the alleged suspects fled the area prior to the officers’ arrival.
“They were home, and fortunately, as you know, with any situation like this, our main concern is that the residents of that home at the time were unharmed, which they were,” Capt. Tyler Moyer told reporters, per ESPN. “They were fine afterwards, obviously unsettled as anyone would be.”
The Pennsylvania’s Chester County District Attorney’s Office also issued a public statement via social media in the wake of the incident, saying detectives are assisting the local police department with their ongoing investigation.
“We are incredibly grateful that the Barkley family was not injured during this incident,” the District Attorney’s office said in the statement. “We are asking the public to help us identify those responsible by checking any home security cameras for suspicious activity in the area around 5:00 a.m. If you saw anything unusual or have video that may assist investigators, please contact the Tredyffrin Township Police Department immediately.
Saquon Barkley Getty Images
A slew of high-profile athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs players Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, have been the targets of burglaries or attempted burglaries as of late, prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to investigate whether the break-ins are “connected to a transnational crime ring such as one from South America,” per a November 2024 NBC News report.
At the time, local law enforcement sources told ABC News that the investigation cannot “discount a local person” being involved in the string of incidents either, noting that “it’s very easy” to predict when athletes will not be home due to their very public game and practice schedules.
Around the time both Kelce, 36, and Mahomes, 30, homes were targeted, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis also claimed his “prized possessions” were stolen from his home while he was playing in a game.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. also reported in September that same year that people broke into his home while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game.
Capt. Moyer told local Philadelphia media outlet WCAU-TV that local authorities are not ruling out a possible connection between the incident targeting Barkley’s home and the incidents involving other athletes.
“We will look at all angles of this because we know, obviously, it’s been all over the news in the past few years about different professional athletes’ homes getting burglarized,” he said.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all set to introduce the X-Men in an upcoming reboot movie directed by Jake Schreier, following brief appearances by some of the characters in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Deadpool & Wolverine. Creator of Netflix’s Beef, Lee Sung Jin, who is working on the new X-Men movie with Schreier and writer Joanna Calo, recently spoke about how ripe the characters are for drama centered on ostracism. The X-Men have inspired numerous other genre properties over the years, from Tim Burton‘s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to a new comic book series that’s around the corner.
The new series is written by Robert Kirkman, who created The Walking Dead and serves as COO of Image Comics. The series inspired a long-running television adaptation, which itself spawned numerous spin-offs. More recently, Kirkman wrote the comic book series Invincible, which has been adapted into a popular Prime Video animated series that has aired four seasons so far. Kirkman is working on the new comic book series with co-writer Joe Casey and artist Andy Kubert. Here’s the official synopsis, per Image Comics:
“There is a secret war being waged across the world by two violent forces with superhuman abilities who blur the lines between good and evil. When Marilyn Howe’s search for her missing sister Alessandra puts her in the center of this conflict, she’ll learn that the power to save the world comes from unlocking your genetic code and giving up everything you thought you knew about yourself…if you survive the experience. Perfect for fans of INVINCIBLE and X-MEN, nothing can prepare you for the most violent and unpredictable superhero series of the year!”
Here’s When You Can Get Your Hands on Robert Kirkman’s New Comic Book
The series is titled Terminal, and its first issue will be released on July 22. Meanwhile, Kirkman’s fans can also look forward to two new seasons of Invincible, which features the voice talent of J.K. Simmons, Steven Yeun, and Sandra Oh. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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March 26, 2021
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
- Franchise(s)
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Invincible
Championship boxer Hannah Rapp has died. She was 26.
“On Saturday, July 18, 2026, just before 10:00 a.m., deputies with the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 2300 block of FM 150 in reference to a major crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist,” a statement issued by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office via their official Facebook page read in part, announcing the athlete’s untimely death.
“Initial reports indicated that a vehicle had struck a bicyclist, leaving an adult female lying in the roadway,” the statement continued. “First responders arrived on scene and provided emergency medical care before the victim was transported to a local hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, she later passed away at the hospital.”
The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office then identified the woman as “26-year-old Hannah Rapp,” an exciting and promising boxer who ran track at Purdue University before relocating to College Station, Texas, where she became a professional athlete while also working as a full-time fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M University.
“During the course of the investigation, investigators learned that the driver of the vehicle, identified as 31-year-old Charles Medina, had passed two bicyclists traveling along FM 159,” the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office continued in the same statement. “After passing the bicyclists, Mr. Medina stopped his vehicle, reversed, and struck one of the cyclists.”’
The authorities continued, “At this time, investigators believe this was an isolated incident. The investigation remains active and ongoing as detectives continue to gather evidence and review all available information.”
According to the statement, Medina was arrested, “charged with manslaughter” and taken to the county’s detention center “without incident.”
“The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office extends his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Hannah Rapp during this difficult time,” the authorities concluded.
Prior to her death, Rapp — who was born in Indiana — boasted an impressive 8-0-1 boxing record before she lost a World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title fight against Tiara Brown, who paid tribute to the late athlete on social media in the wake of her shocking death.
“I will never let your name fade Hanna [sic],” Brown wrote via her Instagram Stories on Saturday, over a photo of the competitors hugging in the ring and a black-and-white photo of Rapp posing for the cameras with her fists up.
In a comment on a separate Instagram post also paying tribute to Rapp, Brown described the late athlete as “the best dance partner I have ever faced as a pro.”
“When you asked for my autograph, it filled my heart because we were getting ready for war, yet she was still asking for my autograph,” Brown continued in the comment, per ESPN. “It made me smile, we fought a GREAT fight for the fans from the 1st bell to the last! It was my honor to share the ring with her.”
Mauricio Sulaimán, president of the WBC, also issued a statement acknowledging Rapp’s tragic passing, her contribution to the sport and the pain her friends, family and many fans must be in as a result of her death.
“The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken,” Sulaiman said in a written statement shared on the WBC’s website. “She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career.”
If you’re a movie fan, you’re probably going to watch Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey at some point.
The epic adaptation of Homer’s classic poem starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya and more is projected to top the box office this weekend and probably the rest of the summer.
If you have already watched the film and are craving more ancient history spectacle, or simply want to watch a good film, you’re in luck.
Watch With Us has curated a list of films you should watch if you like The Odyssey and can’t get enough of Hellenic heroism and sweaty men killing each other on the battlefield.
‘Troy’ (2004) – YouTube
Brad Pitt in Troy. Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
The most obvious pick on this list, Troy is also the most satisfying – especially for those looking for more traditional epic movie thrills. Brad Pitt stars as Achilles, Greece’s greatest warrior, who is called into battle when pretty-boy Paris (Orlando Bloom) romances the married Queen Helen (Diane Kruger) and takes her to his hometown, Troy. Troy is well defended by Hector (Eric Bana), Paris’ older brother and a warrior equal to Achilles, and the city’s walls, which are heavily fortified. The only way to penetrate Troy – and get Helen back – is for the Greeks to sneak in, and what better way to do that than by building a giant wooden horse to hide in?
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, Troy is a loose adaptation of Homer’s The Iliad – think of it as a more action-packed prequel to The Odyssey. The film itself is less cerebral than Nolan’s film – it’s focused more on staging elaborate scenes of armies attacking each other on beaches and within Troy itself. Taking it as it is, Troy is great entertainment – a thrilling, old-school spectacle of brawn, testosterone and military glory. The all-star cast looks great, even when they’re covered in sweat, blood and tears, with Pitt’s Achilles outmogging everyone, even Helen. Odysseus (Sean Bean) appears as a supporting character, but he’s important – he’s the genius who comes up with the idea for the Trojan Horse, which turns the tide of the war.
‘The Return’ (2024) – Paramount+
Charlie Plummer (left, on steps), Ralph Fiennes (left), Juliette Binoche (center) in The Return. Bleecker Street Media / Courtesy Everett Collection
What happens after the Trojan War, when the remaining soldiers have to return home and grapple with everything they’ve done to survive? That’s what Nolan explores in his Odyssey, but he’s not the first to adapt the ancient text. Just two years ago, Uberto Pasolini released his version of the tale, The Return, which adapts the second part of the poem. As a result, Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is more of a lead character than Anne Hathaway is in The Odyssey, as she has to reconcile with her husband’s probable death and consider remarriage with a host of suitors. Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) is still alive, though, and he’s not too happy to find out his beloved wife has finally moved on from him.
Less an epic film and more of a domestic drama, The Return probes the psychology of its married couple as well as their son, Telemachus (Charlie Plummer), who gradually becomes affected by all the violence he sees when his father returns. Don’t expect Greek gods in The Return; Pasolini is interested in only the human drama between an estranged husband and wife who still love each other and a child who is ready to leave them behind for good.
‘Spartacus’ (1960) – Prime Video
The Odyssey has been hailed as an intelligent epic by some critics, but Nolan isn’t the first to combine large-scale battle sequences with complex characterization and bravura filmmaking. Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus revolutionized the epic movie genre in 1960 and became that year’s top-grossing film, beating out other classics like Psycho, The Apartment and The Magnificent Seven.
Born in slavery and raised in chains, Roman citizen Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) has never known true freedom. When he’s sold to a gladiator trainer and commanded to fight to the death to entertain the Roman elite, something inside Spartacus snaps. He refuses, causing a rebellion that sees the city’s slaves wage war against their oppressors. But law and order must be preserved at all costs, and General Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier) is determined to quash the rebellion as quickly as it started — and consolidate his power in Rome in the process.
Spartacus is a strange hybrid of a traditional sword-and-sandal epic like 1953’s The Robe and 1956’s The Ten Commandments and a psychological character study like Kubrick’s Paths of Glory. The result is a one-of-a-kind epic, a spectacle that dazzles the eyes and engages your mind. Spartacus was nominated for six Academy Awards in 1961 and won four, including Best Supporting Actor for Peter Ustinov.
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