Decades have passed, but Quentin Tarantino remains just as enthusiastic a cultural commentator as he was when he first broke out in the 1990s. Tarantino has already declared The Rip — the Netflix action thriller starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon — as one of his favorite movies of the year. Back in 1994, when the world was fawning over Pulp Fiction, Tarantino praised another populist action movie publicly. The movie in question is now regarded as a classic of the genre, validating Tarantino’s initial opinion about it. It’s also heading to HBO Max, where a new generation of fans can admire the craft on display.

The year 1994 is often considered one of the greatest of all time when it comes to movies; in addition to Pulp Fiction, audiences also witnessed the original runs of Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, The Lion King, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and more. Among these diverse classics was the action movie praised by Tarantino as “pure cinema.” In an interview with Film Comment, the filmmaker highlighted how effectively the movie engaged audiences with its story. He said, “The last 20 minutes gets kind of cheesy, but up until then it was totally engaging. Situation filmmaking at its best, because they really went with it.”

Here’s When the Action Classic Will Land on HBO Max

The movie that Tarantino was talking about is Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and Dennis Hopper. Directed by Jan de Bont, the film grossed $350 million worldwide against a reported budget of $35 million. It now holds a “Certified Fresh” 95% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “A terrific popcorn thriller, Speed is taut, tense, and energetic, with outstanding performances from Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock.” The film inspired a sequel titled Speed 2: Close Control, which brought back Bullock but didn’t feature Reeves. It was a major critical and commercial flop. The original, however, will be added to HBO Max on September 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

June 10, 1994

Runtime

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116 minutes

Director

Jan de Bont

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Writers

Graham Yost

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Producers

Ian Bryce

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Netflix has delivered a catalog of serious crime shows over the years, but only a few on that list feel so carefully crafted that every episode stands as its own art piece. Some of the platform’s best in the genre do more than follow criminals, investigations, or shocking cases; these episodic icons use each chapter to sharpen tension, deepen the world, show how crime affects entire communities and systems, or reveal something painful about the characters. When a Netflix crime series is dubbed a true masterpiece, there is no doubt that any of its episodes are significant.

Crime series like the British banger, Top Boy, which was able to gain new life on Netflix as it continues to deliver its layered storytelling about loyalty, ambition, violence, and poverty, and the masterful series Mindhunter, which, even with its short run, delivers tension through interviews, observation, psychology, and silence, are just two series that prove Netflix hosts true compelling watches in the genre that never wastes any of their installments. Compiled on this list are such series, captivating crime watches which showcase that the streaming platform’s high-quality catalog of series does exist, and they are masterpieces in their own right for making every one of their episodes feel intense, purposeful, and incredibly impossible to dismiss.

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‘Top Boy’ (2011–2023)

Image via Netflix

This Netflix crime drama is an easy pick for this list of five because it masterfully adds another layer to its interesting plots and the characters’ choices, showcasing how power is gained, lost, and protected. The British drama Top Boy is set in East London, following Dushane Hill (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson) as they navigate the drug trade, with their partnership repeatedly shifting between resentment, loyalty, and violent competition. With Netflix’s revival of the show, Dushane makes his way back to his London home in hopes of reclaiming his position, only to find himself challenged by a younger rival whose ambitions far surpass his own.

Top Boy may not have originated on Netflix, but because of the platform, the show gained new life as it dove straight into the brutal criminal world of the drug trade. Top Boy’s refusal to make the drug trade economy feel glamorous makes it a truly raw and captivating watch. Each episode of the series delivers emotional power, some coming even from people standing outside the deadly business whose futures just so happened to be shaped by it. Top Boy doesn’t produce installments that feel like repetitive gangster chess matches, but instead offers viewers social breadth by diving into how crime, poverty, ambition, loyalty, and survival affect an entire community from different perspectives, giving every episode proper meaning to the story, marking it as a true masterful crime drama.

4

‘Ripley’ (2024)

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The miniseries Ripley is one of Netflix’s most carefully controlled crime gems that ensures every episode feels like it was shaped with a specific purpose. Set in early-1960s New York, the eight-episode crime drama centers around the small-time grifter Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott), who, quite unexpectedly, receives an offer from an initially random wealthy man who believes Tom is close friends with his son, Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn). Tom is sent away to Italy to play the role of friend and convince Dickie to return home, only for the assignment to gradually pull him right into the world of wealth and privilege that he desperately desires for himself.

Ripley may wield a short run, but each of its striking black-and-white episodes stands as an essential piece of the larger crime saga. The series is honestly almost perversely patient, but this careful patience becomes the series’ truly greatest source of captivating suspense. From simply cleaning a room and carrying an object up the stairs to improvising around an inconvenient witness, such scenes can occupy countless minutes, going out of their way to showcase just how brilliantly Ripley understands that crime is partly logistics and physical labor—and somehow turning those ordinary details into such addictive television. Each fantastic episode offers the audience a slow-burn that controls every aspect of its elegant tension, marking every one a masterpiece that trusts its atmosphere as much as its plot.

3

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

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This underrated Netflix limited series is a true-story-based crime drama that is genuinely devastating to sit through as it delivers a story rooted in real injustice. The four-part miniseries, When They See Us, focuses on five Black and Latino teenagers: Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk), Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse), and Raymond Santana (Marquis Rodriguez), who are wrongfully accused in connection with the 1989 assault of a jogger in Central Park. The young defendants are interrogated under extreme pressure, separated from the understanding and the protection they deserve, and pushed into statements that do not accurately describe what actually occurred.

Few Netflix crime series are as necessary or as difficult as When They See Us. The show is truly a masterpiece despite its extremely short run, but its status as such does not necessarily mean it’s enjoyable. When They See Us is pretty exhausting and enraging, and it’s done intentionally so, as it forces its audiences to sit with the mechanics through which racial prejudice, fear, political pressure, and institutional self-protection can turn even children into convenient defendants. There isn’t a moment in the four-part miniseries that the examination of the different stages of the case feels like fluff or filler, as each installment exposes another tragic layer of the injustice forced upon teens, marking it not as a feel-good masterpiece per se, but one that is emotionally powerful and deserves to be seen by all.

2

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

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Adolescence is one of Netflix’s most recent masterpieces where every episode transforms one terrible accusation into a heart-wrenching study of masculinity, family, school life, and social pressure. The miniseries follows thirteen-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is arrested after being accused of murdering his female classmate. Unfortunately for his parents, they are plunged into a nightmare in which unconditional love and parental certainty collide with evidence that they have no idea how to process.

With each episode designed as a continuous take, Adolescence uses its technical ambition not only for its captivating spectacle but also to strengthen character development, performances, and emotional storytelling. It stands as one of the finest crime shows of the past decade, available on the Netflix platform for subscribers to get lost in. Adolescence may be only four installments, but every one of those episodes has a distinct function, ranging from accusation and investigation to psychological confrontation and familial aftermath. Together, these four masterful episodes of Adolescence form a brilliantly crafted crime series in which no chapter feels interchangeable or insignificant. It’s a quality watch that, by its finale, proves that even the shortest of series can be true masterpieces when it is laden with carefully constructed episodes that make for pretty memorable television.

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‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

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This underrated crime TV series stands as one of Netflix’s most gripping procedural dramas. Set in the late 1970s, Mindhunter centers around FBI agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), who becomes convinced that law enforcement cannot effectively understand a new kind of murderer using old investigative techniques. When gaining a more experienced partner in Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), the two team up on interviewing imprisoned killers to study their behavioral patterns that might help solve ongoing crimes. As their research expands, the series follows the two and their development of criminal profiling, as well as the personal cost of spending hours trying to understand people who have committed terrible crimes.

Mindhunter delivers episode after episode of genuinely intelligent, controlled, and honestly quite disturbing content. Somehow, the series is able to make two people sitting in a prison interview more terrifying than many chase sequences seen on television. From the directorial emphasis on stillness and framing to behavioral detail and captivating pauses, Mindhunter’s suspense comes from what each scene slowly and quite masterfully reveals rather than what it can immediately deliver. Conversations become as intense as traditional action with carefully chosen words, subtle expressions, and uncomfortable moments of pressure. Mindhunter is truly remarkable in its attention to detail, as even its quietest episodes feel purposeful, allowing the series to maintain quite an extraordinary level of high quality. The show is no slouch at all, a Netflix hidden gem whose true mystery is not “who did it?” but whether evil can be categorized without oversimplifying both the psychology and people behind it.

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Mindhunter

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Release Date

2017 – 2019

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Network

Netflix

Showrunner

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Joe Penhall

Directors

David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Dominik, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias Lindholm

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Actor Tom Holland got a huge career boost when he was cast as “Spider-Man.” The actor, who is now married to his co-star, Zendaya, also appeared in “The Odyssey.” Both of those films were massive hits for the 2026 summer box office, which contributed a massive boost to the actor’s net worth. Ahead, take a look at the actor’s net worth and some of the roles that have contributed to his career.

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According to Celebrity Net Worth, Tom Holland has an estimated net worth of around $75 million. Meanwhile, Zendaya is said to have a net worth of $40 million. However, that figure does not appear to include the backend bonuses he is set to receive from “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” or “The Odyssey.” It’s possible that these factors could push his net worth beyond $100 million by the first quarter of 2027.

In a report published in August 2026, three anonymous sources told The Wrap that the actor could earn “upwards of $100 million” from “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” They claimed his salary for that movie was $20 million, double what he made from “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Surpassed $2 Billion At The Box Office

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“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” made more than $2 billion in global ticket sales. According to the report, Holland could take home more than $80 million in backend bonuses alone.

The movie broke a record previously set by “Avengers: Endgame.” The latest “Spider-Man” installment set a new record for a movie’s biggest opening weekend ever at the domestic box office with $360 million in ticket sales. “Endgame” had previously grossed $357 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend without adjusting for inflation.

How Much Did Tom Holland Make For ‘The Odyssey’?

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According to Wealth, Tom Holland made $10 million for appearing in “The Odyssey” while Zendaya made $5 million. Matt Damon made the most at $15 million, which contributed to his net worth of $170 million.

Christopher Nolan’s epic is officially the highest-grossing R-rated movie in box office history, surpassing “Deadpool & Wolverine,” according to IMDb. Meanwhile, Deadline reported that “The Odyssey” also became the biggest film of all time at the UK’s largest cinema, BFI IMAX, beating out the record previously set by James Cameron’s “Avatar.”

Inside Tom Holland’s Rise To Fame

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Tom Holland was born Thomas Stanley Holland in Kingston upon Thames in London, England. His mother was a photographer, and his father was a comedian and author. He attended Donhead Preparatory School and Wimbledon College before attending the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology.

He also took hip-hop classes at Nifty Feet Dance School in Wimbledon. While performing in 2006, he was spotted by choreographer Lynne Page. After two years of training and a lengthy audition process, Holland made his debut in “Billy Elliot the Musical” in 2008. He stayed with the production until 2010.

He later made his big-screen debut in the 2012 film “The Impossible” alongside “Star Wars” actor Ewan McGregor. He continued to act in films like “Wolf Hall” and “In the Heart of the Sea” until he was cast as Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Inside Tom Holland’s ‘Spider-Man’ Success

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He signed a six-picture agreement with the studio and made his Marvel debut in “Captain America: Civil War.” His first solo film was “Spider-Man: Homecoming, which made more than $800 million worldwide. He then appeared in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” He then returned in 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”

2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a massive success for the franchise, as it reunited Tom Holland’s Spider-Man with two previous actors who played the role: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. That film grossed more than $1.9 billion at the global box office.

Meanwhile, 2026’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” became the franchise’s biggest success. It surpassed $2 billion at the global box office in only three weeks of its release. Although it’s unknown how long Holland will continue playing Peter Parker, he admitted there is a plan in place for his replacement.

The doors of Hogwarts are opening once again, as HBO’s adaptation of all seven of the Harry Potter novels officially debuts this Christmas Day. Dominic McLaughlin‘s titular The Boy Who Lived, Arabella Stanton‘s Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout‘s Ron Weasley will lead a brand-new cast in the Wizarding World, which also includes Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Orson Matthews as Oliver Wood, Asha Soetan as Angelina Johnson, and John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore.

Back in March, the release of the first trailer for the new Harry Potter series earned 277 million organic views in just 48 hours, breaking a record for HBO in the process. That hype has only built since, in spite of constant controversy surrounding franchise creator J.K. Rowling, with the recent “The Best Is Yet to Come” promotional reel particularly well received. So, with less than four months to go until Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Episode 1, you might be looking for the perfect way to fill the time.

That is about to arrive in the form of Swiss Army Man, one of former Boy Who Lived Daniel Radcliffe‘s best post-Potter projects. The feature directorial debut for Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, who would go on to win seven Academy Awards with Everything Everywhere All At Once, this A24 gem features Radcliffe as a dead body befriended by Paul Dano‘s (The Batman) hopeless Hank, who becomes stranded on a deserted island. Starting September 1, you’ll be able to stream Swiss Army Man for free on Plex, joining an eye-catching catalog of other great modern and classic movies.

‘Swiss Army Man’ Is a Cult Hit

Against a reported budget of $3 million, Swiss Army Man earned just under $6 million globally, flying under the radar in 2016. However, it was a big hit with critics and those who did see the movie, ranked as Radcliffe’s second-highest-rated film since 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Called “one of the wildest films you’ll ever see” by a critic at the time, Swiss Army Man earned a strong 73% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Starting September 1, you’ll be able to stream Swiss Army Man for free on Plex. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

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June 24, 2016

Runtime

97 minutes

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Director

Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan

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“For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It’s like a morality car wash.” 

If you immediately recognized that quote, you’re likely well versed in the hit movie, “Casino,” that turned Las Vegas into one of Hollywood’s most iconic characters. 

Did you know that “Casino” was filmed all around the city of Las Vegas? There were multiple real Vegas properties used to create the fictional Vegas empire depicted in the movie. 

From famous Strip landmarks to locations around the valley that helped bring the film’s vision of Sin City to life, The Blast has compiled a few well-known locations seen in the movie that you can still visit today. 

This story is part of our weekly series, The Vegas Files. Be sure to head over to The Blast’s social media pages to see a reel that highlights some of the locations in this story.

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Anyone who’s ever watched “Casino” can easily recognize the spot the opening car explosion scene was filmed. “Casino” turned Main Street Station into the backdrop for an explosive mob hit and one of the most memorable moments in the movie. The California Hotel & Casino can be spotted in the background.

In the scene, a car is rigged to explode, sending a shocking blast through Downtown Las Vegas. It perfectly captures the movie’s depiction of organized crime in Sin City. 

This filming location is still very much recognizable today. While there are slight changes to the doors of the casino, the outside still looks very much the same, so this is a great spot to re-enact the scene (without blowing anything up, of course) for an Instagram-worthy shot. 

Neon Lights, Late Nights, ‘Casino’ Vibes: The Peppermill

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Another well-known location that you can still visit is the Peppermill.

This is where Ace and Ginger have one of their iconic restaurant scenes.  It’s one of the best locations for a modern “Casino” visit because the Peppermill is still open for business and remains looking as it did in the film.

Located on the north end of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, Peppermill is open 24 hours Thursday to Sunday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday.

According to their website, “Our Fireside Lounge isn’t just where you sip a 64-ounce Scorpion cocktail (although that’s a rite of passage). It’s also where ‘Casino’ filmed it’s famous flame-lit scenes with De Niro and Sharon Stone.”

They have also had cameos in “Showgirls,” “CSI Las Vegas,” “The Cotton Club,” and many others.

Jean Dry Lake Is Another Recognizable Location In ‘Casino’

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“At night, you couldn’t see the desert that surrounds Las Vegas. But it’s in the desert where lots of the town’s problems are solved.”

Just outside of Vegas, about 30 minutes from the Strip, lies Jean Dry Lake. This desert location away from the hustle and bustle of Sin City has been seen in many films over time. 

Jean Dry Lake gives “Casino” one of its most cinematic Vegas backdrops. The desert landscape was used for scenes that needed to feel isolated and far removed from the neon lights of the Strip.

Other movies Jean Dry Lake makes a cameo include “The Hangover,” “Vegas Vacation,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” and many others.

Atomic Liquors: Where Nicky Got Brutal

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Atomic Liquors, located in Downtown Las Vegas, is still standing and a place any “Casino” fan can still visit.

This location was used for scenes involving Nicky, played by Joe Pesci. In one infamous scene, Nicky uses a pen to stab a man in the neck and then beats him up inside Atomic Liquors. A nearby garage was also used in the film. 

According to the bar’s website, Atomic Liquors is the city’s “first freestanding bar.” It opened in the 1950s and remains a Fremont Street institution. It’s also been featured in other films, such as “The Hangover.”

The Neon Museum Is Another Must Visit Spot On A ‘Casino’ Tour

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Another must visit Vegas location on any “Casino” tour is The Neon Museum, also located downtown. Long before it became one of the city’s most photo-worthy hotspots, the collection at The Neon Museum was part of the city’s incredible visual history. 

The movie features iconic signs and neon relics of ‘70s and ‘80s Las Vegas. Today, you can see these glowing pieces of Sin City’s history up close and personal, making The Neon Museum a must stop on a “Casino” locations tour. 

Also worth noting, a scene in the movie was filmed at the La Concha Motel, whose distinctive lobby was later preserved and relocated to become The Neon Museum’s Visitor Center. The lobby was used in the film for Ace and Ginger’s romantic scene.

College football player MicahJo Barnett died at age 20 after suffering a medical emergency during his school’s season opener.

William Jewell College announced on Saturday, August 29, that the running back suffered a medical episode on the sidelines during the first quarter of the team’s Division II game against Fort Lewis College at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Missouri.

The incident occurred at around 12.20 pm local time, mere moments after Barnett scored a touchdown with 5:15 left in the first quarter to give his team a 7-0 lead over Fort Lewis College.

Liberty Police Captain Nathan Mulch told The Athletic medical personnel were on standby just as they are for every William Jewell College football game. While the medical team tended to Barnett for several minutes on the sidelines, he was eventually transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Related: Kentucky Football Player Nic Smith Died by Suicide at Age 20: Docs

University of Kentucky football player Nic Smith’s cause of death has been revealed after his body was found on campus earlier this month. According to a report by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office exclusively obtained by Us Weekly on Monday, June 15, Smith died by suicide. He was 20.   His body was found inside a […]

No cause has been announced at this time.

The football game was initially suspended and later cancelled outright following Barnett’s death. Students at William Jewell College held a vigil in Barnett’s honor on Saturday night.

“Our hearts are heavy, and we appreciate all of the support that we have received from the greater community … We join with the greater Liberty community … [to mourn] the passing of MicahJo Barnett,” university president Dr. Dave Van Horn said during a press conference on Saturday. “I want to say that we appreciate the response that we’ve received from the sheriff’s office, the police department, the EMS department, our school, the physician for the team … Everybody responded so quickly, so well.”

A separate statement from William Jewell College confirmed the athlete was a junior majoring in business administration.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo’s family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss,” the school’s statement read. “Students and staff are encouraged to connect with Counseling Services and/or the office of the Chaplain who are ready to provide support to those who need it.”

William Jewell confirmed that school officials will update students when funeral plans for Barnett are decided.

Shawn Jakubowski, the athletic director for William Jewell College’s opposing team Fort Lewis College, also offered his school’s “deepest condolences.”

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“Our hearts are with [MicahJo’s] family, friends, teammates, coaches and everyone at William Jewell during this incredibly difficult time,” Jakubowski wrote via X. “Fort Lewis counseling staff is reaching out to our football team to ensure our players have the support they need.”

Barnett grew up with six siblings in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. He led Liberty North High School — located in the same community as William Jewell College — to a state title during his senior year.

The late running back was also recently announced as a 2025-26 Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honoree. He led the Cardinals in rushing last season despite only playing in five games due to injury, per The Athletic.

For a comic strip built around a remarkably small cast, Peanuts went through a surprising number of characters before Charles M. Schulz settled on the ensemble everyone knows today. Charlotte Braun was one of those early experiments — a loud, aggressively confident counterpart to Charlie Brown who arrived in November 1954 and disappeared just 10 appearances later. Her short tenure is barely a footnote in Peanuts history, but the way Schulz handled her exit is almost impossible to forget.

Charlotte’s disappearance was a result of a reader who wrote to the cartoonist complaining about the character, and Schulz decided to take the suggestion. Then he did something considerably more memorable than simply stopping the character’s appearances: he jokingly told the reader she would have to live with Charlotte’s “death” on her conscience and drew the character with an ax stuck in her head. The original letter, now preserved by the Library of Congress, remains one of the strangest pieces of Peanuts memorabilia around.

Charlotte Braun Was Supposed To Be Charlie Brown’s Opposite

Image via Peanuts

Charlotte’s introduction on November 30, 1954, made her purpose fairly obvious. Her name was a play on Charlie Brown’s, and she even introduced herself as “Good ol’ Charlotte Braun.” Where Charlie Brown was timid, anxious, and perpetually resigned to whatever indignity the universe had planned for him, however, Charlotte was loud.

The contrast gave Schulz an easy setup. Charlotte could walk into a conversation, overwhelm everyone with her volume, and leave Charlie Brown to deal with the aftermath. Several of her strips revolve around essentially the same joke: Charlotte speaks at an absurd volume, someone points it out, and Charlotte responds by insisting that she’s entitled to be heard. Sometimes the joke works, but often, it feels like Schulz is still trying to figure out what else she can do. Ultimately, Charlotte had a trait, but she didn’t have much of a character beyond it.

It is important to note that in Peanuts, even the most exaggerated personalities tend to have multiple angles. Lucy can be bossy, cruel, vulnerable, insecure, confident, and surprisingly perceptive depending on the situation; Linus has his blanket, but he’s also philosophical and anxious, imaginative and thoughtful. Even Charlie Brown’s defining misery is practically an entire personality engine. Charlotte, meanwhile, kept turning up the volume.

Charlotte Braun’s Biggest Problem Was That Lucy Already Worked Better

Image via CBS

There was also an unfortunate timing issue. Charlotte was introduced during the period when Schulz was still experimenting with the Peanuts cast, trying different personalities and seeing which ones generated enough material to justify keeping them around. The eventual ensemble wasn’t handed down fully formed.

Charlotte’s loud, bossy personality also pointed toward territory that another character would soon make much better use of. Lucy, who initially had a considerably different personality, developed into one of Peanuts’ defining characters as the strip evolved. Charlotte’s basic function — the loud girl who wasn’t particularly concerned with whether anyone liked her — looked much less necessary, which helps explain why Charlotte feels so thin in retrospect. She was occupying a role that Peanuts would eventually have a more versatile character fill.

Her final appearance came on February 1, 1955. After only 10 appearances, Charlotte was gone. Schulz didn’t give her a dramatic farewell or establish some elaborate reason she had moved away; she just stopped appearing. Schulz’s correspondence with one reader turned that otherwise forgettable disappearance into an unforgettable experience.

Charles Schulz Gave Charlotte Braun the Axe… Literally

Image via Peanuts Wiki

On January 5, 1955, Schulz responded to Elizabeth Swaim, the reader who had written to complain about Charlotte. He told Swaim that he would eventually discard the character, adding that any further appearances would only come from strips already completed or from someone writing in to say they liked her.

Schulz told Swaim that she and her friends would have “the death of an innocent child” on their conscience and asked whether they were prepared to accept that responsibility. At the bottom of the letter, he drew Charlotte with an ax embedded in her head. The Library of Congress catalogs the drawing, dated January 5, 1955, as “The ax,” and identifies Charlotte as an ill-fated Peanuts character.

It’s a wonderfully dark joke from a cartoonist whose work is often remembered primarily for its warmth. And it was very much a joke: Charlotte wasn’t literally murdered in a Peanuts storyline. Schulz was playing along with the idea that Swaim had demanded her removal and giving the reader an appropriately theatrical way to imagine what “discarding” a character meant. The letter resurfaced publicly decades later, when Swaim arranged to donate it to the Library of Congress in 2000, shortly after Schulz’s death. Swaim died three weeks later. According to her sister, the framed response had hung in Swaim’s bathroom — a pretty fitting place for one of the most bizarre pieces in Peanuts history.

Swaim apparently wasn’t the only reader who disliked Charlotte. Harry L. Katz, then curator of popular and applied graphic art at the Library of Congress, said other readers had also wanted her gone, criticizing the character for lacking the warmth and humor of the rest of the cast. So, while Schulz gave Swaim the credit — or the blame — for Charlotte’s demise, it’s unlikely that one letter alone determined the character’s fate. Schulz was already experimenting with his cast, and Charlotte hadn’t exactly established herself as essential.

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Peanuts

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Release Date

1965 – 2005

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Directors

Phil Roman

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