You can read every single novel Stephen King has written and still find yourself far off from completing his body of work, so to speak, since he’s also been prolific as a writer of novellas and short stories on top of his nearly 70 (to date) novels. Most of these are compiled in collections, of which there are a dozen official ones. Seven are more short story-focused than novella-focused, as in they’re mostly made up of short stories, rather than novellas. Skeleton Crew is one, because while it kicks off with The Mist, which is a novella (and a pretty great one), most of the tales in that 1985 collection are of the short story variety.

So, there are five works by Stephen King that can be labeled novella collections, and all of them are ranked below. Four of them only have novellas and, funnily enough, all four of those are made up of four novellas each. There’s one other here that’s made up of three novellas and two short stories, but still, more than half are novellas, and in any event, the majority of your time spent reading that one will be on novellas rather than the short stories. These are spread out quite neatly through King’s bibliography (one from the 1980s, two from the 1990s, one from the 2010s, and one from the 2020s), and they range from decent to pretty great in quality, with the best novella collection written by King being up there among his most essential works to date.

5

‘Full Dark, No Stars’ (2010)

Image via Scribner

While Full Dark, No Stars might be the least interesting of all the novella collections here, it’s still not bad, and there are definitely things here that King’s constant readers will be able to appreciate. Also, people do seem to like this one a little more than some of the collections that’ll be ranked ahead of it, and maybe the stories here finding success with getting movie adaptations showcase that, to some extent. Granted, the movie adaptations haven’t been great, and were the sorts that were viewed as weaker than the source material, but still, they tried. There was interest in attempts being made.

There are also some references here to other Stephen King stories, which is always fun if you are someone very invested in everything he’s written (the guy has pretty much made his own multiverse, at this point). If you want more of a hot take than putting Full Dark, No Stars in last place, then how about this: “Fair Extension,” the shortest of the stories, is also the best one. It doesn’t waste any time and feels like vintage King. Every other novella here overstays its welcome, to some extent. “1922” doesn’t do so as drastically as the painfully drawn-out “A Good Marriage,” but both of them (and maybe “Big Driver,” too) could well have been made a little more impactful with a few words trimmed out here and there.

4

‘Hearts in Atlantis’ (1999)

Image via Scribner

Hearts in Atlantis is the one title that was a little tricky to add here, since it’s made up of three novellas and two short stories. But, you know, more of a novella collection than a short story collection. But wait! Things get more complicated, because Hearts in Atlantis has some continuity between the five stories it contains, with some recurring characters and similar themes explored across all the stories, so it almost feels like a novel, or it at least comes closest to feeling like one coherent story out of all the Stephen King collections. It’s further ambitious because it tackles the Vietnam War and its aftermath, really diving into a specific historical event to a pretty dramatic extent, by King’s standards.

He does so decently well, even if he lays it on a bit thick at times, and does seem insecure, as a writer, about his readers not “getting” certain things. So he really goes on and on, when you’re like, “No, I get it,” but then he keeps explaining things, it can feel frustrating. When Hearts in Atlantis is working, though, it’s pretty darn good. There are some fantastical elements, especially in the first (and best) story of the bunch, “Low Men in Yellow Coats,” which has some surprisingly direct ties to The Dark Tower series, too. That novella, plus the final story here, “Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling,” were adapted into Hearts in Atlantis, a 2001 movie, but with all the references to The Dark Tower and most of the fantastical elements pretty much taken out, which was disappointing. Oh well.

3

‘If It Bleeds’ (2020)

Image via Scribner

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While If It Bleeds is the most recent Stephen King novella collection, it’s not his most recent collection of stories, since You Like It Darker came out in 2024. That one was mostly short stories, but it speaks to King’s productivity that they both came out in the 2020s, and so too did six other novels (and counting). The man cannot be stopped. Anyway, If It Bleeds is pretty good. None of the novellas here are 10/10-worthy, necessarily, but none entirely miss the mark, either, and they are all indeed pretty good.

“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is a better phone-related story than Cell, while “The Life of Chuck” is structurally interesting and perhaps a little sappy, but it works better than the (still fairly good) movie adaptation of the same name from 2024. The titular story here is the longest, and is one of many about Holly Gibney, who was introduced in the Bill Hodges trilogy, and got two novels as the protagonist post-If It Bleeds (Holly and Never Flinch). Then there’s “Rat,” which closes out the collection, and is one of many Stephen King stories about the struggles of writing. Also, like a fair few Stephen King stories, it doesn’t end ideally, but the ride before that point is engaging enough. If It Bleeds is just all-around solid. Nothing here represents King at his very best, and nothing here showcases him at his worst. It’s just pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

2

‘Four Past Midnight’ (1990)

Before getting to the first of Stephen King’s novella collections, here’s Four Past Midnight, which was his second overall, not to mention his second best, and his first novella collection to be generally horror-focused. Also, some of these novellas are really quite long, as some paperback editions of Four Past Midnight hover around the 1000-page mark. Take the first story, for instance: “The Langoliers.” This one is actually longer than some of Stephen King’s novels. Page counts can vary, depending on the formatting, but the audiobook version of “The Langoliers” is almost nine hours long, and the audiobook for Carrie will take you just under 7.5 hours to listen to. So…

Also, “The Langoliers” might be the highlight here, or it’s neck-and-neck with “The Library Policeman,” which is harder to read, admittedly, but incredibly effective as a work of horror. It’s the reason that Four Past Midnight can be considered up there among the most disturbing of all of King’s novels, short story collections, novella collections, you name it. “Secret Window, Secret Garden” is also good, albeit maybe a little too similar narratively to King’s novel The Dark Half, and then the final story, “Sun Dog,” is an engaging read, being one of a fair few Stephen King stories set in Castle Rock. Four Past Midnight is a strong collection overall, with all four stories ranging in quality from pretty good to pretty great.

1

‘Different Seasons’ (1982)

Image via Viking Press

It’s easy to single out Different Seasons as the best of Stephen King’s novella collections because of two stories here: “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” and “The Body.” They both inspired two all-time great film adaptations (The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me), and are phenomenal in their original forms, too. “Apt Pupil” is another story here, and not quite a work of horror, but one that leans more into psychological thriller territory than those other two. It also got a movie adaptation, albeit not a great one.

Things conclude with “The Breathing Method,” which is the only adaptation-less story here, and probably the closest to the horror genre of the bunch, though Different Seasons overall was something meant to showcase King’s knack for writing non-horror stories. He’d largely been known for horror up until that point, and while nowadays, the idea of a Stephen King book not belonging to the horror genre doesn’t sound too wild, it was surprising back in 1982. So, Different Seasons was instrumental in demonstrating King’s range, and has endured because it houses some of his best writing, and two of the stories here went on to be adapted into two pretty-much-perfect movies. If you only ever have time to read one Stephen King novella collection, for whatever reason, then you’re best off making it this one.

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The Shawshank Redemption

Release Date

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September 23, 1994

Runtime

142 minutes

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Director

Frank Darabont

Writers

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Frank Darabont

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Candice Accola (née Accola) and more stars from The Vampire Diaries franchise have offered a glimpse at their families off screen.

Candice welcomed her first daughter, Florence, with Joe King in January 2016. The couple later expanded their family with daughter Josephine. (Joe also shares daughters Elise and Ava with ex-wife Julie.)

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In May 2022, Us Weekly confirmed that Candice had filed for divorce from Joe due to “irreconcilable differences.” According to court docs, the twosome pulled the plug on their relationship earlier that year after previously celebrating seven years of marriage.

In April 2026, Michael Trevino welcomed his first baby with wife Bregje Heinen.

Keep scrolling for a guide to The Vampire Diaries alums’ family members:

Wealthy women wear sneakers nonstop, but they’re not rocking the same gym shoes you see at fitness centers. Their go-to styles balance comfort and class, combining the plush feel of athletic shoes with the look of designer footwear. Luckily, you don’t need to spend thousands to get the look. There are plenty of chic pairs that nail the aesthetic without the high-end price tags, and you can even shop polished kicks for as little as $13.

Whether you’re running errands, hosting a picnic or strutting through TSA, these picks rise to the occasion, making you appear effortlessly polished wherever you go. See our favorites from brands like Skechers, Dolce Vita, Lucky Brand, Cole Haan and more!

17 Comfy, Luxe-Looking Rich Mom Sneakers — From $17

1. European Vibes: Made of a soft, suede-like material and featuring dainty lace embellishments as well as intricate stitching, these sophisticated sneakers look straight out of an Italian shoe shop. People will think you dropped hundreds on a single pair (but they’re currently priced under $45!).

2. Flower Girl: Imagine the feminine flair of flats with the comfort of sneakers, and you’ll get these Dr. Scholl’s platforms. Thanks to some fun embroidery along the side, they never feel too basic yet still work as an everyday staple.

3. Secretly Skechers: According to Martha Stewart, Skechers are totally ‘in’ again, and these knit wonders prove why. They’re flexible and airy, and fit your feet like a glove.

4. Boutique Find: Flowers, leather, gold accents! Complete with a fun side design, Lucky Step’s flat sneakers make every outing feel like an event.

5. Butter Yellow: Channel spring vibes in some butter-yellow sneakers that give any wardrobe a pop of color. They’re so cute and on-trend that if you see your size, you’ll want to snag it ASAP.

Related: These 19 Boutiquey, Pastel-Colored Pieces Work From Now Through Summer

Vibrant colors are fun, but pastels channel understated elegance like no other. The right hues scream ’boutique,’ making every outfit look five times the price — and we found 19 pieces to do just that. Playful and luxe, these stylish pieces work far beyond spring. These pastel-colored finds are lightweight enough for layering and wearing […]

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6. Go for Gold: In case you missed it, everyone’s wearing metallics lately. These memory foam shoes embrace the look without going overboard, feeling playful while remaining polished.

7. Could be Designer: If you’ve been lusting after a pair of Golden Goose kicks, you’ll adore this vintage-inspired star-adorned pair that looks much more expensive than its price.

8. Effortless Elegance: Score 37% off Cushionaire’s frilly sneakers, which couple a sleek silhouette with lace, ribbon and perforated detailing.

9. Logging Miles: We didn’t understand the No Bull hype until we tried these Allday Knit numbers. If you’re like Us, you’ll forget you’re wearing shoes.

10. Celeb Style: Trendsetter Katie Holmes wore a similar red-accent sneaker style a few months back, which means this outfit-boosting color is about to be everywhere. Time to replace your basic white trainers!

11. Cool Mom: Give your wardrobe a laid-back twist with some classic leather Reeboks that scream ‘L.A. cool mom.’ The fact that they’re made of real leather means they’ll last you for seasons to come.

12. Signature Print: Nearly 30,000 shoppers gave these Guess sneakers five stars, highlighting the plush feel, wear-everywhere style and high-end look.

13. Total Steal: Nobody would ever guess that these embroidered sneakers cost less than a Sweetgreen bowl. We’re adding both embroidered designs to cart.

14. New Balance: New Balance sneakers usually lean sporty, but these one-of-a-kind kicks feature a leopard print that gives them an elevated appeal.

15. Serious Sass: Dolce Vita nailed it with its snakeskin sneakers. They’re equally modern and timeless, combining a bold print with an understated profile.

16. East Coast: Unlock your inner East Coast socialite in preppy Allbirds cruisers that enhance air flow, reduce odors and support active lifestyles.

17. Pretty in Pink: The pink colorway is optional, but if you’re hoping to nail the cool look. . . . not really! Cole Haan recently launched these sneakers, and thanks to the retro design, they’re bound to sell out.

Related: Martha Stewart‘s Slip-On Sneakers Style Is the Ultimate Busy-Morning Hack

Martha Stewart often raves about her hands-free Skechers sneakers, and honestly, she’s totally onto something. No more bending, lacing or tugging on our way out the door? That’s ideal for those of Us on perpetually tight schedules. Slip-on sneakers streamline mornings like never before, which is why it’s worth adding a pair (or two) to […]

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 28 seconds ago

Starfleet Academy was canceled shortly after the end of its first season. Nonetheless, a second season had already been greenlit and filmed, so fans can look forward to more misadventures with their favorite band of space cadets. Even as those fans look forward to what Season 2 brings, though, at least one of the show’s biggest actors regrets that there won’t be a third season to tell his character’s most ambitious story yet.

Robert Picardo reprised his role as the Doctor for Starfleet Academy, and the first season provided a surprise follow-up to “Real Life,” one of his best Voyager episodes. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that he had pitched a Season 3 SFA follow-up to “Living Witness,” where he would encounter a backup version of himself that was left behind on an alien planet. Picardo saw the episode as a chance to grow the Doctor like never before. Unfortunately, his description of the plot makes it clear that the episode he pitched would have ruined his character altogether.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

“Living Witness” was a Star Trek: Voyager episode where a backup version of the ship’s holographic Doctor is activated on an alien planet seven hundred years after Voyager left. He is activated by a museum curator hoping to get to the bottom of a centuries-old conflict between two alien races. Eventually, the Doctor is able to make peace between the two groups and stays behind as their surgical chancellor before getting into a shuttle and very belatedly plotting a course back to Earth.

To many fans’ surprise, the first season of Starfleet Academy never followed up on “Living Witness.” However, Robert Picardo recently appeared on the D-Con Chamber Podcast (hosted by Enterprise alumni Dominic Keating and Connor Trineer) and revealed that he pitched a Season 3 story that would follow up on this iconic Voyager episode. “I wanted to do an episode—now we can talk freely about it, because the show’s canceled…I wanted to meet my Voyager backup, my old self, and be as I looked at 41 and play off my self.”

Doctor, Heal Thyself

At first, this would have the “Living Witness” Doctor chastising the Starfleet Academy version for programming aging into his subroutine. Eventually, they bond over the relationship they share with Lewis Zimmerman, the man who invented the Emergency Medical Hologram. “The Doctor and his backup program are two children of the same parent. One has resolved the issues, the other hasn’t, and after 800 years, those daddy issues, those parental conflicts, they don’t go away if you don’t deal with them,” Picardo said.

On paper, I love the idea of following up on “Living Witness,” and I previously wrote about how interesting it would be if the backup version was actually the Doctor in Starfleet Academy. Furthermore, Robert Picardo’s storytelling instincts are good in the sense that it would be fun to see multiple versions of this cranky hologram bouncing off each other. Unfortunately, the Starfleet Academy episode that he pitched was emblematic of the show’s biggest problem: that the adults on the show are no more mature than the young cadets.

Nearly Ruining A Beloved Character

Critics of Starfleet Academy have frequently dunked on the cadet characters for various reasons, including their vulgar language, constant insults, and frequent infighting. Fans of the show have traditionally responded to this criticism by pointing out that, as young characters growing up in a post-Burn galaxy, the cadets should be immature. 

However, one of the show’s biggest problems is that the adult characters were equally immature. The Doctor and Captain Ake have a combined 1200 years between them, but they spend their screentime making poop jokes and laughing at a farting fish. Plus, their dialogue is equally vulgar, with the Doctor infamously declaring that “debate is not for the chickensh*t” and Captain Ake telling her enemy to “blow it out your *ss!”

What does this have to do with the Season 3 SFA episode that Robert Picardo pitched? Simple: the last thing the show needs is another older character acting just as immature as the younger characters. For example, having daddy issues is part of Genesis’s character, which makes sense because she is supposed to be so young. But both versions of the Doctor are now over 800 years old, making them some of the wisest and most ancient living beings in the galaxy. Why in the name of Neelix’s stinky cheese would either of them have the same kind of daddy issues as a teenager in her freshman year of space college?

Meet The Trauma Teacher

It was already weird enough in Season 1 that Starfleet Academy turned the Doctor into a tragic figure haunted by the death of his holographic son from “Real Life;”; before this, he never even mentioned the kid after the episode. Now, Picardo’s pitch would further tweak his character to explain that, after the better part of a millennium, the backup Doctor is suffering from daddy issues that, like him mourning his son, were never really mentioned before in Voyager. I can’t help but think this would ultimately ruin his character, turning the whimsical comic relief character from a beloved Star Trek show into just another NuTrek character defined primarily by trauma.

Because of this, I’m glad that Starfleet Academy got canceled. I actually warmed up to Season 1 over time, but it had an insanely rocky first half that made it really hard to love these characters. If Season 3 was going to ruin the Doctor (one of my favorite characters from the Golden Age of the franchise) with Picardo’s pitch, it’s best that the show died. Fans will have to make peace with the fact that the best days of the Doctor are just like the best days of Star Trek: stuck a few decades in the past.

There’s a very specific kind of show Netflix is good at sneaking up on people with — the ones you don’t plan to care about, and then suddenly you’re five episodes deep, emotionally invested in teenagers making questionable choices. XO, Kitty falls squarely into that category.

This is funny because on paper, it shouldn’t feel like a phenomenon. It’s a spinoff; a side character from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before gets her own show, heads to Seoul, and gets tangled up in romance. You expect something pleasant, maybe a little disposable, but it’s something that keeps you gripped, especially if you cared about the movie franchise in the first place.

What XO, Kitty Is Actually About

Image via Netflix

Kitty Song-Covey (Anna Cathcart) ships herself off to the Korean Independent School of Seoul with a pretty straightforward goal: reunite with her long-distance boyfriend and feel closer to the mother she lost. That plan lasts maybe an episode because XO, Kitty isn’t really interested in letting anything stay simple. Relationships unravel, then re-form in slightly different shapes, crushes multiply, people lie, or don’t lie, exactly, but definitely don’t say the whole truth.

Kitty has always appeared to possess a certain knowledge of love, according to the films, but is discovering that perhaps she doesn’t truly understand it after all, and, rightly, is likely to come to that conclusion. Throughout this series of events, the show plays with the theme of someone who has believed they know what love is, only to be confronted with the reality that they actually don’t. The approach is very direct, but effective.

There are stretches of XO, Kitty that feel overstuffed. Too many plotlines, not enough breathing room, a tendency to jump ahead and expect you to just catch up. It can feel like you missed an episode even when you didn’t. And yet—it’s hard to stop watching. Part of that is the ensemble. The core group — Kitty, Yuri (Gia Kim), Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee), Dae (Choi Min-yeong), Q (Anthony Keyvan) — has that lived-in, slightly chaotic chemistry that makes even the clunkier storylines go down easier. When they’re all together, the show relaxes a bit; there’s a looseness to those scenes.

Also, and this matters more than the show probably gets credit for, Seoul isn’t just aesthetic window dressing. Kitty’s connection to her Korean heritage — something that started as a vague emotional pull — becomes more specific and more complicated the longer she stays. That thread gives the show weight when the romance starts spinning its wheels.

The Romance Is the Draw—But Not Always the Strength

Image via Netflix

This is where things get a little uneven. XO, Kitty sells itself as a romance (and, yes, there’s plenty of that), but the actual execution can feel frustrating in a very specific, very familiar way. Miscommunication stretches on longer than it should. Big emotional beats get delayed, interrupted, sidestepped. You’ll probably find yourself thinking, just say the thing. They almost never do.

Season 3 leans heavily into Kitty’s relationship with Min Ho, which should feel like a payoff after all that buildup. Sometimes it does, but other times, it feels like the show is stalling — creating tension where a single honest conversation would clear everything up. But even when the romance falters, the show doesn’t completely lose you because it’s never just about the couple. it’s about who these characters are becoming around each other, and sometimes despite each other.

It’s Really a Coming-of-Age Story

Image via Netflix

Even though there are many moments consisting of love triangles, near-confessing to one another, and timing creating dramatic moments, the best moments of XO, Kitty are when romantic moments are completely removed from the series. There are scenes that feature Yuri as she copes with her family breaking apart, Q as he makes decisions he will not be able to easily take back, and also Kitty paying for her impulsive actions for once, and those scenes hit harder than big romantic gestures.

There is a version of this series that embraces that aspect; it embraces the craziness of growing up, and how your identity changes based on where you are located and who you are with. You can see it trying to be that show. Sometimes it gets there. Sometimes it veers back into safer, more familiar territory.

Being tied to To All the Boys is both a strength and a crutch. When familiar faces pop up — like Lara Jean (Lana Condor)— it’s hard not to feel a little hit of recognition. That world still works. The sister dynamic, especially, has an easy warmth to it that the show taps into effectively.

It’s not a perfect series, but it’s watchable in that specific, slightly compulsive way — one episode bleeding into the next, characters getting under your skin before you fully realize it. You start watching out of curiosity, you keep watching because, somehow, you’ve picked sides, and now you kind of need to know what happens next.

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 8, Episode 14 of The Rookie.At first glance, Episode 14 of ABC’s The Rookie seems like it’s going to be a light-hearted romp. Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) has souped up one of the shops so that he’ll be riding around as Watch Commander in style. But then, the series does something that allows it to put out an excellent episode — it actually highlights one of its best characters. Even though the episode also returns to a storyline with an old character (which has been happening in nearly every episode this season), The Rookie still soars when it goes back to its heart.

‘The Rookie’ Focuses on Celina’s Excellent Police Work

Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) is tasked with working as a temp with a detective. She chooses Missing Persons, but everyone questions her choice. Detective Hernandez (Carlos Gómez) is known for being a pessimistic sad-sack who isn’t really devoted to solving cases anymore. When Celina tries to get acquainted with him and learn what her duties would be, he calmly tells her that she won’t really be putting bad guys behind bars. In fact, Missing Persons cases are often solved because the individuals aren’t actually missing at all. Celina is still looking at things through rose-colored glasses and insists she can do some good here (especially because she’s driven by her own sister’s case years ago). She starts to dig through case files and finds one case of a missing woman, but after Celina drags other police officers into the city tunnels looking for her, she’s informed that the woman actually checked back into a shelter and is perfectly fine. Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) reassures Celina that she shouldn’t give up on her instincts, even though this case was a dud.

Related

‘The Rookie’ Is Getting Stale as the Procedural Abandons Its Most Interesting Stories | Review

After a thrilling few episodes, the latest ‘Rookie’ takes a massive step backward.

Before long, Celina comes across another missing person case that feels significant to her. Apple coincidentally lived in Celina’s building and went missing 30 days ago after attending Coachella. Celina goes home, and even though Hernandez encouraged her to give up, she knocks on Apple’s apartment door anyway. Apple’s roommate (Kiara Barnes) answers and allows Celina to come in and look around. Right away, the roommate starts listing all the reasons why Apple was difficult to live with. But Celina doesn’t catch onto the fact that she’s in danger until she looks under Apple’s bed and discovers what will live in my nightmares for weeks.

Image via ABC

Before Celina can actually register that she’s holding a tooth, the roommate maces her and chases Celina around the apartment with a hammer. Celina is eventually able to subdue and handcuff her, while the woman screams that Apple was actually “the worst roommate ever!” Back at the station, Hernandez is angry with Celina for putting herself in danger and breaking protocol, but Celina insists that she remains “undaunted” in the fight to help victims. Perhaps she has inspired Hernandez to look into more cases to solve in the future. This storyline proves that Celina is one of The Rookie’s strongest characters, who has the most heart and dedication to the job.

‘The Rookie’ Season 8, Episode 14 Features a Teenager-Focused Investigation

Image via Disney/Mike Taing

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The secondary storyline this week follows John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the return of Dash (Beckett Hawley). He calls Nolan to report that he’s standing in front of a dead body. The victim turns out to be Kenneth Morris, an English teacher at Dash’s school. Lots of teenagers are interviewed, and Dash points out his current crush, a rich girl named Autumn Harrington. This classic mean girl won’t give him the time of day. In some impressive Gen Z police work, Lucy researches who initially found the body, and it turns out to be a teen named Reese. She eventually confesses that her mother became enraged when Morris’ tutoring didn’t lead to Reese’s acceptance into Yale. The mother is arrested for his murder, but this isn’t the end of Dash’s storyline.

Dash’s father shows up to take him home, but ends up taking him to his house instead. Dash’s father is clearly a loser who hatches get-rich-quick schemes instead of simply being a good dad. Several men show up at the house and start beating up Dash’s father because he owes them money. In order to get out of this pickle, Dash suggests heading to Autumn’s house (he thinks she won’t be home), so the bad guys can rob the mansion. Autumn turns out to be home anyway, and Dash and his crush are trapped, while the guys loot the home. Nolan eventually arrives after a call for help from Dash, and the villains are apprehended.

Nolan gives some advice to Dash’s father, stating that if he’s going to keep being so disruptive and selfish, he should just leave Dash alone for good. This is a heartbreaking piece of advice, but I loved that Nolan is stepping in as a father figure to Dash. Although I’m super sick of past characters returning, at least this character offers a new side to Nolan’s persona.

Wesley Faces the Music After His Disastrous DA Campaign in ‘The Rookie’

Image via ABC

Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore) returns to work, having to face Vivian Eckert (Necar Zadegan) after her win in the District Attorney race. She’s incredibly smug (as expected), but the nice surprise is that Sean Del Monte (Michael Trucco) pops up after leaving last season. He’s decided to stay at the prosecutor’s offices and suggests that Wesley stay too. Vivian proudly proclaims that there are 27 cases awaiting prosecution, and she demands that Wesley and Sean get plea deals for each one. In a fun montage, both lawyers basically help the defendants and tank any possibility that they would accept plea deals. I’m definitely all for whatever duplicitous actions that will take down Vivian at this point. In the end, Wesley proudly quits, and Sean decides to follow suit. They discuss opening an office together, which I think could be a really exciting avenue for the series to explore.

Even though Episode 14 brings back both Dash and Sean, the hour is successful largely because it has Celina anchoring it. I was excited that there weren’t any silly Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan) storylines to get in the way of strong storytelling, and the episode was much more thrilling because the action focused on compelling cases instead of romance drama. Although I have to say that I miss not having a Chenford update in a while, the investigations featured in this episode prove that The Rookie can still churn out quality episodes, even eight seasons in.

New episodes of The Rookie air on Monday nights on ABC, with episodes available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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Release Date

October 16, 2018

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Showrunner

Alexi Hawley

Directors

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Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro

Writers

Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff

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Pros & Cons

• Celina is a perfect focus for this fast-paced episode.
• The episode isn’t dragged down by Bailey’s shenanigans.

• It’s still tiring to have old characters keep returning.
• We haven’t had any Chenford storylines in way too long.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni remain embroiled in a legal dispute after both sides reportedly rejected the latest effort to reach a settlement. The development comes days after most of Lively’s case was dismissed, which indicates the case will most likely go to trial as scheduled.

Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Refuse To Settle

On April 6, counsel for Lively and Baldoni separately conferred with Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave in New York in the latest attempt to settle the case. As reported by the Daily Mail, Judge Lewis J. Liman, who is presiding over the case, allowed both parties to inform the court of their “updated settlement position” days after the two parties appeared in court.

On April 2, Judge Liman dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against the “It Ends With Us” director, including sexual harassment, leaving three remaining claims: retaliation, breach of contract, and aiding and abetting retaliation.

According to the report, however, the result was reportedly a stalemate, with both parties refusing to settle just over a month before the trial was scheduled to begin.

Blake Lively Is Reportedly Being Urged To Settle

With the majority of her claims tossed, those close to Lively are reportedly urging the “Gossip Girl” actress to settle. As previously reported by The Blast, those close to Lively aren’t certain she could win, with a source stating that they are “begging” her to settle.

Another insider alleged that even Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, has reservations about moving forward with the trial, as the case has been affecting not only their careers but their personal lives and relationships as well.

However, it seems Lively is insistent on moving forward with the case despite the setback, as evidenced by the result of the latest settlement talks.

The Actress Said She’s ‘Grateful’ For The Court Ruling

Following the dismissal of most of Lively’s claims, one of her lawyers, Michael Gottlieb, released a statement saying that his client’s claims were tossed due to legal technicalities.

“Ms. Lively’s sexual harassment claims could not go to a jury because Ms. Lively did not sign a contract, that she is an independent contractor instead of an employee, and that the offensive conduct occurred in New Jersey instead of California,” he noted.

Lively also addressed the court’s decision on Instagram Stories, writing, “I’m grateful for the Court’s ruling which allows the heart of my case to be presented to a jury next month, and for the ability to finally tell my story in full at trial…”

The actress then talked about the dangers of “retaliation and digital warfare” and vowed not to stop fighting. “I know it’s a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it,” she concluded.

Justin Baldoni Was Pleased With The Latest Outcome

Baldoni’s legal team was pleased with Judge Liman’s decision to dismiss the majority of Lively’s claims, saying that what remains “is a significantly narrowed case.” One of the actor’s attorneys, Bryan Freedman, said the defendants, including Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios President Jamey Heath, were “very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged.”

“It is gratifying to see that the courts ruling confirms what the legal team believed from day one,” Freedman said in a statement, adding that Baldoni’s team relied on transparency in their defence since the legal battle started in December 2024.

Lawyer Weighs In On The Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Case

Both parties have their own reasons for pushing forward with the case and going to trial. Lawyer Neama Rahmani, who isn’t involved in the case, shared her opinion with Vulture, saying, “This is about her sending a message to Baldoni and standing up for herself. Then, on the other side, Baldoni was canceled. This is about clearing his name in Hollywood.”

According to Rahmani, 98 percent of civil lawsuits are resolved via a settlement. Despite the latest refusal of both parties to settle, there is still a chance that the case will not go to trial, as settlement can take place from now until then. “Lively and Baldoni could settle right now. They could also settle on the day their trial is supposed to start. They could settle mid-trial. They could even settle after the trial. The world is their settlement oyster,” Rahmani explained.

The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18 in New York.

By TeeJay Small
| Published 1 hour ago

In these bizarre times, it almost feels like satire is dead. Even South Park has struggled to make sense of American politics and societal trends, with mixed results. If you’re concerned that topical comedy might never be funny ever again, there’s one film that you need to watch today: 2017’s The Death of Stalin.

Despite being a period piece centered on the fall of the Soviet Union’s most enigmatic leader, the movie manages to make some extremely prescient points about unchecked power, lines of succession, and the lack of consequences for wealthy oligarchs.

A True Story, Mostly

The Death of Stalin centers on, well, exactly what it sounds like. The film begins during the final days of Joseph Stalin’s life, as he presides over a nation gripped by fear. Over the course of three decades, Stalin has ruled as a totalitarian dictator, murdering anyone suspected of suspicious activity. In the Soviet leader’s endless paranoia, Stalin has created a council of sycophants who kiss up to him at every turn, each prepared to destroy the others if they dare to step out of line. So, when the supreme leader drops dead in the middle of his private quarters, there’s a massive power vacuum left in his absence.

History buffs will know going in that Nikita Khrushchev (played by Steve Buscemi) is destined to take on the mantle, but this isn’t obvious in the first act. In fact, most of the narrative of The Death of Stalin centers on other real life soviet politicians attempting vain power grabs, all while wrangling Stalin’s insufferable adult children. Though the film takes a lot of liberties to tell the actual true story of the USSR following Stalin’s death, the broad details are generally accurate, including some of the off-the-wall comedic beats. Somehow, The Death of Stalin manages to take this dark and twisted true story, and make it easy to watch, simple to grasp, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Politics Are Funnier In The Rear View

I won’t get too political here, but surely we can all admit that American politics have become a circus in the last decade or so. Whether you love Donald Trump more than life itself, or hate his guts like you’ve never hated anyone before, it’s hard to ignore how unusual things have become.

For that reason, it’s nearly impossible for comedians to lambast our politicians for any one gaffe, blunder, or controversy, as the media cycle struggles to keep up. Does anybody remember the “Covfefe” tweet, or the “little tiny rocket man” comments, or the entire existence of Anthony Scaramucci at this point? The Death of Stalin shows that sometimes, you need to wait for the absurdity to come and go before you make an attempt to comment on it, because you never know what will actually stick in the public consciousness.

The Death Of Stalin Is A Must See Movie

No matter your political leanings, I think The Death of Stalin is an excellent movie that everyone can enjoy. The movie is also based on a French graphic novel of the same name, which is a must-add to the bookshelf of any aspiring political satirist. For those interested in giving this one a spin, The Death of Stalin is currently streaming on Hulu.

Doc Brown from 1955 would hate to hear it, but there are some movies that are just too heavy. There are many things that can make a film feel that way: Perhaps it’s emotionally devastating, or overwhelmingly vast in its scale and scope, or hell-bent on shredding any bit of hope that the audience may have going into the story.

No matter the case, several of the best films of the last 30 years can very comfortably be described as “heavy.” From gut-wrenching tear-jerkers like Manchester by the Sea to hyper-long arthouse epics like An Elephant Sitting Still, these masterpieces may not be easy to get through all the way until the end, but they sure are worth the effort.

10

‘Synecdoche, New York’ (2008)

For a long time, Charlie Kaufman has made a name for himself as the single greatest screenwriter currently working in Hollywood. In 2008, after Spike Jonze dropped out of the project, Kaufman decided to make his directorial debut with Synecdoche, New York. The result couldn’t have possibly been better. This is, far and away, one of the boldest drama movies of the 21st century.

The film is filled to the brim with the same kind of impenetrable motifs, thought-provoking themes, and mind-bending bits of uniquely neurotic surrealism that characterize Kaufman’s work as a writer. For people who love films that fill them with profound existential dread, this one’s a must-see. The way Synecdoche explores the inevitability of mortality and the complicated nature of living should be enough to make anyone rethink their life choices.

9

‘Happiness’ (1998)

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It’s probably Todd Solondz‘s black dramedy Happiness that has the most misleading title of all time. This is one of those comedy movies that are hard to finish, exploring controversial themes in fittingly controversial ways through a rich visual style, a marvelously written scripts, and one of the best cast ensembles of any film from the ’90s.

Often quite disturbing and unabashedly transgressive, Happiness revolves around deeply unpleasant characters who do deeply unpleasant things, taking a satirical look at their lives. The subject matter sure is unsavory, and more than enough to make the movie feel really heavy; but Solondz explores it with dramatic mastery and a level of comedic perfection that’s hard to take one’s eyes off of.

8

‘An Elephant Sitting Still’ (2018)

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Clocking in at nearly four hours in length, An Elephant Sitting Still sure is one of the grandest and most ambitious arthouse dramas in recent memory. It was the first and only feature film by the novelist-turned-director Hu Bo, who tragically committed suicide soon after finishing the film at the age of 29. It becomes impossible not to read the film as the artist’s suicide note, which makes it even more depressing than it already would have been otherwise.

Absolutely nihilistic in tone, An Elephant Sitting Still may be a slow-burn, but its deep sense of despair and misery makes it one of the best drama movies of the last 50 years. It’s a masterful soap opera without a single dead spot throughout its entire runtime, armed with sharp sociopolitical critique and Bo’s incredible direction.

7

‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ (2025)

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In 2024, five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab was killed by the Israel Defense Forces, along with six of her family members and two paramedics who came to her rescue. This horrific event is the subject of The Voice of Hind Rajab, far and away one of the most perfect war movies of the 21st century. This profoundly affecting Tunisian docudrama uses real recordings of Hind from the actual event, following the Red Crescent team who tried to save her.

This framing device turns a film that would have already been absolutely devastating into one of the timeliest, most powerful, and most pressingly important movies of our time. It’s incredibly heavy both emotionally and in terms of its fast pacing, but those with the stomach for it will be treated to one of the most admirable feats of filmmaking from recent years.

6

‘Manchester by the Sea’ (2016)

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Kenneth Lonergan is another artist best known for his work as a screenwriter who has also sat on the director’s chair, perhaps never more notably than in 2016, when he made Manchester by the Sea. It’s one of the most disturbingly realistic movies ever made, that’s for sure (largely thanks to Casey Affleck‘s heartbreaking lead performance), but it’s also one of the best tear-jerking dramas of the 2010s.

As good as it may be, though, Manchester by the Sea is also guaranteed to continually pull out and step on the viewers’ hearts. It’s a gut-wrenching film, but without ever falling into sensationalism, Lonergan also makes sure to inject it with small bits of hope that somehow, things will get better. It helps, but this is still one of the heaviest films of the 2010s.

5

‘The Zone of Interest’ (2023)

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A24 has been distributing a wide array of hugely entertaining bangers over the course of their history as an indie studio, but Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest isn’t designed to be entertaining. Instead, this deeply thought-provoking study of the banality of evil follows Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his family as they go through their boring daily lives as the horrors of the Holocaust take place off-screen.

Where the vast majority of Holocaust films portray the atrociousness of such events by displaying them directly, the screams of thousands upon thousands of people being murdered are but a distant echo in the background of The Zone of Interest‘s masterful sound design. Some flies in the distance, but our characters never even bother to look over at it. In this hugely unconventional way of framing the war movie genre, Glazer made one of the heaviest movies of the last 10 years.

4

‘Requiem for a Dream’ (2000)

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Darren Aronofsky is a filmmaker well-known for his ability to make some profoundly devastating films, but no movie he’s ever made has ever been more deeply affecting than his magnum opus, Requiem for a Dream. Though it’s a must-see, this soul-stirring tale of addiction is a genuine challenge to watch, no matter how much it’s worth the effort.

The tour-de-force performances (Ellen Burstyn‘s in particular), Clint Mansell‘s haunting score, Aronofsky’s energetic direction, the absolute gut-punch of an ending—it all amounts to one of the most scarring films of the 2000s. It’s a deeply bleak, thoroughly intense masterpiece that portrays the mental states of addicts in the rawest, most painfully realistic ways.

3

‘Amour’ (2012)

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German-born Austrain auteur Michael Haneke is the kind of director who seems to exclusively make overwhelmingly heavy movies, and picking which one’s the most intense is a nearly impossible task. There’s one Haneke title, however, that’s perhaps easiest to pick as his most awfully devastating: Amour, one of the heaviest romance movies of all time.

Following the crumbling lives of an elderly couple after the woman has a stroke, Amour is as powerful as it is primarily thanks to Haneke’s exceptional direction and script and Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva‘s towering performances. There are no emotional escapes here, and Amour becomes a movie you have to endure, not particularly enjoy. Haneke taps into the most profoundly human aspect of this story in a way that makes aging seem terrifying in a way all-too realistic.

2

‘Irreversible’ (2002)

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For all those who look at Haneke’s filmography and think “I can go heavier than that!,” Gaspar Noé is right there, awaiting their sicko cinephile taste. And as far as heavy Gaspar Noé movies go, it doesn’t get any more horrific than Irréversible, easily one of the most controversial films of all time. After all, a story in reverse chronological order about two men attempting to avenge the brutal rape and beating of the woman they love isn’t exactly a breezy watch.

That’s what makes Irréversible one of the heaviest movies of the 2000s, definitely not a film that everyone can tolerate. Whether the subject is even treated with the care it deserves isn’t uncontested, but one thing is certain: This movie’s almost impossible to get through, the reverse order of the narrative serving as the horrifying cherry on top of an already very cruel cake.

1

‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)

Image via Fine Line Features

All those who look at Haneke and Noe’s filmographies and think “I need something heavier” should first go to therapy. After that, if they’re still craving the kind of cinematic experience that will leave a knot in their stomachs for days, they could check out Lars von Trier, who made what may just be the single heaviest movie ever made: the gut-wrenching psychological drama musical Dancer in the Dark, starring Björk in what might be the best acting performance ever delivered by a musician on film.

A musical unlike any other, Dancer in the Dark is a must-see for all those interested in a movie that’s entirely composed of a chain of tragedies, miseries, and misfortunes. There’s no happiness here, no joy, no hope. Not even the songs provide any bit of whimsy to a film that ultimately serves as a critique of the escapism of the musical genre itself. Over the course of the last three decades, there hasn’t been a single movie heavier than this one.

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Dancer in the Dark

Release Date

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October 6, 2000

Runtime

140 Minutes

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Director

Lars von Trier

Writers

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Lars von Trier, Sjon

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Between its launch and Episode 2, Saturday Night Live UK has seen its first ratings dip. As reported by Deadline, the second episode of SNL UK — hosted by the very good yet slightly confusing choice of Jamie Dornan — drew 205,000 viewers on Sky One, down around 9% from its 226,000 premiere. SNL UK captured a 3.2% audience share, still a solid performance for a subscription-based broadcaster and, crucially, it outperformed rival programming on Freeview channels in the same late-night slot. SNL UK losing viewers after Episode 1 may be making commissioners nervous, but a drop is to be expected once the initial curiosity wears off. It may also be a sign that the UK version is following the same slow-burn trajectory that turned the original Saturday Night Live into a cultural institution that has lasted 50 years.

A Dip in Ratings Between Episode 1 and 2 of ‘SNL UK’ Was Expected

There was a significant curiosity factor around SNL UK’s debut, with audiences tuning in largely to witness an experiment. Could a distinctly American format translate to British comedy? Live comedy on this scale—let alone live sketch comedy—hasn’t existed on UK screens for years. The format itself, with its fast turnaround, unpredictability, and weekly hosts, is a sharp detour from a schedule dominated by templated panel shows designed to be evergreen enough for endless repeats. With SNL UK’s launch, audiences were also tuning in to see whether an entirely new cast of largely unknown performers would stumble or thrive. That level of initial curiosity almost guarantees a drop in week two. Once the “event television” factor fades, audiences tend to settle back into habitual viewing patterns.

Related

‘Saturday Night Live UK’ Could Be The 1 Exact Thing That British Comedy Has Been Missing

Will this bold move pay off, or will it be met with the cold shoulder?

Saturday night TV in the UK has traditionally leaned toward earlier, family-oriented viewing — think Britain’s Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway, or Strictly Come Dancing — all designed to appeal to viewers from children to grandparents. A 10 PM live sketch show represents both a tonal and structural shift, asking audiences to engage with something later and markedly different. There’s also the issue of the platform itself. Sky is a paid subscription service, meaning SNL UK begins with a naturally smaller potential audience. Yet its free-to-air competitors aren’t putting up much of a fight. At the same time as Dornan’s turn on SNL UK, BBC One was airing the reliable News at Ten, BBC Two broadcast an unremarkable clip show of musical moments from the network’s archive, commercial rival ITV was repeating a 2025 episode of the game show The 1% Club, and Channel 4 aired another 2025 repeat of Bill Bailey in Vietnam. A yawnfest.

Freeview channels no longer prioritize edgy jokes or voices that reflect modern society across the full schedule, let alone at 10 PM on a weekend. While SNL UK’s ratings dipped in week two, audiences may well begin switching over from the repeated, bland, and boring once they know there is an alternative willing to take risks.

‘SNL UK’ May Be Entering the Same Slow-Burn Cycle of the Original SNL

If SNL UK’s numbers feel underwhelming, history offers reassurance. When Saturday Night Live first premiered in 1975, with George Carlin as host and a cast including Chevy Chase and John Belushi, it was far from an instant hit. It was messy, uneven, and (depending on who you asked) either the future of television or a late-night experiment that wouldn’t last a year. Sketches were short, the format shifted week-to-week, and entire episodes leaned heavily into music, like the second, hosted by Paul Simon, who performed 11 tracks. Even staple segments like “Weekend Update” — which now, in the UK version, brings bisexual panic via Ania Magliano and Paddy Young — xwere still finding their rhythm.

Network executives weren’t immediately convinced by SNL either, as ratings were modest, and complaints about controversial content were frequent. But what those numbers didn’t capture was the show’s growing appeal among younger audiences, a demographic that advertisers valued and that traditional television struggled to reach. Remind me, how many younger viewers are tuning in to watch Bill Bailey traverse Saigon?

SNL turned into something bigger than its initial overnight ratings suggested. By 1978, it had become essential viewing. It was counter cultural and redefined what late-night television could be. There’s every reason to hope for a similar trajectory on the other side of the Atlantic. For now, SNL UK requires less focus on ratings week-by-week and more attention paid to its cultural capital and accompanying social media frenzy. It needs space for sketches to fail, for the cast to develop chemistry, and for audiences to decide what they actually like about the show.

A 9% drop after a heavily anticipated premiere is simply part of the process. If anything, it suggests SNL UK is beginning to settle into the same slow-burn growth cycle that defined the American original. And with a format that has already proven its longevity over five decades, that’s hardly a bad place to be. The real test now is whether SNL UK can build an audience that returns each week, not because it’s new, but because it’s worth watching.

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Release Date

October 11, 1975

Showrunner

Lorne Michaels

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Directors

Dave Wilson, Don Roy King, Liz Patrick, Andy Warhol, Linda Lee Cadwell, Matthew Meshekoff, Paul Miller, Robert Altman, Robert Smigel

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Writers

Will Forte, Bill Hader, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Chris Parnell, Asa Taccone, John Lutz, Tom Schiller, Simon Rich, Michael Patrick O’Brien, Nicki Minaj, Herbert Sargent, Matt Piedmont, John Solomon, Chris Kelly, Alan Zweibel, Kent Sublette, Ari Katcher, Marika Sawyer, Sarah Schnedier, Scott Jung, Justin Franks, Jerrod Bettis, Rhiannon Bryan

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