Kelly Rowland loves her and Beyoncé‘s kids, saying in a new interview that it’s “crazy” watching them grow up together.

Rowland shares two kids, Noah and Titan, with talent manager Tim Weatherspoon, born in 2014 and 2021. Beyoncé, meanwhile, shares three kids, Blue, Rumi, and Sir, with rapper Jay-Z.

Rowland and Beyoncé have a decades-long friendship, dating back to childhood when the former moved in with Bey and her family in Houston, Texas. In an interview earlier this year, Rowland reflected on her “beautiful” friendship with the “Formation” singer.

Kelly Rowland Reflects On Her Kids Growing Up Alongside Beyoncé’s

While chatting with E! News, Rowland looked back on the years she’s spent alongside Beyoncé watching their kids grow up together.

“It’s so crazy that that’s a thing,” Rowland said. “We noticed that this summer and how they’re all just growing up so beautifully, and it’s a blessing to be able to share a lifetime of love with my sisters. All of them.”

This isn’t the first time Rowland has discussed Beyoncé’s kids. After Blue Ivy Carter’s “RENAISSANCE” tour appearance, Rowland said she was “very proud” of her hard work.

“She works very freaking hard, period. But how could she not, you know? She sees her mother in action and she sees her father in action and how they apply everything, hard work to everything that they do,” she said.

Rowland Has Known Beyoncé And Michelle Williams ‘For So Long’

If Beyoncé and Rowland’s kids are close, it would make sense, since their mothers have remained close friends since childhood. In a previous interview, the “Motivation” singer called Beyoncé and their Destiny’s Child bandmate Michelle Williams her “she-cosystem.”

“I’ve known them for so long,” Rowland said about the girls, who released four studio albums between 1998 and 2004. “They hold me accountable when I am figuring things out. They love me through my ugly. We laugh together, we experience joy together, we experience honesty together, life together, and that’s the best part,” Rowland continued.

• Kelly Rowland made a major change to her routine at 45.
• Destiny’s Child’s manager implied new music was coming soon.
• Kelly Rowland said she wants to play a specific singer in a future biopic.
• She previously spoke about her special relationship with Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles.

Rowland Has A Special Bond With Beyoncé’s Mom

In addition to Beyoncé, Rowland revealed she also has a special relationship with Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles. Tina lovingly refers to Rowland as her “bonus daughter,” a title the “Voice” judge willingly embraces.

“You gotta remember, I’ve known my Mama T for that long,” Rowland said during a podcast appearance. “She knows everything about me. My mannerisms, my tone when I call her. She knows when I’m happy just by one tone.”

Rowland went on to describe Tina as her “safe space” and a person she can lean on for understanding, advice, and guidance.

“I can’t believe that God thought the most of me to give me two moms that can give me that great amount of love, and then give me sisters as well with Bey, and Angie [Beyince], and Solange,” Rowland shared. “The amount of love he’s given me through people I can never repay him for.”

Advertisement

Bey Surprises Fans With Reimagined Album

According to a previous report from The Blast, Beyoncé released a reimagined version of her second studio album, “B’Day,” just weeks ago. The project, which features beloved hits such as “Irreplaceable,” “Deja Vu,” and “Get Me Bodied,” was rereleased to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the singer’s sophomore project. She first teased the 20th-anniversary tribute on July 4th, when she dropped the single “Morning Dew” with a slow beat and sultry lyrics.

The ‘Cowboy Carter’ Singer Recalls Making Her Second Album

“B’Day” is known for its high-energy, fast-paced tracks with soaring vocals, the very things Beyoncé wanted the project to include. “I wanted the album to be big, percussive, hard, up-tempo, and energized, and it was important to me that we used live instrumentation,” she said.

As she went on, the “Best Thing I Never Had” singer said she wanted to “blend” both worlds together through sampling and “minimalism,” pointing to the instruments and vocal arrangements of “Irreplaceable.”

Ari Fletcher is fully in her wife era! A source close to Ari and Moneybagg Yo recently spoke exclusively with The Shade Room and confirmed that the couple officially tied the knot. Now, just one day after the news dropped, fans think Ari has given everyone a lil’ peek at her HUGE rock! Okayyy, Mrs. Bagg!

RELATED: Been Dat! Moneybagg Yo Claps Back After Fan Tells Him To Cover Up Now That He’s Married To Ari Fletcher (VIDEO) 

Okay, Mrs. Bagg! Ari Fletcher Shows Off Icy Rock

On Thursday, September 24, Ari Fletcher came through with an ICY photo on her Instagram Story. And no, it wasn’t snowing, Roomies! The real drip appeared on her finger, leaving folks convinced that she gave a glimpse of her wedding ring amid her marriage to Moneybagg yo. Reactions immediately popped off once Ari dropped the pic. She didn’t give any extra details — she simply let the bling do all of the talking!

Ari Has Fans Zooming In On Her Bling

You already know the TeMates didn’t stay quiet. Fans flooded The Shade Room Teens comment section with reactions to Ari’s massive rock. Some joked that Bagg literally dropped a BAGG on her ring. Meanwhile, others said if anybody ever needed an example of what a rock looks like, Ari’s bling is the perfect definition.

Instagram user @nikia.kani wrote, “A ROCK‼️‼️‼️‼️” 

Instagram user @pooraudixoxo wrote, “Oh now that’s a mf ring 🥵” 

While Instagram user @bonie_monie_24 wrote, “Dang thats too much ring, I understand being rich is a flex but damn this is just to much.” 

Then Instagram user @kyahwthejuicycat wrote, “nasty 😍”

Another Instagram user @arii.staxx wrote, “Moneybagg got moneybaggs 🤑🤑” 

Then another Instagram user @r.issyy wrote, “NEED THAT !!!” 

Finally, Instagram user @niyaaly29379 wrote, “🔥🔥🔥” 

Ari & Bagg Sparked Marriage Speculation With THIS Viral Photo

At this time, it’s unclear when Ari and Bagg offiically tied the knot. Ari initially fueled speculation about their wedding ceremony after she dropped a photo of them wearing all-white traditional Muslim attire. The flick appeared in Ari’s birthday tribute on for Bagg as he celebrated his 35th birthday on September 22. To show her hubby some love on his special day, Ari shared a carousel of sweet photos on Instagram alongside the message, “In every lifetime, I’d find you. Happy birthday my love 🎈🫶🏽” 

RELATED: Awww! Ari Fletcher Shares Sweet Post Celebrating Moneybagg Yo’s 35th Birthday (PHOTOS)

A Florida woman was arrested after she met a man on Tinder and allegedly stole two of his watches, including a $37,000 Rolex, on their first date before she escaped in an Uber paid for by the victim.

Alexia Jocelyn Flores has been charged with grand theft over $20,000 but less than $100,000 following the incident.

Authorities learned of the incident when the victim called police around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, to report that a woman had stolen two watches, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit reviewed by Law & Crime.

The man said that he met Flores, 24, when they matched on Tinder. He took her out to dinner for their first date, and he brought her back to his apartment after they had several drinks.

Related: Woman Stabbed Father of Her Child Amid His Cheating With Her Sister

A woman in Florida has been arrested after she repeatedly stabbed the father of her children after she learned that he was cheating on her with her sister. Jaqueline Rodriguez was arrested on Sunday, February 8, and stands accused of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, according to online records viewed by Us Weekly. She […]

He said that he was on the living room couch when Flores was getting dressed in the bedroom toward the end of the date. He then claimed that he walked her to the elevator and they “kissed goodbye.” Flores then left in an Uber.

Once he got back to his apartment, the victim said he realized that two of his watches were missing from his nightstand. He said that he tried to call Flores about the issue, but quickly learned that she had blocked his number.

The following day, the victim went to the police station and officers administered a six-person photo lineup. As he looked at the photos, he was able to identify Flores as the suspect. The victim also showed authorities the receipt to prove that he had bought the Rolex for $37,000, per the affidavit.

Related: Florida Property Manager Allegedly Stole from HOAs for Plastic Surgery, Trips

Advertisement

Authorities are searching for a Florida woman who allegedly stole “hundreds of thousands of dollars” from local homeowners’ associations to bankroll her personal expenses, including plastic surgery procedures and “lavish” vacations. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday, April 6, news release that deputies aim to arrest Alexandra Delacaridad Gonzalez, a property manager […]

Flores was arrested days later on Wednesday, September 24. While speaking to authorities, she confirmed that she met the victim on Tinder and that they went back to his apartment on the date. However, she denied that she stole the watches.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

She claimed that she “could not recall what happened” at the end of the date and said she believed she may have been drugged. The affidavit noted that Flores had not separately reported the alleged drugging prior to her arrest.

Flores is currently in custody at Miami-Dade County Jail, and she is being held on a $7,500 bond.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge. It’s not currently clear if she has retained legal counsel, while it has not been announced when she will next appear in court.

Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for multiple shows.What is it about miniseries that just fascinates us so? Is it their sharp, smartly contained plots, their fast-paced storytelling, or memorable characters? A lot goes into making a limited-run show, as they have mostly around two to eight episodes to hook audiences into why it’s worth the investment and what is so special about the story. Because of that, most compelling miniseries have been praised for having a perfect beginning, middle, and especially an end, perfectly wrapping these short-lived compelling tales in a tight package.

The endings, particularly, are the most important parts to nail, not just in any miniseries, but in all of entertainment. The finales are vital as they wrap up the story in a satisfying way and give a payoff to the audience’s investment. Without these two crucial points, it could turn any good show into a near-unwatchable disaster. Thankfully, we’ll be looking at eight notable mini-shows that excelled because of their endings. These were more than satisfying and enhanced these shows to extreme heights of acclaim.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)

Image via Netflix

Proving to be one of Netflix’s most riveting miniseries of this decade, Scott Frank‘s gripping sports drama The Queen’s Gambit coupled a complex character study with flawless writing and acting across seven incredible hour-long episodes. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, it’s an emotional tale following one woman, Beth Harmon, and her journey towards self-respect and redemption as she struggles to overcome her substance and alcohol abuse to become a master chess player.

It’s quite a touching drama, full of heartbreak, determination, and inspiration, that isn’t heavy-handed or fumbles its messages about the dangers of addition. Its final episode is perhaps its greatest achievement, finishing with Beth overcoming her own trauma and maintaining her addition, winning the world chess champion without the need for her bad habits, and is last seen playing chess in a Moscow park, showing she’s finally in a clear state. It’s hopeful, optimistic, and feels perfectly warranted. We followed Beth through her struggles and finally got to feel a sense of relief and acceptance alongside her.

‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)

Image via HBO Max

A nearly forgotten, underrated HBO gem, Patrick Somerville‘s thrilling sci-fi miniseries Station Eleven is a compelling watch that deserves more appreciation. Based on a novel by author Emily St. John Mandel, this brilliant page-to-screen adaptation takes ten episodes to draw you in, and it does this remarkably well. Mackenzie Davis leads this post-apocalyptic tale, following a small group of survivors in a world devastated 20 years after a deadly flu pandemic.

It’s a unique tale of survival with touching character drama and a few emotionally charged moments. Its conclusion notably wraps up every intertwining character and storyline nicely without any loose ends, finishing on a somewhat happy note as the two main characters survive and reunite years after believing the other to be dead. Station Eleven delivers its story effectively and finishes decisively with a finale that’s simple, emotional, and well worth the time spent watching the rest of the series.

‘Unbelievable’ (2019)

Image via Netflix

A shocking true-story miniseries, Netflix’s Unbelievable is a devastating and powerful crime drama about the pursuit of real justice and moving on from past trauma. It’s a well-paced, strikingly realistic, and expertly acted show that instantly hooks you in with its heartbreaking premise. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever star as detectives fighting against systemic failure and saving a young woman (Kaitlyn Dever) accused of lying about being sexually assaulted.

It’s not an easy miniseries to watch, especially as it depicts the dark and worrying truths about the justice system and its flaws, as well as the disturbing way it handles the details of the assault. Yet, despite the darkness of this incredibly bleak series, it ends on at least a brighter note, showing the detectives finally finding the assailant and seeing him put to justice, while the girl’s reputation is cleared. In its eight episodes, we follow a poor woman put through unspeakable turmoil, but it’s perfect to see her finally get her justice after fighting so hard to get it.

‘Sharp Objects’ (2018)

Image via HBO

Truly, one of the most shocking mysteries of modern television, HBO’s limited series Sharp Objects has been one of the channel’s shining bright spots recently thanks to its rug-pulling reveals and brilliant tension. Based on a Gillian Flynn novel, this miniseries is a mystery crime-lover’s delight, a suspenseful and dramatic modern masterpiece that can’t be ignored. Starring Amy Adams in a career highlight, it sees her as a recovering alcoholic journalist obsessed with finding a local killer who murdered two girls.

With a slow but effective pace, flawless writing, sharp direction, and genuine performances, Sharp Objects is HBO’s most award-worthy recent hit, and one that fans can’t seem to get enough of, especially when talking about its finale. In one of the most shocking TV plot twists of the 2010s, it’s revealed that Adams’ protagonist, Camille Preaker, discovers the horrible truth that her young sister Amma (Eliza Scanlen) was the culprit, killing the girls out of a fit of jealousy. It’s a startling gut-punch that comes straight out of left field, and then fades to black and the credits roll without giving the audience enough time to take in the horror. It’s a perfect send-off to an already unpredictable and bleak story.

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

Image via HBO

Advertisement

A tense, eerie, and utterly unbelievable retelling of a horrible human-made disaster, HBO’s Chernobyl is without a doubt one of the most disturbing and raw miniseries of the 21st century. It’s a show packed with perfection, featuring top-notch direction, writing, and performances from seasoned A-listers at the top of their game. Based on the real-life Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion in the 1980s Soviet Union, it follows several bureaucrats and scientists desperately racing to clean up the mess and then struggling to preserve the truth of what really caused it to happen.

It’s at first a series about tragedy that explores the many lives ruined by this costly and unnecessary disaster, showing who was affected the worst. And then it explores how the government tried to cover up the calamity, and how those who fought for the truth strove to never let this happen again. Though the ending is very loose to history, as is much of the show, for that matter, it still gives a basic understanding that exposes how political involvement and negligence ultimately doomed Chernobyl from the start.

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne‘s heartbreaking limited crime drama Adolescence has been hailed as Netflix’s most acclaimed, unforgettable miniseries of this decade so far. It’s an absolute gut-puncher and a remarkable exploration into psychology and family toxicity, starring Graham as a struggling father shocked and devastated when he learns his thirteen-year-old son, Jaime (Owen Cooper), commits a horrible murder, leading his family down a hard road as they deal with the fallout.

It’s a solid, heavily dramatic, and character-driven miniseries, anchored by a nuanced performance by newcomer Owen Cooper, and elevated by a somber, utterly devastating finale. Its conclusion is arguably its crowning achievement, following the protagonist, Eddie Miller (Graham), as he looks around his son’s room, crying after learning the news that Jamie is changing his plea to guilty after professing his fake innocence for so long. It’s a long and drawn-out moment, highlighted by Graham’s remarkable talents, as he perfectly acts as a father utterly ruined by who he’s unintentionally turned his son into. Truly, hardly any miniseries ends with a bigger downer than this.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Actually, there’s just one more heart-wrenching ending to discuss, and that’s in the breakout Netflix horror series Midnight Mass. Created by filmmaker Mike Flanagan, this monster horror drama became one of the early 2020s biggest standouts for its well-crafted slow-burn approach and compelling character drama. Starring Flanagan’s wife and frequent collaborator Kate Siegel, the series explores the meaning of life, the cruelty of human behavior, and what awaits us in the afterlife as it follows the residents of an isolated small island community sinisterly changing when a mysterious new priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives with a dark key for longevity.

It’s a slow-paced, excellent escalation of terror that has affirmed Netflix as the home for horror lovers in the 2020s. Midnight Mass delivers great performances and exceptional scares that will never leave our minds, and the ending is definitely the biggest strength. After it’s revealed that the priest has introduced a centuries-old angel, later revealed to be a vampire, into the community, the creature corrupts the town, turning most of the residents into the undead. Yet, after massacring most of the living residents, the newly turned vampires surrender themselves to being burned in the morning sunlight rather than spread this evil to the world. It’s a tear-jerking moment, coupled with equally depressing music, as almost every character we’ve followed in this show perishes painfully in the sun.

‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

Image via HBO

Now, at the end of it all, we have to talk about the compelling ending of what many fans and critics agree is the greatest miniseries of all time: Band of Brothers. The most captivating and intense war drama ever brought to the small screen, this ten-part HBO miniseries catapulted the channel into becoming the leading pioneer of creating cinematic limited shows. Based on a true story, it follows the brave men of Easy Company, a paratrooper regiment of the 101st US Airborne, as they fight in some of the most iconic European battles during WWII.

Featuring the greatest visuals, the most riveting acting, and the most graphic violence in television history, it is no surprise Band of Brothers would also have a perfect conclusion. Its final chapter, Points, shows the survivors of Easy Company during their stay in the picturesque Austrian countryside as the war finally comes to an end. As the main protagonist, Major Winters (Damien Lewis), narrates how the rest of his men lived their best lives after the war, he ends up wondering what life would have been like for the men he’d lost in battle. It’s a poignant, epic finale with a strong message to never forget the fallen men who gave their lives fighting tyranny in WWII. It’s emotional, unforgettable, and without a doubt, deservingly takes the final spot on this list.

Advertisement

Band of Brothers

Advertisement

Release Date

2001 – 2001

Network

Advertisement

HBO

Directors

David Frankel, David Nutter, Mikael Salomon, Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Tom Hanks

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

If you’re ready to start “spooky season” early with some grounded sci-fi horror, we have the perfect streaming hit for you. Currently making waves on Peacock, where it has found itself a nice spot on the platform’s Top 10 Movies list, Signs is everything you could hope for in a spooky alien movie this fall. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan at the peak of his early career — he had just come off The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable — there are few movies in the alien invasion subgenre so intelligent and spiritually profound as this one. If it’s been a few years (or you’ve not yet had the pleasure), don’t sleep on Signs.

You’ll Never See Another Alien Invasion Movie Quite Like ‘Signs’

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

Advertisement

For this author, it’s the entire premise of Signs that just speaks to the soul. The film follows former Episcopalian priest and widower Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) as he struggles to raise his two young kids, Morgan (Rory Culkin) and Bo (Abigail Breslin), in the wake of their mother’s accidental and unfortunate death. With his brother, Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), by his side, the two start witnessing some high strangeness in their back cornfields as crop circles and odd movement along their small Pennsylvanian farm begin to occur simultaneously with strange heavenly lights making their way throughout the world. As it becomes clear that we are not alone in the universe, Graham’s crisis of faith spirals further as he is forced to come to terms with all the otherworldly occurrences happening around them. Nowhere is safe, and as the invaders begin to close in, there are no more places to hide. For the Hess family to survive, they must learn to read the signs all around them . . .

A deeply personal (and, dare we say, spiritual) take on the “alien invasion” subgenre, Signs is a masterclass in tension, discomfort, and powerful performances from its leading stars, who create such vivid characters that even their oddest behavior is believable. Graham is a man who has only ever been a pastor, but even with that role removed from his life, he finds himself in oddly pastoral circumstances and discovers that he is perhaps the only one who can put all the pieces together to save his family. The chemistry between Gibson and Phoenix is off-the-charts, too, as the brothers perfectly balance out each other’s respective character flaws. Additionally, James Newton Howard‘s haunting Signs score courses throughout the carefully woven moments of personal dread and the hanging threat of global annihilation. The piano keys are just as anxiety-inducing as the alien fingers under the door or the shadowy figure propped on the opposite roof. It’s these small touches that Shyamalan peppers throughout that give the film real character, transforming it into an accidental masterpiece.

‘Signs’ Deserves to Be Revisited on Streaming

For as big as the concept is, Signs is quite an intimate (and even hopeful) film. Yes, it’s about alien invasions, but it’s also about deep levels of grief, regret, moral failing, and faith. Some of those aspects may not be the first things that come to mind when you think about aliens slowly trying to take over the world, and yet, it’s those kinds of movies where the horror feels most real because the characters feel the most real. And that’s true even if there’s a bad CGI alien at the end . . . Some have noted that Signs would have been better if not for some of the strange character choices and oddities present in the kids themselves, but, frankly, as a father to young children, that’s one of the film’s most endearing aspects. Those “goofy” elements are exactly what makes the world of Signs feel so lived in and authentic, even with aliens involved.

Signs is perhaps Shyamalan’s best work, though that may be a bit of a strong statement to some who already have their favorite Shyamalan films ranked. Still, with the alien horror flick trending on Peacock, there’s no better time to give it a rewatch. Signs just works for a fall-themed binge, and for those looking for monsters a bit more out-of-the-coffin than Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster or Wolf Man, then Signs may just be the pivot for you — just don’t expect any monster make-up that looks remotely as good.

Signs is available for streaming on Peacock.

Selena Gomez just gave one of 2026’s biggest retro pants trends a seriously sexy upgrade. Capris have been making their way back into fashion, but her slim-fitting take feels considerably more sophisticated than the pedal pushers of decades past. The curve-skimming silhouette is proof that showing a little ankle isn’t the only way to make cropped pants feel chic.

On September 16, 2026, Gomez stepped out in New York City wearing slim black capris with a simple short-sleeve tee, pointed-toe pumps and a black Chanel bag. The fitted silhouette and monochromatic styling landed somewhere between sultry and sophisticated, making the retro pants feel surprisingly modern. While we couldn’t confirm her exact pair, we found a $27 stylish lookalike on Amazon.

Get the Stelle Cropped Pull On Capri Pants for just $27 (Was $30) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, September 24, 2026, but are subject to change.

The Stelle Cropped Pull On Capri Pants capture the same slim, streamlined shape for considerably less. Available in black like Gomez’s, as well as khaki and navy, they come in sizes XS to XL and are made from a soft, stretchy spandex blend that combines the comfort of activewear with the polish of proper pants.

Related: We’re Copying Dakota Johnson’s Rich-Looking Plaid Blazer for $35

Advertisement

There’s nothing wrong with a simple jeans-and-tank outfit, but Dakota Johnson reminded Us how much better it can look with the right fall layer. A cropped plaid blazer adds structure without covering up your entire outfit, while the classic print brings an expensive-looking touch to even your most-worn denim. Consider it an easy way to make […]

A concealed elastic waistband helps keep them comfortable enough for all-day wear, while two deep front pockets add some welcome practicality. One shopper called them her “absolute go-to comfy pants,” dubbing them the “unsung heroes of my Friday office attire.”

The body-contouring cut hugs curves without squeezing, while the straight-leg finish keeps the silhouette sleek. Another customer “paired them with sandals and a sweater” and “still felt dressed up and confident,” but they’d look just as chic with loafers, an oversized button-down or a blazer.

Copy Gomez’s sultry take with a fitted tee and pointed-toe pumps for date night, or dress them down with a sweater and flats for daytime. At just $27, they’re an easy way to give 2026’s retro capri trend the same sexy, sophisticated spin.

Love Gomez’s sexy, sophisticated take on capris? Shop more slim-fitting black styles on Amazon below!

Shop more black straight-leg capris that we love:

Not your style? Explore more capris here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

UsNow Fall Sale Alert: These chic fashion finds are up to 60% off – plus free shipping

Welcome to fall with our biggest sale of the season. Our favorite dresses, tops, handbags, and shoes are all on sale + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

Shop the UsNow Fall Sale —>

Related: Recreate Julianne Moore’s Chic Off-Shoulder Look for Just $13

Advertisement

There’s nothing wrong with a basic black top, but Julianne Moore just reminded Us how much chicer the staple can look with one small switch. Rather than another crewneck or basic long-sleeve style, the actress opted for a shoulder-baring silhouette that instantly felt more elevated. It’s an easy city-girl upgrade we’re ready to copy this […]

At the beginning of A Storm of Swords, George R.R. Martin dedicates the novel to Phyllis Eisenstein, a fantasy writer who convinced him to include dragons in his A Song of Ice and Fire books — and in truth, it’s hard to imagine what Game of Thrones would look like without dragons. In 2023, Martin told Kevin Smith that he originally considered making Targaryens pyromancers, with the ability to wield fire. Fast-forward to House of the Dragon Season 3, and the show now features 16 different dragons, each with unique designs and personalities. These magical beasts have been a trope of fantasy fiction since the conception of the genre, but Martin uses them very carefully — and there seem to be strict rules in the Song of Ice and Fire universe about which characters can actually ride dragons.

House Targaryen Has Always Followed Specific Rules for Dragonriders

There is a distinct difference between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones regarding Targaryen dragonriders. Martin established a strict set of rules for Westeros’s most powerful house — a rider can only control one dragon, no more, no less. That said, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) seems to be an exception. Throughout history, Targaryens often tamed dragons by confronting them, like Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) did with Vhagar, or placed dragon eggs in the cradles of newborn babies, allowing for an instant bond with their intended rider the moment they hatched. Daenerys poses an interesting case, given that her dragon eggs are hundreds of years old, supposedly fossilized, but when she walks into the burning funeral pyre at the end of Season 1, she emerges with three newborn dragons. As a result, Daenerys shares a maternal bond with three dragons, rather than just one. However, this is with the caveat that Daenerys can no longer give birth to a human child, an unprecedented situation unlike any other Targaryen in history.

Can Daenerys Control All Three of Her Dragons in ‘Game of Thrones’?

Image via HBO Max

While Daenerys is undeniably a mother to Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, there is a common misconception that she can ride and control all three. Martin’s rules are unwavering, and even Daenerys isn’t an exception to the concept of one rider per dragon. Season 6 proves Drogon is Daenerys’ dragon when she takes flight from Mereen. By the end of Game of Thrones, both Rhaegal and Viserion find new riders in Jon Snow and the Night King, but things are a little more complicated in the Song of Ice and Fire books, where Daenerys must learn more about Valyrian magic before she can fully control her dragon. Drogon is a unique dragon, said to be the reincarnation of Balerion the Black Dread, the fiercest and largest dragon ridden by Aegon the Conqueror. Despite the variety of dragons seen in House of the Dragon, none ever come close to resembling Balerion until Drogon. Drogon adds a symbolic significance to Daenerys, as she has not only brought dragons back into the world but supposedly given birth to a dragon that rivals the ultimate symbol of Targaryen dominance in Westeros.

The Targaryens in House of the Dragon face the opposite problem. While characters like Daemon and Rhaenys (Eve Best) display a great degree of control over their dragons, none ever grow to the same size as Balerion. Vhagar is the only dragon that comes close, and despite being nearly as old as Balerion, she is still smaller. Another big difference between the two series is that while dragons wear saddles and dwell in Dragonstone’s caverns in House of the Dragon, Daenerys’ dragons feature no such equipment and prefer to roam wild until she eventually locks them underneath the Great Pyramid in Meereen. The fact that Daenerys doesn’t require a saddle to ride her dragon could be due to her affinity for Dothraki culture, given the horselords roam the wilderness and ride horses with no saddles.

Daenerys’ Dragons Grow a Lot Quicker in ‘Game of Thrones’

Next to House of the Dragon, Daenerys’ dragons grow a lot quicker than any of her ancestors’. Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) dragon, Syrax, is over 30 years old, while Caraxes is roughly 70 during House of the Dragon Season 2. Despite their age, neither matches Drogon in size. Fans often attribute this as a plot hole in the story, but several explanations can account for this. In the Song of Ice and Fire book series, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion are relatively smaller than their onscreen counterparts, but are expected to grow bigger before Daenerys invades Westeros. Martin originally planned a five-year time jump in his original novels, which would have given Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion ample time to develop into fully-grown dragons. He eventually decided against the time-skip, meaning the dragons would have to develop quicker to be effective assets to Daenerys.

Aside from a literary standpoint, there is an in-world explanation for the size disparity. Game of Thrones is set during a time when magic is returning to the world, partly indicated by the striking red comet seen in Season 2. Both dragons and White Walkers return to Westeros, and Greenseers like Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) unlock new magical abilities. Daenerys’ dragons also seem to grow quicker because a new age of magic has come to Westeros. By contrast, House of the Dragon is set in a time when magic has almost completely died out. As a Dragonkeeper tells Rhaenyra in Season 2, Episode 7, “The dragons are sacred; they are the last magic of Old Valyria in this sad world.”

Most of Daenerys’ dragons meet an unfortunate end in Game of Thrones, but the books will likely play out differently. Rhaegal and Viserion may have completely different riders, given there are more alleged Targaryens alive there than in the show. One thing is for certain: Daenerys is a unique Targaryen who shares a special bond with her dragons, something Daemon (Matt Smith) discovered during his prophetic vision in the Season 2 finale. While her fate onscreen disappointed viewers, the books will hopefully deliver a satisfying conclusion to her story and answer more of the many questions surrounding dragons.

Wherever they lead, these former costars will follow! Though it’s been nearly 20 years since Gilmore Girls finished its initial run, the WB stars have remained just as tight as their characters.

Gilmore Girls originally ran for seven seasons on The WB (and later The CW) between 2000 and 2007, following mother-daughter duo Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel).

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

After the conclusion of its final season, the cast — and OG showrunners Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino — reunited to film the A Year in the Life four-episode revival series for Netflix in November 2016.

The TV writers also enlisted a number of their former Gilmore stars for brief cameos on their short-lived Bunheads series and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Milo Ventimiglia (Jess Mariano) and Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) were both tapped to reunite with the Palladinos for brief arcs on the Prime Video series.

Scroll down to see the Gilmore Girls cast’s sweetest reunions after the show wrapped:

A phone case in a box that could hold a toaster is one of e-commerce’s favorite jokes. It is also a window into the strange economics of shipping air.

Everyone has received one. The USB cable in a carton sized for a board game. The lip balm rattling around a box with its own weather system. You laugh, you photograph it, you wonder briefly whether anyone is paying attention, and then you flatten the box for recycling and move on.

Here is the part that makes it interesting: someone, or rather something, chose that box on purpose. And the reasons say a lot about how the machinery behind online shopping actually works.

The box is a decision, not an accident

5

In a modern fulfillment operation, a human packer rarely decides what box to use. That call is made by warehouse management software, the system that runs the building. Before your order is even picked from the shelf, the software has measured the dimensions of everything in it, compared them against the cartons the warehouse keeps in stock, and assigned the one it calculates as the best fit.

So when the fit is comically wrong, the algorithm didn’t glitch. It did exactly what it was told with the options it had. The question is why the options were bad.

Why air is expensive

5

First, understand what’s at stake. Carriers long ago stopped charging purely by weight, because a truck full of feather-light, oversized boxes fills up just as fast as a truck full of bricks. So they charge by dimensional weight: the size of the box converted into a billable weight, with the shipper paying whichever is higher, the real weight or the dimensional one.

That means empty space in a box isn’t just wasteful. It is, quite literally, a product the retailer is buying from the carrier. Every oversized carton ships a few cents to a few dollars of nothing. Multiply by millions of packages, and shipping air becomes one of the quietest large expenses in retail.

So why the giant box?

5

If air is that expensive, why does the toaster-sized box keep showing up? A few honest reasons.

The carton menu is short. A warehouse might stock a dozen box sizes, chosen when the operation launched. The software can only pick from the menu it has, and if your item falls between sizes, it rounds up. Always up, because a box that’s too small isn’t a box at all.

The menu goes stale. Product catalogs change constantly; carton catalogs don’t. An assortment chosen for last year’s bestsellers can be quietly wrong for this year’s, and the mismatch shows up one oversized shipment at a time, invisible in any single order.

Speed beats precision at the pack station. During a surge, some operations fall back to fewer, larger box sizes because it keeps the line moving. The giant box you received in December may be the fingerprint of a warehouse running flat out.

And sometimes the box was sized for a friend that never came. Systems often plan cartons for orders that might be consolidated, and when part of the order ships separately, the survivor rattles around in space reserved for its companions.

The warehouse already has the evidence

5

What makes this problem fixable is that the proof is sitting in the shipping data. Every carton choice, every package dimension, every carrier charge already flows through the system that cut the label.

Deposco built its Supply Chain Intelligence suite to read that evidence directly. Working with Deposco’s WMS Bright Warehouse rather than as a separate analytics stack, its packaging analysis evaluates a warehouse’s carton assortment against the shipments it actually sends, flags dimensional weight overages and boxes leaving with too much empty space, and quantifies what fixing the carton menu is worth in dollars. It also compares what an operation pays for shipping, like for like by package weight and destination, against comparable shippers, so a retailer knows whether its rates are as good as it believes. Across the operations it works with, Deposco typically surfaces a 2 to 5% opportunity on overall shipping spend. Packaging is a rare lever in that number: a retailer can pull it immediately, without negotiating with anyone.

And for operators who enable Felix, a team of AI expert agents inside Deposco, the shipping analyst agent turns the investigation into a conversation: ask why shipping cost per package crept up this quarter, and it answers from the live operation, then keeps answering as you dig.

Reading your next delivery

5

So the next time a small thing arrives in a big box, you’re holding a clue. Maybe the retailer’s carton menu hasn’t kept up with what it sells. Maybe you ordered during a surge, and the warehouse traded precision for speed. Either way, somewhere a piece of software made the best choice available to it, and the real story is whether anyone is watching the choices add up.

The retailers that watch are shipping less air. The ones that don’t are paying to deliver it.

A good amount of mystery surrounds the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next steps after Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, particularly when it comes to their upcoming television slate. More MCU blockbuster films are in the pipeline (Black Panther 3, Ghost Rider, their interpretation of the X-Men), but Disney+ currently has no live-action series planned after Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 — which they just announced will be the show’s last. What’s more, Kevin Feige teased his intentions to eventually reboot the entire experiment, which assumedly would close the door on most ongoing stories. Even though the MCU’s small-screen era has produced some of its finest work across the franchise’s 18 years, all public information points to Marvel shifting away from the medium.

While the upcoming VisionQuest series is also shrouded in secrecy, the marketing positions showrunner Terry Matalas‘ contribution to the MCU as completing the trilogy that began with 2021’s masterful WandaVision and continued with 2024’s equally sensational Agatha All Along. A giant question mark has hovered over Vision’s (Paul Bettany) character since WandaVision resurrected the AI with a soul, not to mention whether his wife, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), survived her apparent death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Agatha All Along added its own “to be continued” when Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) and Agatha Harkness’ (Kathryn Hahn) ghost joined forces to search for his brother, Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica). If those dangling threads weren’t intriguing enough, VisionQuest is also the final Phase Six project before Avengers: Doomsday‘s December release date. Suffice to say, VisionQuest feels like an integral piece of the franchise’s sprawling puzzle and a crucial stepping stone during a transitional moment.

What Is ‘VisionQuest’ About?

As Collider learned during our set visit, VisionQuest opens with its titular hero having spent several years hiding from the corrupt people who want to weaponize his abilities. Disguised as a human during the day and retreating to his quantum computer Mindspace at night, the former Avenger tries to either relearn his identity and purpose or forge new ones. Since his original programming as the White Vision stripped him of the ability to feel, reconciling the memories he gained from the Hex’s Red Vision with his lack of emotional response towards those recollections proves difficult.

It’s certainly a superb wild card on Matalas’ part to incorporate all the figures tied to Vision’s birth and his evolution: James D’Arcy‘s Edwin Jarvis (now J.A.R.V.I.S.) from Agent Carter, Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) other AI companions, and, best of all, Ultron (James Spader). How much their influence informs Vision’s version of his “humanity” remains to be seen, but that’s quite a few different voices tugging him this way and that. And at this time of uncertainty and vulnerability, Vision must also navigate being a father to Tommy, who isn’t immediately open to the idea of accepting this stranger as his parent.

‘VisionQuest’ Bridges the MCU’s Past and Future

Image via Disney+

When it comes to Wanda’s status, although Marvel and all related parties have kept tight-lipped, it wouldn’t be surprising if the underutilized fan-favorite secretly returns in Doomsday as one of Doctor Doom’s (Downey Jr.) allies. Costume displays have included a “Latverian Witch,” and Doom nurses an amnesiac Wanda back to health in a comics arc. Since VisionQuest leads straight into Doomsday, the series could reveal numerous plot and character-related bombshells that affect future installments. As the Maximoff trilogy’s closer, it’s almost guaranteed to provide definitive closure. Most likely, the series juggles both.

Regardless, VisionQuest‘s immensely promising trailer suggests another fascinating character study in the same psychological and psychedelic vein as WandaVision. Since the entire Disney+ branch of the MCU, as well as Phase Four, began with WandaVision, it’s full-circle fitting that Wanda’s husband closes out Phase Six. Creator Jac Schaeffer delivered an Emmy-nominated cultural explosion right out of the gate — a vividly rich, potently mournful tapestry that established both the creative opportunities and the level of emotional nuance that could be achieved with these larger-than-life characters in an intimate, serialized setting. With that door knocked down, Loki, Moon Knight, Echo, and Wonder Man (to name a few) followed.

If Marvel does abandon its live-action shows, it will be disappointing. Although pulling back to prioritize quality over quantity is always a wise choice, the studio has yet to fully utilize some of those series’ potential with either further seasons or ongoing transitions to the big screen; at the moment, that still feels like a critical oversight. No matter what the future holds for the MCU’s television era, if VisionQuest is its final bow, all signs point to another home run.

Advertisement

VisionQuest

Release Date

Advertisement

October 14, 2026

Network

Disney+

Advertisement

Directors

Christopher J. Byrne, Gandja Monteiro

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement