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“Some of us just can’t be saved.” Whether you caught that line on “The Last of Us” Season 2, Episode 3 — or said it to yourself at some point during the 2024 U.S.presidential election — showrunner Craig Mazin isn’t drawing all the parallels you think. Asked about the impact real news can have on a narrative TV audience, Mazin told IndieWire, “Well, it’s hard to tell sometimes.”

“I think we overestimate how much people apply what’s happening in the world around them to their experience watching a television show or going to see a movie,” he said. “It feels like a natural thing to imagine that they’re making those allegorical connections, but the truth is I’m not sure we’re making them that much and I’m not sure they’re watching them in that way that much.”

He continued, “People often do connect to these things on their own terms.

There’s no better feeling than finding that show, the one you can lose an entire weekend to without a single regret. You know the drill: hoodie on, snacks within reach, pretending you have “just one more episode” in you when really, you’re cancelling all your plans and fully committing.

That’s where these limited series come in. Short, sharp, addictive, and they’ll pull you in fast, punch you right in the feelings, and spit you out wondering where the last 12 hours went. From messy scandals and mind-bending twists to gut-wrenching real-life stories, each of these shows is tailor-made for a weekend marathon you won’t recover from.

No 10-season commitment. Just pure, edge-of-your-seat, cancel-all-plans greatness.

1. Beef

Beef is pure chaos bottled into 10 flawless episodes. It starts with a petty road rage incident between two strangers and spirals into something way bigger, way messier, and honestly, way more...

From rom-coms to horror to superhero movies, Sydney Sweeney has been slowly -- but surely -- taking over genre movies. Of course, the rising star still has the next season of "Euphoria" on her docket, with the hit HBO series having helped turn her into a brand name in the first place. But her next reported project will be taking her into much more unfamiliar waters.

Ever expected to see Sweeney headline a major video game adaptation? Well, that's precisely what's going to happen with one of the most popular games of the year so far ... and it has quite the creative team backing her up. According to Variety, Sweeney is set to star in and executive produce a film version of "Split Fiction." The genre-blending sci-fi/fantasy video game only just released earlier this March, but in no time at all has garnered critical praise and become one of 2025's best sellers on Steam.

The White Lotus Star, Will Sharpe, is going places, and we are here to witness it. Apple TV+ has just announced its upcoming series, Prodigies. It will feature Ayo Edebiri and Will Sharpe in lead roles. The series will have 7 episodes and will be a romantic comedy in nature. They will delve into the dynamics people share when they are in long-term relationships and attempt to offer a fresh take on the topic of love and romance.

Will Sharpe was seen recently in the hit series The White Lotus as Ethan. Portraying how ambiguous and awkward adult human relationships can get, he depicted the perfect blend of jealousy, aggression, and love.

Prodigies is a unique take on genius and love

Revolving around the main characters, Ren(Sharpe) and Didi( Edebiri), this show is about two child prodigies. The two have been childhood besties, and it blossomed into love eventually. Now in their thirties,...

Put your flamethrower down if you haven't watched "Through the Valley," the latest episode to date of "The Last of Us." Spoilers incoming!

Something really big happened on "Through the Valley," the second episode of the sophomore season of HBO's massively popular series "The Last of Us" (based on the video game of the same name by Naughty Dog). I'm actually not talking about Joel Miller, the show's ostensible hero and one of the Internet's favorite dads played by Pedro Pascal, getting his head bashed in by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). I'm talking about the assault on the survivor's stronghold in Jackson, Wyoming, where a huge, disgusting army of infected cordyceps zombies storms the town's ramparts.

Notably, this sequence is not in the video game, which does make sense. At this point in the game, the story focuses entirely on Joel's death, Abby's vengeance, and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey in the series) promise of retribution.

Here’s Where You Can Stream IMDb-Ranked Shows: The Pitt & When Life Gives You Tangerines (Photo Credit – Netflix/Hotstar)

Many diehard entertainment enthusiasts might already know that the globally popular movies and TV shows database portal IMDb houses a list that mentions the top 250 TV shows from across the world of all time, according to their IMDb user ratings. So, it’s a pretty big deal if a show can crack the list. But, surprisingly, only two TV shows from the year 2025, When Life Gives You Tangerines and The Pitt, have been able to find a place in the coveted list. Read on to learn the names of these shows and their streaming platforms.

Only Two TV Shows From 2025 Make It To IMDb Top 250 List

The Pitt Streaming Platform – Jio Hotstar IMDb Rank – 51

The first show to crack the IMDb top 250 list is the medical drama series The Pitt.

It's hard to believe it's been two years since "The Last of Us" took audiences by storm. As we at /Film wrote of the thrilling, character-driven achievement in TV, "'The Last of Us' is a survival story that cares less about how we survive than why, but it still manages to pull off some grisly action to match its source material ... Breathe a sigh of relief: 'The Last of Us" is very, very good.'"

Based on the video game franchise by Naughty Dog, the first season takes place after the world has been overrun with a mutated Cordyceps virus turning humans into hive-minded zombies. Pedro Pascal plays Joel, a grieving father entrusted with protecting Ellie (Bella Ramsey), while escorting her across the country after she's discovered to be immune to the virus, hoping someone can provide a cure. 

The series has finally returned for its highly-anticipated second season,...

This post contains spoilers about The Last of Us Part II video game and the Season 2 premiere, “Future Days”

The physical appearance of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) isn’t the only difference between The Last of Us Season 2 and the video game on which the show is based. As The Last of Us co-creator, writer, and director Neil Druckmann explained last month during a press conference before the Emmy Award-winning show’s Season 2 premiere, the audience’s introduction to Abby was also tweaked.

“In the game, you play as Abby, so you immediately form an empathic connection with her, because you’re surviving as her, you’re running through the snow, you’re fighting infected. And we can withhold certain things and make it a mystery that will be revealed later in the story,” Druckmann said. “We couldn’t do that in the show because you’re not playing as her.

Editor's Note: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 1.

The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey has pulled back the curtain on one of the small changes from the game in Season 2, Episode 1. The first episode in the highly anticipated second season sees Ellie (Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) go out on patrol before coming across a small building they decide to clear out. This is the same thing that happens in the first few hours of the game, but there is one major difference. In The Last of Us Part II, the only Infected inside this building are Runners and Clickers, but in The Last of Us Season 2, Ellie faces off against a Stalker, which doesn’t appear in the game until later. Ramsey recently caught up with Collider’s Christina Radish and explained what it was like filming the scene with the first Stalker...

Do not go out on patrol if you haven't seen the season 2 premiere of "The Last of Us" or haven't played "The Last of Us Part II." Spoilers lie ahead.

When "The Last of Us Part II" released in 2020, fans might have been a little confused when, after playing as Ellie for a little while, the game abruptly switches focus to a character who's only initially identified as "Woman." As she traverses a snowy tundra behind "Man," the two bicker a bit before crossing a steep mountainside; when "Woman" almost falls, we learn her name is Abby, and his is Owen.

If you've played the entirety of the Naughty Dog game — directed by Neil Druckmann, who helms the HBO small screen adaptation with "Chernobyl" showrunner Craig Mazin — you know that the pair's mission, such as it is, is to find Joel in the settlement of Jackson, Wyoming and try to get revenge.

Hollywood may be embracing video games like it never has before, but that doesn’t make adapting a smash hit for the small screen any less daunting. Take it from Craig Mazin, “The Last of Us” showrunner and executive producer who told IndieWire he was “mostly anxious” ahead of his award-winning show’s Season 2 return — airing Sunday, April 13 at 9 p.m. Et on HBO.

“That’s how I wake up,” Mazin said. “It’s how I go to bed. It’s often how I wake up in the middle of the night. Because I feel an obligation to this pretty sizable audience to give them something they love.” A major fan himself, Mazin has a “Last of Us” tattoo on his forearm depicting an iconic weapon from the game.

Flexing his black-and-gray switchblade, Mazin continued, “Look, we’re really happy. We think we’ve made something great. I think the season is pretty amazing,...

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While Max (formerly known as HBO Max) is in no way the success story that Netflix is, and even if it doesn’t have the vast library that Netflix has, you can’t deny the sheer quality of shows that Max has. With some of the greatest stories ever told in the world of television, Max completely justifies its premium subscription price. So, today, we are listing the best shows you can check out on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service.

Chernobyl Credit – HBO

Chernobyl is a historical tragedy drama miniseries created by Craig Mazin. Based on the Chernobyl disaster, the HBO series is set in 1986, and it revolves around cleanup efforts that took place around the Chernobyl disaster. Chernobyl stars Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard, Paul Ritter, Jessie Buckley, Adam Nagaitis, Con O’Neill, Adrian Rawlins, Sam Troughton, Robert Emms,...

When it comes to onscreen adaptations, we’re in “a video game renaissance.” At least, that’s what “The Last of Us: Part II” writers Halley Gross and Neil Druckmann think.

“Sometimes I’ll meet film directors that I’m a big fan of, like I had a meeting with Fede Álvarez, who just did the last ‘Alien’ movie, and he’s telling me how much he was inspired by ‘The Last of Us,’” said Druckmann. He’s head of the video game studio Naughty Dog and an executive producer and co-creator with Craig Mazin of “The Last of Us” TV show at HBO.

“Then I had an interview with Alex Garland and he’s telling me how much he’s inspired by ‘The Last of Us: Part II,’” Druckmann said. “And I’m like, ‘Dude, I stole everything from you from ’28 Days Later.’ What are you talking about?’”

In...

Philip Barantini, the multi-award-winning director of the 2019 film “Boiling Point” and recent Netflix smash hit drama “Adolescence,” alongside his long-time collaborator and co-executive producer Samantha Beddoe, have sold a minority stake in their production company It’s All Made Up Productions, to Avalon.

The partnership, which began discussions last year, sees the emerging indie align with the British talent management and independent production giant.

With offices in London and plans to open an office in their home city of Liverpool, Barantini and Beddoe have a slate of productions already in development broadcasters, studios and streaming platforms in the U.K. and U.S.. The slate will focus on TV drama, film and documentaries with Barantini and Beddoe asserting that they will be committed to championing lesser-known and underrepresented voices and stories.

“We want to tell powerful stories that resonate and provoke through film, television and documentaries on the biggest scale possible.

Philip Barantini, the director of Netflix hit drama Adolescence and the 2019 film Boiling Point, and his long-time collaborator and co-executive producer Samantha Beddoe have sold a minority stake in their production company It’s All Made Up Productions to U.K. talent management, TV production and live promotion giant Avalon (Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Catastrophe).

“The partnership, which began discussions last year, sees this emerging indie align with the U.K.’s largest independent production company and a premier global talent management business committed to supporting distinctive creative talent,” the companies said.

Financial details weren’t disclosed.

With an office in London and plans to open an office in their home city of Liverpool, co-founders Barantini and Beddoe have a slate of productions in development with major networks, studios and streaming platforms in the U.K. and U.S. “The slate will focus on TV drama, film and documentaries,...

In 2020, the devastating video game sequel, “The Last of Us Part II,” was unleashed into the world, boldly building upon a beloved story and tearing it apart. It did so by adding a brutal new layer of tragedy into a post-apocalyptic world that was already full of overwhelming loss, thrusting its characters into a morally fraught future where all that they love is destroyed.

It is one of the greatest — yet most grim — modern games ever made as, for all its gripping action, it confronts the terrifying potential that humanity’s greatest threat is itself.

“The Last of Us” Season 2 adapts that premise in uniquely haunting television form as creator Craig Mazin, the mind behind the outstanding miniseries “Chernobyl,” reveres the source material while critically diverging from it in key ways. It’s a faithful yet reflective adaptation, carving out new character beats that not only give the excellent duo...

Stuck wondering what to watch next? Looking for a show that doesn’t drag on forever? Some nights, all you want is a gripping story that you can start and finish in one go—no long-term commitment required.

This is where mini-series and single-season shows come in—packed with thrilling stories and a runtime that suits the short attention spans we all have right now. Filled with heart-pounding thrillers and laugh-out-loud comedies, these pocket-sized series are the perfect escape without requiring hours of your time.

Let’s look at some shows that will deliver maximum entertainment with minimal time investment. The best part? You don’t have to suffer the horrid cliffhangers these long-running series have. The list below will name some shows that are self-contained, fast-paced, and totally binge-worthy in a single night.

So, if you are struggling to pick your next watch and want something that fits perfectly into your evening,...

Sony Pictures held its annual presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Monday and confirmed the cast of The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event.

All four films will open in theaters in April 2028 and are described as follows: “Each man has his own story, but together, they are legendary.”

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

The project marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Directed by Sam Mendes, the cast includes Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

The producers of The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event include Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Julie Pastor, and Alexandra Derbyshire. The films are a Neal Street production in association with Apple Corps for Sony Pictures.

HBO currently has no pitches for The Last Of Us spin-offs and co-showrunner Craig Mazin isn’t keen on expanding the series past the games either.

The Last Of Us season 2 is almost upon us. We’re only just two weeks away from returning to Jackson, Wyoming and reuniting with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

Naturally, the team behind the show are on an extensive press tour and The Hollywood Reporter recently sat down with co-showrunner Craig Mazin to chat about the show. The talk quickly turned to the future as THR enquired what happens after the story of The Last Of Us Part II is done.

Mazin’s co-showrunner and the creator of the original videogames recently said The Last Of Us Part III is unlikely to happen, but would the show continue even without direct source material?

“I am not going to go past the game.

As is the case with so many adaptations, the question of whether it will outpace or tell a story outside its original iteration is now being asked of The Last of Uscreators, too. Neil Druckmann (head of the video game studio Naughty Dog and mastermind of the game) remained coy in his response when IGN recently asked him that very question. And now, it seems, the same is being asked of the HBO series' showrunner, Craig Mazin, too.

In a new interview with ComicBook.com, the creator was asked point-blank if the TV series would continue its story past the second game, and his response was far more definitive about what his role would be in such an endeavor. In short? He's sticking with what they have and stepping aside if more of the show — beyond their as-now-planned, four-season-arc — is ordered by HBO.

Per Mazin/ComicBook.com:

"Is there more 'Last of Us'?...

It’S Time to hail the Black Cab from hell with Bruce Goodison’s chilling horror, starring the inimitable Nick Frost. The thrilling Shudder Original is one seriously spooky, twisted affair and is coming to Blu-ray, DVD and digital on 7th April 2025 courtesy of Acorn Media International.

Frost gives a brilliant performance as creepy cabbie Ian, playing against type in his most sinister role yet with Synnøve Karlsen bringing an emotive and compelling performance as his tormented passenger, making this one serious spine tingler.

After an awkward date Anne (Karlsen) and her controlling, abusive fiancé (Luke Norris – Poldark) hail a taxi, but it quicky dawns on them that they’ve picked the wrong ride, as their night goes from bad to terrifying…

Brutally abducted and tied up, the couple are at the mercy of their captor and with their destination unknown, things become even more frightening as ghostly visions...

Jared Harris took a massive gamble on Mad Men, keeping a career-altering secret that most actors wouldn’t dare. Without telling his agent, he made a bold move that came at a huge personal cost, but for Harris, it was all about serving the story.

Jared Harris in a still from Chernobyl | Credits: HBO

While many would fight for job security, he embraced the risk, proving his commitment to the craft. In Hollywood, that kind of dedication is rare.

Jared Harris kept his Mad Men exit a secret, even from his own agent A still from Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men | Credits: AMC

Jared Harris pulled off something most actors wouldn’t even consider: he kept his Mad Men exit a secret from his own agent.

During a Canneseries Live masterclass, Harris revealed how showrunner Matthew Weiner broke the news over a midday whiskey. He alluded (via Variety),

As soon...

The TV miniseries format has provided audiences with numerous shows that craft intriguing narratives, terrific production design and engaging characters. Blending cinematic grandeur with episodic storytelling, a miniseries has the opportunity to tell a coherent tale in one season, resulting in some of the most critically impressive TV series of all time.

Establishing depth and flawless execution, the most influential TV miniseries reveal the endless possibilities of television while emphasizing different genres with quality depictions. Whether coming out of the gate with an original idea or drawing from fascinating source material, there is no shortage of miniseries that left their mark on the television medium.

Chernobyl Examines a Disaster With Biting Drama The Horror of Man’s Ineptitude Wreaks Havoc

Framing actual events through top-notch programming, HBO’s 2019 historical drama miniseries Chernobyl showcases one of history’s most fraught moments by focusing on the dedicated men and women who banded...

Catherine O’Hara made her name as a comedic actress, but she is taking on a much more dramatic role in the second season of The Last of Us. The Canadian-American actress will play a character crucial to Joel’s emotional exposition in Season 2.

Per Variety, O’Hara will play Joel’s therapist in the Jackson, Wyoming community where he lived with Ellie for the years after the finale of Season 1. Joel, of course, is played by Pedro Pascal, who seems to be everywhere these days, from Gladiator II, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the rom-com Materialists with Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans. "There was a scene, early in Season 1, where Joel met with a therapist in the Qz in Boston," Pascal explained via email. "I found it a beautiful way into the character and the walls that are guarding his traumas and losses."

RelatedX-Men '97 Gets Disappointing Season 2 Update...

“You want to see something cool?”

On July 3, 2019, Neil Druckmann first said those fateful words to Craig Mazin inside the Santa Monica offices of Naughty Dog, the developer behind the blockbuster 2013 video game “The Last of Us.” As the game’s writer and creative director, Druckmann was the lead architect of its astonishing story of grief and trauma amid a zombie apocalypse. Mazin — whose gripping limited series “Chernobyl” had just concluded on HBO — revered the game, and had come to Naughty Dog to persuade Druckmann to adapt it for television with him.

But when Druckmann picked up a PlayStation controller during that first meeting, it wasn’t so he and Mazin could discuss one of the game’s fight sequences involving marauding hordes of “infected.” Nor was it to watch one of the many poignant scenes featuring its two protagonists: Joel, a hard-hearted smuggler, and Ellie, a headstrong teenager immune...

Charlotte Moore’s decision to quit the BBC has opened up the most powerful creative job in British television — and within minutes speculation was rampant about who could succeed the outgoing content chief.

Moore shocked the industry this morning by announcing plans to take on a dual role at Sony Pictures Television, which will involve overseeing international creative output and running The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures as CEO. She will replace Andy Harries, who yesterday revealed he is transitioning to Executive Chairman.

Sources say Moore has been in talks for months with Wayne Garvie, president of Sony Pictures Television, International, about a unique role. These discussions overlapped with Moore being courted for an international role at Disney but in the end, she opted for Sony. “I think a creative challenge without the politics of a global company had more appeal to her in a post-bbc life,” said an indie...

Picture: Netflix

Netflix’s latest drama, Toxic Town, covers the real-life events that occurred in the English town of Corby in the 1990s. After their children were born with disabilities, a group of mothers embarked on a battle to hold those responsible to account and seek justice.

Before watching Netflix’s latest drama Toxic Town, I was largely unaware of the true story behind the series. I’d heard of it, but other than that, I was pretty much in the dark. However, as this 4-part series unfolded, I found myself an emotional wreck, utterly heartbroken by the devastating events that occurred. This real-life story, told by an exceptional cast, had me gripped from the first scene to the last.

Created by multi-award-winning writer Jack Thorne, Toxic Town is based on one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals. The story takes place in Corby, a small English town of...

Horror is the genre that’s meant to scare people. Personally speaking, I love horror. It’s sort of comforting to me because I know that the ghosts, ghouls, zombies, vampires, werewolves, or whatever other grotesque things that have birthed from the vivid imagination of an artist aren’t real. And that gives me a sort of enjoyment that no other genre does. A lot of people are traumatized by war dramas, which is understandable. Nobody likes to watch dismembered bodies strewn around a battlefield while leaders are either twiddling their thumbs or heartlessly sending young men and women to their deaths in the name of patriotism and whatnot. It does affect me, especially if such films aren’t being used for the propaganda of a political party. But, as I grow older, the genre that I actively avoid in order to save myself from being psychologically disturbed is drama.

Showcasing some of the biggest shows on the open market – “King & Conqueror,” “Sandokan,” “Walking With Dinosaurs”– as well as a bevy of awaited titles – “Bookish,” “Cold Water,” “Maigret,” “A Prophet,” “This City is Ours”– the 2025 London TV Screening is again a powerhouse showcase of some of the biggest TV highlights of 2024, plus the trends shaping TV markets.

To help you cut through the slates, here’s Variety’s picks of 20+ shows that will whet buyers’ appetites.

“All Her Fault,” (NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution)

Sarah Snook, fresh off “Succession” and an Olivier win for “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” plays Marissa Irvine. She arrives to collect her son Milo from his first playdate, but the woman who answers the door isn’t a mother she recognizes. She doesn’t have Milo, she says, and has never heard of him. And so, the nightmare begins. Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy, Michael Peña,...

Minor spoilers ahead for Netflix'sZero Day. Please proceed with caution.

Netflix's latest political thriller, Zero Day, isn't exactly a comforting binge-watch in 2025. With a finger on the pulse of contemporary America, the series, created by Noah Oppenheim (producer for NBC's Today Show), Eric Newman, and Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist and author Michael S. Schmidt, aims to coax, rather than to quell, latent fears that will be familiar to anyone who watches the news. The show is a fiction, but its narrative is spun from the strands of real-world social and political unease; the government can't be trusted, the people want answers, and even the alleged speakers of truth to power are out to make a quick buck. On its surface,Zero Day'sthemes are the evergreen stuff of political thrillers everywhere, but its execution is specifically tailored to a modern, media-addled American mindset.

The story follows George Mullen...

“The Last of Us” will officially return to HBO for Season 2 on April 13 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt. It will also be available to stream on Max.

There will be seven episodes in the upcoming installment. Season 2 is based on Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann’s game, “The Last of Us Part II.” Set five years after the events of the first season, this season will follow Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they’re drawn into a conflict with both each other and a world that’s even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left.

In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, Season 2 stars Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria. New cast members include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac.

Variety recently ranked the 100 Greatest TV and Film Performances of the 21st Century, and a Star Wars performance to remember made the list of the 100 Greatest TV Performances.

Stellan Skarsgard's masterful portrayal of the enigmatic Luthen Rael in Andor Season 1 came in at 85 on the list of the best television performances of the last 25 years. Skarsgard's career includes memorable roles in Mamma Mia!, Good Will Hunting, Dune: Part One, and Dune: Part Two, among many other roles, including in Swedish language films. Before Andor, Skarsgard gave an award-winning performance as Boris Shcherbina in HBO's mini-series Chernobyl, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series.

Stellan Skarsgård's performance as Luthen Rael in Andor named in Variety's 100 Greatest TV Performances of the 21st Century pic.twitter.com/dJaVjXdadT

— Star Wars Explained (@StarWarsExplain) February 13, 2025

Then came Andor, where his performance as a secret Rebel...

Did You Know Barry Keoghan Once Asked Stan Lee To Make Him A Superhero? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Barry Keoghan’s journey from a fan to a Marvel superhero is a remarkable example of manifestation. He once expressed his desire to join the Marvel universe, and years later, that dream became a reality.

Back in 2013, before Hollywood knew his name, Keoghan took his shot. He tweeted at the legendary Stan Lee, hoping to land a superhero gig. No response. No acknowledgment. Just a young actor manifesting his dream. Fast forward a decade, and boom—he’s in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If that’s not the definition of speaking things into existence, what is?

Keoghan plays Druig in Eternals, a film introducing a fresh batch of heroes and some serious cosmic drama. But what makes this even better? His journey from a hopeful tweet to standing among Hollywood’s biggest stars in a Marvel movie.

There’s really no reason to spend any more time predicting this category than Isabella Rosselini appears on screen in Conclave. BAFTA could still do the most BAFTA thing imaginable and actually hand its prize to Rossellini, whose Sister Agnes holds out longer before handing Ralph Fiennes’s Cardinal Lawrence access to the Vatican’s entire database than has any single U.S. federal branch when Doge has came knocking. But realistically, for months this Oscar has been Zoe Saldaña’s to lose, no more so than when it became painfully clear that Wicked’s Ariana Grande was just about the only alternative choice putting up much of a fight.

Even as Emilia Pérez’s Oscar campaign has gone full Chernobyl, Saldaña has repeatedly been propped up as one of the film’s 13 nominations expected to still sail through unscathed (more on the other one or two in due time). If anything,...

Exclusive: Fifth Season is nearing a deal to produce A Ladder to the Sky, a feature adaptation of the 2018 novel by John Boyne, with two-time Emmy winner Johan Renck (Chernobyl) in talks to direct. Fresh off of eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, for his papal thriller Conclave, Edward Berger is among the other producers.

A Ladder to the Sky is described as a thrilling drama about an ambitious, handsome young writer who manipulates, seduces, and plagiarizes his way to literary stardom. His obsession with climbing the ranks sends him journeying through the Amalfi Coast, Manhattan, London, and beyond — but the higher he climbs, the further he has to fall.

Published by The Hogarth Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, the book was shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the 2018 Irish Book Awards.

Renck will work from a script by BAFTA nominee Andres Heinz (Black Swan) and the...

HBOsChernobyl released in 2019 to rave reviews from critics. A disturbing portrayal of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, it examined the events leading up to the accident, efforts to contain it, and its social and political aftermath. Viewers got to experience the entire timeline from numerous perspectives, including the scientist trying to solve the problem, workers who risked their lives to help, and regular people who found themselves in danger of radiation poisoning. While much of the narrative was about the scientific side of the incident, what Chernobyl revealed about politics in the Soviet Union was even more terrifying.

Fans of Chernobyl got to see that, while the nuclear meltdown was directly caused by technical failures at the power plant, these failures were rooted in Soviet culture and its authoritarian government. From the prioritizing of image over substance to the fear of taking responsibility and purges of perceived enemies,...

It’s been 11 years since True Detective season 1 premiered on HBO, and the influential Max-streaming series remains one of the best TV outings of all time. HBO has long gained a reputation for being the home of prestige drama TV, with ‘90s-’00s hits like The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, and The Wire paving the way for 2010s phenomenons like Game of Thrones, Succession, Chernobyl, and, of course, True Detective. The success of HBO’s best TV shows has inspired attempts to recreate their magic with similar concepts or franchise expansions, with some proving more difficult to replicate than others.

True Detective season 1 is one such show that HBO has tried to capitalize on the popularity of since 2014, but has struggled to find that lightning in a bottle again. Created by Nic Pizzolatto, True Detective season 1 is led by Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson as Marty Hart,...

The time has come for 9-1-1: Lone Star fans to prepare to say goodbye to the 126.

It’s been weeks since a new episode of the hit Fox drama.

The last one was Episode 9, which was the fall finale and aired on Monday, December 9.

Next week, on Monday, January 20, 9-1-1: Lone Star returns with Episode 10, which kicks off the last three episodes of the series.

There’s a lot to wrap up on the show, including Judd’s (Jim Parrack) alcohol problem, impending parenthood for Tk (Ronen Rubinstein), and Carlos (Rafael L. Silva), and whether or not Owen (Rob Lowe) really turned down the job in New York.

Oh, and let’s not forget several emergencies for the 126, including an asteroid headed for Austin.

Let’s examine everything we know about the final 9-1-1: Lone Star episodes.

9-1-1: Lone Star final episodes...

With a new year comes a fresh slate of HBO shows, from long-anticipated returning favorites like “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us” to new series, from Noah Wyle’s next medical drama to Rachel Sennott’s comedy show.

At the beginning of 2025, HBO will debut “The Pitt,” which centers on a Pittsburgh hospital, while Mike White’s anthology series returns with a new group of tourists in Thailand and one familiar face with “The White Lotus” Season 3. The rest of the year is jam-packed with highly anticipated series, including “The Last of Us” Season 2, “It: Welcome to Derry,” “Game of Thrones” spinoff series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” “Peacemaker” Season 2 and “Hacks” Season 4, among many others.

One notable series that won’t make it to HBO in 2025 is “Euphoria” Season 3, which is now slated for a 2026 release after delays pushed production to begin in January 2025.

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The ending of the new Netflix sci-fi adventure movie Spaceman is somewhat ambiguous, especially regarding the fate of Adam Sandler's Jakub protagonist. The unique and existential Spaceman was directed by Johan Renck, known for his exceptional work on Chernobyl (2019), Breaking Bad (2009–2011), The Walking Dead (2010), Vikings (2013), and Bloodline (2015). Despite Renck's impressive filmography, Spaceman has received mixed reviews from critics off the bat, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 50%.

Spaceman stars Sandler in another notable dramatic performance seen in previous works such as Uncut Gems, Punch-Drunk Love, and Hustle. Sandler's Jakub receives the unfortunate news that his wife Lenka, played by Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan, wants to divorce him while he's halfway on an 8-month solo mission to outer space. Jakub is tasked with gathering samples of the mysterious yet mesmerizing Chopra Cloud that randomly became visible in the Earth's sky. During his trip, Jakub's emotional distress worsens regarding his marital status,...

The best TV shows on Max offer an incredible collection to help ring in the first month of the new year. Drawing from the powerhouse productions of HBO, there is no shortage of incredible shows available to Max subscribers at any time, from the series that helped make HBO what it is, like The Sopranos and The Wire, to more modern hits, like House of the Dragon and The Last of Us. When searching through Max's extensive library, users can find some of the best TV shows of all time.

The last few months of 2024 were a busy one on Max with big shows like The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy making their debuts on the platform. While the new year will see the highly-anticipated return of shows like The White Lotus and The Last of Us, there are still a lot of shows to be excited about that are available to Max subscribers right now,...

TNT is one of the most popular cable channels for good reason. With compelling dramas, hit movies, and sports (namely the NBA), it is a must-have for many TV fans. Thankfully, there are various legal ways to watch TNT without cable, potentially for free. We’ll walk you through all the options!

Watch TNT for free with a trial of a live TV streaming service

Four live TV streaming services carry TNT: Directv Stream, Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. If you want to test the waters before committing, you can start watching with a free trial. No contract is required, and you can cancel at any time. You can access these services on a smart TV, a streaming device like a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick, or on your phone, tablet, or computer. As long as you have an internet connection, you can get TNT.

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Historical dramas lend themselves well to the limited series format. From Chernobyl to Band of Brothers, these fictionalized accounts of true stories shine a light on the horrors that really unfolded — and the heroes who witnessed them and pushed, against all odds, for the truth to be known. Lockerbie: A Search for Truth — which is based on the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father's Search for Justice, written by the show’s protagonist, Jim Swire — is no different, shining a light on one of the darkest days in the UK’s history and the consequences of it that are still ongoing today, nearly 40 years later.

After years of delays, Stalker 2 finally gave fans the definitive triple-a experience they've waited for years to play. It is also a great gateway for new players to the series. While it will take most players under 60 hours to experience the main story and additional side content, Stalker 2 boasts over a hundred hours of replayability with its branching storylines and quests. Even with the massive amount of content offered by the latest entry in the Stalker franchise, players wanting even more have some exciting options to look out for in the new year.

Even with the excitement of Stalker 2's launch beginning to die down, the future of the iconic post-apocalyptic survival franchise is far from over. The developers have already announced that multiple Dlc expansions and a multiplayer mode are planned to arrive in the coming years, and while details are still somewhat hazy, there's still plenty to look forward to.

Known for his chilling portrayal of Pennywise in It, Bill Skarsgård has cleared the air regarding rumors that he and his brother, Alexander Skarsgård, were in contention for the role of Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie.

According to The Playlist, Skarsgård dismissed the speculation with a laugh during a recent interview. “No, no. I was at home and there were rumors that me and Alex were competing. I was like, ‘No one’s called me!’ [Laughs],” he said. “Never read for it. Never talked to James (Gunn).” The actor’s response puts to rest the buzz that suggested a sibling rivalry over one of DC’s most iconic villain roles.

Related 10 David Corenswet Movies and TV Shows to Watch Before Superman

While fans wait to see David Corenswet in Superman, they should check out the movies and TV shows that put him on James Gunn's radar.

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Over the past decade or so, the limited series has become one of the most prestigious and highly regarded entertainment formats. Shows like "The Queen's Gambit," "Chernobyl," and "The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story," helped establish the limited series as a dominant force in Hollywood, and the accompanying category at the Primetime Emmy Awards has been one of the most competitive over the last several years. Acclaimed series like "I May Destroy You," "Mare of Easttown," "Unorthodox," and "Ripley" — all of which likely would have been shoo-in winners in earlier years — have lost out recently after well-earned nominations

But what exactly is a limited series? The current official rules from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences state that to be eligible for any awards in the limited series categories, a show must have "two (2) or more episodes with a total running time of at least 150 program minutes that tells a complete,...

Johan Renck has certainly had a fascinating career. The Swedish creative began in the music industry creating songs before directing music videos for artists like Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Robbie Williams. However, despite his success, it is arguably his work in the television sphere that is his most celebrated. Not only do his IMDb credits include Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead for AMC, but his creation of the miniseries Chernobyl is hailed, rightfully, as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

When it comes to TV, the IMDb rating system is a little strange. For instance, TV episodes tend to have a higher rating range than movies; whereas the #1 movie ever on the platform, "Shawshank Redemption," has a 9.2 rating, it's not uncommon for TV episodes to get a 9.9 rating. Or, in the case of the "Breaking Bad" episode "Ozymandias," it even reached a full 10 out of 10.

There are some other quirks to look out for, like how the early episodes of a lot of shows are rated deceptively low. Why is the first episode of "The Bear" only rated a 7.6, for instance, whereas later episodes of the show are rated much higher? In this case, I don't think it's because the opening episodes were worse in quality, but that the audience members who didn't vibe with the series simply stopped watching after the first few episodes, and were no longer around...

We largely have HBO to thank for all the incredible, genuinely profound work we enjoy in the television medium today. Founded in 1972 as a premium destination for movies and major events, it is now synonymous with its indelible contributions to the art of serialized storytelling -- and we've gathered and ranked several of the network's best shows ever.

Take note that this list doesn't represent the entirety of the network's greatest achievements. We made the difficult decision to omit talk shows and news programs ("Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"), documentaries ("The Jinx"), Max Originals ("Peacemaker"), and those series that lean a little too far toward reality ("How To with John Wilson). What remained were 20 of the greatest stories ever told, together defining in large part the standard we expect from television in the 21st century.

Read more: These Are The 35 Most Disturbing Movies Of The Century So Far

Euphoria...

Once upon a time — before binge-watching and endless streaming queues — the 1980s reigned supreme as television’s wild, experimental playground.

It was the decade that dared to push boundaries, experiment with formats, and redefine what TV could be.

Without it, today’s streaming giants might not even exist.

Cheers (NBC/Screenshot)

From sitcoms that perfected character-driven comedy to serialized dramas that kept audiences glued to their seats, the DNA of streaming owes more to the ‘80s than we often acknowledge.

Think about it: episodic storytelling, serialized sagas, groundbreaking miniseries, and programming for niche audiences — it all started in this golden age.

If streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu are the cool kids of today’s TV world, the ‘80s were the trailblazing parents who laid the groundwork.

Episodic TV Perfected the Art of Character-Driven Comedy

The ‘80s brought us the “hangout show,” where audiences tuned in not just for...