Documentaries can be many things. They can be diaries, profiles, calls to action, exposés, investigations, and everything in between. While many of us fall in love with film — either as viewers or filmmakers — through fictional stories, sometimes the most powerful ones, the ones that stretch beyond imagination, are real. If you’re looking for some of the best documentaries, Tubi is the place to find them. No, really, they have everything. Here are just a few of the best documentaries on Tubi.
What are the best documentaries on Tubi?
If you’re looking for a streaming platform stacked with some of the most award-winning, critically acclaimed documentaries, you’ll find them there. Just a note: some of these documentaries address highly sensitive material. If you’d like to learn more about the themes, you may want to review their ratings and content disclosures before viewing.
Cartel Land (2015)
From documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman (City of Ghosts, American Symphony, The First Wave) comes Cartel Land, an urgent look at militias fighting cartels in the ongoing war on drugs. The film follows two resistance groups taking a stand against cartel control and violence: one led by an Arizona rancher patrolling the U.S.–Mexico border, and the other by Mexican vigilantes confronting the cartels from within their own communities. Cartel Land was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards.
Gaza (2019)
Directed by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell, Gaza is a documentary that deliberately eschews political commentary, instead placing its subjects at the center and allowing them to speak for themselves. The result is a deeply human portrait of a place most often defined by conflict, shaped through the everyday lives of its people.
Seen through today’s lens, the film carries an added weight. Much of what is shown — the streets, homes, and routines captured on screen — no longer exists. By following children, students, fishermen, artists, and families as they navigate daily life with astounding resilience, Gaza isn’t just a snapshot in time but a record of lives and spaces that have since been permanently altered.
Deliver Us From Evil (2006)
Winner of Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Deliver Us From Evil is a harrowing investigation into decades of sexual abuse committed by Catholic priest Oliver O’Grady from the late 1970s through the 1990s, and the institutional efforts to conceal his crimes. Amy Berg takes viewers into the investigation through interviews with survivors, lawyers, theologians, and O’Grady himself. Beyond a retelling of the painful details, Berg’s film also exposes the power structures that allowed the abuse to continue. Deliver Us From Evil also earned major critics’ awards from the Boston and New York film critics’ circles.
Blackfish (2013)
You probably remember this documentary making waves (no pun intended) when it was released in 2013. The film by Gabriela Cowperthwaite shattered public perception of SeaWorld. Blackfish puts a critical lens on the controversy surrounding the practice of capturing sealife for human entertainment. Specifically, Blackfish looks at Tilikum, an orca captured off the coast of Norway and kept in captivity at SeaWorld. In 2010, Tilikum pulled whale trainer Dawn Brancheau into the water during a show. She later died due to drowning and blunt force trauma.
Blackfish argues that the captivity of whales leads to extreme stress, which in turn contributes to unpredictable and violent behavior. Upon its release, the documentary fundamentally shifted public perception of SeaWorld and the ethics of confining animals for entertainment. Blackfish won Best Documentary at the 2013 Golden Satellite Awards and received a Sundance Grand Jury Prize Documentary nomination.
West of Memphis (2012)
The second documentary on our list from Amy Berg is West of Memphis, produced by Peter Jackson. The feature examines the case of the West Memphis Three — three teenagers convicted of the brutal murders of three eight-year-old boys in Arkansas in 1993. Revisiting the case years later, the film follows new investigative leads and legal efforts that resulted in the exoneration of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley.
How to Die in Oregon (2011)
Directed by Peter Richardson, How to Die in Oregon takes us into an intimate and deeply personal look at terminally ill patients deciding to avail themselves of physician-assisted death with Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act. Through interviews with patients, doctors, and families, How to Die in Oregon examines the emotional, ethical, and legal realities surrounding this complicated choice. The film is respectful in its handling of this sensitive material and doesn’t argue for or against it. Rather, it centers the lived experiences of those facing death. How to Die in Oregon won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
Inside Job (2010)
Inside Job won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2011. Directed by Charles Ferguson, the film offers a comprehensive investigation into the policies, deregulation, and conflicts of interest that led to the 2008 global financial collapse. Structured in five parts, Inside Job traces the history of the American financial industry from early deregulation to the housing bubble, the ensuing crisis, and the aftermath in its immediate wake.
The Act of Killing (2012)
This experimental documentary is as controversial as it is unsettling. The film focuses on those directly involved in the Indonesian mass killings of 1965–1966, when alleged communists and others opposed to General Suharto’s autocratic regime were tortured and executed.
The Act of Killing centers on Anwar Congo, a grandfather, national hero, and former executioner in the genocide of one million people. Joshua Oppenheimer invites Anwar and his associates to reenact their killings in the style of their favorite American film genres, from gangster movies to musicals. The result is deeply strange, often surreal, and ultimately gut-wrenching.
Citizenfour (2014)
Citizenfour is a real-time political thriller that documents one of the most consequential whistleblower revelations of the 21st century. Directed by Laura Poitras, the film follows her secret meetings with Edward Snowden in a Hong Kong hotel room as he reveals classified information about the U.S. government’s global surveillance programs. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine (2013)
When Matthew Shepard was brutally tortured and murdered in Wyoming in 1998, his death became a defining symbol for the LGBTQ+ movement. The murder drew national attention to acts of violence perpetrated against the community. In the years since, Shepard has often been remembered as a symbol, though who he was as a person sometimes falls into the background. This documentary is a moving eulogy that offers an intimate portrait of Matt Shepard as a friend, brother, and son. Centering love, community, and the healing process after unimaginable loss, the film resists sensationalism and reframes Shepard’s legacy beyond headlines.
How we picked the best documentaries on Tubi
We were pleasantly surprised by the sheer volume of documentaries available on Tubi. Not that we didn’t expect it, per se, but we just weren’t ready for the HBO-level number of options. Not to mention just the number of documentaries, but also the award-winning films. There are plenty to choose from, so we narrowed down our picks to films that have had a measurable impact, as well as those that are the most critically acclaimed or especially resonant in the current moment.
Warner Bros. was once famed for their animation department. While originally devoted to theatrical shorts, the animators began devoting more time to television and film productions. These included superhero movies set in the DC Universe. Today, many of these films are available for streaming on HBO Max.
What are the best animated superhero movies on HBO Max?
Unfortunately, the full library of animated superhero movies made by Warner Bros. Animation is not freely available on HBO Max. In recent years, the streaming service has become infamous for cutting costs by not hosting the full Warner Archive. Despite this, there are still some great animated DC Comics movies available.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
There is considerable debate among superhero fans as to which of the many Batman movies is the best. Whenever these discussions happen, there is one dark horse candidate that some argue against purely because it is animated. That movie is Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
Ten years after beginning his war on crime, Batman encounters a new vigilante who doesn’t share his code against killing. This Phantasm begins targeting the gangsters of Gotham City, leading the Dark Knight to seek a common link. The trail leads to businessman Carl Beaumont, who is recently returned to Gotham City after a decade abroad. It also leads Bruce Wayne to reconnect with Beaumont’s daughter, Andrea, who almost got him to give up the superhero life before breaking their engagement without explanation.
Produced by the same creative team behind Batman: The Animated Series, Mask of the Phantasm plays out like an extended episode of the show. The same moody orchestral music is on-hand, along with the series’ trademark Art Deco backgrounds painted on black paper. It is the script and the voice acting, however, that truly make the movie a classic.
Kevin Conroy delivered many classic performances as the Dark Knight, but Mask of the Phantasm was his first truly great one. The scene in which Bruce Wayne pleads at his parents’ grave during a thunderstorm was truly groundbreaking for the time. Both in terms of portrayals of Batman and superhero animation aimed at adults.
Dana Delaney also earned accolades for her performance as Andrea Beaumont. Many believe her work here led to her being cast as Lois Lane in Superman: The Animated Series. And unsurprisingly, Mark Hamill delivers a perfect performance as The Joker.
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011)
For ages untold, the Green Lantern Corps has protected the universe. Now, the sun of their home base on the planet Oa is under attack by forces from the Anti-Matter universe. As the Corps prepare for the greatest battle in their history, a new recruit named Arisia questions her worthiness to be a Green Lantern. However, her spirits are boosted by veteran Lanterns Hal Jordan and Sinestro, who tell her tales of the challenges faced by other members of the Corps.
There have been quite a few animated movies based upon the Green Lantern comics. However, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is easily the best. Part of this is due to the anthology format, which allows it to tell several stories within the frame of the larger conflict.
The best of these is adapted from a comic by Watchmen creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It concerns an evil warrior known as Bolphunga the Unrelenting, who hunts the mightiest warriors in the universe. He seeks out a legendary Green Lantern called Mogo, and ultimately learns just why Mogo is respected and feared in equal measure.
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights also boasts one of the most impressive voice casts of any animated superhero movie. Elisabeth Moss of The Handmaid’s Tale plays Arisia, while Jason Isaacs lends his voice to Sinestro. Henry Rollins plays the Green Lantern drill sergeant Killowog, while Bolphunga the Unrelenting is voiced by wrestling legend and They Live star Roddy Piper. It is Nathan Fillion’s performance as Hal Jordan, however, which anchors the film. It also led to Fillion recreating the role of Hal Jordan for the DC Animated Movie Universe, from 2013 to 2020.
Justice League: Doom (2012)
The immortal Vandal Savage has schemed to take over the world for millennia. His latest plan involves two elements. First, a Legion of Doom made up of the greatest enemies of the Justice League. Secondly, an attack from within using plans designed by Batman to stop his superhero allies should they ever get out of control.
The villains divide and conquer, putting their archenemies in dire straits. The only thing that might save them is the efforts of Cyborg, the new recruit who was overlooked in Savage’s plans. But even if the superheroes save the day, will the Justice League recover from the revelation that it was Batman’s plans that almost killed them?
Justice League: Doom is not set in the DC Animated Universe. This is made clear by the presence of Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the absence of Hawkgirl. It also features a dramatically different animation style.
However, the film was scripted by Justice League Unlimited producer Dwayne McDuffie and adapted from the classic Justice League storyline ‘Tower of Babel.’ The movie also featured many voice actors from the DC Animated Universe, including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Tim Daly as Superman. This gives Justice League: Doom a familiar feeling, despite the darker tone and art direction. It also features some intense action scenes, such as The Flash reenacting the movie Speed on-foot, after being tagged with a velocity-sensitive bomb.
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
The Lego Movie was a surprise smash when it was released in 2014. However, the film’s version of Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, was far and way the film’s breakout character. Three years later, he reprised the role in The Lego Batman Movie.
The film finds Batman in a panic, as new Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon plans to restructure the GCPD so they don’t need Batman. This leads him to go over the edge to prove his worth and accidentally enable Joker’s jail-break from the Phantom Zone. However, with the help of his new adopted son, Robin, a new Batgirl, and his butler Alfred, Batman may learn the value of family and that he doesn’t need to do everything on his own.
The Lego Batman Movie contains more of the same jokes about Lego figures from The Lego Movie. However, it also features a number of Easter eggs involving the DCU and DC Comics. Throw in a great ensemble including Michael Cera as Robin and Zach Galifianakis as Joker, and you have a movie that is as touching as it is funny.
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
Knowing the threat Darkseid poses to Earth, the Justice League and Teen Titans join forces to stop him once and for all. They fail. Most of the superheroes are killed in the battle or enslaved by the armies of Apokolips.
Two years later, a depowered Superman tries to rebuild what was lost and save the Earth. With the aid of Lois Lane, Raven, Robin, and John Constantine, he will build a new superhero team. They will even draw upon the Suicide Squad in Earth’s darkest hour. However, it may be too late to save their universe, much less the Earth.
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War was a coda for the first chapter of the DC Animated Movie Universe. It was also proof that WB Animation could produce adult superhero anime and do it well. Again, the movie featured a stunning script and a talented voice ensemble. The stand-out, however was Matt Ryan, recreating the role of John Constantine after playing him in live-action in the Arrowverse.
How we picked the best animated superhero movies on HBO Max in 2026
Beyond the question of whether it was available on HBO Max or not, three criteria informed this list. First, is the movie well-regarded and historically important? Second, is it adapted from a notable comic book story? Finally, does it feature great voice acting?
There was a time when most blockbuster movies and popular television series found their way onto Netflix. Yet as the market for streaming grew, the amount of superhero movies on the service decreased. However, Netflix still hosts some of the best superhero movies ever made.
What are the best Superhero movies on Netflix as of January 2026?
Today, Netflix is more frequently associated with superhero streaming series than movies. They produced a number of mature series based on the world of Marvel Comics, like Daredevil. They also stream most of the Arrowverse shows based on DC Comics, thanks to a long-running licensing deal with The CW. Despite that, and most of these properties slowly making their way to Disney+ and HBO Max, there are still some fine superhero movies to be found on Netflix.
Hellboy (2004)
In 1944, a group of Nazi sorcerers led by the infamous Rasputin tried to summon several demons into their service. Thanks to the efforts of an Allied strike force and scholar Trevor “Broom” Bruttenholm, they failed. However, an infant demon was discovered in the aftermath. Broom adopted this Hellboy as his own son, and trained him to become a force for good.
Six decades later, Broom and Hellboy are employed by the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. With their aid, the BPRD have become humanity’s first line of defense against various monsters and magicians. Unfortunately, Rasputin’s allies have resurrected him, and they are determined to finish what they have started.
There have been four films to date based upon Dark Horse Comics‘ superhero Hellboy and two cinematic reboots. Despite this, many feel that the first effort remains the best. This is largely due to the efforts of Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who scripted and directed the film. It is also thanks to Ron Perlman‘s masterful performance as the noble demon. It is also notable as the only Hellboy film adaptation to date to merit a sequel.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Peter Parker is a brilliant but socially awkward teenager with dreams of becoming a scientist. This leads him to seek out a former colleague of his father, Dr. Curt Connors, who is studying cross-species genetics. A lab accident leads to Peter being bitten by a genetically-altered spider and becoming something new… The Amazing Spider-Man.
When Connors is similarly transformed into a monstrous lizard man, Spider-Man must step up to save the city. This is made more difficult thanks to the efforts of NYPD Captain George Stacy, who thinks Spider-Man is more menace than superhero. This, in turn, endangers Peter’s romance with classmate Gwen Stacy, who just happens to be Captain Stacy’s daughter.
Marc Webb faced a serious challenge following after Sam Raimi in developing a new Spider-Man film franchise. It is debatable how well he succeeded. However, The Amazing Spider-Man does have a devout fandom for several reasons.
Many fans prefer Andrew Garfield‘s more wise-cracking take on Peter Parker than the more brooding variant played by Tobey Maguire. Another selling point for the movie is Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and her chemistry with Andrew Garfield. Such is her popularity that many hope she may still find her way into the MCU as Spider-Gwen.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Miles Morales was a smart student, struggling to fit in and live up to the standards of his NYPD officer father. Chance leads to his being bitten by a radioactive spider and gaining powers similar to those of the city’s greatest hero, Spider-Man. It also leads to Miles being entrusted with the only way to stop New York’s worst crime-boss from traveling between dimensions and wrecking reality after Spider-Man dies.
In over his head and untrained in his new powers, Miles doesn’t think it is in him to be a hero. Fate intervenes again, giving him an unlikely teacher in the form of another Peter Parker from another world. Unfortunately, this Spider-Man is not the superhero he once was. However, with more and more Spiders showing up, Peter will have to remember what comes with great power. And Miles will learn that anyone can wear the mask.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a revelation upon its release. Beyond being a blockbuster success, it was a critical smash. Even those critics who normally turn up their noses at superhero movies praised the film for its innovative concept and revolutionary animation. It ultimately earned 52 industry awards, including the Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature Film.
The film opens with the standard origin of four baby turtles and a rat being mutated into humanoid creatures by mutagenic ooze. However, this group of turtle boys hide themselves from the world because of their foster father Splinter’s fear of humanity. Not because of some need to maintain a superhero secret identity. Despite this, his sons long to be a part of the world above their home in the sewer.
The existence of the Ninja Turtles is uncovered by aspiring teen journalist April O’Neil, after they recover her stolen moped. This leads to a partnership, as the TMNT help April investigate a series of crimes tied to the sinister TCRI. It also leads to the discovery of another found family of mutants, pressured into a life of crime by their charismatic leader, Superfly.
Mutant Mayhem was notable for being one of the few times the Ninja Turtles actually seemed to act like real teenagers. It was also marked by a unique visual aesthetic, and for how well it merged ideas taken from a wide scope of earlier adaptations. The end result was a reboot that won over a new generation of fans while satisfying the old guard.
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
Long ago, demons preyed on humanity. Hither came three young women, warrior poets who mixed song and sorcery to fight the demons. They created the Honmoon; a mystic barrier that limited the power of demons on Earth. Through the centuries that followed, three women in a generation would be chosen as the new guardians of the Honmoon. Today, those guardians are Huntrix – a K-pop idol group consisting of rebellious Mira, innocent Zoey, and confident Rumi.
Huntrix are challenged in popularity by a demon-backed idol group called the Saja Boys. This leads to a battle of the bands for the souls of the world. However, Rumi has a secret; a half-demon heritage that threatens to break up the band and her friendships with Zoey and Mira.
Some may question the inclusion of KPop Demon Hunters on a list of superhero movies. Certainly it is more heavily influenced by Korean culture and mythology than traditional comic book heroics. Yet at its core, the movie is a magical girl story, with summoned weapons, colorful costumes, and secret identities. That makes it a superhero movie by most metrics, in terms of story if nothing else.
How we picked the best Superhero Movies on Netflix in 2026
As noted earlier, there is little in the way of superhero movies on Netflix in 2026. However, there were still enough titles to make narrowing the list down to a top-five difficult. To that end, these movies were assessed based upon their influence, awards won, and success in establishing an on-going franchise.
Several talented actors blew Us away with their jaw-dropping 2025 onscreen movie transformations.
Stars like Jacob Elordi, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ethan Slater sat in the hair and makeup chair for hours on end to make sure they got into character for films like Frankenstein, The Smashing Machine and Wicked: For Good, respectively.
For Johnson, transforming into MMA fighter Mark Kerr for Benny Safdie’s biographical sports drama was the opportunity of a lifetime.
“This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson told The Hollywood Reporterin September 2025. “I had been very fortunate to have the career that I’ve had over the years and to make the films that I’ve made, but there was just a voice inside of me, a little voice that said, ‘Well, what if I could do more — I want to do more and what does that look like?’”
Scroll below for a roundup of the craziest onscreen movie transformations of 2025.
Sure, 2025 had plenty of incredible movies, but what about a best-of list filled with the films that actually kept Us talking — not just the ones making the most awards season noise? Don’t get Us wrong: Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another and the rest of the other Oscar-buzz crowd absolutely deserve their moment, but sometimes […]
Jacob Elordi in ‘Frankenstein’
It’s a story that’s been told many times before, but Jacob Elordi somehow manages to bring a special charm to The Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, even though most of the characters in the film view him as nothing more than a monster. It’s Mia Goth’s Lady Elizabeth Harlander who sees the innocence and curiosity beneath his appearance before she meets her tragic fate.
“It was 10 hours to kind of relinquish myself and become this thing that’s other, which was a great relief, really,” Elordi told Deadline in October 2025 of the “incredibly liberating” transformation.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in ‘The Smashing Machine’
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson committed to taking on the persona of Mark Kerr, sporting over a dozen prosthetics and a wig in The Smashing Machine. In fact, his performance in the film was so convincing, it left Us doing a double take.
“I just sat in front of that mirror for three to four hours and watched it all change. There were about 13 or 14 different prosthetics. Subtle, yet I think very impactful,” he told Vanity Fair in August 2025. “By the time I got to set, I was Mark Kerr and I felt it, from how he walked to how he talked and how he looked at life.”
His costar Emily Blunt was impressed by Johnson’s dedication to accurately portraying the former professional fighter.
“It seemed to be an effortless immersion — like a full disappearance, spooky. From day one, he was elsewhere,” Blunt told the outlet. “He has absorbed and borne witness to so much of what Mark has experienced that it was such a beautiful thing to watch this person let go of having to be an image, of having to be The Rock, and crack himself in half for this role.”
Sydney Sweeney gained over 30 pounds to play former professional boxer Christy Martin in the biographical sports drama Christy, unlike anything she has ever done before.
“I loved it,” Sweeney told W Magazine in June 2025. “I came onboard to play Christy, and I had about three and a half months of training. I started eating. I weight-trained in the morning for an hour, kickboxed midday for about two hours and then weight-trained again at night for an hour.”
Emma Stone in ‘Bugonia’
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia wastes no time presenting viewers with an important question — is Emma Stone’s character, Michelle Fuller, an alien or not? She has her head shaved within the first few minutes of the film by kidnappers Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and Don (Aidan Delbis) and smears her entire body in histamine cream for the terrifyingly brilliant performance that drops jaws.
Stone revealed she would only buzz her hair off to play the role under one condition.
“When I knew we were gonna do this … I said to Yorgos, ‘We’re gonna have to shave your head too so that we’re in solidarity.’ And he’s like, ‘OK,’” she said in a behind-the-scenes clip shared by People in November 2025. “It was exciting but it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be to shave his head. It was cool. But it felt more dramatic, my shave. I don’t mean to brag, but my hair was pretty long, and his was not.”
Ethan Hawke was nearly unrecognizable in Blue Moon, but he assured fans that wearing brown contacts was the reason behind his massive transformation.
“It’s funny, I’ve read reviews that cite the prosthetics or a bald cap or all these different things, none of which is there,” he said at the 2025 Hamptons International Film Festival, adding that the contacts “somehow changed my face dramatically in a way that I didn’t understand or anticipate.”
“But I found the eyes had the biggest impact. And I noticed it right away with my castmates,” Hawke added. “They were like — everybody treated me differently. The height, obviously, the hair, obviously, the body language, the voice. There were a lot of things that went into creating this character, but I found the eyes the most dramatic.”
Ralph Fiennes in ‘28 Years Later’
Ralph Fiennes is quite literally covered in blood and dirt in 28 Years Later, and yet somehow still left Us buzzing over his character’s humanity in a seriously messed up world. The actor also appeared more muscular in the film, something that he intentionally worked on to benefit the character of Dr. Ian Kelson.
“Dr. Kelson had to look strong and agile enough to be able to survive in a world full of the infected and to look like someone that’s able to build the bone temple,” Fiennes’ trainer Dan Avasilcai told British GQ in June 2025.
Nicholas Hoult’s villainous Lex Luthor was, dare we say … still very hot. The actor slayed the bald look for James Gunn’s Superman, a hairstyle choice that reminded Us of his Mad Max: Fury Road character, Nux.
Amy Madigan in ‘Weapons’
Amy Madigan’s performance in the mystery horror Weapons gave a whole new meaning to petrifying. When we first meet Aunt Gladys, she’s already quite spine-chilling in a bright red wig and clownish makeup. It turns out, Gladys is so much more than that — she’s disguising the way she actually looks with witchcraft.
“It was very freeing to work with everybody and create this look because you didn’t have to put yourself in a contemporary box of what a woman is supposed to look like, of how you’re supposed to dress,” Madigan said in December 2025, per Screen Daily. “I loved how Gladys was physically. I loved her whole thing. She puts it together. That to me, workwise, was just liberation.”
Ethan Slater and Jonathan Bailey in ‘Wicked: For Good’
Ethan Slater and Jonathan Bailey tapped into new sides of their Wicked characters in the 2025 sequel. Slater stunned the audience with his portrayal of the Tin Man following a kerfuffle with the heartbroken Nessarose (Melissa Bode) while Bailey made his debut as The Scarecrow, fresh off a steamy cave sex scene with Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba.
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“It took a long time,” Slater said of the hair and makeup process on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up in November 2025. “The first time we did it, it took about five hours.”
Matt Smith in ‘Caught Stealing’
Matt Smith with a neon orange mohawk was not something Us had on our bingo card for 2025, but Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing delivered just that.
“I get to work and you put this sort of peacock on, and actually just the very idea of being a punk is an interesting thing because it’s a really deliberate thing,” Smith told Yahoo! Entertainment in August 2025 of the hairdo. “It takes a lot of work and actually something’s drawing you there, because it’s about attitude, ultimately, isn’t it? And I f***ing loved it. I loved it.”
Celebrities made sure their fans caught every angle of their curves in 2025.
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Take Emily Ratajkowski, who left little to the imagination in a drool-worthy snap while soaking up the sun in July. She went completely naked while laying in a lounge chair and bronzing her skin. She gave the camera a pout while protecting her face from the sun with a red baseball cap.
Kendall Jenner, Brandi Glanville and Jodie Turner-Smith joined the list of stars who flaunted their figures this year.
Keep scrolling to see 10 topless moments from Hollywood’s favorites in 2025:
As the year 2025 comes to a close, there’s one actor whose work left Us absolutely obsessed.
It felt like we couldn’t scroll through our Instagram feeds or turn on our TVs without seeing a glimpse of 6-foot-6 Australian actor Jacob Elordi promoting his latest project or collaboration. Elordi deserves his flowers for his captivating role of The Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, presenting an equally heartbreaking and terrifying performance.
And on the subject of heartbreak, Elordi experienced a series of his own in real life when he split from Olivia Jade Giannulli … again. The two dated on and off for four years before calling it quits for the most recent time in the fall of 2025.
Scroll below for a roundup of Elordi’s ups and downs in 2025:
Margot Robbie is coming to her Wuthering Heights costar Jacob Elordi’s defense amid criticism surrounding his casting. “I saw him play Heathcliff. And he is Heathcliff,” Robbie, 35, shared in an interview with British Vogue published on Thursday, December 4. “I’d say, just wait. Trust me, you’ll be happy.” The 2026 rendition of Wuthering Heights, […]
Jacob Elordi Truly Transformed in ‘Frankenstein’
Jacob Elordi masterfully transformed into The Creature for Frankenstein, which was the result of 11 hours in the makeup chair.
“I had about four weeks to really get ready for production,” Elordi told Tudum in November 2025. “There’s a point where you have to leave the world behind. You have to close all the doors to your house emotionally. You close your ears off and close your eyes off and change the way that you see things — all the regular things that you would do in a day, like eating and showering. They have to take on a new life to be able to shift into something else.”
He costarred alongside Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz in the sci-fi thriller, an experience that both Elordi and audiences will certainly never forget.
“This cast is incredible,” Elordi reflected. “These are all heavy hitters and people that I’ve watched my whole life. Working with them was amazing. We just ripped our chests open and showed each other everything that we have. It’s like being in a candy shop. These actors are all my favorite sour worms.”
Jacob Elordi might be bringing home a trophy at the 2026 Golden Globes. He became a first-time Golden Globe nominee in 2025, scoring a nod for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for Frankenstein and a second nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television for his role in the miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
In Deep North, Elordi portrays Dorrigo Evans, a World War II veteran who has a decades-long affair with his uncle’s wife, Ella.
“I’m just incredibly open to being a part of the circus right now, in a way,” he told Deadline of his work on the show in June 2025. “I really love being an actor. I don’t know, silly as it may sound, the love for it just keeps going deeper and deeper.”
Frankenstein also earned him a nod for Best Supporting Actor ahead of the 2026 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.
‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Wrapped Filming
It truly felt like it took an eternity for Euphoria season 3 to get off the ground, but Jacob Elordi wrapped filming for his character we love to hate, Nate Jacobs.
“I had so much fun shooting the show,” he told Vanity Fair in December 2025. “It felt like I was playing a completely different character, because so much time has passed. It was also exciting to come back because on the first season of that show, I would bug [series creator] Sam Levinson about how badly I wanted to make movies and how much I love movies. I felt like the prodigal son returning with my bags full of stories of the movies I’d made. I was like, ‘Father, look what I have gathered!’”
Elordi also reflected on how his work on Euphoria, which began with season 1 in 2019, led him to nab other acting roles and bigger opportunities.
“I had gotten the opportunity to work with [Deep Water director] Adrian Lyne at the same time as making Euphoria. I’ve always been very lucky in the sets that I found myself on, but I felt a noticeable change — whether it was just because I finally felt like I was being given the work that gave me the opportunity to do the sort of prep that I wanted to do, to play the characters that I’d wanted to play for a really long time,” the Priscilla actor said.
“I think when I worked with Sofia Coppola, there was, for me, a noticeable sort of shift in perception,” he continued. “But it had also taught me a little bit about the world, because Euphoria alone is full of excellent performances — like really, really detailed work. But then it gets lost in this kind of social lens, because of the popularity. In Australia, [we call it] ‘tall poppy syndrome.’ When something is so big and universally acclaimed, it does lose some of its punch. Or it’s uncool to like it because so many people like it.”
Season 3 of Euphoria will officially premiere in April 2026.
Jacob Elordi and Olivia Jade Got Back Together (and Broke Up Again)
With all of the high points in Jacob Elordi’s career in 2025 came some downs, like the end of his relationship with Olivia Jade Giannulli. The pair, who were first spotted together in December 2021, split several times throughout their relationship.
An insider exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2025 that Elordi and Jade were “seeing each other again and giving it another shot.” Giannulli attended the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Frankenstein that month. Weeks later, Us confirmed they had split once again.
Jacob Elordi shared heated words with a 2025 Venice Film Festival official. Filmed by an onlooker who shared footage of the moment via TikTok on Sunday, August 31, Elordi, 28, was greeting fans at the world premiere of his upcoming film Frankenstein one day prior when the exchange took place. The video begins with the […]
The Drama Surrounding Jacob Elordi’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ Casting
Even before a trailer for Wuthering Heights dropped in November 2025, many fans of the 1847 Emily Brontë novel were critical of Jacob Elordi’s casting as Heathcliff, as it’s implied in the book that the character is a person of color.
“Did we read the same book? It was dark, tortured and their love story toxic,” one person criticized via Instagram in September 2025. “Each to their own, but for myself I never set the expectation a film adaptation will ever be exactly like the book. There are movies that are close to the story but good movies in themselves, some that completely miss the mark. Less expectation, less disappointment especially until I see the movie.”
“Not to be that one friend who is too woke but bleaching the class and racial otherness out of wuthering heights to sell a horny whitewashed romance genuinely pisses me off,” a second person wrote.
The official Instagram page then promoted the film with the tagline, “Inspired by the greatest love story of all time.”
Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s undeniable sexual tension explodes in an official trailer and a brand new poster for Wuthering Heights. The duo star in Saltburn writer-director Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the 1847 romance novel by Emily Brontë as one of the most beloved couples in literary history — Catherine Earnshaw and the orphan heartthrob […]
“Calling Wuthering Heights the greatest love story ever is WILD,” one person wrote in an Instagram comment. “Calling it ‘the greatest love story of all time’ is so funny man everyone in Wuthering Heights hates each other.”
Additionally, the ages of the characters in the book vs. the movie was also up for debate along with the heavily erotic undertone in the trailer.
“A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw,” per the official synopsis.
Still, everyone will have to wait until February 13, 2026, to see the story brought to life.
“I think what [director Emerald Fennell] has done is really perfect and super beautiful,” Elordi teased in a September 2025 interview with WSJ. Magazine. “It’s electric. And it’s also like nails on a chalkboard. It does something. It moves you in some kind of way, good or bad, but it will move you.”
Jacob Elordi Clapped Back
In December 2025, Jacob Elordi addressed photographers at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris who were snapping photos of him without consent.
“You make it really hard for me to live when you do this,” he said in a video shared by a spectator via Instagram. “I don’t love you.”
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Elordi attempted to keep a low profile with a baseball cap and headphones in his ears.
“You make it really hard for me to live, all of you,” Elordi reiterated once more. “You make it really hard for me.”
Months prior, he was seen in a video shared via TikTok in September at the Venice International Film Festival that’s since gone viral. In the clip, Elordi was seen talking with a worker before posing with fans. “I’m gonna take a picture right here. Don’t ever tell me what to do,” he could be heard telling the worker.
Each night, you look into your lover’s eyes and ask, “Will no legacy media outlet tell me about the best movies on Hulu?” Luckily, Vanity Fair is here for you. One glance at the platform’s A-to-Z listing reveals that there are almost too many good movies on Hulu to choose from, and it can become a chore to figure out which to select.
After a deep dive into the Hulu archive (the Hu-chive?), we’ve selected a top mix of classics, comedies, dramas, horror pictures, documentaries, and, importantly, a few titles that got overlooked upon their initial release. Our list is in alphabetical order, so you gotta scroll close to the bottom to get to Y Tu Mamá También.
A Complete Unknown (2024)
Director: James Mangold Genre: Drama/musical Notable cast: Timothée Chalamet, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton MPA rating: R Rotten Tomatoes: 82% Metacritic: 70
The mercurial, Minnesota-born Robert Zimmerman, best known to humanity and the Swedish Academy as Bob Dylan, gets as good a straightforward musical biopic as the genre allows in A Complete Unknown.Timothée Chalamet nails the nasal twang and aloof demeanor of the musician as he transitions from politically relevant folk music to electric rock and roll. While there’s plenty in the movie that is pure Hollywood, it captures the essence of the Dylan phenomenon and how the transformation affected colleagues like Joan Baez and Pete Seeger, as well as his romantic life.
Alien (1979)
Director: Ridley Scott Genre: Sci-fi/horror Notable cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright MPA rating: R Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 89
The original and still the best. A haunted-house story, a workplace drama, and a twist-filled mystery—all set in outer space. Sigourney Weaver’s rocket to superstardom took off here when she played the greatest interplanetary final girl, and John Hurt’s legendary tummy ache was a milestone for practical special effects. Several (not all!) of the sequels and prequels to this movie are good, but no matter how many times you’ve seen Alien, you will always find something new in it.
BlackBerry (2023)
Director: Matt Johnson Genre: Comedy Notable cast: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Michael Ironside MPA rating: R Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Metacritic: 78
It’s an almost daily occurrence that gamers talk about the crushing weight of their backlog. Especially considering seasonal price cuts like the Steam Summer Sale, these ballooning libraries of games are not getting any smaller, and have caused games to miss out on some genuinely phenomenal titles.
However, the holiday season is hyped up with upcoming releases from the big three console manufacturers. As such, there are already so many titles – from indie passion projects to AAA blockbusters – that have slipped through the cracks. Through combing through the last half-year of titles, we have crafted a list of the top 15 games that you’ve already slept on in 2024.
15. Alone in the Dark
Image Source: THQ Nordic
Alone in the Dark is a franchise that – despite its unshakeable place in video game history – has struggled to find its own place in the market. Its 1992 3D horror design inspired the likes of Resident Evil. However, Alone in the Dark has been rebooted not once – in 2008 – but now twice, in its 2024 adaptation.
Despite the acting chops of Stranger Things star David Harbour, this title was panned by gamers and critics alike. As such, many gamers seemingly decided to give it a miss. Its so-so combat and slower pace were widely disliked. Beyond that, the core puzzle gameplay of the title was widely seen as the title’s saving grace. However, not even some dastardly challenges could save Alone in the Dark from the clutches of its biggest adversary – instability.
“2024’s iteration of Alone in the Dark is a full reboot of the series, loosely adapting the 1992 original … If the Resident Evil series stuck to the original’s survival horror roots during the PS3/Xbox 360 generation, this is exactly what it would look and play like.”
While the game itself was not perfect, not every game has to be a 10 out of 10 experience. However, the state in which it launched was not even remotely excusable. In the months since its May release, THQ Nordic has released multiple patches for the game. These have not only vastly improved stability but actively tackled almost every bug that plagued the game. Beyond that, features such as a photo mode and New Game+ mode have been added to the game.
What remains is a game that is no longer another botched attempt at reinvigorating a leviathan of the horror genre. Instead, players stand in the wake of a powerful statement about the long-standing quality of this quintessential IP.
With the rise of the ‘Cozy Games’ genre, the blending of rural and urban landscapes of Minami Lane is a perfectly portioned dose of serenity, especially considering its $4.99 price tag.
There are no massive narrative shifts, or overly complex systems in Minami Lane. Instead, you are tasked by an anthropomorphic Tanooki with sprucing up the eponymous street. Due to its slow pace and cutesy charm, it’s understandable that some gamers decided to miss it. Players must choose the stores and stalls that occupy the sidewalk while managing the items they sell. Beyond this, players must also decide on the ramen they serve, and the prices everything goes for.
“As a cozy gamer, I immediately put Minami Lane on my Steam Wishlist due to its Japanese-inspired art style and intricate gameplay mechanics … but this entry goes further by customizing the inventory and pricing of ramen shops, bookstores, and boba cafes.”
All of this is in the constant drive to provide the human inhabitants of Minami Lane with what they want. This is so that players can earn good grades and continue to improve the street. With an Animal Crossing-esque use of twinkling motifs and ambiance, it may be a short experience but it is a chance to stop and take a breather at a little slice of the Japanese vista you can call your own.
With the upcoming high-profile release of another two-word titled IP with Astro in its name – Astro Bot – it’s not surprising that many gamers’ minds immediately went to PlayStation’s cutesy platformer. However, those who are able to peel their eyes away from Sony’s much-hyped upcoming release will find themselves in the pixel-perfect world of Astro Pig – a title gamers shouldn’t miss.
This 2D platformer holds a cutesy yet introspective tone similar to games like Celeste. However, while such titles focus on grueling difficulty, Astro Pig is a game that doesn’t ask much more of you than just letting it naturally move forward.
“A 90’s nostalgia inspired lo-fi adventure with a relaxing atmosphere and wholesome story, paced between tiny planet platforming and puzzle-solving.”
Players are tasked with collecting keys to open up the way forward. Yet, while an increase in the challenge does exist, through new gameplay elements like portals and switches, Astro Pig never even begins to approach hair-pulling levels of frustration.
Circumnavigating the individual push-and-pull of a planetoid’s atmosphere is strikingly similar to what Super Mario Galaxy pulled off in 2007. In this respect, Astro Pig is unashamedly alike. Of course; only if Mario Galaxy was 2D, and had a chiptune lo-fi soundtrack, and the titular plumber was a spacefaring pig.
When the gaming landscape shifted from the fourth to the fifth generation, games turned from 2D experiences to polygonal affairs. It stands to reason then, that if golf enthusiasts hope to inject the sport with more creativity then all that is needed is another dimensional leap.
In that sense, 4D Golf is less of a sports title and more of a puzzle game. The game does include traditional and fictional obstacles to overcome, such as divots and moving surfaces. However, the main roadblock for golfers is navigating the fourth dimension.
“4D Golf is a mind-bending golf game unlike any other because it’s set entirely in a 4-dimensional space. Complete fun and unique golfing challenges as you gain hands-on experience of the 4th dimension and beyond!”
While it may sound overwhelming, Code Parade is well aware of its title’s steep learning curve. As such, it gives the player the ability to easily spot the hole and their own ball through keyboard prompts. As a result, things shouldn’t get too mind-meltingly complicated all at once.
Words simply won’t be able to properly explain the process of playing golf in 4D, but don’t miss out on this reality-bending sports game – especially if playing Golf With Your Friends was starting to become a little samey, then be prepared to take a leap into a new dimension.
KinnikiNeko: Super Muscle Cat is a title that – even just by looking at some key art – you’re already halfway to enjoying its unique charm. Its Sailor Moon-esque intro cinematic is cheesy enough to instill an immediate sense of bonkers enjoyment.
Gamers interact with the anime-inspired world by playing as a blue cat. This eponymous feline can then be transformed from its cat form into that of a glistening bodybuilder. This allows for some genuinely creative platforming design as both styles of play afford varied approaches to levels that complement one another.
“Get ready to enjoy this crazy 2D platformer adventure starring KinnikuNeko! A cat with the body of a bodybuilder who will fight against a big alien army that has invaded planet Earth and captured all its inhabitants.”
Your bulging abs may be competent at prying doors open and boffing enemies. However, you’ll have to transform back into a kitten if you’re to traverse up walls or over plunging chasms. The gameplay is varied enough even just with the two playable forms, but the platforming challenges also give way to autoscrolling levels, rhythm games or even challenging a foe to an arm-wrestle.
Yet, if the anime-inspired absurdity of it all is something you’re not quite sure about, then you’re in luck. Don’t just give it a miss, gamers can play a free demo of the bonkers title that is available on its Steam page.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was not beloved by gamers, as many snuffed their excitement at its adherence to the series’ 2D platforming roots rather than the 3D action-platforming of more recent titles. However, as a AAA experience, it’s seldom going to be lost to time like some of the other titles on this list.
The move of the franchise back to the series’ 2D roots enamored those who played it. The problem is that not many people gave it the time of day, and decided to give it a miss. It may not have been the route many fans wished for the series.
However, its lack of commercial success is a shame, especially as it may impact publisher Ubisoft’s confidence in taking similar creative leaps in the future.
“All in all, the game is a welcomed surprise that still holds onto the original’s core fundamentals. Though it doesn’t look it, it feels like a Prince of Persia game with all of its challenges and unique powers.”
Many 3D Prince of Persia titles forgo much of the series’ puzzle-platforming core in favor of all-out action. In contrast to those third-person titles, effectively every leap in The Lost Crown requires a unique strategy. Retaining the quick loading following a failed jump or combat encounter, the time-warping origins of the series are also still intact for this soft reboot.
As such, if the franchise has ever been of interest to you, and you don’t feel comfortable venturing into the series’ past, then The Lost Crown is a great place in the series to jump into.
It’s a common turn of phrase that ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’. In the challenge to be the best of 23 other writers vying for the top spot, you’ll find out if you have what it takes.
“24 writers, and you’re one of them. Challenge yourself to become the best writer in the world. Write books, create characters, choose endings, team up with rivals, answer letters from readers, and don’t let other authors beat you!”
In Writer’s Rush, players create their own stories by selecting themes, plot devices, and target audiences from a limited selection. Gamers then rattle through the editing and marketing process to out-sell their competitors.
If you feel like writing a gritty noir mystery set in the Renaissance, then that’s doable. If you want to make it a kid’s book, go ahead. Perhaps there may be a hidden market for a 16th-century Bugsy Malone.
Lil Guardsman is a title that can be succinctly described by just four words; a cutesy Medieval Papers, Please.
Players control 12-year-old protagonist Lil who has taken over her drunkard dad’s place at the guardpost at the city’s border. The game’s silly and metanarrative comedy makes sure that while effectively all you are doing is questioning a selection of fantasy applicants day after day, you’re constantly engaged.
“Question humans, elves, goblins, cyclopes, and other fantasy creatures using your powers of deduction to determine who to admit or deny … but be careful: who you let through the castle gates will determine the kingdom’s fate.”
The hand-drawn aesthetic of the title does a lot to convey who the ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ are. The challenge then comes in using the varied selection of tools at your disposal. You use these to assess what they are telling you and make sure you don’t miss anything.
Despite the laid-back atmosphere, you do have a limit of three questions, so you’ll have to make the best use of them before you need to give a binary yes or no answer.
Although you don’t have to balance resources to keep your family alive like in Papers, Please, there is still plenty to do in between sections of active gameplay. In your downtime, you can traverse the city’s establishments and even enjoy a few minigames on your well-earned time off.
Like Bushido Blade or Nidhogg, First Cut: Samurai Duel is a game where swords are actually as deadly as they should be.
It may, at first, seem like a weird concept to have to spell out. However, in a sea of titles where enemies can sponge multiple high-explosives to the face, it’s a necessary one. Similarly to games like For Honor, you can attack from any direction but if you and your enemy’s blades cross then your attacks are blocked.
While First Cut: Samurai Duel allows you to parry and dodge, the rest is up to you.
“A high-intensity arcade sword-fighting game where every strike is lethal. Slash, clash, parry, dodge and watch limbs fly in the atmosphere of historical feudal Japan. Choose your move carefully – the first cut is also the last.“
It may take some time to get used to the controls, especially as the game is more than happy to just throw you in the deep end. However, the result of mastering the combat is a truly unique and satisfying experience.
Despite the gore seen within the game, it is a genuinely beautiful title. First Cut: Samurai Duel shows just how expressive and emotive pixels can be in the right hands.
If it sounds like a cut above the rest, then the original game, simply named ‘First Cut’ is available free on itch.io. The full game, First Cut: Samurai Duel – can be found on its Steam Store page here.
6. Still Wakes the Deep
Image Source: The Chinese Room
Still Wakes the Deep was a big win for Microsoft. Coming from a massively popular initial reception, they were able to get this much-hyped eldrich-horror game on their Game Pass subscription service day and date with its worldwide release
The title was seen by gamers as a particularly competent title, with some genuinely spine-chilling environmental storytelling. However, Still Wakes the Deep did struggle to keep its pace moving. While players were seemingly engaged in their first run-through, the title didn’t provide much reason to return to it.
“It’s a great sign that even without the monsters, the game would still stand on its own two feet … you’ll find yourself revisiting some areas over and over again, but the gradual destruction of the Beroa means they often feel unfamiliar.”
The Lovecraftian horrors of the rig, along with the deafening isolation of the North Sea create a Bioshock-like atmosphere. Alongside the Scots tongue of many of its characters, it retains its place as one of the most engaging titles of the last half-year. However, it’s just a shame that not so many gamers have engaged with it as perhaps should have.
It appears that the 2020s are seemingly a hallmark decade ear for claymation to make a comeback. On the feature-film side of things, Aardman is back in the creative pipeline with releases like Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and a new Wallace and Gromit film coming this year.
A similar amount of creativity and passion is on display from Slow Bros. in their claymation game, Harold Halibut. Although this project is, of course, in interactive form.
“a handmade narrative game … Harold Halibut takes place in a city-sized spaceship that left Earth 250 years ago, but is now stuck underwater on an alien world … also, that part about the game being handmade is pretty literal, as the clay-looking in-game models were actually created by hand”
The slow pace and fixed angles of Harold Halibut are akin to the very best scenes of The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr Fox. Light puzzles and interactivity are the name of the game, as the dense atmosphere of the title starts to unravel around the player.
After escaping a desolate Earth, humanity has crash-landed on a new planet with a choking atmosphere. Yet, after 250 years, tightly wound order starts to fall apart and show the cracks beneath.
There are too many games to count that are absolutely superb experiences that would be a shame to be missed. However, a game that mixes genres and introduces multiple playable instances of the player-character in real-time? Well, that’s definitely something to talk about.
Timemelters isn’t just a third-person defense game, an army-builder, or a time-bending experiment gone wild. It’s all of these things and more.
Set in 16th-century Scotland, where many innocent women were being rounded up and tried for the crime of supposedly being witches, Timemelters doesn’t leave its narrative behind in its dedication to its gameplay. Although, its gameplay is certainly the central focus of the experience.
“a strategy and hero defense hybrid game that allows you to unleash the power within and become a time-warping witch … rewind time and fight alongside yourself, not as an AI, but in a fully deterministic fashion. Plan out truly custom strategies and play to your own style!”
Players can create instances of themselves to distract enemies while your past itself attacks them as they run. Beyond that, players can shift genre from a third-person title. By floating above the battlefield, gamers can bring trees and elemental spirits to life to protect characters or settlements. As such, gameplay changes on a dime to be more akin to a 4X strategy title like Total War.
Considering Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II‘s development team, Ninja Theory, is a Microsoft-owned Xbox Games Studio, to call this game even remotely indie would be a lie. However, it’s seemingly nigh-on impossible that so few people have played this title when it had the opportunity to be played by millions of Game Pass users. It’s extremely disheartening that its AAA release has seemingly just moved right past a vast swathe of them.
As arguably the most graphically impressive title in the video game industry this generation, Hellblade II needs to be seen to be believed. Its slow pace and focus on character and atmosphere may not be for everyone. However, its critical and user reception has been that of admiration and adoration.
As with the first game, audio is – once again – a pivotal sense in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The Furies are voices in Senua’s head, however, they constantly create shades of doubt and self-loathing in the original game. It seems that they too have even matured for the sequel; they not only provide context-dependent combat notification but apply their multi-voiced narration to almost everything Senua sees or does.
“Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is intense, captivating, and breathtaking. From the moment I began to play, the beauty and quality of this game has enthralled me. It was difficult at times to even consider it ‘just a game’.”
Read Only Memories: Neurodiver is not just a visual novel with puzzle elements, as its genre is almost the least important aspect you can use to describe it.
It’s a visually stunning game with a cyberpunk aesthetic straight out of something like Neon Genesis: Evangelion or Ghost in the Shell. In keeping with this inspiration, many of the core themes of the cyberpunk genre are here, with conversations surrounding body modification, personal freedom, and technological evolution.
“2064: Read Only Memories looked beautiful too, but the next installment features even more detail than the first … this simultaneously gives Read Only Memories: Neurodiver a retro and modern art feel to it, making for some really unique visuals.”
Read Only Memories: Neurodiver lets gamers take control of a psychic detective. In this role, players are tasked with, jumping into memories and combing through the witness’ innermost thoughts. In them, you scour for the truth hidden behind layers of mental blockage.
The cyberpunk, anime-inspired narrative throughline is engaging and has as many twists and turns along the way. While there are enigmatic antagonistic forces at play, they hardly steal the limelight as Read Only Memories: Neurodiver is a game that is as audibly and visually engaging as its genre-defining inspiration.
Point-and-clickhorror is not a niche genre, and not a style of game that ever seems to struggle with creating dark, twisted atmospheres around their slowly maligning narratives.
With a tone and theming similar to other Brothers Grimm-inspired stories, Tales From Candleforth tasks gamers with controlling Sarah. At 16 years old, Sarah is tasked with keeping the family apothecary afloat when her grandmother goes missing. As Tales From Candleforth is imagined as the starting block from which a series of macabre tales are bound, of course, things start to go awry.
“Tales from Candleforth is a collection of fairy tales that were written on top of a forbidden book many years ago to hide its content. Years later, the dark text is bleeding out and onto the pages of the tales, mixing with them and twisting the stories.”
A hauntingly catchy orchestral soundtrack and some genuinely head-scratching puzzles flesh out the gameplay and atmosphere of the title. However, in the end, the priority was clearly on atmosphere and gameplay. In this respect, Tales From Candleforth succeeds valiantly.
As Sarah slowly unravels the world around her, she ventures into the depths of the occult and comes out scarred but stronger from her ordeal.
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Today I’m going to issue you a challenge, and it will only require 20 seconds.
It could change your life.
I know 20 seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time., but I’ve come to learn that when it comes to getting healthy, taking risks, and living a life worth living, 20 seconds is often more than enough to change one’s path.
What began as a fun mental strategy to overcome fear has since become a rallying cry for our community here at Nerd Fitness.
And today, I’m gonna help you do that thing that scares the crap out of you.
The Discovery of 20 Seconds of Courage
As I explain in the video above, today’s concept comes from an obscure Matt Damon movie: We Bought a Zoo.
In it, Matt Damon meets his wife by mustering up strength for a mere 20 seconds of courage to talk to her, despite being a complete nervous wreck before and after.
Had he never taken those 20 seconds to step outside of his comfort zone, he never would have met the love of his life.
One decision changed everything:
What does 20 seconds of courage have to do with leveling up our lives?
We Can Do Things Differently
As we think about our lives and how much we think we might be stuck on a certain path…
There are two realizations that might help us break free:
REALIZATION #1: Our lives are made up of a never ending series of decisions that actually take very little time:
Walking through a door.
Picking a seat on the train.
Signing up for a class.
Starting an uncomfortable conversation.
Filling out a form.
Of course, there’s lot of internal thought, plenty of inertia, and years of ingrained behavior that happen before an action is taken…but the action itself is often a split second.
This means that no matter what decisions we’ve made up until now, we still have infinite paths available to us moving forward.
As Alan Watts points out:
You are under no obligation to be the same person you were 5 minutes ago.
I’m reminded of this amazing graphic from my friend Tim Urban at Wait But Why:
Each decision creates a new branching path in our history. We can’t change the past, but we can decide to make act differently moving forward and change our fate.
REALIZATION #2: Humans (especially us nerds) tend to be risk averse, comfortable, and wary of doing things that scare us.
This isn’t surprising or unusual: we’re hardwired to trust our gut and be cautious of things that raise our anxiety. The decision to avoid certain things is what kept us alive during our cave-dwelling days.
In other words, a cautious cavewoman 120,000 years ago listened to that instinct, avoided the scary noise coming out of the brush, and lived long enough to pass along her cautious genes to you today.
These days, we’re still wired to avoid things that scare us – not animals in the brush, but rather conversations with strangers, activities that might embarrass us, and events that are anxiety-inducing.
If we are going to get the things we actually want out of life, it’s going to require us to overcome that fear mechanism to make a decision that is counter to 120,000+ years of DNA-sequencing.
Which ain’t easy.
But boy it can be life changing at best, or a lesson learned at worst:
“I can do hard things. Doing hard things has intrinsic value, and they will make me a better person, even if I end up failing.”
Why 20 Seconds of Courage works
By using 20 seconds to do something you normally would have avoided, or saying YES when you normally say NO, three amazing things happen:
If it doesn’t work out, you learn a lesson and become more resilient. You quickly learn the world didn’t end, and you are more likely to try new things in the future because failure wasn’t that bad! And you can develop some crucial self-compassion.
If it DOES work out, your life is now better as a result of your targeted bravery. A relationship, a new job, a new hobby, lifelong friend, are often results of a single decision made by somebody. This is you taking action rather than waiting for fate to intervene.
You NEVER have to wonder “what if?” when thinking about what could have been had you done that thing!
How 20 Seconds of Courage Can Change Your Life.
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne, clearly a fan of 20 Seconds of Courage.
Here’s how to implement 20 Seconds of Courage into your life:
Identify the thing you terrified of.
Put ALL of your focus into a single specific action that will take less than 20 seconds but will result in you attempting the thing you’re scared of.
Work yourself up into a frenzy if you need to. Give yourself a pep talk in the mirror. Recruit a buddy if you have to.
Get scared to hell before.
Pee your pants (preferably after).
Just focus on the 20 seconds required for you to start or complete the action that is needed for you to change your path.
And then, welp… you’ve already started, and the hard part is done, might as well keep going:
Afraid of the free weight section at your gym? Turn on Berserker mode. Give yourself 20 seconds and walk into the section before you realize how scared you are. After your 20 second are up, you can go back to being afraid, but you’re already IN the free weight section, maybe even with a weight in hand. Might as well do the workout now, right? Who cares about the people around you – they’re too busy being self-conscious anyway.
Don’t think you can start your workout? Too tired? Put on a great freaking pump up song, jump around, psyche yourself up, and just GET started. Don’t worry about what happens in the 20 seconds after you get started. JUST focus on those 20 seconds that are needed to get you out of bed or out the door.
Afraid to sign up for a class? Afraid to try something new? No problem, be afraid. Sign up in those 20 seconds and make your commitment before you have a chance to back out. All of a sudden, you’re signed up and have to follow through!
Are you typically a push over? Do you never stand up for yourself at work? Beast mode. At the next meeting, take 20 seconds to really stand up for yourself and present YOUR opinions. Work up the courage to begin the conversation with your boss about getting that raise you deserve. Once you’re in the office and the conversation has begun, you might as well keep going.
See that cute person at the coffee shop? Normally you say NOTHING, and then go home and wish you had? Give yourself 20 seconds of courage. Be scared shitless before and scared shitless after, but give yourself 20 seconds of courage: “Hey, I need to get back to my friend/work, but I saw you from across the room and wanted to come introduce myself. Can I buy you a cup of coffee sometime?” At the very least, give them a drive-by compliment. You’ll never have to wonder “what if…”
Lao Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
A life where you actually might get what you want and deserve begins with 20 seconds of courage.
Make the step. Approach that person.
Sign up for that club/class/speaking engagement.
Have that uncomfortable conversation you’ve been avoiding.
I’ve used 20 seconds of courage dozens of time in my life too.
Sometimes with health or fitness, sometimes with relationships, and other times with my own life level up quests, which I discuss in my book, Level Up Your Life.
“Steve this is great. But I’m still cautious and Matt Damon is cool and all, but give me nerdy stories I can learn from regarding 20 seconds of courage!”
Fine! Here are my favorite examples of 20 seconds of courage:
Super Mario Bros: Star Power makes Mario invincible for a short amount of time. He’s normal before and after, but in those few seconds he can cover some serious ground and wipe out a LOT of Koopas.
Transformers: Some transformers had the ability to transform from a robot into an animal form, just for a time. This was referred to as “Beast Mode!”
Ancient Viking lore: Berserkers were Norse warriors who worked themselves into a rage before battle, and fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury.
Lord Urthstripe in the Redwall Series: A badger lord who goes into “bloodwrath” mode to vanquish his foes.
Will Ferrell in Old School: He puts together less than 20 seconds of pure genius in his debate with James Carville. Sure, afterwards he has no recollection of his answer (and before he was probably freaking out), but this 20 seconds saved his fraternity:
The 20 seconds Of Courage Challenge!
Today, I’m issuing a 20 Seconds of Courage Challenge.
You have 7 Days to use 20 Seconds of Courage to do something you’re scared of.
Everybody is fighting their own demons and chasing their own dragons (not a euphemism),
Leading an army of Transformers against the Decepticons.
Your new engagement ring or the emerald necklace you inherited from your grandmother may not be sufficiently insured against damage or loss. Homeowners insurance generally provides some protection for jewelry and other valuables, but it’s often capped at a fairly low amount. If you own a high-value watch or family heirloom, losing it could be both emotionally and financially damaging if you rely solely on your home insurance for coverage.
Fortunately, certain companies specialize in jewelry insurance, and we’ve rounded up the top options available. To create our list of the best jewelry insurers, we evaluated several key factors, including company reputation, average rates, available policies, and minimum/ maximum value. As part of our analysis of company reputations, we considered AM Best ratings, which measures a company’s financial soundness. (See full methodology.)
The 5 best jewelry insurance plans of February 2024*
The following companies are well-regarded in the industry and offer competitive rates and suitable coverage for most jewelry owners. Rates and minimum/maximum coverage requirements are up to date as of February 12, 2024, and are subject to change.
1. Best overall: Jeweler’s Mutual
About: Jeweler’s Mutual is a highly-rated, financially sound, established insurer that’s been in business since 1913. It offers stand alone jewelry insurance for all types of pieces.
Appraisal required: No
Estimated monthly premium for $7,500 women’s engagement ring: $84-$113, depending on the size of your deductible
AM Best rating: A+
Customer support: Jeweler’s Mutual customer service can be reached over the phone Monday thru Thursday between 7 am-7 pm CST, and Fridays between 7 am-6 pm CST. You can also reached them by email.
Our verdict
Jeweler’s Mutual insures everything from loose stones and cufflinks to engagement rings and watches, so it’s a suitable option no matter what type of jewelry you’d like to insure. Unlike some competitors, it doesn’t have a minimum or maximum dollar value for pieces, and will provide up to 100% of an item’s replacement cost if it’s lost, stolen, or damaged for a covered reason. You can insure as many pieces as you’d like with this company and choose from flexible deductibles ranging from $0 to $5,000.
While Jeweler’s Mutual doesn’t require an appraisal to get coverage, you’ll likely need one or a detailed receipt if you file a claim. There’s no in-house appraisal service with this company, so you’ll need to find a trusted appraiser independently. Jeweler’s Mutual recommends getting your jewelry appraised every two years, but it also offers an ‘Insurance Value Adjustment’ service that can automatically increase your coverage based on your item’s current estimated value if you’d rather not submit future appraisals.
2. Best for high replacement value: BriteCo
About: Founded in 2017 by jewelry and insurance experts, BriteCo is a highly-rated company offering standalone coverage for pieces valued up to $150,000 or collections valued up to $500,000.
Appraisal required: Yes
Estimated monthly premium for $7,500 women’s engagement ring: $114
AM Best rating: A+
Customer support: Chat with BriteCo on their website for customer service. You can also reach them by email
Our verdict
Many jewelry insurers will provide coverage for up to 100% of your item’s replacement value, but BriteCo covers you for up to 125% of its replacement value. This is convenient because you won’t necessarily need to increase your coverage over time to align with your item’s higher value. And unlike some companies that require you to get your jewelry re-appraised, BriteCo offers free automated valuation increases each year.
Those who opt for a policy from BriteCo won’t need to pay deductibles on most items, either. You simply pay your monthly premiums, and your insurance kicks in immediately after a covered event—no need to pay anything out of pocket.
3. Best low-cost coverage: GemShield
About: GemShield has been offering comprehensive jewelry insurance since its founding in 1997. Policyholders are covered against loss, damage, theft, certain natural disasters, and more.
Appraisal required: For items valued at $5,000 or more
Estimated monthly premium for $7,500 women’s engagement ring: $78-$94, depending on the size of your deductible
AM Best rating: A+
Customer support: GemShield’s customer service can be reached over the phone on weekdays between 9 am to 5 pm ET. You can also contact them via email.
Our verdict
GemShield offers lower-than-average premiums for its policies, which makes it a smart choice if you’re looking for inexpensive jewelry insurance. That said, it also has lower maximum coverage limits than some competitors—$35,000 per item or $100,000 per collection, though case-by-case exceptions may apply. For this reason, we’ve deemed it a good pick for single pieces, but those with very high-value items should look elsewhere.
Apart from relatively affordable coverage, GemShield also offers automatic coverage on new jewelry for up to 30 days if you’re an existing customer, and you benefit from flexible deductibles ranging from $0 to $1,000. Opting for a higher deductible will result in lower premiums, but ensure you understand the potential risks of that decision. For instance, if you opt for a $1,000 deductible and your jewelry is lost, stolen, or damaged, you’ll need to pay out that amount before your coverage kicks in.
4. Best flexible deductible options: Lavalier
About: Founded in 2013, Lavalier specializes in affordable jewelry coverage and provides flexible deductibles and discounts for its policyholders.
Appraisal required: For items valued at $5,000 or more
Estimated monthly premium for $7,500 women’s engagement ring: $88-$113, depending on the size of your deductible
AM Best rating: A+
Customer support: Lavalier customer service can be reached over the phone or email
Our verdict
Some jewelry insurers offer limited deductibles, but this isn’t the case with Lavalier. Deductibles range from $0 to $25,000, so you can customize your policy based on your preferences and risk tolerance. Your deductible options will vary based on the value of your item or collection, though opting for a higher deductible will reduce your coverage costs. It also offers discounts for things like storing your jewelry in a safe or having a home alarm system, which can further lower the cost of your policy.
Lavalier offers coverage up to $50,000 per item and $150,000 per collection, though some exceptions may apply. These relatively generous coverage limits make it a suitable option for many jewelry owners.
5. Best for automatic coverage on new items: Chubb
About: Chubb was initially established as an underwriting company in 1882. Today, it offers multiple insurance coverages for individuals and families, including jewelry insurance.
Appraisal required: For items valued at $100,000 or more
Estimated monthly premium for $7,500 women’s engagement ring: Online quotes not available.
AM Best rating: A++
Customer support: Chubb’s customer service can be reached over the phone or via emai
Our verdict
While certain companies offer automatic coverage for new items in your jewelry collection, Chubb’s offering outshines competitors. This insurer gives existing policyholders 25% of itemized coverage on newly acquired pieces for up to 90 days, giving you ample time to ensure your entire collection is properly protected.
Besides its generous automatic coverage offering, Chubb also pays out up to 150% of a covered item’s replacement cost value if its current exceeds your coverage amount. This insurer also offers flexible appraisal requirements, only requiring appraisals for items valued at over $100,000. While this flexibility may be useful, we still highly recommend getting your jewelry appraised to ensure you get adequate insurance.
What to know about jewelry insurance
Jewelry insurance can reimburse you if a covered item is lost, damaged, or stolen, and it typically provides a higher coverage limit than a typical homeowners policy. Maximum coverage limits vary based on the company you choose.
Depending on the insurer, you may need your jewelry appraised to help determine its value. Some jewelry insurance companies offer in-house appraisers, which can be convenient. Even if a dedicated appraisal service isn’t available, your insurer can likely recommend a reputable appraiser.
The cost of your coverage will vary depending on the value of the piece (or pieces) you’re insuring. For instance, you’ll likely pay slightly higher premiums to insure a $25,000 ring than you would with a $10,000 ring. A deductible may apply as well, so it’s important to understand what you’ll need to pay before your insurance kicks in if you’re shopping for a policy.
How to choose jewelry insurance
Comparing jewelry insurance companies is essential, as policies, rates, and coverage minimums and maximums vary. Here’s what to consider as you’re researching potential insurers:
Company reputation: You want to ensure you’re working with a reputable company that will pay out if you need to file a claim. Review each company’s AM Best rating and past customer feedback to assess whether it’s trustworthy.
Premiums: Many jewelry insurers offer online quotes that will offer insight into your premiums. The quote process is typically quick, and since there’s no standard cost for jewelry insurance, it’s worth getting multiple quotes as you compare options.
Deductibles: You’ll want to consider the deductibles each company offers. Many offer a range, with higher deductibles typically resulting in lower premiums.
Coverage minimums and maximums: Some companies may have minimum or maximum dollar values for coverage. For instance, some only insure items valued at over $5,000. Others may have per-item or per-collection maximum limits.
Appraisal requirements: Many jewelry insurance companies require appraisals. Some offer in-house services, while others do not. Look into appraisal requirements as you shop for coverage.
Exclusions: Exclusions also vary by insurer. For instance, some may cover damage due to regular wear and tear, while others won’t. Reading the fine print will help you determine which exclusions apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is jewelry insurance worth it?
Jewelry insurance can be worth the cost if you own meaningful, expensive jewelry. A typical homeowners policy may not cover the full replacement cost of your rings, necklaces, or watches, and jewelry insurance can fill this gap.
How much does jewelry insurance cost?
Many jewelry insurance policies cost around 1%-2% of an item’s total value, though premiums vary by company. For instance, it may cost around $75-$120 annually to insure a $7,500 engagement ring.
How often should you have jewelry appraised for insurance?
You’ll likely want to have your jewelry appraised every two or three years as it fluctuates in value over time. Appraisal requirements and timeframes may vary by insurer.
Our methodology
The Fortune RecommendsTM editorial team compared the top jewelry insurers on the market to help you find the best possible coverage. We considered key data points like the following to choose the best jewelry insurance companies.
Company strength: We researched each company’s financial strength and reputation in our evaluation, reviewing their current AM Best ratings and NAIC Customer Complaint Scores.
Average rates: As part of our evaluation process, we obtained quotes from each jewelry insurance company. All the companies on our list have competitive premiums and multiple deductible options.
Available policies: Each company on our list offers stand alone jewelry insurance policies. Coverage is not bundled with homeowners or renters insurance.
Minimum/maximum value: We also considered if the companies we evaluated only insured items of a certain minimum value and any maximum applicable coverage limits.
I realize doing those three things is much easier said than done – I struggled with progress for a decade and know exactly what you’re going through if you’re feeling unsure.
You probably don’t have years to make the mistakes that I did, and you just want to start getting results today.
In addition to the free resources below, we provide a free bodyweight routine, and a comprehensive gym training routine to get you started with strength training in our free guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. Grab your guide when you sign up in the box below:
Download our comprehensive guide
Everything you need to know about getting strong.
Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
How to find the right gym and train properly in one.
But enough of that, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to get started with strength training!
If you are going to build muscle, you’re going to need to lift heavy things.
But what the heck does ‘heavy’ mean in this context? I’m so glad you asked!
Muscle-building is optimized when we perform exercises (bodyweight or weighted) within 1 to 3 reps of failure while maintaining good technique. (i.e. You could do 1 or 2 or 3 more repetitions of the exercise using a specific weight, but not more.) Usually, you’ll repeat this effort for multiple sets targeting multiple muscles in a workout.
That’s what we mean by ‘heavy’ – that you picked the right amount of weight to challenge yourself for the desired number of reps. (We’ll get into exact sets and reps in a bit.) This is the sweet spot where you’re muscles will want to rebuild bigger and stronger than before!
You can target your muscles with a wide variety of exercises. Free weights, machines, and bodyweight exercises are ALL good options as long as you can adhere to the guidelines we laid out above. [4]
While you can grow muscle using any type of strength-training exercise, having access to a gym with free weights and weight machines makes leveling up your muscle-building game all the easier. Increasing or decreasing the weight used in an exercise is probably the easiest way to get the exact right amount of stimulus your muscles need to grow. (Don’t have access to a gym? Take heart – our bodyweight workout will get you started on the right path.)
Some useful pieces of equipment to look out for:
Squat rack
Bench
Barbells
Dumbbells
Assortment of weight machines (like a cable pulldown machine)
A spot to do pull-ups or chin-ups (assisted or unassisted)
A spot to do dips (assisted or unassisted)
(Want even more ideas on how to find the right gym? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to the Gym for everything you need to know.)
Even having access to a few of these pieces of equipment will help us target an efficient and effective full-body routine to maximize your results.
We’ll show you exactly how to put together a full-body routine with compound exercises that train multiple muscle groups at once. They’re efficient, they create solid growth and stimulation, and they will keep you safe.[5]
To create our full-body routine, each workout will start with one leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and a core exercise:
When should I add in isolation exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, calf raises, etc.?
You can add these in whenever you want to, though we recommend starting with the workout we laid out above FIRST and getting consistent with that. Muscle-building isn’t just about picking the right exercises and the right weights, it’s about building the habit of working out! If you try to do ALL THE THINGS at the very beginning, you’re increasing the risk that we won’t be able to make the habit stick. So start with compound exercises that give you the biggest bang for your buck, THEN sprinkle in isolation exercises that target your specific areas of need once you’ve got your rhythm. [6]
What about machines versus free weights? I’ve heard free weights are better…
Not true! (And this is something that we’ve changed our stance on over the years.) If a machine exercise feels safer, is more easily accessible to you, and targets the same muscles – go for it! [7]
Learn these few exercises, get really good at them, and your entire body will get stronger and bigger. Focus each week on adding more weight to each exercise.[8]
For example, from one week to the next you could do:
Week 1 Barbell Squat: 3 sets of 5 at 150 lbs.
Week 2 Barbell Squat: 3 sets of 5 at 155 lbs.
If you do that, you’ve gotten stronger. Then, repeat next week. Eat right, and you’ll get bigger too.
Bottom line: if you want to get bigger muscles, you need to challenge them regularly with exercises that bring the muscle close to failure (1 to 3 reps). To start, we recommend picking big, compound movements that work multiple muscles at a time.
Each day has a leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and some core work.
Besides having rest and recovery days in between MWF, adequate rest intervals have been established in the workout itself!
By following the leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and core exercise routine you will maximize rest in-between each exercise, therefore, limiting muscular fatigue and allowing you to perform each strength training exercise to its fullest extent.[9]
I know what you’re thinking: that Steve is very clever.
While it’s possible to build out the perfect routine on your own, many of our Rebels end up spending hours and hours building something custom – only to realize it isn’t what they need (or isn’t effective) weeks and months later for their goals.
For people who want to avoid that altogether, we built the solution – our uber-popular 1-on-1 coaching program pairs you with your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and handcraft a workout plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life.
Click on the image below to schedule a call with our team to see if we’re a good fit for each other!
For beginners, we recommend starting in the 5 – 15 reps range to increase both size and strength. (If you want to focus on more strength than size, stick to the lower end of that range.)
As you get more advanced, you may find that it’s beneficial to do up to 30 reps of an exercise. (Though 90% of your work will still be in that 5 – 15 rep range.) The biggest drawback to higher rep ranges like this is it can be hard to target specifically that “1 to 3 reps before failure” when the rep count is so high. [10][11]
If you get bored, want to change things up, or you’re looking to bust through a plateau, you can do the following:
This week, I might do 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise (other than the core exercises), adding enough weight to each exercise so that it’s incredibly taxing.
Next week, I’ll do four sets for each exercise, adding weight each time and doing less reps.
For example, I’ll do an overhead press in the following sequence:
100 pounds: 12 reps
105 pounds: 10 reps
110 pounds: 8 reps
115 pounds: 6 reps
The good news is that no matter which path you take (pure strength, size, or a mix of both), as long as you are adding weight each week – and eating enough – you WILL be getting stronger.[12]
ANY path will work, provided you are progressively overloading your muscles with an increased challenge!
Progressive overload involves exerting slightly more effort than last time (lift a heavier weight or do 1 more rep) consistently.
Your muscles will have to adapt and rebuild themselves to get stronger. So in order to see improvements, your training must gradually and constantly increase.
We just have to make sure we get the right pace!
According to Mike Rebold from Hiram College:
Keep in mind that if the overload increases too quickly, poor technique and injury may result. And if the overload progresses too slowly, improvements will be minimal or non-existent.
Slowly but gradually increasing your challenge could look like:
If you do 5 sets of 5 squats at 140 pounds this week, aim for 5 sets of 5 of 145 pounds next week.
Or if you’re doing 3 sets of 10 at 100 pounds, then next week try for 3 sets of 10 at 105 pounds.
Get stronger, which is 20% of the puzzle. The other 80% is nutrition (which I cover later)!
#1) Warm-up before exercising – don’t walk into a gym, slap 45-pound plates on the bar, and then start your routine.
Get your heart rate up and muscles warm first by doing a dynamic warm-up of jumping jacks, lunges, bodyweight squats, hip raises, push-ups, leg swings, jumps, etc.
After that, always start with doing a set or two of lifting JUST THE BAR.[13] Only then should you start adding weight for some warm-up sets before moving into your work sets.
However, if you do a barbell squat incorrectly with 405 pounds on your shoulders, you could do some serious damage. If you’re just starting out, check your ego at the door: start with a VERY light weight and make sure you are doing the exercise properly.
There is NO SHAME in starting with just the bar. You can always add more weight next week if this week is too easy.
#3) Stimulate, don’t annihilate – I try to always have one more rep left when I finish a set.
Some trainers will preach working your muscles to annihilation, but I think that’s just asking for an injury, poor form, and beyond-sore muscles.
Your muscles get built while resting, not in the gym, so don’t worry about destroying them completely each day you step in the gym – it’s not worth it.[14]
#4) Change up the time between sets – if you’re doing 3 sets of 5 reps of a really heavy weight, it’s okay to wait 3-5 minutes between sets – you’re focusing on pure strength here.
If you’re doing sets in the 8-12 range, try to keep the time between sets around a minute or so. This will affect your muscles in different ways. The most important thing is to rest long enough that you can give the same level of effort as you did in the previous set.
Just be consistent between sets and when doing the same workout between weeks to track your progress.[15]
#5) Don’t overdo it – More does not mean better in weightlifting. You don’t need to spend two hours in the gym, you don’t need to do 15 different kinds of chest exercises.
My routines last no longer than 45 minutes, I only do three or four sets (after warm-up sets) for each exercise, and it’s enough to stimulate muscle growth. I only need to add more if my growth plateaus or stops, and before I do that I make sure my intensity, diet, and recovery are dialed in FIRST. [16]
Three workouts a week is a great place for most to start – we’ve had clients build muscle on anywhere from 2 days a week to 4 days a week using a full-body routine like this! You need to give your muscles time to regrow bigger – remember muscles are made in the kitchen![17]
Less is often more – just make your routines really intense and exhausting.[18]
#6) Write down everything – Keep a training journal, and write down exactly how many sets and reps you did for every exercise.
That way, you can compare how you did this time with how you did last time. You’ll know how much more you need to lift this week to make sure you’re stronger than last week.
#7) Follow a routine, have a plan. The best thing you can do is have a plan to follow and stick with it![19]
HOw Many Calories Should I Eat To Gain Muscle (and Which Supplements)
If you’ve been lifting weights for a while “but can’t seem to gain weight,” then you are not eating enough – it’s that simple.[20]
I thought I was one of those people who just could never gain weight…and then I learned it was all diet, started eating 4,000 calories a day, and I put on 18 pounds in 30 days.
Yeah, I wanted to throw up from always eating along with three Muscle Milk shakes a day, but it worked.
Looking back I would have done things differently, but after 6 years of exercising without putting on any weight, it was great to see so much progress in such a short period of time.
4,000 calories sounds freaking insane, right? I know.
It makes eating a full-time job.
You’ll always either cooking, eating, or cleaning up after yourself.
But if you really want to get bigger and you’re struggling to do so, then all of your effort is going to have to go into eating more, eating healthier, and eating ALL THE TIME.
PART #1: Eat More – To gain weight, you’re going to need to seek a calorie surplus (i.e., hypercaloric diet). This can be achieved by consuming an additional 250-500 kcal/day or 10-20% above your typical diet.
You can get an estimate of how much you need to eat to just MAINTAIN your weight in our free calculator here.
When I first realized I wasn’t eating enough, I did it the hard way and just started adding in anything I could.
Pasta
Rice
Pizza
Milk
Hamburgers
Chicken
Protein shakes
Whatever.
This is how I went from 162-180 pounds in 30 days. I’m not proud of how I ate, but it produced results and I remained healthy and strong.[21]
PART #2: Eat enough protein – With all the hard training you’re doing, you want to not only gain weight but make sure your body has the resources to turn as much of that weight as possible into muscle.
That’s why we put together this handy protein calculator for you – so you can maximize your gains! For most people, targeting between 0.7-1.0g/lb of bodyweight gets you in the optimal muscle-building range.
If you’re not used to eating a lot of protein, that can be a struggle! Never fear we have more resources for you. In our Protein 101 Guide, we talk about sources of protein and simple ways to include more in your diet. Protein shakes can be another way to quickly and easily boost your protein intake.
“Which Supplements Should I Take to Build Muscle Quickly?”
As we lay out in our Nerd Fitness Supplement Guide, most supplements are a waste of money and completely unnecessary for building muscle.
However, there are two supplements that CAN BE helpful in building muscle quickly:
Protein Shakes: If you are struggling to hit your protein and calorie intake goals for the day, adding in a high-calorie protein shake can be a game-changer.[23]
Creatine Supplements: Creatine helps your muscles retain water and can improve your performance, allowing you to push harder, for longer, in the gym.[24]
I get this question all the time in emails, usually from guys who are 6 feet tall and 130 pounds.
Don’t worry, if you can’t gain weight now, putting on extra weight is going to be great for you.
Yes, you will put on SOME fat along with the muscle you’re building if you’re running a calorie surplus.
This is why picking the right amount of calories per day is important:
If you can build muscle at 3,000 calories, but you’re eating 4,000 calories, you’ll put on a pound or two of fat per week along with your muscle.
However, if you need to eat 4,000 calories to build muscle and you’re only eating 3,000, you won’t see any changes.
Everybody is different, so you need to experiment and find out what works best for you.[27]
Once you get to your desired weight (actually, aim for about 10-15 pounds heavier than your goal weight), you can scale back the calories, add in some extra sprints to the end of your workout, and keep lifting heavy – the muscle will remain, the fat will disappear, and you’ll be left with the body you want.
Now, this only works if you have plenty of fat stores to pull from. Once you start to lean out a little, you’ll likely have to increase your calories to start putting on more muscle.
As Coach Jim mentions in the video above, if you’re skinny and trying to bulk up and build muscle, avoid cardio like the plague (also avoid the plague).
Why?
Take a look at the best marathon runners in the world, and compare their physique to somebody like Usain Bolt, the best sprinter in the world – tons of muscle, power, and a body to envy.
There’s nothing wrong with EITHER body – we’re all awesome and are special and blah blah blah.
But you’re reading an article about how to build muscle fast, right? So focus all of your effort on building muscle![29]
You want all the calories you’re consuming to go towards “building muscle,” and not “fuel my run.”
I will admit that I’m biased against chronic cardio, but mostly because it bores me!
You can be far more effective when you focused on getting stronger and only do ‘cardio’ on things you enjoy – after all, your success will largely depend on your nutrition, NOT your cardio!
Personally, I spend three days a week in the gym, with each workout clocking in at 45 minutes.
I go for long walks on my off days along with a day of sprints to stay active, but I know that my muscles get built while I’m resting, not when I’m working out.
I really focus in on my workouts to make them as exhausting as possible, and then I give my body ample time to recover (while eating enough calories to produce a surplus).
If you’re lifting heavy, and eating enough, make sure you’re also getting enough sleep! 5-6 hours a night isn’t going to cut it – you need to get at least 8-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal muscle-building. Take naps too if you have the opportunity.
Sleep needs to become a priority, because while we’re asleep, growth hormone, a hormone responsible for regulating muscle growth is released.[30]
If you’re a big guy/girl trying to slim down, a little extra cardio might speed up your fat loss but if you’re not eating correctly, it might result in losing some of the muscle you already have.
Don’t worry about going for 10 mile runs on your off days – do 20-30 minutes of intervals or go run hill sprints in your park. The weight will come off more slowly, but you’ll only be losing fat, not fat AND muscle.
Once you hit your goal weight and the target amount of muscle mass, I’d recommend adding back in some cardio for your overall conditioning, but keep it varied (sprints and intervals). The focus is to keep building explosive muscle and not long, slow, boring muscle.
If you love going for long runs and aren’t going to give that up, I’m not gonna stop you. Just know that the long hours of cardio will severely inhibit your progress on building strength and size.[31]
Get Started Building Muscle Today
This is a basic overview to get ya started. It really boils down to a few major things:
Lift heavy
Eat lots of good food
Rest
Simple to understand, tough to implement.
Trust me, I know – I’ve been battling this for the past decade.
If you made it this far, and you want more specific instruction, here’s how Nerd Fitness can help!
You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself, check your form, and program your workouts and nutrition for you.
-Steve
PS: Be sure to check out the rest of our Strength Training 101 series:
“Damn you Netflix, how did I just watch 10 episodes of Stranger Things, I have stuff to do!”
We’ve all been there. There are the things we know we SHOULD do, the things we NEED to do, and the things that we WANT to do.
More often than not, the WANT wins out over the NEED and SHOULD.
It’s like trying to win a tug-of-war against a tractor pulling in the opposite direction. It’s why we struggle to get to the gym after a long day of work. It’s why we opt for Taco Bell instead of taking the time to cook a healthy meal.
Today, we’re going to give you a quick life hack that can help you start leveling up your life and actually get things done that need to get done!
What is Temptation Bundling?
I bet you’ve said the following: “Before I can watch TV, I need to exercise.” And yet, TV ends up winning over exercise almost all the time, especially if it’s after a long miserable day at work.
So, instead of “if I do this, then I get this” What if we combined the two into one epic activity?
That idea is called “temptation bundling,” a term coined by Wharton Professor Katy Milkman: ultimately, you combine something that needs to be done with something you want to do.
She describes the idea in a paper entitled: “Holding The Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling.” [1] The goal is to get us to do things we need to do by combining them with things we want to do, removing the “either/or” temptation and getting us to ACTUALLY do stuff:
Participants were randomly assigned to a full treatment condition with gym-only access to tempting audio novels, an intermediate treatment involving encouragement to restrict audiobook enjoyment to the gym, or a control condition.
Initially, full and intermediate treatment participants visited the gym 51% and 29% more frequently.
Long story short: the people in the study who were told they could listen to addictive audio books only while working out visited the gym 51% more frequently than those who were just told they should exercise more.
Here’s some Nerd Fitness examples:
In love with the show Arrow? I am, and I want Stephen Amell to be my best friend. Don’t say, “I can only watch Arrow after exercising.” Change your phrasing, and try this instead: “I can only watch Arrow WHILE exercising.” Bring your iPad or Laptop to the gym, and only watch particular shows while you are on a treadmill, walking, or using the elliptical.
Addicted to Clash of Clans on your phone? Only allow yourself to work on your clan while at the gym, in between sets of deadlifts. Same goes for looking at TikTok or Instagram: only while resting in between squats!
Maybe you can only listen to Serial or The Rewatchableswhile walking, doing a particular work task, or even completing a chore at home like cleaning or laundry. An hour episode while walking could result in you racking up 3+ miles on your walk to Mordor!
Afraid to try cooking a new healthy meal? You can ONLY listen to a podcast or music in your house while you are cooking. BLAST it at top volume while having fun making a mess trying to cook.
Now, although this study teaches us that bundling a healthy life-improvement activity with one you enjoy can help you make a change, the boost can oftentimes be temporary.
The study went on to say that the “allure” of the audiobook + gym combo wore off after a few months, thus furthering the suggestion that the best chance for long term success is to truly “enjoy the journey.”
Long story short: this can a great strategy to get started, and a great way to identify types of exercise or strategies that work for you, long term results might require leveled up strategies!
But that’s fine – we’re going to be using it to build long term habits.
Try the temptation bundle challenge
If you can implement it properly, temptation bundling can both increase your time spent doing a healthy activity while also helping you limit the unhealthy one.
Now, you might be saying, “Steve, doesn’t this make the fun activity less enjoyable and the exercise/health portion less efficient?”
Possibly, but that’s not the point! Sure, I would love it if you went to the gym, completed a kickass workout, ate a healthy meal, and then got 8 hours of sleep.
However, this isn’t Imagination Land, and I know the best workout plan is the one you actually complete. This is infinitely better than the perfect workout plan that makes you say “meh, I’ll start tomorrow.”
So what do we do? We use temptation bundling to get us started, and then use drive to keep us going. When we build interest ih the activity itself, we shift our focus from “I’m enduring this workout” to “I can’t wait to see how much better I am this week.” The change can become permanent.
Your turn: what’s one activity that you love to do, and one that you know you should do more of? And how are you going to implement this strategy TODAY to your daily routine? Here are some other rapid fire examples:
Are you studying or getting some work done? Get your favorite snack or beverage only when you are doing it.
Try walking outside (or a cardio machine) – that’s now the only time you’re allowed to listen to your favorite podcast/audiobook.
Try pairing chores like ironing, doing laundry, or cleaning dishes while watching your favorite tv shows or a new movie you’ve been waiting for.
Your turn!
What’s one temptation bundle you are going to combine and start TODAY?
At face value, certificates of deposit (CDs) and share certificates may not seem worth your time. However, they’re low-risk investments that offer attractive returns. When you opt for a CD, you make a lump sum deposit, committing your funds for a fixed period in exchange for a fixed interest rate.
In collaboration with Curinos, we analyzed a dataset comprising over 20,000 data points from banks and credit unions across Ohio. We identified the best CDs in the states based on which ones offered the highest annual percentage yields (APYs).
CDs and share certificates are considered deposit accounts, so balances up to $250,000 are covered by FDIC or NCUA insurance.
Best CD rates in Ohio overall
Compare rates from our partners
Additionally, we’ve collected data from banks across the country to identify the banks and credit unions providing the best CDs. Our choices have competitive interest rates and minimal opening deposit requirements.
Best CD rates in Ohio by term
Leveraging data from Curinos, we identified the leading 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year CDs in Ohio.
To qualify for these rates, you may need to meet specific criteria which are outlined in the notes column of the tables below. Note that this field may be empty. For the most up-to-date information, we recommend directly contacting the relevant bank or credit union.
Best 6-month CD rates in Ohio
Attain a stellar APY without committing your funds for an extended duration by opting for a 6-month CD. Bear in mind that choosing a longer maturity usually yields a higher APY.
Best 1-year CD rates in Ohio
If you’re not ready for a prolonged financial commitment, consider a 1-year CD. Moreover, certain CDs come with low minimum opening deposit requirements, making them accessible regardless of your savings amount.
Best 5-year CD rates in Ohio
If your financial goal is set in the distant future, a 5-year CD could be a solid bet. Although it involves a lengthier commitment, 5-year CDs typically offer higher rates compared to shorter-term options.
What is a certificate of deposit?
When you opt for a CD, you commit your funds for a specified period and receive a fixed interest rate. If your bank or credit union is protected by FDIC insurance or NCUA coverage, your CD is secure, at least up to $250,000.
One major drawback of investing in CDs is that if you withdraw your funds before the CD matures, you’ll be on the hook for paying an early withdrawal penalty, often equal to a few months’ of interest.
What does APY mean on a CD?
The APY, or annual percentage yield, is a number that represents the interest you accrue in one year. For example, if you deposited $2,000 in a 1-year CD with a 5% APY, you would accumulate $100 by the end of the year.
What are the most common types of CDs?
There are many different types of CDs, but traditional, brokered, and no-penalty CDs are common types of CDs.
Traditional CDs. Simply deposit your money for a fixed period, and in return, receive regular interest payments. It’s that straightforward.
Brokered CDs. Financial institutions sell these CDs to brokerages. Brokerages then turn around and sell them to customers with more attractive APYs than traditional CDs.
No-Penalty CDs. Seeking flexibility? With these CDs, you can access your funds without incurring an early withdrawal fee. However, these CDs may offer slightly lower interest rates.
How to choose the best CD in Ohio
There are over 200 FDIC-regulated banks in Ohio and 170 NCUA-regulated credit unions. Here’s how to choose the right one for your needs:
Term length. The duration of your CD’s term indicates how long it takes to mature. This may range from a few months to years. Choose a term that aligns with your needs and financial goals.
APY. The annual percentage yield (APY) is a number that represents that rate of return over one year. A higher APY equals more interest.
Minimum deposit requirements. Sometimes, banks and credit unions require you to make a minimum investment to open a CD. This initial deposit is lump sum which can vary from a few dollars to thousands—you’re usually not allowed to make additional contributions.
Early withdrawal penalties. Most CDs penalize you for withdrawing funds early, so you could lose earned interest and part of your principal balance. While early withdrawals can’t always be planned, it’s good to know there is a penalty before you sign up.
Deposit insurance:FDIC and NCUA insurance provides depositors with insurance coverage of up to $250,000 per depositor or share owner. Double-check that your account is insured to protect your money in case of a bank failure.
It’s been a banner year for comics and graphic novels, with hundreds of new-release titles hitting shelves from the Big Two (DC and Marvel Comics), indie publishers, and even creators themselves. It’s also been a year of significant change for the comics industry, as the loss of a beloved artist led to the viral #ComicsBrokeMe hashtag, exposing how the industry as a whole overworks, underpays, and otherwise mistreats even its most prolific creators. 2023 also saw the launch of the Cartoonist Cooperative, which seeks to disrupt the industry for positive change.
The Mary Sue’s list of the best comics and graphic novels of 2023 represents a wide range of works published this year, with a focus on the books we believe should be added to your library immediately. Each of the listed titles is available in print, digitally, or both (unless otherwise noted). Read on to see our picks.
30. Blue Beetle: Graduation Day
(DC)
Jaime Reyes stars in Blue Beetle: Graduation Day, which follows the titular hero as he starts to move on from high school to “the real world” and all that comes with it. Navigating his future and his responsibility with his Scarab is one thing, but when communication from the Reach, an alien civilization, interrupts graduation, things get complicated, fast. Jaime is grounded by the Justice League as he faces new pressure from his loved ones to step into adulthood, making for a particularly volatile cocktail of emotions as he determines how to both be a hero and maintain a sense of normalcy.
Written by Josh Trujillo, illustrated by Adrian Gutiérrez, and colored by Wil Quintana, Blue Beetle: Graduation Day is a high-speed story that isn’t afraid to take risks. It also introduces a new villain to the DC Universe, the terrifying Yellow Beetle, whose powers are bigger than Jaime could have dreamt.
29. Love Everlasting
(Image Comics)
Love Everlasting, written by Tom King, illustrated by Elsa Charretier, colored by Matt Hollingsworth, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, is an ongoing Image Comics series that follows time traveler Joan Peterson. Every time Joan jumps to a new year and hopes to find true love, she ends up getting her heart broken, and although at first it seems like she might someday break this cycle, it’s also apparent that she won’t. It isn’t always her lover’s fault—often, it’s just a doomed timeline, and there’s very little Joan can do but get out of dodge and try to move on.
When she eventually does find “the one,” things aren’t as they seem … but is that just her? Or is everyone experiencing the same thing? Love Everlasting Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, collecting issues #1-5 and #6-10, respectively, are available now.
28. Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy
(First Second)
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy is Faith Erin Hicks’s first solo romance comic. It follows aloof hockey jock Alix, whose abuse at the hands of her team captain is ignored by the coach until Alix physically lashes out. Alix is frightened by her anger and seeks out cool, calm theater kid Ezra, who seems to let homophobic bullying roll off his back with ease, to help her manage her emotions. Their friendship eventually leads to something more in a sweet spin on a classic high school romance that explores queerness, emotional safety, and hard decisions.
27. Moon Knight
(Marvel Comics)
Moon Knight, a.k.a. Marc Spector, has had a wildly inconsistent run since he debuted in Werewolf by Night #32 in 1975. Created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin as a mercenary hired to assassinate Jack Russell, he’s since gone after any number of supernatural entities ranging from vampires to serial killers.
In writer Jed MacKay’s run, which kicked off in 2021, he and artists Federico Sabbatini, Alessandro Cappuccio, colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, and letterer Cory Petit have taken on the Herculean task of not just creating a new and engaging series of arcs for the character, but taking the more problematic elements of past portrayals and making them fit the new narrative, rather than fully retconning them. Somehow, they absolutely nail it at every turn, marking perhaps the best Moon Knight run in Marvel history—and at an ideal time, now that he’s an MCU star to boot.
Moon Knight Volumes 1-4 are available now, and Vol. 5 is available for pre-order.
26. Giga: The Complete Series
(Vault Comics)
Giga: The Complete Series takes place in a post-war world where huge, dormant mecha called Giga are both revered as gods and used as shelter by surviving humans. When a disgraced engineer named Evan finds a murdered Giga, it rocks society to its core, including the tech-focused religious order that rules over everything in the wake of the mech war.
Written by Alex Paknadel, illustrated by John Lê, colored by Rosh, and lettered by Aditya Bidikar, this short series is visceral and poignant in its depiction of humanity’s relationship to technology and how deep that fear reaches in the face of the unknown. The world-building is tight, its edges bursting with detail, and the end will only leave you wanting more.
25. Once Upon a Time at the End of the World
(BOOM! Studios)
The Once Upon a Time at the End of the World trilogy follows Maceo and Mezzy through a post-apocalyptic dystopia as they attempt to survive together, whatever the cost. Written by Jason Aaron, the first volume is drawn by Alexandre Tefenkgi, colored by Lee Loughridge, and lettered by AndWorld Design, with featured pages drawn by Nick Dragotta and colored by Rico Renzi. Volumes 2 and 3 will feature different artists, offering more depth and a firmer sense of time and place as the story spans its main characters’ entire lives.
Earth is destroyed and making connections feels more difficult than ever, but Maceo and Mezzy’s differences somehow work together, and they live dynamic and full existences in spite of the environmental horrors surrounding them. This series is beautiful and surprisingly delightful even when things look bleak.
24. Begin Again
(Philomel Books)
Beloved children’s book author and artist Oliver Jeffers pens his first all-ages story in Begin Again: How We Got Here and Where We Might Go—Our Human Story. So Far., an illustrated exploration of human history and potential guide for a better future written in his signature prose. Encouraging readers to look at humanity as an overall “we,” rather than a species divided, Jeffers argues that to create a stronger, more vibrant future for ourselves, we must start by telling better, more creative stories. This is a common thread in Jeffers’s works, and while it might not be anything new, the flow of his art is so breathtaking that Begin Again is still a great read.
23. Stories of the Islands
(Holiday House)
Debut graphic novelist Clar Angkasa’s Indonesian folktale collection, Stories of the Islands, puts a new spin on three folk tales she learned as a child and “gives them back to the girl characters” by focusing on their desires as they pursue freedom for themselves and their dreams, rather than employing tired tropes. The three stories included in this collection follow a princess cursed to live as a snail; a pair of sisters trapped by their father’s explosive anger; and a mother and daughter who must face a hungry giant with their own wits, as they don’t have a savior.
Angkasa’s writing underscores the absurdity of these women’s punishments as she reimagines their stories to be something better. Her thick linework and bright colors create a classic feeling that perfectly conveys these stories’ roots and their potential futures. It’s a beautiful book.
22. Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 1
(Tuttle Publishing)
Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 1 adapts the seminal author’s short stories into an English-language graphic novel anthology by French comics creator JC Deveney and French artist PMGL (Pierre-Marie Grille-Liou).
These stories are dreamy and bizarre, with a sense of distortion that’s hard to escape even after you’ve finished reading. Included are “Super Frog Saves Tokyo Girl,” in which a bank manager is visited by a giant frog who loves Tolstoy and needs help stopping an earthquake; “Where I’m Likely to Find It,” a noir-style story in which a woman hires a private detective to find her missing husband; “Birthday Girl,” in which a waitress gets her birthday wish—with strings attached; and “The Seventh Man,” in which the eponymous character is haunted by childhood recollections of a fatal typhoon.
If you want something ephemeral and somewhat haunting, this unique adaptation of Murakami’s short stories is the way to go. Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 2, which includes three stories, is available for pre-order.
21. Bonding
(Vault Comics)
A successful first date ends in the hospital when Marcus’s parasite un-bonds with him, which nearly ends his life. Laura, his date, not only calls emergency services, but sticks around while Marcus and his parasite are rebonded, then agrees to go on a second date. While that may seem weird, in the world of Bonded, it isn’t. Everyone wears their emotions on their chest in the form of a visible, slug-like parasite to which they’re bonded. If ever their parasite rejects them, they’ll die unless they rebond with it or bond with another. Marcus is still grieving the abrupt loss of his sister after her un-bonding, and Laura is still recovering from attempting to die by suicide as a teenager.
These characters’ flaws bring them closer as the bizarre, sci-fi romance in Bonded: A Love Story About People and Their Parasites progresses. Writer Matthew Erman, artist Emily Pearson, colorist Kaylee Davis, and letterer Justin Birch lean into absurdity and still manage to balance it with the true horror of what’s happening without ever straying too far from the comic’s overall bounciness. This one is weird, but in a good way.
20. Poison Ivy
(DC)
Writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Marcio Takara’s Poison Ivy debuted in 2022 as a six-issue limited series, and it has since been expanded into an ongoing exploration of the character as former Batman villain Pamela Isley both strives to save the world (by ending humanity) and to face her personal demons—including the man whose powers she stole. Wilson and Takara embrace Isley’s complexities as a blessing, rather than a curse, and their version of the character is worth rooting for even if her approach to changing the world is deeply flawed. It’s hard not to love this story at every twist, turn, and highly emotional moment.
Jessi Sheron’s The Sea in You puts a sapphic twist on The Little Mermaid as goth high schooler Corinth, whose boyfriend is emotionally abusive, is swept out to sea by a hungry mermaid as she is picking up trash on the local beach. However, that same mermaid immediately regrets her choice and returns Corinth to shore, then sticks around. Eventually deciding on the name Skylla, her fascination with humans is centered in her instant adoration of and quick-tempered protectiveness toward Corinth, who teaches Skylla sign language and brings her human food and jewelry. As their friendship develops into something more, Corinth struggles against her boyfriend’s gaslighting and isolation tactics while Skylla figures out a way to trade her tail for legs and join Corinth in the human world.
Sheron’s dark-edged portrayal of mermaids is a highlight in The Sea in You, and the way she deftly navigates relationship toxicity and queerness makes for an emotionally satisfying, impactful read with stunningly detailed illustrations and vibrant colors to keep readers’ eyes glued to every page.
18. Do a Powerbomb!
(Image Comics)
Daniel Warren Johnson’s Do a Powerbomb!, colored by Mike Spicer and lettered by Rus Wooton, puts a powerful spin on the concept of legacy through the lens of the pro wrestling world. Lona Steelrose wants to get into the industry, but her late mother was an absolute legend. Lona doesn’t want to insult her memory. Then she’s invited to join a supernatural wrestling tournament by a fanatical necromancer, who offers Lona the best prize of all: her mother’s resurrection. The price? Tag-teaming with the person who accidentally killed her mom in the ring. I won’t give away the twists to come, but let’s just say Lona’s love of wrestling is challenged by family ties and a literal fight with God.
This is one of Johnson’s best works to date, and his love of both comics and professional wrestling shines through every action-packed panel.
17. Under Kingdom
(Dark Horse Books)
High schooler Shay Williams just wants to avoid his bullies and not look silly in front of his crush, but his aunt Isabelle—who’s secretly a changeling named Sa’belle—has other plans for him. When Shay’s mother goes missing, he learns she is the Under Warden, a human caretaker of the monster realm whose job is to balance it and the human realm lest all hell break loose (literally). As if this news isn’t jarring enough, Shay has to fill his mom’s shoes now that she’s missing, which is a huge increase in responsibility—and he can’t screw it up.
Under Kingdom is a delightfully fast-paced exploration of monsterism, family, and friendship, featuring sharp dialogue by writer Christof Bogacs and absurdist, brightly-colored illustrations by Marie Enger. If you’re looking for a little light horror, look no further than this graphic novel.
16. Cosmoknights Book 2
(Top Shelf Productions)
In a sapphic take on Pacific Rim set in space, Hannah Templer’s Cosmoknights puts queer heroes at the forefront as they attempt to dismantle the patriarchy one mech fight at a time. When Pan’s best friend, a princess named Tara, runs away from their home planet to avoid being married to a suitor after a barbaric one-on-one duel determines her future partner, it shrinks Pan’s world significantly. Then she meets a couple named Bee and Cass, who travel from planet to planet winning as many duels as they can to rescue the princesses and give them new lives free of their royal shackles.
Cosmoknights Book 2 follows Pan, Bee, Cass, and a hacktivist named Kate deeper into space alongside a rescued princess who isn’t stoked about being yanked from the life she knows. This rag-tag group has to sort their personal and political feelings on the eve of a major heist, lest everything blow up in their faces—perhaps literally. You can read all of Cosmoknights online in addition to purchasing the trade paperbacks.
15. Somna
(DSTLRY)
Somna: A Bedtime Story is co-written and co-illustrated by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay, two hugely impactful comics creators whose talent and flair for storytelling shine in this terrifying, indulgent tale of a woman’s descent into eroticism during the witch hunts of the 1600s. Ingrid’s husband, Roland, is the town’s bailiff and chief witch hunter, determined to burn every last one at the stake lest they corrupt the entire village. His zealotry increases when a town leader is murdered, but as accusations fly, Ingrid is determined to prove the identity of the true culprit.
All the while, she’s haunted by a shadowy figure who entices her into leaving the path of righteousness. After all, she hates being married to Roland. Could the grass be greener on the other side? Somna is available from your local comic book shop and through DSTLRY’s new digital comics reader.
14. Hungry Ghost
(First Second)
For Valerie Chu, being the perfect daughter for her over-critical mother means staying thin—which, as these stories often go, results in her developing an eating disorder. Valerie’s bulimia begins to rule her life, which is made more difficult by situations where she can’t purge after her meals. A class trip to Paris brings this into stark relief, and when Valerie leaves early for a family emergency, she struggles to balance her grief, her broken relationship with food, and her toxic relationship with her mother. The future looms large, and to forge her own path, Valerie will have to make big and sometimes heartbreaking choices.
Victoria Ying’s young adult graphic novel Hungry Ghost is intense, especially in how candidly it portrays bulimia. Fine-lined, expressive art accompanies cutting dialogue and a deep sense of yearning that permeates the entire story.
13. Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant
(Marvel Comics)
When Kamala Khan first entered the Marvel Universe in 2014, she encountered Terrigen Mist, which activated her latent superhero abilities, leading her to discover her Inhuman genes. However, after sacrificing herself for the greater good, the X-Men resurrected her—and now she has a whole new aspect of her identity to explore and reconcile.
Co-written by Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada, Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant is a fresh and fun reintroduction to the character. It’s a great jumping-on point for new readers and a smart, savvy new adventure for long-time readers and fans with excellent art by Carlos Gomez and Adam Gorham, gorgeous coloring by Erick Arciniega, and solid lettering by Joe Caramagna. Do not sleep on this series.
12. Mimi’s Tales of Terror
(VIZ Media)
Horror master Junji Ito returns with Mimi’s Tales of Terror, a collection of stories adapted from Shin Mimibukuro (New Earmuffs) by Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama. Originally printed in monthly installments in Flapper between 2002 and 2003, this new reprint collects all of Ito’s stories starring university student Mimi and her boyfriend Naoto, as well as an original story, “Monster Prop,” which is a bonus tale not involving either character.
Everywhere Mimi goes, she encounters spirits and bizarre, supernatural entities, from a metal woman with adjustable limbs to a bodybuilder obsessed with moving gravestones at night and a shadow spirit clinging to a child who’s overwhelmed with grief. Rendered primarily in Ito’s iconic black and gray illustration, Mimi’s Tales of Terror is a horror manga with teeth, and it leaves a lasting impression.
11. Sí, Se Puede: The Latino Heroes Who Changed the United States
(Ten Speed Graphic)
Sí, Se Puede: The Latino Heroes Who Changed the United States, written by Julio Anta and illustrated by Yasmín Flores Montañez, follows a group of Latin Americans as they partake in an interactive museum tour to learn about Latino heroes dating as far back as the early Aztec and Mayan empires. Named for the United Farm Workers motto—which translates to “Yes, We Can”—the comic profiles figures including UFW organizers César Chávez and Dolores Huerta; astronaut Ellen Ochoa; Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; actor, musician, and bandleader Desi Arnaz; and civil rights activist and nurse Sylvia Mendez, among others.
Although Anta and Montañez do not delve super deep into any of the included stories, Sí, Se Puede still offers a cohesive look at Latin American history that highlights how many of these individuals are unknown to a large part of the population thanks to the whitewashing of U.S. education. It’s an engaging read that offers further resources at its conclusion, establishing both a want to learn more and a way to go about it.
10. Confetti Realms
(Maverick / Mad Cave Studios)
Causing a little chaos in the local graveyard on Halloween is something many people have done in their youth, but few of them can claim they were transported into another dimension by a sentient automaton who demands teeth as payment for a return to Earth. That’s the premise of Confetti Realms, written by Nadia Shammas, drawn by Karnessa, colored by Hackto Oshiro, and lettered by Micah Myers. This spooky fantasy story explores what it means to leave home in a seemingly permanent way, for a world where magic is real. Who do you become? More importantly, who are you right now? And is going home worth the price when staying could potentially mean fulfilling your wildest dreams?
Radwa, Marissa, Garrett, and Ty have to answer these questions and more as they begin their tooth hunt. Through Karnessa’s deft rendering of facial expressions and Shammas’s layered, but still natural-feeling dialogue, accompanied by rich colors from Oshiro and finely-tuned letters from Myers, this coming-of-age horror story examines trauma, fear, and friendship without missing a beat.
9. Queenie: Godmother of Harlem
(Abrams ComicArts)
Queenie: Godmother of Harlem, written by Aurélie Lévy and illustrated by Elizabeth Colomba, takes a deep dive into the life of Stephanie Saint-Clair, a racketeer and bootlegger who left behind her birthplace of Martinique in 1912 and traveled to New York City to make a life. A Black woman born into poverty on a plantation, who was assaulted by the KKK during her travels, Saint-Clair also had a propensity for working with numbers and a willingness to get her hands dirty.
This biographic is incredibly detailed thanks to Colomba and Lévy’s research, and the art and writing are unparalleled. There are a handful of fictional characters created to add more depth and stakes to the narrative, seeing as there isn’t enough information available about Saint-Clair to otherwise avoid holes in the story, but the creative team deftly navigates the world they’ve expounded upon for a cohesive, memorable read.
8. In Limbo
(First Second)
Deb JJ Lee’s graphic memoir, In Limbo, follows a younger version of herself through high school as she navigates new friendships, parental abuse, a new-found passion for art, and the loss of belonging she once felt as a dedicated violinist whose “home base” at school was the orchestra room. Rendered in stunning black and gray art that is both photo-realistic and cartoonish, In Limbo examines Lee’s mental health as an adolescent and refuses to shy away from the fallout of attempting to die by suicide not just once, but many times.
This book is a hard but beautiful read. Rather than mistake sharing with catharsis, it demonstrates how healing is never linear and trauma is a burden that may be lighter some days than others, but never entirely disappears.
7. Blackward
(Drawn & Quarterly)
Lawrence Lindell’sBlackward follows four young, Black, queer friends named Lika, Tony, Lala, and Amor as they attempt to form a safe space for Black folks to connect at their local community center. Although this kind of space is missing in their community and they feel that emptiness acutely, it’s hard to get a solid turnout, which makes all four of them question who they are and whether they’re “enough,” in all senses of the word. If they’re going to pull off their upcoming inaugural Blackward Zine Fest, they’ll have to overcome their insecurities and step into their roles as community leaders. Smart, funny, radical, and incredibly warm, Blackward is a book worth reading more than once.
6. A Guest in the House
(First Second)
Emily Carroll is a master of twisting familiar stories into new, even more haunting narratives that creep under your skin and refuse to leave, especially when night comes and you’re trying not to freak yourself out before you fall asleep. A Guest in the House follows newlywed Abby, whose dentist husband and young stepdaughter seem perfect on the surface … until the ghost of his first wife begins to dog Abby’s every step. Her death is a mystery and her memory is a force too powerful for Abby to ignore. Surreal color splashes add breathtaking terror to this black-and-white tale, which pulls you in and reluctantly lets you go after a wild rollercoaster of terror.
5. I Thought You Loved Me
(Fieldmouse Press)
MariNaomi, founder of the Cartoonists of Color, Queer Cartoonists, and Disabled Cartoonists databases, released both their epistolary memoir I Thought You Loved Me, and an expanded edition of their seminal graphic memoir, Turning Japanese. I Thought You Loved Me examines a former friendship between Mari and Jodie, who were closer than close in their teenage years and early 20s. They even explored queerness together as young feminists, and then one day, Jodie simply ended their friendship. When Mari learns why, they begin to unpack what happened through letters, journal entries, conversations with friends, and even travel, all of which are contained in this graphic memoir.
This is a complicated, evocative, surprisingly well-balanced narrative that finds strength in its oddity. Memory and its absence are overarching themes alongside friendship, grief, and forgiveness. Who earns lasting space in our hearts and minds? Who do we encounter, then eventually let fade into the background, not realizing their impact on our lives? These questions and more will arise as you read.
4. Earthdivers Vol. 1: Kill Columbus
(IDW Publishing)
Earthdivers Vol. 1: Kill Columbus collects the first six issues of this post-apocalyptic time travel story written by Native American horror and sci-fi author Stephen Graham Jones, illustrated by Davide Gianfelice, colored by Joana Lafuente, and lettered by Steve Wands. Tad of the Lakota People leaves the near future (2112) for 1492, with the intent to kill Christopher Columbus and stop the creation of the United States of America altogether.
Whether Tad is successful will depend on whether his wife, Sosh of the Iñupiat people, and their two companions—Emily of the Seminole tribe and Yellow Kidney, who, like Jones, is Blackfeet—see changes in the future. This group fully understands that changing the past means altering the future, which could be to their detriment—and still, they believe it’s the best course of action. Sharp, timely, and cohesive, this story is as shocking as it is powerful. Earthdivers Vol. 2: Ice Age, collecting issues #7-10, is available for pre-order.
3. Mimosa
(Abrams ComicArts)
Brunch is what will keep us together! At least, that’s how queer best friends and chosen family Alex, Elise, Jo, and Chris attempt to keep something in their lives afloat in Mimosa. Chris is a single parent following a messy divorce, and they feel especially isolated from their queer community; Jo both wants to support her friends and prioritize her needs; Alex has a surprising, troubling secret; and Elise is crushing on “hot boss Drew” while also attempting not to burn her career down. In short: everything is a mess, and no one is particularly surprised about it, but they’re doing what they can.
To combat their growing malaise, Chris, Alex, Jo, and Elise decide to put on a dance party exclusively for mature queers, which they aptly name “Grind.” This could be everything they’re looking for in one neat package, but of course, that would be a little too easy. Cartoonist Archie Bongiovanni has once again created a unique and engaging—yet completely relatable—tale of queer angst and the power of community in Mimosa, a standalone graphic novel featuring new, original characters. Snappy dialogue accompanies a simple color palette and long, beautifully rambling pages of queer platonic love in between more traditional panel layouts for a slice-of-life story that’s also so, so much more.
2. Roaming
(Drawn & Quarterly)
Childhood friends Dani and Zoe reunite during their freshman year of college (2009) with a spring trip break to New York City, somewhere neither of them has been before. Dani brings along her art school classmate Fiona, whose blase attitude toward the city and its tourist traps impact the mood from the jump. When Fiona and Zoe start flirting, and then hooking up, it makes their cramped hostel room and bunk beds seem even smaller, especially since all three are from Canada and unwilling to use “roaming” on their cell phones. And although Zoe likes Fiona, Fiona’s impulsiveness and refusal to follow the rules ultimately forces Zoe to examine who she’s becoming and why Dani is so upset about how she’s changed.
In a masterful display of power as a creative team, cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki have once again raised the bar for graphic novels with Roaming. At turns sweet and hopeful, dramatic and frightening, and even, at times, a little gross, Roaming provides a glimpse into the lives of three individuals at significant turning points, whose interpersonal relationships become unwitting basins for their emotional fallout and fears about the future.
1. The Talk
(Henry Holt and Co.)
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell pens a stunning series of memories in The Talk, which explores how, when his mother explained why he couldn’t have a realistic water gun at six years old—because he was at risk of police violence just by existing—it didn’t mean much until he experienced her warning in real-time and, terrified, realized this would guide the rest of his life.
Drawn in his signature style of thick, black lines and color splashes for impact, The Talk examines the anti-Blackness of white authority figures and adults and how deeply ingrained racism shapes the lives of Black boys who are seen as violent adults before they’ve even hit puberty. Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction 2024, this timely and impactful graphic memoir and social commentary is a must-read.
(featured image: Image Comics / Fieldmouse Press / Abrams ComicArts / First Second / DSTLRY / Henry Holt and Co. / Dark Horse Books / Top Shelf Productions / Vault Comics / VIZ Media / Marvel / Maverick / Mad Cave Studios / IDW Publishing / BOOM! Studios / The Mary Sue )
It’s the time of year when “Best Of” lists abound, but summing up an entire year of any medium is hard. Thankfully, 2023 was a great year in the world of TV and there’s no shortage of amazing choices to capture the best of what this year had to offer.
For my top 10 shows of 2023, I tried mostly to stick to those that debuted this year, but there were two returning shows with outstanding seasons that I couldn’t ignore. Feel free to discuss the list and tell us your faves in the comments!
10. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, season 1 (AMC)
(AMC)
I was a big fan of The Walking Dead, but once the spinoffs started rolling out, I became increasingly skeptical. I couldn’t get into Fear the Walking Dead, and Dead City left a lot to be desired, so I approached Daryl Dixon warily, but I was pleasantly surprised! Moving a fan-favorite character to another country makes the action feel fresh as it forces Daryl (Norman Reedus), a character who’s changed so much over the years, to think and behave differently as he interacts with new people, new factions, new types of walkers, and a new culture.
It was also a wise choice to make the central relationship of the show between Daryl and a child in his care (the “Child Savior” thing was big on TV this year!). Daryl was always great with kids on The Walking Dead, despite his gruff, loner demeanor, so building a show around that makes sense. And as much as I loved the flagship show, Daryl Dixon feels a bit more mature in tone and themes than its predecessor. Daryl Dixon has allowed the TWD Universe to grow up and explore new emotional terrain without sacrificing the sweet, violent walker-y goodness we’ve come to love.
9. Twisted Metal, season 1 (Peacock)
(Peacock)
The first of two video game adaptations on this list, Twisted Metal shouldn’t work as a show. It’s based on a tournament-style game with no real narrative or character development to speak of where your only goal is to drive fast and shoot anyone in your way.
The show, however, has managed to create characters we come to care about deeply, even as it holds onto many of the game’s more gonzo elements. John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) are a hilarious and heartbreaking team to follow through this bonkers post-apocalyptic world.
And yes, there is a murderous clown named Sweet Tooth (played by professional wrestler Samoa Joe and voiced by Will Arnett) who drives a tricked-out ice cream truck, but even he gets a backstory that helps you understand his journey from being a child actor to a man built like a mountain who kills his way across the country while talking to his best friend, an empty paper bag.
Twisted Metal was one of the biggest surprises of 2023, and with a second season on the way, I hope it stays on the road for a long, long time.
8. Shrinking, season 1 (Apple TV+)
(Apple TV+)
Shrinking is one of the best recent comedies that lean into dramatic situations and themes for laughs. It’s a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful show about nearly drowning in grief until you learn how to navigate the waves and make it to shore.
Shrinking has an amazing cast led by Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams, and like many of the other shows on this list, it succeeds because of its attention to character. Even the more outlandish characters are fully fleshed-out, relatable people. In addition to the main theme of grief, Shrinking deftly deals with other mental health issues—appropriate for a show about therapists.
Thankfully, we have a second season of Shrinking to look forward to on Apple TV+, and apparently there is a three-season story arc planned.
7. The Great, season 3 (Hulu)
(Hulu)
The Great certainly wasn’t the only wonderful show to have an awesome final season this year (shout-out to Succession and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, two amazing shows that ended after four seasons), but it’s on my best of 2023 list because because of what a unique show it was.
As I’ve written previously, an anachronistic comedy about Czarist Russia based on a stage play shouldn’t have worked. Yet it did, thanks to brilliant writing (and source material) from creator Tony McNamara and inspired performances from a stellar cast led by Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult. The show took exciting risks in its execution throughout its run, with its final season being the riskiest of all. (The Great and Succession have a major death halfway through the final season in common.)
Though losing The Great this year was sad, it went out on a beautiful high note. I’ll be watching Catherine dancing to AC/DC on a loop basically forever. That was as perfect a final scene as a show could have.
6. Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
(Apple TV+)
Lessons in Chemistry, based on the novel by Bonnie Garmus and created for television by Lee Eisenberg, is a beautiful and relevant limited series that illuminates the varied ways in which women have to fight harder to excel, as well as the importance of human connection.
Brie Larson, who’s made a career out of playing women who will only grace you with a smile if you f—ing earn it, is perfect as Elizabeth Zott, a chemist who ends up hosting a popular cooking show in the 1960s, empowering women by teaching them the science of cooking and encouraging them to pursue their greatest aspirations.
Meanwhile, the show’s relationships, from Elizabeth’s romantic relationship with Calvin (Lewis Pullman), her friendship with her neighbor Harriet (Aja Naomi King), to her relationship with her daughter Mad (Alice Halsey), all add up to create Elizabeth’s success. Every character’s success or failure is determined by the relationships in their lives—the “chemistry” between people, if you will. And that’s an important and beautiful message these days.
5. Poker Face, season 1 (Peacock)
(Peacock)
Peacock took some big swings this year and brought us one of the best and most creative murder mystery shows ever. Rian Johnson’s Poker Face finally gave us the Natasha Lyonne-being-Columbo series we’ve been clamoring for. Lyonne plays Charlie, a woman with a unique superpower. She’s basically a human lie detector, and while she can’t read your mind, she knows when you’re being less-than-truthful and can call “bulls—t” with 100% accuracy.
This ability gets her in a lot of trouble, but it also puts her in a position to help a lot of people. While there’s a central storyline of Charlie trying to escape people trying to kill her, the show also operates as a case-of-the-week series. Every episode starts with its own murder, and then once we see the murder happen, we go back and see all the events from Charlie’s point of view, following her as she ends up stumbling onto the crime and helping to solve it.
The writing and direction are flawless, Natasha Lyonne gives a fascinating performance as Charlie, and the whole thing is such a breath of fresh air in the current TV landscape. Thankfully, Peacock ordered a second season shortly after the season 1 finale.
4. A Murder at the End of the World, season 1 (FX / Hulu)
(FX)
One of the year’s best shows didn’t premiere until last month, but it’s already compelling as hell. If you love Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij because of The OA or their films The Sound of My Voice and The East, their new show A Murder at the End of the World will be right up your alley.
Emma Corrin plays Darby Hart, a true-crime author and amateur sleuth/hacker who’s invited to a mysterious conference of brilliant minds by tech billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen), who happens to be married to Darby’s hacker idol, Lee Andersen (Brit Marling). As the title suggests, there’s murder at the end of the world, which refers to the remote location of the retreat rather than an apocalyptic premise. However, the apocalypse is evoked, as the devastating effects of climate change (and what can be done about them) are discussed often.
Marling and Batmanglij are excellent at making strange, esoteric worlds feel lived-in and thoroughly human, and Emma Corrin is giving a terrific, compelling performance. Whether you’re into murder mysteries, hacker culture, or just good drama with a unique love story at its center, A Murder at the End of the World will scratch all those itches.
3. Beef, season 1 (Netflix)
(Netflix)
Beef, starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, was one of 2023’s most fascinating and unique offerings. It gave us two nuanced, screwed-up characters in Danny Cho and Amy Lau who, in spite of their flaws and their disproportionate obsession with taking each other down, manage to remain completely relatable.
As TMS‘ Madeline Carpou wrote, what sets Beef apart isn’t just the frenzied battle between the show’s two leads, but its incisive commentary on class. Yes, these characters are flawed, but in addition to the social and cultural aspects of their lives (Beef deals with gender, being Asian in the U.S, the intersectionality of being both Asian and Christian), what impacts their lives—and their outsized response to road rage—the most are their individual relationships to money, class, and status.
The Bear‘s first season was a huge success in 2022, but this year’s second season elevated it into the stratosphere creatively and culturally. The first season primarily stuck with its protagonist, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), with the rest of the superb cast of characters serving the central story of “whether he can save the family restaurant.” The Bear‘s second season wisely incorporated deeper journeys for every character—Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney and Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie, among them—allowing the success or failure of their new dining enterprise to be a true group effort.
What’s wonderful about this show is that it finds the vulnerability, love, and kindness in even the most closed-off and hard-edged characters. Every single person on this show is emotionally damaged in some way, and yet season 2 allowed them to grow, evolve, and find their connections to each other in newer, healthier ways. They all still have plenty of work to do, but I am completely invested in watching every single one of them do that work.
The Last of Us debuted on HBO aaaaall the way back in January, which is basically forever ago in TV time. It’s almost hard to imagine that before this year, there was a world in which Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey didn’t exist as Joel Miller and Ellie Williams; a world where Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett didn’t definitively embody Bill and Frank in a gorgeous episode written by Craig Mazin and directed by Peter Hoar; a world where Tess (played with perfect bi wife energy by Anna Torv) wasn’t one of the most awesome and important characters in TLOU; and where Henry’s little brother Sam (played beautifully by Keivon Woodard, please protect this child at all costs) wasn’t always deaf.
Thankfully, we now live in a world where all these things are true. When TLOU game creator Neil Druckmann teamed up with co-creator and showrunner Mazin, they created not only a beautiful TV adaptation of a beloved video game, but a brilliant and beautiful show in its own right.
It may not surprise you to learn that here at Vanity Fair we love drama—the scripted kind, of course, but also the kind that unfolds in breathless tabloid and trade magazine headlines. The kind that’s shocking, if not actually criminal, and provides endless grist for the gossip mill. Luckily for us, this was a year filled to the brim with scandals—from the Gwyneth Paltrow courtroom performance that landed on our list of 2023’s best to the earth-shaking infidelity that rocked Vanderpump Rules and earned its own salacious portmanteau: Scandoval.
What else earns a spot on our list of 2023’s most gripping scandals? Clutch your pearls and read on to find out. (Just a note: We’re concentrating on Hollywood-adjacent scandals, which means you won’t find George Santos or DonaldTrump on this list. Better luck next year, boys!)
Still from To Leslie.From Everett Collection.
To Leslie, the Little Movie With a Giant Heart
Surprised to hear Andrea Riseborough’s name announced as a best actress contender when the 2023 Oscar nominations were revealed in January? You weren’t alone. As Rebecca Fordnoted at the time, plenty of film insiders hadn’t even heard of the movie before it scored that surprise nod. Yet the movie’s tiny profile had been raised at precisely the right time to get the Academy’s attention, thanks to a coordinated effort that centered on grassroots promotion by high-profile actors like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Edward Norton. Did To Leslie break any actual Academy rules with its unconventional campaign? No, but the organization did overhaul its campaign guidelines this spring, as a direct result of the scandal. Looks like Leslie may remain one of a kind.
Sanderson v. Paltrow
Who knew that a minor accident on the slopes of the exclusive Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah could result in such gripping television? Well, we did—considering the accused ski-crasher was none other than Oscar winner and GOOP mogul Gwyneth Paltrow. From Paltrow’s courtroom fashion to her Clark Kent look-alike lawyer to her answer when asked by Terry Sanderson’s attorney to explain what the collision had cost her—“Well, I lost half a day of skiing”—every moment of the conflict felt like it had been written by White Lotus maestro Mike White. No wonder there’s already a musical about it opening this winter.
Scandoval
Where to begin with the cheating scandal that tore apart Vanderpump Rules—and made the long-running Bravo staple a must-watch once more? Try Chris Murphy’s detailed breakdown from March, which names all of the main players—Tom Sandoval, his costar and longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix, and their costar Rachel Leviss (who, at the time the scandal broke, was going by Raquel)—and explains precisely why it was such catnip for reality TV mavens. Scandoval’s ripple effects are legion, extending past the show into unauthorized merch and an unopened sandwich shop and podcasts and non-Vanderpump TV gigs for even the most tangentially connected castmates. It’s Scandoval’s world; the rest of us are just living in it.
The Jeff Shell Affair
Comcast shocked the industry in April when it fired Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal, after an internal investigation corroborated an employee’s allegations of sexual harassment. Soon, details began to emerge: For years, the married Shell had been having an affair with CNBC anchor Hadley Gamble. The relationship ended in 2021; this year, Gamble learned that her contract would not be renewed. As Variety details, she then filed a sexual harassment and discrimination complaint against Shell. The sordid saga had a whiff of irony as well: The year before he and Gamble ended their entanglement, Shell had fired Universal executive Ron Meyer over a similar sexually-charged scandal involving actor Charlotte Kirk. Some speculated that fixer Anthony Pellicano, an associate of Meyer, may have played a role in Shell’s ouster as well; “I had absolutely nothing to do with it, although I’m very happy to see it occur,” the private investigator told Variety.
Chris Licht’s CNN Catastrophe
Chris Licht lost control of CNN the same way Mike went bankrupt in The Sun Also Rises: gradually, then suddenly. Just one year after controversial Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had chosen the newsman to head up the cable channel in 2022, Licht was booted from the job following a much-maligned town hall event featuring Donald Trump and a damning profile in The Atlantic that painted Licht as a remote, out-of-touch boss whose only goal seemed to be pleasing Zaslav’s every demand. “Definite feelings of widespread relief in the building. It just couldn’t last at this point,” one CNN source told Vanity Fair after the plug was finally pulled.
This delightful series breaks so many streaming-age drama rules. It takes its storytelling, characters, and themes seriously without taking itself seriously (i.e., it’s a fun diversion, not an unstructured or grim slog). Plus, though there’s a running strand of plot-stretching through the first season, each episode functions as its own self-contained story. Who knew any of this was still allowed? With an incredibly stacked roster of guest stars (Nick Nolte, Benjamin Bratt, Ellen Barkin, Ron Perlman) and a detective premise anchored by the brilliant and irresistible Natasha Lyonne, this smart Columbo homage came out of the gate strong and just kept building on what it does well. When season two rolls around, I want—no, demand—that Hong Chau comes back as the canny, slightly unhinged trucker she played to perfection. —M.R.
Primo
Courtesy of Amazon Freevee.
Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) is a San Antonio high school student being raised by his single mother, Drea (Christina Vidal). His father has never been in the picture, but he has plentiful male role models to fill the vacuum: Drea’s five brothers. There’s Mike (Henri Esteve), who derives a lot of his identity from having served in the military without having actually learned the tactical skills he thinks he has. There’s Rollie (Johnny Rey Diaz), who’s named himself “The Brown Knight” for his role as neighborhood avenger. There’s Mondo (Efrain Villa), who, when an urgent care doctor asks, can’t rule out having “been intimate” with a shark. There’s Ryan (Carlos Santos), whose white-collar job in a bank branch has convinced him he’s the biggest intellect in a family of know-it-alls. And finally, there’s Jay (Jonathan Medina), who lets Mike trap him on the roof in retaliation for Jay having done the same thing to Mike years earlier. Series creator Shea Serrano based Primo on his own youth—and not particularly loosely, judging by photos he recently posted of the show’s characters and their real-life inspirations. The result is one the funniest and truest family comedies to hit TV in years. —T.A.
Reservation Dogs
In the first scene of Reservation Dogs, four Indigenous teenagers hijack a Flaming Flamers chip truck, driving it straight past an oblivious tribal police officer to a local scrap yard, where they sell it for cash. The titular Reservation Dogs—Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Elora (Devery Jacobs), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), and Cheese (Lane Factor)—style themselves a gang, but they’re pulling heists for a reason: They’re raising money so that they can move from their hometown of Okern, Oklahoma, to California. But the more time we spend with them, the better we understand the complexity of what “home” means to each of them—and why, or even whether, they actually want to leave. Over its run, Dogs has explored each of its characters, their families of origin, and the families they’ve chosen. As delicate and lovely as these stories have been, however, the characters have fundamentally remained the little shit-ass delinquents of that series premiere, roasting each other as mercilessly as Bear gets roasted by his intermittently helpful spirit guide, William Knifeman (Dallas Goldtooth). Cocreator Sterlin Harjo has made a true masterpiece about loss, love, and snacks; I can’t wait to see what he brings us next. —T.A.
Somebody Somewhere
Courtesy of HBO.
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Richard Lawson, Tara Ariano, Maureen Ryan, Joy Press
