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  • ‘The Other Two’ Is Taking “Big Swings” in Season 3

    ‘The Other Two’ Is Taking “Big Swings” in Season 3

    Fans of The Other Two—the HBO Max comedy created, written, and executive produced by former SNL head writers Sarah Schneider and Chris Kelly—are used to a bit of jumping around. The critical darling, which follows Brooke and Cary Dubek (Heléne Yorke and Drew Tarver) in their quest to escape the shadow of their Justin Bieber–esque brother, ChaseDreams (Case Walker)—and, eventually, the shadow of their Ellen DeGeneres–adjacent talk show host mother, Pat (Molly Shannon)—premiered on Comedy Central in 2019 before getting scooped up by the streamer for its second season. Nearly two years after making the leap from cable to streaming, The Other Two returns to HBO Max on May 4 for its third season, where it will make its biggest leap yet. 

    After cruising through everything from a Hillsong-inspired baptism to an event dedicated to unveiling a secret Hadid’s face, season two ended on perhaps the best one-off pandemic joke we’ve seen on TV so far. Struggling actor Cary finally got a starring role in an indie film, with rehearsals set to begin—when else?—March 13, 2020. So, is season three all about the harrowing journey of making an indie film about essential workers amidst a global pandemic?  

    Yes, says Kelly. “All 10 episodes take place in real time on March 12, 2020.”

    Molly Shannon in The Other Two.

    Greg Endries/HBO Max

    He’s joking. Instead, Kelly and Schneider wisely decided to jump three years into the future for season three. “We did just skip right the hell over that,” Kelly says. “Please make sure you print that this is not, like, a COVID show. We are not all about COVID now.”

    But season three doesn’t pretend the pandemic didn’t happen, either. “Our show is so grounded in what feels real and current. We didn’t want to make a show that completely ignored our current situation and the ongoing effects of living through a global pandemic,” says Schneider. (Fittingly, we’re talking over Zoom.) “We are three years in the future, but all of our characters have been impacted in some way by what we’ve all gone through. And we just tried to explore different funny routes that that would take them.”

    Season two ended with Cary and Brooke both finding success in their own right—with Cary’s acting career finally taking off and Brooke becoming manager for every other member of her family. But that doesn’t mean all their problems have gone away. If anything, the more things change, the more things stay the same.

    Drew Tarver in The Other Two.

    Greg Endries/HBO Max

    “With the time jump, the family is years into being part of the public eye,” Tarver tells me in a separate Zoom call with Yorke. “I feel like they’ve settled into their fame, or their notoriety, and the issues that they were dealing with have become more commonplace. There’s maybe a deeper layer of, I guess, humiliation and sadness that comes along with that. The show continues to deliver in terms of the characters being humiliated—the ‘other two’ getting humiliated—in a very exciting, funny, new way.”

    The intersection between humiliation and hilarity has always been The Other Two’s bread and butter, whether that’s involved Cary’s nude accidentally going “gay-viral” or Brooke inadvertently leading a “Women can suck!” chant at a panel. But season two proved that The Other Two also excels at pointed cultural satire, with sharp takes on everything from HGTV to Vogue. Cary’s season two dalliance with Dean, a straight actor who wanted to seem gay in public, predated proliferating discussions of “queerbaiting,” while Pat’s talk show, Pat!, arrived right around the morning talk show renaissance that also brought us The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Jennifer Hudson Show. Clearly, “Pat’s influence knows no bounds,” Kelly jokes. “This is all because of Pat.”

    Chris Murphy

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  • ‘The Last Of Us’ Creators on Why They Never Considered Changing the Ending

    ‘The Last Of Us’ Creators on Why They Never Considered Changing the Ending

    Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Last of Us season finale.

    Although Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have changed a few things here and there, the ending of The Last Of Us has never been up for debate. While it‘s a bit tragic and calls Joel’s morality into question, the ending is absolutely integral to the themes of the story being told. Strangely enough, original Last of Us game creator Neil Druckmann was open to changing the story’s ending if it fits the needs of the show, but fellow TV Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin didn’t even give it a second thought.

    During a Last Of Us press conference, both of them spoke about the process of writing. Any deviations were pretty minor. As Mazin put it…

    Neil was, I will say never, I honestly mean this, I don’t think he was ever the guy who said, ‘No, we have to do it the way it was in the game.’ I was that guy, because I’m a fan. And Neil, in the smartest, most generous and flexible way, was always open to the process of adaptation. He understood what adaptation meant … But, the ending, there was never a question. As a player, I got to the end, why would I ever want to change that? It’s awesome.

    Hence, as in the game, Joel chooses to save Ellie at the cost of a potentially world-changing cure for the Cordyceps fungus. Since Ellie is naturally immune, the Fireflies were planning to extract this cure from Ellie. Unfortunately, the process would kill her. Joel just spent the whole course of the series learning to love Ellie as a daughter, and since he has nothing left without her, losing her would just be too much for him to bear.

    You can watch the full season of The Last of Us on HBO Max.

    Every Video Game Movie Ever Made, Ranked From Worst to Best

    Cody Mcintosh

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  • What Shows Should You Stream This Spring?

    What Shows Should You Stream This Spring?

    I’m at that point in life where I’m re-watching my favorite comfort shows for the zillionth time because nothing else is on. All of the shows I watch aren’t currently airing, and quite frankly, I’m bored. I can essentially quote New Girl word-for-word now because of this agonizing lull.

    And while Zooey Deschanel is never the wrong choice, I’m already counting down the days until I have something new to watch. There are plenty of good shows in existence, but when it takes Euphoria three years to create a new season…times get tough.

    Luckily enough for me – and the rest of the world – there have been a few recent announcements that have restored my faith in the streaming service gods. The TV networks have seen me re-watch Ted Lasso for the umpteenth time and decided it’s finally time to give me a new season. We can collectively release a sigh of relief.

    HBO Max, Apple TV+, Netflix, and more have been slowly announcing their upcoming shows for spring 2023 and I’m finally feeling better. I can feel myself being released from the grip of excessive reality television as we speak. I’ve even been watching countless re-runs of Degrassi (which is Drake at his best, by the way).

    If you’re feeling a little uninspired, underwhelmed, and burnt out from browsing Hulu’s main page for a show to stick out – same. But there’s hope on the horizon. Here are the best shows to stream this spring across all platforms:

    Ted Lasso – Apple TV+, March 15

    With 40 Emmy nominations and 11 wins, the accolades speak for themselves.
    Ted Lasso follows Jason Sudeikis as the title character throughout his time coaching AFC Richmond soccer as an American football coach. With lovable characters like Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), it’s hard not to become obsessed with the show.

    Everyone loves a good underdog story, and this one is no exception. This season’s dilemma? How will Coach Nate coaching Rupert’s team affect AFC Richmond’s future?

    Succession – HBO Max, March 26

    Another huge contender at the Emmy’s: HBO Max’s Succession. It’s a drama series reminiscent of the Murdaugh family, with Logan Roy (Brian Cox) heading the media conglomerate Waystar Royco. Although his retirement is ever-looming, his children Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook) are constantly competing for a spot at the head of the table.

    Viewers go insane for the relationship between Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen), but season four is going to be explosive considering all of the children are in their “Reputation Era” of sorts.

    Quarterback – Netflix

    Netflix just announced they’re releasing
    Quarterback, which follows three QBs in the NFL during the 2022 season. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons), and Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings) were mic’d up each game and are now giving fans the most intimate look into the season.

    Since there are a little under 200 days until we see the next snap of a football,
    Quarterback will be a great placeholder. Fans of the game will have a chance to see some of the league’s most exciting quarterbacks in action like they’ve never seen before.

    You – Netflix, March 9

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvwvHrtL1xY

    It feels like Penn Badgley becomes the most viral person on the internet whenever a new season of You premieres. The newest installment of the Netflix series has been divided in two parts. The first is out now, and the next comes out March 9.

    We are finally seeing Joe get a taste of his own medicine. In a Knives Out-style who-dunnit, Joe is surrounded by a group of rich elite in England and someone is out to get him. With rising stars like Lukas Gage (Euphoria, White Lotus), I’m anticipating big things from part two.

    Outer Banks – Netflix, February 23 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0w8iL2vS04

    Brace yourselves. Soon everyone will be back trying to mold themselves into a John B derivative. Outer Banks is back for another season of rewriting The Goonies and us eating it up. Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, Madison Bailey, and Jonathon Daviss will take up our social media from here on out.

    Netflix knows they have a grip on the TikTok community with this show, so I can only imagine there will be lots of thirst-trap-worthy clips, a run-in with the police and the Kooks, and a plethora of bandanas tied around the neck. The Outer Banks, paradise on Earth.

    Daisy Jones & The Six – Amazon Prime Video, March 3

    If you know me, you know I’ve been anticipating this show for almost a year now. One of my favorite books of all time by Taylor Jenkins Reid has been turned into an Amazon Prime miniseries. If you’re a fan of Fleetwood Mac and 70’s rock and roll, this show will give you your fix.

    With a star-studded cast featuring Riley Keough (Elvis’ granddaughter), Suki Waterhouse, Sam Claflin, and Camila Morrone, I expect nothing less than excellence. Keough and Claflin play TJR’s version of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, as the show follows the tumultuously talented band looking back on their prime years.

    Jai Phillips

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  • Elizabeth Olsen Becomes Killer Candy Montgomery in ‘Love & Death’

    Elizabeth Olsen Becomes Killer Candy Montgomery in ‘Love & Death’

    Four decades later, the anomalous incident remains a morbid fascination. Following a 1990 TV-movie adaptation starring Barbara Hershey and a Hulu limited series last year starring Jessica Biel, Emmy-winning writer and Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley tackles the stranger-than-fiction story in the HBO Max miniseries Love & Death. The seven-episode project, which premieres on April 27, stars Elizabeth Olsen as Candy, Lily Rabe as Betty, and Jesse Plemons as Betty’s husband, Allan, whose affair with Candy precipitates his wife’s death.

    In an interview with Vanity Fair, Olsen says she leapt at the chance to explore Candy’s complicated psychology—and to “figure out how to be on her side and the life that leads up to that moment.” Director Lesli Linka Glatter drew from Texas Monthly’s two-part account of the incident as well as Evidence of Love, a book from the same writers, Jim Atkinson and John Bloom. The journalists describe Candy as the kind of type A housewife who meticulously prepared meals, volunteered at church, and enjoyed country-western dancing with her friends. Before embarking on an affair with Allan, Candy had created the family she always envisioned for herself—yet found herself yearning for something more fulfilling.

    Speaking about Love & Death, which is set in the late 1970s and early 1980s, director Glatter (Mad Men, Homeland) says, “This is about women and men in this time period—they did everything right. They got married at 20, had kids. [Candy’s husband] Pat was a wonderful supporter and scientist. They moved to the suburbs. They built their dream house. Then why do you feel so profoundly empty inside? Why is there a hole in your heart and psyche a mile wide? She makes a horrible choice how to fill that void.”

    Julie Miller

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  • The Netflix & Chill Era Is Officially Over

    The Netflix & Chill Era Is Officially Over

    It’s all over. Long gone are the days where you log into your ex’s Netflix account and binge-watch the latest episodes of Stranger Things. Yep, Netflix took note that you were 1 of 10 people on the same account and eradicated password sharingcompletely.

    Netflix’s cruel and unusually punishing anti-password agenda includes re-connecting to your home Wi-Fi network every 31 days or they block your account! Come March, you’ll have to pay for password sharing in general. But don’t fret! A temporary code can be requested for users outside your Wi-Fi for 7 whole days’ access.

    Can I get a sigh of relief, anyone? No??

    While Netflix thought this so-called “genius” ploy would force streamers to purchase their own account at a whopping $19.99/month… that is not happening. Apparently, we are not having it. Because – sadly – they don’t have enough thrilling shows to keep me coming back. In fact, the entire world currently prefers HBO Max.

    Coming from the company that once tweeted, “love is sharing a password,” it’s clear that Netflix is its own worst enemy. They simply can’t compare to HBO Max, which currently has four shows tracking at 15+ million viewers per episode: Euphoria, The Last Of Us, House Of The Dragon, and The White Lotus.

    Although Netflix once was the OG streaming service, it’s time to say goodbye. Since there’s a trillion platforms out there, each with their own subscription fee and better options, I’ll be taking my business elsewhere.

    Maybe it should be HBO Max and chill…?

    Jai Phillips

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  • ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Frank, My Dear

    ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Frank, My Dear

    It’s only January. It is way too soon to talk about The Last of Us’s third episode, “Long Long Time,” as the best episode of 2023, let alone the best episode of The Last of Us, right? Right. But! Is it too soon to declare it the best episode of 2023 and The Last of Us, so far? Not from where I’m standing.

    Following an opening two installments that demonstrated astounding fidelity to the video game it’s based on, The Last of Us breaks the mold with its riveting third episode, a 75-minute meditation on life and love in the not-quite-a-zombie apocalypse. Driven forward by powerful performances from TV treasures Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, “Long Long Time” marks the biggest departure from the Last of Us source material to date, offering a very different look at the video game characters of Bill and Frank, to the point that they may as well be show-only inventions. 

    While their origins are very much rooted in the game, Bill and Frank’s HBO debut (tragically short-lived as it may be) imbues the TV series with something that not even the fungus-free Ellie (Bella Ramsey) has managed to instill in Pedro Pascal’s Joel quite yet: hope, in an otherwise hopeless world. Of course, by the episode’s end, “Long Long Time” also manages to leave the audience completely wrecked. It’s still The Last of Us, after all.

    The episode begins in the aftermath of a different wreck: Tess (Anna Torv), gone but not forgotten following her explosive sacrifice play. Joel would prefer if Ellie forgets all about her, but Ellie evokes Tess’s name all the same: “Nobody made you go along with this plan. You needed a truck battery or something, and you made a choice. Don’t blame me for something that isn’t my fault.” Fair enough, Joel probably thinks, but doesn’t say aloud, as the two reluctant companions set off to link up with Bill and Frank, two of Joel and Tess’s business partners outside of the quarantine zone, who are better equipped to deal with a precocious child than the tragically childless Joel.

    The journey to Bill and Frank’s is a relatively peaceful one. No explosions, no deaths, unless we’re counting the clicker Ellie examines and then stabs in the head at a local gas station. (Not just any gas station, mind you, but a Cumberland Farms! Consider it one last tip of the Red Sox cap to the New England faithful.) Despite no imminent danger, ghosts lurk throughout Joel and Ellie’s trek. They walk past the ancient wreckage of a plane crash, busted and overgrown like everything else in the greater Boston area. They talk about theories surrounding the Cordyceps outbreak, with Joel throwing his lot behind “the big bread theory.” They reach a makeshift graveyard littered with the bones of uninfected individuals, executed for fear of overcrowding the quarantine zones—ironic, given humanity’s current place on the endangered species list.

    “Why kill them? Why not just leave them be?” Ellie asks, not understanding why these folks had to die. Joel’s heartbreaking answer: “Dead people can’t be infected.”

    Fifteen minutes of television have elapsed at this point. With an hour still on the clock, The Last of Us pushes into another window of sorts, tripping backward in time all the way to the start of the outbreak. We see soldiers round up a group of people on a truck, the same people whose bones Joel and Ellie will someday meet on the side of the road. But just when it feels like the show’s about to dive into the backstories of these soon-to-be corpses, the action instead shifts to someone else entirely—someone who is very, very alive.

    Enter: Bill, the veritable Ron Swanson of the apocalypse. It’s not just because the heavily bearded man comes to us courtesy of Parks and Recreation alum Nick Offerman. It’s also because this heavily bearded man acts exactly as one would expect Offerman’s Ron to under similar circumstances, with grim-faced badassery and a deep stockpile of supplies. The proud survivalist watches surveillance camera footage of soldiers rounding up the people of Bill’s town, Lincoln. (Another elaboration from the game, where it’s literally named “Bill’s Town.”) When he’s satisfied that they’re all gone, Bill emerges from his underground bunker and sets about his new life, securing supplies, boobytrapping property, eating lavish home-cooked dinners for one, and otherwise generally thriving at the end of the world.

    Josh Wigler

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  • ‘The Last of Us’ Premiere Now Available Online For Free

    ‘The Last of Us’ Premiere Now Available Online For Free

    HBO Max’s The Last of Us is proving to be incredibly popular. That’ll only be helped by the fact that they’ve made the first episode free on their platform. If you’re in the U.S., you can access the first episode without a subscription using the HBO Max app. If you’re in the U.K., you can access the episode on SkyTV, or even on YouTube.

    Reviews for the show have been resoundingly positive everywhere, which is kind of huge. It’s not often that TV and movies that use video games as source material come out to much fanfare, but The Last of Us has managed to pull it off. The first season of the show is nine episodes long, and it follows Joel (portrayed by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate their way through a post-apocalyptic environment. The world has been ravaged by the Cordyceps fungus, turning most of humanity into creatures very much resembling zombies.

    Perhaps one of the main reasons for the show’s success was the cinematic nature of the original games. They’re filled with well-acted and well-directed cutscenes. Additionally, Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director behind the games in the franchise, co-created the series for HBO with Craig Mazin. This obviously made for an incredibly faithful adaptation. So far, it’s widely considered to be one of the best video game adaptations ever.

    Initially, the series was going to be a feature-length film, but after years stuck in development hell, plans changed. Eventually, in 2020, it was announced that a TV series was in its planning phase. There were a few stumbling blocks here and there, but overall, the production was smooth. In fact, it’s believed to be one of the biggest productions in Canadian history.

    You can watch the first episode on HBO Max for free right here.

    Every Video Game Movie Ever Made, Ranked From Worst to Best

    Cody Mcintosh

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  • ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Umami Bomb

    ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Umami Bomb

    The Last of Us exploded onto HBO with a massive series premiere, scoring 4.7 million viewers for its opening installment. It’s HBO’s second-biggest premiere since 2010’s Boardwalk Empire, surpassed only by a certain dragon show. With its second episode, The Last of Us explodes in a literal way, as the show’s fungal foes finally arrive in earnest, and one party member exits the stage in tragically early and fiery fashion.

    Directed by Neil Druckmann, co-creator of the Last of Us video game and show alike, episode two, “Infected,” lives up to its title, taking us all the way back to the origin point of the extinction-level event: Jakarta, Indonesia, briefly referenced in the series premiere. If John Hannah’s Doctor Neuman called the mushroom apocalypse back in 1968, then University of Indonesia mycology professor Ibu Ratna verifies it here in 2003. The scientist (played by Indonesian acting icon Christine Hakim) spends the last day of her life before the fall of civilization much the same as Pedro Pascal’s Joel: eating a meal, perhaps not thinking much of the day ahead. Then, a pair of soldiers appear in the restaurant she’s dining in, unannounced. They escort Professor Ratna to a facility to help them confirm the government’s worst fears: a human host infected by a lethal fungal strain, one that should not exist in humans at all.

    “Cordyceps cannot survive in humans,” says Ratna, leaning on her years of expertise, denying the truth on the microscope slide right in front of her. But there’s no room for denial when she sees the infection thriving in a human body, cold and naked on an autopsy table, a white web of tendrils sprouting beneath the surface of the skin, more embedded in the throat. An empathetic, but visibly terrified military official (Yaya A.W. Unru) sits down with the horrified Ratna, to tell her how they came across this Cordyceps-infected corpse. (Corpse-dyceps? No? Listen, I’m just trying to lighten the mood here. It’s the end times!)

    Effectively, the woman violently attacked a number of colleagues at her place of work, a flour and grain facility. (Not a joke: a widespread number of fans left the Last of Us series premiere pointing at bread as the source of the apocalypse, with Joel’s half-assed Atkins Diet, or maybe just his inability to make a grocery run, literally saving his life. It sounded fairly ridiculous in the moment, but who’s laughing now?) While the folks the woman attacked have all been handled—as in, executed “according to procedure”—there’s no accounting for the person who bit the infected woman, and no accounting for fourteen missing coworkers either. The military official begs Ratna for guidance on what to do next.

    “I have spent my life studying these things, so please listen carefully: there is no medicine, there is no vaccine,” Ratna tells the officer. When pressed on what they can do to stop the thread, Ratna’s answer is a single, horrible word, spoken in English: “Bomb.”

    Twenty years later, we see the results of Professor Ratna’s scientific guidance, as far away from Jakarta as a bombed-out New England. Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) continue their mission to safely escort a teenager named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to what’s left of the Massachusetts State House in Boston. But much like Ratna, Joel, and Tess are having trouble believing what they’re seeing: Ellie has tested positive for Cordyceps, and yet, she’s not a monster. Just as Cordyceps growing within humans was once thought an impossibility, Ellie’s apparent immunity swings things back in the other direction. Against all advice from Firefly leader Marlene (Merle Dandrige), Ellie tells Joel and Tess all about her bite, and her resistance to the cause of mankind’s near-extinction. 

    “There’s a Firefly base camp out west, with doctors working on the cure,” says Ellie. “Whatever happened to me, is the key to–”

    “–finding the vaccine,” says Joel, finishing the sentence, incredulous about what he’s hearing. “That’s what this is? We’ve heard this a million times … this isn’t going to end well, Tess. We need to go back.”

    In another universe, in another show entirely, Anna Torv once embodied a soldier who encountered stranger situations than fungal zombies; perhaps some measure of that acceptance has leaked over from Fringe to The Last of Us, as Torv’s Tess shuts down Joel’s pitch to turn back around to the quarantine zone, and instead decides to finish the mission of delivering Ellie to the Fireflies. By the end of the episode, you can imagine Joel’s plea ringing through whatever’s left of Tess’s ears.

    Josh Wigler

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  • ‘Sex Lives Of College Girls’ Pauline Chalamet Reveals ‘Worst’ Part About Recording ‘Cringe’ Sex Noises

    ‘Sex Lives Of College Girls’ Pauline Chalamet Reveals ‘Worst’ Part About Recording ‘Cringe’ Sex Noises

    Pauline Chalamet is getting candid about the massive level of “cringe” she suffered mimicking sex noises while filming “Sex Lives of College Girls.”

    The actor, who stars as Kimberly Finkle in HBO’s hit teen comedy-drama series, recently shared that recording sex noises for Season 2 was “much stranger” than filming sex scenes.

    “The worst is when you’re in ADR, when you’re watching the [scene] and they’re like, ‘We need a bit more moaning,’” the 30-year-old said during an interview Friday with Variety.

    In film, automated dialogue replacement (ADR) is used to improve the sound quality of an actor’s dialogue from scenes in a quieter setting such as a recording studio, after filming wraps.

    “You’re standing there and they’re like, ‘OK. Do a few more with your mouth open,’” she added, mimicking a comedic moan.

    Calling the uncomfortable task the “epitome of cringe,” Chalamet also revealed that she ad-libbed some ridiculous lines like, “Wowee zowee!” during ADR.

    Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, “Sex Lives of College Girls” follows four 18-year-old freshman roommates at Essex College in Vermont as they explore their sexualities while navigating college life. The series also stars Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp and Alyah Chanelle Scott as Kimberly’s best friends and roommates.

    Later in the interview, Chalamet gushed about her desire to tap into the world of film.

    Though she called working in television “a blessing,” the actor, who had a role in Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island” in 2020, opened up about wanting to work with directors such as Janicza Bravo, Ari Aster, Céline Sciamma and Sarah Polley.

    “I would love to work on something where the connection and the relationship with the director is something that’s really nurtured for months,” she said. “To create something that’s final.”

    You can watch new episodes of “The Sex Lives of College Girls” Thursdays on HBO Max.

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  • What’s About To Happen In White Lotus?

    What’s About To Happen In White Lotus?

    Image via SKY/HBO Max

    With the White Lotus finale happening this weekend, we are certain of one thing only: anyone could die. Countless fan theories are swirling around the internet and it’s taught us that we don’t know who to believe anymore. Every White Lotus theory seems correct, but we know to expect the unexpected with this show.

    Our editors have our theories, too:

    Langa

    This time last week I was convinced that it was over for Ms Tanya — and her little Portia too. But now I’m less sure. I — along with half the internet, so I can’t take credit — called the connection between Greg and the gays. The working theory: they were conspiring to kill Tanya for her fortune. However, Episode 6 revealed that they videotaped Tanya’s fab tryst with the Italian drug dealer. It seems Greg will use the tape to get Tanya’s money in the divorce. With this in mind, a murder plot seems superfluous. With the bag secured, there’s no ned for violence. I’m still putting a big pin in the gun in the bag though. Much to think about.

    And so now I am left with these theories:

    • Lucia is trying to scam Albie for money. In Episode 1, she seemed very friendly with Alessio so his stalking might be an act to get a windfall from the naive puppy. Then something goes wrong and Albie gets it
    • Something has to be up with the grandfather. He keeps falling — maybe this time, to his death? Last season’s murder was also an accident, so all this might end up being much simpler than we thought
    • I do not think the couples are the murderees. But I have theories about them: I think Harper was fucking with Ethan the way Daphne does to Cam. By flirting with Cam and unlocking the door, she wants him to go crazy like she did. And this craziness is the most passion she’s seen from Ethan the whole time
    • HOWEVER something could be going on with the fact that Cam hasn’t paid Lucia. She might confront him again and something go awry and someone dies
    • Did Valentina give Mia a master key to the hotel? That spells trouble for sure
    • When Lucia said “The whores are always punished in the end” what if she was talking about Jack, who seems to be in some transactional relationship with his not-uncle. What if Portia and Tanya try to get away and out pops the gun, which ends up killing my Essex king?

    Jenna

    PSA: I don’t have TikTok so I feel like I’m missing out on valuable clues. Regardless, this is going to be so embarrassing come Monday when all my theories are wrong. Here’s what I’m thinking:

    • Quentin and Greg try to kill Tanya or catch her in a ‘less-than-flattering situation,’ BUT Tanya and Portia use their narcissistic superpowers and end up killing him – intentional or not, I have no idea
    • This is technically like three guesses in one, but something goes down with Albie, Lucia, or Mia. Mia’s gone off the rails with her singing sex-scapades and I think it’s going to come to a dramatic ending
    • The married couples are where things get tricky for me. I oddly feel like Ethan and Cam have an unannounced chemistry (?), but Daphne threw me for a loop with those baby pictures (??). My money’s on Daphne snapping and killing Cam. But also Ethan is stressing me TF out.
    • Lucia, Albie, the Dad, and the dad’s Dad are giving me big Oedipus Rex energy. Considering that also doesn’t end great, I’m getting the sense that some unknown familial relation(ship) is going to come to the surface.

    Also, can I get bonus points if Laura Dern shows up?

    Jai

    My roommate, Brynn, has sent me a plethora of White Lotus theories on the Tok and the theories make me feel like I haven’t been watching the same show. Granted, you would have to pause every single scene to know what’s happening here. But here are my most solid ones:

    • That creepy scene where all of the men are staring at Aubrey Plaza while she walks around? It’s a parallel from L’Aventura (1960) where Monica Vitti ends up with her friend’s boyfriend after the friend disappears. Could we be seeing Cam and Harper together? Not to mention Tanya says she wants to look like Monica Vitti in a previous ep…
    • …Or is it that Jenna’s right and Ethan and Cam are truly meant to be? The artwork in Harper’s room is all Achilles and Patroclus. Patroclus did heroically disguise himself as Achilles to be killed by the Trojans
    • When Jack is singing the “Blowing Bubbles” song, it’s a signal to the people of Palermo that he is ready to fight. In 2006, 20 West Ham United fans were arrested for a brawl where they were “fighting like animals.” Jack is such a fan, he has a symbol from their crest tattooed on him. He’s up to no good and I’m scared
    • One person who dies isn’t supposed to die. Portia wearing “The Godfather” t-shirt where the wrong mark car is blown up. Then, when they are testing the car explosion, it’s the same dress Tanya is wearing. So maybe Tanya’s supposed to die but someone else does instead

    Report back on Monday to see who was wrong, and who was even more wrong.

    Jai Phillips

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  • 5 Tracks That Inspired NCognita

    5 Tracks That Inspired NCognita

    She’s just getting started, but NCognita displays a skill many rappers never achieve.

    She can effortlessly twist a phrase, change speeds, and then do her own hook. She’s comfortable on both club anthems and complex intellectual verses. Maybe that’s how she ended up on the soundtrack to Issa Rae’s HBO Max show Rap Sh!t.

    Watch NCognita talk about some of her favorite songs for 5 Tracks That Inspired Me, and stream her EP The Playbook below.

    Staff

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  • The Best TV Shows Of 2022

    The Best TV Shows Of 2022

    As 2022 winds down, it’s time to look back on the best TV series that have graced the small screen since January. They’ve made us laugh, cry, and even see the world through a different perspective. TV is no longer something we throw on in the background while making dinner — these days, it’s more a form of high art. Many shows require our full attention, serving the same level of engaging drama once reserved for the movie theater.

    But let’s be honest — it’s a bit of a weird time for television right now. The past decade has seen an exponential rise in streamable content, with production studios heaving millions of dollars into big budget series without thinking about the consequences. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and other major streamers are all competing for viewers, similar to the days of cable ratings. And yet, the shiny veneer of these streaming services’ Golden Age is beginning to wear just a bit — just because you have thousands of shows at your fingertips doesn’t mean that all are worth watching.

    That being said, there have been some exceptional TV shows released this year. Leaning away from the conventions of the standard half-hour comedy and hour-long drama, the best TV shows of 2022 create their own rules. Several of them don’t define themselves by a single genre — there are comedies that are grounded by genuine emotion, and dramas that are woven with sharp humor. If you haven’t seen these shows yet, we recommend you give them a watch.

    The Best TV Shows Of 2022

    We picked the 10 best TV shows of the year.

    The Best Movies of 2022

    Here are ScreenCrush’s picks for the top films of the year.

    Claire Epting

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  • White Lotus’s Most Chaotic Character Has the Most Chaotic Style. Here’s Where to Buy It

    White Lotus’s Most Chaotic Character Has the Most Chaotic Style. Here’s Where to Buy It

    I hate everyone in the latest White Lotus season. But, undoubtedly, that’s the point. Like the award-winning cast of Season 1 — which put Sydney Sweeney on the map — this year’s lineup is a mix of detestable rich people that I’m obsessed with.

    In the current Succession drought, I miss my weekly fix of insufferable capitalist antics. Season 1 of White Lotus was a revelation. And quite the poignant portrait of the intricate ecosystem of wealthy people. Set at the prestigious resort, the show did an impeccable job of sucking us into every last character’s storyline — even though we loathed them.

    And now Season 2 has arrived with a new cast of privileged hotel guests — and this time . . . in Sicily, Italy.

    The show’s genius is that it’s a gripping, modern take on the murder mystery. Not your classic whodunnit, the show is far more than an empty thriller. It’s an examination of class from every angle — and it paints an addictive and unforgiving perspective. If you somehow missed the first season — how? — now’s the ideal time to catch up. Season 2 is here, and every week brings fresh capitalist horrors.

    Aside from two returning guests — including the iconic Jennifer Coolidge, who won an Emmy for last season’s performance — we enter Season 2 with a completely new slate. A whole new hoard of characters to judge, hate, and … aspire to?

    Beyond the enviable vacation spot — the sprawling Italian hotel, the scenery, the food — one of the main signifiers of status and personality is style. From the put-together college girl duo to Alexandra Daddario’s cluelessly-assembled outfits in Season 1, the show’s styling is one of its many gems.

    The show’s costume designer — Alex Bovaird — is an Emmy-winning mastermind. Ethan’s love of tech fleece, Albie’s fresh-from-uni attire, Tanya’s camp opera cape, and even Jack’s tattoos. But nothing has captured the ire of social media like Portia’s outfits.

    Jennifer Coolidge won an Emmy for her role as Tanya in Season 1. And while she’s as fascinating as ever, fans are equally enchanted by a new character: her Gen Z assistant, Portia.

    What’s Portia’s deal?

    Played by Haley Lu Richardson, Portia’s the character they’re trying to launch as this season’s Sydney Sweeney-esque breakout star. Well, she’s certainly starting conversations. She’s Tanya’s assistant and was dragged along on this vacation and is now supposed to hide out in the resort. Which she is not doing.

    First seen sulking behind a restaurant menu and weeping poolside, Portia presents as a victim. Poor girl, stuck in a horrible job with a demanding and unhinged boss. Oh no! But as the show progresses, Portia becomes the anti-hero of the show. And while I doubt she’s the murderer, she’s a very compelling villain.


    Richardson herself told Vanity Fair that “as the episodes go on, you really see just the angst and the misery and the bit of narcissism and unawareness that Portia has.”

    “She’s a mess, she’s a miserable mess,” Portia complains over the phone to an exhausted-sounding friend in her first big scene. But now, that line could apply to her. I mean, she’s in Sicily, and the only work she’s had to do is watch her boss get a tarot card reading. Truly, there are worse things.

    But Miss Portia is not happy. And she’ll tell anyone who will listen — including the two men interested in her at this resort. Instead, she’s dissatisfied, unmoored, and … badly dressed?

    What do Portia’s outfits say about her?

    Everything Bovaird does is intentional. Her choices with Portia haven’t gone unnoticed by fans. “She’s trying a lot of different things at once, and it’s not perfect, so she’s a bit zany.”

    This zaniness takes indecipherable Gen Z style to a bonkers level. It’s maximalism with no clear direction. From hypebeast logo sweatshirts to barely-there bandeaus, everything Portia flaunts I’ve already seen on an Instagram ad. Gen Z favorite brands — Stussy and House of Sunny — are abundant. So are TikTok trends like a knit bucket hat and bright green nail polish.

    All of this points to Portia’s own unpredictability. The internet calls her style chaotic, just like her personality. And it certainly makes sense. She doesn’t know who she is or what she wants — and she dresses like it.

    This is the life of a disillusioned twenty-something, especially one with proximity to wealth. You want something better, something more than what you have … but you have no clue what that is. Unfocused desire, pandemic-stirred boredom, and far too much wine-lubricated social media scrolling lead to a wardrobe of Instagram finds. It’s evident that she’s been inspired by aspirational influencers she watches while doomscrolling. And the desire to prove she’s adventurous and interesting — even if there no substance underneath.

    But no matter what you think about Portia — her style, and her choice of men — a broken clock is right twice a day. So while I wouldn’t wear all her outfits, there are some pieces I do appreciate. I just probably wouldn’t pack them for a Sicilian vacation.


    All products featured are independently selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

    Graphic Sweater Vest

    House of Sunny is one of Gen Z’s most loved, eclectic brands. It went viral on TikTok during the pandemic and is now famous for its prints and bright colors. This is why the exact House of Sunny Sweater Vest that was seen on Portia in her inaugural outfit is totally sold out. You can try to score it secondhand, sure. But like Emma Chamberlain — who is completely on Portia’s style inspo list — Gen Z girls like a sweater vest. So there are many similar options to get the look.

    Square Sunglasses

    Gen Z loves square sunglasses. It’s their chosen accessory — second only to scrunchies, which of course, Portia wears, too. These marble-printed Off-White knockoffs are Portia’s statement accessory. Work on the forehead or in the waistband of her slouchy pants for peak nonchalance.

    Away Luggage, in Millennial Pink

    The luggage of millennials, in that particular shade of pink favored by millennials. Despite Portia’s questionable taste, this one is a fabulous investment. Don’t forget to sloppily slap on some stickers.

    Levi Midi Cutoff Shorts

    Levi’s cutoff shorts are classic. But how Portia styles them? Maybe less classic. But this is the one piece that I’ld definitely take on any vacation. Versatile, flattering, and that mid-thigh cut to stay on trend.

    White Strappy Sandals

    When Portia steps off the boat, the first things we spy . . . the sandals. Clunky, chunky, and ugly-chic, they anchor many of her outfits. For a casual, controversial edge to your outfits, go for a similar strappy shoe.

    Aries ‘No Problemo’ Sweatshirt

    What Gen Z doesn’t love a logo sweatshirt? Bonus points for tie dye, the preeminent pandemic trend. Aries Arise is a newly minted hypebeast favorite, and this No Problemo slogan befits Portia’s apathetic attitude.

    Stussy Workwear Top

    Stussy has been a streetwear staple for decades. And now the internet girlies are catching on. Over the past few years, Stussy has become a social media sensation. But this orange gingham workwear-inspired top is one of the more divisive offerings.

    Nike AF1s

    Another streetwear classic, white Nike Air Force 1s have become sorority girls’ token white sneaker. No wonder they speak to Portia – they’re generic but paired with her kooky outfits, add another unexpected element.

    Asymmetrical Print Midi Skirt

    The 90s are back on trend, and this midi skirt proves it. Asymmetrical enough to appeal to Gen Z and turbulent enough to appeal to Portia, this vintage-inspired skirt is an eclectic addition to any closet.

    House of Sunny Patterned Halterneck Dress

    More House of Sunny! This halterneck dress appears when Portia starts having the fun she only dreamed about. When her fantasy Italian vacation finally gets into gear, she pulls out the big guns with this bold, knit dress.

    House of Sunny Two Piece Set

    Portia wears this two-piece on her big date with Jack. It’s one of her most put-together ensembles — but perhaps only because it’s a matching set. It says: I’m here for a good time, not a long time. And she certainly is.

    LKC

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  • ‘House of the Dragon’ Season Finale Leaks Online Days Early

    ‘House of the Dragon’ Season Finale Leaks Online Days Early

    King Viserys might be dead but interest in House of the Dragon remains strong. So strong, in fact, that the season finale of the Game of Thrones spinoff has leaked online ahead of its scheduled debut.

    An HBO spokesperson confirmed the leak, saying in a statement that the company is “disappointed that this unlawful action has disrupted the viewing experience for loyal fans of the show.” The leak “appears to have originated from a distribution partner in the EMEA region,” the spokesperson added. “HBO is aggressively monitoring and pulling these copies from the internet.”

    Though not an ideal scenario for HBO—which wants as many people to watch what the spokesperson called “a pristine version” of House of the Dragon’s tenth and final episode on its platforms on Sunday night—it does show that fans are eager to see how the fight for the Iron Throne unfolds. House of the Dragon had the biggest new show premiere in the history of HBO when it debuted at the end of August, the company said at the time. The show’s viewership has remained consistent throughout the first season, with each episode averaging around 29 million viewers across all platforms. The popularity of both House of the Dragon and Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has offered valuable lessons for Hollywood as competitors search for their own platform-defining genre hits.

    HBO renewed House of the Dragon in August, though the show will be without one of its co-showrunners moving forward. Miguel Sapochnik, who co-led the first season of the show alongside Ryan Condal and directed its premiere episode, said he would not work on the fantasy drama’s second season.

    This isn’t the first time that the Game of Thrones franchise has faced online leaks ahead of its scheduled air date. An episode of the seventh season of the original series was also uploaded to torrent sites in 2017.

    Listen to the Still Watching: House of the Dragon podcast, and sign up to receive a weekly “Westeros Update” in your inbox.

    Content

    This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

    Natalie Jarvey

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  • Hulu’s New ‘Rosaline’ is Merely One Reason It’s Giving Netflix a Run For Its Money

    Hulu’s New ‘Rosaline’ is Merely One Reason It’s Giving Netflix a Run For Its Money

    You know that shocking, stomach-sinking feeling you get when you catch a glance of your weekly screen time notification on your smartphone or tablet? Well, if they tallied up the hours I’ve spent scrolling through Netflix for a tv show or movie — hello, ANY-thing — to watch, I’d undoubtedly feel so much worse.

    You know the routine: you close your WFH tabs, then open Netflix and settle down and search for satisfying content. But you don’t find anything. Before you know it, you’ve wasted an hour anxiously scrolling through every last one of the recommended titles. So — endlessly frustrated — you give up and doomscroll for hours. Is this your life?

    It was mine until I got a Hulu subscription. I was lured in — like the best of us are — by Dylan O’Brien.

    Hear me out. Earlier this year, Hulu released the much-anticipated comedy-of-errors, Not Okay, starring Zoey Deutch. This satirical comedy about social media is one of the most entertaining commentaries on a young adult life that I’ve seen in a while. The romantic lead? Dylan O’Brien with a blond buzzcut. Need I say more?


    NOT OKAY Trailer (2022)

    www.youtube.com

    That was my first indication that I might have been sleeping on Hulu’s streaming library. Their latest romantic comedy, Rosaline, has cemented my theory: Hulu is fire.

    Rosaline — starring Kaitlyn Dever — is Shakespeare in Love for Gen-Z. It’s a comedic take on Romeo and Juliet from the perspective of Romeo’s jilted ex-lover, Rosaline. It’s fun, fast-paced, and refreshing.

    Honestly, Netflix could never.


    Rosaline | Official Trailer | Hulu

    www.youtube.com

    Here’s my theory: Netflix has been so focused on awards fodder that the rest of its content is glorified Hallmark — I’ll still be watching that new Lindsay Lohan Christmas movie, though. With all that mid-content and high drama surrounding its top-quality releases — like Luckiest Girl Alive and Dahmer — I’m tired of it.

    But with Hulu releasing hit after hit and racking up its own share of awards, Netflix should sleep with one eye open.

    Sure, HBO has Euphoria, Disney Plus has Hocus Pocus 2, and Peacock has that (terrible) new Pete Davidson feature. But if you’re looking for a new streaming service to explore, Hulu is that girl.

    Don’t know where to start? Here are the best titles to stream on Hulu

    Only Murders in the Building

    This Selena Gomez smash is the best thing she’s been in since Wizards of Waverly Place. Alongside co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short, Gomez plays a true-crime aficionado who stumbles into a murder mystery of her own. It’s the whodunnit for the true crime era. The newly released second season is just as fine as the first.

    Booksmart

    We’ve talked — and worried — enough about Olivia Wilde’s second directorial feature, Don’t Worry Darling. But her first film is where it’s at. Starring Beanie Feldstein (Jonah Hill’s sister, fun fact) and Kaitlyn Dever, it’s Superbad for the girls. It’s disarming, complex, and endlessly rewatchable.

    High Fidelity

    ​Hulu took a mid-90s rom-com and turned it into the coolest show with the coolest clothes. Euphoria can set aside. I’d raid the High Fidelity costume closet in a minute. And don’t even get me started on the soundtrack. One of those Gossip Girl teens is in it, too. Tragically, it was canceled after one season, but all the best shows are.

    Under the Banner of Heaven

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDRqWtwbiSM

    Andrew Garfield is fire in this strange, dark series based on a Jon Krakauer stunning nonfiction book of the same title. Garfield stars alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones in this detective drama about LDS community in Salt Lake City. If you liked him in Tammy Faye, you’ll love him in this.

    Normal People

    Skip the Conversations with Friends series. Normal People is by far the superior Sally Rooney novel and superior limited series. It catapulted the careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones into the stratosphere, so we can thank it for that.

    Abbott Elementary

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO-_7oi-61Y

    Wondering where you can stream the beloved, Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary? Hulu has got you covered. Don’t miss Quinta Brunson’s masterpiece — and join us as we patiently await the second season.

    Ramy

    The third season of Ramy is out right now and making headlines for the Bella Hadid cameo. But there’s more to it than that. This award-winning series is both hilarious and earnest, and an absolute must-watch.

    Don’t miss the best of Hulu. It’s waiting for you to binge.

    All products featured are independently selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

    LKC

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