Fans got their first glimpse of Season 3 of FX’s The Bear on Wednesday, April 3, when a 53-second clip from Disney’s shareholders meeting, held earlier on Wednesday, landed on social media. The clip has since been taken down. There’s no exact release date for the new season, but the episodes should land on Hulu sometime in June.
Season 2 concludes with the opening of the Bear, a new restaurant that should better showcase Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney Adamu’s (Ayo Edebiri) fine dining experience. Food media didn’t play a big role in previous seasons, and that may change. The leaked clip features Neil Fak (Matty Matheson) chatting with his brother, Ted (Ricky Staffieri) in the back of the Bear, in the restaurant’s office. The Faks yell out to call Carmy to enter so they can unveil a surprise.
The camera pans to a wall of 10 framed photos filled with portraits. It’s a diverse crew including a white guy wearing tinted glasses and a school-aged girl smiling. Fak points to the wall and tells Carmy these are snapshots of “every major food critic.”
“I hate this feeling,” Carmy says, looking anxious while scanning the photos from a distance.
After Fak asks Carmy to clarify, the chef replies: “I’m not sure, this looks good, though,” he says to the Faks. “This is smart — good job.”
The camera pans over to the photos and it seems the Fak brothers have written a few words under each critic’s name. There are two women named “Eliza Cameron.” One is listed as a blogger and photographer — the photo is of Sue Chan, food industry vet and former brand director at Momofuku. A second “Eliza” is noted as “mysterious” — “She wrote a couple food books. Didn’t read, though,” the photo reads. Another photograph is of Julian Black, a former assistant general manager at New York’s famed Carbone and currently at Prince Street Hospitality. The array also includes New Yorker writer Naomi Fry.
There’s also the curious case of a critic named “Philip Smart.” He’s dressed in a suit and tie — the photo is actually Chris Black of the podcast How Long Gone. Not all of the text is readable, but zooming in, viewers might be able to make out: “He’s from Atlanta, Doesn’t know shit about Chicago. Tough Guy?” The photo also reads: “Likes room temp water. He’s fake sophisticated.”
It’s impossible to know for sure, but the Atlanta reference might be inspired by Chicago magazine critic John Kessler, a former critic for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He’s often lamented Chicago’s flaws.
An FX rep says the clip wasn’t approved for wide sharing and asked for the footage to be pulled. Will this scene remain in the show? Chicago and the rest of the world will have to wait until June to find out.
Update, Wednesday, April 3, 4 p.m.: This piece has been updated to reflect that the footage was taken down by FX.
It’s time, once again, to rally the realm with Mal and Jo as they return to give you their deep dive on the two dueling trailers for the new season of House of the Dragon! They begin with the “Team Green” trailer and discuss what the schemes of Alicent Hightower, Otto Hightower, Criston Cole, and more will be (07:15). Then, they move to the “Team Black” trailer to glean what they can from Rhaenyra, Daemon, and others (68:16). Finally, they take to the skies of speculation to see what they can predict using their knowledge of the book (1:43:30).
Hosts: Mallory Rubin and Joanna Robinson Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production: Arjuna Ramgopal Social: Jomi Adeniran
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Times on Tuesday that officers responded to a burglary around 9 a.m. Friday on the Woodland Hills block where Pierce lives. “Unknown items” were stolen, according to the LAPD, and no arrests have been made.
TMZ first reported that Pierce’s house had been burglarized on Friday while the 10-time NBA All-Star was not home.
The LAPD declined to comment on whether the incident may be connected to a growing trend of “burglary tourism,” in which thieves from South America enter the United States for the purpose of committing robberies, typically in wealthy neighborhoods.
After his retirement from the NBA, Pierce served as a basketball analyst for ESPN and more recently was a cast member on the Fox reality series “Stars on Mars.”
Last year, Pierce reached a $1.4-million settlement agreement with the Securities and Exchanges Commission over alleged unlawful crypto promotion. Pierce admitted to no wrongdoing in making the settlement.
Tyson and Riley are back to recap the third episode of Survivor 46. Today, they are joined by Lauren Harpe from Survivor 44 as they answer the question: “Do the Wackadoodles win Survivor?” Then, they go over the pros and cons of group idol hunts, discuss the possibility of producers creating a miracle for the contestants, and talk about the episode’s surprise ending.
Hosts: Tyson Apostol and Riley McAtee Guest: Lauren Harpe Producer: Ashleigh Smith Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
Matt is joined by The New Yorker’s Michael Schulman to parse through the endless campaigns from the 2024 Oscar season and give out their own awards for the best, worst, and everything in between. Some of the awards include Best Campaign Narrative, Biggest Campaign Misfire, Best Stunt, Best Overall Campaign, and Who Won Awards Season.
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, What I’m Hearing …, click here.
Yip yip! Time to dive into the hotly anticipated first season of Netflix’s Avatar the Last Airbender (09:57). The Midnight Boys discuss what the newest live-action adaptation of this beloved cartoon gets right and mostly wrong, what could make some good adaptations, and the struggles of bad adaptations.
Hosts: Charles Holmes, Van Lathan, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Social: Jomi Adeniran
Many of the conditions that cultivate a robust wildflower season seem to be happening this year. While generous rainfall means more flowers, when they bloom depends on when we start getting warmer days.
DAVID MONTESINO
dmontesino@star-telegram.com
Nothing says spring has sprung in Texas with a prettier flourish than fields full of bluebonnet blooms, and according to experts at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, this season will not disappoint.
“On a scale from one to 10, this year looks like it could be an eight, for bluebonnets in particular, if not even better,” says Andrea DeLong-Amaya, the Center’s Director of Horticulture. “This fall and winter we’ve enjoyed adequate rainfall that’s been well-spaced, which is really key to wildflower development.”
And the drought conditions we experienced during the oppressive heat of last year’s summer withered the competition from plant species in the wild, said Matt O’Toole, Director of Land Management for the Wildflower Center.
“When we have extreme weather the prior summer, we see some plant mortality, which reduces competition in the soil and creates space for spring blooming wildflowers,” O’Toole said.
Many of the conditions that cultivate a robust wildflower season seem to be happening this year. While generous rainfall means more flowers, when they bloom depends on when we start getting warmer days.
Bluebonnets grow in the wild all over Texas, but the state seeds bluebonnets along highways which helps reduce maintenance costs because native wildflower species need less mowing and care. DAVID MONTESINO dmontesino@star-telegram.com
Bluebonnets get their name from the flower’s individual bloom’s resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun. DAVID MONTESINO dmontesino@star-telegram.com
Contrary to various folk stories and legends claiming that the plant originated outside the state, bluebonnets are native to Texas, according to the Texas State Historical Association. DAVID MONTESINO dmontesino@star-telegram.com
So, what are bluebonnets and where they did come from?
The purple blooms are the pride of Texas, adopted by the 27th Texas Legislature as the state flower on March 7, 1901. Bluebonnets get their name from the flower’s individual bloom’s resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun.
“The Bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland,” historian Jack Maguire wrote. “It’s not only the state flower but also a kind of floral trademark almost as well known to outsiders as cowboy boots and the Stetson hat.”
Local lore suggests the lupines were brought over to the New World by Spanish priests because observers noticed how the priests would care for the blooms around mission houses. But American Indian mythology contradicts that telling, planting the beautiful bluebonnets front-and-center in the telling of their stories and referring to the blooms as “a gift from the Great Spirit,” according to the Texas State Historical Association.
The blooms thrive on poor, rocky soil under a full sun, which is why they thrive in Texas on pastures that have been heavily grazed, experienced recent fires and land that have been mown, such as roadsides.
Where are the best places in Texas to see bluebonnet blooms?
A drive down to the Texas Hill Country is a must for shutterbugs looking for spectacular purple blooms of bluebonnets. David Montesino dmontesino@star-telegram.com
In North Texas, finding bluebonnets is as easy as driving most highways or a detour into nearby rural farm towns. Really. It’s that simple. But if you’re looking for an awe-inspiring excursion with the purple blooms as your star, here are seven places that need to be on your must-visit itinerary. Do not leave your camera at home. It will be a shutterbug’s paradise.
1. Kingsland
Each spring, this town nestled near Llano explodes in bluebonnet blooms that can last for two months. Follow a trail of the flowers from Llano to Kingsland on Texas 29, then south on Ranch Road 1431. This peaceful town is not typically flooded with tourists, making it an ideal spot to view the pretty purple blooms.
2. Marble Falls
This picturesque town on the Colorado River is where you will find President Lyndon B. Johnson’s ranch. Marble Falls takes pride in this, extolling the fact the when Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of the 36th president of the United States, planted bluebonnet seeds across America, they love to point out that they got a little more love in the process. ts proximity to Kingsland and Burnet makes for a convenient trio of stops.
3. Burnett
Recognized as the “Bluebonnet Capital of Texas,” Burnet is a must-visit. Its annual Bluebonnet Festival, held from April 12-14, is a major attraction. Thousands converge on this Hill Country hamlet on the intersection of Texas 29 and U.S. 281 each spring, mostly because of the bluebonnets.
4. Brenham
This town in Washington County is located in the heart of bluebonnet country. The town watches for the first signs of the purple blooms, anticipating a spring full of flowers. Brenham is located halfway between Houston and Austin, and is known for its picturesque countryside and charming historic downtown.
5. Ennis
Only an hour drive from Fort Worth, Ennis is a convenient destination for folks from the Metroplex looking to view bluebonnets. The town is home to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trail and Festival, Ennis. The Ennis Garden Club meticulously tracks flower growth, making it a reliable source of bluebonnet sightings.
6. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin
This wildflower park is home to nearly 900 species of native Texas wildflowers and plants. The Center also offers educational programs for adults and children.
7. Big Bend National Park
Though not on the traditional Texas bluebonnet trail, Big Bend National Park offers a unique bluebonnet experience. The tallest of the bluebonnet species is named after the area: Big Bend bluebonnet, Lupinus havardii. It grows thickly along the park’s paved roads. We may see a superbloom this year, which could paint the hillsides blue.
Related stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram
I am the Service Team Editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. My team of reporters answer reader questions about life in North Texas including how the weather affects our lives, Texas history and everything in between.
If you think Alan Cumming, host of the U.S. version of The Traitors, gives off “guy who killed someone” vibes, he’ll laugh — you’re picking up what he’s putting down. It’s why, in episode 8 of season 2, when he sent the contestants off on their mission, he gleefully turned to the camera and said, “And they were never seen again.”
“I said that many times, on every task,” Cumming admits. “I wanted that to be my new catchphrase, but they only used it a couple times.”
This is exactly why the team behind Peacock’s hit reality game show wanted Cummings in the first place, even if he didn’t understand it at first. He met with producers, initially, out of confusion and curiosity.
“I couldn’t understand why they would want me to do it. Then I realized they wanted a sort of character. And I said, ‘Do you mean you want it to be sort of like a James Bond villain?’”
The answer was an enthusiastic yes. And suddenly Cumming could see the whole persona: “He’s the sort of Scottish Laird, and he’s kind of Machiavellian, [and] brings all these people here,” Cumming says. The look would be a sort of “dandy” Scottish tartan. Cumming’s dog could even come with, so the actor could menacingly pet her while staring down contestants.
“I really love this character. And it’s funny, life just flings these things at you that you never would have seen coming. I never thought I would be hosting a big, successful competition reality show in Scotland and a castle with a bunch of reality stars. I mean — you couldn’t make it up. But I obviously go out going through life open to certain things. I’ve always been quite eclectic. And these things come to me and actually, this one I really, really enjoy.”
And it’s a role he takes really seriously. As he gets ready in the morning he listens in on the players’ breakfast discussion, watching on a big screen so he can “really feel a part of it” as he gets ready to make his big entrance. “It’s good for me to understand, when I walk into the room, the mood of the room and the atmosphere,” Cumming says.
Cumming is often around the castle, but not with the contestants — after his breakfast entrance he usually has a little break when he can look over scripts for the next day, then he and the players go to film the mission. After that, the contestants hang out and Cumming has another break (he says he’s usually eating or walking Lala the dog), but stays briefed on what’s happening. “When the roundtable comes it really does feel like this big theatrical moment because they all go in and they play this scary music in real life,” Cumming says. “It’s like these little performative spurts. And in between I’m trying to keep an eye on what’s happening and trying to get an understanding of how the wind is blowing.”
Even still, he’s just as on the edge of his seat as the rest of us. He likes to maintain a distance between himself and the cast (he feels his character should always have “quite a stern, daddy demeanor” that leaves the contestants scared), and Cumming has been surprised by how things went once he got into the room. “That’s what’s great about the games — there was a person I thought was doing really well, a faithful, and was going to help tear the whole thing apart. And people turned on them. It was like hyenas going for a baby elephant, it really was. I was gobsmacked.”
While he wouldn’t say who that was about, he would say some of the contestants he’s most surprised by: Bergie (when he became the MVP of the graveyard challenge), Phaedra (he appreciates her showmanship and the way it provides her cover), and Parvati (he hadn’t watched Survivor, and she seemed like a “sweet little thing with a hairband”).
But even with a closer view, he’s just as eager to let it all play out as the rest of us. Well, sort of — at least the rest of us don’t live in fear about bumping the wrong shoulder when selecting traitors at the roundtable.
The Traitors season 2 (the U.S. version) airs new episodes on Peacock every Thursday at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST.
Tyson and Riley are back with the last offseason episode to prepare us for the upcoming season of Survivor! They are joined by Survivor journalist Gordon Holmes to analyze the new cast of Season 46. They give their first impressions of the cast, highlight the cast members that stood out, and give their predictions for the season.
Hosts: Tyson Apostol and Riley McAtee Guest: Gordon Holmes Producer: Ashleigh Smith Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
The meta for the best guns in Modern Warfare 3has developed considerably since launch, and has evolved significantly since the Feb. 7 rollout of Season 2.
From the get-go, there were a plethora of guns to choose from in the latest Call of Duty because every gun from Modern Warfare 2 was also made available, alongside a host of new weapons. We’re not including those as there are far too many to choose from, and for the most part, the new MW3 guns are stronger anyway.
So if you’re looking to dominate MW3 multiplayer in Season 2, look no further than these 10 guns.
Modern Warfare 3 best guns to use in Season 2
The best weapons in Modern Warfare 3 are as follows:
MCW (assault rifle)
Rival-9 (SMG)
WSP Swarm (SMG)
RAM-7 (assault rifle)
BAS-B (battle rifle)
RAM-9 (SMG)
HRM-9 (SMG)
Holger 556 (assault rifle)
XRK Stalker (sniper rifle)
SVA 545 (assault rifle)
Believe it or not, the MCW is still the best gun in Modern Warfare 3 and has been since launch. It’s the most jack-of-all-trades gun you’ll find, as you can kit it out for long-range engagements — which our suggested attachments below are apt for — or to deal with enemies in close quarters if needed.
However, the list has been shaken up a little with the introduction of some new guns and balance changes through Season 1 and Season 2, skyrocketing the Rival-9 (the best SMG in Modern Warfare 3) into second place. The WSP Swarm isn’t far behind it, though, and the RAM-7 is still a solid assault rifle despite its significant recoil.
The BAS-B is by far the best battle rifle and the optimal choice if you want to engage in much longer distance firefights, while the RAM-9 and HRM-9 were seasonal additions that have quickly found their place in the meta. The Holger 556 is still very strong, the XRK Stalker sniper rifle is the best choice for any marksmen or quick-scopers, and the SVA 545 excels thanks to its ability to shoot the first two bullets almost simultaneously.
(As an aside, for anyone returning to this list from Season 1, the AMR9 and Riveter have both been dropped in favor of the Rival-9 and RAM-9, and the HRM-9 has been added to round the list out to a solid 10 entries.)
Let’s go through our updated selections for the best guns in Modern Warfare 3 one-by-one.
1. MCW (assault rifle)
Image: Activision via Polygon
Kicking things off is the MCW, which is unlocked at rank 44. Modern Warfare 3 doesn’t have real weapon names, so the MCW is best known as the ACR from previous installments. Which is all to day, the MCW is a very reliable assault rifle that is fully automatic, with consistent range, recoil, and damage.
Essentially, with the right attachments, the MCW becomes a laser beam. Any of the heavy barrels do the job — we’d recommend the 16.5” MCW Cyclone Long Barrel — along with any vertical grip, though we found the Bruen Pivot to be the best (which requires leveling the SVA 545 to level 12 first). As for the rest of the attachments, an optic is always a good shout for enhanced visibility, alongside any combination of muzzle/stock/rear grip that assist with recoil control and bullet velocity.
For more on how to kit out this weapon, see our dedicated MCW loadout page.
2. Rival-9 (SMG)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
The Rival-9 wasn’t considered to be one of the best guns in MW3 on launch, but it has quickly risen to the top thanks to its fast fire rate. It packs a huge punch when you get up close and personal. As the meta has developed, running and gunning has solidified itself as a very strong style of play, particularly in Season 2.
Bearing that in mind — that you won’t often be engaging with enemies beyond a few meters away — you want to manage the recoil to an extent while also maintaining the weapon handling and mobility. We recommend the Rival Vice Assault Grip in the rear grip attachment slot, along with the Rival IGS-800 Barrel to deal with most of the recoil issues. Make sure you also stick the 9mm High Velocity ammunition on to deal the most damage.
3. WSP Swarm (SMG)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
Next up we have the WSP Swarm, the second SMG on our list of the best guns in Modern Warfare 3. This gun is seriously powerful, but as you’d expect given its machine pistol form, it has a boatload of recoil. This means it suits a very aggressive style of play, and while the Akimbo attachment may be tempting to dual-wield hip-fire these bad boys, we’re going for something a little more reliable.
Your entire aim should be to reduce the recoil while also not hindering the mobility too much, so look for muzzle and/or barrel attachments that strive toward that goal. Much like the RAM-7 below, the WSP Swarm has a very fast rate of fire, so you can’t go wrong with an extended magazine either. You definitely don’t need an optic though, as the iron sights are absolutely fine and, to be honest, you’ll often find yourself hip-firing — if you can reduce the hip fire spread with any attachments, even better.
4. RAM-7 (assault rifle)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
The RAM-7 was introduced in Season 1 and quickly found itself as a mainstay in the meta. It kicks like a mule but deals some serious damage. As such, you don’t want to kit it out for extremely long range, but it is one of the best choices at short to mid range for an assault rifle. A barrel or muzzle attachment that ideally silences the gun and helps with damage at range is key.
Alongside this, we recommend putting on an extended magazine thanks to how quickly the gun fires, then aiming to strike a balance between mobility, handling, and damage for the rest.
Tweak the attachments until you find the exact fit that works for you, or check out our guide to the best RAM-7 loadout in MW3.
5. BAS-B (battle rifle)
Image: Activision via Polygon
All the weapons in this list are fairly similar: fully automatic guns that are best at varying ranges. The BAS-B is no different. The first and only battle rifle on the list, this is the gun you want to switch to if our MCW build above still doesn’t have enough range for you. It doesn’t fire quite as quickly as the MCW, but each bullet packs way more of a punch, and once you have some recoil-managing attachments on there, you can put a longer-range optic on it, such as one of the 2.5x options.
When you’re in the opening levels of using the BAS-B though, we have just a few recommended attachments. The Bruen Venom Long Barrel is a no-brainer thanks to the range it adds, and the 30-round mag — or the 45-round once you unlock it — ensures you can mow down multiple enemies without needing to reload. We’d also recommend the Ravage-20 Heavy Stock, which you unlock once the BAS-B has reached level seven.
For more on how to kit out this weapon, see our dedicated BAS-B loadout page.
6. RAM-9 (SMG)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
The RAM-9 was introduced at the start of Season 2, and is the newest weapon on this list of the best guns in Modern Warfare 3. It’s another SMG with a rapid fire rate, but the recoil can be managed a little better than the Rival-9 above, so this is better suited for slightly longer engagements. The must-use attachments are the ZEHMN35 Compensated Flash Hider muzzle attachment and the HVS 3.4 Pad stock thanks to how they assist with recoil.
Make sure you equip an underbarrel grip of some description too — our recommendation is the SL Skeletal Vertical Grip — and we found a rear grip also does the job, ideally the Retort 90 Grip Tape. The iron sights are usable here, but if you’d rather equip an optical sight for better visibility, any red dot sight will work.
For more explanation on these attachment choices and details on the best class to use with this SMG, check out our dedicated RAM-9 loadout guide.
7. HRM-9 (SMG)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
The final SMG on the list, the HRM-9 with our build is actually very strong at a slightly further distance than you’d expect most SMGs to be effective. With that in mind, the Sonic Suppressor S muzzle attachment is a godsend as it buffs the bullet velocity, damage range, and it makes you undetectable by radar when firing.
It does mean the recoil control takes a minor hit though, so you want to use other attachments that help bring that back up. Any underbarrel grip geared towards that will do the job — our choice is the VX Pineapple — along with a rear grip and stock attachment. We’d recommend an optical sight here too, though a basic one like the Slimline Pro or Slate Reflector is good enough.
Our full HRM-9 loadout guide has more details on how to best utilize this SMG and the attachments to kit it out with.
8. Holger 556 (assault rifle)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
Next up, we have the Holger 556, which is unlocked at level 37. Now, to be frank, there’s not a whole lot special about the Holger; it’s a reliable, fully automatic assault rifle that isn’t quite as good as the MCW or RAM-7. However, if you remember (and loved) the G36C from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, this is very reminiscent of that.
As always, you’ll want to focus on recoil management and damage output when kitting out the Holger. Find barrel, muzzle, and underbarrel attachments that assist with that, then stick your optic of choice on and you’ll be good to go. It has a higher base damage but slower fire rate than both the MCW and SVA, so bear that in mind when finding the best attachments.
9. XRK Stalker (sniper rifle)
Image: Sledgehammer Games/Activision via Polygon
With its introduction in Season 1, the XRK Stalker took the crown from the Katt-AMR to be the best sniper rifle in Modern Warfare 3, and that’s thanks to its impressive damage and mobility, making it the prime choice for those quick-scopers among you. This is a position it’s held through the launch of Season 2.
Your goal needs to be to improve the ADS speed, re-chambering speed, and sprint to fire speed so you can pull up your gun and one-shot enemies with ease. To this end, we’d recommend having the No Stock stock attachment, alongside the Light Bolt and FT Match Grip. You should also equip an optic that isn’t quite so zoomed in as the default, as you’re unlikely to be sniping at range.
The SVA 545 is the first assault rifle you’ll unlock in the game, so while you’re grinding for the MCW and AMR9, it’s the one you want to be using. As soon as you unlock create-a-class you can equip it, and it comes with one very interesting perk: the first shot fires two bullets, almost simultaneously. This isn’t just the first shot of the magazine though; if you tap fire, you can ensure every shot is a twofer. It’s not overpowered or anything, but it is a nifty trick if you can get the hang of it.
As is always the case with assault rifles, you’ll want to manage the recoil on this, so we recommend an underbarrel grip such as the VX Pineapple, a barrel attachment that can improve the range and damage, and other attachments that support recoil management. It’s one of the only guns in the game with decent iron sights though, so you don’t need to stick an optic on it.
Ben, Jessica Clemons, and Matt James discuss rumors about Xbox games appearing on PlayStation, Disney infiltrating Fortnite, and the Knuckles trailer. Then they share bite-sized reviews of Tekken 8 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Matt’s takeaway from a hands-on preview of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. Then Charles Holmes joins Ben and Jess to discuss Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the future of live service and superhero games (28:16), before Ben and Jess give their impressions of Halo Season 2 (51:36).
Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jessica Clemons, Matt James, and Charles Holmes Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal
The Gods are among us as Joanna and Mal return to dive deep into the season finale of Percy Jackson and the Olympians (08:10). They take an extended look at the season’s final episode and break down all of the significant story elements of the show (15:41). Later, they talk about book spoilers to see what may happen next in a potential Season 2 (02:03:42).
Hosts: Mallory Rubin and Joanna Robinson Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production: Arjuna Ramgopal Social: Jomi Adeniran
Diablo 4 season 3 is going from medieval horror to medieval… machinery? The latest season for Diablo 4 adds robots called constructs, vaults to plunder, and a little buddy that follows you around as a companion.
Here’s when Diablo 4 season 3 starts in your time zone, and details on what to expect from Diablo 4 season 3.
What time does Diablo 4 season 3 start?
Diablo 4 season 3 starts at 10 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Jan. 23, according to a Blizzard blog post. Here’s when that is in your time zone:
10 a.m. PT for the West Coast of North America
1 p.m. ET for the East Coast of North America
6 p.m. GMT for the U.K.
7 p.m. CET for Western Europe/Paris
3 a.m. JST on Jan. 24 for Tokyo
Note, however, that Diablo 4 season 2 was delayed by a few hours due to a problem with the update. Blizzard quickly fixed the issue and launched Season of Blood that same afternoon. If Diablo 4 season 3 is similarly delayed, we’ll update this post with the season’s new release window.
What’s new in Diablo 4 season 3?
Much like the seasons before it, Season of the Construct is all about adding new items, activities, and temporary features to Diablo 4. And while this isn’t a full expansion (that’s not coming until later this year, so don’t expect a new region or class just yet), it looks like there’s still plenty of stuff to tuck into with Diablo 4’s first robo-season:
Zoltun Kulle — that jerk from Diablo 3 and one of the first Horadrim — and his infernal machines will be the focus of a new questline
Season of the Construct adds Diablo 4’s first ever companion: a customizable little robot pal called the Seneschal
Vaults are a new activity where you can dive in and attempt to avoid traps for a chance at some bonus loot
Take on new construct enemies in a new outdoor activity: Arcane Tremors
Helltides are now always available, with only a short, five minute break between runs — one of many quality of life changes this season
Leaderboards and the new, weekly Gauntlet dungeon come to Diablo 4 in February.
The Seasonal Realm will once again feature both a free and paid version of the battle pass, each granting various cosmetics.
Johnny is joined this week by the ghost of Love Island U.K. icon and winner Ekin-Su to talk about how she ended up as one of the two Brits on The Traitors U.S., the slow-acting poison that resulted in her murder, why she got under the skin of so many of the other contestants, and so much more.
Host: Johnny Bananas Guest: Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu Producer: Sasha Ashall
Jo and Rob break down the Fargo Season 5 finale. They discuss their personal feelings on the final episode, how the characters of Indira Olmstead and Witt Farr fall flat in the end, and the conclusion to Gator’s redemption arc. Along the way, they briefly talk about the intense prison scene between Lorraine and Roy. Later, they’re joined by the creator and showrunner of Fargo, Noah Hawley, to talk about how this season grapples with the symptoms of a divided America, the final confrontation between Dot and Ole Munch, how he goes about creating likable family characters, Witt Farr’s demise, and much more.
Hosts: Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney Guest: Noah Hawley Producer: Kai Grady
True Detective is the rare show that was much more exciting and complicated after seven episodes than it is after three seasons. What started out as a brooding series about detectives looking into the dark heart of senseless, seemingly occult killings eventually transformed into a detective show mostly about men being sad. What is remarkable about the show’s newest season, True Detective: Night Country, is that in just one episode, new showrunner Issa López has managed to bring back the creeping, supernatural horror vibe that gave the first season so much promise.
The new season is set in the small town of Ennis, Alaska, and this first episode is mostly concerned with setting up the peculiarities of the town and the bones of this season’s mystery, along with getting to know our latest true detectives, of course. The show’s opening, and its central mystery, is classic cold-weather horror: A group of researchers in a secluded winter base suddenly disappear, only to be found far from their base, frozen deep in the ice.
Where the first season of the show hinted at the supernatural and the ways it sometimes may (or may not) peek through into our world, Night Country leaves no room for doubt. By the end of this episode, more than one character has had visions, and the condition the scientists are found in seems impossible to imagine happening naturally. But the true underline that makes the supernatural elements of the story undeniable is that local weirdo Rose (Fiona Shaw) is the one who finds the frozen scientists for the police, and the only reason she knew where to look is because some long-dead friend showed her the way.
López doesn’t let the supernatural overwhelm the rest of the world in Night Country’s first episode, but she’s unambiguous about its existence. This feels like a pointed response to the True Detective stories that have come before. Not combative, per se, but direct. While the previous seasons, particularly the first, led its characters from the natural and explainable world of crime toward something more supernatural, Night Country’s mystery is starting at unexplainable and working its way back.
Photo: Michele K. Short/HBO
But for all the ways that López seems to be responding to True Detective’s past in the first episode of her season, she makes her love for the series clear, too. When it comes to the cops looking into this case, López revels in characterizing them as every bit the same kind of broken bastards that original series creator Nic Pizzolatto placed at the center of his three seasons writing the show. Leading the investigation in Night Country is Liz Danvers (played marvelously by Jodie Foster), a brilliant cop with a mile-long record of pushing people away by being an absolute asshole. Then there’s Liz’s old partner Evangeline Navarro (boxer turned actor Kali Reis), a self-destructive hothead who let one case get stuck in her craw and consume her whole career.
The two cops don’t share the same dynamic as Matthew McConaughey’s Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson’s Marty Hart, exactly, but it’s clear that López was after the same crackle the two had between them, and through just one episode she’s already seemed to nail it. The two only share brief scenes in episode 1, but the chemistry they have is instant and the bickering is pitch-perfect for cluing us in to the fact that they’re sure to work together again eventually.
Through just one episode, True Detective: Night Country feels like what True Detective was always supposed to be. Impossibly, it captures the vibes of the series’ best episodes better than anything in the second or third seasons ever achieved. López feels at war with the series’ history, not because she hates it, but because she loves it enough to want its best version. What Issa López wants is the twisty, supernatural, pitch-black mystery show that had the internet in an eight-week chokehold in 2014. And so far, she’s off to a great start.
Sean and Jo return to break down the Season 1 finale of The Curse. They discuss the extremely bold conclusion, whether or not the final episode has a deeper meaning beneath it, and the subsequent provocation of critics and viewers alike. Along the way, they debate whether Asher was actually cursed and his final attempt to win over Whitney’s approval. Later, they talk through similarities (and differences) between the Showtime series and Twin Peaks.
Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Joanna Robinson Producer: Kai Grady
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