Loki is a must-see MCU story, no matter what sort of Marvel fan you might be. If you follow every new release, you probably haven’t skipped this hotly anticipated TV show. But if you pick and choose your MCU stories, you should definitely have Loki on your radar. The story is complete now that the Loki season 2 finale is streaming on Disney Plus. And if you already thought that Loki influences the MCU’s past, present, and future, well, season 2 will further reinforce that idea.

In what follows, I’ll give you the biggest takeaways from the season 2 finale titled Glorious Purpose, which shouldn’t be confused with season 1 episode 1, also titled Glorious Purpose.

Big spoilers from Loki and the entire MCU will follow below.

The fact that Loki starts and ends with the same episode title is enough to tell you this is a complete two-part MCU story. It also teases the time travel that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has started to master in episode 5. He’s now able to control his time-slipping and also stop time around him. He’s a more complete hero than the Loki variant who died in Infinity War.

Given what happened in the season 2 finale, I feel there’s no need for a third installment. What Loki & Co. did during these 12 episodes changed the MCU completely. And it all happened without anyone in these timelines realizing what was going on.

The natural evolution from Loki is the next Avengers adventure, starting with The Kang Dynasty and ending with Secret Wars. The Loki season 2 finale doesn’t even have a credits scene, nor does it need one.

Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

Loki just became one of the biggest MCU heroes

I always knew that Tom Hiddleston would deliver a great Loki performance in season 2, and he absolutely shines through in the finale.

Glorious Purpose is an ode to Loki, offering us the most complex, most exciting, and most heartbreaking transformation of the former antagonist/villain into a loving, selfless hero who is ready to sacrifice himself for the brief good of the multiverse, fully knowing he’s also taking the biggest gamble of his life.

Loki’s arc in Loki is more significant than the one we saw during the Infinity War. That Loki variant pales by comparison.

When the season 2 finale starts, you realize Loki is about to pull a Groundhog Day. Rather than Bill Murray’s Phil being stuck in a small town during a particular winter day, Loki goes to plenty of places trying to fix the TVA’s Time Loom problem. He spent centuries learning TVA engineering, which means Loki could create another TVA from scratch if he wanted to.

When he realizes that fixing the Time Loom isn’t possible, he revisits the Loki season 1 finale, relentlessly trying to stop Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) from killing Kang (Jonathan Majors). The only solution is sacrificing her, something Kang suggests. It turns out He Who Remains had also set in motion the events that allowed Loki to time-slip and reach this time loop.

(L-R): Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Ke Huy Quan as OB and Owen Wilson as Mobius in Loki season 2. Image source: Gareth Gatrell/Marvel

The conversation between them in the season 2 finale echoes the one in the season 1 finale. It’s here that Loki starts discovering how difficult his choice is. Killing Sylvie or destroying the Time Loom could save the entire multiverse. But neither is a guarantee, especially the latter, which Loki chooses.

At this point, you realize, once again, that He Who Remains and Loki are plenty alike. Though their methods might differ, they have the same (glorious) purpose.

After chatting with Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Sylvie, Loki makes the touch sacrifice. He chooses to destroy the Time Loom even if that means briefly endangering all the timelines. The Time Loom would have killed those alternate realities by design, so this was the only way to preserve multiversal life while simultaneously knowing that multiversal wars are inevitable.

By the end of the episode, we’re many centuries later than the start of this big adventure. But those centuries passed in a place where time doesn’t really flow. And that’s where Loki chooses to spend what will be an eternity of sorts, leaving the timelines alive and waiting. That’s what sort of god he has to be.

What’s incredibly sad here is that Loki ends up all alone despite having tried so far to save all his friends and be around them. Even more painful is that nobody except for the TVA knows what Loki did. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) or Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) would probably have a hard time believing that Loki is responsible for them being alive and at peace.

Again, the events in the entire Loki happen outside of time. The official MCU chronology places the TV show after Endgame. But only because, from Loki’s initial perspective, that’s where his TVA life starts.

Ke Huy Quan as OB, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Owen Wilson as Mobius in Loki season 2. Image source: Gareth Gatrell/Marvel

The Kang problem is resolved

The Loki season 2 finale also fixes Marvel’s Jonathan Majors problem. Marvel can choose to recast Kang with a different actor and continue the story, thus freeing itself from Majors’s issues. Obviously, Marvel could keep Majors in place for all future Kang roles. That’s also an option. But the finale also allows Marvel to go in a different direction.

Unfortunately for the Multiverse Saga, the next Avengers film is titled The Kang Dynasty. So, Kangs would have to be involved in such a story.

What I’m getting at is that there’s a lot of maneuver. Kang seemed like the biggest, baddest villain in the MCU so far. But the Loki season 2 finale proves that Kang might have met his match in Loki. The problem is that Loki is kind of stuck at the end of time, holding on to those timeline branches for eternity.

The fix for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The multiverse that Loki now holds in his hands looks a lot like the mythical Yggdrasil tree from Norse mythology. A tree that Thor referenced earlier in the MCU. This World Tree contains the universe together, and Loki season 2 practically takes that literally. Yggdrasil now holds the multiverse for however long or brief is needed.

The visual aspect of the multiverse has changed dramatically. That’s what I’m trying to say. And it no longer looks like it did in the finale of Loki season 1. The Sacred Timeline is no longer circular.

Victor Timely Kang (Jonathan Majors) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

You’ll remember how much I struggled to reconcile the multiverse in Across the Spider-Verse with the MCU multiverse. The former showed a tree-like shape against the circular Sacred Timeline and the sprawling multiverse around it in Loki. Well, the season 2 finale reconciles all of that. And I couldn’t be happier. This anchors the Spider-Verse to the MCU firmly.

The multiverse connections

It’s not just about Spider-Man. I said earlier that Loki doesn’t need a season 3, considering the season 2 finale. Loki managed to avoid the destruction of the TVA, saved the Sacred Timelines and all the emerging timelines, and gave the TVA a new purpose. The organization is now guarding the tree and has a War Room ready.

The TVA is actively monitoring the Kangs of the multiverse, which have not become aware of the TVA’s existence.

While Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is another big MCU letdown, the Loki finale also addresses that Kang version. And it gives us a lot of information about the Quantum Realm. That’s an Earth-616-adjacent realm. This practically tells us the TVA doesn’t live in the Quantum Realm.

I often said that Kang was responsible for the events in the Infinity War. He paved the way for Loki and Sylvie to get to him. That means he manipulated most of the events in the Infinity War. But the Loki season 2 finale tells us that Loki is practically responsible for what happens in the Multiverse Saga. All the other realities we see in the MCU are alive because Loki keeps Yggdrasil alive.

Is that the Time Loom rearranging realities into a new Sacred Timeline? Image source: Marvel Studios

Like Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) retiring to a different reality. Or Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) dealing with his share of multiverse adventures. Or the events in What If…? and The Marvels. The latter is playing in theaters right now. And The Marvels brings huge developments for the Multiverse Saga.

The same goes for the Fox universe of Marvel stories. Or Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). They exist in the big Marvel multiverse because Loki is keeping those realities alive. The Time Loom would have eventually destroyed all branches.

Also, that War Room teases future events involving the TVA. The multiverse wars are still happening, and the TVA will play a role in them.

The Loki characters are available for other MCU adventures

As soon as it was clear to me that Loki would revisit the season 1 finale, as fixing the Time Loom was impossible, I worried that Sylvie would have to die. At least briefly. That didn’t happen. Loki sacrificed his future instead.

Sylvie is very much alive and somewhat well. Whatever happens next in the Multiverse Saga, I’m sure we’ll see her resurface. She still can travel the multiverse at will, one of the few characters with such powers in the MCU.

Also, most of the recurring characters from Loki seasons 1 and 2 are alive. Mobius, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), OB (Ke Huy Quan), Ravonna (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong) are alive.

OB (Ke Huy Quan) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

The TVA’s renewed importance

Even Alioth seems to be there, which means the Void is still there. That’s where Renslayer is and where some of the Deadpool 3 action will occur.

This means we might see some of these characters in upcoming movies. I didn’t reference Deadpool 3 accidentally. The TVA might play a big part in the sequel, with rumors saying that it’ll be responsible for raising a multiversal army to fight the Kangs. It might all start with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).

This TVA isn’t the ruthless organization that would prune everything for the greater good. And, on that note, the Loki season 2 finale also extends Mobius’s arc. We learn that he was a Hunter once, and a mistake might have turned him into an analyst. He briefly spared a variant that would have killed 5,000 people, and that cost Mobius the lives of other hunters.

The end of Loki season 2 also shows that those at the TVA, the billions of people working in this place outside of time, still believe they have a purpose. Even Mobius, though he needs some time off to explore what having a life would have been.

The post Loki is a must-see MCU show: 6 big takeaways from the season 2 finale appeared first on BGR.

All week, Netflix has been building up to an avalanche of announcements, and on Thursday, fans finally got what they’ve been waiting for. During its Thursday Showcase for Geeked Week, Netflix shared trailers for a number of highly anticipated shows and movies, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sweet Home 2, and Ultraman: Rising. We also learned more about The Umbrella Academy season 4 and Arcane season 2, both coming in 2024.

In case you missed the Geeked Week showcase, here are all of the biggest announcements:

Arcane season 2

Three years after the first season blew audiences away, the incredible animated series Arcane will return in November 2024. The first season followed sisters Jinx (Ella Purnell) and Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) as they found themselves on opposite sides of a war between the city of Piltover and the oppressed denizens of the undercity Zaun.

The Umbrella Academy season 4

In a featurette for The Umbrella Academy, cast member Emmy Raver-Lampman says the fourth and final season is “really, really packed with classic Umbrella Academy family nonsense and shenanigans that you look forward to” and introduces “unbelievable new characters and villains that are super exciting.” It will premiere on Netflix at some point in 2024.

Squid Game: The Challenge

Squid Game creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk walks us through some of the ins and outs of the reality competition series based on his show. Squid Game: The Challenge premieres on November 22, 2023, and will air new episodes weekly.

Sweet Home season 2

Speaking of K-dramas, Sweet Home is back for its second season on December 1, 2023.

My Daemon

“My Daemon is an all-new anime born from a collaboration between writer Hirotaka Adachi (Otsuichi) and a spirited animation studio in Thailand,” Netflix explains. “In Earth’s near future, a kindhearted boy named Kento and a Daemon child called Anna set out on a grand adventure together in hopes of saving Kento’s mother.”

Ultraman: Rising

“When baseball superstar Ken Sato returns home to Japan to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman, he quickly finds more than he bargained for as he’s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe,” says Netflix. This movie is directed by Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima, who worked together on Kubo and the Two Strings.

Leo

The upcoming animated feature Leo stars Adam Sandler as a lizard and Bill Burr as a turtle. You can watch it starting on November 21, but in the meantime, Netflix shared this hilarious clip of Leo trying and failing to make his escape.

Orion and the Dark

After leaving me dazed and confused with the inexplicable I’m Thinking of Ending Things in 2020, Charlie Kaufman is now… helping to adapt a cute children’s book called Orion and the Dark. It’s a new animated movie from DreamWorks, and it looks really good!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

At long last, Netflix has given us our first look at its live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series. You may remember that the creators of the animated series were once attached to this project before leaving over creative differences, but maybe it’ll still work.

We’ll be back with more news from Geeked Week in the coming days.

The post Avatar, Arcane, and all of Netflix’s Geeked Week announcements today appeared first on BGR.

Every week, dozens of fresh, original series and classic shows join the libraries of our favorite streaming services. It can be virtually impossible to keep up with them all, even if you binge one new show every night. In reality, you probably spend as much time scrolling through the options as you do actually watching TV. That’s why we wanted to put together this guide of all the best new shows to watch on Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and beyond.

Each week, we’ll update this list with the best new shows you should be watching on Netflix, Max, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, and Paramount+.

Netflix

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Netflix synopsis: Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.

• Genre: Action
• Cast: Maya Erskine, Brenda Song, Kenneth Branagh
• Rating: TV-MA

Blue Eye Samurai premiered on November 3, 2023.

Pluto (2023)

Netflix synopsis: When the world’s seven most advanced robots and their human allies are murdered one by one, Inspector Gesicht soon discovers that he’s also in danger.

• Genre: Anime
• Cast: Shinshu Fuji, Yoko Hikasa, Minori Suzuki
• Rating: TV-14

Pluto premiered on October 26, 2023.

Big Mouth (2017-2023)

Netflix synopsis: Teenage friends find their lives upended by the wonders and horrors of puberty in this edgy comedy from real-life pals Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg.

• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein
• Rating: TV-MA

Big Mouth season 7 premiered on October 20, 2023.

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix (2023)

Netflix synopsis: Branded an enemy of the state, a cyborg supersoldier struggles to find a cause worth fighting for in a dystopian society where nothing is what it seems.

• Genre: Action
• Cast: Nathaniel Curtis, Caroline Ford, Balak
• Rating: TV-MA

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix premiered on October 19, 2023.

The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix. Image source: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Netflix synopsis: To secure their fortune — and future — two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one.

• Genre: Horror
• Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell
• Rating: TV-MA

The Fall of the House of Usher premiered on October 12, 2023.

Max

Rap Sh!t (2022-2023)

HBO synopsis: From executive producer Issa Rae, estranged high school friends Shawna and Mia reunite to form a rap group.

• Genre: Comedy, Music
• Cast: Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jacob Romero
• Rating: TV-MA

Rap Sh!t season 2 premiered on November 9, 2023.

The Gilded Age (2022-2023)

HBO synopsis: The Gilded Age follows a young woman who moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly gets entangled in the social war between them and their new-money neighbors. In a world on the brink of the modern age, will she follow the rules of society or forge her own path?

• Genre: Drama, Family Relationships
• Cast: Carrie Coon, Louisa Jacobson, Christine Baranski
• Rating: TV-MA

The Gilded Age season 2 premiered on October 29, 2023.

Doom Patrol (2019-2023)

Brendan Fraser as Robotman in Doom Patrol. Image source: Max

HBO synopsis: DC’s unlikeliest band of heroes take on evil and otherworldly forces to help protect the world.

• Genre: Adventure, Superheroes
• Cast: Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Joivan Wade
• Rating: TV-MA

Doom Patrol season 4, part 2, premiered on October 12, 2023.

Our Flag Means Death (2022-2023)

Rhys Darby in Our Flag Means Death. Image source: Nicola Dove/Max

HBO synopsis: An outrageously funny period comedy following Stede Bonnet, an 18th-century aristocrat who left a life of privilege to become the “Gentleman Pirate.”

• Genre: Comedy, Offbeat
• Cast: Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi, Vico Ortiz
• Rating: TV-MA

Our Flag Means Death season 2 premiered on October 5, 2023.

Starstruck (2021-2023)

Rose Matafeo in Starstruck. Image source: Mark Johnson/Max

HBO synopsis: After Jessie has a one-night stand with famous film star Tom, the pair attempt to navigate the complications that follow.

• Genre: Comedy, Romantic Comedy
• Cast: Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel, Emma Sidi
• Rating: TV-MA

Starstruck season 3 premiered on September 28, 2023.

Disney+

The Santa Clauses (2022-2023)

Disney Plus synopsis: The beloved franchise returns! Scott Calvin, after 28 years, reigns true as Santa Claus, leader of the North Pole and Christmas. With his family – Carol, Sandra, and Cal – by his side, and his elves at the reins, Scott Calvin contends with a changing world to keep the spirit of Christmas alive for a new generation.

• Genre: Family, Comedy, Fantasy
• Cast: Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Kal Penn
• Rating: TV-PG

The Santa Clauses premiered on November 8, 2023.

The Three Detectives (2023)

Disney Plus synopsis: Kim, Marie, and Franzi are BFFs and have what other girls can only dream of: their very own detective club! Be it criminals, beaus, issues with their parents, a case of blackmail, theft, or cyber mobbing, there isn’t a mystery the clever but often stubborn Kim, the sporty and confident Franzi, and the stylish, versatile Marie cannot solve.

• Genre: Mystery, Family, Buddy
• Cast: Purnima Grätz, Bella Bading, Lilith Johna
• Rating: TV-PG

The Three Detectives premiered on November 1, 2023.

Goosebumps (2023)

The cast of Goosebumps. Image source: Disney

Disney Plus synopsis: Inspired by R.L. Stine’s worldwide bestselling book series, “Goosebumps” follows a group of five high schoolers as they embark on a shadowy and twisted journey to investigate the tragic passing three decades earlier of a teen named Harold Biddle – while also unearthing dark secrets from their parents’ past.

• Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
• Cast: Justin Long, Rachael Harris, Zack Morris
• Rating: TV-14

Goosebumps premiered on October 13, 2023.

Loki (2021-2023)

Ke Huy Quan as O.B., Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Owen Wilson as Mobius in Loki season 2. Image source: Gareth Gatrell/Marvel

Disney Plus synopsis: “Loki” Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

• Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
• Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, Owen Wilson
• Rating: TV-14

Loki season 2 premiered on October 5, 2023.

Launchpad (2021-2023)

Jenna Qureshi as Zainab and Shanessa Khawaja as Ameena in Disney’s Launchpad. Image source: Disney

Disney Plus synopsis: Disney’s “Launchpad” Season 2 is a collection of live-action shorts from a new generation of dynamic filmmakers. This season showcases six writers, five directors and one writer-director from underrepresented backgrounds who were given the opportunity to share their perspectives and creative visions.

• Genre: Drama, Comedy, Family, Coming of Age
• Directors: Gabriela Ortega, Spencer Glover, Erica Eng
• Rating: TV-G / TV-PG

Launchpad season 2 premiered on September 29, 2023.

Hulu

Black Cake (2023)

Hulu synopsis: Eleanor Bennett loses her battle with cancer, leaving her children a flash drive that holds untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America; the stories shock her children and challenge everything they know about their family’s origin.

• Genre: Drama, Mystery
• Cast: Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Chipo Chung, Ashley Thomas, Lashay Anderson
• Rating: TV-MA

Black Cake premiered on November 1, 2023.

Shoresy (2022-2023)

Hulu synopsis: Foul-mouthed, chirp-serving, mother-loving, fan favorite LETTERKENNY character, SHORESY (Jared Keeso) joins the Sudbury Bulldogs of the Northern Ontario Senior Hockey Organization (aka The NOSHO) on a quest to never lose again.

• Genre: Comedy, Sitcom
• Cast: Jared Keeso, Tasya Teles, Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat, Blair Lamora, Keilani Rose
• Rating: TV-MA

Shoresy season 2 premiered on October 27, 2023.

Living for the Dead (2023)

The cast of Living for the Dead. Image source: Hulu

Hulu synopsis: From Executive Producer Kristen Stewart and the creators of Queer Eye, join five fabulous, queer ghost hunters crisscross the country, helping the living by healing the dead. As they explore some of the world’s most infamous haunted locations, they’ll shed light on those not seen and illuminate untold stories. Together they’ll push past boundaries to bring acceptance to the misunderstood – living and dead. This is Living For The Dead, Ghost Hunties!

• Genre: Comedy, Reality
• Cast: Alexandre LeMay, Roz Hernandez, Ken Boggle
• Rating: TV-14

Living for the Dead premiered on October 18, 2023.

Undead Unluck (2023)

Undead Unluck on Hulu. Image source: Hulu

Hulu synopsis: Andy, a Negator with the ability “Undead,” has been long in search for someone with the ability to give him a ‘real death.’ Fuko Izumo brings misfortune to those around her due to her ability “Unluck.” The two decide to join the Union, an organization which aims to control and protect the world from unidentified phenomena. The two uncover the mystery of the world as they search for the “greatest death ever.”

• Genre: Anime, Action-Adventure
• Cast: Yuichi Nakamura, Moe Kahara, Natsuki Hanae, Kenji Nomura
• Rating: TV-MA

Undead Unluck premiered on October 6, 2023.

The Kardashians (2022-2023)

Kim Kardashian in The Kardashians. Image source: Hulu

Hulu synopsis: The cameras are back with all access to the personal and private lives of Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall and Kylie. From second chances and new beginnings to unexpected blessings, they continue to bare it altogether, a reminder that the most beautiful part of life is family.

• Genre: Reality
• Cast: Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian
• Rating: TV-14

The Kardashians season 4 premiered on September 28, 2023.

Prime Video

Invincible (2021-2023)

Prime Video synopsis: After an earth-shattering betrayal, Mark fights to rebuild his life. In the face of apocalyptic threats, he discovers new allies and wrestles with his greatest fear – that he might become his father.

• Genre: Science Fiction, Suspense, Drama, Animation
• Cast: Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons
• Rating: TV-MA

Invincible season 2 premiered on November 3, 2023.

Upload (2020-2023)

Prime Video synopsis: In Season 3, the recently downloaded Nathan and Nora start an IRL relationship while taking down Freeyond. Meanwhile, a digital copy of Nathan is brought to life in Lakeview where he explores an alternate path with Ingrid. Aleesha is promoted to manager and has a new workplace love interest, and a lonely Luke looks for work in the Grey Zone.

• Genre: Science Fiction, Comedy, Drama
• Cast: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards
• Rating: TV-MA

Upload season 3 premiered on October 20, 2023.

Gen V (2023)

Lizze Broadway, Jaz Sinclair, Maddie Phillips in Gen V. Image source: Amazon Studios

Prime Video synopsis: From the world of The Boys comes Gen V, a thrilling new series set at America’s only college for superheroes. These gifted students put their moral boundaries to the test, competing for the university’s top ranking, and a chance to join The Seven, Vought International’s elite superhero team. When the school’s dark secrets come to light, they must decide what kind of heroes they want to become.

• Genre: Science Fiction, Comedy, Drama, Adventure
• Cast: Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Patrick Schwarzenegger
• Rating: TV-MA

Gen V premiered on September 29, 2023.

The Wheel of Time (2021-2023)

Moiraine Damodred played by Rosamund Pike. Image source: Amazon Studios

Prime Video synopsis: Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. Threats new and very old seek out the young friends from the Two Rivers, now scattered over the world. The woman who found and guided them is now powerless to help, and so they must find other sources of strength. In each other, or themselves. In the Light… or the Dark.

• Genre: Drama, Adventure, Action
• Cast: Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney
• Rating: TV-MA

The Wheel of Time season 2 premiered on September 1, 2023.

Harlan Coben’s Shelter (2023)

Abby Corrigan (Ema Winslow), Jaden Michael (Mickey Bolitar), Adrian Greensmith (Arthur “Spoon” Spindell) in Shelter. Image source: Prime Video

Prime Video synopsis: Based on the bestselling series by Harlan Coben, Shelter follows the story of Mickey Bolitar after the death of his father leads him to start a new life in suburban New Jersey. When another new student disappears, Mickey finds himself tangled in a web of secrets. With the help of two new friends, Spoon and Ema, they reveal a dark underground that may hold the answers to decades of disappearances.

• Genre: Suspense, Drama, Action
• Cast: Jaden Michael, Constance Zimmer, Adrian Greensmith
• Rating: TV-MA

Harlan Coben’s Shelter premiered on August 18, 2023.

Apple TV+

The Buccaneers (2023)

Apple TV Plus synopsis: A group of fun-loving American girls burst onto the scene in tightly corseted 1870s London, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash. Sent to secure husbands and status, the buccaneers’ hearts are set on much more than that.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Matthew Broome
• Rating: TV-14

The Buccaneers premiered on November 8, 2023.

Lessons in Chemistry (2023)

Brie Larson in “Lessons in Chemistry” on Apple TV+. Image source: Apple

Apple TV Plus synopsis: Set in the early 1950s, “Lessons in Chemistry” follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Larson), whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society. When Elizabeth finds herself fired from her lab, she accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show, and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives — and the men who are suddenly listening — a lot more than recipes.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King
• Rating: TV-MA

Lessons in Chemistry premiered on October 13, 2023.

Still Up (2023)

Antonia Thomas in Still Up. Image source: Apple

Apple TV Plus synopsis: Bonded by insomnia, best friends Lisa and Danny stay connected to each other late into the night and find their way through a world of wonderfully weird surprises as their relationship deepens.

• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Antonia Thomas, Craig Roberts, Blake Harrison
• Rating: Unrated

Still Up premiered on September 22, 2023.

The Morning Show (2019-2023)

Jon Hamm, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Duplass and Tig Notaro in The Morning Show. Image source: Apple

Apple TV Plus synopsis: This Emmy winner is an unapologetically candid drama that looks at the modern workplace through the lens of the people who help wake America up. Pull back the curtain on early morning TV.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup
• Rating: TV-MA

The Morning Show season 3 premiered on September 13, 2023.

The Changeling (2023)

LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling. Image source: Apple

Apple TV Plus synopsis: Apollo and Emma’s love story is a fairy tale – until Emma mysteriously vanishes. Bereft, Apollo finds himself on a death-defying odyssey through a New York City he didn’t know existed.

• Genre: Thriller
• Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Clark, Backo, Adina Porter
• Rating: TV-MA

The Changeling premiered on September 8, 2023.

Peacock

Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder. (2023)

Peacock synopsis: When the founder of the Hare Krishna movement dies, a renegade disciple tries to seize control, leading to accusations of racketeering and murder and the investigation of a West Virginia detective who becomes known as the “Krishna cop.”

• Genre: Documentary
• Cast: Will O’Donnell, Andrew Buzzeo, Maria Almeida
• Rating: TV-MA

Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder. premiered on October 24, 2023.

John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams (2023)

“Bunnyman,” Episode 104 of John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams. Image source: Gabriel Kuchta/Peacock

Peacock synopsis: John Carpenter unearths the evil that lurks in the suburbs, showcasing true stories of real-life slashers, psychos, hauntings and possessions.

• Genre: Documentary
• Cast: Will O’Donnell, Andrew Buzzeo, Maria Almeida
• Rating: TV-MA

John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams premiered on October 13, 2023.

The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023)

Colin Woodell as Winston in Peacock’s The Continental. Image source: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment

Peacock synopsis: In a three-part event set in 1970s New York, Winston Scott is roped into an underground world of assassins and must make things right after his estranged brother’s attack on the Continental.

• Genre: Action
• Cast: Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Mishel Prada
• Rating: TV-MA

The Continental premiered on September 22, 2023.

Killing It (2022-2023)

Claudia O’Doherty as Jillian, Craig Robinson as Craig in Killing It. Image source: Adam Rose/PEACOCK/UTV/USG

Peacock synopsis: Craig Foster, a Miami bank security guard, enters a state-sponsored snake-hunting contest to achieve his American dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Craig Robinson, Claudia O’Doherty, Rell Battle
• Rating: TV-MA

Killing It season 2 premiered on August 17, 2023.

Twisted Metal (2023)

Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in Twisted Metal. Image source: Skip Bolen/Peacock

Peacock synopsis: A motormouthed outsider with no memory of his past gets a chance at a better life if he can deliver a package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church
• Rating: TV-MA

Twisted Metal premiered on July 27, 2023.

Paramount+

Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023)

Paramount Plus synopsis: From executive producers Taylor Sheridan (1883) and David Oyelowo (Selma) comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. LAWMEN: BASS REEVES follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as one of the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: David Oyelowo, Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton
• Rating: TV-MA

Lawmen: Bass Reeves premiered on November 5, 2023.

Fellow Travelers (2023)

Paramount Plus synopsis: Decades-long chronicle of the risky, volatile and steamy relationship between the charismatic and ambitious Hawk and the pious and idealistic Tim, two political staffers who fall in love at the height of the 1950s Lavender Scare. Through the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueled disco culture of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, the two men’s fiery affair only intensifies despite the constant threat of being exposed and losing everything.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Matt Bomer, Jonathan Bailey, Allison Williams, Noah J. Ricketts, Jelani Alladin
• Rating: TV-14

Fellow Travelers premiered on October 27, 2023.

Frasier (2023)

Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan in Frasier. Image source: Chris Haston/Paramount+

Paramount Plus synopsis: Filmed in front of a live studio audience at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, the new series follows Frasier Crane (Grammer) in the next chapter of his life as he returns to Boston with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge and an old dream or two to finally fulfill. Frasier has re-entered the building!

• Genre: Comedy
• Cast: Kelsey Grammer, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Nicholas Lyndhurst
• Rating: TV-14

Frasier premiered on October 12, 2023.

Bargain (2023)

Jeon Jong-Seo as Park Joo Young and Jin Sun-kyu as Noh in Bargain. Image source: TVING Co/Paramount+Hyung-soo

Paramount Plus synopsis: Men are lured to a remote hotel under the guise of sexual encounters only to be caught in a trafficking ring where their organs are auctioned off to the highest bidder. After a catastrophic earthquake, the victims, traffickers and buyers all are trapped inside the crumbling building. Cut off from the outside world, they must fight to survive the aftermath at any cost.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Jeon Jong-seo, Chang Ryul, Jin Seon-kyu
• Rating: TV-MA

Bargain premiered on October 5, 2023.

The Gold (2023)

Emun Elliott as Tony Brightwell, Hugh Bonneville as Brian Boyce, and Charlotte Spencer as Nicki Jennings In “The Gold” on Paramount+. Image source: Sally Mais/Tannadice Pictures/Paramount+

Paramount Plus synopsis: A record-setting robbery leads to years of investigation, corruption and murder as the police try to identify the criminals and recover the gold.

• Genre: Drama
• Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Jack Lowden, Charlotte Spencer
• Rating: TV-MA

The Gold premiered on September 7, 2023.

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I remember when Apple first announced its Apple TV+ streaming service back in March of 2019, and Steven Spielberg took to the stage to reveal Masters of the Air. Almost five years later, we finally have a teaser trailer for the series and, after watching it, I think it’s going to be worth the wait.

Today, Apple TV+ released the official teaser trailer for Masters of the Air, its World War II series that comes from the minds of Spielberg and Tom Hanks — the duo that also brought Band of Brothers and The Pacific to the world. It’s also scripted by John Orloff, who wrote Band of Brothers.

The series will make its debut on the streaming service on January 26th.

You can check out the official teaser trailer for Masters of the Air on YouTube below:

What is Masters of the Air about?

Masters of the Air is “a salute to the brave men of the 8th Air Force, who, through their courage and brotherhood, helped defeat Nazi Germany in World War II.”

Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, “Masters of the Air” follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich, is at the heart of “Masters of the Air.” Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.

The series, like Band of Brothers and The Pacific, is produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. It features an enormous cast, including Academy Award nominee Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Academy Award nominee Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, and Ncuti Gatwa.

An all-star lineup of directors that includes Cary Joji Fukunaga, Anna Boden, and Timothy Van Patten is the icing on the cake.

This is one of the most anticipated series for Apple TV+ and, after watching this teaser trailer, I don’t think it’s going to disappoint. I have rewatched Band of Brothers and The Pacific more times than I can count and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that they are some of the best television series ever created. I can’t wait to watch the third installment that Spielberg and Hanks have in store for us.

The first two episodes of Masters of the Air will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, January 26, 2024, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday until its finale on March 15, 2024. If you want to watch the series in the best quality possible, check out our lists of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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Paramount+ is only a little more than two years old at this point, making it one of the newest kids on the streaming block, but it’s kind of easy to forget that fact based on the way it keeps pumping out new shows and movies that find their way to the top of my must-watch pile. For the Taylor Sheridan fans, for example, there’s everything from Yellowstone prequel 1883 to Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and the new-ish Special Ops: Lioness. I’m also particularly enamored with Paramount+’s heist series The Gold, as well as the new comedy Colin From Accounts.

The latter, an Australian import, is a particularly welcome addition to Paramount+ and has already proven quite a hit with critics and overseas fans ahead of its US debut. The show, which currently has a percent 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, basically revolves around a wacky meet-cute between two polar-opposite singles — newly heartbroken medical student Ashley (Harriet Dyer) and brewery owner Gordon (Patrick Brammall), brought together by the following sequence of events: A nipple flash, which leads to a car crash involving a dog.

To unpack that just a little bit more, Ashley basically flashes Gordon — who, mesmerized by the sight, unwittingly hits the unsuspecting pup. Making this all the more hilarious, at least to me, is that Dyer and Brammall (the creators and writers of this series) are also married to each other in real life. These two sloppy, lonely, likeable characters bond over the need to take care of the cute canine — and, at some point between that car crash and the end of the season, you will absolutely be rooting for them, a la Jim and Pam.

Patrick Brammall as Gordon and Harriet Dyer as Ashley in “Colin From Accounts.” Image source: Paramount+

“The series,” the streamer explains about Colin from Accounts, “is about flawed, funny people choosing each other and being brave enough to show their true selves, scars and all, as they navigate life together.”

I have to be honest, I’m constantly on the lookout for shows like this — and it’s because, at the end of the day, I don’t always want to unwind to people hacking each other to death in Westeros or to some long, slow slog of a prestige drama on Netflix that I have to spend 15 episodes getting the backstory of. Sitcoms are my TV equivalent of comfort food, and Paramount+’s newest offers that in spades. “Tonally elastic and blessed with Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer’s sparky chemistry,” raves the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus, “Colin from Accounts makes the alchemy of a satisfying rom-com feel effortless.”

The first two episodes of the eight-episode first season will be available on Nov. 9, with two new episodes dropping weekly every Thursday through Nov. 30.

“Colin From Accounts has already stolen the hearts of international audiences with its irresistible blend of lovable characters, endearing storylines, and the perfect balance of modern-day romance and comedy,” said Paramount EVP Jeff Grossman. “We are beyond thrilled to call Paramount+ the streaming home of the series here in the U.S. as it joins our growing slate of originals.”

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Anime has become mainstream in recent years. Not only does every major streaming service have anime from Japan in their libraries, but some license and produce their own anime as well. Netflix might not have as large of an anime library as Hulu or Crunchyroll, but it does have some outstanding titles that you can’t watch anywhere else. Below is our list of the top 10 anime series that are exclusive to Netflix and deserve to be on your watch list.

Beastars

Beastars on Netflix. Image source: Orange

Beastars is set in a world full of anthropomorphic animals. Herbivores and carnivores co-exist in this society, but there’s a sense of unease that boils to the surface when an herbivore student is killed and eaten at Cherryton Academy. What follows is an intriguing murder mystery with a healthy dash of romance and a splash of comedy.

“In a world where beasts of all kinds coexist, a gentle wolf awakens to his own predatory urges as his school deals with a murder within its midst,” says Netflix.

Carole & Tuesday

Carole & Tuesday on Netflix. Image source: Bones

Directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop, this musical anime is a far cry from the aforementioned action-packed space western. What it does have is gorgeous visuals, a cute friendship between two struggling musicians, and a stellar soundtrack.

“Part-timer Carole meets rich girl Tuesday, and each realizes they’ve found the musical partner they need. Together, they just might make it,” says Netflix.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Kenn as David Martinez and Aoi Yuki as Lucy in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Image source: Netflix

It took the developers at CD Projekt Red a few tries to get their video game Cyberpunk 2077 in decent shape, but the anime spinoff came out fully baked. The hyperviolent, incredibly mature anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners understands what’s so simultaneously alluring and terrifying about these futuristic dystopias and does an even better job than the game of creating empathetic, dynamic characters who we want to see exist in that world.

“In a dystopia riddled with corruption and cybernetic implants, a talented but reckless street kid strives to become a mercenary outlaw — an edgerunner,” says Netflix.

Devilman Crybaby

Devilman Crybaby on Netflix. Image source: Science SARU

Although this anime is based on the 1970s Devilman manga, Devilman Crybaby is a modern adaptation of the story set in the modern day. High school student Akira Fudo learns about the existence of demons, unites with one to gain its power, and fights to save humanity.

“With demons reawakened and humanity in turmoil, a sensitive demon-boy is led into a brutal, degenerate war against evil by his mysterious friend, Ryo,” says Netflix.

Great Pretender

Great Pretender on Netflix. Image source: Netflix

Other than the legendary Lupin the Third, there aren’t nearly enough heist anime. Thankfully, Netflix’s Great Pretender does its best Ocean’s Eleven impression with a motley crew of con men and women who pull off some spectacularly entertaining heists.

“Supposedly Japan’s greatest swindler, Makoto Edamura gets more than he bargained for when he tries to con Laurent Thierry, a real world-class crook,” says Netflix.

Hi Score Girl

Hi Score Girl on Netflix. Image source: J.C.Staff

This slice-of-life anime is one of my all-time favorites. It’s just as much a love letter to the arcade culture of the 1990s as it is about two misfit schoolchildren falling for one another. It’s got a great sense of humor and enough heart to make you cry.

“A chronic gamer abysmally inept in academics and sports finally meets his match at his usual shady arcade — and it’s his rich classmate, Akira,” says Netflix.

Kotaro Lives Alone

Kotaro Lives Alone on Netflix. Image source: Liden Films

No, Kotaro Lives Alone is not about a single man in his 20s who can’t make friends. Kotaro is actually a 4-year-old boy who moves into an apartment by himself, makes friends with his manga artist neighbor, and enrolls himself in a nearby kindergarten.

“A lonely little boy moves into a ramshackle apartment building all on his own and makes friends with the broke manga artist who lives next door,” says Netflix.

Little Witch Academia

Little Witch Academia on Netflix. Image source: Trigger

Calling Little Witch Academia “anime Harry Potter” would be underselling this early 2010s phenomenon. That said, it is about a group of young girls who attend a school where they train to become witches. But unlike in Harry Potter, magic is fading in this world.

“Akko enrolls at the Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy. She’s not the best student, but her bright attitude is the key to her and her friends’ success,” says Netflix.

Pluto

Pluto on Netflix. Image source: Studio M2

Pluto is a thrilling mystery following Europol robot detective Gesicht as he investigates a string of human and robot murders that might have been committed by another robot. Who is the killer, and why are they targeting the world’s most powerful robots?

“When the world’s seven most advanced robots and their human allies are murdered one by one, Inspector Gesicht soon discovers that he’s also in danger,” says Netflix.

The Way of the Househusband

The Way of the Househusband on Netflix. Image source: J.C.Staff

If you’re looking for pure laughs, The Way of the Househusband is easily the funniest show on this list. As its title suggests, this show follows a retired yakuza boss who takes care of chores around the house while his wife, Miku, goes to work to support the family.

“After disappearing from the underworld, the legendary yakuza known as the “Immortal Dragon” resurfaces — as a fiercely devoted stay-at-home husband,” says Netflix.

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A series adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning World War II novel, a true-crime docuseries, and a time-bending murder mystery. What do they all have in common? They’re among the biggest Netflix shows in the world right now, based on the latest data from the streamer’s regularly updated global Top 10 chart — which is dominated this week by the drama All the Light We Cannot See as well as Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom, a docuseries about the murder of a young woman’s parents that’s a Top 10 show in dozens of countries at the moment.

As for the rest of the hottest Netflix shows in the world this week, the newest list is rounded out by other new Netflix releases as well as fan-favorite hits like Selling Sunset and The Fall of the House of Usher (the latter still holding strong in its fourth week as a Netflix Top 10 series worldwide). And as we do each week, we’ll take a closer look at all of it below.

Netflix Top 10 (October 30-Nov. 5)

The ranking below includes the top 10 (English-language) Netflix series in the world right now. Five of these Netflix shows, by the way, made their debut on the Top 10 list this week: All the Light We Cannot See, Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom, Unicorn Academy: Chapter 1, Selling Sunset: Season 7, and Mysteries of the Faith.

1. All the Light We Cannot See — 9.8 million views
2. Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom — 4.7 million views
3. Bodies — 4.3 million views
4. Life on Our Planet — 4.3 million views
5. Unicorn Academy: Chapter 1 — 3.3 million views
6. Get Gotti — 3.2 million views
7. The Fall of the House of Usher — 2.8 million views
8. Selling Sunset: Season 7 — 2.8 million views
9. Beckham — 2.7 million views
10. Mysteries of the Faith — 2.3 million views

Next, let’s zero in on the biggest Netflix series in the world this week, by far — the streamer’s adaptation of

The Netflix logo is seen at the Netflix Tudum Theater in Los Angeles, California, on September 14, 2022. Image source: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

All the Light We Cannot See — #1 on Netflix

As for the biggest Netflix show in the world right now, it was pretty much a given that director Shawn Levy’s limited series was going to dominate everything else this week. And that’s in spite of the fact that it’s got a pretty disappointing Rotten Tomatoes audience score and a seriously embarrassing critics’ score on the review site, making this four-episode series feel like perhaps the biggest Netflix disappointment of the year.

For those of you who loved the book that the show is based on (Anthony Doerr’s 2014 novel of the same name) and have been eagerly awaiting this Netflix release? I must strongly caution you against checking out the reviews first.

Ed Skrein as Herr Seidler in episode 102 of “All the Light We Cannot See.” Image source: Katalin Vermes/Netflix

Nell Sutton as young Marie-Laure and Mark Ruffalo as Daniel LeBlanc in “All The Light We Cannot See.” Image source: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix

A sampling:

• Decider: “Its cowardice in exploring the knottier parts of World War II render it toothless, if not tonally incoherent.”
• From The Guardian: “The long-anticipated adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s bestselling and Pulitzer prize-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See is finally here. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely not.”
• RogerEbert.com: “Nothing about this final product suggests that Levy or Knight were the right choice to bring this story to the screen. Their vision for Doerr’s novel is shallow, messy, and, most unfortunately, instantly forgettable.”
• USA Today: “Some books should stay on the page.”

Plot-wise, All the Light We Cannot See is about a blind French girl and her father who flee German-occupied Paris with a legendary diamond to keep it from falling into the hands of the Nazis. My advice, just skip this Netflix series altogether and go straight to the source. The book is a monumental achievement and a deeply engrossing read that I cannot recommend highly enough.

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I’m afraid that Mariah Carey might murder Hannah Waddingham over this.

Today, Apple TV+ released the official trailer for Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas. The Christmas special, which will feature holiday music performed by Waddingham and a number of musical guests, will premiere on the streaming service on November 22nd.

You can check out the official trailer for Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas below:

What is Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas?

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is a one-hour holiday special featuring live performances from Emmy Award winner Hannah Waddingham and a number of musical guests. The show was recorded live at The Coliseum in London and will feature Waddingham’s “personal journey to this magical moment with anecdotes and memories about her own holiday experiences.”

Today Apple revealed the trailer for the all-new holiday event “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas,” set to debut globally on November 22 on Apple TV+, and announced a companion album launching the same date, available on all music streaming platforms. Recorded live at The Coliseum in London, one of London’s oldest and most beautiful theaters, the one-hour special will feature Emmy Award winner Hannah Waddingham ringing in the season with musical performances of beloved Christmas classics.

In addition to Waddingham, the special will feature performances from Sam Ryder, Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., Phil Dunster, and more “special guests.” The performances will also be backed by the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers, and an 18-piece band. In addition to the special, a companion album featuring the performances will be released on Apple Music, Spotify, and other music platforms on the same day as the special.

You can preview the album now on Apple Music:

This is an interesting one! The last time that Apple released a holiday special was in 2020 with the queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special aired on December 4, 2020, but only came out that year. While Carey has gone on to do more holiday events like a tour, the singer never came back for another special with Apple. It appears that Waddingham is taking a crack at bringing back the Christmas special with the streaming service. We’ll have to see if this one sticks!

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas will premiere on Apple TV+ on November 22nd. If you want to watch the special in the best quality possible, check out our list of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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Academy Award winner Gary Oldman is back with his island of misfit spies.

Today, Apple TV+ released the official trailer for season three of Slow Horses. The third season of the series, which stars Oldman as the head of a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents, will premiere on the streaming service on November 29th.

You can check out the official trailer for season three of Slow Horses on YouTube below:

What is season three of Slow Horses about?

Slow Horses continues to tell the story of Jackson Lamb (Goldman), the “brilliant but misanthropic leader of the spies, who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes as they frequently find themselves blundering around the smoke and mirrors of the espionage world.”

Winner of Best English-Language Drama Series at the 2022 C21 International Drama Awards, “Slow Horses” is a darkly humorous espionage drama that follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping-ground department of MI5 known un-affectionately as Slough House. In season three, a romantic liaison in Istanbul threatens to expose a buried MI5 secret in London. When Jackson Lamb and his team of misfits are dragged into the fight, they find themselves caught in a conspiracy that threatens the future not just of Slough House but of MI5 itself. 

In addition to Goldman, the series stars Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas, BAFTA Scotland Award winner Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Freddie Fox, Chris Reilly, Samuel West, Sophie Okonedo, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Kadiff Kirwan, and Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce. 

This series is a bit of an enigma to me. I personally haven’t tuned into it just yet, but it seems like something I would enjoy. Describing the series as “a darkly humorous espionage drama” is right up my alley. I think I’m definitely going to give this one a go as soon as I finish the first season of Silo — another underrated sci-fi drama.

The third season of Slow Horses will premiere its first two episodes of its six-episode season on Apple TV+ on November 29th. Each additional episode will premiere every Wednesday until its season finale on December 27th. If you want to watch the season in the best quality possible when it comes to the streaming service, check out our list of the Best TVs and Best Soundbars.

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I don’t know about you, but I can already tell what I’m going to be spending most of November doing: Finding the time to stream this month’s hottest new TV shows, of which there are many — everything from Season 6 of Netflix’s The Crown to a new season of Fargo, Invincible on Prime Video, and much more. I had a feeling it was going to come to this — the streamers packing in all the good stuff as the year draws to a close.

The 5 most anticipated TV shows coming this month

The new TV shows coming this month run the gamut from prestige dramas to animated series, with so much more in between. In this post, we’re taking a closer look at five of the most-anticipated titles (according to Rotten Tomatoes users), and you’ll find story summaries as well as the release dates included with each title’s listing below.

#1: Invincible: Season 2 (Nov. 10)

Season 2 of Prime Video’s Invincible already has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its debut this week — a truncated debut though it is. Fans will get four new episodes, then the show will go on hiatus until early 2024.

Image source: Prime Video

Fortunately, though, the magic has returned for Season 2 and fans are in store for a captivating continuation of the story that’s based on the groundbreaking comic book from Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. Per Prime Video’s Season 2 summary: “The story revolves around 18-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is (or was) the most powerful superhero on the planet.

Still reeling from Nolan’s betrayal in Season 1, Mark struggles to rebuild his life as he faces a host of new threats, all while battling his greatest fear — that he might become his father without even knowing it.” 

#2: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Nov. 17)

Moving right along, Apple TV+’s new 10-episode series that features monsters like Godzilla himself tells the story of two siblings who investigate the Monarch organization. They uncover a story that spans generations and is dominated by lots of monsters.

Image source: Apple

From the official Apple synopsis: “Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch.

“Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.”

#3: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Nov. 17)

Boy meets girl. Boy wins girl’s heart. But before he earns the power of love, the video game-loving hero in Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off must defeat his new girl’s seven evil exes (in combat!) — a truly consequential turn of events for young Pilgrim, a wannabe bass player and slacker extraordinaire.

Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers in “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.” Image source: Netflix

Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, Alison Pill as Kim Pine, and Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim in “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.” Image source: Netflix

Of all the TV shows coming this month, this is the one I’m going out of my mind for. The Scott Pilgrim graphic novels are ridiculously delightful, and Netflix’s anime adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s story, in my opinion, considerably improves upon the 2010 feature film adaptation from Edgar Wright (which struggled a bit to translate the zany storyline and ka-POW! comic action to a live setting). I’ve been re-reading the novels, all six of them, in anticipation of the anime coming this month — and all I can say is if you’ve never been introduced to this story before, you’re in for quite a treat.

Honestly, just thinking about it makes me want to move to Toronto, start a rock band, and call ourselves Sex-Bob-Omb. Postscript: My favorite Scott Pilgrim quote will forever and always be the following zinger delivered with devastating sarcasm by the lead singer of Crash and the Boys at one point during their set: “Ok this next song goes out to the guy who keeps yelling from the balcony. It’s called ‘We Hate You, Please Die.'”

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers and Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim. Image source: Netflix

#4: Fargo: Season 5 (Nov. 21)

The fifth season of FX’s Fargo is set in Minnesota and North Dakota, and its principal characters include Dot Lyon — a seemingly typical Midwestern housewife, played by Juno Temple, who gets in trouble with the authorities thanks to a life she’d thought was in the past.

Image source: FX

Rancher, preacher, and sheriff Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm), meanwhile, has been searching for her for years. Continues FX’s official summary of the new season: “With her deepest secrets beginning to unravel, Dot attempts to shield her family from her past, but her doting, well-meaning husband Wayne (David Rysdahl) keeps running to his mother, Lorraine Lyon (Jennifer Jason Leigh), for help.

“CEO of the largest Debt Collection Agency in the country, the “Queen of Debt” is unimpressed with her son’s choice in a wife and spares no opportunity to voice her disapproval. However, when Dot’s unusual behavior catches the attention of Minnesota Police Deputy Indira Olmstead (Richa Moorjani) and North Dakota Deputy Witt Farr (Lamorne Morris), Lorraine appoints her in-house counsel and primary advisor, Danish Graves (Dave Foley), to aid her daughter-in-law.”

#5: The Crown: Season 6 (Nov. 16)

As for this fifth title on November’s list of the most-anticipated TV shows — again, as ranked by Rotten Tomatoes users — it should come as no surprise that viewers are seriously excited for the sixth and final season of The Crown, Netflix’s drama that goes behind the scenes of Britan’s Royal Family.

Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales in The Crown. Image source: Netflix

The show, one of the streamer’s biggest of all time, is being split into two parts, thus squeezing every last bit of viewership out of this massive prestige drama from creator Peter Morgan that really helped put Netflix’s original programming ambitions on the map. Four episodes are coming this month, while the final six will arrive in December.

In terms of the story, Season 6 picks up with Diana and Prince Charles spending their first summer apart following their divorce. “We’re very much in the beginning of the Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed story,” executive producer Suzanne Mackie told Netflix in a promotional interview. “From the second she steps onto that boat and [you begin to see] some of those iconic images of her on the yacht, it does take you immediately to the whirlwind that was the press speculation around that romance.

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