Editor's Note: This post is updated monthly. Bookmark this page and come back to see what other anime classics get added to Hulu.

Updated for January 2020. 

Isn’t it just the worst when you’re out with friends at your favorite restaurant and everyone’s discussing Assassination Classroom and you’re unable to jump in? How about when you’re waiting for the bus to arrive and people are discussing the latest Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure plot twist? Or when your cashier at the supermarket tries to make small talk and naturally namedrops the eternal equalizer, Space Dandy, and you just have to quietly look at your shoes?

Okay, so anime’s presence might not be quite at that level, but the popularity of the once-niche area of the animation industry only continues to blossom and become more mainstream. Not only are there now ample anime series that are available on popular streaming services, but this is even used as a selling point in some cases!

read more: Best Anime to Stream and Where to Stream It

Not only are more legacy titles being added to streaming services every month, but there is also a steady stream of new series that are being added

For both the obsessive anime fan and those entirely new to the form, here’s a whopping list of the 50 best anime that are currently streaming and exactly where to find them/here’s the top anime that are currently streaming on Hulu.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Hirohiko Araki’s Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of Japan’s most prestigious and beloved franchises. Araki began work on the Jojo series back in the ‘80s, but it’s only been in more recent years that Jojo fever has caught on in North America. The series spans the multi-generational saga of the Joestar family, with each new series/saga in the franchise tackling a new “Jojo” throughout the lineage. This allows Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure to span a huge amount of content and the series can change its goal, location, and protagonists with each new series.

read more: The 20 Best Altered Fighting Game Characters

The third and fourth chapters in the series, Stardust Crusaders and Diamond is Unbreakable have been the most successful and compelling stories in the ongoing Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure saga. The series all feature unforgettable characters (with even more unforgettable outfits), but also some of the most creative fight sequences you’ll come across thanks to the spirit-like “Stands” that dominate the series. 

Magic powers are one thing, but the way in which some of these Stands operate will truly leave you surprised. Jojo has an uncanny ability to mix slice of life anime with breakneck action sequences and inspired serialized storytelling. The entirety of the series may be too long and intimidating for newcomers to jump in, but Diamond is Unbreakable is easily the most accessible of the seasons and an easy place to jump in for the uninitiated Jojo fans.

Space Dandy

This might be the greatest television show that I’ve ever seen—not just anime, but television, as a whole. The incredibly complex show has one of the simplest premises as the series follows a bounty hunter, Dandy, and his unusual crew on the hunt for rare alien species. Masterminded by Shinichiro Watanabe (a name that will pop up a lot here), each episode takes Dandy and company to a different planet, ostensibly making it a new show each time. One episode it’s a zombie story, the next a romantic comedy, and then an intergalactic dance competition. Another installment is focused entirely on the idea of a robot trying to learn and comprehend how to love. The show’s narrator is just as much a character on the program as any of the actual cast.

read more: Space Dandy: 5 Essential Episodes

Space Dandy goes the extra mile by having a different art director and character designer in use for each planet they visit, giving the locations and their inhabitants all a distinctly unique look. On top of that, the animation and music is just a gorgeous, psychedelic avalanche for the senses. It’s over-the-top aesthetic is very much something to get excited about. When combining that with truly avant-garde, unpredictable storytelling, Space Dandy becomes a series like no other. It demands watching and refuses defining.

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto

Sometimes overpowered characters in an anime can be exhausting because they suck all of the tension out of a scene. However, Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto harnesses this energy and makes it the entire point of its series. The premise of Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto is incredibly thin: Sakamoto is a high school student who’s incredibly popular and excels at every little thing that he does (the show’s banging opening credits song does a great job at how Sakamoto effortlessly becomes the king of everything). That might seem like a limited angle for a show, but the anime makes Sakamoto’s God-tier skills a constant delight. Rather than get annoyed at how Sakamoto is always at the top, the anime turns it into a brilliant game of tension. 

read more: The Best Shows on Hulu You Haven't Streamed Yet

The bullies and other jealous students around Sakamoto continually try to get the better of him and knock him down a peg, but it never happens. Sakamoto always has the perfect solution and his increasingly ridiculous escape plans are part of why the show’s so fun. It’s like Sakamoto is a magnet for good luck, and he can’t help it if things like his friend’s mom falling in love with him happen. Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto finds the perfect kind of energy for its comedy and it’s hard to not fall in love with Sakamoto, just like every else. 

Cowboy Bebop

Certainly one of the older shows on this list, but one that’s earned its place as legacy anime. Long before he was blowing people’s minds on Space Dandy, Shinichiro Watanabe was setting the standard with his planet-hopping space western, Cowboy Bebop. While again focusing on a ragtag group of bounty hunters and outlaws jumping around in space, there is a certain sense of tone and atmosphere conjured up by this series.

read more: Cowboy Bebop Live-Action Series Coming to Netflix

Even though it’s a mostly episodic program, there is still such a connection to it among fans due to how well each story sees execution. It’s also responsible for those countless people you see cosplaying with big hair and a navy blue suit.Additionally, the score and music is done by Yoko Kanno, and it’s just pure bliss across the board. Bebop really makes its music a priority and the quality is undeniable. Can you think of a theme song that gets you pumped up more than “TANK”? No, no you cannot.

One-Punch Man

One-Punch Man is overblown action in the best possible way. The series is about Saitama, the eponymous "One-Punch Man", a superhero that is so powerful that he kills all of his enemies in one punch. Because of this lack of a challenge, Saitama has developed a blasé look on life as he searches for someone stronger than him. The fact that this extremely overpowered person looks like this is the perfect unassuming icing on the cake.

It's encouraging to see how well One-Punch Man nails the action and humor that it goes for, and it's funny that in a year that has seen people clamoring for (and receiving) more Dragon Ball, this is the series that seems to be satisfying most of these people's desires for overblown, God-level battles (the work done in the first season finale is truly a sight to behold in both animation and fighting).

read more: Ranking the Dragon Ball Z Movies

 On the other extreme of this, the series is also very interested in the hierarchy of these superheroes, designating them classes, rules and restrictions, and through this we get a number of delightful ancillary low-level heroes that kind of out-Venture Bros the Venture Bros. Here you're getting such absurd fighters like Tank Top Vegetarian, Superalloy Darkshine, Handsomely Masked Sweet Mask, Metal Bat, Pri-Pri-Prisoner, Spring Mustache, and License-less Rider, who is simply a cyclist who uses his bike as a weapon. I dare you to watch that theme song and not want to give this adrenaline shot a peak.

Death Parade

Death Parade is a perfect mix of the playful and the macabre, resulting in a surprisingly profound series. The anime is set at a way station of sorts, and when two people die at the exact same time, they’re sent to this location to play a game against each other. Scrubbed of their memories, these two people must compete in some sort of parlor game in order to determine their future—which of them gets to have an afterlife, and which is just gone, essentially.

read more: The Best Horror Anime to Watch on Crunchyroll

There’s something intrinsically compelling about watching people play a game of air hockey, billiards, or even Twister, for the highest stakes imaginable. Each game also has twisted tricks incorporated into them, such as the balls in billiards each corresponding to a different body part that will experience pain upon being sunk.The competition at work in each episode already makes this a suspenseful show, but it gains even more poignancy with what each episode is trying to say about life and death while these games are going on. Every installment is more or less a fresh story, and yet a great deal of pathos is created each time for these new people you encounter. Endlessly compelling and always having something to say, Death Parade is a great subversion of the afterlife.

My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is set within a well-defined universe where a good deal of people are born with latent superpowers known as “Quirks” that become activated after a matter of time. The series follows Izuku Midoriya, a quirk-less child who is more obsessed with superheroes than anyone else, in spite of his own normal status. However, everything changes for Izuku when the world’s greatest superhero, All Might, gives his own quirk over to Izuku in a rare act that forever ties the two together.

With Izuku still trying to understand and master the abilities of his new quirk, he finds himself enrolled in U.A. High School which becomes a training ground for all of the newest superheroes in training. My Hero Academia might skew younger a little in its tone, but it has an infectious energy that’s built upon having a strong (huge) cast of characters and an addictive narrative that sees these heroes-in-training trying to brave the trials of school.

read more: My Hero Academia Episode 1 Review

There’s something so soothing about clearly established battles of Good Vs. Evil and My Hero Academia excels at painting these extremes in such exciting, new lights. The fight scenes are also on a whole other level. Just taking a glimpse of the superpowers on display in this show should give you an indication that this is far from some X-Men rip-off. This series isn’t going anywhere though and if Funimation didn’t have Dragon Ball Super on their hands, My Hero Academia would be the other big hit that they’d be banking on. They’ve only scratched the surface with the superpowers of this one.

Parasyte –The Maxim-

Parasyte: The Maxim hits the ground running and is bonkers from its very first frame. The series revolves around a number of alien parasites that have landed on Earth and start possessing hosts. Shinichi Izumi is a mild-mannered high school student whose life drastically changes when one of these parasites possesses his right hand. This sets Shinichi on a dangerous journey to wipe out the other parasites that have landed on Earth, as well as figure out how to work alongside his new alien host, and if there's a way to rid himself of this threat. 

Parasyte: The Maxim operates like a superhero series at times as Shinichi acclimates to the new strength and powers that his parasite gives him. The series also navigates tricky moral territory as Shinichi, who's now a human-alien hybrid, must fight against the aliens that are now part of his biology (think Tokyo Ghoul, but with aliens instead of vampire demons). 

read more: The Best Horror Movies on Hulu

The path that Shinichi finds himself on gives the anime a strong narrative drive, but honestly, this is just a beautiful show to watch in motion. The fluid, bewildering effects that Shinichi's parasitic hand puts to use are ridiculous and it's just crazy to watch a boy partner up with an alien version of his hand for an entire series. H.P. Lovecraft would give this madness his full stamp of approval.

Erased

If there is any show on this list that demands a binge-worthy approach to viewing, it is Erased. Think of Zodiac and all of the best engrossing serial killer stories mixed with the best sort of supernatural weirdness and you’ve got Erased in a nutshell.

read more: Best Anime on Netflix to Stream

The series looks at a character that experiences “revivals” when disasters strike, allowing him to go back in time a few minutes and prevent this wrong from happening. However, one such incident sees him flinging back in time twenty years to when he’s eight years old, stuck in his childhood trying to prevent a much bigger crime from happening that has its roots in the past. Erased builds such suspense (especially since the stakes are the lives of children) and you really just want to watch the next episode immediately after finishing one. It’s a slow burn, but telling a really nuanced, emotional story with unusual elements that it doesn’t lose itself in.

Trigun

As all sorts of flashy new anime hit the scene, there’s something to be said for an action classic from the ‘90s like Trigun. Vash the Stampede is your mysterious “Man With No Name” gunslinger archetype. The series bills him as one of the most destructive forces in the nation and while he is an impeccable shot and gunfighter, he’s also an incredibly sensitive individual who’d much rather preach the gospel of “love and peace” than empty out his chamber. With an obscene bounty of sixty billion double dollars on Vash’s head, there is never a shortage of assassins and derelicts out there who are looking to take him down.

read more: The Best Sci-Fi Movies on Hulu

Trigun offers incredible gunplay and action set pieces that are amazing to watch, but also highlight Vash’s extreme skills and ability to avoid death, whenever possible. The series only becomes more complex and fascinating when Vash’s spotty past gets explored and he attempts to fill in the blanks surrounding his retrograde amnesia. 

Trigun provides an emotional, suspenseful story about a man who wants to reject his violent talents and reclaim his past, but it’s also full of memorable villains and intense weapons that make the show even more impressive. Many chivalrous archetypes have come after Vash the Stampede’s time, but there’s a reason that he’s still such a classic character from anime (there will definitely be someone dressed up at him at the next Comic-Con you attend).

Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist

The series’ introduction (and even its lengthy title) gives you a pretty good idea of what’s going on here. In a world where pornography, lewd language, and even crude humor are made illegal, a certain group of freedom fighters try to insert sexuality back into the world. This mash-up of Bradbury with bawdy humor turns out to be an ingenious pairing. You’d have no idea that flashy terrorist acts involving nude photos raining down on the population could not only be so hilarious, but also saying something poignant at the same time.

read more: Voltron: 10 Hilarious Ways the Original Show Censored Death

There’s some exceptionally smart, informed humor coming out of this show (even their heavy “censorship” towards their language and gratuitousness is very funny while also servicing the story) and a delicious What If? scenario like nothing else. It’s also just nice to see the rampant sexuality that can so often dominate anime being portrayed in such an empowering light, too.

FLCL

FLCL is a coming-of-age story as if told by William Burroughs or Alejandro Jodorowsky. Each iteration of the series looks at a complacent pre-teen or teenager who’s lost over the future and the hurdles of adulthood.FLCL puts such relatable themes in a blender with absurdist plotting and surrealist animation and the result is one of the most unique, infamous anime series to hit the market. FLCL is a vespa-riding, alien invading, sentient guitar-playing take on adolescence and even if certain aspects of the series go over your head, it’s always a delight to watch. 

read more: The Best Romance Movies on Hulu

FLCL plays things fast and loose with it animation style and it incorporates many different aesthetics to illustrate its lost mental state. You may not always understand the show, but you’ll always be in awe of it. FLCL never slows down and even when the show doesn’t quite work, it’s still an astounding experiment that taps into deep pockets of humanity. 

Adult Swim recently co-produced two sequel series, FLCL: Progressive and FLCL: Alternative that don’t quite carry the same manic magic as the original series, but they remain faithful to the show’s unique perspective. If you ever feel lost in life, pop on some FLCL to feel better (although be careful of the show’s dangerously addictive soundtrack).

Assassination Classroom

In what’s one of the best concepts that I’ve ever come across, Assassination Classroom deals with an octopus-esque alien that declares that he’s going to destroy the planet in one year unless he can be killed. Oh, and if you don’t think he’s serious, he just blew up three quarters of the moon. The measures that have been set in place here is that a class of students—the bottom of the barrel, at that—are given the task of being trained as assassins to take him down, garnering one billion dollars in the process. The conditions however are that this alien is their teacher, and he’s unable to hurt any of his students, with them having a year to pull off their task, lest the planet be destroyed yada yada yada. 

read more: What the Hulu/Funimation Deal Means for Anime

What’s kind of amazing is the symbiotic relationship between this alien, Korosensai, and his students/would-be assassins. Each episode has him genuinely bettering them and helping them grow, and it’s this bittersweet arrangement of them deeply caring for each other, yet this terrible asterisk hanging over it all. Now in the middle of wrapping up its second season, I legitimately don’t know how this show will conclude and I couldn’t be more excited about that.

Samurai Champloo

If you’re sifting through anime, you’re likely going to come across some samurai titles. They’re a staple of the form. Samurai Champloo, unsurprisingly, is exactly that, but also so, so much more. While at its core a simple quest story involving a mysterious beauty, Watanabe’s series is an anachronistic mash-up that reimagines Edo-era Japan into a post-modern hip hop wonderland. Watanabe continues to remix these ideas by literally rewinding episodes or “scratching” them like a record with a DJ-like sensibility as these classical themes get mashed together with current aesthetics.

read more: The Best Action Movies on Hulu

Just like Watanabe has revamped other classic anime archetypes, even if you’ve never been big on samurai series before, this one is likely to rub you the right way. Part of the fun here is just how successful Samurai Champloo is at creating its tone. It’s really a different way of presenting a narrative, and a smart pairing that deserves more credit. There’s also just something about seeing an elegant sword fight set to a hip-hop soundtrack.

Attack on Titan

Look, you probably don’t need me to tell you about or push Attack on Titan on you. It’s a series that has grown into an institution and has slowly become one of the most successful cross-pond anime in recent years. The sheer fact that this selection is also on Netflix is a testament to the growth in demand. If you have been unaware of Attack on Titan though, now’s the perfect time to make the jump with the series’ third season nearing some sort of release, and the production of two live-action movies having gone on in the interim time.

read more: Attack on Titan Makes Giant Monsters Scary Again

The series is set in an alternate world where humanity has caged itself in through a series of giant successive walls as a result of the threat of Titans. These monsters are huge human-like monsters with an unstoppable hunger for humans. The series begins with the breach of one of these walls and the discovery of more powerful Titans behind it.

There’s real art going on here as the series jumps in stretches of the time and chooses to selectively focus on certain characters, building a real full mosaic in the process. There’s also just some stunning animation going on at these fighters zip through the air in their gear to take down these behemoths. The story only becomes deeper and deeper too, with fantastic twists that litter the end of both seasons. Year two takes some risks by banking more on characters than action, but there’s still a story that’s unbelievable to watch unfold. This is how you effectively build a world and tell a full, nuanced story. Plus, monsters and the biggest daddy issues this side of Neon Genesis Evangelion! 

Also Available on Hulu: Yu Yu Hakusho, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Rurouni Kenshin, Overlord, Dagashi Kashi, Kill la Kill, Boogiepop Phantom, Hellsing andHellsing Ultimate, Dragon Ball/Z/GT, Megalobox, Death Note, Tokyo Ghoul, Lupin the Third, Inuyasha, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Attack on Titan: Junior High, Sailor Moon, Crayon Shin-Chan, Fruits Basket, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Daniel Kurland is a published writer, comedian, and critic whose work can be read on Den of Geek, Vulture, Bloody Disgusting, and ScreenRant. Daniel knows that the owls are not what they seem and his perma-neurotic thought process can be followed at @DanielKurlansky.

You thought movies were the only place to get your daily dose of horror? Oh you fool! You absolute FOOL! There are plenty of bingeworthy and scary horror TV shows out there and Hulu just happens to be a great place to find them. 

You can see a complete list of Hulu new releases here

Hulu is home to recent hits like The Terror and Castle Rock but there are still more scares to be found for the horror enthusiast willing to dig deep. Gathered here are some of the best and scariest horror TV shows that Hulu has to offer.

Editor's Note: This post is updated monthly. Bookmark this page and come back every month to see the additions to the best horror TV shows on Hulu.

Updated for January 2020

The Terror

Based on a 2007 book of the same name by Dan Simmons, The Terrorseason 1 tells a fictionalized account of Captain Sir John Franklin's expedition to the arctic in 1845. In real life, the doomed men likely got lost and succumbed to the cold but the show asks "what if there was something more sinister than low temperatures lurking about?"

read more - The Terror: Infamy is the Most Important Show on Right Now

The Terror features a cast impressively full of "hey it's that guy" guys like Jared Harris, Ciarán Hindis, and Tobias Menzes. It deftly turned itself into an anthology with the second season The Terror: Infamy that tells a ghost story within the setting of a Japanese interment camp in World War II.

American Horror Story

Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story is revolutionary in quite a few ways. Not only did it help usher in a renewed era of anthology storytelling on television, it also was arguably the first successful network television horror show since The X-Files.

read more: How American Horror Story Has Changed Since Murder House

Like all anthologies, American Horror Story has its better seasons (season 1 a.k.a. Murder House, season 2 a.k.a. Asylum, season 6 a.k.a. Roanoke) and its worse (season 3 a.k.a. Coven and season 8 a.k.a. Apocalypse). Still, for nine years and counting, American Horror Story has been one of the go-to options for TV horror fans.

Castle Rock

Stephen King properties have made their way to television before. There have been miniseries for classic King texts like The Stand and 'Salem's Lot and even full series for works like Rose Red and Under the Dome. Still, none of those series has had the audacity to adapt multiple aspects of the Stephen King universe itself...until Castle Rock.

read more - Castle Rock: Stephen King Easter Egg and Reference Guide

Castle Rock takes multiple characters, storylines, and concepts from the vast works of Stephen King and puts them all in King's own Castle Rock, Maine. The first season featured inmates from Shawshank prison, extended family of Jack Torrance, and maybe even a touch of the shine. The show has opened itself up for more storytelling possibilities in season 2, adopting an anthology format and bringing Annie Wilkes into the fold.

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone is an all-time television classic for good reason. Join Rod Serling each episode for a new tale of mystery, horror and woe.

further reading: The Best Horror Movies on Netflix

Whatever you do, however, do NOT drop your glasses.

The Strain

The most novel thing about FX's vampire horror thriller The Strain is how it equates the ancient fear of vampirism with the more modern, global fear of pandemic. The Strain, produced by Guillermo del Toro Chuck Hogan and based on their novel series opens with a flight landing with all of its passengers mysteriously dead.

read more: The Strain Producers Talk Changes from the Books

As CDC director Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) steps in to investigate, he discovers that there might be something more sinister...and ancient afoot than a simple virus. The Strain lasted for four mostly decent seasons on FX and if nothing else helped re-embrace the vampire as a monster and not some sort of noble antihero.

Stan Against Evil

To parody horror, one needs to love horror. And Stan Against Evil creator Dana Gould really, really, really loves horror. The longtime standup comedian and comedy writer brings his unique humor sensibilities and lifelong appreciation of horror to tell the story of a quaint New Hampshire town that just happens to be built on the cursed site of a massive witch burning.

read more - Stan Against Evil: The 13 Best Monsters

John C. McGinley stars as the titular Stan, a disgraced former sheriff who opts to pick up the battle against evil after a close call. He teams up with new sheriff Evie Barret (Janet Varney) to defend the town (and sometimes world) from supernatural threats.

The X-Files

The X-Filesis quite simply the gold standard for horror on television. Chris Carter's conspiracy-tinged supernatural masterpiece not only inspired every horror TV show that came after it, but just about every other TV show in general.

read more: Revisiting The X-Files Pilot

The X-Files follows FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate the unusual cases that traditional law enforcement won't touch. For 11 seasons (and a handful of movies), the show expertly balanced a massive series-long story along with what came to be called "monster of the week" self-contained tales.

Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural

When it first premiered on YouTube back in 2016, Buzzfeed Unsolved became a huge hit by appealing to one of the Internet's favorite subjects: true crime. Still Buzzfeed saw all of that success and realzied there was still another audience to serve. Thus Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural was born.

read more: The Best Horror TV Shows on Netflix

In this spinoff hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej examine some of the supernatural world's biggest mysteries. With the right balance of skepticism and belief, Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural is a welcome entry into the paranormal investigation TV canon.

The Outer Limits

When The Twilight Zone premiered in 1959, it set off a brief little renaissance of anthology horror storytelling on television. The best of these contenders to the Zone's throne was probably the sci-fi centric The Outer Limits.

read more: The Best Horror TV Shows on Amazon Prime

Outer Limits aired from 1963 to 1965 on ABC. In that span it generated 49 spooky episodes, several of which made an impact on pop culture. Alan Moore infamously borrowed the plot of the episode "The Architects of Fear" for the ending of Watchmen. The Outer Limits received a Sci-Fi Channel revival in the '90s and is currently poised for another bite at the apple.

Freakish

Freakish stars several high profile (at the time at least) social media stars as students at Kent High School. The kids are gathered together at school on Saturday for detention, Breakfast Club-style, when a nearby chemical plant explodes, turning the local population into mutated zombies. The group must band together to survive.

read more: The Best Horror Movies on Hulu

Debuting in 2016, Freakish ran for two seasons on Hulu. The show embraces its teenage soapiness and isn't necessarily the most heavyweight horror option. But it's a quick, fun watch for any zombie horror fan nonetheless.

The Exorcist

The Exorcistis one of the greatest horror films ever made. The Fox series that bears its name and premise isn't quite as good (few things could ever be) but it's still an excellent horror story in its own right.

read more: The Exorcist is Still the Scariest Movie Ever Made

The Exorcist is a two-season long anthology series that follows two different cases of demonic possession. In the first installment, two Catholic priests assist a woman with a possession in her home. In the second, two new priests help a young girl battle evil.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

You know who has a good eye for horror? That Alfred Hitchcock character. The horror maestro had not yet directed Psycho when Alfred Hitchcock Presents premiered on CBS in 1955, but he had been churning out classic thrillers for decades, including Rear Window and Dial M for Murder.

read more: The 10 Best Alfred Hitchcock Movies

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ran for 10 seasons and featured more than 300 stories. The content of every episode was different and ran the gamut of spooky genres from crime to mystery to outright horror. Viewers knew, however, that every episode would feature ol' Alfie, himself, first in silhouette, then in person to introduce the terror to come.

Dark Shadows

Before it was a regrettable Tim Burton film starring Johnny Depp, Dark Shadows was a beloved gothic soap opera. Dark Shadows aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971 and started as a very soapy examination of lives of the Collins family in Collinsport, Maine.

read more: Dark Shadows' Witch Was As Influential As Its Vampire

The show always flirted with the supernatural but it dialed up the strangeness to 11 when, 10 months into its run, it introduced the vampire Barnabas Collins. Barnabas proved to be one of TV's most beloved bloodsuckers and his presence elevated Dark Shadows into the best, spookiest version of itself.

Alec Bojalad is TV Editor at Den of Geek and TCA member. Read more of his stuff here. Follow him at his creatively-named Twitter handle @alecbojalad

The Star Wars saga will continue long after the final chapter of the Sequel Trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker! The Skywalker Saga may be coming to a close, but there are still plenty of Star Wars movies and TV shows in the works.

This is the page where we'll keep track of all the upcoming Star Wars movie and TV releases. It might not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. Hit the blue links in each entry to read articles that tell you more about what you need to know about all these new Star Wars adventures!

First up are the movies but scroll down for TV release dates...

Star Wars Movies

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

December 20, 2019

Director: J.J. Abrams

Writer: Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams

Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Kelly Marie Tran

Episode IX is set to bring the Sequel Trilogy to a close as Rey, Poe, Finn, and their friends take the fight to Kylo Ren and the First Order. But as the trailers have already shown us, there's an even bigger threat waiting in the shadows: the resurgent Emperor Palpatine and a massive fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers that could mean the end of the Resistance once and for all. It's time for one last battle between the dark side and the light...

Read our spoiler-free review of The Rise of Skywalker right here.

Untitled Star Wars Movie

December 16, 2022

Disney has confirmed that the Star Wars movie franchise will continue in 2022 with three new, currently untitled films. What could these projects be? Well, this was one of the movies being developed by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss until their sudden departure from the project in October 2019. They cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for their exit from their highly-publicized deal with Lucasfilm, but reports say it goes deeper than that. 

Benioff and Weiss were reportedly interested in making a trilogy of movies about the origin of the Jedi, but the studio and the creators were in disagreement about the direction of the films. It remains to be seen if Lucasfilm will tap another filmmaker to take on a Jedi origin story or if they're scrapping the idea altogether. Perhaps this might be a good slot to put that rumored Knights of the Old Republic movie?

In any case, don't be surprised if this ends up getting pulled from the schedule entirely. But as of now, Disney still has this date reserved for a Star Wars movie, and what the Mouse wants, the Mouse usually gets.

Untitled Star Wars Movie

December 20, 2024

Fortunately, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is still working on his own Star Wars trilogy. All we know about these movies is that this will take place in previously unexplored areas of the Star Wars universe, and it will kick off a brand new saga of films completely unrelated to the Skywalker story. We wrote in more detail about what that might mean for the franchise right here.

Perhaps this will be the trilogy to take over the Benioff/Weiss slots. On the other hand, maybe Johnson's recent comments about what a mistake it is to pander to fans are an indication that his relationship with Disney has soured.

Read more about this new Star Wars trilogy here.

Untitled Star Wars Movie

December 18, 2026

Your guess is as good as ours as to what movie might end up occupying this slot. Disney seems to be rethinking a lot of their Star Wars movie strategy in favor of a more TV focused approach on Disney+. Which brings us to...

Star Wars TV

The Mandalorian

Now airing on Disney+.

Showrunner: Jon Favreau

Writer: Jon Favreau

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Nick Nolte, Werner Herzog, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Shallow, Omid Abtahi

Stream your Star Wars favorites on Disney+ with a FREE TRIAL, on us!

Synopsis: "After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic."

Read more about The Mandalorian here.

The Clone Wars Season 7

February 2020 on Disney+

Showrunner: Dave Filoni

Starring: Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor

The Clone Wars animated series is making a surprise return on Disney+. We don't know too much about the new season except that part of it will take place on Mandalore and that it will follow the story of Ahsoka Tano after she left the Jedi Order. 

Read more about the new season of The Clone Wars here. 

Cassian Andor Series

Date TBA

Writer: Tony Gilroy

Starring: Diego Luna & Alan Tudyk

There's a Rogue One spinoff series starring Rebel secret agent Cassian Andor coming to Disney+! According to the press release, "The rousing spy thriller will explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire." This sounds very good.

Read more about the Cassian Andor series here.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Series

Date TBA

Director: Deborah Chow

Writer: Hossein Amini

Starring: Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor is finally returning to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a series set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The Jedi Master has settled into his life as an exile on Tatooine, where he's watching over Luke Skywalker from afar. Will his next adventure take him off-world or is he going to have to protect a defenseless village from raiders Toshiro Mifune style? We'll find out soon enough!

We wrote more about the Obi-Wan series right here.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Holly jolly it’s that time of year again. The windows are frosted, the trees lit, and the eggnog is strong. The best part about the holidays, aside from strong eggnog of course, is the television. All your favorite fall shows take a stab at the Christmas motif and all your favorite characters are clad in their most hideous sweaters. But for some of us the best episodes are the ones that are way out of the box, where reindeer, Santa, and gift giving are faint.

So here is a list of the best off-beat Christmas episodes comedy television has to offer...

The X-Files “How The Ghosts Stole Christmas”

A Christmas episode set inside of a haunted house? Only The X-Files could pull off a premise this bizarre. The idea came from series creator Chris Carter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz. Carter ultimately wrote and directed the episode which saw Mulder and Scully get locked inside a haunted mansion on Christmas Eve.

read more: A Complete Christmas Movie Streaming Guide

As the story goes, a murder-suicide supposedly took place inside the mansion in 1917 and the young couple has haunted the house every Christmas since. Like most X-Files, it was an ambiguous ending that didn’t solve much, but through the ghosts of Christmas-past, the episode examines both Mulder and Scully’s motives and relationship.

The ambitious bottle episode used only four actors (the series’ lowest total) and one set. Joining David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, the ghosts were played by comedy TV legends Lily Tomlin and Ed Asner. While it’s not Chris Carter’s best work, Tomlin and Asner make it a holiday trick-or-treat worth revisiting.

Still at the height of X-Files mania following the 1998 release of The X-Files feature film Fight The Future, the episode was a yuletide frightfest that capped off an ambitious run of early season six episodes.

Hey Arnold “Arnold’s Christmas”

Nickelodeon’s animated classic Hey Arnold got off to a hot start from moment one. It wasn’t until its beautiful and surprisingly emotional season 1 Christmas episode, however, that it was clear the show was something special.

In “Arnold’s Christmas” the already incredibly magnanimous and selfless Arnold (last name forever omitted) pulls off his most incredible act yet. For the boarding house’s Secret Santa gift exchange, Arnold is pared up with Vietnamese-American neighbor Mr. Hyunh. Arnold decides to get him the best Christmas gift ever. So like any normal elementary school child he… REUNITES MR. HYUNH WITH HIS LONG-LOST DAUGHTER.

Arnold pulling off this Christmas miracle is one of the more unexpected and emotional twists from a Nicktoon ever. It doesn’t hurt that the rest of the episode is filled with Christmas magic too. Even Helga Pataki gets in on the action, learning that the season isn’t just about flashy gifts, “it’s about showing people you really care about them.”

American Horror Story: Asylum “Unholy Night”

Looking for a nightmare before Christmas? Then look no further than American Horror Story: Asylum, for our money the series’ madcap highpoint, and its eighth episode “Unholy Night” which delivers the present you didn’t know you wanted this season: character actor extraordinaire Ian McShane as a malicious, murdering Saint Nick. In backstory sequences, it’s revealed that McShane’s character killed five families, 18 total people, in one night. He was as busy as the big man himself!

read more: 20 Christmas Movies for Badasses

McShane, who is so unhinged and vile yet capable of lighting up the screen like a Christmas tree, delivers most of the episode’s highlights, but Lily Rabe, who plays possessed nun Sister Mary Eunice, seems to be having a ball, manipulating an equally game James Cromwell and tormenting a distraught, back-against-the-wall Jessica Lange. Surely there are better episodes of Asylum, but sadly they don’t contain Ian McShane in a shabby red suit.    

Arrested Development “Afternoon Delight”

It’s time for the annual Bluth Company Christmas party and this year George Michael decides to spend it with Egg…we mean Ann, disappointing his father. Michael instead takes Maeby to the party and the two find themselves in an awkward situation while singing karaoke to “Afternoon Delight” not realizing, until it’s a little too late, that the catchy tune is really very dirty. Whoops.

read more: 100 Best Christmas TV Episodes of All Time

It's hard to convince anyone of how un-Christmas this episode is, other than to just explain what happens. Lindsey is at the party too trying to score a date. Meanwhile Baby Buster is earning awards from “Army” and Gob is presidential in his three-thousand-dollar suit. Lucille and George get a little “afternoon delight” of their own… in the form of some high-grade cannabis. Not to worry the episode comes full circle when Lindsey and George Michael make the same incestual mistake with some “Afternoon Delight” at a second Bluth Company Christmas party.

What says holiday cheer better than pot brownies, men in banana suits, sexual harassment, and incest? Bah humbug!

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “A Very Sunny Christmas”

“Merry Christmas, Bitches!” Everyone’s Christmas is ruined in this holiday episode. Frank is in town to make sure Dennis and Dee have a terrible Christmas while Charlie and Mac, who love the holidays, find out some disturbing news that ruins their cheer. Charlie’s mom is a Christmas prostitute. And Mac’s parents were thieves. What else would you expect from the gang on Christmas?

read more: Best Christmas Horror Movies

This is the only Christmas episode in the Sunny series probably because there’s really nowhere to go from here. In the sphere of holiday episodes “A Very Sunny Christmas” takes the cake for being the most holiday un-holiday episode. Allow me to clarify, imagine singing the tune to Holy Night—probably the most traditional Christmas song—but with the lyrics to “Red Solo Cup.”

Parks and Recreation “Christmas Scandal”

It’s Christmas time in Pawnee and Leslie gets herself accidentally involved in a political sex scandal. This episode involves a tree-lighting ceremony. Other than that it shows no sign of classic holiday tropes. It's like doing the network a favor by including a holiday episode, but then bypassing any resemblance to any sort of holiday essence.

read more: 17 Movies Secretly About Christmas You Need to Watch

Parks and Recreation does have other holiday episodes like “Citizen Knope” where the Parks crew tries to find Leslie the perfect gift. We chose this one, however, because of it shows little sign of holiday tropes. Other than a tree-lighting ceremony, the episode can basically take place anywhere in the season. 

The Inbetweeners “Xmas Party”

Oh friend, there’s very little Christmas in this episode. Lots of classic Inbetweeners hoopla though. Don’t ask us why this is a Christmas episode. There is a Christmas prom but it looks like every other party.

read more: The Anti-Christmas Spirit of Krampus

This episode is another one of those beloved holiday episodes that don’t depress people because really they have nothing to do with the holidays at all! Favorite moment: Will tries to make out with the biology teacher because it’s Christmas and it’s The Inbetweeners dammit!

The League “Kegel the Elf”

There’s a lot to celebrate this holiday season. Jenny and Kevin are both in the playoffs. Unfortunately Ellie is having a little trouble in school. She’s running three-way-trades during lunchtime and told a fellow classmate to “take a ride on her suck stick.” To try and solve the problem, Jenny and Kevin buy Ellie an Elf on the Shelf that will keep and eye on her and report to Santa.

read more: 25 Unsung Christmas Icons

The other holiday episode that didn’t make the list but is still great is “Krampus Carol,” which has so much humor, inappropriateness, and ridiculousness to love. Oh and also Jeff Goldblum. So why did I choose “Kegel the Elf?” It was simple really, Ellie named her elf Kegel. Merry Christmas and remember Shivakamini Somakandarkram!

Seinfeld “The Strike”

The start of the famous Festivus! Lot goes on in this episode. But the most important part is with a feat of strength the world is changed forever because Frank teaches us all about Festivus!

read more - Dean Cain Christmas Movies: An (Almost) Definitive Guide

This is a Christmas episode that introduces a brand new holiday greater than any Chrismukkah. Frank is a genius. Thank you Frank, in your honor we will make a donation to the Human Fund.

Louie “New Year's Eve”

Talk about bumming people out for the holidays. "New Year's Eve" starts out with Louie watching his daughters open their Christmas presents. And then it cuts to a flashback, and probably one of the most remembered moments, the doll scene. Louie is trying to hard to find the perfect gifts for Jane and Lily. Jane adores her little doll and we see Louie wrapping the doll when he notices that the eyes have fallen out and are rattling inside the doll’s skull. Louie does everything he can to fix the doll and ends up making it worse. We see him frantically taking apart the doll and putting it back together again. Needless to say there is lots of cussing and power tools.

read more: A Charlie Brown Christmas Is Always Worth Revisiting

Then New Years comes and Louie is all alone. Louie is invited to his sister’s, played by Amy Poehler. On the way to the airport he runs into Liz, who he dated earlier in the season. She collapses on the bus and Louie rides with her in the ambulance to the hospital. She dies ten seconds before midnight. Are you in tears yet? This is not a holiday episode!

The Office “ A Benihana Christmas”

The Office is filled with so many amazing and ridiculous Christmas episodes it's so hard to choose just one. But let's go with “A Benihana Christmas” because well it’s jam-packed with hilarity and absurdity.

Carol breaks up with Michael and so the guys take him to Benihana where Michael and Andy meet two waitresses they decide to bring back to the office. Michael is unable to decipher which is his waitress so, in classic office tomfoolery, he decides to mark one of them.

read more: How The Office Christmas Special Perfectly Captured Christmas

In the end Michael invites the waitress to Jamaica, the trip he was going to gift to Carol, but the waitress declines. No worries, we all know who goes on that trip instead…

OK so we couldn’t just leave it at that. HAD to make mentions of some of the other episodes. So here are some (very) quick highlights:

Dwight as Belsnickel
Meredith on fire
Kevin on Michael’s lap
Adventures of Jimmy Halpert
Teapot
Princess Unicorn

South Park “Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo”

Obviously no television Christmas list is complete without this very disgusting episode of South Park. In case you haven’t guessed, it’s all about poo.

30 Rock “Ludachristmas”

The Lemons and Jack’s mother, Colleen, make it to 30 Rock to celebrate the holidays while the TGS crew gets ready for their annual Ludachristmas party.

read more: The Mystery Picture on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation DVD Cover

Kenneth tries to teach the crew about the true meaning of Christmas and it leads to them running out and trying to tear down the iconic Rockefeller tree. Although this is not our favorite 30 Rock installment it is a great holiday episode. It has family, friends, Ludacris, conservative CEO’s and their cold mothers.

Long live the Ryanverse! John Krasinski and his version of Jack Ryan will get a third tour of duty on Amazon, which gave an advance order for Jack Ryan Season 3 back in February 2019.

Paul Scheuring, best known as the creator of Fox’s Prison Break, will step in as the new showrunner for Jack Ryan, starting with the still-developing Season 3. The move finalizes a process that saw the exit of Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel), who, after initially developing the Tom Clancy revival property for television with co-showrunner Graham Roland, stepped back from his day-to-day showrunner duties back in March, as Deadline reported.

Cuse was initially set to be replaced by All the Money in the World scribe David Scarpa, who did not stay long in the position. Consequently, Cuse’s showrunner tenure will last be reflected with Season 2 of the series, which premieres in November. However, Cuse will remain onboard the creative roster as an executive producer.

Besides the aforementioned crime drama, Prison Break, which initially ran from 2005 to 2008, eventually getting a 2017 revival season (with another season potentially lined up), new showrunner Paul Scheuring brings television experience from Discovery Channel's 2014 Richard Madden-headlined historically-based frozen claim-jumper miniseries, Klondike (which co-starred Jack Ryan's Abbie Cornish,) and ABC’s single-season 2013 thriller series, Zero Hour. Amongst his work in the medium of film, he co-wrote the 2018 Gerard Butler-headlined crime drama, Den of Thieves, and the 2003 Vin Diesel actioner, A Man Apart.

Jack Ryan Season 3 Release Date

Jack Ryan season 3 does not yet have a release date yet, but we’ll keep you posted. Both previous seasons of the series premiered in the fall.

Jack Ryan Season 3 Cast

Jack Ryan stars Krasinski as the titular ex-Marine turned CIA analyst who tracks the finances of terrorist organizations.  Alongside John Krasinski, Abbie Cornish and Wendell Pierce co-star. Joining the cast for season two are Michael Kelly (House of Cards), Noomi Rapace (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Jovan Adepo (The Leftovers), Jordi Molla (Genius), Cristina Umaña (Narcos), and Francisco Denis.

Jack Ryan Season 3 Story

The character Jack Ryan was created by author Tom Clancy and first appeared in his 1984 novel The Hunt For Red October. To date, there are 28 novels (most penned by Clancy) that feature Jack Ryan or his friends in the “Ryanverse.” The character has been on the big screen five times, played over the years by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. Krasinski joined that fraternity with season one and is now the longest tenured Jack Ryan.

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

Joseph Baxter is a contributor for Den of Geek and Syfy Wire. You can find his work here. Follow him on Twitter @josbaxter.

The Umbrella Academy helped bring a new kind of superhero story to Netflix, and now the streaming service has greenlit The Umbrella AcademySeason 2. No big surprise there!

Not only did The Umbrella Academy generate plenty of online chatter for Netflix, but it's pretty clear that showrunner Steve Blackman anticipated The Umbrella Academy season 2 all along. The show's first season ends on about as cliffhanger-y a cliffhanger as possible with the central Umbrella Academy kids heading off into the past to parts and times unknown. 

Now that season 2 is a go, here's everything you need to know about the show:

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Release Date

The Umbrella Academy season 2 does not have a release date yet. According to Tom Hopper's Instagram account, filming has wrapped on season 2 as of late November. That means a mid-to-late 2020 release date might not be out of the question.

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Cast

Netflix has announced a trio of newcomers for The Umbrella Academy Season 2, all of whom are set as series regulars (pictured immediately below left-to-right).

Ritu Arya (Humans, Doctors) will play Lila, “a chameleon who can be as brilliant or as clinically insane as the situation requires. Unpredictable, mischievous and sarcastic, Lila’s gifted with a twisted sense of humor.”

Yusuf Gatewood (The Originals, Good Omens) will play Raymond, “a born leader with the smarts, gravitas, and the confidence to never have to prove it to anyone. He is warm, dedicated and has the innate ability to disarm you with a look. A devoted husband, he’s the kind of guy everyone wants to know.”

Marin Ireland (Sneaky Pete, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) will play Sissy, “a fearless, no-nonsense Texas mom who married young for all the wrong reasons. Still in her prime, she’s eager to rediscover what life and love has to offer.”

None of these characters have obvious analogues in the second volume of The Umbrella Academy comic book series so it will be interesting to see how they shake out. 

further reading: The Umbrella Academy Was Reportedly a Big Hit for Netflix

The whole Hargreeves crew will be back, naturally. This includes Number One Luther (Tom Hopper), Number Two Diego (David Castañeda), Number Three Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Number Four Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Number Five (Aiden Gallagher), the dearly departed Number Six Ben (Justin Min), and Number Seven Vanya (Ellen Page). 

Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), Pogo, and Cha-Cha  (Mary J. Blige) are dead but anything can happen when time travel is involved. Hazel (Cameron Britton) and Agnes (Sheila McCarthy) are out there in time somewhere.

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Story Details

The Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman shared a bit of news from season 2's production. That script sure does look like the script for season 2 episode 1. "Right Back Where We Started" is an excellent choice of title for a season that will presumably take The Umbrella Academy right back where they started.

The Umbrella Academy Season 1 adapted the majority of the comic's first volume, "Apocalypse Suite," with a little bit of the second volume, "Dallas" thrown in. The Umbrella Academy creator Gerard Way told us that he anticipates more of "Dallas" in The Umbrella Academy season 2.

"When all said and done there's eight graphic novels planned total," Way said. "We're two series ahead of the show and I think right now there's only been a couple things used from Dallas' so I think if there's a potential season two you would see some things potentially from 'Dallas.'"

We delved further into exactly what from "Dallas" and volume 3 "Hotel Oblivion," could be included in The Umbrella Academy season 2 here.

We're not the only ones who want to know what happens next. The cast is dying to find out what's next for the Hargreeves family, too:

"For me, it's gonna be so interesting to explore Vanya," Ellen Page said of her new White Violin persona. "It's like Vanya 2.0 - less repressed and what does that mean in the good ways and bad kinda thing."

Klaus Hargreeves actor Robert Sheehan said he appreciates the "transformative" nature of Klaus and that we can expect more of it in The Umbrella Academy season 2.

further reading: The Umbrella Academy Review

"He's constantly emerging into this new self. He's a butterfly that refuses to leave the cocoon, or he keeps going back into it. I'd love to see Klaus re-formed as something else, different completely. Hopefully, if the murmurings are to be believed, that's kind of where we're headed. I think he's in a constant state of change and that would bring much excitement for me."

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

Alec Bojalad is TV Editor at Den of Geek and TCA member. Read more of his stuff here. Follow him at his creatively-named Twitter handle @alecbojalad

Joseph Baxter is a contributor for Den of Geek and Syfy Wire. You can find his work here. Follow him on Twitter @josbaxter.

This The Witcher review contains no spoilers.

It’s inevitable that Netflix’s The Witcher will be compared to Game of Thrones. Both are fantasy series based on popular existing properties, and The Witcher is being released in the wake of Game of Thrones'...oh...how about “controversial” ending.

Yet, that comparison isn’t entirely fair. After watching the first five episodes of The Witcher, it’s apparent that both series are aiming for relatively different things despite their apparent similarities.

If you’re looking for that Game of Thrones comparison, though, then here it is: The Witcher is like if Game of Thrones was written by the guy you knew who only watched Game of Thrones for the nudity and violence and the girl you knew who always claimed to love the show but could never seem to remember any of the characters’ names.

The Witcher is based on the book series of the same name (with a few nods to the popular video games), but you don’t need to be a fan of either to get the gist of what’s going on. Its basic premise follows Geralt of Rivia (the titular witcher) as he roams the lands accepting mercenary work as a monster hunter and doer of other difficult and often unpleasant assignments. Around the same time, princess Ciri of the kingdom of Cintra is forced to leave her home after her family and her people are slaughtered by the Nilfgaardian Empire. Armed with nothing more than a few prophetic words shared by her grandmother which seem to suggest that she is destined to meet with Geralt, she begins to wander a world that is far more cruel and mystical than what a life lived in the castle would lead her to believe.

That’s about as simple of a set-up as we can share without diving into spoilers, but it’s worth noting that the initial episodes of The Witcher are less about the show’s seemingly central characters and their stories. It’s more about fleshing out this world, establishing a few primary players and experiencing a series of adventures that are actually a little closer to a “monster of the week format” than what we’re used to seeing in more serialized forms of modern prestige television.

read more - The Witcher: Netflix Series Brings Magic and Feminism to Fantasy

There are a couple of things that need to be said about that, and the first is an admission. I’ve never read The Witcher books, and it’s been widely reported at this point that this show is based more on the books than the video game series that I have played (and love). However, those games utilize a similar format to the show, and a little research reveals that the first book in The Witcherseries also offers a collection of short stories and adventures that eventually turn into a grander story.

What makes that format work (at least in the case of the games) is that they’re packed with complicated and often morally ambiguous characters inhabiting a fascinating mystical world teeming with legends and political intrigue. You’re fine jumping from character to character and story to story because the things on the peripheral are often as interesting (or more interesting) than the “main” plot.

That’s not the case with Netflix’s The Witcherseries which fails to execute that formula because it fails to deliver on two of the more important aspects of writing: quality characters and good stories.

In fact, one of this show’s biggest problems is that most of its characters are actually caricatures. With few exceptions, you know exactly who a character is the moment that they are introduced, and the show rarely bothers to challenge your expectations through subversion or just simply allow a character to find their footing before they settle into a groove.

By far the most glaring example of this shortcoming comes in the form of a traveling bard who accompanies Geralt on his adventures. It’s no exaggeration to say that 95% of his lines are jokes or dirty limericks, and 90% of those lines fall flat on their face. It’s been said that there’s nothing quite so bad as an unfunny comedy, and this character certainly does his part to prove that theory. In fact, some of his lines don’t even really make sense in the context of a world that has a different culture and historical progression than that of our own.

He’s basically like Tyrion if most of Tyrion’s jokes were bad and Tyrion didn’t benefit from any meaningful character development or the chance to prove himself in scenarios that show he is capable of being more than just funny. In other words, he’s Game of Thrones Season 8 Tyrion.

Even characters that benefit from substantial screen time end up being forgettable or worse. Princess Ciri’s adventures, which largely see her bounce from location to location to be a bit player in someone else’s mostly uninteresting story, is one of the more unfortunate instances of an underutilized character, but that’s nothing compared to what we get with the character of Yennefer.

We are, sadly, prohibited from discussing the disturbing details of her character arc in this review, but I will say is that there will no doubt be much discussion regarding this potentially offensive and certainly cheap storyline which tries to hide its cliches with a sprinkle of shock.

Actually, there are several instances when the stories of The Witcherremind me of the children’s book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales in that they seem to aspire to be slightly darker takes on watered-down fairy tales that hover somewhere between homage and parody. The difference is that the writing in Stinky Cheese Man is far more engaging.

Again, it’s hard to dive into this problem in full without getting into nasty spoiler territory, but to give you an example, there’s a particularly tired subplot involving a beastly man and a great beauty that plays out about the way that you’d expect with the exception of the addition of a few curse words and some more bloodshed. It’s this maddening blend of cliche concepts peppered with an over-reliance on nudity, violence, and swearing that would have only appealed to me when I was a child that couldn’t process anything deeper in entertainment than the bottom of my Saturday morning cartoon cereal bowl but couldn’t wait to watch adult movies so I could see “the good stuff.”

read more: The Witcher 3 Mod Lets You Play as Henry Cavill

It doesn’t help that the show’s production values and most of its performances remind me of watching five straight hours of those medieval Bud Light commercials. With the exception of some good costumes, a couple of heartfelt line reads, and one or two pieces of CGI that aren’t laughable, everything could best be described as “serviceable” in terms of delivering what you mostly expect a modern piece of sword and sorcery entertainment to look like.

Henry Cavill turns in a mostly fine performance as Geralt, but it’s largely limited to grunts, looking good in action sequences, and the occasional choice line. It reminds me of how Tom Hardy was used in Mad Max: Fury Road, but the big difference between the two was that Hardy in that movie was used as a vehicle for certain plot points and the hook for a much more interesting world packed with far more intriguing characters.

In lieu of greater overall themes and ideas, The Witcherleaves you clinging desperately to the odd good moment or interesting turn that leads you to believe that something good may come of all of this. For instance, you may have heard some of those early reactions that stated The Witcher’s action sequences leave Game of Thrones in the dust. That’s true so far as the choreography of some of the one-on-one fight scenes go, but the strength of Game of Thrones best fight scenes (and most great fight scenes) has less to do with the choreography and more to do with the emotions we invest in the participating characters and the strength of the situation. Here, you’re left with fights that carry no real weight and rely on choreography that is nowhere close to being good enough to carry the load based solely on the virtue of its execution and technical merit.

That said, there are a couple of neat sequences such as a battle in the pilot episode and an attack on a snowy carriage that offer the reactions and astonishment that its creators were clearly going for. Sadly, watching them is a lot like being stranded in the ocean and being tossed a lifeboat from a ship that doesn't bother to stop. Your situation has improved, but wow, this show is bad.

While we only received the first five of the eight episodes that will eventually comprise The Witcher’s first season, it’s hard to imagine the creative turn it would have to take in its final hours in order to shake off what seems to be some fundamental problems. While some of those issues seem to be related to pages pulled directly from the books, that’s hardly an excuse.

As anyone who has tried to adapt some of the more bloated works of Stephen King will probably tell you, adaptations are sometimes about granting yourself the perspective to step out of the initial creative process and the emotional attachments that come with it in order to discover what really makes something work and what keeps it from being all that it can be. This is likely why the writers of The Witchergames set their titles after the books and mostly retained some of the stronger elements that we see here (some of the world design, certain principles of the ongoing conflicts, and refined versions of the more notable and interesting characters).

Netflix has already confirmed that The Witcher Season 2 has been approved, which means there is still plenty of time for this show’s creative team to take that hard look at what does work and what doesn’t. If they fail to do so, though, then The Witcher might end up being one of the more notable missed opportunities of the Netflix era.

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014. 

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

Even though violence, gore, and sex fill Adult Swim’s airwaves, there are still wholesome rays of positivity that shine through the nihilism. Joe Pera Talks With You is almost anti-comedy in how simple and genuine it is. Spun off from his popular infomercial specials, Joe Pera’s series looks at his various mundane passions as he tries to give the audience a brief education on these topics of his choosing. Pera’s unique, gentle personality and the unusual comedic sensibilities of the show’s creative team, Conner O’Malley and Jo Firestone, result in a program that is truly like no other.

The first season of Joe Pera Talks With You made a strong impression. Season 2 only continues that goodwill and pushes Joe to more unexpected places.

With the show returning on December 6th at midnight, we had the opportunity to talk with Joe Pera about what’s ahead, the powerful majesty of lighthouses, and what his dream episode would look like. You can read our spoiler-free review of season 2 here, and the full audio of the interview is available as part of The Fourth Wall podcast, included below.

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DEN OF GEEK: In what ways were you trying to push yourself with the show’s second season and go even further than what you did in the first year?

JOE PERA: We wanted to make sure that every episode felt different and that out subject matter was varied enough. We wanted to maintain the same tone as the first season, but still be able to have this stand on its own and give more time to other characters that we hadn't gotten to spend enough time with in the first season. We also did an episode about lighthouses, which I think was pushing our boundaries in a lot of ways. We got to shoot at a lighthouse, too! I've got to say that was kind of the highlight. Oh yeah, we also shot in Milwaukee in an art gallery! That's probably our version of going big.

It's always good to film stuff inside because it's an easy production, but part of the fun of this show if just how it follows whatever I'm interested in and where that takes things. Last season I got to ride a snowmobile, which was great. It's kind of neat the way that we broke this lighthouse story this season and then you find yourself at a lighthouse. We also do an episode where I take the audience on a hike, so we got to shoot in the woods, which was really a lot of fun. Shooting outside can be tough, but it's a lot of fun and often more interesting.

You touched on how this season kind of shares the spotlight with the show’s various supporting characters. Was it satisfying to get to deepen Joe’s relationship with them this year?

Definitely. It was so enjoyable to come up with ideas for other characters and expand the show in various ways. Jo Scott, who plays Sue Melsky, is such a fantastic actress that it's fun to give her more to do. I help edit the show with the director and often I don't want to be watching myself for all of that time on camera, so it's better when other people can fill up an episode. I'd rather watch somebody else.

Along those lines, things get closer between Joe and Sarah this year as they enter into a relationship together. Was it nice to expand on their dynamic and share the spotlight with her a little?

Yeah, she's certainly a much funnier and better performer than I am. She's the best. So to be able to write more for her has been great. Last season we kind of grew closer together, but this year we're officially in a relationship and it's really sweet.

Similarly, this season has more of a serialized vibe than the first one. Events from previous episodes are definitely referenced more and there’s a sense of progression.

Yeah, I hope so. I mean the goal is always to be able to turn on an episode and be able to just enjoy the subject matter or story. I think it's more enjoyable to watch if you see things continue to grow. To have continuity, not just story-wise, but with characters from previous episodes who can have storylines of their own, it's great.

Have you been shocked by the reception and fandom that the show has received? It’s really nice that something so wholesome can foster such a passionate online community.

That's really nice that people like the show. We did a tour last year and it was just nice that people came out to it. People who like the show seem to have a nice kind of people and they're fun to talk to and mild. We just want to create something nice that you can fall asleep to at night and come away from with a sweet feeling. It's just a nice straightforward show where maybe you learn a little bit. There are no tricks or cheats. So the fact that people can enjoy this show and its slower pace is really, really neat. It's the same with my standup. You hope people get on board with the slower stuff and it's great when they do.

further reading: The Best Comedy Movies on Netflix

Is there a certain episode from the first season that you held up as a benchmark and do you think you’ve topped it this year?

There was a bunch of stuff to be proud of in every episode. We really wanted to make everything feel different or for there to even be a set model for how to do a new episode. I was particularly proud of the fall drive episode. I just like how it connects its story and has this very complete feeling to it. It was a bit of a big swing, but I think it worked out.

The breakfast episode is another favorite of mine and the grocery shopping episode from this season is kind of similar in scope to that one. In both I kind of continue on with a monologue but still encounter new characters and get into their space. They're still very different, but Conner O'Malley wrote both of those ones. We wanted every new episode to feel like something that the audience hadn't seen before.

Are there any topics that you wanted to touch on this year, but couldn’t for whatever reason?

Yeah, we had a storyline where Gene gets a penguin as a pet, but that unfortunately didn't make it in. There was also a canoe trip episode where Gene and I would go canoeing, and kind of a do a riff on this peaceful documentary called Waterwalker. So it would have been this two-part episode where Gene and I go out on a canoe in Lake Superior. I'm kind of glad that we didn't do it because to film in a canoe would have been a real challenge.

That's a really cool idea though. Maybe you could figure out how to make that work for the future.

Yeah, maybe we'll make a movie someday.

You’ve mentioned Gene a bunch and he’s a character that viewers have really responded positively to and it feels like there’s a real connection between you two.

Gene is a great actor. He hasn't done strictly acting before, but he's so funny. Later on in the season he has many episodes that feature him and I'm really excited for them because he does such a good job. We shot 12-hour days, five days a week, but he held in there. We were in a hot car with no air conditioning at like 2 AM or we'd be in a hotel hot tub shooting and he really just goes for it. He's such a good sport and just trust the director. He's learned to have fun with it now. At first I think it was kind of stressful for him, so I'm glad that he's grown into it.

Overall, I think this season will be a little different than the first, but I hope that audiences can still enjoy it just as much. I hope they'll be excited by the risks that we take rather than being upset at me. If they don't like it, then maybe I can just go back to doing long monologues about corn.

The second season of Joe Pera Talks With You premieres December 6th at midnight on Adult Swim.

Daniel Kurland is a published writer, comedian, and critic whose work can be read on Den of Geek, Vulture, and Bloody Disgusting. Daniel knows that the owls are not what they seem, that Psycho II is better than the original, and that Hannibal is the greatest love story ever told. His perma-neurotic thought process can be followed at @DanielKurlansky.

Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem has released propaganda-style posters from the upcoming speculative fiction series, which premieres in Spring of 2020. Set in an alternate reality where the witches of Salem made a deal to defend what would become the United States, the first season of the supernatural series follows three young women from basic training in combat magic into their early deployment.

The posters feature some of the witch characters from the series, including Raelle (played by Taylor Hickson), Tally (played by Jessica Sutton), and Abigail (played by Ashley Nicole Williams). The first poster shows Anacostia (played by Demetria McKinney). And the last poster is General Sarah Alder played by Lyne Renee.

Check them out...

As you can see from these images, in the world of Motherland, US history has been reshaped by this fateful alliance, turning gender roles and power dynamics on their head. Women are on the front lines of history as well as battle, and it appears that magic is a foundational part of the American identity, with pentacles taking the place of stars on the flag. 

The trailer also showed some queer love among the recruits, and it will be interesting to see if this matriarchal military had the same issues with LGBTQ soldiers as ours, considering how often witch stories and queerness go together.  

Here's the official description of the series:

A ten-episode, one-hour drama from executive producers Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Kevin Messick. The series, created by Eliot Laurence (who also created “Claws”), is set in an alternate, present-day America where witches ended their persecution 300 years ago by cutting a deal with the U.S. government to fight for their country. “Motherland: Fort Salem” follows three young women from basic training in combat magic into terrifying and thrilling early deployment. In this world, the traditional roles of gender and power are flipped with women on the front lines, the fight looming and terrorist threats that are strikingly familiar to our world, but with supernatural tactics and weapons.

Taylor Hickson (“Deadly Class”) portrays Raelle, a reluctant recruit with major authority issues whose mother recently died in the line of duty. Jessica Sutton (“The Kissing Booth”) is Tally, a kind, strong-willed and curious witch who enlisted despite her mother’s passionate disapproval. Amalia Holm (“Playground”) rounds out the young witch recruits, playing Scylla, a playful yet dark and mischievous recruit who is not what she appears to be. Ashley Nicole Williams plays Abigail, an unquestionably alpha, smart, driven and courageous witch who hails from the upper echelons of military witch society and is excited to be joining the ranks of the witches’ army. Demetria McKinney (“The Saints and Sinners”) plays Anacostia, a tough but wryly humorous drill sergeant whose chief concern is keeping the young recruits alive through basic training.

Here are the character descriptions we have so far:

• Taylor Hickson (“Deadly Class”) portrays Raelle, a reluctant recruit with major authority issues whose mother recently died in the line of duty.
• Jessica Sutton (“The Kissing Booth”) is Tally, a kind, strong-willed and curious witch who enlisted despite her mother’s passionate disapproval.
• Ashley Nicole Williams plays Abigail, an unquestionably alpha, smart, driven and courageous witch who hails from the upper echelons of military witch society and is excited to be joining the ranks of the witches’ army.
• Amalia Holm (“Playground”) rounds out the young witch recruits, playing Scylla, a playful yet dark and mischievous recruit who is not what she appears to be.
• Demetria McKinney (“The Saints and Sinners”) plays Anacostia, a tough but wryly humorous drill sergeant whose chief concern is keeping the young recruits alive through basic training.

• Lyne Renee (“Deep State”) plays General Sarah Alder, the highest-ranking officer in the Armed Forces and the only leader witches have ever known. 

The show is written and created by Eliot Laurence, and Will Ferrell, Adam McKay (Vice, The Big Short) and Kevin Messick serve as executive producers. Will Ferrell and the guy who made Anchorman and Step-Brothers with him aren't exactly two names that spring to mind for a teen/twentysomething queer occult show taking on gender roles. Here's hoping there are no "Margot Robbie in a bathtub"-style scenes.

The pilot was directed by Steven A. Adelson, who has worked on Riverdale and Freeform's own Siren, to give a further sense of what we might be able to expect from the show stylistically. 

Motherland: Fort Salem premieres in the spring of 2020 on Freeform.

Get your goodbyes in to the Rose family while you can. Schitt's Creek Season 6 has been confirmed but sadly it will be the final season of the ascendant Canadian comedy. 

Father/son duo and Schitt's Creek creators Eugene and Dan Levy made the announcement via press release, which was styled as a letter to the show's many fans. It reads:

To Our Dear Fans, 

We are very excited to announce that Schitt’s Creek is coming back for a sixth season on CBC and Pop in 2020! We also wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that we have decided season six will be our last. We are so grateful to have been given the time and creative freedom to tell this story in its totality, concluding with a final chapter that we had envisioned from the very beginning. It’s not lost on us what a rare privilege it is in this industry to get to decide when your show should take its final bow. We could never have dreamed that our fans would grow to love and care about these characters in the ways that you have. 

We are all so excited to begin shooting these last fourteen episodes and can’t thank you enough for the overwhelming love and generosity you’ve shown us. We hope you continue to enjoy the rest of our fifth season as we prepare to shoot our sixth! 

Best Wishes and Warmest Regards, 

Dan and Eugene Levy

But we don't have to say goodbye yet! We still have a full season ahead of us, set to premiere in January. Here's everything we know about Schitt's Creek Season 6...

Schitt's Creek Season 6 Trailer

It's here! It's here! The trailer for the final season of the beloved Schitt's Creek. Check it out...

Schitt's Creek is one of TV comedies nicest little success stories. Despite its bizarre name, or perhaps because of it, this story of a riches to rags family gained more and more fandom and acclaim each season. Eugene Levy stars as family patriarch and video store magnate Johnny Rose. Catherine O'Hara plays his wife and former soap opera actress Moira Rose. Their children are privileged weirdos David and Alexis (Dan Levy and Annie Murphy). 

further reading: The Best TV Shows You Didn't Know Were on Netflix

After their business manager defrauds the Roses out of all their money, they are forced to move to small town Schitt's Creek and begin anew. Like all great hangout TV comedies, the premise was designed just to get people in the door and then the strength of Schitt's Creek's characters kept them there. 

Schitt's Creek Season 6 Release Date

Schitt's Creek Season 6 is set to arrive on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9pm ET on Pop.

Alec Bojalad is TV Editor at Den of Geek and TCA member. Read more of his stuff here. Follow him at his creatively-named Twitter handle @alecbojalad

Fear the Walking Deadwill return for season 6. The news was confirmed by showrunner Ian Goldberg during the show's SDCC 2019 panel. The news is not a surprise as Fear the Walking Deadis AMC's second most-watched series, averaging over 2 million viewers, according to THR. 

Fear the Walking Dead has seen its fair amount of change in the past few years after losing original showrunner Dave Erickson, who led the series into some really interesting stories that set it apart from its older sibling. Season 4 saw the arrival of new showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg as well as star Lennie James, reprising his role as Morgan Jones. Morgan's journey to the world of the spinoff series meant some other big cast changes for the series, as it shifted focus from the Clark family, Fear the Walking Dead's original stars, to a whole new group of characters. 

Both Kim Dickens (Madison) and Frank Dillane (Nick) were killed off to make way for Maggie Grace's Althea, Garret Dillahunt's lovable John Dorie, and Jenna Elfman's June, and even Dwight (Austin Amelio) of The Walking Dead. The only remaining characters left from the original group are Alycia Debnam-Carey's tough-as-nails Alicia and Colman Domingo's delightful Victor Strand. 

Here is everything we know about Fear the Walking Dead season 6.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 6 Release Date

Fear the Walking Dead season 6 premieres in 2020. The show has usually arrived in the spring or summer, so expect the release date around that time.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 6 Cast

Zoe Colletti is joining the cast of Fear the Walking Dead Season 6 as a series regular, according to Deadline. While no specific details were provided, her character is said to be “a pivotal new role that will unfurl as the season progresses.” Colletti just had a big break as the star of 2019 horror book adaptation Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and fielded a TV run on Showtime crime series City on a Hill.

Additionally, the report reveals that the sixth season of the (first) spinoff series has granted series regular promotions to Mo Collins, who’s recurred since Season 4 as wisecracking trucker Sarah, and Colby Hollman, who was introduced in Season 5 as Wes, a wayward survivor with a proclivity for painting trees; a habit he’s given to Alicia, with whom he shared romantic vibes, only to be separated from her by the dictatorial post-apocalyptic Calamity Jane, Virginia (Colby Minifie).

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9 and make sure to check him out on Twitch.

Joseph Baxter is a contributor for Den of Geek and Syfy Wire. You can find his work here. Follow him on Twitter @josbaxter.

CBS All-Access has much more Star Trek on the way, including a new series you might not have expected. Star Trek: Picard will continue the adventures of one of the most beloved captains in the entire Starfleet. 

As you've probably heard, the new series starring Patrick Stewart will "tell the next chapter in Picard's life." The announcement was made simultaneously on official Trek and Patrick Stewart social media channels, as well as at the massive Star Trek Vegas convention, last year.

read more: Why Star Trek: Picard Won't Be Like The Last Jedi

Star Trek Picard Series Release Date

Star Trek: Picard will premiere on Jan. 23, 2020 on CBS All-Access.

Star Trek Picard Series Trailer

A new spot focuses on the "mission" that Jean-Luc will endeavor to make so.

The trailer just below premiered back in October at NYCC.

And here is the excellent first trailer for Picard, courtesy of CBS All Access at SDCC 2019.

And here is the first teaser we got...

Star Trek Picard Series Cast

Big news came out of Star Trek's appearance at SDCC 2019: CBS All Access revealed that Brent Spiner and Jeri Ryan would be joining the cast of Picard. If those names sound familiar it's because they are both part of the Star Trek universe already. Spiner played Lt. Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Ryan played Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager. That is two robot buddies to join Picard in the future. 

Also announced as part of the cast is Jonathan Del Arco, who played the Borg Hugh in Next Generation. It's a grand reunion all around!

Joining Stewart in the main cast: Alison Pill (The Newsroom), Harry Treadaway (Penny Dreadful), Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Santiago Cabrera, and Michelle Hurd.

Briones is playing Dahj, a young woman who comes to Picard looking for his help.

Pill is playing Agnes Jurati, a doctor who shares a common goal with Picard.

Cabrera is Cristobal "Chris" Rios, the pilot of Picard's ship and a skilled thief and former Starfleet officer.

Hurd is Raffi Musiker, a former Starfleet intelligence officer struggling with substance abuse who Picard goes to for assistance. She is also Rios' partner.

Treadaway and Evagora will be playing Romulans Narek and Elnor, respectively. Narek is a Romulan agent investigating what the Romulans are doing to former Borg. Elnor is a Romulan refugee who is fiercely loyal to Picard. You can learn more about their characters here.

Star Trek Picard Series Episodes & Story

The Picard series will take place 18 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, with Picard having apparently left his life as a Starfleet Admiral 15 years prior to the start of the new series. Star Trek: Picard will see how Picard is pulled back into Starfleet's orbit, when Dahj asks for his help.

We now know Star Trek: Picard will have something to do with the destruction of the Romulan Empire, and that two veteran Star Trek directors will be stepping behind the camera to launch the series. If that's not enough to get you excited, there's also this great poster that introduces Picard's new dog, affectionately known as Number One...

Stewart spoke to Yahoo about the series, saying it will be like "a 10-hour movie," suggesting that the series will run for 10 episodes.

Speaking to THR, Kurtzman teased that the Picard series will see the character dealing with the dissolution of the Romulan Empire. More on that here. 

Stewart issued a more lengthy statement via Instagram, which we reproduce in full here:

"I will always be very proud to have been a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course.  It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over.

During these past years, it has been humbling to hear stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership. I feel I'm ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times. I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavor to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more."

We'll keep this article updated with news as we hear it.

Joseph Baxter is a contributor for Den of Geek and Syfy Wire. You can find his work here. Follow him on Twitter @josbaxter.

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

This Harley Quinn review contains spoilers.

Harley Quinn Episode 4

What does every supervillain need after they get a crew together? A nemesis, of course! That classic comic book dynamic comes into play in this week's episode of Harley Quinn as the titular terror continues her quest to become Gotham's biggest bad. After putting her crew together in the last chapter, Harley (Kaley Cucuo), Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), Clayface (Alan Tudyk in one of many roles), and new addition King Shark (Ron Funches) end up with a rather embarrassing entry into Bat-canon as their foe. It's a solid episode that introduces another key player from Bat-lore as well as offering up a big Joker (Tudyk) / Harley / Batman (Deidrich Bader) showdown that might just have a huge impact on the rest of the series going forward.

read more: Birds of Prey Movie — Everything We Know

With her new friends assembled and a series of successful heists under her belt, Harley feels that she's finally climbing up the ladder to supervillain success but as usual her nefarious ex, the Joker, and his on again off again love interest / foe, Batman, are taking up all the screen time. Like many of the most interesting and humorous moments of Harley Quinn this episode excels when it leans into commentary about the state of the comics that inspired that. Batman and the Joker's obsessive relationship has long been a source of conversation in the comics world and the discussion about whether one could survive without the other still rages on today. As is her wont, Harley learns the absolute worst lessons that she can from the pair, dedicating herself to finding a true nemesis who deserves her ire and ever-escalating violence.

Who that hero turns out to be is where "Finding Mr. Right" really comes into its own, because as much as Harley might want an enemy like Batman she ends up with a very different member of the Bat-family who honestly is a pretty good match. Damian Wayne has long been a fan favorite character, with Batman's moody son taking on the mantle of Robin and quickly becoming a huge part of the Dark Knight lore. Here that petulant attitude and tiny stature is played for heavy laughs as the pre-teen attempts to take down Harley on his hoverboard. Oscar nominee Jacob Tremblay plays Damian as a Charlie Brown-esque pest who won't stop, claiming to be Harley's nemesis much to the chagrin of the hardworking anti-heroine.

The Bat-family and the Robins are one of the funnest parts of Bat-lore so this is an exceedingly enjoyable thread, especially as Harley and Damian are a match made in petty hell. The Boy Wonder can't stop trolling his new target on live television and Harley can't get her head around the fact that she might be better off trying to be herself rather than following the Joker's path. It helps that having a Robin actually voiced by a child is hilarious and Trembley does a brilliant job of making Damian the angsty little monster that he's always meant to be. Of course, crafting a story with a Robin means that we get a whole lot more Batman this episode with some really solid and funny moments from the Caped Crusader. We also get our first glimpse at DC's other A-lister--the big blue boyscout, Superman--who pops in for a darling cameo alongside Damian.

read more: New DC Universe Timeline Revealed

Aside from the World's Finest we also get properly introduced to a Harley comic book favorite as the one-armed landlord Sy Borgman turns up to evict Harley, Ivy, and their new crew from Ivy's apartment. It's rare to find a comic book TV show that actively takes so much from the source material and manages to do it in an interesting, funny, and original way without losing the charm of what made the original characters and stories so good in the first place.

Just before the credits roll we get another solid action sequence as Batman and Harley face down over the fate of Damian Wayne, and the Joker isn't happy that his nemesis might have found a new villain to play with. It's a fun nod to the fact that since her introduction Harley has often been just as much of a player in the Batman / Joker relationship whilst also moving the anti-hero one step closer to true emancipation from her evil ex who has defined much of her existence both on and off page.

As we edge further into the first series of DC Universe's adult animation, it's becoming clear that the creative team haven't fully managed to harness the punchy, manic, original, and hilarious energy of the pilot. Saying that, though, Harley Quinn is still a very funny watch and manages to keep us engaged each week with its unreserved silliness and beautiful animation. Just four episodes in, the show has settled into the perfect sort of relaxed background watch that you can put on with your friends whilst not worrying too much about the details. What that means for the future of the series after its debut season is unclear but for now we're just enjoying the ride.

Keep up with Harley Quinn news and reviews here.

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

Warner Bros. has brough a Harley Quinn animated series to the DC Universe streaming service. Harley's star continues to rise as a character, and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn was a major factor in the success of the Suicide Squad movie. The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco will voice Harley in the new series.

Harley Quinn is, of course, perfect for animation. She made her debut on Batman: The Animated Series, and her antics on the page and screen are akin to a supervillainous Bugs Bunny at times. The animated series comes from the executive producers behind NBC's short-lived DC superhero comedy, Powerless, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, and Dean Lorey.

Harley Quinn Episodes

Here's your complete guide to Harley Quinn episodes, with links to all our reviews underneath each.

Harley Quinn Episode 1: Til Death Do Us Part

In the series premiere, Harley Quinn strikes out on her own.

air date: 11/29/19

read our review of "Til Death Do Us Part" here.

Harley Quinn Episode 2: A High Bar

Harley is determined to become part of the Legion of Doom.

air date: 12/6/19

read our review of "A High Bar" here.

Harley Quinn Episode 3: So You Need a Crew?

Harley (KALEY CUOCO) attempts to recruit a criminal crew.

air date: 12/13/19

read our review of "So You Need a Crew?" here.

Harley Quinn Episode 4: Finding Mr. Right

Up-and-coming supervillain Harley Quinn goes after a nemesis.

air date: 12/20/19

read our review of "Finding Mr. Right" here.

Harley Quinn Episode 5: Being Harley Quinn

Harley's crew has to enter her mind to save her.

air date: 12/27/19

Harley Quinn Episode 6: You're a Damn Good Cop, Jim Gordon

Clayface loses his (sentient) arm in a heist gone wrong.

air date: 1/3/20

Harley Quinn Episode 7: The Line

Harley breaks the Queen of Fables out of prison.

air date: 1/10/20

Harley Quinn Episode 8: L.O.D.R.S.V.P.

Harley gets a party invite from the Legion of Doom.

air date: 1/17/20

Harley Quinn Episode 9: A Seat at the Table

Harley must now spend time with Joker at the Legion of Doom.

air date: 1/24/20

Harley Quinn Trailer

We finally have a full trailer for Harley Quinn and to say it's NSFW would be an understatement.

Harley Quinn Release Date

The Harley Quinn animated series premiered on November 29. There will be 13 episodes of this filth. We can't wait for more.

Harley Quinn Review

"Getting to truly see Harley letting loose is a total joy and feels far more fitting than her often PG-13 representations. This is a full throttle, turn it up to 11, no-holds-barred version of the character and it honestly feels exciting—not only because it's so crass, rude, and ridiculous, but also because it's fun."

Read the rest of our spoiler free review by Rosie Knight right here!

Harley Quinn Cast

Here's the official synopsis and voice cast:

The adult animated comedy series follows Harley’s adventures, where alongside ragtag crew of DC castoffs, she tries to earn a seat at the biggest table in villainy: the Legion of the Doom. The strong voice cast for Harley Quinn also includes comedic talents such as Lake Bell (In a World…, Wet Hot American Summer series, Childrens Hospital), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Ron Funches (Powerless), JB Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Wanda Sykes (Black-ish), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Natalie Morales (Bojack Horseman), Jim Rash (Mike Tyson Mysteries), Diedrich Bader (Veep), Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep), Chris Meloni (Happy!, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).

It was revealed during Preview Night at SDCC 2019 (via Comics Beat) that both Clayface and the Joker will be voiced by Tudyk as well. Alexander lends his voice to Syd Borgman, "an octogenarian cyborg"; Hale is Doctor Psycho; Funches is King Shark; Sykes is Queen of Fables; Smoove voices Ivy's "chill, wise-cracking houseplant"; SpongeBob himself, Tom Kenny, voices Clayface's severed arm...this show is nuts.

Hulu put a steak in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles series adaptation after almost a year of development, according to Variety. But, like  Lestat de Lioncourt himself, the project may not be going to ground for too long.

What's an Anne Rice project without controversy? Fans of the series bared fangs when Tom Cruise was cast as Lestat in the film Interview with the Vampire. Bryan Singer (Hannibal, American Gods) dropped out of the showrunner role on the project in January of 2018. He was replaced by Dee Johnson (Nashville). The series is executive produced by Anne and her son Christopher Rice, along with David Kanter and Steve Golin of Anonymous Content.

“A television series of the highest quality is now my dream for Lestat, Louis, Armand, Marius and the entire tribe,” Rice enthused over Facebook when Paramount Television and Anonymous Content optioned the rights to her gothic novels in 2017.  “In this the new Golden Age of television, such a series is THE way to let the entire story of the vampires unfold.” The potential series landed at Hulu in July 2018.

Further reading: Interview With The Vampire and the Origin of Remorseful Bloodsuckers

If Rice has taught us anything, we know immortality always comes at a price. To nab the series, the author is asking $30 to $40 million for the rights to all 11 of the Vampire Chronicles books in perpetuity. It also includes the rights to her Mayfair Witches books, which take place in the same universe.

The media franchise opened with the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire, a conversation with a French colonial aristocrat Louis. He lived in New Orleans in the mid-18th century. He was turned into a vampire by a mischievous bloodsucker whose story was told in the 1985 sequel novel The Vampire Lestat. They turned a young girl named Claudia into a vampire and events escalated across continents, undersea, and through time and the heavens itself.

Further reading: Underworld’s Vampire/Werewolf War Is Not a Universal Battle

Well, maybe not heavens, but Lestat met Satan and virtual goddess Queen Akasha, played by the R&B singer Aaliyah in The Queen of the Damned, the 2002 film adaptation of Rice’s third novel of the series, which came out in 1988. The 1994 movie Interview with the Vampire starred Brad Pitt as Louis, Kirsten Dunst as the doomed young vampire, and Christian Slater as the author taking the notes. It also featured Antonio Banderas. Rice published The Witching Hour in 1990, which began The Mayfair Witches series.

Further reading: Anne Rice Drops Snippet of Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis

Hulu did not give a reason for cancelling the project. We will keep you up-to-date on the continuing chronicles of The Vampire Chronicles.

Culture Editor Tony Sokol cut his teeth on the wire services and also wrote and produced New York City's Vampyr Theatre and the rock opera AssassiNation: We Killed JFK. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol.

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

We stopped pretending that we could crown the best TV show of any given year a while ago.

The past decade saw an explosion of quality original programming broadcast on so many different channels and streaming services that it’s a masochistic pursuit to even try to keep up. How can you confidently declare a cumulative “best of” list when there’s likely something sitting in your Netflix queue just waiting to shake up your Top 5? Our staff is comprised of some of the most prolific binge-watchers on the internet, and even we can’t consume everything produced for TV in a given year.

So instead of posting a subjective-by-experience list of the best series that aired in 2019, we decided to highlight some of our favorite individual episodes, specials, and events. We prefer this method as it gives readers a good snapshot of our staff’s diverse tastes, shows love to some series that may have amounted to less than the sum of their parts, and highlights on a more micro level just why these shows grabbed our attention or became an obsession. Hopefully, we’ll steer you toward your next TV rabbit hole. As we undoubtedly neglected to mention someone's favorite here, sound off in the comments with what you think we missed.

- Nick Harley

American Horror Story: 1984, “Red Dawn”

American Horror Story is notorious for starting off with a decent idea and collection of stories, only to routinely fly off the rails around the season’s midway point. The series’ ninth season, AHS: 1984, functions as a loving ode to the slasher genre and films like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street that helped define it. The season throws a bunch of individuals into a summer camp and lets loose multiple serial killers, and the results are some of the most satisfying content that American Horror Story has turned out in years.

Rather than derail the season, “Red Dawn” effectively shows off the full scope of this experiment. It cleverly turns the season from a story about a serial killer at a summer camp into a layered narrative that looks at generational trauma in creative ways. “Red Dawn” is proof that American Horror Story shouldn’t be written off and that it still has some tricks up its sleeve.

- Daniel Kurland

Arrow, "Starling City"

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago when the very concept of a TV series based on Green Arrow, a third rate DC Comics character whose primary claims to fame were archery skills, questionable trick arrows, and an even more questionable code name, seemed impossible. Eight seasons later, and an actual Green Arrow TV series has reshaped the television landscape, launching five spinoffs (with more on the way) and a blockbuster-style superhero mythology and formula so far-reaching and effective that they actually named it the Arrowverse. And as ground zero for what has since become the broadest live action exploration of the DC Universe in history, it deserves to go out on its own terms.

read more: Crisis on Infinite Earths and the Fate of the Flash Explained

And that’s exactly what its final season premiere, “Starling City,” does. Revisiting themes from the first season, and bringing back long dead beloved characters (via the miracle of alternate universes... more on that later in this list), Arrow’s final season premiere could have just traded on nostalgia. Instead, it gives us an action sequence that deserves to live forever in the pantheon of great TV fight scenes, reminding audiences one more time that Stephen Amell might be the most physically convincing superhero of the modern era. It also gives us dramatic highlights that would, in a more just world, put the actor in the Emmy conversation. We’re really gonna miss this show.

- Mike Cecchini

Barry, “ronny/lily”

Ever since Paulie and Christopher got lost chasing that Russian through the Pine Barren on The Sopranos, just about every TV show with dramatic leanings has been looking for its “Pine Barrens.” With season 2 episode 5 “ronny/lily,” HBO’s hitman dramedy Barry gets its own.

“ronny/lily” is a simple, self-contained story of a hit gone hilariously, rapturously wrong. Barry is charged with killing Ronny Proxtin but instead the now soft hitman-turned-actor tries to convince Ronny that it’s in his best interest to just leave town. But Ronny isn’t ready to leave without a fight. Barry spends the rest of the mostly silent, scoreless episode bloodied and broken trying to capture (and at times avoid) Ronny’s seemingly feral daughter, who also happens to be a Taekwondo expert.

Directed by Bill Hader, “ronny/lilly” is a beautiful, stylistic flourish for an already excellent second season.

read more: Why NoHo Hank Just Wants To Make Friends

Better Things, “Shake the Cocktail”

Pamela Adlon’s Better Things has quietly turned into one of the most beautiful and authentic shows on television. The show’s third season became even more personal as Adlon stepped behind the camera to direct the entire season. “Shake the Cocktail,” the third season finale, is centered around Sam’s 50th birthday.

Read more: Pamela Adlon on fans’ passionate reactions to Better Things

Sam entertains many complicated feelings over this milestone and it turns into a deeply honest meditation on what it means to be a mother. Sam is endlessly caring for the other people in her life, namely her children, but “Shake the Cocktail” reiterates how important it is that she doesn’t love herself in the process. It’s a glowing example of everything that the show does right. Plus, it’s hard not to love that instantly-memorable dance number.

- Daniel Kurland

Bojack Horseman, “A Quick One, While He’s Away”

As BoJack Horseman’s sixth and final season prepares for the end, it also features genuine change for the damaged BoJack Horseman and the bulk of the show’s cast. This series has continually shown BoJack’s difficulty to make progress in his destructive life, but the show’s sixth season places the character in rehab and really takes it seriously. The result is a powerful season that’s arguably BoJack Horseman’s most optimistic batch of episodes ever.

read more: BoJack Season 5 Proves The Show Can Last Forever

“A Quick One, While He’s Away” the finale to the first half of BoJack’s sixth season, hints at a dark future to come and entertains the idea that, just because BoJack has made progress, he doesn’t necessarily deserve absolution. This episode digs up many of the souls who have become collateral damage in BoJack’s whirlwind of a life. Many of his past demons come back in big ways that hint towards an extremely emotional final lot of episodes.

- Daniel Kurland

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, “He Said, She Said”

Regular viewers know Brooklyn Nine-Nine can be deft and emotionally intelligent when it calls for it, handling comedy and social commentary with grace, and there's no better example than Season 6's "He Said, She Said." Directed by Stephanie Beatriz, “He Said, She Said” addresses the topic of #MeToo in a way that Beatriz describes as “subtly discussing social issues through a multifaceted and complex lens while taking you on a comedy joyride.” The episode fits in plenty of laughs, but also does an excellent job at highlighting not only the indignities that women are forced to suffer on a daily basis, but the ways in which sexual assault victims are disregarded, humiliated, and professionally stifled when they come forward with their stories.

Read more: The Best Episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jake and Amy are assigned by Holt to team up on a case that involves a finance bro getting his “dong broken” after he’s attacked by a female co-worker who claims that he tried to sexually assault her. When the female victim expresses doubts about testifying, Rosa criticizes Amy's determination to get the victim on the stand. It's a startlingly honest and complicated conversation for a network comedy, only topped when Amy relays her experiences with sexual misconduct in the workplace. Melissa Fumero is routinely excellent, but she’s phenomenal here. She and Samberg provide the emotion the scene calls for with vulnerability and compassion. Anyone that argues that Jake and Amy aren’t a believable couple will be eating their words after this scene. Only a certain caliber of show can execute an accurate and nuanced portrayal of what victims of sexual assault go through in just a 22-minute runtime, with several of those minutes dedicated to a B-plot.

- Nick Harley

Chernobyl, "Vichnaya Pamyat"

Created by Craig Mazin, the man who told Benioff and Weiss that the original, unaired Game of Thrones pilot was shit, Chernobyl, which premiered in the wake of that other HBO show’s divisive ending, was everything Throneswas not: measured, thematically-sharp, and horrifically realistic. The story of the real-life Chernobyl nuclear disaster and, perhaps more importantly, the scope of the cleanup that followed, Chernobyl’s focus on the importance of uncovering and making public the truth, even after a tragedy has happened, is hammered home beautifully in this last hour.

In "Vichnaya Pamyat," we see Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgard), Legasov (Jared Harris), and Khomyuk (Emily Watson) testify to Soviet authorities in a puppet trial set in the abandoned city of Chernobyl. As they recount the events that led to the meltdown, we flash back to the actions preceding the event. Despite being threatened by the KGB and with the knowledge that the facts will be suppressed in the state-controlled media, Legasov chooses to tell the truth about the bureaucratic negligence and the design flaw in the control rods that led to the accident. Court drama has rarely been so suspenseful, or so important.

- Kayti Burt

Crisis on Infinite Earths Parts 1-3

Are we cheating by including three episodes as one entry here? Maybe. Do we care? Not even a little bit.

The original Crisis on Infinite Earths is the prototype for the line wide comic book crossover event. Everything that has ever kept casual fans from getting into comics, but that comics fans profess to love, is present and accounted for: more characters packed into a page than you could possibly keep track of; a story that makes no sense if you don’t have the equivalent of a law degree in DC Universe history; and a universe-threatening “nothing will ever be the same” ethos that could theoretically be undone whenever the narrative (or sales) demand it. But it’s also a timeless, cosmic tale of heroes making the ultimate sacrifice in the face of impossible odds and a seemingly all-powerful villain. For 30 years, the thought of a Crisis on Infinite Earths movie seemed even beyond the realm of dorm room bong hit fantasy. But a Crisis on Infinite Earths TV show? Yeah, they somehow did it.

read more - Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 3 Ending Explained

It took seven seasons of Arrow, four seasons of Supergirl, five seasons of The Flash, four seasons of Legends of Tomorrow, and two seasons of Black Lightning to get us here (not to mention freshman drama Batwoman) but the Arrowverse found a way to make this most impossible of superhero epics work on screen. By making the stakes matter for the leads of all their shows, the Arrowverse moved beyond the novelty factor of their annual crossovers. And by bringing in stars of other DC TV shows and movies from years gone by for cameos (hi Robert Wuhl and Burt Ward!) or more substantial roles with integral stories (Brandon Routh’s sublime return as Superman and the great John Wesley Shipp giving his 1990s TV version of Barry Allen the sendoff he deserved), the first three parts of Crisis on Infinite Earths made us believe, even in this era of superhero saturation, that anything is truly possible in the multiverse.

And there’s still two episodes left in January. Holy moley.

- Mike Cecchini

Dickinson, “We lose - because we win”

On paper, Dickinson is the sort of show that really shouldn’t work. The fact that it does is one of 2019’s most surprising gifts. A period piece with a thoroughly modern sensibility and soundtrack, Dickinson manages to be a love letter to an often misunderstood historical figure and her work, a compelling teen drama, and a commentary on contemporary feminist all at once.

The series’ seventh episode, “We lose - because we win,” manages to combine all three of those things into a truly exceptional half hour. This episode not only sees Emily punished for using her brother’s name to win a poetry contest as Austin triumphantly secures Sue a family burial plot by digging up a dead baby, it also examines broader political and gender issues in a way that feels relevant and necessary to a modern day audience. Whether it’s a girl who hallucinates herself at the center of a freak show because of her love of an unacceptable calling, a father incapable of imagining a world in which he is responsible for his own failures, or a society that refuses to see the capabilities of the women at its center, these are stories that feel very familiar, no matter when they take place.

- Lacy Baugher

Documentary Now, “Original Cast Album: Co-Op”

Each time we talk Documentary Now, we feel the need to remind people what exactly this show is and what’s so great about it. More than any other show on this list, Doc Now is a darling of critics and Emmy voters (all three seasons earned Outstanding Variety Sketch Series nominations) with truly abysmal live ratings. The fact that it’s even on the air still is a testament to the folks in charge at IFC, and to the executive producers, directors, and writers who compromise nothing to realize their vision of creating mockumentaries that measure up in quality to the source material they are spoofing.

The allure, and possible turn off for some viewers, of this format, in which each episode parodies a real-life documentary, is that the show varies so wildly in tone and material. Not to mention that, across its three seasons, we’d argue the series’ watershed episodes almost all come in season 2 and 3. So if you tuned out of Doc Now after season 1, we implore you to go back and try season 2’s “The Bunker,” Parker Gail’s Location Is Everything,” and “Mr. Runner Up.”

Read more: Documentary Now Stars Talks “Co-Op”

“Original Cast Album: Co-Op” is the high point of the overall strong third season. Written by John Mulaney and Seth Meyers, who if we had it our way would be contractually obligated to write everything that airs on TV in 2020, the episode chronicles the live album recording of a doomed ‘70s Broadway production titled: “Co-Op.” Taran Killam, John Mulaney, and James Urbanik star as the prickly creative team behind the play. Then you have comedic geniuses Richard Kind and Paula Pell, and Hamilton alum Renee Elise Goldsberry singing ridiculously funny and catchy tunes about living or working in a cooperative community. It’s a mockumentary worthy of a gold record. When it’s all said and done, “Co-Op” could stand alone as Documentary Now’s finest half-hour.

- Chris Longo

DuckTales, "A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill"

DuckTales is an extremely funny show, and while “A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill” does have some gloriously wacky moments, it quickly becomes the show’s most heart-wrenching yet inspiring episode. Lena is struggling with the after effects of Magica's abuse and while she doesn't resolve it in this episode her triumphant stand at the end demonstrates she's well on her way. 

Lena’s declaration that "I don't need you. YOU NEED ME! You are no longer allowed in my head!" just shows how committed DuckTales is to portraying the effects of abuse with great care and devastating power. “A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill” shows what the best kind of TV does: it holds up a mirror to our own lives and safely lets us explore them. 

- Shamus Kelley

Fleabag Season 2 Episode 1

Every minute of Fleabag’s second and final season is perfect, but Episode 1, which picks up roughly a year following the events of Season 1, is the ideal scene-setter for the story to come. Set almost entirely in a restaurant where Fleabag’s family is gathering to celebrate the engagement of Fleabag’s Father and Godmother, the dinner is a simmering pressure cooker of meticulously-built family drama that plunges us back into this emotionally-taut world.

While much has stayed the same—Claire is unhappily married to Martin, Godmother is controlling towards Father, and passive aggressively cruel towards Fleabag and Claire, and Martin is an alcoholic asshole—creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge isn’t interested in telling the same story over again. Fleabag has changed; she’s doing better, her sense of self-worth markedly improved since last we saw her, and it;s fascinating to see how that personal growth affects a family dynamic somewhat dependent on Fleabag as the emotionally-unstable “screw-up.”

In the midst of it all, we get a new variable: the Priest, affectionately known on the internet as “Hot Priest.” The brilliant Andrew Scott’s addition to an ensemble of already brilliant thespians gives Waller-Bridge yet another playmate in this story of healing. “This is a love story,” Fleabag tells us at the beginning of this episode and this season. And what a love story it is.

- Kayti Burt

The Flash, "Into the Void"

It’s safe to say that the last two seasons of The Flash weren’t exactly anybody’s favorites. Plodding pacing, fourth-rate villains who had to somehow pad out 22-episode seasons, and a failure to strike the tonal balance that made the earlier seasons so successful were starting to take their toll. Ah, but along comes new showrunner Eric Wallace, with a vision to split the one long season into two shorter ones (with two different Big Bads). The new story structure, along with the seemingly inevitable knowledge that the death of Barry Allen was foretold for the midseason finale, imbued the season with a sense of urgency from the outset unlike anything fans had seen in years.

read our review of The Flash "Into the Void" here 

Oh, and with all of this came some aesthetic improvements. A new Flash costume that is easily the best (and most comic book faithful) the character has ever worn on this show was a welcome addition. But the real fun came in a psychedelic climax in the mouth, where the Scarlet Speedster launches himself into a black hole...to the tune of Queen’s forever fucking immortal “Flash’s Theme.” Yeah, yeah...wrong Flash. They knew it and we knew it. And it was still the most triumphant 3:30 in superhero TV this year...if not ever.

- Mike Cecchini

Game of Thrones, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”

Look, we acknowledge that many people have strong opinions about the final season of Game of Thrones, but can we at least all agree that “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is downright delightful? It’s like the hangout version of the show that you might fantasize about while drifting off binge-watching a season of New Girl. On what many presume to be their last night on earth, the Game of Thrones cast finally mixes and mingles all under one roof, resulting in unexpected reunions, romance, petty drama, and heartfelt displays of friendship, without a goddamn dragon or ice zombie to be found. And it rules.

Read more: Game of Thrones Season 8 Ending Explained

Back in a magical time when we were all still wildly hyped for Game of Thrones Season 8, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” brought us Brienne’s arc-concluding, triumphant moment, Jaime’s last acts as a redeemed man, Arya’s Big Dick Energy, Sansa’s politicking, Bran’s Dr. Manhattan-esque one-lines, and the first real indication that we were getting a Daenerys heel turn. Tormund Giantsbane is out here telling incredible stories about titty milk and is insanely horned-up. Layanna Mormont literally tells Jorah to fuck off. This episode was insanely fun in the moment, even if it looks a little fan-servicey in retrospect. We were all so innocent then. No coffee cups to be found.

- Nick Harley

Good Omens, “Hard Times”

The adaptation of Neil Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett’s beloved fantasy-comedy novel Good Omens burst onto the 2019 scene, refusing to succumb to the grit and seriousness that defines so much of our pop culture right now while also telling a story about the potential end of the world. God and Satan. Witches and witchfinders. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Shakespeare! This story has it all, but, at its emotional center, is the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley, an angel and demon who love one another despite being on different sides of an ongoing war.

Read more: Good Omens Interview with Michael Sheen and David Tennant

The first half of Episode 3, “Hard Times,” takes a break from the end of the world to tell the story of Aziraphale and Crowley’s friendship from the Garden of Eden to today, checking in with them at key points in western history like Noah’s Flood, the Crucification of Jesus, Ancient Rome, Medieval England, Revolutionary France, and the London Blitz. The sequence gives David Tennant and Michael Sheen a chance to indulge their most charismatic and comedic sides (and to wear the best wigs), while also grounding this apocalyptic tale in an epic love story.

- Kayti Burt

The Good Place, “The Answer”

When it’s operating at peak capacity, there is no more efficient feels factory on television than NBC’s The Good Place. This at its core is a story about human beings and what we owe to each other. As Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason confront that existential question, it can lead to some emotionally-fraught territory.

Still, few episodes are as bursting with sheer love for the human species that season 4’s midseason finale “The Answer.” As everyone waits for Chidi Anagonye to wake from his amnesia to offer up “the answer” for how to create a better life, Chidi flashes back through important moments of his life and all the times he thought he had “the answer.”

Read more: The Good Place and the Problem with Mindy St. Claire

The story of Chidi’s life and many afterlives seem to suggest that there might not be an answer at all. Or maybe just the one.

- Alec Bojalad

I Think You Should Leave, “It’s The Cigars You Smoke That Are Gonna Give You Cancer”

Tim Robinson’s time on Saturday Night Live was short and his underrated Comedy Central series, Detroiters, co-starring real-life BFF and Veep alum Sam Richardson, was short-lived. That didn’t deter Robinson from making one of the year’s finest freshman comedies, I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson. By my irresponsibly-unscientific estimation, the series was second to only Baby Yoda in memes generated in 2019, and episode three is a major reason why.

The series is comprised of uncomfortable sketches in which people take everyday situations to the absurd. One man stood above the rest: Ruben Rabasa, who plays the Good Car Idea man in the focus group sketch. The Cuban-born actor spent nearly his entire acting career, which dates back to the late ‘70s, in small parts. Sure, you could call a handful of one-liners in a three minute sketch a small role, but Rabasa makes every frame count with his carefully articulated pronunciations, side-eye glances, and hand gestures. The lines are so over-the-top—“steering wheel flies off,” “no room for mother-in-law,” and “too small”—and yet Rabasa maintains his body control, but more importantly, brings an unrelenting doggedness and glee to the role—traits that define the ethos of the entire series.

Read more: Getting Deep and Dark on Sketch Comedy with Tim Robinson

The episode also features three other standout performances. SNL’s Cecily Strong plays a woman who ends a marriage because she perceives that her husband, played by Robinson, was emasculated by a magician. And in what may be my favorite sketch of the series thus far, Tim Heidecker plays Howie, an insufferable music snob who torments his girlfriends’ friends with a frustrating game of charades. The punchiest string of jokes in any season 1 sketch follow as Heidecker revels in getting on everyone’s last nerve at the party. The cherry on top is an infomercial sketch that gets hijacked by Conner O’Malley, who plays a sleazeball music producer named Robbie Starr. Starr’s enthusiasm for material like “Moon River Rock” is how I feel about I Think You Should Leave: “It’s a guaranteed goddamn hit!”

- Chris Longo

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “The Janitor Always Mops Twice”

I know it’s getting exhausting to hear critics and industry types go on about how damn impressive it is that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia hasn’t run out of steam 14 seasons into their loud, abrasive comedy series (especially given how supposedly difficult this brand of comedy is to pull off in 2019), but as long as the cast and crew keep pumping out episodes like “The Janitor Always Mops Twice,” you’ll keep hearing us sing Sunny’s praises.

read more - It's Always Sunny: The Best Recurring Characters

In the mold of other great experimental episodes like “Charlie Work,” “Being Frank,” and “The Gang Makes ‘Lethal Weapon 6,” “The Janitor Always Mops Twice” reimagines It’s Always Sunny as a film noir and absolutely nails the execution. Writer Megan Ganz is clearly a fan of the genre, as she peppers in all of the essentials: the hard-boiled dialogue, stock character types, multiple plot threads, pulpy voice-over work, and a twist-laden mystery. However, even with all of the trappings, like period appropriate outfits, silly accents, monochrome coloring, and unconventional camera work, the gang is still the gang. In an age where genre spoofs have largely fallen by the wayside except for in the world of animation, an apparently loving, well-crafted genre send-up is fun to behold.

- Nick Harley

Legion, "Chapter 22”

We were never supposed to get Charles Xavier on Legion. When the show was developed, FX and Fox made it quite clear that though a passing reference may be made to David’s famous mutant father, the character was unlikely to appear on screen. However, the Fox-Disney merger made it so Fox no longer needed to keep their prized toy in the box, only to be brought out for feature films. It’s a wonderful development for the series, as the introduction of Charles Xavier and his lover Gabrielle Haller leads to one of the series’ finest hours.

Read more - Legion Season 3: Navid Negahban on The End of Shadow King

Taking liberties with their comic book origins, “Chapter 22” is a fine reintroduction to Charles Xavier, but an even better episode of Legion. It’s able to tell a compelling love story while working in some patented psychedelic and disconcerting imagery. Utilizing non-linear storytelling, we’re able to watch as Charles makes the mistake of engaging a monster and how that monster takes away all that is truly important to him. For anyone that found themselves discouraged with Legion during its difficult second season, this episode will remind you what you loved about the show in the first place.

- Nick Harley

Legends of Tomorrow, "Seance & Sensibility"

Legends of Tomorrow is the weirdo cousin of The CW’s Arrowverse, a show that manages to include everything from time travel and magic to clones and werewolves, yet still combine them all in such a way that keeps the series’ characters and their respective journeys front and center.

Read more - Legends of Tomorrow Season 5: Nora Darhk Deserves More Time

“Seance & Sensibility” is absolutely everything that Legends of Tomorrow does right, on steroids. On most shows, an installment that features a somber funeral, a Bollywood dance number brought on by licking the ashes of a dead god, and Jane Austen herself is something that could simply never happen, let alone work. But on Legends of Tomorrow it results in the best episode of the season, an emotional romp that’s full of joy, heartache and a lot of singing and dancing. In a season that was focused on chasing mystical creatures through time (don’t ask; it’s a long story), this installment was pure magic.

- Lacy Baugher

Looking For Alaska, “Now Comes the Mystery”

Hulu brought John Green’s first novel to the screen this year to beautiful results, telling a coming-of-age story that explores class tensions, grief, and first love and loss in nuanced, honest ways. The story begins when Miles “Pudge” Halter leaves Florida to attend a boarding school in Alabama. Once there, he falls in with scholarship kids Alaska Young and Chip “The Colonel” Martin, as well as Takumi Hikohito, immediately becoming embroiled in the class-driven prank wars that keep the student body amused.

As a limited series, Looking For Alaska doesn’t waste any time telling its story, and by Episode 7, the narrative status quo has changed a great deal, with the Culver Creek community losing one of their own in a tragic accident. Episode 7 sees the immediate aftermath of that incomprehensible tragedy, as our main and supporting characters struggle to accept the immense loss they have all suffered. “Now Comes the Mystery” gives this young central cast a chance to shine, and boy do they ever, bolstered by performances by some of the older actors in the cast and the exceptional writing from series creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.

Read more: How Looking For Alaska Channels (and Doesn't Channel) The O.C.

Grief is hard to honestly portray on screen, but by centering this tragedy in an eight-episode limited streaming series, Looking For Alaska does a phenomenal and devastating job of exploring this complex, universal experience in a way that wouldn’t have been possible in the media environment 15 years ago, when Green’s book was first published.

- Kayti Burt

The Mandalorian, “The Sin”

When people criticize The Mandalorian, they talk about how the Star Wars series is just leaning into familiar Western or samurai movie tropes, but there’s a reason those storytelling beats are familiar: it’s because they work. The Mandaloriandoesn’t need to take huge storytelling risks because it has the luxury of being set in a universe so many fans are fascinated with and happy to spend time in. The Mandalorian feels like a relic from an era when TV served as competently-made comfort food, and that is not a complaint.

Read more: The Mandalorian Timeline Explained

“The Sin” is the best episode of the new series to date. The plotline is simple: Mando hands Baby Yoda over to his mysterious client, has second thoughts, then blasts his way back into Werner Herzog’s compound on a rescue mission, pitting him against Carl Weathers’ Greef Karga and the guild of bounty hunters. Directed by Deborah Chow, the first woman to ever direct a live-action Star Wars film or TV show, the action scenes, especially when Mando’s Mandalorian brothers in arms come jetpacking in to make the save, are thrilling. The pacing remains smooth, even during a wisely-chosen detour to develop our understanding of Mandalorian customs. But most importantly, we get more memeable Baby Yoda content. We all know that the adorable, instantly iconic (Don’t Call Him) Baby Yoda is the real star of the show and he was never going to be omitted from this list. This is Baby Yoda’s world now, we’re just living in it.

- Nick Harley

Mr. Robot, “Proxy Authentication Required”

The final season of Mr. Robotmay not be the cultural force that its zeitgeist-capturing first season was, but it’s been a high-stakes, propulsive race to the finish line, full of cyber heists, surprise departures, and shocking reveals. No moment in the series hits harder than in "Proxy Authentication Required" when Elliot finally comes to the realization that his father, who we believed to be the inspiration for Mr. Robot, was actually a sexual predator that victimized Elliot and made him the wounded, fractured loner that we’ve come to know. The audience comes to the realization moments before Elliot puts the pieces together, then is forced to watch in horror as his entire world comes crashing down.

Read more - Mr. Robot Season 4: Angela Deserved Better

“Proxy Authentication Required” has a classic five-act structure and is staged and paced like a stage play (and thankfully aired commercial-free), with tight blocking and characters deploying grand, sweeping monologues. Rami Malek has never been better, delivering a powerful, heartbreaking performance and the episode completely recontextualizes everything we thought we knew about the series and its characters. This isn’t merely a twist, it’s a hurricane-force game-changer.

- Nick Harley

PEN15, “AIM”

Nostalgia is a force that’s never been more popular than it is now, with properties like Stranger Things reminding audiences how much fun it is to throw back to previous decades. The ‘90s have once again become especially fashionable and Hulu’s PEN15perfectly taps into what it was like to be a growing teenager during that time period. This is perhaps best demonstrated in the episode “AIM” (although “Wild Things” is a close second), which operates as a loving tribute to the popular instant messaging service of the 1990s.

Read more: PEN15 Review (Spoiler-Free)

Every episode of PEN15effortlessly explores the awkwardness of adolescence, but “AIM” is an incredibly earnest installment that does a lot with a little. It looks at something as simple as the anticipation of sending an online message and waiting for a response or being in your first chat room. It’s an experience that current adolescents may take for granted, but PEN15is a sincere look at a different time. Maya Erskine and Anna Konkles' freakishly authentic portrayal of teenagers is enough of a reason to give this show a chance and "AIM" makes for a compelling entry point.

- Daniel Kurland

Primal, “Rage of the Ape-Men”

It’s almost a guarantee that any Genndy Tartakovsky animated project is going to become appointment viewing and challenge the medium in some major ways. Adult Swim’s Primal may be Tartakovsky’s strongest series yet, which is certainly saying something with this creative genius. Primal throws things back to the prehistoric era and tells the moving story between the unlikely alliance of a Neanderthal and a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Every episode of Primal is a triumph of animation as Spear and Fang face new threats, but impressively the shows plays out with zero dialogue and relies purely on visual storytelling.

“Rage of the Ape-Men” is the culmination of the series’ first group of episodes and hints at a major change in the status quo moving forward. The episode manages to be not only the most emotional installment to date, but it’s also exquisitely gory and features Tartakovksy at his most unleashed. There’s an epic bloodbath that makes some of the heavier moments in Samurai Jack look like play fighting. Primalis absolutely mandatory viewing for fans of animation and action.

- Daniel Kurland

Ramy, "Strawberries"

A common theme you’ll see on this list are episodes that touch on stories and perspectives that rarely, if ever, get mainstream attention. Hulu’s Ramy, a semi-autobiographical series created by comedian Ramy Youssef, is full of them. His series focuses on the titular Ramy, a first generation Egyptian-American whose millennial lifestyle in suburban New Jersey often clashes with his religious beliefs as a practicing Muslim. While faith as a storyline increasingly feels more taboo on television, Ramy tackles it head-on, and it informs how the character contextualizes family, society, and his sense of self.

Read more - Ramy: Why Faith and Family Is The Heart of Hulu's New Comedy

All these themes swirl around “Strawberries,” a flashback episode set around the events of Sept. 11th, 2001. We see a middle school Ramy (played by Elisha Henig) cope with the insecurities of his family and faith making him an outlier in the post-9/11 world. For groups of people who were similarly affected by these circumstances, I can only imagine seeing this representation on screen can provide a powerful retrospective of a complex and emotional time in their lives. For the rest of us, Youssef not only lends us his shoes to experience a dark time in his life, but he also ties in universal themes of childhood and friendship. It was truly a breakout year for Youssef, who also put out maybe the year’s finest stand-up special on HBO. Much of the stand-up material is fleshed out in Ramy, but “Strawberries” is empathetic storytelling at its finest and a standout in a thoughtful and spirited first season.

- Chris Longo

The Other Two, “Chase Performs at the VMAs”

Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider have created something truly special with The Other Two. Comedy Central has recently lost heavy-hitters like Broad City, with Corporate also on the way out, but The Other Two makes those losses a lot easier to bear. The series is a razor sharp satire of the entertainment industry that looks at the meteoric rise of a Justin Bieber-esque celebrity, which results in his entire normal family becoming famous in the process. Every single person in this show is hilarious and there's not a weak link in the lot.

Read more: The Other Two Review (Spoiler Free)

"Chase Performs at the VMAs" is the finale to the show's first season and it's a very strong representation of the comedy's core values. The installment lampoons celebrities in very funny ways, but it's also full of heart. This finale also ambitiously pushes the show into new territory and attempts to mix up its central premise. Thankfully a second season is on the way to see how this all shakes out.

- Daniel Kurland

The Righteous Gemstones, “Interlude”

*deep breath in* MAMMA TOLD ME NOT TO I DID ANYWAY MISBEEEHAVVVVIN! Yes, midseason Righteous Gemstones flashback episode “Interlude” will always be best known for that absolute showstopper of a song featuring Aimee Leigh belting high notes and Baby Billy wearing his clogging shoes. But even beyond that brilliant earworm of a country gospel tune, this is a wonderful episode of television and elevates The Righteous Gemstones to another level.

This is the story of the Gemstones family as they used to be, back when Jesse and Judy were kids and the only thing they were afraid of was the impending birth of their younger brother Kelvin. The Gemstones had everything they could ever want and still Jesse and Judy are afraid of sharing their parents’ love with someone else. Patriarch Eli (John Goodman) can only look upon the impending destruction that all his wealth and success hath wrought.

Read more - The Rigtheous Gemstones: Inside the '80s Flashback Interlude

“Interlude” was written and ultimately created almost as a throwaway. Series creator Danny McBride had some extra time between episodes and successfully pitched HBO for a 9th installment of the season. The end result is an essential episode that makes the tale of the Gemstone family feel righteously Biblical.

- Alec Bojalad

Russian Doll, “A Warm Body”

Russian Doll did a great job of introducing a complex concept that could easily have felt derivative of Groundhog Dayand the many TV shows that have attempted this formula in a single episode. A woman named Nadia, abrasive and disillusioned, leaves her own birthday party only to die a sudden death, but just as suddenly, she’s back at the party reliving the same night, struggling to understand why it’s happening after each repeated death.

read more - Russian Doll Ending Explained: Time Passes All the Same

But “A Warm Body,” the third episode gave us a few twists that changed everything and made this show a truly metaphysical, philosophical comedy tour-de-force. First, it led Nadia to search for answers at a synagogue, a sequence which provided more insight into what was truly happening than any other stop on her journey. Second, it introduced us formally to Horse, the homeless man that was a walking metaphor, open to endless interpretation.

It was the man Nadia meets in the elevator at the end of the episode, however, that made “A Warm Body” stand out in this stellar season of television. Without spoiling things, let’s just say Alan had a unique perspective on Nadia’s repeated deaths that no one saw coming.

- Michael Ahr

The Magicians, “All That Hard, Glossy Armor”

There is more creativity in one episode of The Magicians than in entire network lineups; “All That Hard, Glossy Armor” is a shining example of this. One of the Syfy’s show’s ambitious musical episodes, the tenth episode of Season 4 is ostensibly the story of Margot heading out into the Fillorian desert in order to find a weapon that will free best friend Eliot from the clutches of The Monster, but it becomes an exploration of female anger that is an incredibly rarely told story in mainstream media.

Read more - The Magicians Season 5: 11 Questions to Answer

Though we may get some truly delightful group musical numbers, it is Summer Bishil who is asked to carry this episode, and she is more than up for the task, showcasing her incredible acting range in the climactic scene that sees Margot telling the Eliot in her head just how angry and tired she is.

“Are you stronger than a mountain?” Eliot asks. “I’m a king. Not a goddamn princess,” she tells him, beginning a poetic speech about embracing her anger. Sure, the singing is great. But this articulation of Margot’s character and the boxes still put around woman in today’s world is much more advanced and nuanced than so much of the conversation that is going on in mainstream media today around female empowerment. In a season that was somewhat divisive among fans, this episode is a reminder of just how important—and good—this show can be.

- Kayti Burt

Schitt’s Creek, “Meet the Parents”

Schitt’s Creek, a feel-good beacon of light in the 2019 darkness! This show refuses to surrender to the pessimism that defines so much of our mainstream media, instead celebrating the strides our society has made, most specifically in LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance, and reminding viewers just how much power there can be in personal growth and self-acceptance.

Read more: Schitt's Creek Season 5 Review

In “Meet the Parents,” David is arranging a surprise birthday partner for his partner (in business and in life) Patrick. He invites Patrick’s parents, unaware that Patrick has not yet “come out” to them or informed them about his months-long romantic relationship with David. Instead of falling into the overrepresented trope of a negative “coming out” experience, Schitt’s Creek takes this opportunity to tell yet another story of the power of vulnerability, love, acceptance, and community.

- Kayti Burt

Silicon Valley, "Exit Event"

Richard Hendricks and the merry men (and lady) of Pied Piper failed just as many times as they succeeded throughout the six season run of Silicon Valley. Every obstacle, however, was always met with a solution up to the very end. The genius of the series finale, "Exit Event," is that it finds a way to honor the show's dedication to both failure and victory.

Richard, Gilfoyle, and Dinesh succeed in creating the democratic, decentralized Internet that they dreamt of. Unfortunately, the combined forces of the trio's coding skills creates a technological monster so effective that if allowed to proceed will eventually lay waste to every possible encryption and usher in the technoapocalypse. Pied Piper has to make sure the launch of the new Internet fails and they have to ensure that it does so in a humiliating, public fashion lest anyone ever try to follow in their footsteps.

"Exit Event" provides one last opportunity for the show's characters to do what they do best: succeed at failing...or is it failing at succeeding?

Stranger Things, “Chapter 8: The Battle of Starcourt”

There is something delicious about Stranger Things season 3 ending its season by literally destroying the Starcourt Mall. For the seven episodes preceding it, a shopping mall in Small Town, USA in 1984 was treated with the menace of the shark in Jaws. Thirty-five years later, these concrete hubs are now seen as the last bastion of commerce not consumed by disruptive business models on the internet. Business models like Netflix.

This is all to say there is some grand meta-humor as our plucky heroes fight the Mind-Flayer for hopefully the last time, just as there is meta-nostalgia when Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) is rocking out with girlfriend Suzie to an acapella rendition of “The NeverEnding Story” song. But all these extracurricular in-jokes just add to the enjoyment of Stranger Things 3 instead of distracting from it.

Read more: Stranger Things Season 3: Complete Easter Egg and Reference Guide

This season remembered the story is about its characters, and the finale put that front and center. There is something pure about Dustin and this series taking a breath mid-climax for some Limahl high notes, just as there is something appropriately tragic about Hopper (David Harbour) being whisked away by Russians before he can have that date with Joyce (Winona Ryder). It is the human element that makes all the sci-fi shenanigans and nostalgia sing. And when the season ends on Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) losing her sense of home all over again, which is the stuff that made her arc in the first two seasons poignant, it gives Stranger Things 3 a new super power: melancholia.

- David Crow

Succession, “This is Not for Tears” 

In many ways, Successionseason 2’s finale seems like a throwback to a simpler time when the season finale of a big HBO drama could dominate the cultural conversation for weeks if not months. Of course, we’re in a new era of TV-watching now with audiences splintered across hundreds of different quality TV options and the majority of conversation siloed into various factions on Twitter. Still, “This is Not for Tears” confidentiality presents itself as though it is the most important hour of television in the world and then goes about proving that it just might be.

The Roy family finds themselves enmeshed in the Waystar/Royco cruise scandal in this finale. So daddy Logan Roy invites everyone on a yacht to get away for a bit. At least that’s how he pitches it, but everyone knows that this is a slightly more polite mob hit. Someone has to take the bullet for this fiasco, but who will it be?

Read more - Succession Season 2: Kendall Roy Proves He Was a Killer All Along

“This is Not for Tears” is everything great about Succession dialed up to 11. Somehow the excellent assembled cast, director Mark Mylod, and writer Jesse Armstrong are able to make a yacht vacation feel like a Hitchcock thriller.

- Alec Bojalad

The Umbrella Academy, “Number Five”

The entirety of The Umbrella Academy was amazing, but its particular strength came from episodes which focused on a single character. Many fans hone in on the excellent Vanya and Klaus arcs, but the fifth episode (appropriately enough) gave us an enticing glimpse at the backstory of the enigmatic, time-traveling Number Five.

He may appear to be 13 years old, but Number Five has actually spent decades in an apocalyptic future. In the episode that bears his name, we’re introduced to the Commission, an agency which polices the timestream, assassinating people to manipulate history, a task for which Number Five is uniquely suited.

Read more: The Umbrella Academy Was Reportedly a Big Hit for Netflix

It’s a complete departure from the Hargreeves murder storyline that anchors the series, but the episode immediately created the impression that the storytelling possibilities for The Umbrella Academy were endless and fascinatingly varied. Plus young Aidan Gallagher was eerily convincing as a 58-year-old man trapped in a teenager’s body.

- Michael Ahr

Veep, “Veep” 

No TV show that has delivered over 30 hours of some of the most incisive, biting, and hilarious political comedy ever needs to “stick the landing” with a great finale to be considered a classic. Veep, Satan bless it, decided to do so anyway.

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect conclusion to the story of history’s most ruthless VP Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) than what this finale (fittingly titled “Veep”) gives us. As a new contender enters the Presidential race, Selina does whatever it takes to get back some votes and win. This includes compromising just about every position she supposedly holds dear and doing the unthinkable: putting Jonah Ryan one heartbeat away from the presidency.

The episode is brutal, noxious, hilarious, and completely riveting. It even contains perhaps the greatest Julia Louis Dreyfus comedic performance ever committed to film and therefore by default: the greatest comedic performance.

- Alec Bojalad

Watchmen, “This Extraordinary Being”

There are no shortage of contenders for the best episode of HBO’s brilliant Watchmen. There’s the thrilling and enigmatic first hour, the hilarious and stylish Laurie-centric “She Was Killed by Space Junk,” and the fear tinged Looking Glass exploration “Little Fear of Lightning.” But ultimately it’s the show’s sixth hour that reigns supreme.

Read more: What Could Watchmen Season 2 Look Like?

“This Extraordinary Being” contains the reveal that inspired Damon Lindelof to pick up the mantle of a Watchmen TV series in the first place. The story of Will Reeves and who he would one day become not only delivers on the promises of the show’s premiere, it rewrites the American superhero myth in thrilling, satisfying, and entirely logical ways. Watchmen has Adrian Veidt’s brilliant brain, and Doctor Manhattan’s omniscient power, but “This Extraordinary Being” is its beating heart.

- Alec Bojalad

What We Do in the Shadows, “Baron’s Night Out”

It wasn’t always clear if FX’s adaptation of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s excellent vampire mockumentary would work. The genre of “vampire mockumentary” only had one entry before 2019 and it was pretty much the definitive one. Still, What We Do in the Shadows quickly made clear that there was plenty of more comedic opportunities left untapped in the stories of modern vampires.

Episodes like “Baron’s Night Out” were a clear example of what the show had to offer. The plot here is simple. Our three vampires (and the energy vampire they roll with) have to deal with the sudden appearance of their old friend/master “The Baron.” Afraid that the Baron will kill them all due to their failures to subjugate the mortals of North America, they decide to kill him first. Before that, however, they gotta give the guy a night out on the town in Staten Island at least.

Read more - What We Do in the Shadows: Making a Realistic Vampire World

And so they do, three gothic vampires, and their ancient master wearing a New Jersey Devils hat. There will be puking blood. Lots of it.

- Alec Bojalad

This Van Helsing review contains spoilers.

Van Helsing Season 4 Episode 13

With news of its fifth and final season renewal firmly in place, Van Helsing sends viewers on a mind bending journey that promises to retool the familiar storyline and teases the notion that a new generation of vampire slayers may be ready to take up the family mantle. With Vanessa presumably still trapped in the Dark Realm, “The Beholder” puts the season finale’s focus squarely on the shoulders of Jack and Violet, and the genetically engineered sisters do not disappoint. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that without the guiding hand and hard earned wisdom of Sgt Axel Miller, it’s entirely possible that this fight might have been over long ago. 

Approaching a season finale is always complicated, but showrunner Jonathan Lloyd Walker’s decision to go all-in and leave viewers with a terrifying, yet strangely comforting final scene, cleverly sets up a series conclusion that gives the writers plenty of time to explore what it means to be a Van Helsing amidst the chaotic world they hope to return to the human race. The Van Helsing narrative has always featured some manner of misdirection, and now with the shapeshifter component in full swing, it’s become even more challenging for the characters and audience to figure out just who’s who and what the hell is going on. 

Before we go on, however, it’s time to acknowledge Keeya King (Violet) and Nicole Muñoz (Jack), whose additions to the Van Helsing family continue to generate a highly compelling narrative payoff playing sisters who’ve had their worlds turned upside down. From the moment they appear in the season’s second episode “Dark Ties,” these two combine rough exteriors with a sensitivity that often clashes against the circumstances in which they find themselves. In Vanessa’s absence, Violet and Jack more than hold their own, commanding our attention as the burden to kill the Dark One falls on their heads.

Now that we know a government in some form still exists, the introduction of President Archer into the mix adds a new layer and long awaited plot point. Is there somebody out there still in charge? Archer establishes herself early on when she observes Avery held prisoner in the containment chamber. Archer understands the dangers this creature represents and asks Axel whether there’s “a way to kill it.” This brief exchange prompts Julius to remember the Sunshine Unit and wonder whether Doc may be able to help. Good news on multiple fronts because Doc’s absence continues to be sorely felt, and more importantly, the answers still seem to lie in the science. To this point, only a beheading appears to successfully put down a vampire.

Read more: Van Helsing Season 4 Episode 12 Review: Three Pages

Since her return to human form, Ivory adds a fresh perspective with her intimate knowledge of the Sisterhood and its tactics and aspirations, and we’re treated to a gentle scene in which the president not only humanizes herself but acknowledges the pain and sacrifices Ivory’s endured. While it’s a moving exchange as Archer recounts her son’s serious illness, Jennifer Cheon Garcia plays Ivory with a subtle skepticism that acknowledges the president may have motives yet to become clear. Later, when Jack begins her recovery and Archer announces plans to take her to safety, Ivory’s request to accompany her friend signals that all may not be as it seems. Of course, everything’s not as it seems since Jack’s not Jack, Archer’s no longer Archer, and the distractions multiply at a dizzying pace.  

One of the greatest challenges Vanessa faces along her journey has been learning who to trust, and between Violet’s memories of the Dark Realm and the realization that the Dark One has taken Jack’s form, the truth becomes increasingly difficult to ascertain. One thing we know for sure, however, is that Jack remains trapped in a coffin somewhere in the Dark Realm while Dracula enjoys free rein in the real world. There are subtle hints that Jack is not who she appears, but it’s the flashback to their time in the parallel world that lays the groundwork for what takes place in the present. 

Bathed in sinister red light, Violet and Jack appear in a room full of crypts that eerily foreshadows the season’s final scene, and a strangely familiar voice tells them to “follow and all will become clear.” Tricia Helfer’s Dracula returns, and as she nonchalantly pours tea into a cup, the attempt to draw the sisters into her dark world begins. “Come, my children; it is time you knew everything.” Considering everything these two have recently learned about their origins, any talk about revealing their true destiny is understandably met with a reasonable amount of skepticism. Implying that the sisters have been lied to only reinforces the evil manipulation Dracula imposes on them, and Jack clearly lets the Dark One know she’s not buying this approach. Does Dracula fear Jack more than Violet? “If I wanted you dead, you already would be,” she tells the sisters, but in the end, it’s Jack that remains trapped.

It’s not difficult to understand what’s going on here, and though it seems unlikely Dracula underestimates the sisters, the dark romantic setting replete with long dining table and elegant candles doesn’t appear to produce its intended effect. The girls have no reason to doubt their father’s explanation regarding their origins, but when Dracula offers to reveal the true identity of their mother, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. The vision she shows Violet and Jack of Willem and two women having sex seems to imply the girls were naturally born rather than created in a lab, and while that might provide comfort on a certain emotional level, their connections to Hansen and Vanessa prevent them from automatically accepting this scenario as the truth.  

Van Helsing Season 5 Confirmed by SyFy, Set as Final Season

Dracula claims to have laid paths for the two girls long ago and to have also set a trap for Vanessa, but again, we don’t know how much, if any, of this is true. Did the Dark One really possess the power to send visions while trapped in the Dark Realm, and is there a reason she chooses to trap Jack rather than her sister?  Dracula recovers the three pages from Violet and seems to view this coup as the means to her freedom. “Oh, Abraham, my savior after all.” Or is this some long con being played out over the course of a century? Nevertheless, no matter how extensive a plan to kill the Dark One Vanessa has in place, there doesn’t seem to be any good reason to allow Dracula into the real world. For the time being, it’s best to assume Dracula’s words are meant only to manipulate and further her own cause, and Vanessa won’t remain in the Dark Realm for long.

Well, long con or not, the Dark One is out and initially presents itself as Jack, but interestingly still has to get up to speed regarding the actual world into which she’s found herself. “This real world, you are in charge here?” she asks President Archer, and while, at first, it appears the president might turn out to be an unexpected ally for Vanessa’s team, that’s not how things play out. Transferring from Jack’s to the president’s form, we see where this is headed, and after Archer/Dracula (I'm not going with Arcula) orders Avery/Oracle released, the dark world’s two foremost progenitors walk freely out of the compound to board a helicopter. Where the president and her trusted advisor are going isn’t known, but it will be fascinating to watch the Dark One and the Oracle navigate what we assume will be either a military or political world once they reach their destination.

Now that Dracula and Bathory have gone, it’s time for the team to regroup, and after having her neck broken by the Dark One, Ivory’s motivation to save Jack and the others multiplies exponentially. Budding romance aside, if any loyalty questions about Ivory still exist, those dissipate rather quickly, and once she releases Violet from her hospital restraints, the two make a failed attempt to prevent the helicopter from taking off. Still, these two together should make for some charming scenes as Ivory will undoubtedly try to probe Violet for information about Jack.

At this point in the overall Van Helsing tale, we’ve grown accustomed to watching the characters operate from separate locales and cherish the all too few moments they spend together as Vanessa’s followers and family. And as much as the faux president may control the narrative in the foreseeable future, the discovery Axel and Julius make once they finally reach the Sunshine Unit drastically alters the vampire landscape. We get a quick camera shot of a Biohazard Testing Site sign lying in the weeds, and Julius fortuitously reminds us that this is the place that solacite is turned into some kind of vaccine which is precisely the moment we notice the orange tinted grass. 

Arguably “The Beholder,” contains a number of turning points, and this latest vampire development must certainly be considered among them. Dead daywalkers litter a noticeably tinted orange field, and the natural assumption is that the powder killed them as part of the military’s Sunshine project. While this assumption turns out to be mostly true, the tactical use chemical doesn’t take out all the daywalkers, a fact that turns out to be painfully apparent when one rises from the tall grass and bites Nicholson. Before we even have a chance to process this turn of events, Nicholson makes a rash decision that on the surface may not turn out to be as consequential as immediately thought. 

To be fair, Nicholson’s breadth of knowledge regarding vampires is rather limited, so it’s understandable that he chooses to put a bullet in his brain rather than live as one of these creatures. And while it remains to be seen whether a mere gunshot wound will signal Nicholson’s end, the daywalker that bites him seems immune to the orange agent dispensed on the field. Additionally, it possesses aerial abilities which adds another wrinkle to an already complex situation since this may be one of several enhancements the team will now have to face. 

We’ve grown accustomed to the zombie-like characteristics inherent in many of the vampires in Van Helsing, and the ability to fly, even if somewhat limited in scope, brings another traditional piece of vampire mythology to the mix. And while a flying vampire gets our attention in this scene, it’s the wounded Julius and Axel that become instantly more problematic when neither heals after the attack. Though they make it to the Sunshine bunker, Julius collapses and despite previous evidence to the contrary, appears to be dead. Of course, the hope is that Doc is on the other side of the active security camera and will be able to treat whatever new ailment plagues Julius and Axel. More importantly, though, we’re forced to consider whether both men have lost their immunities and may have reverted to their original human states.

As we move into what will likely be a nine month hiatus before Van Helsing returns for its final season, it’s important to remember the woman behind the fight to end the vampire apocalypse. Though Vanessa has been absent for much of the season, her presence looms overhead, and as Jack finds herself trapped in a closed coffin in the dark realm, her mother’s comforting words speak volumes. “Don’t lose hope; I’m right here.” Will Vanessa free Jack and then return with her daughter to destroy Dracula, or could there be something else at play? We know the Dark One shape-shifts as needed, but is it possible that Vanessa now possesses this same attribute as well? Perhaps a bit of a stretch, but stranger things have happened on Van Helsing. 

Lloyd Walker’s risk in presenting a season finale with such a huge cliffhanger could have been extraordinarily problematic, but the decision pays big dividends now that we know Van Helsing will return and the showrunner will likely have thirteen episodes to bring the tale to a satisfying conclusion. “The Beholder” steadily builds on the world in which Van Helsing and its characters find themselves, but it’s the growing emotional connections that continue to drive this enthralling tale of heroism, sacrifice, and self-awareness as Team Vanessa struggles to return the world to its rightful owners. 

Dave Vitagliano has been writing and podcasting about science fiction television since 2012. You can read more of his work here. He presently hosts the Sci Fi Fidelity podcast.

Droids is a tragically forgotten piece of Star Wars culture. Taking into account that the show has basically been disowned, in part because it’s incredibly dated, this cartoon about two droids wandering around desert planets getting into trouble isn’t likely to get the acclaim it deserves anytime soon. Which is funny. Droids happens to be an influential relic from the younger days of a rapidly growing multimedia franchise that didn’t know what to do with itself.

The fingerprints of this obscure Saturday morning cartoon can be seen in just about everything that followed it, from the novels to the Dark Horse comics, to the prequels and The Force Awakens. Droids isn’t just an animated series that caters to a younger crowd, it’s actually a gateway drug that initiated its audience into the upper echelons of the Star Wars expanded universe. It’s about time humanoids and automatons alike started treating it that way.

A long time ago (1985) in a galaxy that…kind of looked like this one, actually, the Star Wars universe was not yet the enormous place overpopulated with oddly named yet marketable creatures that it is today. Back in those days, the SW experience consisted of the original trilogy films, the incredible and ever-expanding toyline, the Marvel comics, a few forgettable tie-in books with awesome looking covers, and that one nutty Christmas special. If you wanted to fully immerse yourself in the Star Wars experience, all you needed were a few tiny action figures, your memories of what happened on the big screen, and those gratuitous clips of TIE fighter battles spliced into the occasional episode of Muppet Babies. Remember those?

Return of the Jedi had already come and gone, and Kenner needed a way to continue making money off of the Star Wars brand. The Power of the Force toyline was a quick cash grab that consisted of already released action figures repackaged with gold coins, and that just wasn't fun. Since there wouldn’t be another feature film to fuel merchandise for another fifteen years, something had to be done to make sure the most profitable media franchise ever stayed profitable for everyone involved. Lucasfilm also needed to keep that easy cash flow going, so what was the win-win here?

Stream your Star Wars favorites on Disney+ with a FREE TRIAL, on us!

A Saturday morning cartoon about Star Wars, of course. And it was about damn time. Enter Droids, the animated series chronicling the galactic misadventures of everyone’s favorite artificially intelligent comic relief characters: C-3PO and R2-D2. George Lucas had been developing this show with animation studio Nelvana for a couple years now - along with a sister show, Ewoks - to air on the ABC network. After working on the cartoon short from the notorious holiday special (which introduced us to Boba Fett), Lucas knew he wanted to work with the company again to keep feeding his multi-million dollar baby that was once just a kooky avant-garde film. And so, with ideas of how to construct a universe zooming around in his head like so many X-Wings rushing to poorly guarded exhaust ports, he did.

But after spending less than a decade caught up in the whirlwind of creating a pop culture revolution, Lucas wasn’t keen on his involvement with the series being too “hands on.” Ready to work on other projects like Willow and Labyrinth, he was willing to let others tell new stories about our beloved talking tin cans. Thus, Lucas recruited the likes of Paul Dini, Ken Stephenson, Raymond Jafelice, and Peter Sauder to find creative direction for the first two animated Star Wars series ever.

Although nowhere near as grandiose as today’s animated Star Warsepics like The Clone Wars or Rebels, Droids is fairly high concept for an ‘80s cartoon. Perhaps not as much as its syndicated contemporaries of the time, like Jayce and the Wheeled Warriorsor even ThunderCats, but when compared to the rest of the shows from its sleepy programming block (like reruns of Looney Tunes, Super Friends, and The Littles), Droids was ambitious.

The fundamental concept of the series affected its formula, themes, stories, tone, everything. Because Artoo and Threepio would spend their time wandering around the galaxy in search of new “masters” who have their own quests to undertake, there’s no consistent status quo. This is nothing to bat an eye at these days, but in the simpler time that was the 1980s cartoon golden age, it was jarring. Most of the cartoons from that era had cute good guys arguing with grumpy bad guys against a neon-colored backdrop (sorry, Ewoks…). Droids, however, was the antidote to this. 

read more: Star Wars Movie and TV Release Date Calendar

What about Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie? Sorry, clone cadets. Those crazy kids weren’t invited to this party. Droids takes place in the years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, the “Rise of the Empire” era - or it’s supposed to anyway. As it’s not canon anymore (thanks to Darth Mouse), I don’t know what to make of it. Fortunately enough, Anthony Daniels agreed to return and lend his vocal cords to the soundscape of the cartoon, alongside a theme song by The Police’s Stewart Copeland that was set the tone of the series quite well, despite its contemporary sound.

So what if the show had to fill a Skywalker shaped void every so often? It was still fascinating to see what crazy stuff RD-D2 and C-3PO got into next. Droids was designed to be an adventure serial in the purest sense of the term, and the show finally gave fans the freedom to explore the Star Wars universe after spending years imagining what the rest of it looked like.

And yet, despite having a lot of very exciting concepts going for it, the actual experience of watching Droids was frequently more monotonous and oddly sad than I expected. I mean, watching C-3PO be whored out during a slave auction and later forced to clean up bantha shit while everyone else is asleep isn’t the most uplifting material to eat your Corn Pops to.

It could have been a lot worse, though. Artoo and Threepio actually did manage to find employment by quite a few generous masters over the show’s run, even if they weren’t what we would call “memorable” or “of importance” - or hell, even “three dimensional.” Each one of them gives us good vibes, but that doesn’t stop them from being knock-off versions of better characters from the Original Trilogy. Sure, they look different in visual design, but they share the same gallantly rebellious streak that it’s hard not to draw comparisons. There was at least one moment in each of the thirteen episodes in which I stopped and thought, ”Uh huh, great, but how friggin’ awesome would it be if Luke and Leia were here instead of Bekky Tooshbottom and Wenis Lampo?”

Okay, so those aren't actual character names from Droids. No, the real ones were much more forgettable than that. Trust me. But they were nice people who always treated their slaves... uh, I mean, robots...er, I mean, droids well.

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Also, each “master” had their quests, too, which motivated them enough to have character arcs of their very own. Gasp! That’s nothing short of a miracle for the very sugary, very un-serialized climate of mid-’80s Saturday morning TV.

Droids covered a ton of ground for a TV show that ran for only one brief season of just thirteen episodes. By the time I finished watching all of it, I felt as if I had watched the equivalent of maybe double that - in a good way. Its singular season is broken up into three major story arcs or “cycles” that center on three separate groups of masters. Each cycle is made up of three to four different standalone episodes that are chapters in their respective storylines. Whew. Need a minute?

Let's talk about each of these story cycles one by one.

THE FIRST STORY ARC (Episodes 1-4)

The initial story cycle of Droids kicks off at a strong pace, burning through the first four episodes in no time. Our little orphan droids get adopted by a couple of speeder bike racers named Jord Dusat and Thall Joben on a desert planet. The gang later joins forces with a Rebel Spy named Kea Moll (aka diet Princess Leia) to stop the evil Fromm gang from using a weapons satellite called the Trigon One. After they prevent the evildoers from...whatever they were going to do with that, our temporary team of heroes wind up being targeted by Boba Fett in a high stakes speeder race, thanks to the relentlessness of those pesky Fromms. (Damn you, Tiggy Fromm!)

First of all, speeder bikes? How RotJ is that? Second of all, a desert planet? This is basically remaking A New Hopebefore The Force Awakensdid. Well, not exactly. The conflict that plays out between the, um, speed biker gang and the Fromms may have dire consequences for the galaxy, but it’s nothing as impactful as blowing up five planets. Since this story arc introduced smaller scale storytelling in the Star Wars universe, it was now okay for all characters to act more like humans and less like archetypal embodiments of cosmic forces. Or something.

Let’s talk about those Fromms. As Star Wars bad guys go, the Fromm gang is more on the Jabba the Hutt end of the spectrum than the imposing Empire side. In other words, they're not that threatening. The leader Tiggy (or Tig, as he prefers to be called) is on the whiny side. And he has daddy issues. But these traits are what made him so unique when compared with the rest of the Droidsrogue gallery, and might be why he still has weird fan art made about him to this day.

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As heroes go, Thall Joban and Jord Dusat are nice dudes. They’re the kind of peripheral characters who seem intriguing when you catch a glance of them walking around in the background of a scene on Tatooine or something. But when you actually spend time with them? Not as interesting as you’d hoped they’d be. Indeed, they take both the droids and us on a decent adventure that feels Star Wars-y enough, but there's an aggravating vacuum where their personalities should be. Yes, they’ve got character traits and edgy hairstyles and a landspeeder mysteriously named The White Witch. But what do they have inside? What defines Thall Joban? How is he different from everyone else in Star Wars? Why is he someone we can trust? We don’t really know, as he and his colleagues suffer from classic Saturday morning superficiality syndrome. But that comes with the territory here. 

THE SECOND STORY ARC (Episodes 5-9)

In the second story cycle, C-3PO and R2-D2 are rescued along with a mysterious android from a slave auction on Tyne’s Horky (yes, another desert planet with another f**ked up name) by a young miner named Jann Tosh. After taking them back home and introducing them to his Yosemite Sam-in-space uncle Putch Gundarian, Tosh and the boys are shocked to discover that the nameless android is, in fact, Mon Jalupa, the missing prince of Tammuz-an in disguise. This revelation sets off a chain of events that take up the next five consecutive episodes, each one expanding the Star Wars universe significantly more than the last. Talk about world building. I can’t imagine how kids felt back when this was airing.

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This follow-up arc improved greatly on the last. The first cycle is a classic in its own right, but the second is more engaging to watch as its plot kept evolving, and the stakes kept getting higher. Plus, it involved the Rebellion, and we're all familiar with that crowd. It conjured up the same New Hope iconography, again much like The Force Awakens, to good effect.

Speaking of which, this cycle also has something else in common with The Force Awakens: its main villain basically has the same name as Kylo Ren except for one tiny letter. 

KYBO REN.

Look, Kybo Ren and Kylo Ren are nothing alike whatsoever. I’m not suggesting that they share any characteristics - at all. They’re like granny smith apples and blood oranges: you can’t compare them, they taste so different, and one is more plump and juicy than the other. I'm just asking, why are their names so similar?

Was J.J. Abrams sitting around in the writer’s retreat at Skywalker Ranch, being all, “Nah, forget about calling him Jedi Killer. Let's name him after that one fat guy from Droids. You know who I'm talking about. The Genghis Kahn looking one. Remember him? I loved that show, man. Can you make him look like Darth Revan, though? Knights of the Old Republic was so dope. Thanks.”

Either way, Kybo Ren (or Gir Kybo Ren-Cha) was a space pirate that, like the Fromm gang before him, was made from the same villainous, yet slimy cloth as Jabba the Hutt. He’s another one of those dastardly underworld criminals with no redeeming value whatsoever, yet plenty of resources at his disposal. On paper, he sounds bad to the bone, but in action? He’s basically the type of silly bad guy you’d see on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As such, I had a hard time taking the overweight stereotypical Asian man with the ridiculous Fu Manchu mustache seriously. His pirate crew? Sad to say, I don’t remember them much, despite having just marathoned this show recently. Hmm. That says a lot.

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As “masters” go, Jann Tosh was pretty decent, as was Jessica Meade, the adventurous freighter pilot who has my vote for weirdest Star Wars name ever. She was basically a cross between Han Solo and Princess Leia. Meanwhile, Jann was somewhere in the middle of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. That's the only way to accurately describe these characters, since 1.) we couldn’t focus on them for long and 2.) they’re ‘80s cartoons, so they’re not that captivating. One defining characteristic of Jann that I can be certain of, is that he didn’t like wearing any undershirts.

THE THIRD STORY ARC (Episodes 10-13)

The third and final story cycle just might be Droids’ best. It introduced us to the droids’ favorite master of all time: Mungo Baobab. I think it’s because he has the most fun name to say out of anyone on the show. I mean, it’s fun to say even in your own head. Repeat it to yourself for 30 seconds. I dare you not to smile.

Mungo is a galaxy class merchant whose family runs the infamous Baobab Merchant Fleet. Throughout the final four episodes of the series, Mungo drags Artoo and Threepio along with him on his quest to find a trade route to the Roon System in order to acquire more Roonstones, which apparently were hot sh*t. Also, doesn't he kind of look like Jesus to you? 

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After successfully traversing the Cloak of the Sith and outsmarting the Empire’s troops, Mungo was able to find passage to the Roon System with R2-D2 and C-3PO’s help. But once there, his search for the source of the Roonstones was constantly interrupted by General Koong and his Storm Troopers. As he continued his borderline obsessive search for the Roonstones, Mungo questions whether or not his treasure hunt is really even worth it, making important realizations about what truly matters in life in the process. (Or something.)

The final chapter of the show was the most ambitious of all, outdoing even the ambitious scope of Jann’s arc managed to accomplish. This is the point where the show came to life and started hitting its stride. If Droids had continued on for a second season, surely it wouldn’t have been a bad idea if Mr. Baobab stuck around for at least another arc or two. As a protagonist, Mungo’s character served as the nice grounding presence the show needed, a real swashbuckler. He was a high ranking businessman whose code of honor and civic responsibility didn’t clash with his adventurous spirit and felt more like a leader you could look up to than the younger misfits from before. Bottom line here is, Mungo Baobab had his sh*t together.

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Another reason why this last story cycle was so great? It had a villain with a familiar face: the Empire itself. General Koong is the best bad guy out of the whole series, period. If Ranier Wolfcastle and Dolph Lundgren had a lovechild that suffered third-degree burns and was given cyborg reconstitution to survive, I figure he’d look a lot like Koong. How can you go wrong with a villain like him? I know his Storm Troopers used laser rods instead of guns to blast our heroes, but that’s nothing big. Blame ABC’s Standards & Practices for that, not Lucasfilm.

THE TV SPECIAL

After the thirteenth and final episode aired in November of 1985, the Droids saga was suddenly over. There was an hour-long animated special called “The Great Heep” which was supposed to air for the holidays a month later in December, but for some curious reason, it was pushed back until June of the following year. When it did finally air in the summer of ‘86, it got the lowest ratings of that week, not to mention the lowest ratings out of any TV special that aired that season. Ouch.

This decision fries my circuit boards. “The Great Heep” is probably the best segment that came out of the Droids television series for a couple of reasons. One, its extended running time gives it the luxury of moving along at a much better pace. You don’t get bored and nothing feels rushed like it did week-to-week. The second is that "The Great Heep" focuses directly on droid culture. In every single episode of the show, Artoo and Threepio are doing what they do best - tagging along with humans and doing cute stuff to provide comic relief amongst all the hard sci-fi action that’s going on around them. In “Heep” they get to interact with other droids more than they usually do, which is something I wish we got to see in the episodes proper (it was called Droids, was it not)?

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In the special, R2-D2 and C-3PO travel to a planet called Biitu to rendezvous with Mungo, but they don’t know that he’s been imprisoned by a gigantic droid who goes by the name of The Great Heep. Heep also captures the two droids and forces C-3PO to be part of his, um, lube crew while pampering Artoo by putting the little cutie in his droid harem. There, Artoo meets KT-10, his first and only love interest (okay, so that may be debatable.) But that’s what Heep does to all of the R2 units before he eats them to survive…

This special hits emotional beats that any self-respecting animated feature film would, including splitting up our heroes and giving us a fake-out death moment. Why was this special never given a wide home video release in the U.S., Lucasfilm?! Seriously, it’s like they think it’s as bad as the Holiday Special or something. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, yeah, it is kind of weird in that it introduces us to the concept of Droid harems, and that Fidge kid and his pet Chubb were kind of annoying. But come on! There are way worse things that have been released under the Star Warsbrand since then and you know it.

THE COMICS

While Droids was trying to force kids to appreciate its lofty quirks on the airwaves with perpetual reruns, the series branched out into other forms of media. From ‘86-87, Star Comics (the shortlived Marvel imprint that published mostly cartoon tie-ins for a younger audience) ran a monthly series based on Droids. Because it was built on the same premise as the TV show, there were no set “masters” featured throughout its entire run. Each issue revolved around Artoo and Threepio being tossed around between little cartoony brats and aliens that were very un-Star Wars like in appearance.

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Marvel pulled some crazy shit during their original Star Wars run, but at least they ran wild with creative freedom. Droids was based on an animated TV series with a very distinct visual style that wasn’t seen in the panels of the comics whatsoever. It was like the droids were stuck in some demented cartoon candy land and could never escape their cutesy tormentors, which winds up being more unintentionally disturbing than the show ever was.

At one point, there was an Ewokscrossover published, and no, it’s definitely not canon. I haven’t seen any of the Ewoks series at this point, so I can’t confirm that it’s in line with the tone or spirit of that cartoon at all. What I can tell you, however, is that its plot is pretty friggin’ bizarre.

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Artoo and Threepio find themselves on a diplomatic mission to the planet Sooma, which appears to be populated by bad guys ripped straight out of an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon. There they get tricked into delivering an incredibly irritating amphibious child named Prince Plooz back to his home planet when they get attacked by his father’s space fleet. As they try to escape using the hyperdrive, they inadvertently blast themselves into a hole in space and somehow end up 100 years into the future (?) on Endor, searching for the little brat who jumped out in an escape pod. Of course, they run into those fuzzy wuzzy little indigenous teddy bears, who think Plooz is something called a Star Child. Nothing really exciting happens, save for a ginormous boulder that almost fall on our heroes, which R2-D2 stopped somehow. It's not important.

For the final three issues, Star Comics got all greedy and released an adaptation of A New Hope from the point of view of the titular droids. There’s not much to report from this retelling except that there are completely dumb moments that were shoehorned into the story for no reason at all except because it would be “cute.” Case in point: did you know that after they landed on Tatooine, the droids immediately ran into an underground kingdom of mole creatures? Well, according to issue six, they did. Outside of that...uh...they didn’t do much else except get into trouble with Stormtroopers. By the time the final issue rolls around, you’re pretty much just reading yet another comic adaptation of Episode IV, with hardly any extra details added. Gotta admit, those covers looked sweet anyway.

THE TOYS

The Droids toyline was a godsend for Kenner...or so it seemed. When most of the new merchandise didn't sell as well as they'd hoped, a few of the action figures you see above were held back for a second wave that never actually got released. Mungo Baobab is on that list, as is General Koong. Sadly, '80s kids everywhere were deprived of having an action figure of Space Jesus or Cyber Dolph Lundgren to call their own. This was an injustice to nobody at the time, but it makes the most obsessive collectors of today shed a tear.

And who the Force is this "Pilot" dude? Unless I'm missing something, he was not in the show. According to this video, he may have been lifted from their other toyline, just like the A-Wing itself. Speaking of the A-Wing: that's most certainly the centerpiece here, as it made electronic noises, and kids love those. It was met the general expectation of a StarWars toy, unlike the cartoony action figures that didn't match the Star Wars brand (at the time.) 

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The C-3PO and R2-D2 figures were repaints from previous Star Wars toy collections, so they weren't anything people wanted at the time. Nowadays, you'll find Droids R2-D2 figurines going for $500 and up on eBay. Even the Boba Fetts - that are also still in their packaging and much cooler - go for way less. What gives? The line even boasts the rarest Star Wars figure of all time, which you can read more about right here.

Now that I’ve blasted through the entirety of the Droids animated series as an adult, I think what I can say I appreciate the most about the show is its visual style. Droidswas the kid-friendly answer to Heavy Metal magazine. Even if it settled for being cutesy at times, it still maintained a strong cyberpunk aesthetic, which elevated the program from being “just another Saturday morning cartoon” to being a fantasy sci-fi trip that anyone who liked Star Wars could enjoy. This is something else that made Droids feel so ahead of its time. It wasn’t just there to be cute and fuzzy like its sister show. It was an ambitious creative laboratory in which Lucas and his team practiced world building.

But let’s be honest: back in 1985, cute and fuzzy is what sold toys to kids and got them to tune in. That could be why Droids didn’t last as long as Ewoksdid. Ewoks was emotional and cuddly and spoke directly to that Smurf-y demographic, which was huge at the time. Droids was complex and clinical, much like the Prequel Trilogy would be years later. But at least it had a beating heart.

You should follow Stephen on Twitter @OnlyWriterEver. He'll follow you back. Also, check out his blog and his secret Power Ranger tumblr, too. Read more of his work here.

This My Hero Academia contains spoilers.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 10

“We’re the bad guys.”

Sometimes the final stretch can be the hardest. You can see the finish line in sight, but those last few feet are what kills you. Midoriya, Togata, and all of Nighteye’s team have never been closer to reaching Eri and stopping Chisaki and yet by the end of “Temp Squad” they look to be in a bigger mess than ever. “Temp Squad” has a lot going on. It features essentially four battles, which should be amazing, but it kind of loses sight of itself as it juggles so much at once.

Surprisingly, nearly half of “Temp Squad” is still devoted to the fallout of Kirishima and Fat Gum’s battle with Rappa and Tengai. They find themselves in a weird standstill of sorts that begins to naturally turn into an unusual alliance. Spending so much time on this leftover material from the previous episode is “Temp Squad’s” biggest drawback, but there are still some compelling moments that come out of it. Rappa’s history with Chisaki and the fact that he’s trapped in this purgatory of sorts until he’s able to finally beat the villain makes for a very rich backstory. It’s also consistent with what’s been said about how all of the Hassaikai’s Eight Bullet assassins were individuals who had lost their purpose in life until Chisaki was able to make them feel whole again.

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It’s unclear if these four will ever get the rematch that Rappa is so desperate for, but the evolution of their relationship could develop into something interesting. If Chisaki could give their lives meaning, it’s fair to say that heroics could have the same positive effect. The unlikely bond that they all form even holds greater significance considering their quirks are all complimentary, too. Perhaps in a few seasons’ time Rappa and Tengai could even be fighting for the heroes…or maybe they’ll immediately be eviscerated by Chisaki when he learns what’s happened. 

This season of My Hero Academia has been more unpredictable and atypical that its preceding years, but this current run of episodes has fallen into a comfortable pattern. Just like how the previous installment had two underlings within the Shie Hassaikai face off against some heroes, “Temp Squad” also embraces this battle aesthetic. This time, Himiko Toga and Twice, two of the Hassaikai’s “temps,” are tasked to face off against Midoriya and slow down the heroes.

Before Toga and Twice enter the fray, Irinaka makes a last ditch effort to have his Mimicry quirk make some kind of lasting impact on the heroes. This mostly means that the walls and hallway become even more like a Salvador Dali painting and it’s just another radical element to add to what’s already a very frenzied fight. It’s been some time since Midoriya has really been able to let loose, but his fancy footwork against Irinaka is some beautiful stuff. Midoriya takes to the air and demolishes some living bricks. Irinaka’s tricks aren’t the major threat here, but it makes for a fun way to empower Midoriya before he finds himself trapped with Aizawa.

This current run of My Hero Academia episodes has found a lot of success by playing around with some creative character pairings. “Temp Squad” pushes Midoriya and Aizawa together in a team, which is very enjoyable to watch, but it doesn’t get much of a chance to go anywhere. Toga even succeeds in stabbing Aizawa, but “Temp Squad” doesn’t play around with the idea of Midoriya squaring off against an Aizawa doppleganger, as entertaining as that would be.

It’s the material with Toga and Twice that really stands out the most in this episode. Last week’s fight against Rappa and Tengai had clear stakes present, but it was more a story about Kirishima overcoming his personal demons than it was an episode that celebrates the danger of a fight. Toga and Twice are straight up scary. They fight with a rabid level of ruthlessness that’s been absent in My Hero Academia since Chisaki exploded that villain to pieces. These villains contain a special level of insanity that generates anxiety whenever they’re not present on screen.

Toga and Twice succeed in causing a real level of carnage on the battlefield that exceeds that of the Eight Bullets. Considering that these “temps” are both on loan from the League of Villains, their bloodlust also highlights another interesting contrast regarding the mental state of villains across these groups. It’s a pleasant surprise to see the return of these characters, especially since Midoriya’s encounter with Toga triggers some PTSD from their previous altercation, although Toga couldn’t be more thrilled for the reunion. It’s a nice energy for their time together, even if it’s brief.

Nighteye also tries to assist his team through the fisticuffs, which leads to the introduction of his “battle support items” that allow him a physical edge in combat in some crazy ways. These kind of aids push My Hero Academia into risky territory. Quirks fail to have significance if there can be workarounds like this to simulate abilities in other ways. At the same time, this whole season is very much about the deconstruction and reexamination of quirks, so they’re at least on point. This shouldn’t be a problem as long as My Hero Academia doesn’t introduce a number of super scientists who create all sorts of powerful tech.

It currently appears that the Shie Hassaikai is in freefall mode as its headquarters rapidly get invaded and dismantled by the many heroes on duty. In spite of this destruction, those at the head of the organization seem to have very little concern for what’s going on. Chisaki acknowledges that this iteration of the Hassaikai may be finished, but its defeat may even make for an inspiring story for the future generation of villains. He also reiterates that what’s more important than anything is that they’ve perfected a version of their quirk-altering serum. That alone is enough to bring them success, regardless of how many people they have by their side.

It’s a clever structure to have this pivotal merger meeting between Shigaraki and Chisaki play out in piecemeal through flashbacks, but I would have loved an episode that’s simply the two of them playing Shogi while talking shop. With the way in which this season has played out, it wouldn’t have even been that unusual of an episode. The approach that My Hero Academia has taken allows the full scope of Shigaraki’s strategy to play out with the maximum amount of suspense.

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In the end, it’s this larger union between the Shie Hassaikai and the League of Villains that becomes the most important factor here. Just when Nighteye gets firm confirmation that the League of Villains and the Shie Hassaikai are working together, more flashbacks reveal that Shigaraki has also been playing the long game. He’s intended for Toga and Twice to act as sleeper agents within the Hassaikai who will eventually take it down from within. This damage begins to take place in the episode’s final moments when their dismissal of the Hassaikai throws Irinaka into a rage that spatially destroys the environment that everybody’s caught in.

“Temp Squad” features a lot of great material, but it does feel disjointed at times. It continues to separate the heroes in a way where there are essentially four series of events to follow that are all happening in the same building. On top of that, this episode also throws flashbacks from several characters into the mix. “Temp Squad” can feel like it sometimes arbitrarily jumps between these sequences and it can be disorienting.

The episode is half over by the time that it really figures out what its focus is. Furthermore, it’s really Toga and Twice that cause the most change and push the episode forward, with there being very little sense of accomplishment from the heroes. To say that this messy structure is meant to symbolize the chaos that everyone is caught up in would perhaps be giving My Hero Academia too much credit, but it is at least a parallel that helps.

“Temp Squad” may be messy, but the action does connect and the many faces that we meet within the Shie Hassaikai continue to be satisfying. The revelations about Shigaraki’s true intentions definitely reframe the season in a big way that teases a conclusion that could just as easily feature Shigaraki and his crew against Chisaki instead of Nighteye and company. “Temp Squad” suffers from trying to cram in a little too much, but the results are satisfying. It looks like the heroes have at least a few more episodes of wading through battles within Hassaikai headquarters, but at least it feels like they’re getting closer to their goal.

I also sincerely hope that Fat Gum retains his skinny appearance, yet continues to be called Fat Gum. Dragon Ball Super didn’t have the guts to keep Buu skinny, so now’s your chance to assert your dominance My Hero Academia!

Read and download the Den of Geek Lost In Space Special Edition Magazine right here!

Daniel Kurland is a published writer, comedian, and critic whose work can be read on Den of Geek, Vulture, and Bloody Disgusting. Daniel knows that the owls are not what they seem, that Psycho II is better than the original, and that Hannibal is the greatest love story ever told. His perma-neurotic thought process can be followed at @DanielKurlansky.

My Hero Academia is one of the more popular anime to emerge in recent years. With three seasons and a feature film under its belt, the series' Season 4 hits the ground running in 2019 for what's to be another year of excitement. Young Izuku Midoriya and his fellow classmates at U.A. High continue to gracefully and believably grow into the next generation of professional heroes. Here's everything we know about the new season!

My Hero Academia Season 4 Release Date

You can typically catch newMy Hero Academia Season 4 episodes every Saturday on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu. The upcoming episode 10, "Temp Squad", is set to be released December 21, 2019. You can watch the trailer below.

My Hero Academia Season 4, Episode 10 Trailer

Check out the trailer for the upcoming episode of My Hero Academia Season 4!

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episodes

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 1: The Scoop on U.A. Class 1-A

"After All Might announces his retirement, freelance reporter Taneo Tokuda goes to the dorms to investigate U.A. Class 1-A."

release date: 10/12/2019

Read our review of "The Scoop on U.A. Class 1-A" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 2: Overhaul

"Overhaul pays a visit to the League of Villains, and Midoriya tries to find a place to do his work study."

release date: 10/19/2019

Read our review of "Overhaul" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 3: Boy Meets...

"Izuku battles Sir Nighteye so he can do his work study at Nighteye's agency, but Nighteye has someone else in mind to be All Might's successor..."

release date: 10/26/2019

Read our review of "Boy Meets..." here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 4: Fighting Fate

"Izuku's mind is swirling with feelings from his work study, so he goes and talks to All Might about it and learns about All Might's fate."

release date: 11/9/2019

Read our review of "Fighting Fate" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 5: Let's Go, Gutsy Red Riot

"The U.A. work study students go out with their respective heroes and become involved in some big fights."

release date: 11/16/2019

Read our review of "Let's Go, Gutsy Red Riot!" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 6: An Unpleasant Talk

"The work study students from U.A. attend a meeting of heroes gathered by Sir Nighteye and leave with new resolve."

release date: 11/23/2019

Read our review of "An Unpleasant Talk" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 7: GO!!

"The work study students wait until the pro heroes find Eri and it's time to start the operation to save her."

release date: 11/30/2019

Read our review of "GO!!" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 8: Suneater of the Big Three

"The Shie Hassaikai is going all out to stop the heroes, and Suneater volunteers to take out the first batch of Eight Bullets members in their way."

release date: 12/07/2019

Read our review of "Suneater of the Big Three" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 9: Red Riot

"As the fight with the Shie Hassaikai continues, Kirishima has to face his past when he and Fat Gum get separated from the others."

release date: 12/14/2019

Read our review of "Red Riot" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Episode 10: Temp Squad

release date: 12/21/2019

Read our review of "Temp Squad" here.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Story Details

Season three of My Hero Academia ends with the introduction of The Big 3, U.A. High’s most powerful students, with Mirio Togata making a particularly strong impression. Mirio also announces to Midoriya and company that their next major task will be internships with major Pro-Heroes. My Hero Academia’s  “Internship Arc” is the series’ longest arc from the manga, so it’s safe to say that it will take up the bulk of season four. Season four will also further the growth of the show’s new, powerful characters from both the hero and villain departments, like All Might’s former sidekick, Nighteye, and new foe, Overhaul (who’s in full form in season four’s brief teaser from Jump Festa). Season four is very much still apart of the larger “Rise of the Villains” saga and that short teaser indicates that Shigaraki and his evil team will continue to gain power and out-maneuver the good guys.

My Hero Academia Season 4 Poster

Check out this Season 4 Poster: