Mashable

Substack, the popular newsletter publishing platform toting millions of subscribers, is at the center of a user quagmire in 2024: Should we stay or should we go?

In a recent article by The Atlantic, the platform was called a "ticking time bomb" of content moderation issues, which have prompted several prominent blogs and writers to publish scathing indictments of the site before ceremoniously leaving the platform.

The company has faced other battles in the last year as well, including a brief feud with Elon Musk-owned X/Twitter. So why are users ushering in the new year by exiting the site now?

SEE ALSO: Artifact, the AI news app created by Instagram's founders, is shutting down Users demand content moderation and accountability

In Nov. 2023, the Atlantic published an investigation into growing networks of white nationalists hosting alt-right and neo-Nazi blogs on Substack. Seemingly against terms of service that ban hate on the platform, the frequently antisemitic blogs were generating consistent revenue for both the publishers and Substack itself, which takes a portion of subscription revenue.

In response, hundreds of writers issued an open letter to Substack asking for an explanation. Later, another group of writers and fans published a letter in support of subscriber freedom and opposing increased content moderation.

On Dec. 21, Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie uploaded a blog post responding to outcries over "fringe accounts," saying: "I just want to make it clear that we don’t like Nazis either — we wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don't think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away — in fact, it makes it worse."

As of January, Substack had removed only a few of the offending blogs pointed out by fellow users. Thus rested an age-old internet question: How far should a platform — or "content host," in this instance — intervene in its user base, and what kind of protection does it owe those scrolling its site?

Casey Newton, creator of the Silicon Valley news blog Platformer, announced on Jan. 11 that the blog would be leaving Substack due to the ongoing content moderation issues and the lackluster response of Substack officials to removing alt-right content. The post (subhead: "We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out.") also details his own effort to have antisemitic blogs removed from the site.

"As all of this unfolded, I spoke twice with Substack’s co-founders. And while they asked that those conversations be off the record, my understanding from our conversations — based on material they had shared with me in writing — was that in the future they would regard explicitly Nazi and pro-Holocaust material to be a violation of their existing policies," Newton described of his and fellow Substack publishers' efforts. "But on Tuesday, when I wrote my story about the company’s decision to remove five publications, that language was missing from their statement. Instead, the company framed the entire discussion as having been about the handful of publications I had sent them for review."

Other newsletter publishers, including popular writer Ryan Broderick, were similarly disappointed in the response. In his announcement, Broderick wrote that Substack "has a habit of turning these, frankly, fairly basic trust and safety problems into weird political fights that drag on for weeks."

"Substack has faced occasional controversies over its laissez-faire approach to content moderation," Newton explained. "The platform hosts a wide range of material I find distasteful and offensive. But for a time, the distribution of that material was limited to those who had signed up to receive it. In that respect, I did not view the decision to host Platformer on Substack as being substantially different from hosting it on, for example, GoDaddy. Substack’s aspirations now go far beyond web hosting."

Pure web hosting has fallen by the wayside

In addition to the questionable content decisions of Substack leads, many posting on the site have shared a wariness of the platform's evolving mission and its impact on independent writers, a shift from the site's original marketing as an ambiguously defined content hosting site without the ambition of mainstream publishers and social media sites.

But in April 2023, Substack launched its Notes feature, a "Twitter dupe" that allows Substack subscribers and writers to share posts, links, snippets, you name it, in a streamlined feed mirroring the X timeline. "Notes also marks the next step in our efforts to build our subscription network — one that puts writers and readers in charge, rewards great work with money, and protects the free press and free speech," Substack wrote in a blog post at the time.

Meanwhile, the platform was under careful watch from financial reporters, following the revelation of the platform's 2020-2021 financial statements (the numbers were grim). Substack had recently launched a site-wide crowdfunding campaign, as well, generating more than $7 million from users.

Some writers note that they feel the broad push for "the Substack network" — referring to the growing connections between its community of writers, subscription recommendations, and new features like Notes — runs counter to the organic discovery and subscription models that enticed them to join initially.

This all signaled to many that the hands-off, pure content hosting goal of the platform was shifting, pushing the site closer to the realm of an advertising social media company instead of an avenue for independent publishing, fostering small communities of self-moderated readers and writers.

As Newton warned in his departure post, Substack:

"touts the value of its network of publications as a primary reason to use its product, and has built several tools to promote that network. It encourages writers to recommend other Substack publications. It sends out a weekly digest of publications for readers to consider subscribing to. And last year it launched a Twitter-like social network called Notes that highlights posts from around the network, regardless of whether you follow those writers or not. Not all of you use these features. Some of you might not have seen them. But I can speak to their effectiveness: In 2023, we added more than 70,000 free subscribers. While I would love to credit that growth exclusively to our journalism and analysis, I believe we have seen firsthand how quickly and aggressively tools like these can grow a publication. And if Substack can grow a publication like ours that quickly, it can grow other kinds of publications, too."

Where are people turning to now?

Substack remains a popular site for writers, cultural commenters, film critics, and even journalists, but disenchanted users are seeking out alternatives. Some are turning toward other hosting sites like Ghost and Beehiiv, the Atlantic reports.

The decision is in your hands.

TL;DR: As of January 15, get Windows 11 Pro and the Essential Windows 11 Pro course for only $49.99 — that's an 83% discount.

When it comes to computers, there are a lot of variables that can make or break your computing experience. If you have been struggling with your slightly older computer, it may be something as simple as needing a new operating system. The latest Windows OS is Windows 11 Pro, and it has a lot of valuable new features to elevate and streamline your work and personal life. You can get it now, along with the Essential Windows 11 Pro course, for just $49.99 (reg. $298).

You'll get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro on up to three devices. Windows 11 Pro includes all the latest updates Windows has to offer, including AI-integrated ones, such as Windows Copilot. Copilot is an AI assistant that's replaced Cortana and can assist with everyday tasks such as summarizing documents, starting a playlist, and changing settings. The Paint app also has an AI update that gives its users AI-powered editing tools like removing backgrounds, generative content creation, and more.

Even if you don't necessarily have a problem with your current OS, this offer allows you to get benefits like enhanced security and included future updates (Windows 10 won't be getting further updates) for an affordable price. 

This OS also comes with a course that helps you get the most out of all it has to offer. The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course is over five hours of content with 64 lessons that will have you enjoying your new OS with confidence and ease.

Jump on this deal while it's still deeply discounted.

Get yourself Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course for just $49.99 (reg. $298) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: StreamSkill Microsoft Windows 11 Pro + The Essential Windows 11 Pro Course $49.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 15, get the Car Windshield Defroster, Heater & Fan for only $37.99 — that's 45% off.

There's nothing like waking up a little late in winter and ending up a lot late because you had to wait for the modest glacier on your windshield to thaw. And you might be right there beside it, shivering the morning away. 

You don't need a mechanic to upgrade the heating system in your car. Instead, try this car windshield defroster, heater, and fan. This three-in-one gadget could help your car warm up and keep you toasty in the process, and it's on sale for $37.99 (reg. $69.99). 

Quickly defrost your car

You don't need a bonfire to say bon voyage to chilly mornings behind the wheel when you've got this little heater with you. This portable defroster plugs into your car's 12V power outlet and silently produces waves of warmth that you can point at your windshield or whoever is shivering the loudest. It even has a little folding handle to control the 360-degree swiveling and the 90-degree tilt. 

This car defroster has four settings. You can use it to help speed up your windshield defrosting, defog, blast the heat, or you could even use it to help cool down. You can even adjust the wind flow, and installation is super simple. Each heater comes with four wall plugs, four screws, two mounting hooks, a gasket, a filter, and a guide to show you how to use it all. 

A cool gadget to keep you warm 

Get the car windshield defroster, heater, and fan while it's on sale for $37.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Onet Car Windshield Defroster, Heater & Fan $37.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 15, get this AOC 23.6-inch gaming monitor for just $99.99 — that's 41% off.

A good monitor could make all the difference when you're gaming, and they don't have to cost more than the price of a new desktop. If you're looking for a low-cost option that doesn't compromise on clarity or screen size, the AOC C24B1H is a 23.6-inch gaming monitor that could be a great choice for only $99.99, but that's after the price has been cut from $169.99. 

Gamers can min-max monitor shopping now

The AOC C24B1H is an HD gaming monitor with a 3000:1 static contrast ratio for deep blacks on a sleek 1080p, three-sided borderless display. This super slim monitor is only 12.5mm deep and could be a great addition to a multi-monitor gaming setup. And, of course, you can tilt the screen for little ergonomic adjustments. 

HDMI compatibility means you can connect a computer or modern gaming consoles. Older computers could use the 15-pin VGA port to connect. There's even a spot to plug in headphones or speakers. This monitor has a VA panel with 1920 x 1080 resolution and flicker-free technology, along with a low blue light feature that could help reduce eye strain. No more squinting after telling yourself you'll only play for a few more minutes until the sun comes up. 

Like to customize your setup often? This monitor is super lightweight, weighing just 5.7lbs. That means you can plan for easy adjustments or even travel if you like to take your whole rig on the road.

Stunning color, clarity, and price

No more blaming your hardware for a bad round. 

Get the AOC 24B1H 23.6-inch Full HD LED Gaming Monitor for $99.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: AOC AOC 24B1H 23.6" Full HD LED Gaming Monitor $99.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of Jan. 15, you can grab a refurbished 2015 iMac (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD) for only $399.97 — that's a 73% discount from its original $1,499 MSRP.

Does your home office need an upgrade? While laptops are certainly convenient, if you're hoping to up your productivity in 2024, it might be time to invest in a desktop computer. Or, you may be a creative working on various design and editing programs that require a bigger Apple screen. And thanks to refurbished options on the market today, that doesn't mean putting a big dent in your wallet.

If you're in the market for an iMac, look no further than this refurbished 21.5-inch A1418 model from late 2015. It offers all the perks of a beloved Apple desktop for a fraction of the price, and can be yours for only $399.97 (reg. $1,499) with no coupon code required right here for a limited time. 

Equipped with a stunning 21.5-inch Retina display, this iMac is ready to help you achieve your 2024 goals. Its sleek and compact stature won't take up too much desk space, but don't be deceived by its convenient size — it's still packed with plenty of power, thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor. 

1TB of HDD storage ensures you have ample space to save your important files, store your favorite apps, and more on the iMac. And the 8GB of memory means you can smoothly run games, apps, and browsers simultaneously if needed. This particular model hails from 2015 and comes with a grade "A" refurbished rating, which means it will arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to zero scuffing. 

For a limited time, get this refurbished 21.5-inch Apple iMac for just $399.97 (reg. $1,499).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished 2015 iMac (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD) $399.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Knowing what kind of laptop you have is essential for troubleshooting issues and finding the right support. Plus, when you know your exact laptop — and its specs — it’s easier to know what you might want out of your next laptop when it’s time to upgrade.

You can often find your laptop’s model number on the underside of your laptop or the box, but if the writing has faded, or you don’t have the box, you can check your model number in your settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to locate this number in Windows or macOS. 

How to find your laptop model and specs in Windows Total Time

• 5 minutes

What You Need

• Windows PC

Step 1: Open the System Information tool

Type “System Information” into your Windows search box at the bottom of your screen.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 2: Locate your laptop’s model number

When opening System Information, the tool should default to the System Summary menu selection. Find “System Model” under the Item column, and you’ll see your laptop’s model number to the right in the Value column. On this screen, you can also look at your “System SKU” to get more helpful information about your laptop model.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 3: Type “about your PC” into the Windows search box

This will take you to the “About” screen in your Window System settings. 

Credit: Sarah Chaney

Step 4: Find more specific information about your laptop and its specs

At the top of the screen, you can find your laptop’s Device ID and Product ID, as well as its processor and installed RAM.

Credit: Sarah Chaney

How to find your laptop model and specs in macOS Total Time

• 5 minutes

What You Need

• macOS

Step 1: Open the Apple Menu on your MacBook

Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen, and select “About This Mac” from the Apple Menu that pops up. In the small window that appears, you can see the model name and year of your MacBook, along with its chip, memory, serial number, and current macOS version.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 2: For more information, pull up a System Report

Press and hold the Option key at the bottom of your keyboard, select the Apple menu option, and then “System Information” to open a System Report for your MacBook.

Step 3: Locate your MacBook’s “Model Identifier"

In the “Hardware Overview” section of the System Report, you’ll find a unique identifying number next to “Model Identifier.” Head to Apple’s website to identify your MacBook model based on this number.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Max offers an extraordinary selection of movies, and its documentary library alone has enough gems for hours of compelling viewing. But if you're indecisive, have no fear: We've gone through the hundreds of documentaries on Max and picked out the ones you absolutely have to make time to watch.

These movies prove the versatility of the documentary genre, both in terms of subject matter and form. They'll immerse you in high school basketball, concerts, fights for racial justice, and so much more.

Here, in alphabetical order, are the best documentaries on Max streaming now.

1. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets

Marc Silver's 2015 documentary recounts the 2012 death of teenager Jordan Davis, who was shot multiple times in a parking lot while listening to music with friends. His attacker was found guilty of first-degree murder, but only after a mistrial and extensive media coverage. The documentary uses interviews with Davis's family alongside footage from the trial to fully illustrate the grim reality of Florida's self-defense laws.* — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets is now streaming on Max.

2. André the Giant

André the Giant is a thoughtful examination of what it means to be larger than life. It gives André Roussimoff credit for his contributions to sports entertainment by identifying him as a pioneer who fully understood how gigantism, the medical condition responsible for his seven-foot-four frame, could elevate him to the status of a living myth. Interviews with wrestling personalities like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Vince McMahon offer a rare glimpse behind the curtain of kayfabe by documenting Roussimoff’s keen awareness of the awe he inspired and how his example transformed the WWF franchise into the massive performance showcase that exists now as the WWE. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: André the Giant is now streaming on Max.

3. Class Action Park Death trap or fun time? Credit: HBO Max

Welcome to Action Park! This New Jersey amusement and water park, built by former Wall Street tycoon Gene Mulvihill, was home to attractions such as Cannonball Loop and the Alpine Slide. It was also severely mismanaged and the cause of many injuries and deaths. Class Action Park reveals just how insane the story behind Action Park was, from the park's madcap rides to Mulvihill's shady tactics for keeping his venture afloat.

Through a mixture of fun animation and interviews with comedians who attended Action Park as children, Class Action Park keeps things light and humorous. However, it still exercises proper seriousness and restraint when discussing the park's fatalities. Overall, Class Action Park is a wild documentary about a truly wild place. Come for the descriptions of the insane rides, and stay for the nuanced exploration of nostalgia and childhood in the 1980s. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Class Action Park is now streaming on Max.

4. Everything Is Copy

Everything Is Copy is the best kind of love letter: one that's effusive in its admiration of its subject, but also clear-eyed about her quirks and imperfections. Journalist Jacob Bernstein explores the life, career, and 2012 death of Nora Ephron, known to us as the writer and filmmaker behind such movies as Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and Julie & Julia, and to Bernstein as his mother.

Interviews with family members and famous friends (including Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and Mike Nichols), along with archival interviews and excerpts from Ephron's own work, paint a portrait of a brilliant and ambitious spirit who lived by the motto stated in the title: "Everything is copy," meaning that everything that happens in life can be fodder for a story later on. Though you wouldn't mistake Bernstein's documentary for a work by Ephron herself, the film's warmth, candor, and humor make it a fitting tribute to the icon she was. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Everything Is Copy is now streaming on Max.

5. Gimme Shelter Keith Richards onstage in "Gimme Shelter." Credit: Maysles/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Originally conceived as a behind-the-scenes account of the Rolling Stones' legendary 1969 U.S. tour, Gimme Shelter was ultimately transformed by the circumstances that unfolded around it. While the film does delve into various moments from the UK band's cross-country trip, its value as a historical document is most evident in its on the ground account of the infamous Altamont Free Concert in 1970 and the circumstances leading up to that day.

The filmmaking team led by Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin captured it all, and Gimme Shelter, a triumph of the cinéma vérité movement, is the result. — Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Gimme Shelter is now streaming on Max.

6. Grey Gardens "Little Edie" Beale pictured in Grey Gardens, 1975. Credit: Tom Wargacki/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In their famed 1976 film Grey Gardens, brothers and documentary team Albert and David Maysles pay a visit to a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. There, they profile the intriguing and tragic lives of a reclusive mother and daughter, both named Edith Beale, in a strange and winding character study unlike any other.

Relatives of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, the life stories of "Little Edie" and "Big Edie" are sensationalized in the documentary, and many argue that the film takes an inherently exploitative view of its subjects and their apparent mental health conditions. But as far as fascinating footage goes, Grey Gardens is a must-watch — capturing a unique family at the heart of a broader dialogue about the decline of political royalty and '60s-era Americana.* — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Grey Gardens is now streaming on Max.

7. Harlan County, USA

Harlan County, USA drops us into small-town Kentucky in the 1970s to show us a time, a place, and a community — and to reveal wheat happens when a group of coal miners go on strike, incurring the wrath of the Duke Power Company. Barbara Kopple's film follows the miners and their supporters (including their ferociously determined wives) into the front lines of the fight, from picket lines to town hall meetings to more intimate moments of grief or rage or everyday life. 

As the battle intensifies, spilling over into violence, what emerges is a gritty portrait of hard-won courage against an all-too-familiar villain, captured through Kopple's principled perspective. Harlan County, USA won Best Documentary at the 1977 Oscars, and almost half a century later, it's still regarded as one of the best documentaries of all time. It's as riveting, as powerful, and urgent as it was the day it was released. — A.H.

How to watch: Harlan County, USA is now streaming on Max.

8. Hoop Dreams Arthur Agee in "Hoop Dreams." Credit: Fine Line/Kartemquin/Kobal/Shutterstock

Hoop Dreams dives into the lives of Arthur Agee and William Gates, two young men from inner-city Chicago who dream of making it big in the NBA. Both are recruited to play for St. Joseph High School's highly regarded basketball program early on in the film, but over the next four years they take extremely different paths. Through Agee and Gates' basketball careers, director Steve James explores issues of race, class, and how sports recruitment can cross into the realm of the exploitative and put undue amounts of pressure on young players.

What's astonishing about Hoop Dreams is the level of intimacy James achieves with both Agee and Gates. He follows their journeys on and off the basketball court as they and their families experience parental separations, sports injuries, and financial struggles. The resulting documentary makes you feel like you're experiencing life alongside Agee and Gates, so you desperately want them to succeed. It all comes to a head in the thrilling and tense basketball sequences. Even though these games were played decades ago, James makes every missed shot feel like a lost opportunity and every successful play feel like a massive victory. — B.E.

How to watch: Hoop Dreams is now streaming on Max.

9. Original Cast Album: Company

If you're a fan of the legendary Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical Company, or of musical theater in general, this documentary is for you. Director D.A. Pennebaker trains a close eye on the original cast and orchestra of Company as they undergo an intense 15-hour recording session. You hear stand-out Company numbers such as "Being Alive" and "Getting Married Today" and get to see Sondheim at work. The film's best and most famous sequence comes towards the end, when the great Elaine Stritch struggles to record "The Ladies Who Lunch." It's a gripping portrait of a performer trying to push through exhaustion and her own frustrations, and a perfect end to this stellar documentary. — B.E.

How to watch: Original Cast Album: Company is now streaming on Max.

10. Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind Robin Williams pictured in New York City, 1980. Credit: Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images

Years after Robin Williams's death by suicide in 2014, the loss of his talent and presence still stings. Come Inside My Mind uses interviews with those who were closest to him — his son, ex-wife, best friends, and many more — along with archival footage to create a portrait of someone immensely, inordinately talented who battled mental illness for most of his life. Marina Zenovich's documentary chronicles Williams's whole life, from a sometimes-lonely childhood to a meteoric rise in comedy, as well as his struggles with addiction and an often-troubled career, despite his cemented status as a legend. Clips of his performances remind us (though no one needs reminding) that there was and likely never will be another with Williams's iconic spark. — P.K.

How to watch: Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind is now streaming on Max.

11. The Times of Harvey Milk

In 1978, San Francisco's first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk was gunned down inside of City Hall by a man who said he's eaten too much sugar the night before. Six years later, filmmaker Rob Epstein made this masterful documentary about Milk's career, his rise from activist to politician, and what his outrageous death meant to a community that was already embattled on all sides. It's one of the most important documents of that moment in time. Gus Van Sant's 2008 biopic with Sean Penn in the lead role does a decent job bringing the story to life, but Epstein's film blows it out of the water on all fronts, mostly because even Penn can't fake the fiery magnetism that the real-deal Milk carried around. — Jason Adams, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: The Times of Harvey Milk is now streaming on Max.

12. Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland Sandra Bland in "Say Her Name." Credit: HBO

When 28-year-old Sandra Bland was arrested for a traffic violation and subsequently found hanged in her jail cell days later, a two-year legal ordeal began. Filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner document her family's battle with law enforcement while sharing Bland's own video blogs and history of activism. Though her death was ruled a suicide, questions remain, as does Say Her Name's tragic timeliness.* — P.K.

How to watch: Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland is now streaming on Max.

13. Transhood Leena at a modeling audition in "Transhood." Credit: HBO

In Transhood, director Sharon Liese documents the lives of four young trans people — who are 4, 7, 12, and 15 when filming begins — living in Kansas City over the course of five years. It's a moving portrait of its subjects' childhoods and their respective transitions.

Transhood is intimate but never invasive, following its subjects with a caring and understanding eye. From consultations about gender-affirming treatments to interactions with friends, we get to know Phoenix, Avery, Jay, and Leena, as well as their parents, whose support and sacrifices fuel some of the film's most emotional moments. Transhood doesn't lift up its subjects as monoliths of the trans experience. Rather, it celebrates the differences and similarities between their journeys and finds the beauty in their transitions, all while inspiring great amounts of compassion and empathy. — B.E.

How to watch: Transhood is now streaming on Max.

14. Welcome to Chechnya

The third film from Academy Award-nominated documentarian David France, Welcome to Chechnya takes viewers on a guerilla-style investigation into the anti-gay purges that still plague the constituent republic of Russia.

Not only does the explosive project detail the abhorrent policies created by Vladimir Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to criminalize homosexuality, it also delves into the insidious culture the government has instilled in its citizens to encourage hate crimes. It's a painful watch that demands attention from viewers, focusing in large part on the courageous efforts of underground networks working to help LGBTQ people escape the region.

What makes this doc stand out is the urgency. Documentary filmmaking can help us examine issues or events in greater detail, as well as preserve them for the historic record. Welcome to Chechnya does both with heartbreaking heroism, urging western audiences to at the very least acknowledge the genocide that continues to this day. — A.F.

How to watch: Welcome to Chechnya is now streaming on Max.

15. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Photographer Nan Goldin collaborated with Citizenfour filmmaker Laura Poitras on this wily Oscar-nominated portrait of Goldin's complex life, and what they came up with was a moving masterpiece about the inescapable intersections of art, self, and activism. Interweaving Goldin's traumatic childhood with her relationships, her celebrated documentation of NYC in the 1970s and '80s, and her fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a profound portrait of an unstoppable force — one who's fueled by a keen sense of righteousness and love. Goldin's managed to turn her own frailties into her greatest strengths as an artist and a human being, as evidenced in this unforgettable documentary. — J.A.

How to watch: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is now streaming on Max.

16. Amazing Grace Credit: GEM / StudioCanal / Kobal / Shutterstock

In 1972, the legendary singer Aretha Franklin went to church to record her live gospel album Amazing Grace over the course of two nights of performances. All of this was captured on camera too, but while the album went on to become the highest-selling live gospel album of all time, issues with syncing the footage and the sound kept the filmed version sitting in a vault for (checks notes) 45 years.

Part of the issue there was Franklin herself though, because for unknown reasons, she repeatedly sued the producer who'd bought the footage from Warner Brothers and tried to reshape it into something that could be released. Only after Aretha's death in 2018 did her family make a deal with him, and (sorry, Aretha!) thank goodness they did: Amazing Grace captures the singer at the height of her lofty powers. Side note: This should be paired with the Rolling Stones doc down below, since Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts are seen in the audience grooving out alongside everybody else. — J.A.

How to watch: Amazing Grace is now streaming on Max.

17. David Lynch: The Art Life

Getting director David Lynch to talk about his cryptic, hallucinatory work and its meanings has always been like pulling teeth. And so this 2016 documentary from filmmakers Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Rick Barnes, and Jon Nguyen is vital because it's probably the closest we'll ever get to anything of that sort. Lynch is more than happy to talk about his actual hands-on process, especially with regards to his painting, as well as his life story — his childhood in Montana, his big transformative move to Philadelphia, and what led to his breakthrough Eraserhead. And, as ever when it comes to Lynch, we're then meant to put together those pieces into a pattern that means something to us. He doesn't make it easy, but he does make it worthwhile. — J.A.

How to watch: David Lynch: The Art Life is now streaming on Max.

18. De Palma

The polar opposite of David Lynch, this 2015 doc proves that you can't get director Brian De Palma to shut up about his work — nor would you want him to. Here, Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow simply pointed a camera at the man and then asked him to talk about his movies; what they got was hours upon hours of footage, which they then curated down into this almost two-hour soliloquy on movie-making's ups, downs, and spectacular sideways. De Palma's monologue is laid over scenes from his gorgeously sleazy cinema; everything from Carrie to Body Double to Dressed to Kill are touched upon, but it's his lesser-known movies like Casualties of War that end up holding the most fascination. It's a master lesson in filmmaking from a master filmmaker. — J.A.

How to watch: De Palma is now streaming on Max.

19. Honeyland Credit: Photo by Ljubomir Stefanov / NEON

My favorite thing that documentaries can do fairly effortlessly is transport you to a totally alien and unexpected world and drop you right in there, making it suddenly seem not at all alien but instead deeply familiar — empathy by way of immersion. One such standout is Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov's Oscar-nominated 2019 film Honeyland, which chronicles the life of a Macedonian beekeeper named Hatidže and her blind, bedridden mother Nazife.

The drama that unfurls in Hatidže's life as she gets new obnoxious neighbors who promptly begin mucking up the delicate balance of nature that their already precarious lifestyle depends on is more riveting than 10 Hollywood blockbusters. It's a story in miniature that's echoing across our entire planet, told with such intricacy and intimacy that it takes your breath away. (And when Hatidže showed up at the Oscars ceremony that year, I cried.) – J.A.

How to watch: Honeyland is now streaming on Max.

20. I Am Not Your Negro

Filmmaker Raoul Peck has proven himself to be one of the most formidable voices in documentary filmmaking over the past decade, and so we must also take this moment to recommend his magnificent 2021 documentary series Exterminate All the Brutes (now on Max) and his 2022 film Silver Dollar Road (now on Prime). But this current run of masterpieces began in 2016 with I Am Not Your Negro, Peck's visualization of writer James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript about the Civil Rights movement, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Rightly nominated for an Oscar, the film is as lacerating and infuriating and sometimes even as funny as Baldwin's prose. Alongside all of the footage of the author on talk shows and at political events, it somehow does justice to the man's words, which is in itself a monumental achievement. – J.A. 

How to watch: I Am Not Your Negro is now streaming on Max.

21. Little Richard: I Am Everything Credit: Magnolia Pictures

Finally getting his due as the Black queer icon who really invented rock and roll, this 2023 doc from director Lisa Cortes shows us how Little Richard went from the dirt-poor third of twelve kids of a bootlegger father in Macon, Georgia, to making white teen girls lose their minds as he performed hits like "Tutti Frutti." Richard's path was all over the map. White artists like Pat Boone and Elvis kept covering his songs and getting more play because of the color of their skin. He also abandoned music for religion at the height of his career in the 1950s, renouncing the devil's music before returning to its embrace a few years later — and this happened several times over his lifelong career. But the showman couldn't be contained; when an outsider renegade like John Waters is aping your style, then you know that you're a legend. – J.A.

How to watch: Little Richard: I Am Everything is now streaming on Max.

22. Moonage Daydream

When David Bowie died in January of 2016, some people decided in retrospect that that was the moment where humanity shifted onto the shittier timeline that's brought us the past several years of chaos. And while Brett Morgen's 2022 musical bio-doc of the man doesn't make that exact case, it does in its margins make the case for why people would feel that way. Morgen's trippy film combines performance footage and interviews into something appropriately unique for its subject; it lands somewhere between a concert film and a deification, and that only seems right to me. – J.A.

How to watch: Moonage Daydream is now streaming on Max.

23. Paris is Burning

Documenting the drag balls of '80s NYC, director Jennie Livingston followed her subjects around for six full years, making it an invaluable record of a moment in time and place that was disappearing and changing even as she filmed. Some of that was due to AIDS, some of that was due to violence and poverty, so some of those things haven't changed that much after all. But the people interviewed – including ball legends like Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja, and Angie and Venus Xtravaganza – didn't have that luxury: One of the film's most defining and shocking moments in the film comes when we hear that Venus has been murdered. But the scales fall fairly evenly on the scene; it doesn't wallow in the bad stuff as nearly as much as it celebrates the magic and wonder that these queens scrape up out of it. – J.A.

How to watch: Paris is Burning is now streaming on Max.

24. Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Until we get the inevitable biopic of the most famous closeted gay movie star there ever was (and I can't imagine who could play him), we'll just have to make due with Stephen Kijak's very fine 2023 doc on the actor. Thankfully there are still plenty of people around who knew and cavorted with Rock in his lifetime, so there's no shortage of subjects more than willing to now spill the beans. As the Tales From the City author Armistead Maupin hilariously says at one point, "If I was fucking Rock Hudson, I would want my mother to know immediately." 

But it's not just gossip about his sex life that makes Rock's story worth being told; the man was the biggest star in Hollywood for several years, emblematic of the 1950s and '60s ideals of big, strong manly-man masculinity, all while being forced to hide who he really was lest that unravel it all. He is simply put one of the biggest chapters in the Hollywood story, and Kijak's film does that stratospheric tale justice. — J.A.

How to watch: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is now streaming on Max.

25. Salesman

A landmark documentary that was inspired by Truman Capote's revolutionary style in the telling of In Cold Blood, this first film from Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin is seen as a pioneer feature in verite cinema. According to legend, they just chose four Bible salesman to follow with their cameras by virtue of their schedules, and then the movie sorted itself out from there. But what the filmmakers ended up finding in the salesmen's stories somehow approaches mythical proportions. It ends up being about as staggering a portrait of mid-century America, religion, and consumerism as could possibly be imagined. One of the most important documentaries there are, while also being fly-on-the-wall simple and surprisingly funny. – J.A.

How to watch: Salesman is now streaming on Max.

Asterisks (*) indicate the write up comes from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Jan. 11, 2024, 1:39 p.m. EST This article has been updated to reflect current streaming options.

Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Sign up for Max Get Deal

On February 2, Apple's spatial computer (everyone else calls these virtual reality headsets), the Vision Pro, will hit the stores, and Apple will start offering demos to customers at Apple Store locations in the U.S.

We knew this was coming, but details on how these demos will look like were absent. Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has a fairly detailed outline of what the demos will consist of and how long they'll take.

According to Gurman, each demo will last about 25 minutes. After setting the demo unit up for the customer (including setting up lenses for people with prescription glasses), and explaining the basics of how the device works, the demo will begin.

SEE ALSO: How to buy the Apple Vision Pro: A checklist of what you'll need at check out

It will reportedly include a tour through the photos app, including some 3D images and videos (spatial photos and spatial videos in Apple's lingo). The demo will also include a quick tour on how to use the Vision Pro as a computer or iPad replacement, with details such as scrolling through webpages in Safari or positioning multiple app windows in space. Finally, the customers will be shown 3D and immersive movie clips, including videos of wild animals, the ocean and sports. Gurman also mentions a "compelling scene that makes users feel as if they're on a tightrope."

All in all, it sounds a lot like the demos Apple gave to some members of the media over the last couple of months.

As we previously wrote, getting a demo is free and does not require pre-ordering or purchasing the $3,499 device. Apple has invited customers to sign up for a demo at their local Apple Stores, starting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 2, with demos served on Friday and through the weekend on a first-come, first-served basis.

Wondering how to watch the NFL Playoffs? Here are your best options: Most affordable Sling TV Orange Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro 7-day free trial, then $79.99/month Get Deal

The Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are scheduled to meet in the opening weekend of the 2024 NFL Playoffs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Monday, Jan. 15. The game is scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. ET. 

Philadelphia enters the matchup with an 11-6 record after finishing second in the NFC East Division. Most recently, the New York Giants beat the Eagles 27-10 on Jan. 7. Jalen Hurts is the Eagles starting quarterback, and this season, he has thrown for 3,858 yards and 23 touchdowns. 

The Tampa Bay Bucs come into the contest with a 9-8 record after finishing first in the NFC South Division. On Jan. 7, the Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 9-0. As the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield has thrown for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

SEE ALSO: How to watch NFL games without cable

Nick Sirianni is the Philadelphia Eagles head coach. Todd Bowles is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach. 

NFL Playoffs: Eagles vs. Buccaneers kickoff time and network

The Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Bucs game is scheduled to be broadcast on ABC and ESPN at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 15. The ABC/ESPN broadcasters are scheduled to be Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (analyst). 

Catch the excitement of Monday’s game without cable or satellite TV by choosing an online live streaming option such as FuboTV or Sling. 

Best streaming services for the Buccaneers vs. Eagles game

Without cable or satellite TV, you can still enjoy the NFL Playoffs by opting for a streaming service. To dive into Monday’s game between the Tampa Bay Bucs and Philadelphia Eagles teams, consider these streaming options. 

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month Get Deal

At $55 per month, Sling TV’s Orange & Blue Plan provides 46 channels, including ESPN3 that simulcasts ABC games such as Eagles vs. Buccaneers. You can get an introductory offer of $27.50 for the first month of the Orange & Blue Plan. 

If you’re primarily interested in Monday’s game then you can go for the Orange Plan, with an introductory offer of $20 for the first month and then a standard charge of $40/month.

Sling TV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network and SEC Network.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro 7-day free trial, then $79.99/month Get Deal

FuboTV offers a complimentary seven-day trial that includes access to more than 250 live TV channels and 10-screen viewing. With the free trial, NFL fans can access channels like ABC and ESPN for Eagles vs. Buccaneers in the playoffs. If you want to keep FuboTV’s Pro plan, the rate is $79.99 per month. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network. 

TL;DR: A three-year subscription to a Windscribe VPN Pro Plan is on sale for £69.88, saving you 57% on list price.

Just as you lock your front door and look both ways before crossing the street, it’s important to safeguard your digital presence. VPNs offer one solution for online privacy and security, and Windscribe allows you to connect unlimited devices with added perks like an ad blocker.

With this limited-time deal, a three-year subscription to Windscribe VPN Pro is down to £69.88. That’s a best-on-web price.

SEE ALSO: The best VPN deals in January 2024

How do VPNs bring enhanced privacy and security? Essentially, they create a secure tunnel between your device and your chosen network while encrypting your data, making it difficult for third parties to intercept your online activities and location. Plus, while connecting to networks in other countries, you may be able to access websites or content on your streaming services that are normally blocked.

When shopping for VPNs, you should consider: How many servers or locations they offer, device compatibility and limits, level of encryption, and other benefits. Here’s what you’ll get with Windscribe Pro:

• Server locations in 69 countries and 112 cities

• Compatibility with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices

• Connect an unlimited number of devices

• AES-256 cipher encryption

Other perks include access to the desktop app or web browser extension with built-in ad blocking, double hop proxy for connecting two servers simultaneously, and split tunneling to choose which apps do and don’t use the VPN.

A three-year subscription to Windscribe VPN Pro is on sale for £69.88 — no coupon is needed.

Opens in a new window Credit: Windscribe VPN Windscribe VPN Pro Plan (3-Year Subscription) £69.88 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

If you love to yarn-wall a show, True Detective: Night Country gives plenty of reason to dust off the pushpins. With the premiere episode, HBO/Max has resurrected the dormant crime anthology series, offering a fresh mystery deep in the icy Alaskan terrain. Jodie Foster and Kali Reis star as this season's titular detectives determined to crack the case(s) of Season 4. And similar to Season 1, there are spirals and other surreal imagery that hints at the supernatural. 

Fans still debate on how much (and how well) Nic Pizzolatto's first season of True Detective paid off in terms of its dabbling in cosmic horror. But Night Country isn't playing by Pizzolatto's rules; while he has an executive producer credit, this season has an entirely different showrunner, writer, and director in horror indie darling Issa López. For fans of this Mexican filmmaker's breakout 2017 film Tigers Are Not Afraid, her authorship could be a crucial clue in unraveling the mystery of the missing scientists and the murder of activist Annie K. 

What's Tigers Are Not Afraid about? 

Tigers Are Not Afraid is a modern fairy tale — but not the kind Disney would dare adapt. Set in a Mexican City plagued by a vicious human trafficking cartel known as the Huascas, its "princess" is a young girl named Estrella (Paola Lara), who is granted three wishes by a magical piece of chalk. But in this critically heralded horror film written and directed by López, kids have to be very careful what they wish for. 

Estrella's story begins bleakly. After surviving a drive-by shooting at school, Estrella comes home to find her mother missing. Like the Tsalal research facility in True Detective: Night Country, the TV blares, as if her mother left without warning. But a big difference here is that a seemingly sentient trail of blood invades this humble home and blooms on a dress her mother has neatly hung up, a morbid omen. 

On a quest to find her missing mother, Estrella instead discovers some churlish Lost Boys, a quartet of orphans living in a garbage dump. Reluctantly, they team up to seek vengeance for their family members who were murdered by the Huascas. This young gang is led by the scarred Shine (Juan Ramón López), who carries a grudge as heavy as the gun he lifted from a cartel member. But Estrella is led by the voices of the dead who appear to her, grisly, wrapped in plastic and hissing instructions. 

Childlike wonder creeps into the horror through graffiti that comes to life in animation, as well as a toy tiger that becomes a bittersweet beacon. López mixes fantasy elements like ghosts and magic with real-world mayhem to create a sensational thriller that's as emotionally riveting as it is horrifically unnerving. You can watch it now on Shudder, and you should. 

How does Tigers Are Not Afraid connect to True Detective: Night Country? Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Canonically, López's film and her TV season aren't linked. However, even within episode one, it's impossible to ignore thematic similarities. Both stories center on heroines pushed to solve a murder mystery that hits close to home. And episode 1 suggests that like in Tigers Are Not Afraid, Night Country will deal with ghosts who act as guides. 

In this first ep, both Navarro (Reis) and Danvers (Foster) hear disembodied voices proclaiming, "She is awake!" And like Estrella and the trail of blood, Danvers receives this message from a dearly departed loved one — a child's hand reaches over her as she sleeps. Meanwhile, local eccentric Rose (Fiona Shaw) is led to the remains of the Tsalal scientists by what appears to be a ghost named Travis, who walks through the unforgiving ice with no shoes. 

Both stories also involve a ferocious predator as an enigmatic element. In Tigers Are Not Afraid, the orphaned children tell stories of tigers, fearsome and brave, as a means of comforting themselves against the cruel world of kidnapping and murder. In Night Country, it's a polar bear with one eye that appears in two forms: a child's plush toy and a stalking beast in the night. 

Could Tigers Are Not Afraid be the key to True Detective: Night Country's case?  Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

The first episode leaves us with burning questions, like who is the "she" that is awake? Is it possibly the vengeful spirit of murdered activist Annie K? Notably, in Tigers Are Not Afraid, the vicious kingpin is not brought down by the scrappy orphans but by the wrathful spirits of those he murdered. Could it be that Annie K's back and on the hunt for those who hurt her? Could it be justice won't be provided by this series' heroes, but by the dead?

Notably, the original Spanish title for Tigers Are Not Afraid is Vuelven, which loosely translates to They Come Back. And what is it that the Tsalal scientist says in terror before the lights go out at the research facility? "She's back." 

While it's too soon to be sure what happened to the scientists found in the snow at the end of episode 1, it seems Season 4 of True Detective will delve into the supernatural deeper than the wildly popular first season. Tigers Are Not Afraid proves that López can create captivating drama, gut-wrenching twists, and haunting conclusions in such a space. So, for anyone looking to get the most of Night Country, this horror gem should be essential viewing. 

How to watch: Tigers Are Not Afraid is streaming now on Shudder.

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

True Detective has always been a dark show, but Night Country really ups the stakes.

Set in the fictional Alaskan town of Ennis, located "150 miles north of the Arctic Circle", the HBO show opens on Dec. 17 — an important date, we're informed, as it's "the last sunset of the year". The action itself kicks off a few days later, when police chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) arrives at the Tsalal Arctic Research Station to investigate some missing scientists. One of the first things fellow officer Hank Prior (John Hawkes) says to her after she arrives on the scene?

"Just the third day of darkness and it's already getting weird."

But what's the deal with this long night of darkness, anyway? Is it a fictional device, or something that actually exists in real life?

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective: Night Country' review: A can't-miss mystery with ghostly bite What is "the long night"?

That opening caption about "the last sunset of the year" pretty much says it all. The idea is that Ennis is a town so far north in Alaska that it experiences extreme seasonal versions of night and day. It's essentially a very brutal version of the nights getting longer in winter — only in Ennis, they get so long that residents experience them as one continuous nighttime. The sun doesn't properly rise or set. In the depths of winter, it's dark all the time.

It's a long, dark night in Ennis. Credit: Michele K. Short/HBO Is "the long night" a real thing?

The short answer is yes. There are a number of very northern and southern places in the world that experience what's commonly known as a Polar Night, which is a period of darkness lasting more than 24 hours. The closer to the Earth's poles you go, the more dramatic this effect is due to the tilt of its axis. There are a number of remote locations where the effect is so extreme that the sun isn't visible in winter for months on end. Svalbard, an archipelago north of Norway, is one of them. Northern Alaska is another.

"In Barrow, the northernmost village in the state, there is no daylight for 64 days in the heart of the winter," reads the official Alaska government site. "The sun does not rise above the horizon." Barrow, now called by its Iñupiaq name, Utqiagvik, is a little further north than good ol' Ennis is said to be in the show – it's a whopping 350 miles north of the Arctic Circle – but the effect is the same. For weeks at a time in winter, the only hint of the sun that's visible in Utqiagvik is a faint twilight.

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

True Detective Season 4 is off to a chilling start. Detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) are investigating the curious case of the missing research team, who seem to have disappeared en masse from the nearby Tsalal Arctic Research Station. 

Episode 1 ended with the shocking revelation of three scientists' corpses in the snow, each mouth frozen in an eternal silent scream. However, what happened to them is still very much a mystery. As the trailer for episode 2 has teased, more clues will be revealed next Sunday. But the Mashable team has seen the whole season, so we want to issue you one warning about the next episode — albeit one without any spoilers. 

Do not watch episode 2 of True Detective Season 4 while eating. 

If you thought the end of episode 1 was unnerving, you ain't seen nothing yet. 

Sure, this crime-centered franchise is known for some pretty disturbing visuals. Maybe you've got an iron stomach and aren't faint-hearted. Cool. Still, trust us and saving the snacking for after. Plan dinner before watching the episode, or hours later. And maybe brew a calming cup of tea before bed, to chase away any would-be nightmares. 

Take the advice we wish we'd had. 

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT. 

True Detective: Night Country is a terrifying tale of things gone awry at a research station in the icy wilderness. And in its very first episode, it pays tribute to an iconic horror story with a similar setting: John Carpenter's The Thing.

As Night Country opens, a group of eight scientists have gone missing from the Tsalal Arctic Research Station, located 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Police chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) heads up to Tsalal to investigate, along with two of her subordinates: Hank Prior (John Hawkes) and his son Peter (Finn Bennett).

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective: Night Country' review: A can't-miss mystery with ghostly bite

While the trio look around the station, we get glimpses of what the scientists' lives looked like, including the movies they may have watched in their spare time. The Tsalal common area is lined with shelves of board games and DVDs. The collection is eclectic, with Kangaroo Jack, License to Wed, American Beauty, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy all taking up prime real estate on the entertainment center's shelves. But the most prominent DVD case featured is The Thing, which appears on a shelf behind Danvers as she's talking to Peter.

In a small continuity error, The Thing actually moves up a shelf between shots, even turning outward so we can get a better look at the film's title and cover art: a man in a winter coat with light shining cryptically from his face. Basically, Night Country really wants us to see this small background detail.

SEE ALSO: Watching 'True Detective: Night Country'? Chase it with this 'X-Files' episode.

That's because the entire setup of the season feels like an homage to The Thing. Not only do we have the isolated research station (Night Country's is in the Arctic, while The Thing's is in Antarctica), but we also have hints that something supernatural may have played a part in the deaths of the scientists living there. Tsalal's scientists turn up frozen solid miles out on the ice. What could have gotten them all the way out there? And what did one of the scientists mean by, "she's back" in the moments before the station's power cut out?

I'm not saying that the answer to True Detective: Night Country's biggest mystery is a shapeshifting alien organism like in The Thing. But in paying tribute to John Carpenter's horror classic, creator Issa López may be drawing a connection between whatever the scientists at Tsalal are researching and the work of the researchers at The Thing's Thule Station, which unearthed the Thing itself. As to what the Tsalal scientists were doing, Peter hypothesizes they were searching for "the origin of life." And then Danvers replies sardonically with, "Oh. That thing." Tell me that doesn't sound like it could have massive — maybe even supernatural — consequences.

Given that Night Country's very first episode hints at ghosts and spirits beyond our real-world comprehension, it's clear the season will be playing fast and loose with reality. Could that mean the Tsalal scientists uncovered some ancient, deadly being in their attempts to play God? Like the dwarves of Moria in The Lord of the Rings (also on the DVD shelf!), did they delve too greedily and too deep beneath the ice?

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

Lost called, it wants its polar bear back.

One of the many mysteries of True Detective: Night Country is embodied by one of the cutest and deadliest animals on the planet: the majestic and terrifying polar bear.

In the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle, this enormous pagophilic carnivore turns up again and again. It wanders through town in very real form; it appears in characters' homes in plush toy form; images of it flash at us during the opening credits. While these bears don't have anything to do with their island-dwelling kin in Lost, they strike the same chord of mystery in True Detective.

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective: Night Country' review: A can't-miss mystery with ghostly bite

What's the deal with the polar bears and why are they important to the story? Each week, we're tracking the polar bears of Night Country, tracing their appearances to pull this whole thing together with red yarn.

Opening credits bears

In the True Detective: Night Country opening credits, we see a rocking chair perched on the side of the icy road. A plush polar bear sits on the chair, with a close-up revealing it's missing an eye. Seconds later, a polar bear wanders onto the road, and another close-up shows it, too, is missing an eye. The plush polar bear is clearly important, as it appears later in the credits, floating in icy dark water. And of course, it turns up in the show from the very first episode.

The plush polar bear

In episode 1, Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) is woken up in the middle of the night to a fervent whisper declaring, "She's awake." It comes after what seems to be a memory or a dream for Danvers, involving a child whose identity remains unknown — in her dream, a child's hand touches her shoulder. Bleary-eyed, Danvers then finds a plush polar bear toy on the floor in her room. It's missing an eye, and Danvers holds it looking pretty unsettled. It's definitely the plush bear from the credits, but as to who it belongs to, we're going to have to wait to find out.

The polar bear in the middle of town

As Detective Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) investigates leads in town in Ennis in episode 1, she's driving around, calling potential witnesses and contacts, when her phone stops working. A voice whispers the same hissing "she's awake" message Danvers heard in her dream and Navarro hits the brakes. A large polar bear stands in the road, blocking her path and notably missing an eye. Standing its ground with a growl, the bear then retreats. As there are no other witnesses to this bear, it's unclear whether Navarro is looking at a real polar pal or not — but if it's not real, what does it mean?

What do the polar bears mean in True Detective?

As far as episode 1, it's still unclear what role the polar bears have to play in the series other than indicating a sinister presence in the story or suggesting a memory for Danvers. Are the polar bears connected to the research the scientists were conducting at the remote Tsalal Arctic Research Station? Is it a commentary on climate change? Does it connect to the reindeer that throw themselves over the cliff in the show's opening sequence? Is the polar bear Navarro saw in town real? Why do both the real polar bear and the plush toy have only one eye?

We'll be updating this piece every week with any new polar bears per episode — we have a feeling they're not done.

True Detective: Night Country is now streaming on Max.

Somewhere in northern Alaska, in the remote halls of a scientific research facility, on a bitter winter night, two TV shows spun similarly chilling mysteries two decades apart. And for both, it was bad, bad news for scientists.

In 2024, True Detective: Night Country sends you to a station on the snowy outskirts of the fictional town of Ennis, where an entire team of biologists and geologists suddenly vanishes. In 1993, The X-Files sent us to a similar outpost in Icy Cape, where a team of geophysicists met a grim end.

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective: Night Country' trailer teases Jodie Foster and Kali Reis hunting a serial killer

If you're watching the fourth season of the HBO series and want a thematic chaser between episodes, of course, hit up John Carpenter's The Thing, and then join Scully and Mulder for a cold, cold case.

The best. Credit: Merrick Morton / 20th Century Fox / Kobal / Shutterstock What happens in The X-Files episode "Ice"?

Here's the set-up in "Ice," Season 1, episode 8 of The X-Files.

Everyone's favourite hot FBI agents who regularly dabble in the unexplainable find themselves with a humdinger of case on their desk. This time, the truth is way out there, in Icy Cape, Alaska, at a research facility 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The members of the Arctic Ice Core Project, responsible for drilling into the ice sheets to extract cylinders of ice for climate analysis (kind of like the scientists in True Detective), have been found strewn about the halls, brutally killed.

A bloody lone survivor has left a message. "We're not who we are," he broadcasts. "It goes no further than this. It stops right here, right now." The ever-excellent Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) are called in to investigate with a small team of project consultants, and their time in the Icy Cape is about as relaxing as you'd expect. What exactly did the team extract in those ice cores? And what's affecting the members of the investigation team one by one?

Featured Video For You Who Are the UAP Whistleblowers and What Are They Telling Congress?

The episode shares a lot with True Detective's first episode, including the remoteness of the location, scientists scrambling to unpack the mystery of the outpost's fate, and the self-recorded videos of the team goofing around before their untimely demise. I'm not going to ruin the ending, but this is The X-Files, so while the answer to real-life space questions is never aliens, in this show, it's almost always aliens.

Ultimately, The X-Files is paying its real homage to The Thing, and all the shape-shifting extraterrestrial possibility that screenwriters love to imagine lurking beneath the ice — that's millions of years of life under there. But it's the perfect TV pairing for True Detective fans, if you're feeling comfortable out in all that sinister ice.

How to watch: True Detective: Night Country is now streaming on Max, and The X-Files is now streaming on Hulu.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Jan. 15's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for Jan. 14.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Food during a break.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #940 is...

LUNCH.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

True Detective has always been a show full of strange symbols and half-hidden clues, and it looks like Night Country will be no exception.

Putting aside the spirals and the Lost-style polar bear sightings, though, there's that Billie Eilish-backed opening sequence. As always with Nic Pizzolatto's show, the opener features a jumble of imagery that's relevant to the series, this time themed around an appropriately dark and snowy drive along a rural road as Eilish's 2019 atmospheric hit "bury a friend" plays.

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective: Night Country' review: A can't-miss mystery with ghostly bite

So, while we're thinking over our post-ep burning questions, let's break down those images. What glimpses do we get in those 90 seconds, and how might they be relevant to the story?

True Detective: Night Country's opening sequence: Possible clues

A full bathtub.

This is the first thing we see at the side of that snowy road, and it's got a dark liquid sloshing around inside it. Water or blood? Like many of the things on this list, it's tricky to know if the tub is a sign of something to come – does someone die in a bath, for instance? – or just a metaphor for something.

An orange

There's an orange rolling along the road! That's a bit odd, isn't it? The same orange pops back up in peel form later on in the sequence, floating underwater. We're filing this one under "may be significant further down the line."

A stuffed polar bear with one eye sitting on a rocking chair, and a real polar bear with one eye.

One-eyed polar bears are a bit of a theme here, aren't they? In episode 1, Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) finds a stuffed toy version in her house that she seems to connect with an unsettling memory, while Detective Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) sees a real-looking polar bear while driving through town. You can see both in the opening credits.

Dead, frozen figures emerging from the ice.

These are presumably the same dead figures we glimpse at the end of the first episode.

A Tsalal Arctic Research Station sign reading "operation in progress".

The Tsalal Arctic Research Station is the show's first main setting — the place where Danvers begins her investigation into a team of missing scientists. The rest of the episode takes place around the fictional Alaskan town of Ennis, but the research station's mention in the main credits (plus the fact the station itself is shown) could mean it has a larger part to play.

Nothing creepier than an abandoned research station. Credit: Michele K. Short/HBO

A woman sinking under the ice.

Foreshadowing for something that will happen in the show, or just a metaphor? Tricky to say at this stage, but we can hazard a guess as to who the woman is — she's wearing a coat with an APF (Alaska Police Force) patch on the shoulder, so it seems likely she's with the police. Danvers?

A deer skull floating underwater.

Could this be a reference to the poor animals that go thundering off the edge of that ice cliff in episode 1's very first scene, seemingly driven to madness by the oncoming long night?

Bloody clothes on a washing line.

It's difficult to say exactly what this image means, but washing bloody clothes could be a reference to trying to clean up a crime scene.

A smashed car windscreen.

We see a brief shot through a splintered windscreen of a house with a car beside it. There's not much we can glean from the house, but the broken windscreen could be significant. Will one of the characters get in a car accident on the snowy roads? Or have they had an accident in the past?

Lots of tubes stacked on shelves.

These are the cylindrical tubes that Danvers finds at the research station. Perhaps the research being undertaken by the scientists will be significant down the line?

Grave markers.

Shortly after the evidence tubes we see multiple crucifixes with dates marked on each. These are presumably graves, but the real striking detail is the date: Each cross is marked with the year 2023.

A protest sign.

We see a brief glimpse of two protest signs in one shot, and the phrase "protect our water" is clear on one. Ennis is clearly in the midst of an environmental struggle.

The laboratory is a key location. Credit: Michele K. Short/HBO

A laboratory.

Presumably this is part of the Tsalal Arctic Research Station.

A curved archway on the side of the road.

Are those...bones?

A deer.

There's a deer with glowing eyes! Could this be the living version of the poor beast whose remains are floating underwater?

Orange peel floating underwater.

We'll put this in the "one-eyed stuffed bear" category, in that it's presumably something that will have greater significance further down the line.

A circular hatch floating underwater.

No idea, but it seems likely this is connected to the research station.

The inside of an ice cave.

One of the final shots is a quick trip through an icy, underground tunnel, shown after a quick flash of skeletons embedded in the ice. A real location in the show, or just an atmospheric tracking shot? Like many of the potential clues on this list, we'll have to wait to find out...

How to watch: True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

True Detective is back, and there are some standards we have come to expect: A gnarly mystery, a pair of captivating detectives at odds, and twists that will leave us drop-jawed and hungry for more. 

Season 4 takes a major departure, as it's the first not written by creator Nic Pizzolatto. Instead, writer/director Issa López (Tigers Are Not Afraid) helms and co-writes this arc of the anthropology series, which is set in rural Alaska during the polar night — meaning daylight is weeks away. 

Episode 1 introduces us to Ennis Police Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and her former partner, disgraced trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis). The pair are thrown together when a local scientific facility, Tsalal Arctic Research Station, is found abandoned, as if the men working there ran off into the endless night without warning. What's become of these men is just the beginning of this season's mystery, which Navarro believes is related to a cold case from her past: the unsolved murder of an Iñupiaq activist named Annie K.

SEE ALSO: Missing Black and Indigenous people don’t get the same attention as missing white women

All season long, Mashable will run down the clues. Here's our round of burning questions from episode 1. 

Where are the missing scientists?  Jodie Foster and John Hawkes play cops in in "True Detective" Season 4. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

The Ennis police are called when a deliveryman comes to Tsalal Arctic Research Station with provisions and finds the place abandoned. Ferris Bueller's Day Off plays loudly on the television in a loop. A beer and popcorn have been left behind, as have their phones and a sandwich that seems recently made. "It's like they went to take a leak and never came back," Danvers notes as she surveys the scene.  

Runny mayonnaise and smelly, wet laundry suggests they've been gone for at least two days. But where? By episode's end, some of the scientists are found in the ice, frozen solid. What brought them there? 

The research facility is investigating geology, biology, and the impacts of climate change, seeking the origin of life. (Or, as Danvers refers to it, "Oh. That thing.") Could it be some controversial or cursed discovery that led to their disappearance? Or could the tongue found in the kitchen be a clue that this mystery has something to do with the murder of Annie K? 

Who killed Annie K?  Finn Bennett and Jodie Foster go over evidence in "True Detective" Season 4. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Six years ago, Annie Masu Kowtok (also known as Annie K) was found dead on the edge of the village. She was stabbed 32 times by an unidentified murder weapon that left star-shaped wounds. Her tongue was cut out but not found. After she was dumped, she was kicked until her ribs and teeth broke. Navarro was first on the scene. Working under then-Police Chief Hank Prior (John Hawkes), she became obsessed with the case but couldn't close it. 

Annie had been protesting against the Silver Sky mines and their possible environmental impact, but as the mines provided much-needed employment to Ennis, her activism was far from welcome.

Catching young Peter Prior (Finn Bennett) up on the cold case, Danvers suggests there are too many suspects to crack it. "This one was never going to be solved," she explains. "Ennis killed Annie. This fucking place. No killer was ever going to be found."

Whose tongue was found?  Isabella Star LaBlanc stars as Leah in "True Detective" Season 4. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

At the research facility, Danvers notes the tongue belongs to a Native woman, based on the scarring that would come from a traditional practice for prepping nets.

Hearing about the recovered tongue, Navarro assumes it's Annie's. But Annie was murdered six years ago, while this one seems two days rotted by Danvers' estimation. So, is it the tongue of another ill-fated Iñupiaq woman? Or is it Annie's, because (as we learned in season one) "Time is a flat circle"? 

Who is "she"?  Jodie Foster and Kali Reis in "True Detective" Season 4. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

In the cold open, one scared scientist cries out, "She's back!" Then the lights shut off.

Later, Danvers is asleep when a child's voice calls, "Mommy, she's awake." Then in the very next scene, as Navarro comes upon a one-eyed polar bear, a voice hisses over her radio, "She's awake." 

Is this mysterious "she" Annie, perhaps resurrected as a vengeful spirit? That's our working theory. Sure, it'd be a change-up for True Detective to go so explicitly supernatural — but it'd be true to Lopez's work. (See her beautifully surreal horror film Tigers Are Not Afraid, now streaming on Shudder.)

Why was Hank hiding the Annie K files?  John Hawkes plays Hank in "True Detective" Season 4. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Some time ago the Ennis police station was flooded, so Hank took some evidence boxes home for safekeeping. But within his crowded home office, Hank's son Prior finds the case files tucked away in a drawer. Prior steals the files so Hank won't know that they're missing. Why don't Prior and Danvers trust that Hank would hand the files over? Is he obstructing the Annie K case? What does he have to gain from denying justice?

What does the spiral mean?  Who you gonna call? Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

In Season 1 of True Detective, spirals were a creepy recurring symbol tied to the Yellow King and his mystical murder spree. In Season 4, the first spiral appears when Danvers is sorting out Annie K evidence, arranging the files around her in a spiral. Is this purely an aesthetic throughline, or will this spiral serve as a bigger bind between Seasons 1 and 4? We'll be tracking that.

Who is Travis?  Fiona Shaw is haunted. Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Rose Aguineau (Fiona Shaw) is cleaning the catch of her hunt when, over a nearby radio, a man's voice squawks, "Is anybody there?" She turns to see a man standing nearby who's wearing nothing but a flannel shirt and long johns — he's not even wearing shoes. She calls him Travis and asks, "What do you want?" Silent but focused, he walks out into the icy landscape.

Dressed for the weather in a full parka, hat, gloves, and boots, and armed with a flashlight, Rose follows him. Eventually, he stops and does a dance, haunting and strange. He mimes screaming and rending his clothes. Then he points, and following his direction is how Rose finds the remains of the Tsalal scientists. 

When Navarro arrives on the scene, she's surprised when the old woman explains Travis led her here. "Travis is dead, Rose," the trooper says, to which Rose replies calmly, "I know." 

So, Travis may be a ghost. But who is he to Ennis? To Rose? And what does he know about the men in the snow? 

True Detective Season 4 debuts on HBO and Max Jan. 14.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for January 15's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Ways to submit a vote

• Green: Force fields

• Blue: Ways to take your medicine

• Purple: Types of peas

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: List of Candidates

• Green: Protective Barrier

• Blue: Medicine Formats

• Purple: Pea___

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 28

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #218 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• List of Candidates: BALLOT, ROSTER, SLATE, TICKET

• Protective Barrier: BUFFER, CUSHION, PAD, SHIELD

• Medicine Formats: CAPSULE, CREAM, SYRUP, TABLET

• Pea___: COAT, GREEN, POD, SOUP

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.