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SAVE 55%: As of today, Dec. 28, Babbel subscriptions are up to 55% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Subscriptions From $6.65/month (save $8.30) Get Deal

If your New Year's resolution is to learn a new language in 2024, then you're in luck: Babbel is slashing its prices on subscription plans today, Dec. 28, until Dec. 31.

Babbel is an online language-learning platform designed to help you start having real-life conversations quickly through daily, 10-minute lessons. From now until the end of the year, subscriptions are on sale for up to 55% off. Plans are broken up into 12-month, 6-month, and 3-month subscriptions with sale prices of $79.80 ($6.65/month), $62.70 ($10.45/month), and $37.95 ($12.65/month) respectively. The best value, however, is Babbel's lifetime plan, which is on sale today for just $299, taking $300 off its regular price of $599.

Babbel is a truly comprehensive language-learning platform that caters to all learning types. Whether you learn by reading, writing, speaking, seeing, or hearing, Babbel adjusts to help you learn in the ways that come most naturally to you. In addition to traditional in-app lessons, Babbel also offers live online classes, games, videos, and podcasts to help you meet your language goals.

Whether you already have a travel itinerary for 2024 or you simply want to engage your mind in something new, secure your discounted Babbel subscription before Dec. 31.

This is one of the year's best post-holiday sales, so don't miss out!

SAVE $55: The Ninja AF101 air fryer is on sale for $74.99 at Amazon. That's 42% off its list price of $129.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja AF101 air fryer $74.99 at Amazon (save $55) Get Deal

So you've finally decided to get an air fryer. Maybe you were hoping to find one underneath the Christmas tree this year, or maybe your mother-in-law's delicious roasted vegetables finally won you over. Whatever your reason, it's a great day to break your air fryer holdout, because the Ninja AF101 air fryer is on sale for a great price today.

The Ninja AF101 air fryer is on sale for just $74.99 today at Amazon. That's $55 lower than its list price of $129.99, saving you 42%. Plus, this deal is only $9 above the air fryer's lowest price on record. You can't always count on scoring a quality air fryer for under $100, so we recommend acting on this deal.

If you want to eat healthier in the new year, don't be thrown off by the word "fryer." The Ninja AF101 air fryer crisps, roasts, reheats, and dehydrates food for delicious, homemade meals and snacks. It's a great tool for quickly roasting veggies or even making dehydrated fruit snacks. Air frying also "fries" with up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods. The Ninja AF101 is a great air fryer for feeding the whole family, as it has a 4-quart capacity basket. Plus, it's dishwasher safe.

Shop the Ninja AF101 air fryer today and up your skills in the kitchen.

SAVE 31%: Amazon shoppers can now buy Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells for $379, down $170 from their full list price of $549.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bowflex Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells (pair) $379 at Amazon (save $170) Get Deal

Bowflex first introduced its adjustable dumbbells over a decade ago, and the product has barely changed in that time. That's because sometimes brands get it exactly right the first time. And this week, Amazon has the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells deal that we've been waiting for as we approach the New Year, New You season.

As of Dec. 28, Amazon shoppers can pick up the Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells for $379, a 31% discount off the full retail price of $549 for a pair. We often see these dumbbells discounted somewhere in the $400-$450 range, and we once saw them drop as low as $300, though only for a brief, shining moment of Black Friday magic. So this is a rare under-$400 deal worth considering.

SEE ALSO: The 5 best smart fitness mirrors we tested, and one you should avoid

Since these dumbbells first appeared on the market, Bowflex's competitors have released dozens of dupes and look-a-likes, but none that improve upon the core Bowflex design. To find a superior weight system, you'll have to go deep into premium budget territory, and we promise you won't find a better pair of adjustable dumbbells for the price. Users can adjust the weight of each of these dumbbells in 2.5-pound increments, from five to 52.5 pounds. Changing the weight is as simple as spinning the dial and clicking the locking mechanism into place. Then, you can do bicep curls, bench presses, squats, or dozens more exercises — all without leaving your home.

We know these popular adjustable dumbbells are still expensive even with a 31% discount, but considering how many other weights they can replace, we still think this is a smart investment for the New Year. These dumbbells are on sale as part of Amazon's Winter Sale, but you can shop dozens more end-of-year sales before Dec. 31 arrives.

SAVE 40%: As of Dec. 28, MasterClass memberships are 40% off, starting at $6 per month.

Opens in a new window Credit: MasterClass MasterClass Memberships From $6/month (save up to $8) Get Deal

The best New Year's resolutions are about forming new and healthy habits. And in 2024, you can get in the habit of learning something new with a MasterClass deal. Whether you want to improve your skills in the kitchen, develop a meditation practice, or improve your relationships, MasterClass brings you courses with world-class thought leaders as your teachers. From Gordon Ramsay to Esther Perel, the MasterClass library is full of experts sharing their secrets.

As of Dec. 28, all MasterClass memberships are 40% off. There are three different plans available: The Individual, which gives you one account that you can access on one device ($6/month); the Duo, which gives you one account that you can access on two devices ($9/month); and the Family, which lets you access your account on six different devices ($12/month). With the latter plan, you can save $8 per month on the price of your membership.

No matter what your New Year's resolution is for 2024, there's a MasterClass to help you achieve it. The platform offers over 180 classes that come with video lessons and workbooks. Plus, there are 11 different categories to choose from if you're looking for inspiration.

Mashable recently named this MasterClass deal one of the year's best end-of-year sales, and you only have a couple of days to sign up. So, invest in yourself in 2024 when you buy a MasterClass membership in today's sale.

Sean Durkin knows his way around the "squared circle." As a lifelong wrestling fan, he approaches the story of the Von Erichs (and their family curse) with both knowledge and reverence in The Iron Claw, a good movie that doesn’t quite soar, but evokes a distinct sense of time and place. However, the film plays differently to outsiders than it does to wrestling fans, not only because the latter are likely familiar with the real story — which included Nazi origins and an extra brother, both excised from the script — but because it’s an insider saga, about the details of an industry kept secret for decades.

The wrestling landscape, however, is different in the age of social media, since most fans are keenly aware of in-ring sleight of hand, backstage drama, and even contract negotiations. This sense of involvement adds to the enjoyment for long-time viewers, and when it comes to The Iron Claw, that subset is bound to pick up on (and admittedly, nitpick) terminology, classic characters, and real-life wrestlers acting in the film, which most audiences might not.

So, if you’re curious about the who’s who (and the what’s what), here’s a rundown of how the movie plays for wrestling obsessives.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 'cursed family' behind pro-wrestling biopic 'The Iron Claw' How is The Iron Claw as a wrestling movie? Kevin Von Erich holds the Tag Team Championship high above his head. Credit: A24

In the long lineage of pro-wrestling films, The Iron Claw is one of the better examples. It also has a narrative leg-up on recent successes like the WWE-produced Fighting With My Family (which stars Florence Pugh as real English wrestler Saraya Bevis, a.k.a. Paige), and this year’s queer lucha libre drama from Amazon, Cassandro (in which Gael García Bernal plays the titular exótico). That’s because Durkin almost always treats wrestling as what it actually is — coordinated and scripted combat — while those other biopics tend to blur the line for dramatic effect.

On a spectrum between Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, the aforementioned films about Paige and Cassandro fall surprisingly towards the latter, in which Raimi creates a zany, comic book world where Bonesaw McGraw (wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage) will kick your ass for real. The Wrestler, despite being entirely fictional, is perhaps the gold standard for depicting pro-wrestling with realistic hues — it pairs well with Aronofsky’s ballet drama Black Swan, as films about self-destructive stage artists — and the drama tends to emanate from the question of whether Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) still has what it takes to perform. 

In Fighting With My Family and Cassandro, the realistic boundaries of pro-wrestling are well-established at first (the teamwork and precision necessary to pull off high-flying moves), but at key moments, both films suddenly treat the in-ring action as though it were entirely "real" and impromptu, thus shifting the stakes of the drama. In their respective climaxes, both films cease to be about whether artists can overcome personal obstacles to coordinate the best possible performance, and instead become about whether they can win a real fight — a transition that’s confusing at best. The Iron Claw, thankfully, doesn’t have this problem (except perhaps in a single scene), placing it far closer to The Wrestler’s end of the spectrum.

While the movie invents certain historical specifics to add to the drama — like family patriarch Fritz Von Erich being despised by the National Wrestling Alliance (N.W.A.) — this departure from reality exists within a realistic framework, involving the kind of backstage politics that really do go into determining who holds a championship belt. As Fritz’s son Kevin (Zac Efron) explains, it’s akin to a job promotion. The in-ring action has a realistic flair as well, with brothers Kevin, Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and David (Harris Dickinson) performing coordinated dropkicks and other maneuvers which they discuss with their opponents beforehand. Some of these discussions feel overly explanatory, as though the moves they’re planning are unfamiliar to the seasoned performers (rather than business as usual), but Durkin has the right idea, as he brings the audience backstage and lets them in on the gimmick early on.

The only time the lines get slightly blurred is when Kevin applies the Iron Claw submission hold on World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair (Aaron Dean Eisenberg) either too forcefully or for too long and gets disqualified by the referee, followed by Fritz admonishing him backstage. However, whether this disqualification was predetermined, or whether it was caused by Kevin going off script, isn’t entirely clear. A bloody Flair soon enters the scene and compliments Kevin on his performance. He seems thrilled about their bout rather than upset by its abrupt ending, hinting that this conclusion may have been part of their plan — which leaves the reasons for Fritz’s disappointment feeling vague in the process. Was it, perhaps, some general lack in Kevin’s performance that angered Fritz? The film doesn’t offer any hints one way or another, robbing this potentially powerful moment of father-son drama of its complete impact.

However, despite this one perplexing moment, The Iron Claw is an engrossing example of the genre, and does a remarkable job of presenting pro wrestlers in their element — both as characters and as actors, given just how many faces familiar to wrestling fans show up on screen.

Which wrestlers show up in The Iron Claw? Credit: A24

The actors playing the Von Erich brothers replicate much of the in-ring wrestling with aplomb. Much of this is owed to their trainer, former WWE superstar Chavo Gurrero Jr., a Texas-born third-generation wrestler, whose grandfather Gory Gurrero was one of the early pioneers of the Mexican lucha libre style in the 1940s.

Gurrero Jr. also has a role in the film, as the first opponent we see Kevin Von Erich’s face in the ring, Edward Farhat a.k.a. The Sheik (not to be confused with WWE villain and Twitter personality The Iron Sheik). The Mexican-American Gurrero playing the Lebanese-American Farhat is arguably a case of Hollywood’s interchangeable casting of brown actors, but it fits perfectly with the wrestling industry on numerous fronts. For one thing, Farhat was a Mennonite Christian, while his character was a keffiyeh-sporting Arab "wild man" who knelt on a prayer rug to draw the crowd’s ire; for better or worse, casting Gurrero Jr. matches this flagrant trans-ethnic modus operandi. For another, there’s an interesting legacy story to be found in this decision as well, which mirrors The Iron Claw.

The Iron Claw submission was passed down from Fritz to his sons (and subsequently, from Kevin to his sons, Ross and Marshall, who are active wrestlers), and the legacy of such maneuvers is relevant to the Gurrero-Farhat connection too. Gory Gurrero invented the famous wrestling submission "The Camel Clutch," though it wasn’t until the move was adopted by Farhat that it became popular and widely known. In which case, who better to embody Farhat than someone connected to that legacy?

A few other familiar faces show up as well. AEW star Ryan Nemeth plays "Gorgeous" Gino Hernandez, who teams up with the fearsome Bruiser Brody (played by non-wrestler Cazzey Louis Cereghino) in a tag team bout against Kevin and David. AEW World Heavyweight Champion (and one of the film’s executive producers) Maxwell Jacob Friedman has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role as Lance Von Erich, the infamous "fake" Von Erich cousin introduced by Fritz when Kerry was out of action, though this character isn’t named in the film.

Like Brody, N.W.A. World’s Champion Harley Race is played by a non-wrestler too, Kevin Anton, who’s the spitting image of the legendary brawler. Non-professionals playing these familiar characters isn’t a problem for the most part, except for Eisenberg’s Flair, whose extended monologue during a pivotal moment is likely to draw laughs from seasoned wrestling fans. Flair is one of the most recognizable figures in wrestling history — every wrestler seems to have a Flair impression in the chamber — so to cast an actor who not only sounds nothing like him but fails to capture his iconic, pompous cadence, is perhaps the one big mistake the movie makes from a pro-wrestling standpoint.

How does The Iron Claw compare to Dark Side of the Ring?   Credit: A24

The go-to tragedy encyclopedia for any modern wrestling fan is the Vice TV documentary Dark Side of the Ring. Across its four seasons, the series from Evan Husney and Jason Eisener has chronicled everything from WCW’s record-breaking show in North Korea to the infamous "plane ride from hell," a chaotic, drug-fueled flight full of pro wrestlers, in an episode that also had real-world fallout for the likes of Flair, with sexual harassment allegations coming to light.

SEE ALSO: 'Dark Side of the Ring' and 'The Iron Claw' make a slammin' doubleheader 

In its first season, the series covered the events of The Iron Claw as well, in the episode "The Last of the Von Erichs." Durkin’s film runs 2 hours and 20 minutes but doesn’t include the fifth and youngest brother, Chris. The writer-director claims "the movie just couldn’t withstand another brother’s death," but the episode covers the entire history of the Von Erich family, in all its despondent detail, in a mere 44 minutes, and it does so rather effectively, with Kevin as its central subject drawing us into the story’s drama. 

The show’s re-enactments involve actors donning wrestlers’ familiar costumes, but it shoots them out of focus, to evoke iconography above all other details, but also to make each recollection feel like a hazy memory — as opposed to the archival footage the show also employs. Despite its cast of actors bearing little resemblance to their real-world counterparts (especially in terms of size), The Iron Claw does a similarly stellar job of evoking the broad look and feel of the Von Erichs and their Dallas success in the 1980s.

However, when it comes to depicting the many tragedies that befell the Von Erichs, the Vice series is much better at creating a sense of causality between each event (and thus, making Chris feel indispensable to the narrative), and it also takes a far more honest look at the Nazi origins of the family’s moniker and Fritz’s original gimmick. In sanding down these details, some of the unsavory facts from the real story are lost in Durkin’s screenplay, resulting in a film that pulls its punches on occasion and turns each tragic event into a sudden turn, rather than an inevitability set in motion by their brothers’ relationships and Fritz’s parenting.

However, the one thing The Iron Claw seems to borrow from Dark Side of the Ring is its impactful final scene, in which Kevin — sitting barefoot on the grass — watches his young sons roughhouse on the family ranch. A similar image set in the modern day closes out "The Last of the Von Erichs," with Kevin, seated similarly, watching his adult sons practice wrestling moves out in nature, offering a sense of serenity and closure, as the last living Von Erich brother reflects on his family history. For everything the movie gets wrong, it captures the soul and tragic story of Kevin Von Erich in vivid and moving hues, which is perhaps its most important achievement as a pro-wrestling film.

Apple's ban on importing its Watches and selling them in the US has been put on pause, just a week after the company stopped sales of the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.

Apple has now confirmed to TechCrunch that the Series 9 and Ultra 2 are available once again in stores and will be in its online shop from Thursday, Dec. 28. How long they stay available for, though, is trickier to tell.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Apple Watch Ultra 2: What are the differences?

The road that's led up to this point has been a twisty one. Back in October, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld a January ruling regarding Apple Watch's blood-oxygen tracking technology infringing a patent from medical tech company Masimo.

This led to the current import ban, which was upheld after the Biden administration declined a presidential veto, leading Apple to pause sales of the products last week — before the appeals court then put a pause on the ban that's allowing Watches to go on sale again (yep, it's all a bit complicated). The ban will now stay on pause until the appeals court makes its next move.

Featured Video For You Everything you need to know from Apple’s iPhone 15 event

“We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year. Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, including the blood oxygen feature, will become available for purchase again in the United States at Apple Stores starting today and from apple.com tomorrow by 12pm PT,” Apple told TechCrunch. “Apple’s teams have worked tirelessly over many years to develop technology that empowers users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features and we are pleased the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has stayed the exclusion order while it considers our request to stay the order pending our full appeal.”

So, how long will the Watches be available for? It all depends on what happens next in the appeals court. The court has given the ITC until Jan. 10 to respond to Apple's request for a longer pause on the ban during the appeals process, per Reuters, so we should know more by then.

TL;DR: Get these artificial intelligence and automation developer online courses on sale for just $49.97 (reg. $234) through Jan. 1.

Artificial intelligence and automation seem to be the hot fields right now, with industries clamoring to use these tools to save money and streamline business. If you are considering entering this field, a pretty sweet starting point could be this artificial intelligence automation developer course bundle. It's on sale for just $49.97 (reg. $234) through January 1.

With 13 courses, each with multiple lessons, it comprises a meticulously curated collection of courses that cover a wide spectrum of AI and automation technologies. From machine learning and deep learning to robotics and more, this bundle has a ton of high-quality content for you to learn at your own pace.

With an introduction to the latest in this technology, you'll learn how to do things like automate the creation of your YouTube videos and turn pictures into 3D images, and you'll have software that paraphrases anything in seconds.

Learn to build pick-and-place robots in the course titled Robotics & Artificial Intelligence + Tools + Templates. And master C++ for beginners with step-by-step examples. Dig into Java, Python, and SQL to get a comprehensive education on this still-emerging fascinating field.

Don't miss this 79% savings on a bundle that could help you thrive professionally.

Pick up this artificial intelligence and automation developer bundle for just $49.97 (reg. $234) until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shutterstock The 2023 Ultimate Artificial Intelligence & Automation Developer Bundle $49.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of December 28, get The Complete 2023 Cybersecurity Developer & IT Skills Bundle for only $59.97.

The cybersecurity space still has a lot of gaps to fill in the next year. 2023 saw an influx in demand for cybersecurity experts, and that continues to be the trend in 2024. As it stands, there are reportedly only 69 workers for every 100 job openings, so the industry has a lot of catching up to do.

If you want to be part of the remaining 31 and effectively break into the industry, undergoing ample training is a must. This cybersecurity developer and IT skills bundle packs over 400 hours of expert-led training on various cybersecurity certifications, so not only will you gain new knowledge and skills, but you'll also get to prepare for crucial certification exams. For a limited time, you can get it at its lowest online price to date ahead of the new year — just $59.97, until January 1.

This learning collection offers expert training on nearly every facet of cybersecurity. You'll get the chance to explore and learn a diverse range of skills, including but not limited to penetration testing, ethical hacking, performing impersonation attacks, handling security challenges using Python code, and creating business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

If you're serious about building a career in the industry and wish to collect a bunch of certifications under your belt, training for Cisco, Microsoft, CertNexus, CISM, EXIM, CISSP, PCCSA, and, of course, CompTIA are included in the bundle. They're put together by iducate (formerly iCollege), a leading provider of comprehensive online IT training services that has helped over 700,000 students pursue IT education.

You're free to cherry-pick the courses you want to take, but you also have the option to go through each one. All courses are available anytime, anywhere, using any device, so you can train at your own pace and at your own time.

This cybersecurity developer and IT skills bundle usually goes for $754.99, but you can get it at its year-end price of only $59.97 until 11:59 p.m. PT on January 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: iducate The Complete 2023 Cybersecurity Developer & IT Skills Bundle $59.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of December 28, get this Babbel Language Learning Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) for only $159.97 — that's a $599 value.

If you’ve always wanted to learn to speak another language, but don’t know how to fit it into your busy schedule, we have a solution for you. This lifetime subscription to the Babbel Language Learning app offers personalized language courses with short 10- to 15-minute lessons so you can squeeze in a session on the go, before bed, or on a lunch break.  Go at your pace, and access the lessons from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

If you missed the holiday shopping frenzy and are still looking to score some deals, you can get this Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) for $159.97 (reg. $599) through January 1.

Credit: Babbel

The Babbel Language Learning app has 14 languages to choose from. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, you’ll pick up basic conversational skills in no time. Babbel uses speech-recognition technology to help you improve your pronunciation, speak more confidently, and blend in like a local. 

If you’re planning a trip and want to learn the native language of your destination, after a few lessons with Babbel, you’ll be able to communicate better, read menus, and navigate transportation easier. Traveling is more fun when you don’t have to struggle to translate every little thing. 

The benefits of learning a second (or third) language are infinite. This subscription also makes a fun gift for the adventurer in your life. 

Don’t miss this price drop on the lifetime subscription to all 14 languages on Babbel Language Learning, available for just $159.97 (reg. $599) until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon necessary.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of December 28, get aloSIM Traveler's Lifetime eSIM Plus Mobile Data Plan plus a $50 credit, all for $19.97 — a 60% discount.

Have a lot of travel plans lined up in 2024? Do yourself a favor and grab an eSIM. Instead of being at the mercy of your phone carrier and spending a fortune on the international data plans they offer, an eSIM allows for more flexibility, enabling you to select a data plan that fits your budget and aligns with your travel needs.

As a year-end offer through January 1, you can score a digital SIM card for cheap with a bonus credit to boot with this limited-time aloSIM deal. Instead of paying $50, you can snag your very own aloSIM for only $19.97, which includes a lifetime eSIM and a $50 credit you can spend however you like.

One of the hassles of traveling includes having to swap physical SIM cards whenever you hop from one country to another. Having an eSIM like aloSIM lets you bypass that altogether, as it delivers seamless connectivity to over 170 countries. You can enjoy cheaper rates offered by local networks, so you can do away with the unreasonable plans peddled by your home carrier.

Before you jet off to a new country, you simply have to select your destination right on the aloSIM app, choose your preferred data package, and activate it once you land. You're free to decide how much data you want and how long you want it for. For instance, if you're heading to Italy, you can grab a 7-day 1GB package for as low as $4.50. And in case you run out mid-trip, you just need to purchase another package right on the app. Rinse and repeat.

The eSIM never expires, but data packages do, so whatever unused data is left won't roll over to your next trip. In case you have to switch to a new device and transfer the eSIM, there is also an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to make the process a breeze. This deal includes lifetime access to the eSIM, along with a $50 credit you can use on any data package.

Normally $50, you can grab the aloSIM mobile data plan for only $19.97 until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Affinity Click aloSIM Traveler's Lifetime eSIM Plus Mobile Data Plan: Pay $20 for $50 Credit $19.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

The videos have all the trappings of a TikTok designed to go viral: an eager creator staring into the camera, poised to give the viewer a before-and-after look at completing a difficult physical challenge.

Yet so-called fear food challenges are dramatically different than the typical TikTok stunt. They aren't meant for anyone to attempt, but are instead produced for people going through or curious about eating disorder recovery.

In these videos, creators who indicate that they're in recovery often reach into a jar filled with scraps of paper labeled with one of their fear foods. Whatever word they pull out — "cheeseburger," "candy bar," or the name of a flavorful entree — they then make or buy and try to eat on camera.

Sometimes an individual fear food challenge TikTok garners millions of views. Collectively, the hashtag #fearfoodchallenge has more than 470 million views.

SEE ALSO: 'Everything Now' depicts eating disorder recovery like you've never seen it

The comments are often overwhelmingly supportive of the creator. But other viewers come across the content with no understanding of why people in recovery have certain fear foods, and they leave cruel comments about the creator, demonstrating the risks of an algorithm pushing these videos into people's feeds with no context.

Eating disorder recovery experts say fear food challenge videos present both benefits and risks to the creator and the viewer. Particularly as people prepare for the new year by exploring wellness and food-related content on TikTok, it's important to know what the content is, and how it could help or harm someone interested in it.

1. What is a TikTok fear food challenge?

While each person's journey with eating disorder recovery is different, attempting to eat a feared food is often part of treatment, says Dr. Jason Nagata, an adolescent medicine specialist who cares for youth with eating disorders at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco.

A person living with an eating disorder, including the conditions anorexia nervosa, binge-eating, and bulimia nervosa, may develop anxiety or fear related to foods that trigger negative thought patterns. They might worry that the food will lead to weight gain, or it may violate a rule they have set, like not eating a certain carbohydrate or using a condiment that contains fat.

People struggling with or recovering from an eating disorder experience visceral and real fear when faced with such foods. Nagata says that one stage of recovery is to be able to eat a wide range of foods, including items that might have been previously difficult.

In treatment, trying a fear food typically happens with the support of a therapist who can offer support.

"The first time that you face down one of these fear foods, I think your best chance of success is to do it with a professionally-licensed provider who is trained to support you...," says Nagata, adding that not everyone has access to mental health care.

On TikTok, this recovery exercise has been turned into a "challenge."

There is no supportive therapist, though the creator may be with a friend, loved one, or partner. Instead of depicting themselves consciously deciding which food to eat, creators inject the element of surprise. They often select the item from a jar filled with pieces of paper labeled with different fear foods. Videos are frequently edited to show them ordering the food from a menu, preparing it, or purchasing it from the grocery store.

While some creators share footage of their mild but brief discomfort with the food, such as grimacing, pulling back, or pausing, they often finish what's on their plate. Some nod or smile affirmatively to signal they're enjoying the food, or they remark on how much they missed eating it.

In the numerous TikToks that Mashable viewed, there were no links to TikTok's resources on eating disorders and their treatment. A spokesperson for TikTok told Mashable that the videos won't be removed unless they violate the platform's community guidelines by showing or promoting disordered eating or dangerous weight loss behaviors.

2. What are the risks and benefits of a TikTok fear food challenge?

One overall goal of recovery is to be able to eat healthful meals in a social setting with other people, in a way that doesn't reduce a person's quality of life by leading to significant eating disorder-related symptoms, like debilitating thoughts or anxiety, says Nagata. In this sense, being able to reclaim a fear food is an important part of recovery.

Nagata says that seeing creators who are attempting to reduce their fear in a TikTok can help normalize the situation. That can be empowering for some viewers, who may feel less alone with their own struggles as a result. And supportive communities that emerge from comments and direct messages with a creator, or their followers, can be beneficial as well.

Yet Nagata has reservations about the content. While creators do receive overwhelming encouragement from those who understand what it's like to have or recover from an eating disorder, commenters without that knowledge may harass or insult them, says Nagata. (Creators can use TikTok's controls to block, limit, and filter comments.)

Additionally, he worries that some fear food challenge TikToks might contain misinformation about the exercise, or about treatment in general. The videos may show less healthy ways of trying a fear food, like consuming too much in short periods of time instead of starting slowly. For those with anorexia nervosa who also go through cycles of binge-eating, the act of eating large amounts of food in order to conquer a fear may trigger a binge-eating episode.

Then there's the risk for someone experiencing an eating disorder that viewing a fear food challenge TikTok could lead them to compare themselves with the creator. Negative comparisons are a common feature of eating disorders and can revolve around body size differences and food preferences.

Someone viewing a TikTok of a creator eating a certain food that they don't find difficult, for example, might question whether they really have an eating disorder, and as a consequence, if they actually need treatment. At the same time, if someone in recovery is viewing a lot of these videos but not having success in their own efforts to reduce fear of specific foods, they might feel worse about themselves, says Nagata.

TikTok's algorithm may also pose an inadvertent risk to both creators and viewers. If creators are rewarded with increased views and engagement when they post a fear food challenge, they may create more of them to build their audience, even if it negatively affects their recovery. The stress of filming and curating videos can be taxing, says Nagata. And viewers may encounter triggering fear food challenge content, as well as be encouraged to watch it repetitively, thanks to the algorithm. (Concerned viewers can filter the phrase "fear food" or the #fearfoodchallenge hashtag from their For You or Following feeds, or ask the app to reduce the suggestion of related videos.)

Dr. Doreen Marshall, a psychologist and CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, says the videos may help raise awareness of eating disorders but worries about TikToks lacking context about the creator's recovery. She notes that care should be taken in drawing conclusions about whether fear food challenges are part of someone's treatment.

Many individual videos don't include details about the creator's eating disorder and whether they're actually in treatment. They also don't depict fear food exercises as they happen in treatment, which begin with a very slow introduction.

Scenes of what happened after the video ended aren't included, either. There's no way for a viewer to know whether the creator experienced a minor or major setback following their challenge, like excessively exercising or a pervasive preoccupation about their body size.

Marshall says that what gets left out or lost in translation in a challenge TikTok may give some viewers the impression that the path to recovery requires the progress featured in those videos.

"What we want to recognize is that eating disorders are not a monolith," says Marshall. "Recovery doesn't look the same for everyone."

Both Marshall and Nagata urge people who are negatively affected by creating or viewing fear food challenge TikToks to seek help or support from a trusted friend, loved one, or mental health professional.

3. Alternatives to a TikTok fear food challenge

Jessica Flint, founder & CEO of the eating disorder support system Recovery Warriors, understands the inspirational aspect of fear food challenge TikToks but says they can have adverse effects.

Flint, who recovered from an eating disorder, says the visual medium is likely to encourage a fixation on a creator's body size. That can lead to relentless comparisons, or to feeling invalidated if the majority of creators are people in recovery from anorexia but a viewer is someone in a bigger body.

In the Recovery Warriors Courage Club, a virtual support group that requires a paid membership, Flint says food challenges play a motivating role, but without the pressure to eat something too ambitious or create visual content that might go viral.

Flint says members of Courage Club are encouraged to break dozens of their own food rules, but slowly and stepwise. This might mean eating a red apple instead of a green one, swapping broccoli for zucchini, or ordering a different item from the menu of their favorite restaurant.

The idea is to gradually help someone in recovery understand that they are capable of eating a diverse range of foods, not just what their brain convinced them was tolerable during their illness.

When people share their "variety victories," they do so on a platform that focuses on text rather than photos. Members' avatars may not even be a picture of themselves. The audience comprises people who are also in recovery, with the support of a doctor, dietician, or therapist, and has been vetted by Flint's team of facilitators.

Courage Club, which has a waiting list, isn't the only alternative to a TikTok fear food challenge, but it's one example of how an important part of recovery can look off a major social media platform.

Flint also recommends different types of media, particularly those without a video or visual medium, like blogs and podcasts. Flint prefers these resources over videos because someone can "create [their] own meaning" from hearing a voice and story, rather than looking at the speaker's body and comparing it to their own.

"There's tons of recovery support that doesn't require you to watch videos that are fed by algorithms," Flint says.

If you feel like you’d like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, text "NEDA" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer or visit the National Eating Disorder Association website for more information.

As 2023 draws to a close and we celebrate our favorite TV shows of the year, it's also time to look ahead to all the glorious new TV that awaits us in the coming year.

2024 is already shaping up to be promising for TV, with the return of big-name shows like House of the Dragon, True Detective, and Bridgerton. Looking for comedies? Check out Kristen Wiig in Palm Royale, or the returns of Hacks, Girls5eva, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. More in the mood for a historical epic? Masters of the Air and Shōgun have got you covered. And you'll find no shortage of sci-fi here, from 3 Body Problem, Dune: Prophecy, and Fallout to Star Wars series The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew.

Here, in order of release, are 37 TV shows to check out in 2024.

SEE ALSO: The 20 best TV shows of 2023 JanuaryThe Brothers Sun

Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh heads to Netflix with The Brothers Sun, an action comedy and family drama from Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu. Yeoh plays Eileen Sun, leader of a Taipei-based gang and mother of two very different sons. Her eldest, Charles, is a renowned killer, while her youngest, Bruce, is a sheltered high schooler. When a high-profile assassination rocks the Suns' world, Charles will return home to L.A. to protect Eileen and take Bruce under his wing, resulting in high-stakes training and action sequences — and Yeoh dismembering a body.

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Song Li, Highdee Kuan, Joon Lee, Alice Hewkin, Jon Xue Zhang, Jenny Yang, Madison Hu, and Rodney To

How to watch: The Brothers Sun premieres Jan. 4 on Netflix.

Echo

Hawkeye introduced us to Kingpin's enforcer Maya Lopez, aka Echo, all the way back in 2021. Three years later, the exceptional martial artist — able to mimic her opponents' moves with uncanny precision — gets her own show. (Here's hoping this latest MCU TV outing is better than what 2023 had to offer.)

As is true with all Marvel projects, we don't know too much about what to expect from Echo, or what it will mean for the MCU as a whole. However, we do know that the show will see Maya return to her hometown, where she'll reconnect with her Native American family, unravel her past, and face the consequences of her actions in New York. We can also expect to see some familiar faces — both Kingpin and Daredevil are confirmed to return.

Starring: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Zahn McClarnon, and Vincent D'Onofrio

How to watch: Echo premieres Jan. 10 on Disney+ and Hulu.

True Detective: Night Country

True Detective returns for its fourth season with Night Country, which transports us to the coldest, darkest reaches of Alaska. Here, detectives Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro will investigate the disappearance of eight men from the Tsalal Arctic Research Station, a case that will lead them to frightening new truths and self-discoveries. What, exactly, will Liz and Evangeline find buried in the ice of the night country?

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

Starring: Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Finn Bennett, Fiona Shaw, with Christopher Eccleston, Isabella Star LaBlanc, and John Hawkes

How to watch: True Detective: Night Country premieres Jan. 14 on Max.

Death and Other Details Credit: Hulu

Yearning for an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery to tide you over this winter? Look no further than Death and Other Details, a TV series that sees Mandy Patinkin take on a Hercule Poirot-esque character. Death and Other Details drops us on a lavishly restored cruise liner in the Mediterranean, where a murder most foul has rocked the worlds of the ship's pampered guests — and greatly inconvenienced petty thief Imogene Scott, who was found in the wrong place at the wrong time. To clear her name, she'll have to partner up with the world's greatest detective, Patinkin's Rufus Cotesworth. The only problem? She hates his guts. Will this unlikely pairing be able to catch the killer before they strike again?

Starring: Violett Beane, Mandy Patinkin, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, and Angela Zhou

How to watch: Death and Other Details premieres Jan. 16 on Hulu.

Hazbin Hotel

The above preview for Hazbin Hotel is NSFW, as it includes a demon singing curse words. This adult animated series from Prime Video centers on Charlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell, and her ambitious solution for her realm's overpopulation problem. She's hoping to use a hotel as a means of rehabilitation in order to help damned souls get to heaven. While many — including angels — mock her purgatorial efforts, she's got the help of her partner Vaggie and a willing test subject in adult film star Angel Dust. What could go wrong? 

Created by Vivienne Medrano, Hazbin Hotel began as a YouTube-posted pilot, which received over 92 million views and earned a vocal fan base. The resulting cartoon series blends mature humor, wild characters, and rousing musical numbers for a twisted good time. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor

Starring: Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Keith David, Alex Brightman, Kimiko Glenn, Joel Perez, and Christian Borle

How to watch: Hazbin Hotel premieres Jan. 19 on Prime Video.

Expats

The Farewell director Lulu Wang created, wrote, and directed this adaptation of Janice Y.K. Lee's 2016 novel The Expatriates. The series follows a group of three American women — played by Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, and Ji-young Yoo — living in Hong Kong. Their lives are forever altered in the wake of a single family tragedy, leading to an examination of privilege, victimhood, and culpability.

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-young Yoo, Brian Tee, and Jack Huston 

How to watch: Expats premieres Jan. 26 on Prime Video.

Masters of the Air

The executive producers behind Band of Brothers and The Pacific return for another TV war epic with Masters of the Air, based on Donald L. Miller's book of the same name. Here, we ride along with the men of the 100th Bomb Group (played by big-name stars like Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan) on their World War II bombing raids against Nazi Germany. Dogfights, extreme conditions, and the threat of capture are but some of the threats these men will face in their wartime experience, which exacts a brutal toll.

Starring: Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, and Ncuti Gatwa

How to watch: Masters of the Air premieres Jan. 26 on Apple TV+.

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans

The second season of Ryan Murphy's anthology series Feud pits famed author Truman Capote against his crew of Manhattan socialites, aka his "swans." The In Cold Blood writer turned to the lives of his high-profile friends for material, fictionalizing their affairs and troubles in thinly veiled accounts sure to stoke their ire — and ruin his life. Get ready for a glamorous high-society showdown for the ages, featuring stars like Demi Moore, Naomi Watts, Molly Ringwald, and Chloë Sevigny.

Starring: Tom Hollander, Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, and Treat Williams

How to watch: The first two episodes of Feud: Capote vs. the Swans premiere Jan. 31 at 10 p.m. ET on FX, with episodes available to stream on Hulu the next day.

FebruaryMr. & Mrs. Smith

Get ready for a new take on the story of Mr. & Mrs. Smith — which first debuted as a TV series in 1996, then as the 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie — from Atlanta's Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover. Glover and Maya Erskine (PEN15) star as John and Jane Smith, two lonely strangers who land jobs at a glamorous spy agency that requires them to live in an arranged marriage. But what happens when they begin to catch real feelings for one another?

Starring: Donald Glover, Maya Erskine, Paul Dano, Parker Posey, Wagner Moura, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Michaela Coel, Alexander Skarsgård, Sharon Horgan, and Sarah Paulson

How to watch: Mr. & Mrs. Smith premieres Feb. 2 on Prime Video.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12 Credit: Courtesy of HBO

All good things must come to an end, and in 2024, that includes Larry David's improvisational classic, Curb Your Enthusiasm. In a statement from HBO, David rejoiced, "I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this 'Larry David' persona and become the person God intended me to be – the thoughtful, kind, caring, considerate human being I was until I got derailed by portraying this malignant character. And so 'Larry David,' I bid you farewell. Your misanthropy will not be missed." Still, you could say we're feeling pretty, pretty, pretty bummed about this news.

Starring: Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Cheryl Hines, J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Vince Vaughn, and Tracey Ullman

How to watch: Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12 premieres Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

Abbott Elementary Season 3

Everyone's favorite teachers are (almost) back! Quinta Brunson's Emmy-winning comedy returns in 2024 to bring us more laughs, more relevant insight into the American public school system, and more freaking out over the slow-burn romance between Janine and Gregory. Is it February yet?

Starring: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, and William Stanford Davis

How to watch: Abbott Elementary Season 3 premieres Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, with episodes available to stream on Hulu the next day.

SEE ALSO: I was tired of slow-burn sitcom romances. 'Abbott Elementary' changed that. One Day Credit: Ludovic Robert / Netflix

Looking for some romance to tide you over this coming Valentine's Day? One Day, based on David Nicholls's novel of the same name, is here to fill that void. (You may remember the 2011 movie adaptation with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.) The series takes us through a decades-long love story between students Emma and Dexter, who meet for the very first time the night of their graduation from university. Even though they go their separate ways, the next years find them reconnecting in unexpected places, with each episode cataloging what they're doing on the same date each year. Could this be 2024's Normal People?

Starring: Ambika Mod, Leo Woodall, Essie Davis, Tim McInnerny, Amber Grappy, Jonny Weldon, Eleanor Tomlinson, Joely Richardson, and Toby Stephens.

How to watch: One Day premieres Feb. 8 on Netflix.

Constellation Credit: Apple TV+

With series like Foundation, For All Mankind, and Invasion, Apple TV+ has been carving out a niche for itself as the home of high-budget spacefaring shows. That trend continues with Constellation, a psychological thriller set in the aftermath of a space disaster. Astronaut Jo returns to Earth after catastrophic mission, only to realize that elements of her life are missing. What follows is a quest to reclaim what she's lost — and to unveil the dark secrets of space travel.

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Jonathan Banks, James D'Arcy, Julian Looman, William Catlett, Barbara Sukowa, and Rosie and Davina Coleman

How to watch: Constellation premieres Feb. 21 on Apple TV+.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Let's face it: Netflix has a not-so-great reputation when it comes to bringing cartoons and anime to live-action. But 2023 offered a glimmer of hope with the delightful One Piece — and now that hope extends to their live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' teaser brings Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko to live action

Like the beloved animated series, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender introduces us to a world whose inhabitants can bend the elements. Only the Avatar can master all four — but he's been missing for 100 years, during which the Fire Nation has embarked on a brutal conquest of the other nations. However, when Water Tribe siblings Katara and Sokka discover a young airbender named Aang frozen in ice, they realize he might be the Avatar. The trio embarks on a world-spanning quest full of magic, unforgettable fights, and impactful life lessons. This new version of Avatar: The Last Airbender has big shoes to fill; let's hope it can at least do better than the movie.

Starring: Gordon Cormier, Ian Ousley, Kiawentiio, Dallas Liu, Ken Leung, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Daniel Dae Kim

How to watch: Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres Feb. 22 on Netflix.

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video

Keke Palmer, Maya Rudolph, and more lend their voices to The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, a zany animated comedy from creator Cirocco Dunlap (Russian Doll). The series takes us to the deepest reaches of space, where alien BFFs and surgeons Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak take on the strangest ailments in the cosmos. Time loops, parasites, deep-space STIs — you name it, they've dealt with it. However, their most challenging case yet risks putting an end to all of existence. Will they be able to save the universe and their own horrendous personal lives?

Starring: Stephanie Hsu, Keke Palmer, Kieran Culkin, Sam Smith, Maya Rudolph, and Natasha Lyonne

How to watch: The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy premieres Feb. 23 on Prime Video.

Shōgun

The sweeping historical epic Shōgun, which is an adaptation of the 1975 novel by James Clavell, returns to our screens as a miniseries yet again, this time courtesy of Hulu. (The first time around was in 1980, via NBC.) The show will transport us to 1600 Japan, where civil war is brewing. The powerful Lord Yoshii Toranaga is beset on all sides by his bloodthirsty enemies on the Council of Regents. Meanwhile, English sailor John Blackthorne finds himself marooned on Japanese shores. He'll have to ally himself with Toranaga if he wants any chance at survival, even if that means involving himself in a nationwide conflict. If you love getting lost in historical power plays and lavish production design, this one's for you.

Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroto Kanai, Takehiro Hira, Moeka Hoshi, Tokuma Nishioka, Shinnosuke Abe, Yuki Kura, and Fumi Nikaido

How to watch: Shōgun premieres Feb. 27 on Hulu and FX.

MarchThe Regime

Loved the Kate Winslet-led HBO limited series Mare of Easttown? Then brace yourself for The Regime, another Kate Winslet-led HBO limited series — albeit one with a very different vibe. A political satire through and through, the show charts the unraveling of a modern European regime over the course of one year. The chancellor of said regime? None other than Winslet, who spends The Regime's first teaser alternating between delivering ice-cold threats to foreign dignitaries and having a breakdown in the woods.

Starring: Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, Hugh Grant, Danny Webb, David Bamber, Henry Goodman, Stanley Townsend, Louie Mynett, Rory Keenan, Karl Markovics, and Pippa Haywood

How to watch: The Regime premieres March 3 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

Girls5eva Season 3 Credit: Emily V Aragones / Netflix

Girls5eva is back with a vengeance — and it's found a new home on Netflix. Created by Meredith Scardino, this series sees a one-hit wonder '90s girl group reunite decades down the line for a second chance at pop stardom. This season, Girls5eva sets off on a comeback tour. The only problem? They don't have venues. Or a tour manager. Despite these teeny (ok, huge) problems, this group is willing to give it their all — but is world domination really what they want? Expect huge laughs and tons of new bops as our girls finally hit the road.

Starring: Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell, and Busy Philipps

How to watch: Girls5eva Season 3 premieres March 14 on Netflix.

Palm Royale Credit: Apple TV+

Kristen Wiig is on a mission in Apple TV+'s upcoming comedy Palm Royale. It's 1969, and underdog Maxine Simmons (Wiig) wants more than anything to break into Palm Beach high society. But how much of herself is Maxine willing to give up on her quest to reach the upper crust?

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Amber Chardae Robinson, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy, Kaia Gerber, Bruce Dern, and Carol Burnett

How to watch: Palm Royale premieres March 20 on Apple TV+.

3 Body Problem

Based on Hugo award winner Liu Cixin's Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy, Netflix's 3 Body Problem has the potential to be the biggest sci-fi show of 2024. The series welcomes us into the decades-spanning story of an alien invasion, starting with the Cultural Revolution in '60s China. There, astrophysicist Ye Wenjie makes a fateful discovery that reverberates through space and time to the present, where a group of scientists confront a new alien threat.

3 Body Problem comes to us courtesy of Alexander Woo and Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, so brace yourselves for impressive set pieces — and hopefully an ending that won't piss everyone off.

Starring: Benedict Wong, Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Alex Sharp, Zine Tseng, Rosalind Chao, Saamer Usmani, Liam Cunningham, Sir Jonathan Pryce, Marlo Kelly, Sea Shimooka, Eve Ridley, and Ben Schnetzer

How to watch: 3 Body Problem premieres March 21 on Netflix.

Apples Never Fall Credit: Vince Valitutti / Peacock

If you devoured series like Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, both based on novels by Liane Moriarty, chances are you'll devour Apples Never Fall as well. Also based on a book by Moriarty, this mystery gets us up close and personal with seemingly perfect couple Stan and Joy Delaney, played by Sam Neill and Annette Bening. These former tennis coaches have just retired and sold their sports academy, hoping to spend more time with their four adult children. However, when a hurt young woman arrives on their doorstep and Joy suddenly disappears, the Delaneys will reexamine everything they thought they knew about their family. No doubt they'll uncover some unsettling family secrets along the way.

Starring: Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Alison Brie, Jake Lacy, Conor Merrigan-Turner, Essie Randles, Georgia Flood, Jeanine Serralles, and Dylan Thuraisingham

How to watch: Apples Never Fall premieres in March on Peacock.

AprilFallout

The Last of Us Season 2 may not be coming until 2025, but 2024 is bringing us a new apocalyptic video game adaptation to get lost in. Based on the game series of the same name, Fallout immerses us in a nuclear wasteland where inhabitants of luxury fallout shelters must leave their safe havens behind. When they reenter the the world, they'll come face to face with new factions, mutated beasts, and many more dangers. With Westworld's Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy at the helm, get ready for some gloriously weird and gooey sci-fi goodness.

Starring: Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Kyle MacLachlan, Xelia Mendes-Jones, and Aaron Moten

How to watch: Fallout premieres Apr. 12 on Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' trailer teases a glorious post-apocalyptic show MayBridgerton Season 3

Dearest gentle readers, it's high time we reunite with the Bridgerton family, wouldn't you agree? After the swoon-worthy story of Queen Charlotte and King George, Netflix's juggernaut Bridgerton returns to its roots for a third season, this time focusing on the romance between Penelope Featherington (who is secretly gossip maven Lady Whistledown) and Colin Bridgerton. For the first time in Bridgerton history, Netflix will release the series in two parts — so be sure to time your binge viewing accordingly!

Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson, Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Lorraine Ashbourne, Hannah Dodd, Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Jessica Madsen, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, and Julie Andrews

How to watch: The first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 premiere May 16 on Netflix, and the last four on June 13.

NovemberArcane Season 2 Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

It's been three years since League of Legends-based series Arcane first rocked our world with gorgeous animation, kick-ass fight scenes, and a truly devastating story of lost sisters. Now, with its heavily anticipated return in November, we'll finally be able to see what happened after Jinx blasted the Council of Piltover with her shark rocket. Will she and Vi have any chance of reconciling? Did any Piltover councilors survive — and if so, how will they retaliate against Zaun? And what new League characters will Arcane introduce next?

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Katie Leung

How to watch: Arcane Season 2 premieres this Nov. on Netflix.

TBDHacks Season 3 Credit: Karen Ballard / HBO Max

Sharp-tongued comedians Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels return in Hacks Season 3, which has a lot of ground to cover following Season 2's game-changing finale. In that episode, stand-up legend Deborah fired her assistant Ava in order to give her more time to focus on her own life and career. But a dynamic duo can only stay apart for so long, right? The two will team up again soon, right? The "how" of Deborah and Ava's reunion may still be up in the air, but at least we know we can count on Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder's killer chemistry for a great time.

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Kaitlin Olson, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, and Mark Indelicato

How to watch: Hacks Season 3 premieres on HBO and Max in spring of 2024.

The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 3 Credit: Katrina Marcinowski / HBO Max

Time to check back in with our favorite messy college girls! And thank goodness, because Season 2 of Mindy Kaling's The Sex Lives of College Girls — while deeply hilarious and often relatable — also left us with a whole lot of questions. Is Bela really going to leave Essex? Can Whitney and Kimberly reconcile after Kimberly kissed Canaan? Will Leighton and Alicia's second try at a relationship work out, or is Tatum still in the picture? There's so much drama, we all need to be back on campus ASAP.

Starring: Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Renée Rapp, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Mekki Leeper, Christopher Meyer, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Lauren "Lolo" Spencer, Renika Williams, and Mitchell Slaggert

How to watch: The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 3 premieres on Max in spring of 2024.

House of the Dragon Season 2

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon returns for its highly anticipated second season this summer, bringing more Targaryen fire and blood to our TV screens. And I mean a ton more fire and blood. Think of it this way: If Season 1 was all about the build-up to the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, Season 2 is where the war begins in earnest. Following the death of her son Lucerys, Rhaenyra Targaryen is prepared to go scorched earth on Alicent Hightower and her son Aegon II — and who can blame her? Brutal battles, dastardly assassinations, and political machinations await, along with more dragons. (Of course.)

Starring: Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Gayle Rankin, Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, Abubakar Salim, Clinton Liberty, Jamie Kenna, Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Tom Taylor, and Vincent Regan

How to watch: House of the Dragon Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max in summer of 2024.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Agatha: Darkhold Diaries

Kathryn Hahn's witchy Agatha Harkness was one of the standouts of 2021's WandaVision. Who could forget when she captured our attention — and ears — with the Emmy-winning ditty "Agatha All Along"? Now, she gets a show all to herself with Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, which sees Agatha rounding up some unlikely allies in a quest to regain her magical powers. Will this mean another MCU encounter with the Darkhold, the grimoire that corrupted Wanda Maximoff in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? And, perhaps more importantly, will we get any more bops along the way?

Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Joe Locke, Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Emma Caulfield Ford, Maria Dizzia, and Okwui Okpokwasili

How to watch: Agatha: Darkhold Diaries premieres on Disney+ in fall of 2024.

The Penguin

Colin Farrell reprises his role as Oswald "The Penguin" Cobblepot in The Batman spin-off The Penguin. Taking place after the events of The Batman, which saw Gotham disastrously flooded, this gritty crime drama follows Oz in his quest to take over the city's vast criminal underworld. But he'll have some stiff competition in the form of Sofia Falcone, daughter of the late Carmine Falcone. What happens when these two criminal masterminds go head to head? And what other morsels of Batman lore can we expect to see here?

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Clancy Brown, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Zegen, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, and David H. Holmes

How to watch: The Penguin premieres on Max in fall of 2024.

Dune: Prophecy

2024 will be a huge year for Dune fans. Not only do we get the sandworm-filled glory of Dune: Part Two, we also get Dune: Prophecy. Originally developed as Dune: The Sisterhood, this new sci-fi series will delve into the beginnings of the Bene Gesserit order, 10 thousands years before Paul Atreides even came to Arrakis. Perhaps we'll witness the origin of the powerful Voice, or the start of the project to create the Kwisatz Haderach. Either way, if these spooky space witches are your favorite part of this universe's vast lore, this could be the show for you.

Starring: Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds, Chloe Lea, and Mark Strong

How to watch: Dune: Prophecy premieres on Max in late 2024.

The Boys Season 4

In 2023, The Boys universe took a college detour with the deeply fun (and deeply bloody) spin-off Gen V. In 2024, the flagship series will return for an explosive fourth season. America is more polarized than ever (sound familiar?), with the MAGA-esque cult of Homelander facing off against Starlight's supporters. Meanwhile, congresswoman Victoria Neuman grows ever closer to the Oval Office, the Boys are at odds with former leader Billy Butcher, and new supes Sister Sage and Firecracker are joining the Seven. With so much at stake, how will The Boys be able to top themselves in terms of outrageous gore?

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, Cameron Crovetti, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan

How to watch: The Boys Season 4 premieres on Prime Video in 2024.

SEE ALSO: 'Gen V's finale has a Homelander problem The Franchise

Do the ever-expanding worlds of the MCU and DCEU have you suffering from franchise fatigue? Then the new satire The Franchise should be just up your alley. Co-created by Armando Iannucci (Veep, The Thick of It) and Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty), this comedy follows the film crew of a new big-budget superhero film plagued by total chaos.

Starring: Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, and Daniel Brühl

How to watch: The Franchise premieres on HBO and Max in 2024.

Industry Season 3 Credit: Simon Ridgway/HBO

Industry has it all: sex, drugs, stress-inducing stock market plays. This drama takes us behind the scenes at Pierpoint & Co., a fictional investment bank where the stakes are high and the employees are always up to some new scheme. Although often likened to Succession thanks to its commentary on wealth and its cutting humor, Mashable's Anna Iovine offers another comparison, writing, "Industry is like if some Skins characters grew up and decided to sell their souls in growth stocks."

Starring: Myha'la Herrold, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey, David Jonsson, Ken Leung, Conor MacNeill, Alex Alomar Akpobome, Indy Lewis, Jay Duplass, Sonny Poon Tip, Adam Levy, Sarah Parish, Nicholas Bishop, Sagar Radia, Mark Dexter, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Kit Harington, and Sarah Goldberg

How to watch: Industry Season 3 premieres on Max in 2024.

Interview with the Vampire Season 2

AMC's Interview with the Vampire shocked and awed us with its gothic romance and thoughtful reworking of Anne Rice's original novels. Its spectacular first season ended with Louis de Pointe du Lac breaking away from lover Lestat de Lioncourt, bringing young vampire Claudia with him. Season 2 picks up with this pair joining a new group of bloodsuckers at the Théâtre des Vampires in France. New characters await, including Théâtre des Vampires members Santiago and Armand, whom Louis introduced to his interviewer Daniel Molloy in the Season 1 finale as "the love of my life." But how did Louis and Armand grow so close? And what fresh hell will Lestat wreak when he finds out?

Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Rae Dawn Chong, and Ben Daniels

How to watch: Interview with the Vampire premieres on AMC and AMC+ in 2024.

Star Wars: The Acolyte Credit: Christian Black / Lucasfilm

2023's Star Wars TV offerings like The Mandalorian Season 3 and Ahsoka suffered from an over-reliance on Easter eggs, fan service, and hewing too closely to prior Star Wars series and films. The Acolyte may just avoid these pitfalls altogether, as it takes us to an entirely new time period in the Star Wars chronology. Created by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), The Acolyte is our first live-action introduction to the High Republic era, 100 years before the prequels take place. This is a time of relative peace for this galaxy far, far away. However, when a former Jedi Padawan and her master team up to investigate a series of crimes, they'll uncover forces far darker than they could have possibly imagined.

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva, and Joonas Suotamo

How to watch: Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ in 2024.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Star Wars meets The Goonies in Skeleton Crew, which sees a group of young kids on a dangerous journey home. Lost in the far reaches of the galaxy, they'll soon cross paths with vicious pirates who want nothing more than to lock them away. Timeline-wise, this takes place during the same period as The Mandalorian, so we could very well see some crossovers. One person sure to make an appearance? Jude Law, playing a guiding Jedi figure to our troubled tweens.

Starring: Jude Law, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon, and Jaleel White

How to watch: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres on Disney+ in 2024.

The Sympathizer

Director Park Chan-wook has thrilled us with his singular visual stylings and dark humor thanks to films like Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden, and Oldboy. Now, he takes his talents to the small screen for HBO's The Sympathizer, his second TV outing since 2018's The Little Drummer Girl. Adapted by Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer invites us into a tangled web of espionage. Here, a half-French, half-Vietnamese Communist spy will weather the final days of the Vietnam War, as well as a complicated exile in the United States. Oh, and he'll also meet Robert Downey Jr. playing multiple roles.

Starring: Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr.

How to watch: The Sympathizer premieres on HBO and Max in 2024.

The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Credit: Christos Kalohoridis / Netflix

2024 marks one last ride with the Hargreeves siblings, who can never quite seem to time travel without any consequences. By the end of Season 3, the siblings have entered an all-new timeline, one where none of them have any powers, and where their nightmare of an adoptive father is exceedingly powerful. The Hargreeves' future may be unpredictable, but you can bet we'll get one more season full of fun fight scenes set to absolute banger tunes.

Starring: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, Colm Feore, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, and David Cross

How to watch: The Umbrella Academy Season 4 premieres on Netflix in 2024.

For nearly every incendiary piece of legislation, attempt to restrict access to resources, or rollback of digital protections and safe spaces proffered in 2023, a multiplied wave of activism has followed in its wake. 

The year proved to be a test of will between those in power and the communities they represent, a show of force that pits institutional might against the force of human compassion.

SEE ALSO: 2023's girl dinner, girl math, girlhood: What did we gain from a year of girl trends?

Communities virtually linked arms in solidarity amid debates on the rights afforded to Americans, with an intertwining of mutual aid efforts to fund abortion networks, transgender healthcare, and Indigenous-led climate change solutions among the many calls to pool resources to generate action. Social movements had their wins, like the union efforts of creatives and performers nationwide, while many still continue the fight for basic protections.

And on the ground, youth voices once again rang through, leading calls for action.

As the previous generation of youth activists age into adulthood, more have taken on the mantle. Credit: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Bloomberg via Getty Images Gun reform activists take over Las Vegas. Students Demand Action continued addressing the gun lobby directly, visiting industry bigwigs at their annual trade show. Credit: Everytown for Gun Safety

In January, a group of activists from youth-led gun violence prevention organization Students Demand Action took on the gun lobby directly at a series of activations and protests in Las Vegas, demanding the industry leaders finally prioritize the safety of young people and communities nationwide.

The activists projected 50-foot signs, erected billboards, and passed out flyers to attendees of the Las Vegas National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)'s annual trade show, known as the SHOT Show. In the words of organizer Sari Kaufman, "It's amazing that young people from across the country are the ones leading this fight. I also think it sometimes creates a challenge, because older folks will look at it and think, 'Oh, they're young and naive.' That bothers me the most. Yeah, sure, we're young. But we are sophisticated in our thinking."

Florida Walkout 2 Learn movement calls out bigotry and censorship. An educational movement arose in response to state efforts to censor public education. Credit: Paul Hennessy / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Responding to the political efforts in education of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative decisions of the state's conservative majority, Florida students organized a mass walkout of public schools in April, building on similar protest movements from 2022. 

The group, known as Walkout 2 Learn, decried the censorship of LGBTQ history and discriminatory policies in schools, the rejection of Black history curriculum content, and a variety of other recent bills that limit the freedoms of students and educators statewide. Activists were backed by youth-founded organization The Social Equity through Education Alliance, actor Beanie Feldstein, Florida Democratic leadership, and numerous TikTok fan favorites who joined virtual and on-the-ground rallies. Walkout 2 Learn's events also modeled a unique tool for democratic protest: a five-minute history course for all participants, in addition to access to a virtual, college-level African American studies course.

The walkout movement continued in other states as well, including among public school students in Louisiana, Iowa, and Utah, in response to similar anti-LGBTQ policies. 

Young activists descend on Nashville in pro-democracy rally.  Nashville became the center of the pro-gun reform, anti-fascism cries of 2023. Credit: Seth Herald / Getty Images

April also saw one of the largest pro-democracy demonstrations so far this year, as youth gun reform advocates joined Tennessee activists in demanding accountability from the state's leadership after the March 27 Nashville school shooting and subsequent ousting of pro-protester lawmakers.

The grounds of Nashville's capitol building were the organizing site for thousands of young people, many from Students Demand Action and March for Our Lives, who would later gather in the rotunda to put vocal pressure on legislators to retain Democratic members threatened with expulsion and to pass safety legislation.

The "anti-fascism" demonstration made headlines nationwide, and encapsulated the frustrations and perseverance of social justice advocates.

Reproductive rights activists see emergency contraception wins in Washington. 

Post-Roe reproductive justice organizing continued in 2023, with students and advocates working together to come up with unique ways of providing services and support to their communities. 

One of the many groups working within this grassroots movement has been Emergency Contraception for Every Campus, a student-led advocacy campaign from the American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC). While the movement for these student access machines has been around since at least 2017 (the first machine was documented in 2012), the last year has seen a responsive push for even more locations.

Emergency contraception vending machines have been installed at more than three dozen college campuses since the group was founded in 2019, Axios reported. The group is joined by other youth-led sexual health campaigns like that from Advocates for Youth, as well as student protestors rallying for reproductive justice around the country.

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In April, Washington state became one of the first to approve funding ($200,000) for such vending machines on additional college campuses in the state. And other states are following the path blazed by student leaders afar, like the machines proposed at Miami University in Ohio and installed at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

While the climate crisis ages, its movement remains young. Climate action protests continued in 2023, with many fed-up young activists going straight to their slow-to-move leaders. Credit: Ed Jones / AFP via Getty Images

This year's Global Climate Strike took place on March 3, a tradition started by young activist Greta Thunberg in 2018 to unite young people around the world in calling for climate action. In the United States, young protesters took over state capitol buildings and paraded through downtowns. 

But surrounding that event were continued global demands for political accountability and action. Youth climate activists with the Climate Defiance group protested outside of the May 1 White House Correspondents' Association dinner, in an attempt to block attendees and demand President Biden fulfill his campaign pledge to stop fossil fuel extraction on public lands. The activists were joined by Tennessee state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones.

Abroad, students across Europe occupied (and later shut down) schools and universities in May to protest the lack of climate action from their leaders.

Climate actions continued throughout the year, connecting the issues of environmental justice and just climate transitions back to other social justice organizing. Most notably, a group of young people successfully took the issue of climate change to court — the first constitutional climate case to successfully go to trial in the United States — and won. Montana District Court Judge Kathy Seeley ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in what is considered by many to be the first climate litigation win in the United States, but certainly just the beginning.

Trans prom takes over the nation's capital. The Trans Youth Prom was a vibrant protest against the erasure of LGBTQ history. Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Anticipating a particularly poignant Pride celebration this year as LGBTQ rights are erased nationwide, young LGBTQ community members staged their own defiant high school dance on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court on May 22. 

The Trans Youth Prom was both a celebration and a protest, put on by transgender kids for transgender kids as a glittering public testimony against a flurry of anti-transgender bills surging across states. They dressed to the nines and marched across Washington, D.C.'s National Mall, supported by activists like the ACLU's Chase Strangio and holding up signs proclaiming the year's leading message: "Trans kids have always existed."

Youth advocates score a long-awaited jobs program win — but more is still needed.

In September, President Joe Biden announced a first-of-its-kind federal works program that would provide young people and early career adults with green economy jobs, with the goal of fostering a new generation of clean energy, conservation, and resilience workers. Behind the announcement lay years of work and advocacy from climate activists, who had long urged federal leaders to step up to the plate.

"This is inspired by New Deal-era concepts, but reimagined by young people and put into motion by them," explained Ali Zaidi, assistant to the president and White House national climate advisor, at the time. A month later, more than 42,000 people had signaled their interest in the program. Two-thirds of them were individuals under 35.

Credit: Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images TikTok takes on humanitarian aid.

TikTok once again assumed the role of central organizing and information hub for young people during times of conflict, as the ongoing humanitarian crisis following the Israel and Hamas conflict on Oct. 7 drew young users to the app. Watermelon emojis were everywhere.

Creatives and influencers galvanized millions and raised thousands of dollars in donations using the app's own creator profit model and AR filters. Others used their platforms to share breaking news, reading lists, free resources, and other ways to get involved and help those in need, both on the ground and here in the U.S.

The widespread response and eagerness to learn about the decades-long geopolitical conflict came to represent the year's overarching mantra: The time to act is now.

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UPDATE: Dec. 27, 2023, 3:42 p.m. EST This article, originally published in June, was updated in December.

As we learned from that recent video of Dwayne Johnson in the toy store, celebrities popping up in random places and buying gifts for fans always makes for delightfully wholesome viewing.

In the Jimmy Kimmel Live clip above, Melissa McCarthy appears in digital form for fans who tell her what gift they wish for the most — and then she pops out IRL to give them the the exact thing they asked for.

It's all very sweet, but McCarthy does manage to sneak in some more adult content about Mario and Luigi too, for good measure.