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EA Sports Madden NFL 25 feels like a missed opportunity that could've been a timeless entry in sports gaming history, up there with NBA 2K11 and FIFA 13, had it been released in 2018. Instead, what we have is a slightly enhanced Madden 24, packed with layers of superfluous content that almost distracts from the game itself.

To be fair, I haven't seriously played a Madden game since 2017, so my perspective on the annual updates might be limited. But after diving into Madden NFL 25 with an early access code from EA Sports, I was struck by how much it captures the essence of what I always wanted from a Madden game. The interface is clean, the soundtrack energizes, the franchise mode has enough depth to keep you engaged, and the gameplay strikes a balance between authenticity and smoothness.

SEE ALSO: 'EA Sports College Football 25' review: Why it puts 'Madden' to shame

For someone who's been away from the series, it's a breath of fresh air — a showcase of how far the series has come. But if you've been following along year after year, Madden 25 feels like more of the same with marginal improvements. Is it worth the $70 price tag? It's hard to justify when you could instead hunt down a PS2 and NFL 2K5 for a fraction of the cost.

I played about 10+ hours of the game's various modes and my takeaway is the same as it's been with any Madden game I've ever played. Yeah, it's good, but man it could've been even better.

Madden 25 gameplay F*ck the Packers Credit: EA Sports / EA Orlando

The gameplay in this year's Madden is a more refined experience, a culmination of previous work by EA Orlando within the Frostbite Engine. When stacked against the recently released College Football 25, which emphasizes fast and flashy gameplay, Madden 25 adopts a more cerebral, methodical pace that captures the essence of the pro game. It genuinely feels like EA Orlando has perfected their use of the Frostbite engine’s animations.

SEE ALSO: EA Sports' College Football '25 is here and the internet has jokes and memes

Most of the changes in Madden 25 this year focus on refining and polishing the gameplay from Madden 24, with several key updates that enhance the overall experience.

First, you'll notice new solo tackle animations, more dynamic 50/50 ball interactions, and revamped blocking mechanics. The pass protection menu now allows you to see exactly who's being blocked on passing plays, and you even have the option to use the blocking technique of half-sliding your line, which provides for more nuanced protection schemes. Using the Hit Stick for tackles has become more about timing, with tight ends being notably tougher to bring down, and cornerbacks finding it nearly impossible to land a Hit Stick. However, the new "Boom Tech" feature, while a promising attempt at adding more natural-looking collision animations, has led to some glitchy interactions that could use some patching.

Stat graphics are shown more frequently throughout games, which adds to the immersion. The introduction of custom route stems is another welcome feature from CFB 25, allowing for more personalized and strategic route running.

Madden 25 delivers a lot of things in its gameplay, but "authenticity" may not be one of them. The commentary, in particular, feels hollow, lacking the soul and contextual richness that can elevate a sports game. What’s often missing from most sports titles, and Madden is no exception, is the casual, conversational tone that brings depth to the commentary. The kind of outside discourse and emotion that mirrors the intensity of an actual football game — which, let’s be honest, can be a bloodsport in its own right — is noticeably absent.

It’s a minor gripe, but the commentary doesn’t offer any unique or memorable calls during gameplay. Sure, they’ll remind you that CJ Stroud had a great rookie year, but where’s the excitement in hearing how remarkable it is to see Lions WR Jameson Williams catch three touchdowns and rack up 200+ yards years after recovering from an ACL tear and then a gambling suspension? That’s the kind of narrative that would make the commentary feel alive and connected to the game’s deeper stories.

In the end, the gameplay in this year’s Madden is fantastic, but it’s missing some of that intangible soul that could make it truly special.

Madden 25 Superstar mode Welcome to the league, mini me. Credit: EA Sports / EA Orlando

Immediately after booting Madden, I loaded up the game's Superstar mode. One of the cool additions now that College Football 25 is on the scene is that I can take my player from that game's "Road to Glory" mode and load him up in Madden.

Superstar mode is a bit lean on content, but compared to CFB 25, its initial moments are at least a bit more immersive. Where the college game asks you to pick a star rating and answer a few basic questions about your ideal playing environment, Madden takes a more hands-on approach. You’re put through the paces of the NFL Draft Combine, running the 40-yard dash, doing the bench press, broad jump, and even the shuttle cone drill. These mini-games can feel a bit like busywork, but they do add an immersive touch, making you feel like you’re actively shaping your player’s draft stock — performing well in the mini-games can increase certain attributes like agility or speed.

However, that sense of immersion quickly fades, and you’re left facing the familiar pitfalls of any "be the star" mode. After the draft, the experience devolves into a repetitive cycle of playing game after game, over and over, until you've either met all your objectives or grown tired of the grind and decided to walk away. The excitement of the early stages gives way to monotony, making it hard to stay invested for the long haul.

The mode's pacing grinds to a halt as EA Sports has introduced random cutscenes that trigger challenges and temporary attribute boosts for the upcoming game. For instance, your coach might call you in to ask whether you want to focus on short or medium passing accuracy this week. You make your choice, and the game sets up the relevant challenges. While it's a creative idea, it disrupts the flow between games, making the experience feel disjointed.

Not great coach. Credit: EA Sports / EA Orlando

The issues don't stop there. The AI in this mode is perplexing, to say the least. The game promises that your Draft Combine performance will influence which quarterback-needy team selects you, yet I still ended up with the Atlanta Falcons. In reality, the Falcons had recently splurged on former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins ($180 million over 4 years) and drafted another quarterback with their top 10 pick just weeks later.

To make matters worse, because Superstar mode uses up-to-date rosters, the Falcons now have three quarterbacks on their depth chart. Their solution? Trade Cousins to the Los Angeles Rams, who already have Super Bowl-winning QB Matthew Stafford as their starter. It’s a bizarre, almost laughable outcome that underscores the mode's flaws and breaks any remaining immersion.

Madden 25 Franchise mode Credit: Who wants a roster spot this year?

In Madden 24, franchise mode introduced some genuine improvements that made the experience enjoyable throughout the year, Madden 25, however, has left me feeling a bit differently.

The draft presentation has undergone a complete overhaul in Madden 25. There's now a big board that shows all the teams within a round and who they pick, with Roger Goodell announcing each selection. You even get to see the player you drafted walking up to the stage to hold your team’s jersey, or if they’re not at the draft, it shows them receiving the phone call at home. After your pick, the game provides details on the true draft rank and gives backstory and analysis on the pick.

Scouting, however, remains unchanged from last year, aside from a new look for the prospect board. You can still sort players by Physical Attribute grades, Combine numbers, and Pro Day results. But these changes, unfortunately, are a major letdown. The scouting and draft sequences are painfully slow, and trying to skip through them only causes glitches that make the process even more sluggish.

While Madden 25 brings some interesting visual updates to the draft process and retains the solid scouting mechanics from 24, these additions are ultimately undermined by slow, glitchy execution and frustrating morale management. For example, I was prompted to address a potential position battle for RB1 between 68 overall rookie Sione Vaki and 84 overall Jahmyr Gibbs. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen when I said my entire team took a -10 morale hit —which seemed to drop some players’ overall ratings by 1 or 2 points for the entire season.

The potential penalties for making logical decisions in franchise mode and for saying the wrong thing during press interviews or when dealing with fussy players feel like a step back. I want an engaging and deep Franchise mode, and I'm sure a younger me would've loved this, but the me of today finds it all superfluous.

Is Madden 25 worth it?

Madden 25 is a mixed bag. On one hand, the gameplay feels better than ever, with smoother animations, more intuitive passing mechanics, and updated features like "Boom Tech" that add a layer of authenticity to tackles. The pacing feels more thoughtful compared to the flashier College Football 25, and for some players, that’s a welcome change. But while Madden nails the on-field action, it falters elsewhere.

Franchise mode, which saw genuine improvements last year, feels like a step back in Madden 25. The revamped draft presentation and scouting system, while visually interesting, are bogged down by sluggish execution and glitches. And the morale system can be downright frustrating, penalizing logical decisions with massive team-wide morale hits that can derail an entire season. Plus, the game’s reliance on playbook logic to dictate player performance still creates bizarre, unrealistic scenarios that ruin immersion in simulated seasons.

If you’re looking purely for improved gameplay mechanics, Madden 25 delivers. But if franchise mode or the overall experience is your priority, the game's flaws may leave you disappointed. It's a good game on the surface, but it lacks the soul and polish that could make it truly great. Depending on what you value in a football sim, it may or may not be worth the upgrade from Madden 24.

An attempt to secure positive press for Google's new Pixel phones has backfired after creators called the strategy unethical.

Team Pixel — an invite-only program affiliated with Google — has been sending free Google products to influencers and creators since at least 2017. Though standard in the industry, programs like these have always treaded a moral grey area, and guidelines for the 2024 Team Pixel program have crossed a line for some creators.

According to screenshots posted online, a Google form used for Team Pixel sign ups said that creators that join Team Pixel "are expected to feature the Google Pixel device in place of any competitor mobile devices." It goes on to note that "if it appears other brands are being preferred over the Pixel, we will need to cease the relationship between the brand and the creator."

SEE ALSO: Instagram is rolling out AI chatbot versions of creators, Mark Zuckerberg says

Voices in the creator community have said that these terms make it impossible to post unbiased reviews, which is crucial to building viewer trust and creator reputation. Reviewer Adam Matlock of the TechOdyssey YouTube channel told The Verge that he had relied on the program for early access to tech units from Google but has since posted to X that he had quit the program as a result of the new terms. Previously, Matlock says, creators were only required to use hashtags #teampixel or #giftfromgoogle to comply with FTC disclosures.

YouTuber Kevin Nether of The Tech Ninja channel posted to X that he had also quit Team Pixel due to the new terms. He told The Verge that he had not seen that language in previous Team Pixel surveys used to recruit for the program. He also noted that demands for exclusivity were usually accompanied by discussions of payment and disclosure.

Marques Brownlee, perhaps the most popular tech reviewer on YouTube, weighed in on the situation on X. Though he has never participated in Team Pixel, he called the program a "clever way" for Google "to guarantee some positive press coverage." Lifestyle influencers, for example, make money from product affiliation and can post about the phone without consequence. But "here's where it gets confusing," said Brownlee. "A lot of tech reviewers or even people budding up and starting to become tech reviewers, saw that early device seeding as... a way to get in [with Google]... and that's what muddies the waters."

Tweet may have been deleted

It is standard practice for companies to gift new products to creators and influencers in the hopes that they will use the product on camera or encourage their audience to buy it. These arrangements are usually a win-win for both parties, with the potential to significantly expand an influencer's access to brands. In the case of Team Pixel, for example, the influencer gets a free phone and, by posting about it, can rack up views and social currency while opening the door to collaborations with other big-name brands. Meanwhile, Google secures broad media exposure for a new product for the price of a single unit.

The influencer should note when a product is a gift, but FTC disclosure guidelines are often unclear and oversight is woefully lax. As a result, consumers can't always be sure if what they're seeing online has been influenced by a behind-the-scenes exchange of money or access.

These influencer programs can overlap with those that target news outlets or reviewers, though Google communications manager Kayla Geier told The Verge that Team Pixel is different from programs that provide news outlets like Mashable and The Verge with new devices for review. "#TeamPixel is a distinct program, separate from our press and creator reviews programs," said Geier. "The goal of #TeamPixel is to get Pixel devices into the hands of content creators, not press and tech reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared in the #TeamPixel form yesterday, and it has been removed."

But in his video announcing his departure from Team Pixel, Nether noted that "A lot of tech reviewers are on Team Pixel because working with Google for some reason, it's really tough to get through." The Verge says it also spoke with independent reviewers and freelance tech journalists who say they were given review units through the Team Pixel program in the past. In their cases, these new terms would threaten the integrity of their work.

As reported by The Verge, the Team Pixel program is currently run by a third party agency hired by Google. It is unclear if that agency, 1000heads, required social media coverage of the phone from creators participating in the 2024 Team Pixel program.

When reached for comment, a Google spokesperson provided the same statement the company had given to The Verge, above. Mashable has reached out to 1000heads for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 17 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 17

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, August 17, 2024:

AcrossStuff chewed by a cow

• The answer is Cud.

Bakery offerings

• The answer is Cakes.

Corporate makeover

• The answer is Rebrand.

100%

• The answer is All.

"___ De Jing" (philosophical text)

• The answer is Dao.

Like restrictions you might mention to a waiter

• The answer is Dietary.

Difficult shape for a mini golf hole

• The answer is Anthill.

Ah, this takes me back!

• The answer is Reverse.

DownWhat the Disney Channel and Golf Channel appear on

• The answer is Cable TV.

Kyiv's land: Abbr.

• The answer is UKR.

Awkward silence in a broadcast

• The answer is Dead air.

Dion who performed atop the Eiffel Tower at the 2024 Olympics

• The answer is Celine.

Responds in an aggressive and threatening tone

• The answer is Snarls.

Weather-detecting technology

• The answer is Radar.

Writer Arthur Conan ___

• The answer is Doyle.

The "t" of btw

• The answer is The.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Using images from a NASA telescope, three amateur scientists discovered a star-like object sprinting through space — so fast, in fact, it'll whiz right out of the Milky Way.

This freak of nature, traveling about 1 million mph, will escape the clutch of the galaxy. It's the first time anyone has found something this massive at that incredible speed. 

"I can’t describe the level of excitement," said Martin Kabatnik, one of the discoverers, in a statement. "When I first saw how fast it was moving, I was convinced it must have been reported already."

But what exactly is this thing? 

SEE ALSO: Scientists haven't found a rocky exoplanet with air. But now they have a plan. Scientists say CWISE J1249 could be a low-mass star or a brown dwarf, an object that is not quite a star or a gas giant planet like Jupiter, but something else in between. Credit: NASA illustration

It's not a comet or an asteroid. Scientists say it could be a low-mass star or a brown dwarf, an object that is not quite a star or a gas giant planet like Jupiter, but something else in between. Experts sometimes describe brown dwarfs as failed stars: not massive enough to generate their own nuclear power.  

Although brown dwarfs aren't all that rare, this object, dubbed CWISE J1249, is unusual because it's about to escape into intergalactic space. And it has one other weird trait: The object has much less iron and other metals typically found in stars and brown dwarfs, according to data collected by the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, suggesting CWISE J1249 is so ancient, it could be among the first generation of stars birthed in the galaxy.

The citizens who made the discovery a few years ago through NASA's Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project, including Thomas P. Bickle and Dan Caselden, just became coauthors of a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Engineers assemble the WISE spacecraft in 2009 at the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah. Credit: SDL / NASA

The telescope responsible for the images is NASA's WISE spacecraft, short for the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. It scanned the sky at infrared wavelengths between 2009 and 2011, finding distant light sources by sensing their heat. But the Earth-orbiting telescope ran out of its supply of frozen hydrogen, which kept it cool, so the space agency put it into hibernation. 

Two years later, NASA awoke the spacecraft, renaming it NEOWISE, to hunt for potentially hazardous near-Earth objects, like asteroids and comets. Over its lifetime, the telescope studied well over 44,000 objects, including its namesake, Comet NEOWISE. 

Despite its many accomplishments, NASA retired the mission just last week because the spacecraft will soon drop too low in orbit to provide any more useful data. 

Scientists will continue to study CWISE J1249 to try to discern whether it's a brown dwarf or a low-mass star. Credit: NASA / ESA / Joseph Olmsted illustration

The work on CWISE J1249 is not complete. Scientists will continue to look for clues about the root cause of its speed. After all, something major must have happened to send it hurtling through the cosmos. For comparison, Earth's solar system is moving at an average of 450,000 mph.

One idea is that the object was once part of a binary star system with a white dwarf, a tiny remnant of a star that has run out of nuclear fuel, which exploded when it pulled off too much material from its companion. 

Another idea is that it came from a tight-knit group of stars known as a globular cluster that encountered a pair of black holes. The complex dynamics of such an interaction can cast a star right out of the group.

A car-sized NASA rover, weighing over a ton, will scale a crater wall.

The space agency announced that its robotic Perseverance mission, now looking for hints of past life on Mars, is embarking on the next phase of Martian exploration. But first, it must climb out of the Jezero Crater, a region that once held a gushing river and expansive lake. It won't be easy.

The journey will "include some of the steepest and most challenging terrain the rover has encountered to date," NASA said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Scientists discover where the huge dinosaur-killing asteroid came from

The rover captured a view of the ascent ahead. It will encounter 23-degree slopes as it rumbles up 1,000 feet of elevation. There are no roads on Mars, so the path easiest traveled will inevitably mean traversing rock-strewn or steep areas.

The robot will traverse a route between the two hills shown below.

The Perseverance rover will ascend the crater wall ahead, gaining 1,000 feet of elevation. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS Tweet may have been deleted

Mission scientists are eager to reach the summit of Jezero Crater. Water once poured through this region, and hydrothermal activity — processes that create hot groundwater and steam — may have created fissures in the ground long ago.

"These rocks formed from a wealth of different processes, and some represent potentially habitable ancient environments that have never been examined up close before," Eleni Ravanis, a member of the Perseverance rover team, also said in an agency statement.

NASA is interested in exploring Martian places that once hosted habitable environs — temperate enough to harbor liquid water — because the regions may have preserved evidence of past microbial life. This could mean telltale molecules or features formed by biological processes.

Already, the rover has recently spotted "chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago," the space agency said — though proving this will mean bringing the samples back to Earth.

In the coming months, expect the robot to beam back the success and travails of its looming, and daunting, Martian ascent.

The quintessential little treat is subjective. Some will say iced coffee, others will argue ice cream.

But we can all probably agree that many of the biggest little treats of them all are the elusive ones — the ones that aren't available at your fingertips year-round, or the ones that can't exactly be brought home and stored for a later time. Consider the Shamrock Shake or the $16 frosé that one bar only has in the summer.

After the success of the ice cream and other frozen dessert-making Creami, Ninja is exploring the frozen drink side of little treat culture. The Ninja Slushi is a professional frozen drink maker that has sold out more than once since its debut in July 2024. The Slushi is not only a vessel for making a homemade Slurpee without leaving the house but is also an opportunity to treat-ify mundane beverages, like a morning protein shake or afternoon pre-workout electrolyte mix. A slushy in hand just feels like an appropriate accessory to brat summer.

SEE ALSO: 'Very demure' demonstrates TikTok's ability to shape modern language

TikTok, a massive community of little treat enablers, naturally ate this shit up. I had to get my hands on one, too.

How does the Ninja Slushi work?

Though they both can ultimately whip up frozen drinks, the Ninja Slushi is far different than a blender because the Slushi doesn't require ice.

Rather, the Slushi achieves that chef's kiss chilled consistency via Ninja's RapidChill Technology, which involves an auger spinning around a cooling cylinder. This approach can take room temperature ingredients from liquid to, well, slushy, in under an hour (give or take a few minutes, depending on the alcohol and sugar content, as well as the size of the batch).

And even if you can achieve that with a blender, it's ephemeral; frozen margs go to melted margs in a matter of minutes when they're just hanging out in a blender pitcher. The Slushi, however, keeps drinks frozen. Once it hits optimal temperature for the recipe in question, the Slushi beeps and switches from a blinking light to a steady light, but continues spinning and cooling, keeping your recipe perfectly slushied for up to 12 hours. Just mind the condensation.

What can you make in the Ninja Slushi?

Officially, there are buttons on the front for slush, spiked slush, frappé, milkshake, and frozen juice. I hesitate to claim that you can make really any frozen drink that pops into your brain, but it basically feels like that. And if you hatched the idea for something but aren't sure of the exact ingredients, someone has probably already attempted to make it on TikTok.

Just open the hatch and pour 'em, no need to stir. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable If your drink comes out too thick or too melty, you can adjust the temperature with arrow buttons. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My first endeavor was frosé following the exact recipe in the Ninja booklet: literally just rosé, juice, and a little bit of simple syrup. It was so easy, so quick, and so damn good — just like the overpriced ones at the bar.

Other fun experiments included Slushi'd White Claws plus simple syrup (which turned out to taste incredibly bland and decarbonated after being frozen), a humble can of Pepsi to play out my roommate's dream of an on-demand cola slushy, a blueberry vanilla protein milkshake I saw on TikTok, and a slushy version of my pre-workout electrolyte powder drink. Past this week of testing, I could totally see the Slushi getting weekly use in my household.

As a professional Black Cherry White Claw enjoyer, you know I had to. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Trying to make a small batch in this thing is just about impossible. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

When attempting frappé mode, I realized that I'm personally kind of turned off by the idea of coffee in that thick consistency. After the first batch was done but I still hadn't emptied anything, I just added more almond milk and some chocolate protein powder to turn it into a café mocha milkshake.

The Slushi needs to be cleaned after every use to prevent sticky, rotted residue buildup. After using the rinse cycle button on the machine itself, there are four super basic parts to disassemble and wash — either by hand or in the dishwasher if there's room. After dealing with the detachable parts, wipe down the metal base and interior of the machine, and then click the parts back on.

Slushi maintenance is a little tedious if you're using it often, but super easy. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Ninja Slushi vs. Ninja Creami

Before there was the Slushi, there was the Creami. Ninja's 7-in-1 ice cream maker blew up on TikTok when it first came out in 2021 — likely the thing that tipped Ninja off to how lucrative the Little Treat Trend could be.

The Slushi and Creami are roughly the same height, but the Slushi is heavier. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

While many drinks with that solid-but-not-solid consistency can be made in both machines, the main difference between the two lies in preparation. The Creami can only start with solid bases that you freeze for 24 hours ahead of time, while the Slushi can only start with liquids. Those liquids don't have to start frozen, giving the Slushi the leg up when it comes to spontaneity.

Downsides: What can't the Ninja Slushi do?

A successful slush depends on a few main ingredient components, one of them being sugar. Though I typically love to trash instructions before reading a single word, I will say that the Slushi booklet is one that you'll definitely actually need to read. Any Slushi recipe needs a certain ratio of sugar to coagulate — if there's not enough in the ingredients you've dumped in, the machine will beep at you and stop moving.

On the flip side, a stoppage also occurs if the Slushi senses that the alcohol content is too high compared to the other ingredients. In any case, the lights on the front will flash in a way that coincides with each error so that you can make a quick fix.

SEE ALSO: TikTok's new cucumber recipe obsession is actually an elite summer side dish

I wish you could all see the defeat on my roommate's face when we realized you actually can't simply pour Diet Coke into the Slushi because Diet obviously has no sugar. The booklet does provide a workaround for this, including ways to subtly add sugar and the appropriate measurements. Still, there's way more math involved than I would have expected — remember when third grade me cursed fractions because "I would never use them in real life?"

Because the Slushi doesn't have blades, it cannot crush solid ingredients. To make some sort of healthy frozen smoothie from whole ingredients like frozen berries or kale, they'd have to be in puree form first. I blended these up in our blender ahead of transferring the contents to the Slushi afterward, but at that point, you may as well just add ice to the blender and avoid washing both machines by hand.

Is the Ninja Slushi worth it?

The Ninja Slushi's splurge-worthiness depends on how much of a frozen drink enthusiast you might be. I mean, people drop double the coin to bring a fancy espresso machine home, so spending a few hundred dollars on a niche kitchen appliance definitely isn't unheard of. If you're someone who needs to have three drinks within reach at any given moment, surely the two that aren't plain water could be slushed, and doesn't that just open up a world of possibilities? Plus, anyone who struggles with getting their fruits or veggies or protein might stay on top of it more with a drink more appetizing than a room-temperature chalky mixture. Is it too far to dub the Slushi a wellness hack?

The Slushi would also be a guaranteed hit in a home with kids who are way more likely to drink their healthy fruit juice if it basically feels like a Slurpee. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles, this is definitely how to become the favorite.

At any rate, the serotonin boost of one of life's most simple treasures — a fun little drink — is priceless, as is the bonding (and money saving) that could come with staying in with friends and having a frozen marg party in your PJs.

Ninja Slushi $299.99 at Ninja Kitchen
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In a rare in-depth interview, this billionaire man of mystery, the head of Palantir Technologies, talks about war, A.I. and America’s future.

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I know it's bad etiquette to watch-and-text, but when it comes to Emily in Paris, I simply must have my phone fully charged and open to the group chat at all times. Where else am I to express my utter exasperation with the show's heroine, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins)? I need a safe space to discuss her bonkers Instagram captions! To react in horror to her nonsensical decision-making! To share my disbelief at her ability to pull together outfits that are certifiably unhinged!

Suffice to say, Emily stirs up feelings of frustration in me that I truly didn't know I was capable of. In fact, the only other time I can recall being quite so riled up by a TV heroine was when I first came across Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker).

Darren Star, the creator of both shows, is to blame for these two glamorous agents of chaos. Carrie and Emily may have their differences, but both are famously polarizing amongst viewers; there is even an entire website dedicated to Carrie Bradshaw being the worst. 

Now, it's worth noting that unlikable female characters are a good thing — we all love a flawed protagonist. After all, how dull would it be if all of our female characters were perfect beacons of moral purity? But Carrie and Emily are truly on another level. Their flaws are often downright painful to see in action. Selfish and oblivious, they skip onwards through their glamorous lives, wreaking absolute havoc and leaving a whole lot of mess in their wake.

As the fourth season of Emily in Paris lands on Netflix and a new generation discovers the joys of Sex and the City, group chats everywhere are filled with more infuriating Emily and Carrie content than ever — and what a joy it is! There has never been a better time to do a very thorough investigation into the anatomy of the Darren Star heroine.

Emily and Carrie: terrible at relationships. Lily Collins as Emily in "Emily in Paris." Credit: Netflix

Both are at their most narcissistic when it comes to romance. Carrie harbors an obsessive love for Big (Chris Noth) throughout all six seasons of Sex and the City — and two movies! Her infatuation leads her to make some very bizarre decisions. Only a few months into their situationship, for instance, she stalks him and his mother to church, and then demands to know why he won't commit to her. Later, when she is dating Aidan (John Corbett) and Big is married to Natasha (Bridget Moynahan), Carrie is all too eager to jump into an affair with her ex. She then spends years following Natasha around trying to get some kind of forgiveness in order to make herself feel better. In fact, decades later, Carrie is still hounding Natasha for closure in And Just Like That.

Then there's Emily, who falls for hot chef Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and proceeds to sleep with him even though he's in a relationship with her friend, Camille (Camille Razat). Oh yeah, and she also sleeps with Camille's 17-year-old brother. 

In the new season, Emily is just as messy in her relationships. Unable to choose between Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) and Gabriel, she simply keeps both on the line. At one party, she happily dances with Alfie and smiles as he tells her he's all in — before she proceeds to fall back into Gabriel's arms as soon as he appears on the scene.

The worst part of all of this is that Carrie and Emily act as though this is normal; they talk to their friends as though all of this cheating and uncertainty and poor communication is just another annoying part of dating. As the meme goes, is the accountability in the room with us?

Emily and Carrie: bad at friendships. Lily Collins as Emily and Camille Razat as Camille in "Emily in Paris." Credit: Stephanie Branchu/ Netflix

While Emily and Carrie are off making awful relationship decisions, they are also, more often than not, neglecting their friends in the process. In fact, the tendency towards narcissism in friendships is perhaps the main defining trait of a Darren Star heroine. To put it bluntly, these girlies have enough "main character energy" to fill all of NYC and Paris combined.

A typical SATC brunch goes something like this. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) raises an issue she is having. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) replies with a saucy, but helpful anecdote. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) chimes in with a comment connecting Charlotte's problem to the feminist plight. And Carrie leaps in to change the subject, bringing up some inconsequential thing Big said. Oh, and when her friends try to explain to her that she is in a toxic cycle with Big? Naturally, she doesn't want to hear it.

Yet, she still expects her friends to offer to help her buy her apartment back from Aidan post-breakup. Remember the time Carrie shamelessly guilted Charlotte into handing over her engagement ring so she could afford the $30,000 down payment? .

Emily is also painfully self-obsessed in her friendships. Just take the latest season, where Emily tells her landlord that Gabriel, Camille, and Camille's new girlfriend are all living together, thereby breaking the building's rules, because she is sick of Camille living near her new boyfriend Gabriel. Very thoughtful move, Em! Emily's selfishness even shines through in the small moments. Just take the moment she meets up with Camille's friends to help track her down. Not only does she dash off from the meeting after receiving a text, she fails to pay for her iced tea. As Camille's friends put it, "So rude."

Carrie and Emily: inexplicably successful careerists. Lily Collins as Emily and Thalia Besson as Genevieve in "Emily in Paris." Credit: Stephanie Branchu / Netflix

Perhaps another reason that Carrie and Emily are so very infuriating is that they are somehow revered in their chosen fields, despite the fact that they both kind of suck at their jobs. 

Carrie is a writer in New York City who lives a very comfortable, Manolo Blahnik-filled life writing (checks notes) one column a week about her dating life. Of course, every now and then, she takes on some freelance work for little magazines like Vogue. (Every freelance writer knows the Carrie Bradshaw lore that she was paid $4 a word for this work, which she even successfully negotiated to $4.50.) Oh, and she has a minor breakdown when (gasp) her editor… edits her work. Her career goes from success to success when her column leads to a book deal. By And Just Like That, Carrie has transitioned to a career as the co-host of a podcast about sex and gender, even though it's quite clear she doesn't really know what podcasts actually are, and she feels too uncomfortable to actually, you know, talk about sex. 

Meanwhile, Emily is a social media marketer who, though she can't post a good Instagram pic to save her life, finds herself working in Paris — despite speaking no French! Instead of actually learning some French and figuring out how to take a good picture for social media, she seems to spend most of her time at fancy lunches and stylish parties, before faking her way through pitch meetings where she very frequently makes up campaign ideas on the spot. 

Emily and Carrie: outrageous fashion icons. Lily Collins in "Emily in Paris." Credit: Stephanie Branchu / Netflix

Naturally, these two heroines' chaotic interiors are reflected in their inexplicable sartorial choices. We are talking wildly mismatched patterns, blindingly bright color combinations, and shapes that simply make no logical sense on a human body. 

Carrie wears a belt on her bare waist! A crochet pageboy hat! A pirate bandana! It's an explosion of experimental NYC fashion. Meanwhile, Emily wears a coat covered in shoes! Mismatched houndstooth! A jacket covered in the literal Paris skyline! Oh, and in the fourth season, she comes to a masked ball dressed as the literal Hamburglar! She may be taking Paris by storm, but understated French chic she is not. After all, she is the vulgar American transplant — and her clothes show it. Sex and the City's costume designer, the legendary Patricia Field, was a consultant on the first two seasons of Emily in Paris, which suggests they were eager to bring some of the bold fashions of Carrie Bradshaw into Emily Cooper's wardrobe. When Field left the show after the second season, many fans noted that Emily's outfits seemed even more outrageous and over-the-top than ever. Evidently, for a Darren Star leading lady, maximalism-verging-on-hideous is the name of the game. 

Carrie Bradshaw and Emily Cooper are both kind of the worst. But, honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way. There's a unique joy that comes from gasping in shock horror as they flagrantly cheat, lie, and manipulate — and there's a mischievous kind of fun that comes from living vicariously through their bad decisions, while knowing we could never, ever be quite so absurd as they are. They may be messy, but no one is more fun to watch — and gossip about in a group chat — than a Darren Star heroine

Emily in Paris Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.

TL;DR: Through September 3, learn piano from the comfort of your home with Skoove Premium’s lifetime subscription on sale for $119.99 with promo code SAVENOW.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $119.99 at The Mashable Shop
$299.99 Save $180.00 with promo code SAVENOW Get Deal

To many, learning the piano may have always seemed like a daunting goal, like becoming fluent in a foreign language or running a marathon. But what if you could learn to play at your own pace, with a guide that adjusts to your level, without sacrificing your entire schedule (and wallet on an in-person teacher)?

Whether you're aiming to impress friends at a party or finally nail down "Für Elise" for your own knowledge, lifetime access to Skoove Premium is available for $119.99 with coupon code SAVENOW through September 3.

Skoove is your personal AI piano instructor that’s available anytime you are. With over 400 interactive piano lessons, you'll have everything you need to go from a total beginner to playing your favorite songs with confidence. The beauty of Skoove lies in its ability to adapt to your progress, offering real-time feedback that helps you improve with each session. Plus, with lifetime access, there’s no rush — perfect for anyone balancing a busy schedule.

Dive into classical music, or switch things up with pop, jazz, and even blues. The lessons are short and sweet, so you can fit in a quick session during a lunch break or after the kids are asleep. And if you ever get stuck, there’s always the option to slow down the tempo or practice with hand isolation, making it easier to tackle those tricky parts.

Skoove makes learning the piano simple, accessible, and fun.

Until September 3 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can score a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for $119.99 by entering code SAVENOW at checkout.

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TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac with lifetime offline access for just $79.97 through September 1.

We’ve all been there — you’re mid-presentation on Google Slides, working from a coffee shop, and then boom — the Wi-Fi goes down. Or maybe you’re in the middle of nowhere, trying to finalize a report from an online spreadsheet platform, but there’s zero signal.

That’s where this deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Office for Mac steps in, saving the day with offline access, on sale for $79.97 for the remainder of August. It’s your go-to toolkit for getting work done without relying on an internet connection.

With lifetime access to all the essentials — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook — you’re covered for all your business needs. The best part? You don’t need to scramble for the nearest hotspot to access your files. Everything is saved locally, so you can pick up right where you left off, no matter where you are.

Whether you're on a plane, in a remote cabin, or just dealing with sketchy Wi-Fi, this software lets you edit and save documents directly on your Mac, ensuring your productivity doesn’t take a hit when your connection does.

So, whether you're a frequent traveler, someone who works in areas with unreliable internet, or you just want the peace of mind that your documents are always accessible, check out this deal.

Until September 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 on sale for $79.97 (reg. $219).

Want to keep browsing? Check out other deals on Microsoft Office.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $79.97 at The Mashable Shop
$219.99 Save $140.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Upgrade your car’s tech with wireless CarPlay, Android Auto, and streaming apps, all for $79.97 until September 3.

If you’ve been considering making an upgrade to your car’s tech but aren’t ready to splurge on a brand-new vehicle, the PlayAIBox is here to save the day. This little device can transform your driving experience, turning your car into a smart, entertainment-packed hub. From wireless CarPlay and Android Auto to streaming your favorite shows, it’s everything you need to make your ride feel next-gen — on sale for $79.97 through September 3 (reg. $129).

With the PlayAIBox, you can finally cut the cord...literally. It’s as simple as plugging it in, pairing your phone, and you’re ready to go. Whether you’re queuing up your favorite playlist or navigating with Google Maps, everything’s smoother and more intuitive without the hassle of cables.

But that’s just the beginning. The PlayAIBox also brings streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+ right to your car’s display. Stuck waiting in the parking lot? No problem — catch up on your favorite series or keep the kids entertained during long drives. And with Google Play Store integration, you can expand your app collection, adding even more functionality to your car.

The Allwinner A133 chip under the hood ensures everything runs smoothly, from video playback to app navigation. Plus, the PlayAIBox offers screen mirroring and external storage support, making it incredibly versatile for all your content needs.

Compatible with a wide range of car models and smartphones, the PlayAIBox makes it easy to upgrade your car’s technology without breaking the bank.

Add a whole new level of convenience and entertainment to your drive with the PlayAIBox Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless adapter with streaming service support for $79.97 until September 3.

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Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart PlayAIBox Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Wireless Adapter with Streaming Service Support $79.97 at the Mashable Shop
$129.99 Save $50.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: This foldable touchscreen car display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support could make your next road trip even better. Get it on sale for just $79.97 (reg. $159.99) through Sept. 3.

Summer road trips are the stuff of great memories: wind in your hair, a perfectly curated playlist, and the open road ahead. But getting lost, fumbling with your phone for directions, or struggling to pick the next song can kill the vibe. That’s where this 6.8-inch foldable touchscreen car display comes in handy, turning your car into the ultimate road trip machine for $79.97 through September 3.

Whether you’re navigating to the country's best diners or blasting your favorite tunes, this gadget has you covered. With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, you can easily access your favorite apps for navigation, music, and even hands-free calling, all on a sleek 6.8-inch foldable touchscreen for your dash.

The foldable design is a game-changer, letting you stow it away when you don’t need it and popping it up when you do. Plus, screen mirroring makes it easy to follow directions without ever taking your eyes off the road.

Long drives are no match for this display. Connect your phone, queue up that epic playlist, and let the good times roll. The screen is large enough to easily see maps and messages, but compact enough to fit neatly into your car setup. And because it’s foldable, it doesn’t clutter up your dashboard when you’re not using it.

Ready to hit the road?

Grab this 6.8-inch foldable touchscreen car display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support on sale for $79.97 through September 3.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay 6.8" Foldable Touchscreen Car Display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Support $79.97 at the Mashable Shop
$159.99 Save $80.02 Get Deal

Spend enough time on X, the app formerly Twitter, and you're bound to get a questionable reply. It happens all the time. You see a tweet, and the context is lost. Are they kidding? Are they in on the joke you just made? Are they being funny or, for lack of a better word, an asshole? In short, you're left wondering: What do I make of this?

There used to be a hack for this problem: checking their Twitter Likes. Yet, in June, X made everyone's Likes private, which seemed like a relatively mild and benign change by Muskian standards. In reality, it's made the site considerably worse.

Twitter Likes were the most efficient and effective way to see a person's online soul. Within a moment’s scroll, you understood the context of what someone was about. You could navigate to the Likes tab on a profile, and if they liked a bunch of posts from other people being, well, assholes — congrats, you encountered an asshole. You could move along. Conversely, if the person liked good posts, you could safely assume they were making a joke at the expense of the assholes.

Privatizing Likes, like privatizing most anything, benefited the few at the expense of the public good. Elon Musk admitted the move was made to protect people from being "attacked" online for liking posts. However, it seems more like he's providing cover for the thin-skinned edgelords who want to like hurtful and offensive things without consequences. Musk himself is the poster boy and god-like figure of right-wing edgelords — do you think he wants his Likes public? Public Likes offered thin protection, but it was at least a tool to inspire better behavior online. You'd have to wonder: "Do I want people to see I liked this?"

Tweet may have been deleted

Likes symbolized passive appreciation and, thus, were a tool to see what someone enjoyed. And to be clear, I wasn't trawling through Likes to go after someone. It was a quick guide to know if I should ignore them or engage. Or, if an account followed me — I could see their Likes, along with their posts, and decide if they were a worthwhile follow. And in a more positive angle, public Likes were also a fantastic way to find good posts. I used to round up the best tweets of the week for Mashable, and scrolling through funny people's Likes was the best method for finding quality content. Many coworkers did similar.

Some smart people, including colleagues and great writers at other websites, have praised Likes going private because it frees you to like whatever you want and reduces the chance of embarrassment (and, in the worst cases, actual harassment) online.

But here's the thing: If privacy was the goal, there was already a solution. In 2018, Twitter introduced bookmarks. If you wanted to save something for later, mark something you disagreed with, or keep track of your favorite adult content, the bookmark tool has always been there. And it’s private. So, now X is just providing cover for people to like offensive or hurtful stuff. It’s a tool for the worst people to boost the worst content you see on the platform. Liking used to mean something. Now, it’s just a number.

And think of all the stories we'd have been robbed of if public Likes never existed. We'd never see Jason Sudeikis liking all the posts from people who hated Ted Lasso. We'd never have known that Donald Trump liked this quite odd 2013 tweet from a random guy posing in his house, yelling online about convicted murderer Jodi Arias. And, most importantly, without public Likes, we'd never have seen Ted Cruz's account liking porn from the aptly named account @SexuallPosts.

The website formerly known as Twitter was once a platform for people to show their taste, an absolute must-visit to see the funniest and most important things happening online. Privatizing Likes isn’t the worst thing Musk has done to degrade the experience on X (there’s plenty of that to go around), but it sure hasn’t made things better — only more boring.

After Butch Wilmore got settled into the commander seat of Starliner earlier this summer, he thanked the people preparing to blast him and his crewmate Suni Williams into space. 

"Outstanding. Nice job, guys," the NASA astronaut said before a launch attempt that ultimately scrubbed. "We'll see you in a couple of weeks — or longer." 

The launch commentators were amused. 

"Butch, planning on staying up there longer," said Jim May, a Boeing engineer, restating Wilmore's radio communication. "Maybe he'll do a couple of extra manual piloting demos while he's around there." 

A few days later, the two astronauts indeed launched to the International Space Station, and those earlier words reveal their state of mind before the flight: They knew their planned week in space might be more than that. But the words also foreshadowed the rest of the tortuous mission. 

SEE ALSO: The long, thorny history of Boeing's Starliner spaceship Boeing's Starliner arrived at the International Space Station with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on June 6, 2024. Credit: NASA

For more than two months, Wilmore and Williams have been in limbo 250 miles above Earth. Starliner, the new Boeing spaceship they test-piloted, experienced elusive propulsion issues on the journey. Now the U.S. space agency must decide whether to send them home in their test capsule or make complicated arrangements for them to ride a different spaceship — one built and controlled by Boeing's competitor, SpaceX. Boeing, for its part, firmly believes Starliner can handle the job.

Switching to SpaceX's Crew Dragon is not an ideal solution for NASA, either. The change would have a cascading effect on launch pads and the flight schedule. 

"We're reaching a point where that last week in August, we really should be making a call, if not sooner," said Ken Bowersox, NASA's associate administrator of space operations.

Aside from the general concern for Wilmore and Williams' health — their bodies receive excess radiation and bone deterioration in space — the agency faces a ticking clock with the manifest. 

Starliner's test pilots Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams could remain in space for six more months if NASA decides to send them home in a SpaceX capsule. Credit: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

The U.S. segment of the space station has four ports — two for spaceships and two for cargo freighters. Right now one SpaceX capsule and Starliner occupy both crew docks. There's no interoperability between U.S. ships and Russian ports, and cargo spots aren't equipped for passenger craft. In short, the parking lot is full. 

NASA already postponed the next crew rotation one month to buy some time to figure out the path forward for Starliner, but the delayed SpaceX capsule will be on its way to the station on Sept. 24. Starliner will have to undock before then, whether with human pilots or robotically, to accommodate the other SpaceX spaceship. 

In addition to logistics at the station, NASA has had to consider how changes would affect operations on the ground. By delaying the next SpaceX Crew-9 flight, for example, the agency has had to scramble to get certification to move the launch to a different pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Otherwise, Crew-9 would interfere with preparations for the launch of Europa Clipper, a robotic science mission set to study one of Jupiter's moons. 

All the shuffling leaves a fairly tight window in September for Starliner to leave. If NASA chooses not to send the Starliner astronauts home in Starliner, they'll remain at the station until February 2025, turning their original eight-day visit into an eight-month layover. 

If the Starliner crew returns in a SpaceX spaceship, they won't come home until February 2025. Credit: NASA

"At some point, we need to bring those folks home, and get back to a normal crew size on the ISS," Bowersox said. 

Though astronauts are trained for unanticipated changes in departures and arrivals, an extended stay in space will mean the two will be separated from their families for more than half a year.

Even astronauts, who are sometimes viewed as superhuman, can succumb to the tedium of life away from Earth. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who recently spent 371 days at the space station because his Russian ride home sprung a coolant leak, said it was a stressful ordeal. 

"The psychological factor was more of a factor than I expected," he said then.

Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore have worked on deferred maintenance tasks and repairs at the space station. Credit: NASA

Wilmore and Williams have been put to work since they arrived. In addition to diagnostic tests on Starliner, they have assisted in other ways at the orbiting laboratory. Both have taken up deferred maintenance tasks — such as assembling a backup urine processor dubbed "Frankenpump" — that at times have made them seem like glorified space janitors. 

Having extra crew on hand to pick up slack has been a perk for NASA, but it also has its drawbacks. More people in orbit means extra mouths to feed, and extra carbon dioxide to filter out of the air. Time on exercise machines has to be meticulously managed to ensure everyone stays fit in the weightless environment. 

Getting Starliner through the testing phase has been a relentless battle for Boeing, though its representatives have not always been forthcoming on why the program has suffered so many setbacks. A string of issues has spanned a decade. 

After the Space Shuttle retired in 2011, NASA hitched all of its rides on Russian rockets to the space station, costing the United States tens of millions of dollars per ride. Some considered it a national embarrassment. 

With Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, there are nine people at the International Space Station right now. Credit: NASA

NASA hired Boeing and SpaceX to build commercial spaceships to carry astronauts to and from the station in 2014. While SpaceX's capsule went into service four years ago, Boeing's Starliner has yet to obtain certification for regular flight operations. NASA never intended to have all its eggs in Elon Musk's basket and says Starliner is still crucial to have as a backup. 

In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Boeing said Starliner's problems cost the company $125 million in the last quarter, with a likelihood that it would "record additional losses in future periods."

When asked which way Wilmore and Williams' wanted to travel back to Earth, Joe Acaba, NASA's chief astronaut, said it wasn't up to them. 

"This is not really a preference thing," he told reporters on Aug. 14. "They are going to wait for us to analyze the data and to come up with the decision, and, again, they will do what we ask."

Is there anything that embodies “prestige viewing” more than the limited series? With a clear endpoint, writers don’t need to bloat their plots to plant seeds for future conflicts. Their characters can strive for clear, definable goals. Production budgets don’t need to keep yearly renewal in mind. A limited series makes for fantastic television because it has the luxury of hyperfocus — if we’re only telling one story, let’s tell that story really dang well. 

That’s perhaps why limited series lend themselves so elegantly to book adaptations. There’s more space for details than a movie, but no need to invent storylines for additional seasons. And since we think everyone should get to enjoy this stellar class of entertainment, we’ve put together the absolute best limited series you can stream; all the top-tier dramas, histories, romances, murder mysteries and more that your prestige-loving heart desires.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best TV shows of 2024 (so far)

Note: All anthologies and multi-season series have been disqualified from consideration. Additionally, documentaries have not been included. We've got separate recommendations for that.

35. One Day Credit: Netflix

On their last day at the University of Edinburgh, aristocratic playboy Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and idealistic bookworm Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) unexpectedly spend the night together. Despite their being total opposites, the pair hit it off and eventually go their separate ways — as friends. But that’s not the end of their story. 

Based on the popular David Nicholls' novel of the same name, One Day is a lovely and emotional romance. By following one day from each year of Emma and Dexter's relationship, we see how their age changes their approach to life, to each other, and to love. A charmer and a tearjerker. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Contributing Writer

How long: About six hours and 40 minutes, over 14 episodes

How to watch: One Day is now streaming on Netflix.

34. Baby Reindeer

Adapted from his one-man play of the same name, Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer is one of most complex, bruising, and captivating watches of 2024. Gadd is Donny Dunn, a bartender and floundering comedian who feels compelled to show kindness to a customer, Martha. Right away, Donny can tell Martha (Jessica Gunning) is a pathological liar, but he soon comes to find she's also an unstable stalker. Tens of thousands of unanswered emails later, Donny asks himself, why did he reach out to her in the first place, and why hasn't he reported her to the police? 

An unflinching exploration of trauma, Baby Reindeer gives us no clean resolution. As Mashable's Sam Haysom writes, "It's difficult to find fault with Baby Reindeer. The acting is brilliant across the board, Gadd's writing is excellent, and the only thing that might put some people off is the darkness of the subject matter. The show is raw and honest, and the characters don't always make the decisions we want them to make." It might be hard to watch, but it's even harder to look away. — K.G.

How long: About four hours, over seven episodes

How to watch: Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.

33. Mary and George Credit: Starz

The horniest period drama of 2024 is Starz's Mary & George, a truly excellent, darkly comedic tale about a mother and son using every tool at their disposal (sex) to gain power. In 17th-century England, Mary Villiers has big plans for her second son, George. His good looks are undeniable, and guided by Mary's strategizing, can be used as a weapon to raise the family's station. But Mary's not trying to snare a mere earl or duke! No, she's got her sights set on the king himself, whose taste for beautiful men is an open secret. 

Based on the nonfiction book The King's Assassin by Benjamin Woolley, Mary & George is stylish, moody, and deliciously wicked. Julianne Moore is pitch-perfect as the coldly plotting mother, while Nicholas Galitzine is magnetic as her gorgeous but angsty son. A sexy and delightful watch! — K.G.

How long: Just over six hours, over seven episodes

How to watch: Mary & George is now streaming on Starz.

32. Fellow Travelers

In the Lavender Scare of the 1950s, thousands of LGBTQ government employees were deemed "security risks" and unceremoniously fired. And it's against this backdrop of McCarthy-era paranoia and secrecy that Hawk Fuller, a World War II veteran, and Tim Laughlin, a Congressional staffer, meet and fall in love.

A decades-long romance ensues; it's a high-stakes affair that puts their jobs and livelihoods on the line. Fellow Travelers is a moving story of love and truth featuring Matt Bomer, Jonathan Bailey, and their scintillating chemistry. — K.G.

How long: About six hours, over eight episodes

How to watch: Fellow Travelers is now streaming on Paramount+.

31. Maid Credit: Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

Created by Molly Smith Metzler and adapted from Stephanie Land’s bestselling memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive, Maid is an absolute gut punch that will likely make you cry more than once. Margaret Qualley is excellent as Alex, a young woman struggling to leave an abusive relationship while continuing to care for toddler daughter; she’s paired with her real-life mother Andie McDowell, who is fantastic as Alex’s well-meaning but unreliable mom.

We follow Alex’s agonizing journey from navigating a women’s shelter to facing the baffling catch-22’s of the American welfare system (she can’t get state-sponsored child care without a job, but she can’t get a job without child care), and more. It’s a powerful meditation on perseverance, as well as a brutal examination of how incredibly short the United States falls in supporting those struggling to survive.* — K.G.

How long: Nine hours, over 10 episodes.

How to watch: Maid is now streaming on Netflix.

30. Station Eleven Credit: Ian Watson/HBO Max

Whether or not you have read Emily St. John Mandel's celebrated novel of the same name, this lavish adaptation proved must-see TV. (Well, not TV — must-see HBO!) Station Eleven creator/showrunner Patrick Somerville thoughtfully reimagined the setting and some stirring specifics of Mandel's dystopian drama, making for a story familiar yet surprising.

In a world ravaged by plague, a scrappy theater troupe — called the Traveling Symphony — tours settlements to bring the pleasures of Shakespeare to the survivors. But how did humankind come to this place of ruin and revival? Weaving past and present in a ragged but riveting tapestry, this mini-series gave an almost alarmingly optimistic look at the apocalypse. Grounding the sensational storytelling is a critically heralded cast that includes Mackenzie Davis, Matilda Lawler, Himesh Patel, Gael García Bernal, and Danielle Deadwyler. * — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor

How long: Nine hours, over 10 episodes.

How to watch: Station Eleven is now streaming on Max.

29. Under the Banner of Heaven Credit: Michelle Faye/FX

Detective Jeb Pyre (a stirring Andrew Garfield) begins to question his faith and his church while investigating a brutal murder in his small Mormon community in Under the Banner of Heaven.

The FX series is a haunting adaptation of Jon Krakauer's non-fiction book that investigates the very real murder of Brenda Wright and her baby in Utah in 1984. As a fictionalized retelling, Under the Banner of Heaven weaves a story of religious extremism, generational trauma, the power and limitations of faith, and above all else, of a bright, kind young woman who got caught in the middle. Creator Dustin Lance Black’s (Milk) take is complex, deeply affecting, and beautifully shot, with glimpses of Latter-day Saint historical figures flashing through Detective Pyre’s mind, as he struggles to reconcile his beliefs with his suspicions about the involvement of the church. Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Gil Birmingham, Denise Gough, and Wyatt Russell each give remarkable performances, making Heaven a truly unforgettable watch. — K.G

How long: Seven and a half hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Under the Banner of Heaven is now streaming on Hulu.

28. Mrs. America Credit: Sabrina Lantos / FX

This FX miniseries dramatizes the '70s feminist attempts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and conservative spokeswoman Phyllis Schlafly's campaign to stop the ERA in its tracks.

Cate Blanchett plays Schlafly, whose conservative values clashed with the idea that political, civil, and legal rights should be equally extended to American men and women. Rose Byrne plays legendary feminist activist Gloria Steinem, who supported the law. Mrs. America tells a heightened version of the incredible history of the ERA and the swaths of American women who fought for and opposed equal rights on the basis of sex and gender, and like many historical dramas is as entertaining as it is occasionally infuriating. * — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How long: Seven and a half hours, over nine episodes.

How to watch: Mrs. America is now streaming on Hulu.

27. A Very English Scandal Credit: BBC

A fascinating dramatization of a trial that consumed British media cycles in the late '60s early '70s, when homosexuality was decriminalised in England but not legal. Russell T Davies' A Very English Scandal tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe, a liberal member of Parliament, and his secret former lover, Norman Josiffe, who publicly accused Thorpe of attempting to murder him. It's a compelling, surprising, and unexpectedly bubbly retelling of an abusive relationship and a government official's spectacular fall from grace. Hugh Grant is wonderful as the slimy MP, while Ben Whishaw is positively magnetic as a complex victim with a dramatic flair.*  — K.G.

How long: Three hours, over three episodes.

How to watch: A Very English Scandal is now streaming on Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: The 15 best British TV shows of 2024 (so far) — and how to watch them 26. From Scratch Credit: Stefano Montesi/Netflix

Zoe Saldaña has spent much of the last few years in green makeup (for Guardians of the Galaxy) or in a motion capture suit (for Avatar). But in this beautiful, heart-wrenching adaptation of Tembi Locke’s memoir, Saldaña is just a human in love — and it is captivating. 

As Amy, Saldaña travels to Florence to study art against her father’s advice. There she meets Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea in an electric and swoon-worthy performance), a passionate Sicilian chef who's all in on Amy after his first glance. After a few false starts, a profoundly moving romance ensues, and we watch the pair’s love grow and evolve as life throws challenges their way. From Scratch is enthralling in its intensity, boasts a stellar cast (Danielle Deadwyler, Keith David, Giacomo Gianniotti, and more), and luxuriates in its gorgeous shots of food. You will fall in love with this couple and simply will not be able to stop watching or move on with your life until you find out how their story ends.* — K.G.

How long: Eight hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: From Scratch is now streaming on Netflix.

25. Mare of Easttown Credit: HBO

25 years ago, Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) was a star high school athlete with a promising future ahead of her. Nowadays, she’s a bitter, divorced detective whose name is being dragged through the mud over a missing persons case she couldn’t solve. When another local girl vanishes, Mare must push aside personal dramas — and inner demons — to crack the case. This small but gruff blue-collar town outside of Philadelphia is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, so surely someone must know something.

Creator Brad Ingelsby brings together a crackling cast that includes Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, Guy Pearce, and Evan Peters. Together, they build an enveloping atmosphere of snark and suspicion and a darkly amusing crime drama that had tongues wagging, critics cheering, and jaws dropping. It’s no mystery how Mare of Easttown earned 16 Emmy nominations.* — K.P.

How long: Seven hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Mare of Easttown is now streaming on Max.

24. Transatlantic Credit: Anika Molnar

The year is 1940. France has been invaded by Germany, and all out war is imminent. But hope remains at the Hotel Splendide in Marseille, where a scrappy, ambitious org called the Emergency Rescue Committee is corralling all its resources, legal and…not so legal, to evacuate artists, writers, and thinkers wanted by the Nazis. Led by Mary Jayne Gold (Gillian Jacobs), Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith), and Albert Albert Hirschman (Lucas Englander), the ERC refuses to abandon their mission, even as the stakes grow ever higher for them and their charges.

Transatlantic is a stylish and captivating drama is based on a remarkable true story. The Emergency Rescue Committee helped find safe passage for Hannah Arendt, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Marc Chagall, and countless other dissenters targeted by the Nazis for the audacity of their ideas. Created by Anna Winger (Unorthodox) and Daniel Hendler, and adapted from Julie Orringer’s original historical fiction novel The Flight Portfolio, Transatlantic is an affecting and scenic mini-series with a sensational international cast.* — K.G. 

How long: Six hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Transatlantic is now streaming on Netflix.

23. The Patient Credit: Suzanne Tenner / FX

Disturbing and fascinating, The Patient is one of those thrillers you can’t drag your eyes away from. Steve Carrell is Dr. Alan Strauss, a psychotherapist who wakes up one morning chained in a basement by a patient, serial killer Sam Fortner (Domhnall Gleeson), and forced to provide therapy or else Sam will give into his violent and homicidal urges. The stakes are high, but the therapy is captivating. There’s no way out for Alan other than through, and he genuinely tries to tend to his patient while dealing with his own grief and attempting to escape. From The Americans' Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, The Patient will hook you in its first enigmatic minutes, and the tight, superbly-acted half hour installments will keep you pressing “next episode” before you can even think to stop yourself. And why would you?! — K.G. 

How long: Five hours, over ten episodes.

How to watch: The Patient is now streaming on Hulu.

22. I May Destroy You Credit: HBO

English writer/actor/producer Michaela Coel first broke through with her cheeky, sex-centric comedy series Chewing Gum. With this addictive follow-up, her provocative humor turns to darker corners, exploring the issues of social media influence, anti-Black racism, consent, and rape culture.

In I May Destroy You, Coel stars as Arabella Essiedu, a twenty-something writer who relishes a wild night out on the town. But when one such night ends with a blackout, bloody forehead, and troubling flashbacks, Arabella pieces together her experience of sexual assault, turning to her friends, new lovers, and dubious distractions to cope. Coel writes with poignant realism, as the series followed her own sexual assault, which happened while filming Chewing Gum. Surrounded by a suitably superb cast, which includes Weruche Opia and Paapa Essiedu, Coel delivers an electrifying portrayal of a woman on the verge. Her critically heralded 12-part creation has won two BAFTAs, one for her lead performance, the other for Best Mini-Series, as well as a slew of Emmy nominations. * — K.P. 

How long: Six hours, over 12 episodes.

How to watch: I May Destroy You is now streaming on Max.

21. The Haunting of Hill House Credit: Steve Dietl/Netflix

If you don't mind yelping in fright every so often, open the front door on Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House. A genuinely frightening drama from creator Mike Flanagan, based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel, the series centres around the concept of family trauma and grief. But there are plenty of scares too, and a mystery that will genuinely chill you, about five siblings and their parents who live in a truly haunted house. Hill House will keep you on the edge of your couch until the last showdown.* — Shannon Connellan, Editor Mashable UK 

How long: 10 hours, over 10 episodes.

How to watch: The Haunting of Hill House is now streaming on Netflix.

20. The English Credit: Diego Lopez Calvin/Drama Republic/Amazon Studios/BBC

When we first meet Emily Blunt’s Lady Cornelia Locke, she’s wearing a bright pink, frilly 1890s frock, a stark contrast to the searing blue sky and arid yellow earth of the remote American West outpost where her story begins. She does not belong in this ruthless, lawless place. But she traveled all the way from England for revenge on the man responsible for her son’s death — and she will stop at nothing to get it. Luckily, she meets Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), a Pawnee man and former cavalry scout for the Union army who has his own score to settle. Together, the unlikely pair travel through hostile territory, unraveling their painful pasts and finding solace in each other's strength.

From director Hugo Blick, The English is a stunning, emotional, and brutal Western that defies expectations. You will not be able to guess where it’s going, or where it came from — but you will be utterly hypnotized by the power of Blunt and Spencer’s performances. — K.G. 

How long: About five hours, over six episodes.

How to watch: The English is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

19. The Dropout Credit: Beth Dubber/Hulu

By now you’ve certainly heard about Elizabeth Holmes, disgraced, turtleneck-wearing founder of the scam medtech company Theranos who was convicted of fraud in 2022, sentenced to 11.25 years in prison. And just two months after her guilty verdict landed, a strange and excellent miniseries chronicling her rise and fall dropped on Hulu. Whoever scheduled The Dropout’s premiere date deserves a raise. 

Amanda Seyfried earned an Emmy for her deep-voiced, disquieting, and magnetic portrayal of Holmes. This mini-series is a wild ride that keeps your jaw firmly dropped to the ground the whole way through — but we can’t stress this enough, this is all based on a true (and truly bonkers) story. * — K.G.

How long: Six hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: The Dropout is now streaming on Hulu.

18. Unorthodox  Credit: Anika Molnar/Netflix

The first Netflix series whose primary language was Yiddish, Unorthodox is an empathetic, moving story of a 19-year-old woman fleeing the oppression of her Hasidic Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She travels all the way to Berlin to find safe haven, but when her former husband learns she is pregnant, he journeys to Germany to bring her back. Based loosely on Deborah Feldman’s memoir, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, this ground-breaking limited series treats its subject matter with respect and intimacy. There is no villain here, only people shaped by the worlds they grew up in. — K.G. 

How long: Four hours, over four episodes.

How to watch: Unorthodox is now streaming on Netflix.

17. The Night Of Credit: HBO

The buzziest watch of 2016, The Night Of is a hall-of-famer when it comes to prestige limited series. Based on the first season of an award-winning British show, Criminal Justice, The Night Of follows Nasir "Naz" Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American student who spends a wild night with an enigmatic woman and awakes the next morning to find her stabbed to death. With no recollection of events, Naz panics, runs, and is quickly picked up by police. There’s not much hope for his puzzling case, until a seasoned public defender (John Tuturro) agrees to take Naz’s cause.

SEE ALSO: 75 TV shows you can binge from start to finish on a flight

Gripping, patient, and devastating, The Night Of is an irresistible mystery that takes the crime drama formula and digs deeper, mining more emotion, more complexity than the standard detective fare. It’s no wonder that it was an awards season darling, taking home five Emmys, including outstanding lead actor in a limited series for Ahmed. — K.G. 

How long: Nine hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: The Night Of is now streaming on Max.

16. 1883 Credit: Courtesy of Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Though it's technically a prequel, there's no need to watch Yellowstone to appreciate this sweeping Paramount+ original. 1883 is a massive undertaking, making headlines for its unprecedented budget ($10 million an episode!) and scale of production. Luckily, Paramount's big investment has paid off. 1883 is a scenic, moody drama about the Dutton family's journey west from Fort Worth to Oregon. Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) is our protagonist, narrating over ruminative sunset shots over endless plains, vibrating with hope for a trek the show ultimately warns us will only bring doom. Rattlesnakes, bandits, covered wagon accidents — 1883 depicts the brutal, stark reality of the real Oregon Trail.

Sam Elliott is perfectly cast as the hardened covered wagon boss — his mustache has never been more fitting — and LaMonica Garrett is magnetic in an exciting role that promises to undo decades of Black cowboy erasure. As Elsa's parents, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's comfort on horseback and in Stetsons help them fit right in alongside the veteran cast. Making adequate space to address the complex nuances of the often-violent conflicts between settlers and Native Americans, 1883 is a modern, ruminative Western whose gorgeous landscape is just as important as its affecting human drama. * — K.G. 

How long: Nine hours, over 10 episodes.

How to watch: 1883 is now streaming on Paramount+.

15. The Queen’s Gambit Credit: Charlie Gray/Netflix

Anya Taylor-Joy became a household name from this popular, award-winning limited drama series based on a Walter Tevis novel from the '80s. Taylor-Joy is Beth Harmon, a cold, withdrawn orphan who strives to become a world chess champion and struggles with addiction. We’re on Beth’s journey from the beginning, starting with her time in a 1950s orphanage that freely gives tranquilizers to kids to dull their behavior, then following her into her adoptive family, all while she builds her skill and thirst for the game of chess. Though The Queen’s Gambit miraculously manages to make slow, cerebral chess matches absolutely thrilling, the hook here is the humanity of the characters and the captivating story of a girl demanding more from life than she was handed. Moses Ingram, Bill Camp, Marielle Heller, Harry Melling, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and more fill out the talented cast from this top-notch watch that single-handedly caused chess set sales to skyrocket 1000 percent when it debuted. — K.G.

How long: Six and a half hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: The Queen’s Gambit is now streaming on Netflix.

14. Midnight Mass Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Writer/director Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) is known for creating spine-tingling, bone-rattling horror without many jump scares, and Midnight Mass is no exception. Friday Night Lights' Zach Gilford is Riley Flynn, a former investment banker returning to his hometown who now feels slightly out of place in the religious Catholic community. Around the same time, a young, charming priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives to bring energy and life to the Crockett Island congregation, and strange occurrences are spotted all over town. Mysterious sightings and unexpectedly dead animals spread fear while religious "miracles" spread fervor. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. Philosophical, sophisticated, and terrifying, Midnight Mass is both a slow-burn horror series and a moving meditation on grief. — K.G.

How long: Seven and a half hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Midnight Mass is now streaming on Netflix.

13. Godless Credit: Ursula Coyote/Netflix

Gilded with violence, glory, and cowgirls, Godless puts a feminist spin on the western. Divided into seven parts, the story of Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels) pursuing his rival Roy Goode (Jack O'Connell) into the all-female town of La Belle, New Mexico brings inventive framing to the storytelling staples we love. Not to mention, the performance by Merritt Wever is to die for. —Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How long: Around nine hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Godless is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Tiny Beautiful Things Credit: Elizabeth Morris / Hulu

Award-winning writer Cheryl Strayed is best known for her brazenly honest and poignant memoir, Wild, about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail while processing the tragedies of her past. But fans know some of her most moving work was done as Dear Sugar, an anonymous advice columnist whose empathetic, personal, and raw responses redefined the advice genre. The most beloved of her Dear Sugar answers were compiled into an excellent book, Tiny Beautiful Things, which was adapted into an excellent miniseries in 2023.

Pitched as the story of an alternate Cheryl Strayed who never hiked the PCT, the Hulu show centers on a lapsed writer, Clare (played by a superb Katherine Hahn), whose life is a complete mess. Her husband has kicked her out, her daughter barely tolerates her, and her past trauma is threatening to drown her completely. But when Clare accepts an offer to be an anonymous advice columnist, she finds unexpected hope and a reminder that she might still have something to offer the world. Produced by Wild collaborators Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, and created by Liz Tigelaar, Tiny Beautiful Things is an emotional hurricane, bringing you to laughter and tears within each tight, wonderfully crafted episode. — K.G.

How long: Four hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: Tiny Beautiful Things is now streaming on Hulu.

11. Maniac Credit: Netflix

Somewhere between a Black Mirror episode and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Netflix's Maniac combines psychological thrills with a stunning tale of connection. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill appear as participants in a drug trial operated by scientists with questionable methods and one testy computer. Stunning sequences and savvy performances make this an impactful yet fun binge. — A.F.

How long: Six and a half hours, over 10 episodes.

How to watch: Maniac is now streaming on Netflix.

10. Catch-22 Credit: Philipe Antonello / Hulu

Joseph Heller readers will delight in Hulu's faithful adaptation of his beloved novel. And those new to the dark world of Catch-22? Well, they'll soon be scrambling for the online book store. In this six-part World War II epic, bomb plane pilot John Yossarian (Christopher Abbott) struggles to survive an escalating conflict managed by those with less at risk. At once stupidly funny and painfully frightening, this is a good pick for anyone interested in feeling [gestures wildly] too much. — A.F.

How long: Four and a half hours, over six episodes.

How to watch: Catch-22 is now streaming on Hulu.

9. Fosse/Verdon Credit: FX

Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams lead as Broadway legends Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon in this reflection on a legacy. Told in a non-linear structure, Fosse/Verdon considers both the professional and personal sides of the esteemed entertainment power couple — examining how we attribute credit to men and women differently as well as what it means to separate the artist from their work. Perfection for Broadway fans. Pretty great for everyone else.* — A.F.

How long: Six and a half hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: Fosse/Verdon is now streaming on Hulu.

8. Sharp Objects Credit: HBO

Created from Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name, Sharp Objects is the psychological thriller/family drama still haunting us nearly two years later. Heart-stopping performances Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Eliza Scanlen slowly but surely morph this murder mystery into a grim journey through unbearable trauma. And that ending? I can't even begin. — A.F.

How long: Seven and a half hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: Sharp Objects is now streaming on Max.

7. Feud: Bette and Joan Credit: Suzanne Tenner/FX

It's Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon, so you shouldn't need much more convincing — but we'll do it anyway! For fun! Playing Hollywood icons Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, Lange and Sarandon recreate the cutthroat drama that went on behind the scenes of Robert Aldrich's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? It's a devilishly good time full of camp and cunning that still makes room for poignant reflections on the series' namesakes. (For what it's worth, Feud is supposed to be an anthology, but we haven't heard much on that front as of late.) — A.F.

How long: Seven hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: Feud: Bette and Joan is now streaming on Hulu.

6. Unbelievable Credit: Beth Dubber/Netflix

Based on An Unbelievable Story of Rape, factual reporting published by ProPublica and The Marshall Project in 2015, Unbelievable examines a disastrous investigation into one young woman's (Kaitlyn Dever) allegation of rape. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever star as the detectives hunting down a serial predator potentially related to case. Suspenseful and substantive, this eight-part series is essential knowledge for social justice seekers. — A.F.

How long: Six and a half hours, over eight episodes.

How to watch: Unbelievable is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Alias Grace Credit: Sabrina Lantos/Netflix

If you're counting down the days until Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale returns, then consider doubling back for Netflix's Alias Grace. Based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name, this work of historical fiction reimagines the 1843 murders of a man and his housekeeper. With sensational social commentary and magnificent lead performances, this is a show worth making time for. And at just four and a half hours, it's not even asking that much. — A.F.

How long: Four and a half hours, over six episodes.

How to watch: Alias Grace is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Escape at Dannemora Credit: Showtime

Acting powerhouses Benicio del Toro, Paul Dano, and Patricia Arquette team up to tell the true story of the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape. Beginning with a slippery love triangle and ending with a multi-week manhunt, Escape at Dannemora is a gripping personal drama with terrifying implications. Oh, and Michael Imperioli playing Governor Andrew Cuomo is just [chef's kiss]. — A.F.

How long: Seven hours, over seven episodes.

How to watch: Escape at Dannemora is now streaming on Paramount+.

3. When They See Us Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix

Created and directed by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us casts light on the tragic case of the so-called Central Park Five. Outstanding performances by numerous cast members, but especially Asante Blackk and Caleel Harris as the wrongfully convicted Kevin Richardson and Antron McCray, make this a masterclass in setting the record straight with both fact and feeling. — A.F.

How long: Five hours, over four episodes.

How to watch: When They See Us is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Chernobyl Credit: HBO

Many know the conceptual horror of the USSR's 1986 nuclear accident, but HBO's Chernobyl gives it a face you can't unsee. In this devastating five-part historical drama, an exquisite ensemble — including Jared Harris, Emily Watson, Paul Ritter, Jessie Buckley, and Stellan Skarsgård — reenact the incident and its catastrophic fallout in horrific detail. — A.F.

How long: Five and a half hours, over five episodes.

How to watch: Chernobyl is now streaming on Max.

1. Watchmen Credit: Mark Hill/HBO

We're still hoping Damon Lindelof will change his mind and turn Watchmen into an anthology series. But until then, we'll just have to settle for the mind-bending beauty that are the show's nine existing episodes. Regina King stars as Angela Abar (aka "Sister Night") in this extension of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' iconic comic book series. A meditation on trauma, Watchmen isn't for the faint of heart. — A.F.

How long: Nine hours, over nine episodes.

How to watch: Watchmen is now streaming on Max.

UPDATE: Aug. 15, 2024, 2:04 p.m. EDT This list was first published on March 28, 2020. It has since been updated to reflect streaming options.

TL;DR: Live stream the New York Giants vs. the Houston Texans for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It was a strong start to the preseason from both the Giants and Texans, with respective wins over the Lions and Steelers in Week 1. Both teams had standout performances, which means — while it's only preseason competition — there are players to watch from both sides, who could do big things once the real season kicks off.

Tommy DeVito looked solid for the Giants and could be central to plays in this game against the Texans. Quarterback Daniel Jones also returns to action for the Giants following an ACL injury last season, which makes this game a test for Jones too.

The Texans meanwhile have quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Tank Dell, a sharp combo in their Week 1 games against the Steelers, while David Mills and Case Keenum look to prove their value as the Texans' No. 2 quarterback.

If you want to watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere around the world, here's all the information you need.

When is the Giants vs. the Texans?

The New York Giants vs. the Houston Texans takes place at 1 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

How to watch the Giants vs. the Texans for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, simply sign up for free trials with either DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can register for free trials with each of these subscription-based platforms, one trial at a time, which will give you time to watch the remaining two weeks of the NFL preseason without spending anything. Just remember to cancel these trials before you incur any subscription costs.

Or you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason for free to viewers outside the US, Canada, and China.

All of these streaming services are geo-restricted to specific countries, so you'll also need to first sign up for a VPN in order to access them. A VPN is a handy tool that can mask your real IP address (digital location) and then connect you to a secure server in another country, which allows you to bypass restrictions and unblock free streaming services from around the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

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2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

4. Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

5. Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but the top VPN providers offer incentive deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Leverage these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams without spending anything in the long run. This is a short-term solution, but you'll be able to watch the NFL preseason fixtures before recovering any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

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• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95 — an overall saving of 49%. The plan is available for a limited time and also includes an extra three months at no additional cost, plus a year of unlimited cloud backup, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NFL preseason is now well underway, with a second weekend of games that includes the Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bills took a heavy loss to the Chicago Bears in the first week, which is sometimes all the incentive a team needs to come out fighting the next week. The Steelers meanwhile — who lost in Week 1 to the Texans — are dealing with some injuries, including first round pick offensive tackle, Troy Fautanu.

But as always with preseason, it's a chance to regroup, try some things on the field, and gain some momentum before the season kicks off for real.

The good news is that you can watch the NFL preseason action without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL preseason for free — no matter where you are in the world — here's all the information you need.

When is the Bills vs. the Steelers?

The Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers takes place at 7 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

How to watch the Bills vs. the Steelers for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you'll need to sign up for free trials at DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can sign up for each of these free trials, one at a time, which will give you enough time to watch the remaining weekends of the NFL preseason for free. But don't forget to cancel your memberships before incurring any subscription charges.

Alternatively, you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason for free for viewers outside the US, Canada, and China.

As all these streaming services are geo-blocked within specific regions, you'll need to sign up for a VPN to access them. VPNs are very useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, enabling you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

4. Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

5. Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

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The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but the top VPN services usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Simply take advantage of these deals to gain access to the NFL preseason live streams without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it does give you enough time to watch NFL preseason games before you recover your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95, which includes a bonus three months at no extra cost. That's an impressive discount of 49% but for a limited time only. This plan also gives you a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the Detroit Lions vs. the Kansas City Chiefs for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This year's Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, are back in action this week in the preseason, hosting the Detroit Lions.

The Chiefs are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl again this season, though the Lions scored the win in these teams' last meeting. Both the Chiefs and the Lions lost their Week 1 games, so they'll be looking to notch up a win in Week 2.

The Chiefs also have an injury to cover, after wide receiver Marquise Brown dislocated his shoulder in his Chiefs debut last week.

The good news is, you can watch the NFL preseason action without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is the Lions vs. the Chiefs?

The Detroit Lions vs. the Kansas City Chiefs takes place at 4 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in in Kansas City, Missouri.

How to watch the Lions vs. the Chiefs for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you'll need to sign up for free trials at DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can sign up for each trial to watch, week-by-week, which will give you enough time to watch each remaining weekend of the NFL preseason. Just remember to cancel your memberships to avoid incurring any charges once the free trials end.

Alternatively, you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason for free to viewers outside the US, Canada, and China.

All of these streaming services are geo-blocked to specific regions, but you can still access these platforms with a VPN, no matter where you are in the world. VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, allowing you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

4. Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

5. Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but leading VPN services usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can take advantage of these deals to gain access to live streams of the NFL preseason without committing with your cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it does give you time to watch NFL preseason fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes a bonus three months at no extra cost — that's an impressive 49% off for a limited time only. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been enjoying one of the best periods in franchise history, following four consecutive seasons in the playoffs, three consecutive NFC South titles, and a best-ever streak of 9-8 last season. Can the Buccaneers repeat that success in 2024? The preseason could give fans a flavour of what's to come. And last week they notched up a preseason win over the Bengals.

The Jacksonville Jaguars also scored a win last week, with their quarterbacks leading a victory over the Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs. It's the first step in improving on a disappointing end to last season for the Jaguars. Can they show further improvements against the Buccaneers in this Florida showdown?

If you want to watch the NFL preseason games for free, no matter where you are around the world, here's all the information you need.

When is the Buccaneers vs. the Jaguars?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at the EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.

How to watch the Buccaneers vs. the Jaguars for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you can sign up for free trials with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can register for free trials with each of these subscription-based platforms, one trial at a time, which will cover the remaining weeks of the NFL preseason. Just remember to cancel these trials before you incur any subscription costs.

Alternatively, you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason fixtures for free to viewers outside the U.S., Canada, and China.

All of these streaming services are geo-restricted to specific countries, so you'll need to first sign up for a VPN in order to access them. If you've never used one before, a VPN is a handy tool that can mask your real IP address (digital location) and then connect you to a secure server in another country, allowing you to bypass geo-restrictions and unblock streaming services from around the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

4. Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

5. Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but the leading VPN providers usually offer incentive deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Leverage these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams, and without spending a dime in the long run. This is a quick fix solution, but you'll be able to watch the NFL preseason fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95 — an overall saving of 49%. The plan is available for a limited time and also includes a bonus three months at no additional cost, along with a year of unlimited cloud backup, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.