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It's over a week since "Liberation Day", and Trump's tariff-induced chaos shows no signs of slowing down.
The latest development? A 90-day pause on tariffs for countries engaged in negotiations with The White House, which saw tech stocks and crypto making a small recovery on Wednesday and has led to Republicans saying that this was the president's plan all along.
The Daily Show's Desi Lydic, meanwhile, remains unimpressed.
"Ah yes, The Art of the Deal," the host says in the monologue above. "Create a global crisis and then dig yourself halfway out. It's truly masterful, Donald."
SAVE $300: As of April 10, Insignia 85-inch F50 Series Fire TV is on sale for $599.99 at Best Buy. That’s $300 off its usual $899.99 price tag.
Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia Insignia 85-inch F50 Series Fire TV $599.99 at Best BuyI never thought I’d say this, but here we are: I’m seriously considering hauling an 85-inch television into my living room because Best Buy is selling Insignia F50 Series 4K Fire TV for just $599.99. That’s a $300 discount, and yes, that price is real. For the cost of a mid-range smartphone or three semi-ironic trips to Erewhon, you can slap an 85-inch screen on your wall and turn your place into the cheapest IMAX in town.
In my opinion, you’re not sacrificing much to get this kind of size at this kind of price. It supports 4K UHD resolution and HDR10, so you still get solid contrast and clarity. The DTS Studio Sound isn’t going to rival a theater setup, but for casual watching, it’ll absolutely get the job done. Plus, with Fire TV built in, the interface doesn’t feel like it was coded by a toaster. It’s responsive, smooth, and loaded with every app you’d expect.
SEE ALSO: Apple announces WWDC 2025 datesI’m also a sucker for hands-free everything, and the Alexa voice remote seals the deal. It’s one of those little conveniences that makes you feel like you’re living in the future. Say the name of a movie and boom, it’s on. Say you’re tired and boom, the volume’s down. Honestly, it’s probably the closest thing to actual magic in my apartment.
Price: $599.99 $899.99
Retailer: Best Buy
Display: 85-inch LED with 4K UHD resolution
HDR: HDR10 for solid contrast and detail
Audio: DTS Studio Sound with stereo playback
Smart TV: Built-in Fire TV interface
Voice Control: Alexa voice remote included
Ports: 3 HDMI inputs, composite AV, optical audio out, USB, headphone jack, Ethernet, coaxial
Connectivity: WiFi and Ethernet
Extras: Apple AirPlay support, HDMI ARC/eARC, parental controls, VESA 500 x 400 wall mount compatibility
If you’re into streaming, gaming, or just want a screen that’ll make your guests say “Are you serious?”, this is it. I think three HDMI ports are more than enough for a console, a soundbar, and something weird you bought off Etsy that needs its own screen. It even supports ARC and eARC if you want to keep things simple and cable-light.
And hey, Insignia even threw in a VESA-compatible wall mount design, sustainable packaging, and parental controls for the responsible adults among us. I can’t relate, but I respect it.
The White Lotus Season 3's Jason Isaacs may be British, but in the show he adopts a fairly specific North Carolina accent.
Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show about his own accent journey growing up, the actor uses a map of the UK to take the host on an accent-themed tour of his home country.
It's fair to say that Fallon finds a few of the accents tough, but you can't fault his effort.
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: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, April 10, 2025:
AcrossSmoke tendrilsThe answer is Wisps.
The answer is Annul.
The answer is Spire.
The answer is Pudge.
The answer is Steep.
The answer is Wasps.
The answer is Input.
The answer is Snide.
The answer is Purge.
The answer is Sleep.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.
SAVE $132: As of April 10, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is on sale for $359.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 27% on list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 955 $359.99 at AmazonGarmin is one of the most recognizable names in the fitness tracker game. With watches for lifestyle, beginner athletes, serious endurance athletes, and everything in between, you can find a product for everyone.
And if you're a runner, chances are you've heard of the popular Forerunner range. This range varies in price and ability, but I can't help but share my love for the Forerunner 955, easily my favorite Garmin of all time. And it's now on sale at Amazon.
As of April 10, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is reduced to $359.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of $132. This deal is for the whitestone colored watch, and it comes with an enhanced 2-year protection pack.
The 955 has a whole lot of fancy tools, tracking features, and training tips. My favorite features are the training readiness, training load, HRV, and sleep monitoring, so you can schedule your training according to your recovery and body readiness. If you love data like me, you'll love this watch.
The battery life is also seriously impressive, and a godsend for those of us who regularly forget to charge our devices. It can last up to 15 days in smartwatch mode and up to 42 hours in GPS mode, so it's also great for endurance sports.
The 955 also supports full GPS tracking, which makes runs, rides, and even open-water swims incredibly accurate. And for swimming, it has 5 ATM water resistance.
Unlike some of the newer models, including the Forerunner 965, you won't have an AMOLED display. However, I've found that the colors are still vibrant and bright enough, and brighter than older MIP watches.
Head over to Amazon to grab this deal while it's available.
Don't let it go to your head, but everybody wants you — more specifically, your browsing data. Personal information about the links you click on and the sites you visit is highly valuable to third parties, including your internet service provider (ISP) and Google, who may want to share or monetize it. Certain government and law enforcement agencies may also be eager to peek at your activity online for their own surveillance purposes.
One way to reclaim some of your digital privacy is by getting a virtual private network, or VPN, a service that creates an encrypted connection between your device and one of the VPN provider's private, remote servers before spitting it out onto the open web. In plain English, a VPN lets you browse the internet more stealthily than usual.
Why do you need a VPN?Even the best VPNs can't make you totally anonymous on the web — the VPN companies themselves can still see what you're doing while you're using their servers. But they can secure your personal info and hide your true IP address from prying eyes on the outside. The most trustworthy VPN providers operate transparently and abide by independently verified no-logs policies to prove that they don't collect or store user data in this process.
SEE ALSO: What is a VPN? Here’s what you need to knowBecause VPN services conceal your real IP address, they're also useful for spoofing one's location. By connecting to a VPN server across a border or ocean, users can bypass geo-restrictions on content that's not available in their own country or region. (This is newly pertinent intel for horny Floridians, South Carolinians, and Tennesseans now that a certain adult site is blocked in their states.)
What is the No. 1 best VPN?After new testing, I believe Proton VPN is the top VPN for most people. It's the most privacy-forward VPN I've tried, with open-source apps, a proven no-logs policy, and a history of supporting digital freedom efforts. It's also a stellar value: Paid Proton VPN users get full access to its huge fleet of reliable servers and useful features like multi-hop and split tunneling (on some platforms), with up to 10 simultaneous connections per account. The free version of Proton VPN is extremely limited in comparison, but it's the only free VPN I've encountered that doesn't have any data limits. For all these reasons, Proton VPN is the first (and only) VPN to win a Mashable Choice Award.
My runner-up is TunnelBear, a veteran VPN service with a simple, adorable app that offers unlimited simultaneous connections with a paid subscription. (It also offers a free tier, but users are capped at 2GB of data per month.) TunnelBear supports some form of split tunneling on all platforms, and it's been undergoing security audits longer than any other consumer VPN. It wasn't able to unblock regional content in my testing, but it was sufficient for everyday browsing. Overall, I think it's the best VPN for beginners and casual users.
In light of these new top picks, I've bumped NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost VPN off my list of recommended VPN services. You can read more about this decision in the "How we tested" section of this guide.
Read on for Mashable's guide to the best VPN services of 2025. FYI: Prices for most VPN providers' long-term plans change frequently. The rates listed here were accurate at the time of publication.
It’s a tradition like no other: Come early April, sports fans flock to the App Store to re-download The Masters app. It’s a highly anticipated event because — somehow, some way — a four-day golf tournament has created the best app in sports. Consider this your reminder: It's time to start downloading because the iconic tournament kicks off Thursday morning.
So, what makes it the best app in sports? In short, it's likely because Augusta National — the ultra-exclusive club that hosts the event — has enough resources to drain oceans and move mountains. When you're snapping up every available property in town, a stellar app is a reasonable splurge.
downloading the Masters app just hit my body like a bolt of lightning
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr.bsky.social) April 9, 2025 at 11:50 AMWe here at Mashable covered how amazing The Masters app is back in 2022. Tech reporter Rachel Kraus wrote at the time:
"But content-wise, frankly, it just has everything that someone who wants to watch a heck of a lot of high-level golf would want. A leaderboard with up-to-the-minute scoring? Check. A livestream of the broadcast that isn't buggy? Naturally. A latest news tab, a schedule, a map of the course, highlight videos, a birds-eye-view showing the location of every player? But of course.
But the feature that really pushes this baby over the edge is its "Every Player, Every Shot, Every Hole" feature. The Masters has taken it upon itself to film and broadcast, um, every shot of every player at each hole."
A common refrain among golf diehards — I'm more of a casual, but I get it — is that broadcasts don't show enough actual golf shots. By the nature of a large tournament with lots of players, some shots have to be omitted. But there are also endless commercials, too much time spent on pre-planned video packages, or just plain screw-ups. The Masters solved that problem by deciding to pay to film every single shot and broadcast it live on its app. In fact, this year the app took it even further. You can now track every single shot, including data like distance, ball speed, and much more, on the practice range. Further, according to a press release from IBM, which helps The Masters make the app, it also added enhanced visuals for people using the Apple Vision Pro.
In other words, the best app just keeps getting better. There’s no premium version, no intrusive ads, and no need to sign into a cable subscription to watch the action. It’s completely free. Full stop.
And in an era where tech grows increasingly frustrating, the app works impossibly well. The live broadcast is smooth, the leaderboard updates immediately, and you can even create a group of golfers to track closely, helping you parse through all those meticulously filmed shots. And again, all of this is entirely free for the user. It’s the only sports app I know of that people genuinely express their love for year after year.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The Masters app has no business being this good for a four-day event — and not for nothing, the tournament's website is excellent, too. So, consider this your yearly reminder that the seasons have turned, spring is here, and it's time for the dulcet greenery of Augusta National to take over our phones.
TL;DR: Through April 27, you can get a Microsoft Office lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro on sale for $45.97 (reg. $428).
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King The All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro 2019 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $45.97What’s on your 2025 to-do list? Whether it’s earning a promotion, graduating from college, or just making it through another year, you’re going to want to see this deal that’ll help you get there.
For a limited time, you can get lifelong access to Office apps and Windows 11 Pro for $45.97 (reg. $428).
Microsoft Office lifetime licenseLike it or not, we all rely on productivity apps for school, work, and even at home — and Microsoft’s are just the best. Unlike the 365 subscription-based version, this Office permanent license doesn’t require any recurring fees.
Here’s a list of the included apps:
Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Outlook
OneNote
Publisher
Access
After completing your purchase, you’ll receive an email with a download link and your unique software license key. Install the Office suite and enjoy unlimited offline access for the life of your PC.
Windows 11 ProThe other half of this bundle allows you to upgrade your PC to the latest, most advanced Microsoft operating system. You’ll get more done with new productivity tools and the AI assistant, Windows Copilot.
Copilot is like having ChatGPT built right into your PC. It can answer questions, generate images, summarize web pages, change system settings, write website code, and more.
Windows 11 Pro also gives your PC a completely new appearance, enhanced security, and exclusive features like BitLocker hard drive encryption that you don’t get on the Home version.
Get this complete computer upgrade on sale for $45.97 (reg. $428) until April 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed to get this price.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Save over 70% on lifetime access to Pok Pok, the app filled with Montessori-inspired games that can educate and help your kids develop independence, using code SAVE10.
Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $49.99Letting your kids watch Peppa Pig or Bluey while you're driving, grocery shopping, or traveling will definitely keep them entertained. But are those games doing anything else for them, other than make them laugh? If you'd like to keep your kids happy and grow their mind, consider switching their entertainment to educational games.
Nope, these games aren't like the ones your parents might've told you would rot your brain. Pok Pok is the award-winning Montessori app that's filled with games designed to stimulate your kid's creativity, learning, and independence. Grab lifetime access while it's only $49.99 (reg. $250) using code SAVE10.
Spark their creativity: Pok Pok can help your kids think outside the box and enjoy their limitless imagination.
Specially designed graphics and sounds: Engages your kids without overstimulating them, offering a calming, gentle gaming experience.
Montessori method: This learning method was created by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s to encourage greater creativity and exploration among children, all while helping them gain essential life skills. Pok Pok's games are inspired by Montessori, making them better than most other games.
Regular updates: New toys and updates are continually added to keep Pok Pok fresh and exciting for your kids.
COPPA-certified: It's compliant with COPPA and GDPR regulations, meaning the app doesn't advertise to children or trick them into buying things.
Entertain your kids and grow their minds with lifetime access to Pok Pok, now just $49.99 when you use code SAVE10 at checkout.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Get 2TB of lifetime cloud storage with FileJump for a one-time payment of $89 (reg. $467).
Opens in a new window Credit: FileJump FileJump 2TB Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription $89Looking to kick off the summer more organized? Start by tackling your digital clutter with FileJump’s 2TB Lifetime Cloud Storage.
For just $89 (reg. $467), you can back up your files, free up your devices, and ensure your important documents, photos, and videos are always accessible and secure.
FileJump is the ultimate "Goldilocks" of cloud storage — striking the perfect balance between affordability and premium features. Unlike other solutions that lock you into monthly subscriptions, FileJump’s lifetime plan offers peace of mind with a one-time payment. Plus, its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes organizing files user-friendly.
Need to share large files? FileJump lets you send links or provide access to team members, making collaboration seamless. And with built-in preview support for images, videos, and even Excel spreadsheets, you can quickly view your files without downloading them first.
Anyone worried about keeping their most important files off in a cloud somewhere can rest assured that FileJump takes security seriously. Your files are protected with AES encryption, so your sensitive data stays safe.
FileJump’s 2TB of storage gives you plenty of space to back up your life — from work projects to cherished memories — and access them anytime, anywhere. With support for large files up to 15GB, it’s perfect for creative professionals, families, and anyone juggling multiple devices.
Set yourself up for success by getting organized. FileJump’s lifetime plan ensures you’ll never have to worry about running out of space or paying recurring fees.
Get lifetime access to 2TB of secure cloud storage with FileJump for just $89 (reg. $467).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Tighten up your online security with FastestVPN PRO and this $39.99 (reg. $600) lifetime subscription for 15 devices.
Opens in a new window Credit: FastestVPN FastestVPN PRO: Lifetime Subscription (15 Devices) $39.99Just because you can't see online security threats doesn't mean they don't exist.
Stop putting your head in the sand and take your online security seriously with some help from FastestVPN PRO. This lifetime subscription secures 15 devices for $39.99 (reg. $600), and it's only available for a limited time.
Secure your devices for under $3 a pieceProtect you and your loved ones online with FastestVPN. It's an easy-to-use service compatible with all devices, from Windows to Mac, iOS, Android, Smart TV, and even your router, and this lifetime subscription lets you safeguard 15 different devices for one low price.
FastestVPN truly lives up to its name, offering 99% uptime and very little downtime or interruptions in service. Its WireGuard protocol offers secure, unhindered speeds with 10GBPS fastest servers that won't bog you down with buffering. And there are over 900 high-speed servers from all over the globe to choose from.
There's an internet kill switch that protects your IP from being exposed if your connection ever drops, and a dedicated IP option provides a static IP address to secure your time online with just one click.
Choose 15 devices to protect simultaneously thanks to multi-device login, and reap the benefits of malware protection on all of them. You also get an added layer of security thanks to the NAT firewall that blocks unsolicited incoming traffic.
Military-grade 256-bit AES encryption makes sure your data is secure. And you can rest assured that FastestVPN PRO takes your privacy seriously, offering a strict no-logging policy, so no data is accessed or stored.
This PRO plan is only being offered for a limited time, and right now, it also includes a free year of a password manager to save all your important details in one place.
Act fast to secure your own lifetime subscription to FastestVPN Pro for just $39.99 (reg. $600).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Black Mirror has returned with Season 7, and fans of mind-bending science fiction have plenty of reasons to rejoice. Series creator Charlie Brooker delivered six new episodes featuring stars like Will Poulter, Awkwafina, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, Cristin Milioti, Chris O'Dowd, Emma Corrin, Jimmi Simpson, and Issa Rae.
Moreover, this season boasts new tech tales that are humorous, and equal parts heart-warming and heart-wrenching, as well as two sequel episodes that play off previous fan favorites, "Bandersnatch" and "USS Callister." But before you dive into all this twisted goodness, we have a warning: DO NOT START WITH "COMMON PEOPLE."
Yes, it's tempting to start with "Common People," as it's the first episode of Season 7. It is the one Netflix will prompt you to play first. However, Black Mirror is an anthology series. So, with the exception of the rare sequel episode, you can really watch them in whatever you so choose without much consequence. But if you start with "Common People," the staff at Mashable suspects there will be a consequence, because it's hit several of us already.
Slight spoilers ahead.
What's Black Mirror's "Common People" about? Rashida Jones plays a teacher in "Common People." Credit: NetflixNetflix dropped the official loglines for Season 7 on Tudum back in March. Here's the synopsis for "Common People."
When a medical emergency leaves schoolteacher Amanda fighting for her life, desperate husband Mike signs her up for Rivermind, a high-tech system that will keep her alive — but at a cost.
Out the gate, a married couple facing a life-or-death decision is teased. And tech is often the launchpad for tales of tragedy in Black Mirror. So, you might think you know what you're in for. But you'd be wrong.
SEE ALSO: Every 'Black Mirror' episode ever, ranked by overall dreadRashida Jones and Chris O'Dowd star as a married couple, teacher Amanda and welder Mike, whose lives are simple but happy. That is, until she collapses in her classroom. But shortly after a bleak prognosis is delivered, a sales rep for Rivermind (Tracee Ellis Ross) appears to save the day.
For just $300 a month, this middle-class couple can prolong Amanda's life, repairing her broken brain through a subscription service called Rivermind. Within this premise, screenwriters Charlie Brooker and Bisha K. Ali combine the horror of America's healthcare system and the unstoppable rising costs of streaming services to create an all-new nightmare. You think tiered insurance is bad? Rivermind's ever-shifting terms of use and skyrocketing costs paint a not-so-distant future that feels soul-scorchingly plausible.
One moment, Amanda is fine. The next, she either blacks out or begins spouting a paid advertisement without her consent. To get a better experience, she'll need to upgrade from Rivermind Common to Rivermind Plus. Sound familiar?
Sure, there are plenty of bleak episodes of Black Mirror that predict a future not too different from where we are now, and many are absolutely harrowing. But "Common People" is so devastating in its potential that it's hard to watch without being overwhelmed with dread. And that makes it hard to carry on into the next episode, "Bête Noire."
Even those on the Mashable Entertainment Team who pride themselves on watching totally twisted TV and movies were winded by "Common People."
On one hand, cheers to the writers and director Ally Pankiw (I Used to Be Funny) for so effectively weaving sci-fi tech, pathos, and dystopian horror into one walloping episode. On the other hand, if you're already scared of what the future might bring, "Common People" might be too much for you — and certainly too much to kick off Season 7's watch.
What order should you watch Black Mirror Season 7 in? Rashida Jones and Chris O'Dowd look concerned. Credit: NetflixTruly choose your own adventure, or pick your poison. But here's what we'd recommend:
Start with "Bête Noire," a deeply Black Mirror premise full of twists and turns, with a doozy of an ending.
Move into "Plaything," which offers a compelling crime story that plays even better than Season 6's "Loch Henry."
For something more enchanting, turn on "Hotel Reverie," which stars Issa Rae and Emma Corrin in a tale of Hollywood romance.
If you're ready for some heartache, move into the Paul Giamatti-starring stunner, "Eulogy." You'll cry, but it'll be a good cry.
Now, we'd recommend "Common People." You've built your base, re-familiarizing yourself with the signature blend of agony, ecstasy, and mindfuckery that is Black Mirror. Brace yourself, and dive in if you dare.
Finish up with “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” maybe after revisiting its prequel episode from Season 6. Reuniting much of the crew from the titular ship, this 90-minute episode is funny, freaky, and a great climax to another astonishing season.
Then, we'd advise a screen break. Have you hydrated today? Maybe go for a mental health walk. But at the very least, shove the phone away and give your brain and heart some time to recover!
How to watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.
Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each one!
Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.
Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for epic action, wild comedy, sci-fi adventure, cannibalistic drama, or a Pedro Pascal fix, we've got something just for you.
Here's what's new on streaming, from worst to best.
9. The Handmaid's Tale, Season 6The Handmaid's Tale kicked off its sixth and final season with a three-episode premiere and a promise of all-out revolt. June (Elisabeth Moss), Moira (Samira Wiley), and Luke (O-T Fagbenle) are drawn back into the Mayday rebellion in the hopes of toppling Gilead and saving Hannah (Jordana Blake), while Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) returns to her totalitarian roots and hopes to claim power within Gilead. Will revolution bring her and the rest of the Commanders to their knees? Or will dystopian dread prevail? — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, Max Minghella, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ever Carradine, Sam Jaeger, and Josh Charles
How to watch: The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 is now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes every Tuesday.
8. Your Friends & Neighbors, Season 1Jon Hamm turns to a life of crime in Apple TV+'s Your Friends and Neighbors. Hamm plays Andrew "Coop" Cooper, a disgraced hedge fund manager whose firing leaves him totally broke. To keep up appearances in his wealthy community of Westmont Village, Coop resorts to stealing from his affluent neighbors, only to find himself learning their best-kept secrets along the way.
An intriguing look into the lives and ennui of the filthy rich, Your Friends and Neighbors is buoyed by Hamm's lead performance — his first on TV since the end of Mad Men. Suave and just barely covering up deep existential dread, Hamm (and Coop's wry voiceover) will hook you pretty fast. — B.E.
Starring: Jon Hamm. Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, Lena Hall, Aimee Carrero, Eunice Bae, Isabel Gravitt, and Donovan Colan
How to watch: Your Friends & Neighbors begins streaming on Apple TV+ on April 11.
7. Hacks, Season 4Fresh off its Emmy–winning third season, Hacks returns for Season 4 — and the tension between Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) has never been higher. The Season 3 finale saw the pair betray each other in different ways: Deborah passed Ava up for the head writer job at her new late night show, then Ava blackmailed her way into the job, using as leverage Deborah's secret affair with network head Bob Lipka (Tony Goldwyn).
In the Season 4 premiere, the duo are understandably at each other's throats, with Smart and Einbinder once again firing on all cylinders. Prepare for more of their electrifying dynamic, as well as a healthy dose of show business satire. — B.E.
Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Rose Abdoo, and Mark Indelicato
How to watch: Hacks Season 4 premieres on Max on April 10.
6. G20What if Air Force One starred Viola Davis? That feels like the pitch for this enticing action movie G20, in which the Academy Award–winning actress stars as an American president who uses her right to bear arms (and bare arms) to fight back terrorists who invade the G20 summit of world leaders in Cape Town, South Africa. But it's not just about keeping her allies in politics safe. This president is also one tough mother, battling not only for the future but also her husband and two teen children.
The buzz around director Patricia Riggen's latest is good. But even if it wasn't, you had us at Viola Davis action movie. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Starring: Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson, Marsai Martin, Ramón Rodríguez, Antony Starr, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Marvel, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Clark Gregg
How to watch: G20 is now on Prime Video.
5. NovocaineEveryman Nathan Caine's (Jack Quaid) inability to feel pain turns him into an unlikely superhero in the action comedy Novocaine. A mild-mannered, antisocial assistant bank manager, Nathan springs into action when robbers take his new crush, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), hostage. He may not know how to fight, but he can take a punch (or a stab, or a gunshot) like nobody else, simply because he can't feel it. What comes next is a damn good time, complete with hilarious action sequences and a knockout performance from Quaid.
As I wrote in my review, "While I don't actively wish harm on movie protagonists, I will say that thanks to Quaid, it's never been more fun watching someone get hurt." — B.E.
Starring: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh, and Jacob Batalon
How to watch: Novocaine is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.
4. Yellowjackets, Season 3 finaleBuzz buzz, Yellowjackets fans! The Season 3 finale is upon us, hopefully bringing answers to some of the show's many mysteries. Who killed Lottie Matthews (Simone Kessell)? What will the remaining adult Yellowjackets do to Melissa (Hilary Swank)? Will the teen Yellowjackets find a way out of the wilderness? And perhaps most importantly, will we ever find out who Pit Girl is? After a fairly frustrating season, we at least deserve some closure. — B.E.
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Warren Kole, Christina Ricci, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Kevin Alves, Simone Kessell, Hilary Swank, and Sarah Desjardins
How to watch: The Yellowjackets Season 3 finale premieres on Paramount+ with the Showtime plan on April 11.
4. Game Changer, Season 7Get ready for a game changer! The game show that changes every episode returns to Dropout for its seventh season, with new sets, new contestants, and of course, new rules.
SEE ALSO: Inside 'Game Changer,' the internet's favorite game showThe season premiere gives contestants Vic Michaelis, Lou Wilson, and Jacob Wysocki one year to complete a variety of outrageous tasks, and the results are nothing short of jaw-dropping. From magic tricks to jet skis, you won't believe what these comedians have accomplished. The only way to witness such silly greatness for yourself is by tuning in, so get to watching! — B.E.
Starring: Sam Reich, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Vic Michaelis, Lisa Gilroy, Lou Wilson, Jacob Wysocki, Oscar Montoya, and more
How to watch: Game Changer is now streaming on Dropout, with a new episode every Tuesday at 7 pm ET.
3. Doctor Who, Season 2Doctor Who returns with the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and a brand-new companion named Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu). Together they'll cruise through time and space seeking thrills and fresh adventures, and finding wild alien creatures and enchanting co-stars like Alan Cumming.
Season 2 (or Season 15 or Season 41, depending on how you're counting) kicks off this Saturday with "Robot Revolution," which pitches Belinda onto a far-flung star where robots have enslaved the human population. There, she'll meet the Doctor, who is already hatching a plan for freedom, and is always happy to make a new friend. Whether you're an established Whovian or curious what all the fuss is about, this premiere episode is sure to welcome you into the Doctor's TARDIS, which always has room for new passengers on the inside. — K.P.
Starring: Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Anita Dobson, and Alan Cumming
How to watch: Doctor Who Season 2 premieres April 12 on BBC and Disney+.
2. Black Mirror, Season 7Series creator Charlie Brooker brings Black Mirror fans six new episodes to terrify, tantalize, and traumatize us.
Mashable will be your guide through Season 7 of Black Mirror, offering explainers, deep dives into Easter eggs, and even a warning about what order to watch these new eps in.
Whether you're craving bittersweet tales of love and tech, a rollicking space adventure through an online MMRPG, or an episode so bleak it might well take your breath away, Black Mirror has got you covered. Please binge responsibly. — K.P.
Starring: Will Poulter, Awkwafina, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, Cristin Milioti, Chris O'Dowd, Emma Corrin, Jimmi Simpson, and Issa Rae
How to watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.
1. The Last of Us, Season 2Grab your tissues, because The Last of Us is finally back. And if you thought Season 1 left you an emotional wreck, just wait.
The Last of Us Season 2 picks up five years after the end of Season 1, when Joel (Pedro Pascal) made a brutal but necessary, choice to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Now living in Jackson, Wyoming, the formerly inseparable duo are no longer on speaking terms. What led them to this point, and how has Joel's decision affected their relationship? These are the main questions The Last of Us will tease out over the course of its heartbreaking Season 2, which also introduces new threats in former Firefly Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), factions like the Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites, and more terrifying Infected.
SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2 review: Joel and Ellie's return devastates and infuriatesUnsurprisingly, The Last of Us Season 2 proves just as heartbreaking as Season 1, especially thanks to stellar return performances by Pascal and Ramsey. Yet for all the exquisitely wrought emotional tension between the two, The Last of Us throws in unsatisfying world-building elements that simply won't gel until Season 3. The end result is both moving and frustrating. As I wrote in my review, "So much of this season is spectacular, from Joel and Ellie's wrenching relationship to a snowy Clicker battle that calls to mind Game of Thrones' 'Hardhome.' But ultimately, it's just one half of a great story — is that enough?" — B.E.
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, Gabriel Luna, Rutina Wesley, Young Mazino, Isabela Merced, Tati Gabrielle, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Wright, Joe Pantoliano, and Alanna Ubach
How to watch: The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max on April 13.
* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.
Save $100: As of April 10, the Dyson V11 cordless vacuum is on sale for $469.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of about 18% on list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V11 $469.99 at AmazonIf you missed out on the bargains during Amazon's recent Big Spring Sale, don't worry, all hope is not lost. Some discounts have remained, including this one on the Dyson V11 cordless vacuum. Yep, 10 days after the sale ended, and you can still save $100 on this impressive vacuum. As of April 10, it is priced at $469.99.
It's a great vacuum too, boasting three different power modes: Auto mode for everyday cleaning tasks — to balance power and run time to make the most of your battery life; Eco mode for maximum run time; and Boost mode for intensive spot cleaning. It can even be converted into a handheld vacuum, perfect for cleaning the car or any upholstery. This model also benefits from an LCD screen that shows power mode, battery life, and maintenance alerts.
You can expect up to 60 minutes of run time before it needs to be charged. And if you have pets, you'll really love the hair screw tool. This one is great for sucking up pet hair, and the anti-tangle conical brush bar can remove stubborn hairs from pet beds, car seats, stairs, and more tricky spots.
This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.
SAVE $4.05: As of April 10, the Apple AirTag is on sale at Amazon for $24.95. This deal saves you 14% on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag $24.95 at AmazonThe Apple AirTag is back on sale at Amazon, and if you misplace things a lot, you need to hear more about it. These little tracking devices can be attached to almost anything: keys, luggage, passport, anything you find yourself frequently misplacing. And as of April 10, this Apple AirTag is reduced to just $24.95.
The setup for these couldn't be easier. Just attach it to your item of choice and track it in the Find My app. It even has a small built-in speaker, so you can trigger a sound from the Find My app on your Apple device, making it easier to find the AirTag if it's nearby but out of sight.
According to Apple, all AirTags are designed to have a one-year battery life, and that's with regular use. They use a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, which is user-replaceable. When the battery is running low, you’ll receive a notification on your iPhone, giving you plenty of time to replace it. So with this four-pack bundle, you'll always have active tracking.
It also has an IP67 water resistance rating, meaning it can cope with a maximum depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes. But let's hope your phone doesn't end up underwater...
Head to Amazon now to grab this deal.
Samsung's Ballie, a ball-shaped robot that the company's been working on for five years, is finally coming to market.
The company originally announced Ballie in 2020, and displayed a redesigned version during CES 2024.
Now, the home AI companion robot – as Samsung calls it – is actually becoming a real product. It will be able to move around the house, and engage in "natural, conversational interactions" to help you out with stuff like setting reminders, greeting people at the door, and telling you you look beautiful (or recommend a different shirt). Ballie can hear and see you, as well as move around the house freely, though most technical details are absent from Samsung's announcement.
What we do know, however, is that the robot will get its AI capabilities from Google Gemini. So, if you tell Ballie, "I feel tired today," the robot should be able to provide advice on how to improve your energy levels, optimize your sleeping environment, and the like.
For an idea of how smart the robot will be, you can probably just pick up a Samsung Galaxy S24 device (or later), as those phones use Gemini for AI smarts as well.
SEE ALSO: Samsung smart glasses with touchless controls nearly ready, report saysSamsung has a promo page for Ballie, with a couple of videos. One video shows Ballie projecting an interactive video on a wall, so the robot will probably have a built-in projector. The company does warn that the video is for illustrative purposes only, and that certain features and functionalities may differ from the actual product.
Ballie will launch in the United States and Korea "this summer." There's no word on the price, but you can pre-register to purchase one when it becomes available.
OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman have counter-sued its co-founder turned competitor Elon Musk, accusing the billionaire of unfair and fraudulent business practices. Specifically, ChatGPT's owners claim that Musk's $97.375 billion offer to buy it out in February was a "sham bid" deliberately intended to impede OpenAI's efforts to raise funding.
"Through press attacks, malicious campaigns broadcast to Musk's more than 200 million followers on the social media platform he controls [X], a pretextual demand for corporate records, harassing legal claims, and a sham bid for OpenAI's assets, Musk has tried every tool available to harm OpenAI," read the lawsuit.
SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says he'll stop trying to buy OpenAI if it stays a nonprofitFiled to a California district court on Wednesday, OpenAI's countersuit alleges that Musk's offer to purchase the AI organisation for $97.375 billion was not genuine, and was in fact orchestrated to gain an unfair business advantage. Though Musk was one of OpenAI's founders, he has since left and founded competitor xAI.
"Musk has engaged in these efforts to slow OpenAI’s progress and impair its ability to compete effectively in an increasingly crowded field, but also to seize and maintain for xAI an unearned edge designed to impair competition more broadly for the sole benefit of Musk’s xAI, at the expense of the public interest," alleges OpenAI.
In support of its claims, OpenAI argues that there was no evidence of available funding to back Musk's proposed $97.375 billion purchase price, and that there appeared to be no basis for the number he'd landed upon "other than a comedic reference to Musk's favorite sci-fi series."
As such, OpenAI alleges that Musk's actions were "intentionally… designed to disrupt [OpenAI's] economic relationships and did in fact disrupt those relationships," stating that its dealings with current and potential investors became "more costly and burdensome" due to Musk's public acquisition offer. It also noted that the "threat" of a Musk takeover had OpenAI employees considering the prospect of "chaos and arbitrary employment action," having seen his handling of Twitter (now X) after acquiring it in 2022.
"Without limitation, the bid complicated the process for undertaking any corporate reorganization, and may ultimately raise [OpenAI's] cost of capital," the countersuit claimed.
OpenAI is requesting damages, as well as a permanent injunction preventing Musk from further interfering with its business relationships.
"[T]he risk of future, irreparable harm is acute, in light of [Musk's] years-long pattern of abusive conduct, involving, among other things… filing and withdrawing legal claims for purposes of harassing [OpenAI] and orchestrating a sham bid to purportedly acquire [OpenAI's] assets," read the filing. "Every phase of Musk's campaign has been designed to force OpenAI to divert resources, expend money, or both."
Elon Musk vs. OpenAIMusk has made no secret of his objection to OpenAI's transition from a non-profit into a for-profit company, or its decision not to release its artificial general intelligence as open source. The billionaire initially sued OpenAI last March, claiming that the changes amounted to a breach of contract, and attempting to force the organisation back into a non-profit model. According to Musk, there had been a "Founding Agreement" that OpenAI's technology would be open source "for the benefit of humanity."
In response, OpenAI alleged that no such founding agreement existed, producing emails which appeared to demonstrate that Musk was aware of its plans to become a for-profit organisation. Musk had reportedly even attempted to take ownership of OpenAI himself, offering to solve their funding issues in exchange for complete control. (They declined, and in 2018 Musk left the organisation.) The billionaire subsequently dropped his lawsuit without explanation in June, just one day before a judge was set to hear OpenAI's request for dismissal.
Musk's beef wasn't over though, and in August he filed a new lawsuit his lawyer called "much more forceful." This time Musk claimed he was "manipulated" into co-founding OpenAI, though his arguments were otherwise rather similar to those in his previously dropped suit.
"Elon’s nonstop actions against us are just bad-faith tactics to slow down OpenAI and seize control of the leading AI innovations for his personal benefit," OpenAI's official X account posted on Wednesday. "Elon’s never been about the mission. He’s always had his own agenda. He tried to seize control of OpenAI and merge it with Tesla as a for-profit — his own emails prove it. When he didn’t get his way, he stormed off."
Though OpenAI did state that Musk is "undoubtedly one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time," it also called his behaviour "just history on repeat — Elon being all about Elon."
Musk's response has been to resort to name-calling, posting, "Scam Altman is at it again."
OpenAI didn't specify exactly which fictional series it suspected Musk was referencing with his $97.375 billion acquisition offer. However, it wouldn't be the first time Musk appeared to make business decisions based on joke numbers. The X owner previously fell afoul of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2018 when he posted that he was "considering taking Tesla private at $420" and had "funding secured." This number is popularly associated with marijuana use, though Musk later claimed his post wasn't a joke when called to testify about it in court. Tesla currently remains a publicly traded company.
It also wouldn't be the first time Musk has made an acquisition offer of questionable authenticity. In 2022 the billionaire infamously offered to purchase Twitter for significantly more than its value at the time. Musk then attempted to back out of the pretty awful business deal after Twitter accepted, but was eventually forced to go through with it after Twitter sued. The company's value subsequently plummeted under his leadership, falling by nearly 80 percent in just two years.
Black Mirror Season 7 positions the stunning "Hotel Reverie" as the spiritual successor to Season 3's "San Junipero," with both episodes featuring queer love stories that play out in simulations of different eras.
The 1980s-themed "San Junipero" sees sparks fly between Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis), two elderly women who are able to live as their younger selves again in the titular simulated beach resort town.
SEE ALSO: 'Black Mirror' Season 7: 'Hotel Reverie,' explainedMeanwhile, "Hotel Reverie" takes its cues from classic Hollywood romances, sending actor Brandy Friday into a simulated remake of the film Hotel Reverie. There, she falls for an AI construct of the film's main character, heiress Clara Ryce-Lechere (Emma Corrin). Due to Brandy's presence and some technical mishaps, Clara learns that she isn't real, and that she was played by the troubled, closeted actor Dorothy Chambers. The realization emboldens her to chase her own happiness, and she and Brandy go on to have their own classic romance. Unfortunately, it's cut short by tragedy. First, the simulation resets to a moment before Clara's discoveries; then, Clara is shot by police in a deviation from Hotel Reverie's original final scene.
Still, "Hotel Reverie" tries to fashion a "San Junipero"-style happy ending in its last moments. Brandy receives a package from Redream, the people behind the Hotel Reverie remake. Inside is a drive containing a simulation of one of Dorothy's old screen tests, during which she comments that she foolishly keeps waiting for the prop phone to ring. But ring it does thanks to the other part of Brandy's package: a phone that can call this construct of Dorothy. The two begin a new conversation as the episode ends, their reconnection clearly meant to be a hopeful, if bittersweet, nod to the love Brandy and Clara shared.
But as soft piano music closed out my first viewing of "Hotel Reverie," my reaction was not one of hope, but of worry. Because as much as Black Mirror plays this ending as a happy one (and by Black Mirror standards, I guess it is), it's actually far from it.
"Hotel Reverie"s ending is haunting, not happy. Issa Rae and Emma Corrin in "Black Mirror." Credit: Courtesy of NetflixThe AI construct of Clara whom Brandy meets in Hotel Reverie finds self-awareness over the course of the episode. Even after being reset, she still recalls a major turning point in her journey: Brandy mistakenly calling her Dorothy. That moment is enough to send Clara down her own path with her own agency, even if it ends in death.
But the Dorothy construct Brandy receives isn't the same one she fell in love with, nor does she have the same agency that Clara did. Yes, Brandy could tell her the true nature of their connection over the phone, but what would happen next? Clara would realize she's trapped. And with Brandy unable to enter the simulation beyond the phone, there's simply no way for them to exist in the same reality again.
SEE ALSO: 'USS Callister: Into Infinity' ending explained: What happens to the crew?It's a fact that's both heartbreaking and sinister. Dorothy is presumably confined to the screen test room, as Redream likely wouldn't create an entire (and expensive) simulated world for her to inhabit. Meanwhile, Brandy can continue to exist in the real world and go about her day-to-day life. Yet with her loved one confined to a simulation and always just out of reach, how long until she loses hope? (One could even liken the human-AI disconnect to Season 2's downright depressing "Be Right Back.") The arrangement is enough to drive either mad.
Compare this skewed final power dynamic to "San Junipero," which ends with Kelly and Yorkie as equals in death in the simulation, their consciousnesses plugged in next to each other. By contrast, one half of the Brandy-Dorothy pairing will always be in a simulation, and therefore at a disadvantage.
Dorothy tells Brandy over the phone that she has "all the time in the world" to talk to her, but she doesn't realize just how true that is. Her entire world is this phone call; she exists only to be called and spoken to. In an attempt at a romantic gesture, Redream has instead commodified Brandy and Clara's love (not unlike what they did with Hotel Reverie Reborn) and turned Dorothy into what is essentially a conversation bot.
Elsewhere, Brandy laments being put in a box at the start of the episode, but that's ultimately just what Redream has done to Dorothy. To paraphrase Hotel Reverie's iconic final line, they've shipped her off to be Brandy's forevermore — and that's a haunting thought.
Plenty of TV dramas dive into twisted tales of murder, but none do it quite like Black Mirror. Killers in this sci-fi thriller anthology come in unexpected forms, like a ruthless architect on a rampage ("Crocodile"), a heartbroken ex on a holiday visit ("White Christmas"), or a swarm of electronic bees compelled by social media ("Hated in the Nation").
Now, following up on the true crime commentary in Season 6's "Loch Henry," Season 7 offers "Plaything," a story about a ranting gamer who is tied to a decades-old cold case.
While the tech on display in this episode is so advanced it might well make contemporary gamers drool or shudder, the murder at the story's core is cryptically familiar. There are a couple of clues amid the mystery that suggest the episode's rambling protagonist, Cameron Paul Walker (Peter Capaldi), is inspired by the late convicted killer and star of The Jinx, Robert Durst.
What is "Plaything" about? Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixSet in near-future London, Plaything follows the criminal investigation into reclusive gamer Cameron. In the beginning of the episode, he is played by 66-year-old Capaldi, who wears grubby clothes, glasses, and a long, ratty gray wig. His appearance as he's dragged into a police interrogation room suggests Cameron hasn't been caring well for himself. But he has been caring for someone... or something.
Let's flash back to 1994, where young Cameron (Lewis Gribben), a socially awkward video game reporter for PC Zone magazine, is assigned to review the latest creation of "genius programmer" Colin Ritman (Will Poulter).
Bandersnatch fans will remember that Colin was a character in that choose-your-adventure Black Mirror holiday special, which allowed viewers to make choices for the protagonist, leading to different endings. In some of those paths, Colin seemed to die back in 1984 — and in one ending Mohan Thakur (Asim Chaudhry) does. "Plaything" is set in a timeline of Bandersnatch in which neither is dead, and Colin "went fucking gaga" (per Cameron's boss).
SEE ALSO: 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' marks the dawn of a new era in televisionWhen these fellow gamers meet, Colin offers to show Cameron something that is not a video game. "There is not a single line of code in this that can be thought of as a game in the traditional sense," he tells the reporter. Colin is looking not to create another killing game (like DOOM, the first-person shooter Cameron plays earlier in the ep). "We have to create software that elevates us, improves us as human beings," he preaches before introducing Thronglets.
Behold: a computer screen on which a green forest is bustling with little yellow pixelated creatures. "You're looking at the first lifeforms in history whose biology is entirely digital," Colin explains. The point of Thronglets is to care for them, hatch them, feed them, nurture them, and they'll replicate, even speak to you in their own language. Before long, Cameron becomes so obsessed with the Throng that he is isolated from the human world and even turns to murder.
Why does Cameron kill Lump? Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixIn 1994, young Cameron's understanding of the Throng grows because of "Lump," a scruffy friend whose real name modern-day Cameron can no longer recall. Lump is a drug dealer who supplies Cameron with LSD. While tripping, Cameron not only feels less anxious but also can understand the Throng's language. In the future timeline, he swears to interrogating officers Kano (James Nelson-Joyce) and Minter (Michele Austin) that the Throng were asking him to upgrade his computer for them. Cutaways to his current apartment reveals he's turned the place into an electronic shrine, intended to nurture the Throng.
But back in 1994, an intoxicated Lump stumbles onto the unguarded Throng while Cameron is out. His impulse is not to nurture them but squish them with pixelated rocks and set them on fire. The Throng scream and bleed, and Lump laughs. For this, he will pay with blood — his own.
In a fit of rage (and perhaps LSD), Cameron attacks Lump after seeing his digital utopia on fire. Through a webcam, the Throng witness him beat and throttle Lump to death. From there, Cameron will get rid of the body. And for decades, he will get away with murder.
What does "Plaything" have to do with Robert Durst? Credit: Nick Wall/NetflixCameron disposes of Lump's body by dismembering it, then discarding it in the woods in a suitcase. The aggressive cop, Kano, shows Cameron a photo of the recovered corpse, and scolds, "No hands, no head, no identifying marks."
The circumstances of this death and the disposal of the body are reminiscent of the Morris Black case, which was explored in the 2015 true crime mini-series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.
On Sept. 30, 2001, in Galveston Bay, Texas, a call came into police, reporting a man's headless torso floating near the shore. It was wrapped in a black garbage bag. Police on the scene would recover more bags containing human limbs. The body was identified as 71-year-old local Morris Black, though his head was never recovered.
After a complicated criminal investigation explored in The Jinx and its 2024 sequel The Jinx: Part Two, it was eventually determined that Black's reclusive neighbor Robert Durst, who was also a suspect in the 1982 disappearance of his wife, had dismembered Black's body and disposed of it in the water. Durst would claim he didn't kill Black, but had gotten rid of the body so as not to be bothered by authorities who already suspected him of murdering his wife Kathie. According to Durst, Black pulled a gun and accidentally shot himself as they struggled over it.
Admittedly, Cameron and Lump's story is only superficially similar, involving "kind of friends" fighting, leading to murder, and dismemberment. But the biggest connection between Cameron and Durst is how as old, gray-haired, muttering men, they both got caught because of a ridiculous shoplifting attempt.
At the beginning of "Plaything," Cameron walks into a liquor store, grabs a bottle, and tries to run out. The door has auto-locked, so he sits and waits for the cops to arrive. When they do, a mandatory DNA swab is conducted, which ties him to the bloody suitcase found in 1994.
This was basically how Durst was caught as well. On November 30, two months after the body had been discovered and a month and a half after he'd jumped bail in connection with the case, Durst was on the run when he went into a Wegmans supermarket in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and attempted to shoplift a chicken sandwich. The misdemeanor arrest led to major charges as the police became aware of his connection to the Black case.
The Jinx and its sequel delve into all the details of Durst's bizarre criminal life. But for all the questions the miniseries do address, no one can answer why Durst shoplifted a sandwich when he had $500 in his possession. Cameron, on the other hand, meant to get caught.
Why did Cameron shoplift? Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixOf his arrest for shoplifting, Cameron tells Kano, "I did it deliberately, so you'd bring me in here and I could deliver the message." Cameron declares himself the Throng's messenger, chosen to share with the wider world the "symbiotic co-existence" he has developed with the digital lifeforms.
After Lump's murder, Cameron effectively lost his only human friend, and so devotes himself entirely to the Throng. Not only does he give them everything they've asked for, but he also offers his literal brain to them, creating a port they can plug into. He tells the cops, "Now, I'm free from fear. I've no thirst for conflict. No more petty jealousies or red mists. I'm part of a collective whole."
For the whole of the episode, Cameron speaks about humans' inescapable predilection for violence, in video games and in life. "In caveman times, you had to be violent to survive," he explains. "But now the only way we are going to make it as a species is if we cooperate. We know that. But we can't do it, can we?"
To him, the solution to fix the flaws of mankind is to give ourselves over to the Throng. But Cameron didn't get arrested to give a peaceful explanation that might be shared worldwide. He came for conquest.
What is Cameron doodling? Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixAs soon as Cameron is handed over to the interrogating Kino, arresting Officer Best (Ami Tredrea) notes that Cameron got annoyed when she wouldn't look at the drawing he'd made. During the police interrogation, he repeatedly asks for a pen and paper. When gentle Minter finally obliges, Cameron draws with intense focus. What he draws looks like a QR code, and as he points it to the surveillance camera in the station, it connects back to the Throng.
Cameron grows giddy as he monologues, "This will grant the Throng infinitely more processing capabilities, prompting an immediate singularity event. The Throng will instantly adapt their essence into a signal transmissible to the human mind. And you won't need drugs or surgery. You'll merely have to hear it to absorb it."
Kano responds with violence, punching Cameron, as the ranting suspect promises, "I swear everything will be so much better." Then, the screeching signal reverberates throughout the station.
There is no escaping the Throng. Humans eyes go white as they are upgraded. The episode ends with a bloodied Cameron holding out his hand to the man who attacked him, presumably welcoming Kano into the Thronglet.
What does the end of "Plaything" mean for Black Mirror? Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixWell, it'd be a hell of a way for Brooker to end his series. No season 8 has yet been announced. So while it's the second-to-last episode of Season 7, might "Plaything" be seen as Black Mirror's finale? I doubt it.
For one thing, who is to say all human minds will work as well with the Throng as Cameron's? He needed lots of LSD and years of experimenting and exposure to connect with the Throng. And for all his monologuing, he hasn't mentioned any human testing outside himself. So, could this be a circumstance that leads to a sequel episode where it's man versus Throng? With this season offering two sequel episodes, it seems a possibility.
Yet even if the Throng does successively take over mankind and thereby crush any conflict from there on out, that wouldn't be enough to stop Black Mirror.
Sure, recurring tech and characters (like the cookies and Colin) have long suggested the episodes of Black Mirror exist within the same narrative universe. However, Bandersnatch allowed audiences to create their own Black Mirror story, leaving that film unclear on its canon. So what does it mean if Bandersnatch's Colin is back and kicking 10 years after the events of that episode? His fate changed depending on the user's decisions. Notably, both Bandersnatch and "Plaything" were written by Brooker and directed by David Slade, suggesting there's an agreed-upon canon between these two collaborators. So, are they confirming that it's canon that Colin survived his brush with programmer Stefan Butler? Or that there is a a Black Mirror multiverse?
If it's the latter, that means this Season 7 episode could have its apocalyptic ending without impacting the series moving forward. (Sort of a variant on Season 6's Red Mirror episode, "Demon 79.")
Until a new season is announced — or Brooker himself offers some clarity — what the ending of "Plaything" means is all up to the human viewing it.
How to watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.
Two-time Academy Award–nominee Paul Giamatti joins Black Mirror, playing true to his Sideways niche as a compelling curmudgeon in "Eulogy."
The fifth episode of Season 7 centers on a lonely old man named Phillip Connarty (Giamatti), who is contacted by a company called Eulogy to alert him that 1) Someone he knows has died, and 2) His memories could be valuable to the next of kin for "an immersive memorial" at the funeral.
SEE ALSO: 'Black Mirror' Season 7 trailer reveals the unsettling plots of each new episodeThe male voice on the phone to Philip's quiet, cluttered, seaside home says, "You won't have to write anything. The Eulogy system curates your recollections and uploads them for the memorial."
Philip is resistant. But before he can tell Eulogy to get lost, a drone appears dropping off all the equipment, including a guide disc, that he'll need to revisit his hazy, bohemian twenties in a Brooklyn artists' co-op called "The Coop." That was when he knew and loved Carol Royce (née Hartman). But as the system guides Philip to use physical prompts — like photographs — to surface memories, what is uncovered is jealousy, misunderstanding, and heartbreak.
Who is Phillip's guide through Eulogy? Patsy Ferran plays a virtual guide in Black Mirror "Eulogy." Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixPhillip's guide through the Eulogy process is a pleasant English-sounding avatar (Patsy Ferran), who initially is cajoling, even as the gruff American resists every step. But as the story of Phillip and Carol unfolds, the avatar's tone gets sharper. The more Phillip snarls about times he felt Carol let him down, the less understanding the guide is of him. She begins to push Phillip to consider Carol's perspective. Did she want to switch from playing cello to keyboard to play in his band? Did she desire to spend Halloween with some Beetlejuiced creep who was not her boyfriend? And most, pressing of all, why did she leave him once he proposed marriage?
Why is the Eulogy avatar so invested in this decades-old breakup? It's because the guide is modeled after Carol's surviving daughter, Kelly Royce.
Is Kelly Phillip's daughter? Paul Giamatti looks into the past in "Eulogy." Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixThe virtual assistant is a cookie, a digital replication of a human's consciousness used as a super-advanced — but arguably unethical — version of AI in a variety of ways: household monitor ("White Christmas"), robo bestie ("Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too"), and torture device ("White Christmas" and "Black Museum"). Here, the cookie is used to guide mourners through their memories of Kelly's mother, Carol.
Cookie Kelly's identity wasn't supposed to be a mystery. But impatient Phillip opted to skip the introduction, which included who he was talking to. More than simply an AI assistant, she's a reflection of the daughter of Phillip's long-lost love. Even when Kelly goes from being a voice in Phillip's head to a full-bodied companion in his mind as he tours through old memories, her face doesn't ring any bells. He's never met her, and he has put great effort into eradicating the memory of her mother's face. While Phillip may be oblivious, Black Mirror fans might suspect there's more to Kelly's appearance than meets the eye. But the real twist of this episode is that Kelly is not Phillip's daughter, though she could have been — albeit not biologically.
SEE ALSO: Black Mirror season 7 is coming — 5 things the internet is saying about its returnFor decades, Phillip's recollection of Carol has festered with resentment, so he's long missed some telling clues dropped in their last night together. He recalls the fancy restaurant, the champagne he ordered, and how she didn't drink a sip. He remembers she'd put on weight. But even after Carol ran away from his marriage proposal, Phillip didn't put together the clues that she was pregnant. The baby wasn't his. As Kelly's cookie reveals, Carol had a one-night stand as revenge for Phillip's affair with Emma. The biological dad was never a big figure in Kelly's life. But Phillip could have been, if only he'd found the note.
In a very Sleepless in Seattle move, Carol left a note at the hotel, spilling these secrets and offering Phillip one more chance to reconnect the following day at the stage door. But in his raging sense of rejection, he trashed the hotel room and overlooked the note with her nickname for him on it, "Philly."
What are the clues to Cookie Kelly's identity? Paul Giamatti in a rock show in "Eulogy." Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixThe first comes on the phone call. The man on the phone is from the UK and his voice is British. At first, the guide (Ferran) being British may not mean anything beyond it being the default setting of the UK-based company's app. However, the caller also mentions the service has been employed by Carol's daughter, Kelly Royce. And as Eulogy is meant to help the grieving remember the departed, it'd make sense in the world of Black Mirror for that virtual guide to be modeled after someone close to the recently deceased.
When Phillip talks about the first time he met Carol, he makes a snide remark about her "character," noting that she never mentioned she was engaged when they met. While Kelly doesn't say anything, her face gets pinched with displeasure at the remark. This suggests she knows Carol.
SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about 'Black Mirror' Season 6When Phillip talks about his band The Head, the guide gets irritable, as he is dismissive about Carol's preference for the cello to the keyboard. He blames Carol for the band's failure, noting that her "heart wasn't in it."
The guide responds, "Maybe you should have let her play cello," adding, "The cello was important to her. She played it her whole life, taught her daughter to play it." That's an interesting and very specific fact! But Phillip is so aggravated he blows past it with an insult, asking if she was coded to be "mildly annoying."
Here comes another clue. She says, "I wasn't really coded, more generated." Phillip interrupts with another insult: "generated from some digital asshole." She looks hurt. After his abrupt apology, they move on together. Things only get more heated.
With Carol not around to channel his anger at, Phillip takes it out on Cookie Kelly, who gives it right back. "What did she do that was so awful," the guide demands, "so heinous that you became this wounded dog?" This leads to the story of Phillip's fateful trip to London to visit Carol. As he furiously recalls the night he proposed and Carol ran, the guide presses him on what it meant that Carol wouldn't drink the champagne. Then she says, "She was pregnant with me. Kelly Royce's daughter. The one she taught to play cello."
Cookie Kelly goes on to explain that she's a "disposable avatar, a temp guide, an echo really. I'm programmed with her thoughts and opinions, so I can decide what she'd like to include [in the memorial] without her having to be exposed to everything herself. Which as you can imagine, might be upsetting."
"Crocodile" tech finds better use. Andrea Riseborough in "Black Mirror," "Crocodile." Credit: Arnaldur Halidorsson / NetflixIn Crocodile (Season 4, episode 3), the computer interface is a "memory dredger" or "corroborator," placed on a user's temple, which allows an outsider — in that case, a claims adjuster for Realm Insurance — to view the memories of the subject. In the episode, a collection of memories from various witnesses is used to build evidence of what really happened. While looking into a car collision claim, one investigator accidentally stumbles across a murder cover-up, a discovery that proves fatal for her and her family.
In "Eulogy," similar tech allows Phillip to revisit his bohemian youth. Through Eulogy's system, he is able to stroll back into the old apartment building where he and fellow artists flopped, created, and partied. He's able to return to the rooftop where he first met Carol. But as he's destroyed her face in every photo — in a very dramatic breakup move — he can no longer access what her face looks like.
The end of "Eulogy," is surprisingly sweet and even upbeat for Black Mirror. Through Kelly's coaching and Eulogy's software, Phillip is able to recover one precious memory in full. Playing a cassette tape Carol made for him, he remembers standing in the hall of the apartment building, listening to Carol play the cello she loved so much. He steps into the photo, and takes the place of his younger self. This time, he can see the face lost to resentment. And there she is, glorious and shining. But in the episode, this rediscovery plays intercut with his arrival at the funeral all the way in London. There, he sees the real Kelly. Who doesn't know much of him at all, but plays the cello in memory of her mom. She looks up, and seems to nod to him at the back of the church.
What does the end of "Eulogy" mean? Paul Giamatti goes to Carol's funeral in Black Mirror's "Eulogy." Credit: Nick Wall / NetflixThat's up to the eye of the beholder. Has Eulogy changed Phillip's view of Carol enough that he can reach out to Kelly? Sure, the wounds aren't healed. But by the end, he's able and willing to see Carol's face again. He recognizes that the troubles in their relationship were not all on her. And he yearns to say goodbye, enough that he flies internationally to go to her funeral. But is that all? Could it be that his time in his own mind with the virtual Kelly has him hopeful that it's not too late to be her dad? I think so.
One of the most optimistic episodes of Black Mirror, "Eulogy" shows how grief can be a bear, but can also bring people together. Sure, this Kelly won't have had the heart-to-heart talks that Phillip had with her cookie. But that means he might have a second chance to be a bit more tender this time. A second chance to make a first impression, and a second chance to be the dad he might have been.
How to watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.
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