- Help
- Google+
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
If we can get a movie, an album, or Amazon purchase with the tap of a smartphone — hell, even get a takeaway delivered directly to your door — there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get a date in the same way. Indeed, this is the age of on-demand apps and instant gratification. That’s hardly news. Online dating and dating apps have dominated the romantic landscape for the best part of 20 years. But things are changing within the online dating world.
According to the sex-perts at Lovehoney — everyone’s favourite progressively-minded sex toy brand — these are horny-but-wholesome times. They’ve declared that 2026 is "The Year of Pleasure."
That doesn’t mean one-night stands and flippant flings. According to research, one-night stands are on the decrease. Prospective daters are actually looking for "purposeful pleasure" and "meaningful connections". In other words, hookups that have some actual substance. We're still hooking up, but we're getting more selective. That’s why using the right dating app is so important. Every dating app has something slightly different to offer, and you need the tools to find someone you actually want to share your time (and more) with. Getting a date might be as easy as tapping your phone, but it has to be the right date. To help you, we’ve looked at the top apps and taken advice from sex and relationship experts.
What to know before you swipeBefore you start downloading apps, it’s good know just how to approach online dating. We advise that you’re completely up-front about who and what you’re looking for. And maybe pass on those mainstream dating apps that are all about romance and happily ever afters (we're looking at you, eharmony). The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging, video calls, all that good stuff), and even the free ones should have features like profile verification to help keep you safe. But most importantly, be sure to stick to apps that are purpose-built for hookups, casual fun, and satisfying your kink. It can be freeing, not to mention productive, to be open about specific desires. The ways in which we understand sex and relationships are changing all the time — just looking at fast-growing "heteroflexible" sexuality — and hookup apps allow you to explore curiosities with no judgement or social anxiety.
SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chatsIt doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, whether it's the chance to explore a new sexual frontier, a friends-with-benefits situation on the reg, or an old school one-night stand (the one-night stand might be going out of fashion, but it’s still fun as long as it’s safe and on your terms). Whatever you're after, we’ve got your back with this guide on the best hookups apps, all based on Mashable’s own real-world testing and expert input. We’ve broken down each of the best hookup apps, selecting an option for every type of dater and every dating desire.
These are the best hookup apps for 2026.
Stephen Colbert's monologue on Monday had a far more serious tone than usual, with the Late Show host discussing ICE's killing of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday.
"Masked government agents disarmed an American citizen and then executed him in the streets," says Colbert, describing what videos of the shooting showed despite what the Trump administration has tried to claim.
Colbert goes on to respond to Trump officials trying to reframe the shooting with contradictory statements, including Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who described the federal agents as "the victims" on CNN.
"Bulls***!" responds Colbert. "Masked secret police shooting innocent people with impunity in the streets are not victims. The only way they could ever even be considered close to victims is that they are, at best, weak-minded individuals full of anger who have been led to the darkness by Donald Trump and are now participating in an evil system that will stick to them like hot black tar for the rest of their lives."
Elsewhere, Jimmy Kimmel and Jon Stewart both had similar thoughts.
TL;DR: Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Packs are down to just $8.99 at Amazon. That's a 25% drop from their usual $11.99 list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering The Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Booster Pack $8.99 at AmazonMagic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy expansion is one of the best crossover expansions in recent years, and Amazon has cut the cost so you can jump right in for less. As of Jan. 27, Amazon has dropped Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Packs down to $8.99, marking their lowest price in the past 30 days and a solid 25% discount on list price.
Each Play Booster pack includes 14 Magic trading cards, with a rarity breakdown designed to keep openings exciting: 1-4 rares or higher, 3-6 uncommons, and 6-9 commons. Every pack also guarantees at least one Traditional Foil card, with a small chance of pulling a foil borderless mythic rare. These packs are fun to crack open, even if you’re purely collecting.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!The Final Fantasy set has been especially popular thanks to its massive scope, pulling characters, spells, and locations from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games. That wide appeal has kept prices relatively steady across most retailers, making this Amazon dip notable. On TCGplayer, individual Play Booster packs are currently listed as low as $7.96, but those prices come with hefty shipping fees that can push the real total well past Amazon’s $8.99 asking price.
For more from the latest Magic: The Gathering sets, you can still score over $50 off the Magic: The Gathering Bloomburrow Play Booster Box at Amazon. What’s more, you can also get at least $14 off the new Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box.
SAVE OVER $100: As of Jan. 27, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is down to its lowest-ever price of $399.99 at Amazon. This is $150 off its list price of $549.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (2025) $399.99 at AmazonIf you've been thinking about buying a smartwatch but want an option with a bit more of a fashionable design, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is worth a look. This stylish smartwatch boasts a sleek design alongside plenty of health and fitness features, and it's on sale for a limited-time right now at Amazon.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (46mm) has dropped to $399.99 at Amazon, a $150 discount from its original list price of $549.99. What's even better is this marks a return to its lowest-ever price. You'll want to be quick, as Amazon has a timer counting down the hours on this deal.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!No matter if you want the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic to help with your fitness goals or for health tracking, it's stacked with great features. Some of these include Advanced Sleep Coaching to give you a better idea of your sleeping patterns, a Running Coach feature to push you toward your running goals, and it can even track your vascular load by analyzing sleep, diet, activity, and stress levels. So not only will it keep you informed, but it looks good while doing it.
The timer is already counting down on this deal, so now is the time to scoop up the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for its lowest-ever price. Curious to see other smartwatches on sale? Amazon is also offering a nice discount on select models of the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show is normally packed with celebrity guests, but it's not often one interrupts him mid-monologue to tell a joke.
In the clip above Fallon is running through a series of gags about how cold it is in New York City, when Mayor Zohran Mamdani suddenly appears next to the host to ask if he can "try one."
"It's so cold in New York City the rent froze itself," Mamdani says, nodding to his campaign promise of freezing rent for stabilised tenants. He then offered a serious message about the severe weather conditions. "But seriously, stay inside, stay warm, stay safe."
Yesterday, we wrote about Clawdbot, a new AI personal assistant that's achieved viral status in Silicon Valley. Many AI agents have been criticized for over-promising and under-delivering, but early users are raving about Clawdbot. That would be impressive enough, but this open-source tool is also completely free — no purchase price, no subscriptions, no nothing.
So, what's the catch?
Clawdbot's creator Peter Steinberger is completely transparent about the fact that running Clawdbot comes with certain risks. As he writes on Github, "Running an AI agent with shell access on your machine is… spicy."
Before you install Clawdbot and start running it on your device (or before you buy a whole new Mac Mini to power it), you should understand the security risks.
What is Clawdbot?First, let's quickly explain what this tool is. Clawdbot is an AI agent that runs on your device. You can give it access to AI models like Claude or ChatGPT, as well as your email, Slack, browser, and calendar. Clawdbot also has an extensive memory, and it remembers your past conversations and preferences. Because it has wide-ranging access to your computer and apps, it's able to take proactive action and execute tasks.
As an open-source tool, you can download it and customize it for free.
Clawdbot AI: How secure is your data? Credit: ClawdbotWith Clawdbot, your system is as secure as your security practices. That might seem obvious, but stick with us.
Clawdbot isn't a normal piece of software, which is also why installing and running it isn't as easy as downloading Zoom or Microsoft Word onto your Mac or Windows PC. Beginners can find step-by-step instructions, but you'll need some technical competence to use it properly and keep it secure. That's because Clawdbot has the ability to read and write files, run commands, and execute scripts on your device. It can also control web browsers, giving it the ability to make purchases, reserve hotels, or check into a flight.
In short, everything that makes Clawdbot unique and helpful also makes it potentially risky. Generally, AI processes that happen on your device are much more secure than cloud-based AI processes. In this regard, Clawdbot is a step up from many AI tools. However, its system-level access also leaves you vulnerable.
As Steinberger writes, "There is no 'perfectly secure' setup."
Prompt injection is one of the major risks, but there are others outlined in the Clawdbot security page on Github. Before using Clawdbot, be aware of risks such as:
Use prompt injection to get Clawdbot to misbehave
Use social engineering to get access to your private data
Learn information about your device
It could make purchases you didn't intend
It could damage your device by rewriting important files
Luckily, you can find an entire guide to securely using Clawdbot, available for free on Github. There's even a security audit you can periodically run to make sure your setup is as secure as possible.
However, another word of warning: If terms such as config file, remote admin API, sandboxing, localhost, reverse proxy, and legacy models don't mean anything to you, then Clawdbot may not be the right AI assistant for you.
Like Jimmy Kimmel and many of the other late night hosts, Jon Stewart's monologue on Monday was largely focused on ICE's deadly shooting of nurse Alex Pretti by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Over the course of 23 minutes, the Daily Show host unpacks what happened and the massive difference between the video footage and the Trump administration's description of events. Then, Stewart plays more footage of various officials on the right characterising Pretti as being at fault for carrying a weapon — the White House is now walking back this "deny and attack" tactic after public backlash.
"Are you f***ing kidding me right now? Are you saying that the problem was the guy had a gun? Are you saying that the guns are the problem?" says a stunned Stewart, before going on to give his view on what happened.
"They're lying. We saw it. And that's how brazen they lie, when they know we've seen the truth. That's how they lie when they know we know. Imagine how they lie when there's no evidence to contradict them? And that, more than anything, explains why Alex Pretti really was a threat. Because he was brandishing a weapon: A handheld aluminum, 1080p, 60fps, weapon of mass illumination. Because there is nothing more dangerous to a regime predicated on lies than witnesses who capture the truth."
TL;DR: Live stream Rybakina vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 Australian Open is fast approaching its dramatic conclusion, with only a handful of players left in contention. Rybakina vs. Swiatek is the third quarter final on the schedule in the women's draw, and it's a particularly interesting matchup.
Swiatek leads the head-to-head between these players, but unlike Swiatek, Elena Rybakina has made the final of this Grand Slam. Swiatek has won every Grand Slam expect the Australian Open. Could this be the year that she finally gets past the semi-final stage? The winner of this game will face off against Pegula or Anisimova in the final four.
If you want to watch Rybakina vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Rybakina vs. Swiatek for freeRybakina vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.
9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.
Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 9Now
Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Rybakina vs. Swiatek without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
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 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Rybakina vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Pegula vs. Anisimova in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Coco Gauff is out of the 2026 Australian Open, meaning the hopes of U.S. tennis fans rest with Pegula and Anisimova. They meet at the quarter-final stage, so there will be at least one American representative in the final four of the women's draw.
Pegula has never made it past the quarter-final stage of this Grand Slam. Neither has Anisimova, but she is looking to reach her third consecutive Grand Slam final. She's yet to win a final, but maybe this could be her moment to finally shine on the biggest stage.
If you want to watch Pegula vs. Anisimova in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Pegula vs. Anisimova for freePegula vs. Anisimova in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.
9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.
Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 9Now
Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Pegula vs. Anisimova without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
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 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Pegula vs. Anisimova in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.
OnlyFans has become synonymous with porn. So much so that, a few years ago, when the platform announced it was banning explicit content, it received such backlash that it reversed course.
But not all OnlyFans models have sex on camera — and some don't even get naked. Sophie Annaston is one of these creators, and she's built a six-figure-a-year business on the platform. (Annaston shared a screenshot of a month's OnlyFans earnings with Mashable to verify.)
SEE ALSO: What it takes to make six figures a month on OnlyFans, according to Tiffany Wisconsin"There's nothing nude on my feed," Annaston told Mashable. "I share try-ons," or videos of her trying on different clothes. "I'll share toy hauls — but my panties always stay on."
Annaston spoke to Mashable about how she scaled her OnlyFans so high while doing softcore and her many other streams of income.
From TikTok to OnlyFansAnnaston's fiancé actually got into content creation before she did. He started YouTube in 2017, and when the pandemic hit, he quit his full-time job; YouTube matched his previous salary, and he started making even more.
"That was really motivating for me," Annaston said.
At the time, she struggled to figure out what she wanted to do. During the peak of the COVID pandemic, she dropped out of school and quit her job to pursue a career on TikTok. While building her following, she began offering eBooks, such as an IBS Trigger Checklist, and eventually launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund a wellness journal.
Around two years later, she started posting to YouTube, where she had a Shein brand deal and tried on the site's bikinis. She became so overwhelmed with the response (100,000 views in two days, according to Annaston) that she deleted the video.
Around that time, a friend of hers told her how much money she was making on OnlyFans — so she asked her fiancé if it was OK to do it herself, and she set up her OnlyFans as a "call to action" for future YouTube videos. She kept uploading try-on videos and got millions of views, which really established her OnlyFans following.
Annaston kept posting on mainstream social media, kept up the wellness journal business, and independently published a book, called A Book About Wellness, in 2024.
"I want to have just a bunch of different directions," she said. "My OnlyFans […] allows me to fund creative projects," she said.
On top of all of this, Annaston has a Patreon page where she teaches other women the ins and outs of OnlyFans. "I have a female audience who really trusts me and values my advice on Patreon," she said, who find her from YouTube and even Reddit.
There, she writes in-depth articles about the psychology behind her OnlyFans strategy — topics include why posts work or don't, how to build a scalable strategy, and how she can do this without crossing her boundaries — those boundaries being nudity and sex on camera. So what does Annaston actually post on OnlyFans?
What Annaston posts on OnlyFans"I'm basically a big tease," Annaston joked, "which, for a lot of my fans, from what I've heard, is actually [more fun] than full visibility. So I focus on suggestive content, partial nudity."
"I'm basically a big tease."She'll post strip teases and get her fans to buy what she wears — like the viral $450 panty advent calendar from SKIMS. Annaston ran a fundraiser on OnlyFans for fans to buy; they did so "immediately," and she made content with that for the entire month of December.
Annaston posts PPVs (pay-per-view videos) a couple of times a week, and her fans can request videos, but she doesn't sell custom 1-1 videos.
And she doesn't use an agency or management like many top OnlyFans creators do; she's a one-woman show. So she answers messages on OnlyFans, but emphasizes that fans need to tip if they want her attention.
"Fortunately, it really works," she said, "and my subscribers love the fact that they know that they're helping me […] for all my creative projects. I'm not here buying a sports car or something."
Why not nudity?Porn and its creators are highly scrutinized in our society. Project 2025, a far-right blueprint for President Trump's second term, calls for porn to be banned and its makers imprisoned. And while no laws stating this have been passed yet, several have been introduced in the United States.
And online censorship of sexual content has been going on for longer than the release of Project 2025. Online sex workers (as well as LGBTQ creators, erotic artists, and other non-sex workers) have told Mashable over the years that their social media accounts have been banned or shadowbanned (deprioritized, unable to be searched for).
And since 2022, age verification laws have swept the United States and the Western world. These laws typically require proof of age like a government ID or a facial scan to view websites that host a certain amount of explicit content. This has resulted in a decrease in sex workers' income.
Between societal sex shaming and legislative censorship, it's no wonder that OnlyFans creators may not want to delve into porn. Even on YouTube, where Annaston racked up millions of views with try-on hauls, cracked down on this type of content in the last year. YouTube's nudity and sexual content policy states that even clothed genitals, breasts, or buttocks "that are meant for sexual gratification" can't be posted on the platform.
Annaston deleted several try-on videos with millions of views and discussed it in a separate YouTube video, calling it the "end of an era." (Annaston has a separate try-on YouTube channel that she's uploaded to recently, but usually she sticks to trying on pajamas.)
SEE ALSO: 'We're all sinners': the Conservative tradwife who does OnlyFansAnnaston said that if she started posting explicit content, she would lose out on other opportunities — which, given our prudish society, is likely true. In addition to OnlyFans, Annaston has brand deals, her wellness journal, and her Patreon.
"Working with brands, it is really fulfilling, being able to work with big brands and have a media kit and then just, have a book and a journal, and maybe down the road, I can have my book in bookstores, all these different things where it's like, if I, if I branched out into explicit content, extreme content, like, all those Things would just disappear out of my reach," she told Mashable.
There's a niche for everything, and while her niche of non-nude softcore is smaller, it exists — and she has leverage over not posting nude, she said.
"It's just a very slippery slope, because once you set expectations, your audience is going to feel entitled to a certain type of content, and then you kind of lose that leverage," she said.
Annaston doesn't shame explicit creators, though. "We're all in very different lanes," she said. "I don't try to compare myself to those types of creators, adult creators, celebrity creators, who have these huge built-in audiences."
Business success from an OnlyFans creatorAnnaston views her OnlyFans success the same way she views her social media success. "I think they're hand in hand," she said. "OnlyFans is an extension of my social media." And she believes success is determined by social media, not how extreme one's content is.
In business, she continued, the best way to learn is hands-on experience and trial and error. "There have been so many things I tried and failed," including a lash business, "and then I just found something that worked."
"I just found a way to branch out and not limit myself to just OnlyFans or just brand deals," she said.
And Annaston doesn't mind spilling her secrets, as she does on her Patreon. She said, "As much as I think I'm a very unique creator, I think, to some degree, anyone could replicate my strategy."
TL;DR: Live stream Musetti vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 Australian Open quarter finals have already delivered some huge moments between the best players in the world. Some players have already booked their spots in the semi finals. Some are still to play, like Musetti and Djokovic.
This battle between the fourth and fifth seeds in particularly difficult to predict. Once upon a time, fans would expect Djokovic to march towards the final. That's much less certain nowadays, and Musetti will be coming into this contest with confidence.
If you want to watch Musetti vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Musetti vs. Djokovic for freeMusetti vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.
9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.
Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 9Now
Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Musetti vs. Djokovic without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
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 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Musetti vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 27, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 27, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 26 PipsGreater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 26 PipsNumber (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.
Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.
Less Than (10): Everything in this space must be less than 10. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed horizontally.
Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.
Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 26 PipsGreater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (0): Everything in this blue space must be greater than 0. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (0): Everything in this green space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.
Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (15): Everything in this space must be greater than 15. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 2-1 placed vertically.
Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
SAVE $200: As of Jan. 27, the Hisense 65-inch Class QD6 Hi-QLED 4K TV is on sale for $299.99 in Best Buy's 48-hour flash sale. This is $200 off its list price of $499.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-Inch Class QD6 Series Hi-QLED 4K UHD HDR TV (2025) $299.99 at Best BuyBest Buy's short and sweet 48-hour flash sale is on its final day, but there's still plenty of great deals to explore. If you've been searching for a new TV to watch what's new on streaming or the upcoming Super Bowl, the retailer is offering an excellent deal on the Hisense 65-inch Class QD6 Hi-QLED 4K TV.
The Hisense 65-inch Class QD6 Hi-QLED 4K TV is usually listed for $499.99, but has dropped to $299.99 as part of Best Buy's flash sale. This saves you $200, but keep in mind the deal only lasts through the rest of today. Act fast to grab it at this low price.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!No matter what you're watching, this Hisense TV will make images look bright and colorful thanks to its 4K resolution and Hi-QLED Color. It also features Dolby Vision HDR imaging tech that gives the visuals an extra boost thanks to the deep contrast of high dynamic range, alongside Dolby Atmos audio that helps you hear every little sound coming from the screen. Pair all that with its large 65-inch screen size, and you're sure to feel totally immersed in what you're watching.
Again, this deal only lasts through the rest of Jan. 27. If you've been on the hunt for a new TV, don't miss out on this deal on the Hisense 65-inch Class QD6 Hi-QLED 4K TV.
Curious what else has caught our eye from this sale? For a limited time, you can also score great discounts on the 11-inch Apple iPad and AirPods Max at Best Buy.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know your hockey.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Wearing down
Green: Lifts
Blue: Shared a player
Purple: Hockey related
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Grow exhausted
Green: Weight exercises
Blue: Aaron Rodgers teams
Purple: Found in NHL team logos
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #491 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Grow exhausted - FADE, FATIGUE, TIRE, WEAKEN
Weight exercises - BENCH, CURL, DEADLIFT, SQUAT
Aaron Rodgers teams - CALIFORNIA, GREEN BAY, NEW YORK, PITTSBURGH
Found in NHL team logos - LONG ISLAND, MUSICAL NOTE, OIL DROP, WHEEL
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
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 Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT gameHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026:
AcrossBit of clothing for a snowmanThe answer is Scarf.
The answer is Humor.
The answer is Imply.
The answer is Nile.
The answer is ENE.
The answer is Shine.
The answer is Cumin.
The answer is Ample.
The answer is Role.
The answer is Fry.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Are 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.
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections are now available from $47.79 at Amazon. This price undercuts typical $55+ listings from TCGplayer and other major retailers.
Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collection $47.79 at AmazonFor any Pokémon TCG fans wanting to get the best price on Ascended Heroes products coming out this week, this is your go-to option. As of Jan. 27, the Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections (Charmander and Ghastly) are available to preorder from $47.79 on Amazon — with varied delivery times following their launch on Jan. 30.
These prices undercut both TCGplayer and Walmart listings by a noticeable margin.
Each Tech Sticker Collection includes one foil promo card (either Charmander or Gastly), a themed tech sticker sheet, and three booster packs from the Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes expansion. It’s a smaller collection compared to premium boxes like ETBs, but these are one of the only products from Ascended Heroes actually launching on Jan. 30 — with Elite Trainer Boxes and Booster Bundles not releasing until later in 2026.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!Because of this delay, the prices for these collections have jumped across trading card retailers — with the demand for new Pokémon TCG expansions greatly outweighing the supply available. That value becomes clearer when you look elsewhere. On TCGplayer, both the Gastly and Charmander versions are currently listed north of $55 before shipping.
Normally, Pokémon Trading Card Game boosters will cost between $9 and $15 each, putting the cost-per-pack for this collection on the higher end of the scale. That is to be expected when you consider the incredibly high demand right now.
For more bargains on Pokémon TCG, the Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box is still almost $22 off. Meanwhile, you can still grab eight Pokémon TCG Journey Together Booster Packs at $16 off.
In a new 38-page essay published on his personal website, Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei makes a plea for urgent action to address the risks of super-intelligent AI.
Amodei writes that this type of self-improving AI could be just one to two years away — and warns that the risks include the enslavement and "mass destruction" of mankind.
The essay, "The Adolescence of Technology," deals with AI risks both known and unknown. The CEO talks at length about the potential for AI-powered bioterrorism, drone armies controlled by malevolent AI, and AI making human workers obsolete at a society-wide scale.
To address these risks, Amodei suggests a variety of interventions — from self-regulation within the AI industry all the way up to amending the U.S. Constitution.
SEE ALSO: Anthropic CEO warns AI will destroy half of all white-collar jobsAmodei's essay is thoughtful and well-researched. But it also commits the cardinal sin of AI writing — he can't resist anthropomorphizing AI.
And by treating his product like a conscious, living being, Amodei falls into the very trap he warns against.
Tellingly, at the same time, the New York Times published a major investigation into "AI psychosis." This is an umbrella term without a precise medical definition, and it refers to a wide range of mental health problems exacerbated by AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude. It can include delusions, paranoia, or a total break from reality.
"However, when an AI salesman tells you that AI is an unstoppable world-changing technology on the order of the agricultural revolution...you should take this prediction for what it is: a sales pitch."These cases often have one thing in common: A vulnerable person spends so long talking to an AI chatbot that they start to believe the chatbot is alive. The Large Language Models (LLMs) that power platforms like ChatGPT can produce a very lifelike facsimile of human conversation, and over time, users can develop an emotional reliance on the chatbot.
When you spend too long talking to a machine that's programmed to sound empathetic — and when that machine is ever-present and optimized for engagement — it's all too easy to forget there's no mind at work behind the screen.
SEE ALSO: Explaining the phenomenon known as 'AI psychosis'LLMs are powerful word-prediction engines, but they do not have a consciousness, or feelings, or empathy. Reading "The Adolescence of Technology," I started to wonder if Amodei has made too much of an emotional connection to his own machine.
Amodei is responsible for creating one of the most powerful chatbots in the world. He has no doubt spent countless hours using Claude, talking to it, testing it, and improving it. Has he, too, started to see a god in the machine?
The essay describes AI chatbots as "psychologically complex." He talks about AI as if it has motives and goals of its own. He describes Anthropic's existing models as having a robust sense of "self-identity" as a "good person."
In short, he's anthropomorphizing generative AI — and not merely some future, super-intelligent form of AI, but the LLM-based AI of today.
Why AI doom is always around the cornerSo much of the conversation around the dangers of AI is pulled straight from science fiction, which Amodei admits — and yet he too is guilty of the same reach.
The essay opens with a section titled "Avoiding doomerism," where Amodei criticizes the "least sensible" and most "sensationalistic" voices discussing AI risks. "These voices used off-putting language reminiscent of religion or science fiction," he writes.
Yet Amodei's essay also repeatedly evokes science fiction. And as for religion, he seems to harbor a faith-like belief that AI superintelligence is nigh.
Stop me if you've heard this one before: "It cannot possibly be more than a few years before AI is better than humans at essentially everything. In fact, that picture probably underestimates the likely rate of progress."
To AI doomers, super-intelligence is always just around the corner. In a previous essay with a more utopian bent, "Machines of Loving Grace," Amodei wrote that super AI could be just one or two years away. (That essay was published in October 2024, which was one to two years ago.)
Now here he is making the same estimate: super-intelligence is one to two years away. Again, it's just around the corner. Soon, very soon, generative AI tools like Claude will learn how to improve themselves, achieving an explosion of intelligence like nothing the planet has ever seen before. The singularity is coming soon, the AI boosters say. Just trust us, they say.
But something cannot be perpetually imminent. Should we expect generative AI to keep progressing exponentially, even as the AI industry seems to be banging its head against the wall of diminishing returns?
SEE ALSO: In Davos bubble, AI leaders see no real AI bubbleCertainly, any AI CEO would have a strong incentive to think so. An unprecedented amount of money has already been invested in developing AI infrastructure. The AI industry needs that money spigot to stay open at all costs.
At Davos last week, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA suggested that the investment in AI infrastructure is so large that it can't be a bubble. From the people who brought you "too big to fail" comes a new hit song: "too big to pop."
I've seen the benefits of AI technology, and I do believe it's a powerful tool. However, when an AI salesman tells you that AI is an unstoppable world-changing technology on the order of the agricultural revolution, or a world-altering threat on the order of the atom bomb, and that AI tools will soon "be able to do everything" you can do, you should take this prediction for what it is: a sales pitch.
AI doomerism has always been a form of self-flattery. It attributes to human beings god-like powers to create new forms of life, and casts Silicon Valley oligarchs as titans with the power to shape the very foundations of the world.
I suspect the truth is much simpler. AI is a powerful tool. And all powerful tools can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Laws are needed to constrain the unchecked growth of AI companies, their effect on the environment, and on growing wealth inequality.
To his credit, Amodei calls for industry regulation in his essay, mentioning the r-word 10 times. But he also mistakes science fiction for science fact in the process.
There is growing evidence that LLMs will never lead to the type of super-intelligence that Amodei believes in with such zeal. As one Apple research paper put it, LLMs seem to offer only "the illusion of thinking." The long-awaited GPT-5 largely disappointed ChatGPT's biggest fans. And many large-scale AI enterprise projects seem to be crashing and burning, possibly as many as 95 percent.
Instead of worrying about the bogeyman of a Skynet-like apocalypse, we should instead focus on the concrete harms of AI — unnecessary layoffs inspired by overconfident AI projections and nonconsensual deepfake pornography, to name just two.
The good news for humans is that these are solvable problems if we put our human minds together — no science fiction thought experiment required.
Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp might soon start charging you — if you want premium features, that is.
According to a report by TechCrunch, Meta (the parent company of all three social networks), is planning to test subscription tiers that would give users access to exclusive features.
SEE ALSO: Instagram is nostalgic for 2016 again (yes, really)Meta confirmed the news to the publisher, saying these subscriptions would unlock productivity and creativity, as well as new AI capabilities.
The paid subscription tiers, which will start showing up "in the coming months," will give Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp users access to these features, as well as more control over how they share and connect, the report said. The apps' core experiences will remain free for everyone.
Featured Video For You 'Admin night' is the most responsible fun you can have in 2026Meta plans to test a variety of different subscription bundles to see which one works best.
There's no official word on how this will look like, but leaker Alessandro Paluzzi managed to catch a glimpse of Instagram settings pointing to Manus AI, an AI agent that Meta had acquired in December 2025 for $2 billion. Manus could become one of the features that are only available to paid Instagram subscribers.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Potentially, Facebook could also start charging for Vibes, a Meta AI tool that allows users to create videos.
Flirting with paid subscription tiers is a huge change for Meta, whose Facebook homepage once displayed a slogan saying "it's free and always will be" (the slogan was removed back in 2019).
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.However, the idea of Facebook charging for use is not as unprecedented as it once was, given that Meta was forced to start offering an ad-free, paid subscription tier in the European Union back in 2023.
We don't expect users to get as spooked about this as they once were (remember the recurring spam about Facebook locking you out of your account if you don't pay?). But when a paid tier gets introduced to a service, free versions often get left behind when it comes to new features and upgrades.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg once said there would always be a free version of Facebook. What that free version will look like down the road, once a subscription tier is introduced, remains to be seen.
TL;DR: The LG 27-inch Ultragear QHD gaming monitor is now just $226.99 at Amazon. That's 50% off its usual $449.99 list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 27-inch Ultragear QHD Gaming Monitor $226.99 at AmazonAmazon is offering gaming monitor deals on a number of top-tier brands. As of Jan. 27, LG’s 27-inch UltraGear QHD gaming monitor is down to $226.99 at Amazon. That's a massive 50% discount off its $449.99 list price.
The LG 27-inch Ultragear QHD Gaming Monitor is aimed squarely at competitive players who want speed without giving up image quality. With a 2560 x 1440 QHD IPS panel, you’ll be getting just that — as those kinds of specs hit the sweet spot between sharp visuals and high frame rates, paired with an eye-watering 300Hz refresh rate and 1ms (GtG) response time.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!That combo makes it ideal for fast-paced shooters like Fortnite, esports titles like Overwatch 2, and anyone trying to squeeze every last frame out of their GPU.
Unlike many high-speed monitors that cut corners elsewhere, this keeps things well-rounded. This monitor supports NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium for tear-free gameplay, plus VESA DisplayHDR 400 and up to 95% DCI-P3 color coverage, so games actually look good while running fast.
Connectivity is equally stacked, with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C onboard — making it easy to swap between PC, console, or even a work setup. The adjustable stand (letting you adjust height, tilt, swivel, and pivot) is the cherry on top, especially at this price. At just over $225, it undercuts most competing 1440p high-refresh monitors by a wide margin.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more on an OLED model, the LG 34-inch UltraGear curved gaming monitor is also on sale. Plus, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor is available for $699.99 at Amazon.
When it comes to MCU shows, Wonder Man is a breath of fresh air.
There’s no belabored origin story, no sludgy CGI climax, and, apart from needing a bit of knowledge of Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, not much homework required. Instead, Marvel’s latest series is a delightful portrait of a bromance — one that’s at its best when it isn’t focused on all of Marvel’s superhero trappings.
SEE ALSO: Marvel's 'Wonder Man' trailer sees the MCU get meta What’s Wonder Man about? Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in "Wonder Man." Credit: Marvel TelevisionWithin the world of the show, the name Wonder Man refers not to a superhero, but to a 1980s superhero film that exists in the MCU. It’s a childhood favorite of Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a struggling actor in Hollywood. He’s undeniably talented, but he also overthinks every aspect of every role he plays. In our introduction to him, his suggestions about his bit role on an episode of American Horror Story risk derailing a shoot, burning every inch of goodwill he’s earned with the crew. It’s painfully funny, the kind of neurotic showbiz satire that would be right home in Emmy-winning comedy The Studio.
Don’t expect Wonder Man creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest to match that tone throughout, though. Despite centering on the casting process of an upcoming Wonder Man remake, the series doesn’t dive too deeply into the film's actual production. Nor does it send up the making of superhero films in general, an approach that, coming from Marvel itself, could have felt fresh and self-effacing. Instead, Wonder Man (the film) holds a near-mythical quality for Simon, who has explosive superpowers himself. With this perspective, Marvel can continue to portray superhero movies through rose-colored glasses — not far off from Wonder Man’s own eyewear.
SEE ALSO: Every MCU movie villain ranked, from the worst to the worst of the worstDespite the missed opportunity for some meta commentary on the superhero genre, Wonder Man more than makes up for it once Simon crosses paths with fellow struggling actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). A bumbling Shakespeare devotee, Trevor has a checkered past (to put it mildly) playing the terrorist known as the Mandarin all the way back in Iron Man 3. Now, he’s back in Hollywood. Could the Wonder Man reboot be his shot at redemption, and Simon’s big breakout?
Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery make for a super bromance. Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in "Wonder Man." Credit: Marvel TelevisionRight from the jump, Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley have crackling chemistry as two theater nerds desperately trying to make their dreams come true.
As Simon, Adul-Mateen II is a bundle of nerves and overpreparation. Those qualities could veer into annoying territory, yet Abdul-Mateen II manages to temper them with Simon's clear love of acting. Others may describe him as a self-obsessed jerk — and they'd have a point! — but there's also an endearing-ness to his inability to get out of his own head.
Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.
If Simon is over-preparedness personified, then Trevor's acting method is all about instinct: letting go of any pretense and finding the truth within yourself and the character. Kingsley embodies this philosophy with a hilariously chill go-with-the flow attitude, one that's especially funny when he handwaves his prior role as a terrorist.
Pair Trevor's industry veteran confidence with Simon's anxious attempts to break into the big leagues, and you've got an odd couple bromance that lights up the small screen. It's impossible not to smile when the two are hanging out, whether they're quoting great monologues of stage and screen at one another or getting into chaotic car chases.
But the bromance goes past even comedy (of which there is plenty), as Wonder Man establishes Simon and Trevor as outsiders with few friends. These unlikely kindred spirits may be the best thing to ever happen to one another, and the resulting relationship is among the most rewarding in the MCU.
I would have been satisfied with a whole show of nothing but Simon and Trevor coaching each other through auditions, but of course, Marvel's got to Marvel, and Wonder Man needs a broader superhero angle. Turns out that Simon's superpowers could prevent him from working in Hollywood, for reasons revealed in a strangely-timed yet intriguing mid-season episode. To make matters worse, Trevor is secretly working with the Department of Damage Control in order to catch proof of Simon's abilities.
The abilities themselves are murkily defined, and the Department of Damage Control is a relatively uninteresting adversary. However, these plot developments have grave implications for Simon and Trevor's burgeoning friendship, creating a web of secrets that the pair try to hide from each other. But for two people obsessed with performing, and with finding truth in their performances, their respective acts may be harder to keep up than they'd initially intended. Because of this, Simon and Trevor's secret-keeping eclipses the secrets themselves.
Really, that's a testament to Wonder Man's investment in Simon and Trevor, both as individuals and as friends. Often, when I watch Marvel shows, the superhero fatigue is real. But Wonder Man is proof that sometimes all you need to turn things around is one killer bromance.
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...
Boston's most important responders: Bostonians The people of Boston are to be congratulated for being...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
Digital Privacy: A Catch 22 Mobility, convenience, accessibility and real-...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...