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NASA suspects our galaxy may teem with trillions of planets.
Yet even with the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, it's profoundly hard to find a handful of worlds that may harbor even hints of life.
The prospect of using Webb, which can peer into the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system (exoplanets) to make such an unprecedented discovery, has stoked public curiosity and scientific scrutiny. Indeed, it's an exciting endeavor. Recently, NASA scientists weighed in on the significant challenges ahead in finding evidence of life, called biosignatures, in a distant world's atmosphere — such as a cocktail of molecules almost certainly produced by organisms (like oxygen, methane, and beyond).
"Discovery of life on an exoplanet will likely require a large set of unambiguously detected biosignatures, data from multiple missions and observatories, and extensive atmospheric modeling efforts, a process likely taking years," Knicole Colón and Christopher Stark, both Webb scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, explained in a new blog post.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.Compelling observations from the most powerful and advanced space telescope, orbiting 1 million miles from Earth, would be a crucial factor in the effort to find elusive life among the stars. Yet there are major hurdles ahead.
An artist's conception of the rocky, Earth-sized exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e, located 41 light-years from Earth. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech The challenges of finding life with WebbThe crux of the challenge is the difficulty of not just finding planets that could harbor life as we know it — which implies temperate, rocky, Earth-sized worlds that could harbor liquid water — but also detecting and looking into their profoundly distant, and faint, atmospheres.
Crucially, to peer into such a far-off atmosphere, a planet needs to be in the perfect orientation from our perch in the galaxy, transiting in front of its star so Webb can observe how this light filters though its atmosphere — ultimately revealing the chemicals there. This limits Webb to planets that are situated "edge-on" to us, similar to how you view a flying frisbee.
So far, scientists have confirmed finding 5,638 exoplanets (as of early June 2024), and 30 of these edge-on planets are Earth-sized, rocky, and orbiting in habitable zones — where liquid water could exist. These are intriguing candidates upon which to look for hints of life.
"Searching for biosignatures (biologically produced gases) is extraordinarily difficult, but also an exciting endeavor."But sleuthing out an atmosphere will take patience, and likely years of observing. A planet's atmosphere blocks just some 0.02 percent or less of its star's sunlight, meaning that finding an atmosphere's existence at all requires careful viewing and multiple looks.
Take the planet LHS 1140 b, a rocky super-Earth about 1.7 times the size of Earth, located 49 light-years away. Astronomers estimate that attempting to detect "potential biosignatures" there would require observing 10 to 50 transits in front of its star, equating to 40 to 200 hours on the Webb telescope. "Given that Webb cannot view the LHS 1140 system year-round because of the system’s location on the sky, it would take multiple years if not close to a decade to collect 50 transit observations of LHS 1140 b," the NASA researchers explained.
"Searching for biosignatures (biologically produced gases) is extraordinarily difficult, but also an exciting endeavor," they added.
A simulated example of how Webb might view potential biosignatures on a distant planet. Different molecules absorb different spectrums of light, revealing their presence. Credit: NASA / ESA / Leah Hustak (STScI) Before its launch, technicians work on the James Webb Space Telescope's mirror. Credit: NASA / Chris GunnIn the coming years and decades, exoplanet scientists and astrobiologists won't simply look at rocky worlds for potential hints of life, but rocky worlds they theorize could be blanketed in oceans, known as Hycean planets. As we know on Earth, life thrives in oceans; these worlds, if they exist, would be tantalizing places to look for potential biosignatures. The planet K2-18 b, discovered in 2015, could be such a place — though water hasn't been definitively detected there yet. In 2023, scientists suggested that the potential biosignature dimethyl sulfide, produced by plankton on Earth, could be present in this world's atmosphere. But the NASA researchers note "the potential dimethyl sulfide signal is too weak for a conclusive detection in the current data."
Webb, with a giant 21-foot mirror that catches loads of distant light, may never definitively find a biosignature. But its unprecedented look into distant worlds — revealing what many exoplanet atmospheres contain — could be invaluable. Combined with the observation of forthcoming space instruments, such as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (currently being built), scientists may collect the data they need to propose that a planet has compelling evidence of biosignatures.
Then, of course, that bold claim will visit the halls of peer-reviewed science around the world, subject to the bright light of intensive scientific scrutiny. It'll be an exciting, though grinding, ride.
For now, the science is indisputable.
"At the time of writing, there is only one known habitable and inhabited planet — Earth!" NASA's scientists emphasized.
UPDATE: May. 11, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT Two top picks in this story have shifted after senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart was able to hands-on test CES 2024 releases from Roborock and Eufy in her own home.
Nearly any robot vacuum can sufficiently clear a tile or hardwood floor of the hair and crumbs blowing across it like tumbleweeds. But for a robot vacuum to work on carpet, much more suction power and concentrated airflow is required to uproot the debris embedded in those fibers.
Do robot vacuums work on carpet?Yes, several robot vacuum cleaners do a pretty phenomenal job on carpet and rugs. In fact, the best robot vacuum brands like iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Shark have been mastering the art for several years, particularly honing in on pet hair pickup and combatting hair tangling in the brush.
For homes with varying floor types and a notable amount of foot traffic, buying the cheapest robot vacuum you can find will likely create more hassle than it's worth. Every time that bot gets stuck on a rug corner or welcomes you home to pet hair still visibly clinging to the living room carpet, you'd probably rather just do the job yourself — but rest assured that that's not an inevitable experience with every robot vacuum.
SEE ALSO: How to choose a robot vacuum in 2024: Consider these 5 features before buyingThe best robot vacuums for carpet have powerful suction, of course, aided by brush roll systems designed to dig into multiple pile heights to pinch hair and large chunks while simultaneously inhaling fine debris that a weaker robot vac would pass right over. A majority of our top picks also use automatic suction adjustment to customize cleaning based on floor type, and all current picks either come with a self-emptying dock (or at least offer the option) to mitigate the frequency of trips to the trash bin.
And if a robot vacuum has mastered carpet — the hardest floor type to tackle — these models will undoubtedly ace the hard floors in your home. In 2024, most of the robot vacuums with market-leading carpet cleaning are just as advanced at mopping.
The Mashable team is on a continuous mission to narrow down those options for you. We've hands-on tested dozens of robot vacuums on several pile lengths of carpets, rugs, and bath mats in a variety of home layouts. Here are our favorites for every carpeted situation in 2024.
TL;DR: Live stream Alexander Zverev vs. Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 French Open for free on 9Now, France TV, RTBF, ORF, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
After two weeks of exciting tennis at Roland-Garros — with some surprises along the way — it's time for the much anticipated men's singles final. Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz will battle for the title, and it's a seriously tough one to call.
Both men are top seeded players — last year's Wimbledon winner Alcaraz is No. 3 and Australian Open finalist Zverev is No. 4 — and both men have notched up impressive wins on their journey to the final.
With world No. 1 Novak Djokovic out with a knee injury — potentially missing Wimbledon — this final could have implications for the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments. Can the winner go on to win Wimbledon and the US Open too?
If you want to watch Alexander Zverev vs. Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Zverev vs. Alcaraz?Alexander Zverev vs. Alcaraz will meet in the 2024 French Open from 9 a.m. ET on June 9.
How to watch Zverev vs. Alcaraz in the 2024 French Open for freeThe 2024 French Open is available to live stream for free on the following platforms:
All of these platforms are geo-restricted to their countries of origin, but you can still access the free live streams from anywhere in the world with the help of a VPN. If you've never use one before it's really very simple. A VPN will mask your computer's IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries. This gives you access to free streaming platforms from anywhere around the globe.
Access free live streams of the 2024 French 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, Austria, Belgium, or France
Stream Alexander Zverev vs. Carlos Alcaraz for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free to use. They require a subscription fee or upfront payment. But leading providers have generous offers for limited free use, such as trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can take advantage of these offers to gain access to free live streams — all without spending a penny in the long run. Sure, it's a short-term fix but you'll have enough time to watch all of the 2024 French Open before reclaiming any upfront costs. And VPNs have lots of other benefits.
What is the best VPN for the French Open?ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams of the 2024 French Open, for a number of reasons:
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Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN has served up a great money-saving deal in time for the 2024 French Open finals. For the sale price of just $99.95 you can get a one-year subscription — an impressive 49% discount off the usual price. The package includes three extra months completely for no charge, a year of cloud backup, and a 30-day money-back promise.
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TL;DR: Live stream Iga Swiatek vs. Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 French Open for free on 9Now, France TV, RTBF, ORF, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
After two weeks of fast and furious tennis action, the Roland-Garros finals are here. First up for singles action is the women's final, as Iga Swiatek faces Jasmine Paolini.
It's perhaps little surprise that Swiatek has made the final. She's the world No. 1 and a three-time French Open champion. Can the Polish star make it a fourth title?
No. 12 seed Paolini has proved her mettle in getting to the final. The Italian has knocked out Elena Rybakina and teen sensation Mirra Andreeva in straight sets.
If you want to watch Iga Swiatek vs. Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, here's some handy information.
When is Swiatek vs. Paolini?Iga Swiatek vs. Jasmine Paolini will meet in the 2024 French Open from 9 a.m. ET on June 8.
How to watch Swiatek vs. Paolini in the 2024 French Open for freeThe 2024 French Open is available to live stream for free on the following platforms:
The above platforms are geo-blocked intrenationally, but you can access their free live streams from anywhere around the world with a VPN. If you've never used a VPN, it's simple. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you with secure servers in other countries. This allows you to bypass any geo-restrictions and enjoy free streaming platforms from around in the globe.
Access free live streams of the 2024 French 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, Austria, Belgium, or France
Stream Iga Swiatek vs. Jasmine Paolini for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming aren't technically free to use — they incur subscription fees or upfront costs — but the leading VPN suppliers usually have incentives such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Simply sign up for limited time access at zero cost overall. This will give you time to watch the remainder of the 2024 French Open, not to mention other global sports events happening in that trial period.
What is the best VPN for the French Open?ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams of the 2024 French Open, for a number of reasons:
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ExpressVPN has a great deal to help you enjoy the 2024 French Open finals. A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95 —a mega saving of 49% — but for a limited time only. This package includes three extra months of use for free, along with a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Swiatek vs. Paoloni for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Through June 16, you can get a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone, the award-winning language-learning app, for only £119.44 with coupon code ROSETTA. That's a savings of 60%.
The barrier to learning a new language is practically non-existent at this point, and it's all thanks to the proliferation of online resources and language-learning software. If you're committed enough, you can even train yourself to be a polyglot all on your own. But if you want structure in your language learning and wish to do away with tedious grammar rules and plunge directly into the practical use of a new language, you could use the guidance of trusted language-learning apps.
Rosetta Stone is an award-winning app that takes out the complexities of language learning. Trusted by organisations like NASA, Calvin Klein, and TripAdvisor, it offers an immersive and intuitive training method to help you become fluent quicker than you'd expect. Through June 16, you can grab a lifetime subscription on sale for £119.44 with code ROSETTA.
Rosetta Stone teaches new languages by mirroring the natural way you learned your first language. Instead of having you watch monotonous video lectures, this training approach kicks off by having you match words and images and then escalates to interactive lessons. Its progressive learning structure offers a comfortable pace, beginning with basic conversational skills like ordering food, hailing a taxi, and shopping. Once you've got a good grasp of the foundation of the language, you then move on to picking up intermediate language skills like discussing pop culture and sharing opinions.
Fine-tuning your pronunciation and diction is also easier with the app's proprietary speech-recognition technology that analyses your words 100 times per second and yields instant feedback. With a subscription, you can learn up to 25 languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Filipino, and French. Although you can only access one a time, your lifetime subscription for multiple devices will give you plenty of time to learn. Before long, you'll be reading, writing, and speaking in your chosen language with confidence.
A lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone normally goes for £313.55, but as of June 7, you can get it for only £119.44 with the code ROSETTA.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Rosetta Stone Rosetta Stone: Lifetime Subscription (All languages) £119.44 at the Mashable ShopTL;DR: Watch Netherlands vs. South Africa in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
This year's Men's T20 World Cup is well underway and we've already been treated to a lot of fantastic cricket from some of the best teams in the world. We've reached the 16th match of the tournament, with the next fixture bringing the Netherlands and South Africa head to head.
If you want to catch the game for free from anywhere in the world, keep scrolling as we have all the information you need.
When is the Netherlands vs. South Africa?Netherlands vs. South Africa in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup starts at 10:30 a.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. BST on June 8. This fixture takes place at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York.
How to watch Netherlands vs. South Africa for freeStreaming the latest T20 matches couldn't be easier. For smartphone users in India, you can watch the 2024 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for free on the Disney+ Hotstar app.
Elsewhere in the world, fans can access this free content (which is geo-restricted to India) with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access this free content on the Disney+ Hotstar app from anywhere in the world.
Access free T20 Cricket World Cup live streams 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 India
Download the Disney+ Hotstar mobile app
Watch Netherlands vs. South Africa in the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming aren't usually free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch Netherlands vs. South Africa (plus the rest of the tournament) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Disney+ Hotstar?ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing live sport on Disney+ Hotstar, for a number of reasons:
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch Netherlands vs. South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for June 8's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:In consequence.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter E appears twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter H.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to Wordle #1085 is...
HENCE.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for June 8's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach 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.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Enchant one's gaze
Green: Document visually
Blue: Letter P anagrams
Purple: Kinds of pretty
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Grab One's Attention
Green: Document with Video
Blue: Anagrams
Purple: Pretty___
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 Connections #363 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayGrab One's Attention: ABSORB, ENGROSS, HOLD, RIVET
Document with Video: FILM, RECORD, SHOOT, TAPE
Anagrams: PASTEL, PETALS, PLEATS, STAPLE
Pretty___: GOOD, PENNY, PLEASE, WOMAN
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.
For 3.5 seasons so far, Bridgerton has been a fertile garden for romantic fantasies — for heterosexual couples.
Still, fans have been yearning to see the beloved Netflix series branch into queer romance, potentially through the irreverent Eloise Bridgerton. Well, while Peneloise isn't happening, and an Eloise/Cressida frenemies to lovers arc might be around the corner with Part 2 of Season 3, Doctor Who dipped into a Bridgerton-inspired episode and didn't make queer audiences wait for representation in Regency-era romance.
That's right, the Doctor found his Diamond of the Season in "Rogue."
In 1813 Bath, England, posh folk are enjoying a ball, lively with dancing, gossip, and romantic intrigue. But just under the surface of these courtly dramas lurk alien shape-shifters, whose form of Bridgerton cosplay involves murder and body-snatching.
Naturally, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) is on the case as soon as he sees a handsome stranger taking in the scene from a strategic vantage point. Enter guest star Jonathan Groff as Rogue.
SEE ALSO: 'Doctor Who's Easter eggs for 'Rogue,' far beyond 'Bridgerton' The Doctor meets Rogue. Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff play the Doctor and Rogue. Credit: Disney+Too often, queer audiences are left to scavenge for scraps of representation in mainstream television. This can lead thirsty fans to ship characters who might be arguably queer-coded but aren't confirmed. (Looking at you, Sherlock.) But with the rise of shows like Interview with the Vampire and Our Flag Means Death, queer romance and fantasy are thriving together, and Doctor Who is on board.
In what Doctor Who guest star Jinkx Monsoon called "the queerest season" of the series yet, we've already seen a nonbinary villain in her Maestro. In "Dot and Bubble," Ruby and the Doctor both had a clear crush on Finetime celeb Ricky September. And in the setup specials from last winter, the Fifteenth Doctor mentioned a "long hot summer with Harry Houdini," that implied this incarnation has queer longings. But "Rogue" gave us an unabashed queer romance with the Doctor at its center.
Where Bridgerton might be tiptoeing to a same-sex kiss, Doctor Who offers a rousing smooch in this Regency setting, wasting no time. But to the credit of the episodes' writers, Kate Herron and Briony Redman, the Doctor's romantic arc with Rogue follows a familiar pattern.
Like Kate and Antony in Season 2, these enemies to lovers begin with an attraction but distrust of each other. Suitably, a very Bridgerton version of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" plays from an unseen orchestra as they meet cute. From there, banter will be biting but enticing.
Matched wits reflect they're a good pairing. Both are clever outsiders who go by titles over names. "Just the Doctor?" Rogue questions. "Just Rogue?" The Doctor quips. Then — just like that — they go outside together — where they Murder, She Wrote onto the duchess's corpse. which kicks conflict into gear as they openly suspect each other of the crime. But oh how they already finish each other's accusations!
"This is a murder far beyond the technology of planet Earth. It could only be done by someone brilliant," Rogue begins.
"—And monstrous," the Doctor continues.
Then back and forth:
"—And ruthless,"
"Contemptible,"
Then together: "You!"
Their conflict will get heated, involving some gunplay, threats, and the Doctor wielding Kylie Minogue's "I Can't Get You Out of My Head" with a lip-synch that is telling: "Boy, your lovin' is all that I think about."
SEE ALSO: Russell T Davies explains the 'Bridgerton'/'Doctor Who' conundrumThis dizzying conflict collides with sexual tension, sparking shared confidences about lost loved ones and secret hobbies, then ultimately a public quarrel and wedding proposal. Which yeah, those last two were for show — to arouse the interest of the alien invaders. But when it comes time for a grand romantic gesture, what tops kissing your lover before saving his best friend by sacrificing yourself to a dimension-tripping trap?
In just one episode, Rogue — with his American swagger, besotted gaze, and derring-do — won not only the Doctor's heart, but ours as well.
SEE ALSO: Is River Song coming back to 'Doctor Who?' Queer representation on and offscreen in Doctor Who. Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff play the Doctor and Rogue. Credit: Disney+LGBTQ representation on Doctor Who extends behind the scenes. Season 14 has also brought in LGBTQ cast members, including Monsoon, Gatwa, and Groff. Showrunner Russell T Davies, who described himself as "gay as a goose" in Mashable's interview with him, has previously explored queer story lines in drama series like Queer as Folk and It's a Sin, as well as the Doctor Who spinoff series Torchwood, where various characters were LGBTQ, including the antihero Jack Harkness. Regarding queerness in Season 14, Davies said, "It suits Doctor Who, it's an open, progressive, future-looking show."
To that end, queerness in "Rogue" doesn't get lost in the trauma. While the Doctor and Rogue bond over the pain of losing partners in their time traveling, their time together is chiefly one of joy. They smile. They flirt. They dance — and the world around them falls away as if they are all that matters to each other. They kiss.
In the climax, Rogue sacrifices himself to rescue Ruby. But first he kisses the Doctor deeply. The music soars as the close-up lingers. This isn't queer-baiting. This isn't writers deigning to give fans shipping material. This is confirmed: The Doctor loves Rogue, and Rogue loves him back — so much so that the bounty hunter takes Ruby's place to save his new love a broken heart. But don't cry for Rogue. He has faith in his man. Tossing the Doctor a bouquet per the wedding tradition to signify who'll get hitched next, he says, "Find me," before disappearing to another unknown dimension.
Rogue's conclusion is a promise of more queer joy to come. Jonathan Groff is Rogue in "Doctor Who." Credit: Disney+The Doctor's smile vanishes as Rogue drops into the unknown. His eyes glisten with tears. In the final scene of "Rogue," he admits his heartache to Ruby by explaining how impossible it would be to find Rogue again. He then laments, "I don't even know his real name," a remark that is weighted with Doctor Who lore.
But this ending is not as hopeless as it may seem. Rogue is not gone. He's not dead. He's just not yet found. The Doctor has hope, which is made clear by a simple final gesture.
Before the end credits on "Rogue" roll, the Doctor plucks from his pocket the ring that Rogue took off his own finger in their public proposal. He looks at it, at the symbol on its top that seems to resemble the bounty hunter's bird-like ship, and he puts it on his own finger. A promise? An acceptance of the proposal? However you want to read it, the Doctor is choosing to believe in love and Rogue.
Maybe they're fated to "argue across the stars" yet.
How to watch: New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The season finale airs June 22.
Doctor Who and Bridgerton collided in "Rogue," episode six of the ongoing 14th Season. But beyond the allusions to the wildly popular period romance series, fresh clues to the mystery of Susan Twist, and a queer romance that is absolutely sublime, this cheeky adventure might have just suggested the return of River Song is on the horizon.
Now, some of you might be chortling, "But River Song is dead!"
Yes, technically she died in her first appearance, in "Silence in the Library," Season 4, episode 8. But time travel means that's not where (or when) her story ended. Over successive seasons, Song — played brilliantly and boldly by Alex Kingston — has appeared over and over, often knowing more about the Doctor than he does of himself. And then of course, there's a digital copy of her that the Doctor saved away.
Just last year, Kingston herself told Doctor Who Magazine, "You can go forward with River, you don’t always have to go back. She’s saved within a computer, and she can then go anywhere. I don’t think she’s quite gone yet."
SEE ALSO: 'Doctor Who's Easter Eggs for 'Rogue' for beyond 'Bridgerton'But how might River Song return? "Rogue" offers some clues.
How does "Rogue" reference River Song?While Rogue (Jonathan Groff) has the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) secured in his spaceship, the bounty hunters says offhandedly that his "new boss" demands a lot more paperwork. Now, Rogue could be working for anyone, friend or foe, across the Whoniverse. But who would assign him to go after a murderous Chuldur in 1813 Bath? Maybe the Time Agency that once employed Jack Harkness? Perhaps some far-future UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce)? Or — could it be someone who zigged throughout the Doctor's life and took a lot of notes? Could this new boss be River Song?
Admittedly, we've got little to go on when it comes to who Rogue is working for. But there's another reference in this episode to the Doctor's clever wife.
At the end of the episode, the Doctor is explaining to Ruby how Rogue's being pitched to a "random barren dimension" by their Chuldur trap means he's next to impossible to find. "There are as many dimensions as there are atoms in the universe," he says, and then adds, "I don't even know his real name."
That might seem a mournful line about how brief their time together was — not even enough time to learn Rogue's real (as opposed to lifted from Dungeons & Dragons) name. Perhaps the Doctor yearns to have that kind of intimacy with the time-traveling adventurer who came in and out of his life, just like he has done to so many. But it might also recall the Doctor's own name, so closely guarded a secret that only a very, very, very select few know it. Chief among them is River Song.
Might River Song pass the torch to… the Doctor's husband?Imagine if River Song returns from her computer captivity. Might she see their marriage having reached 'til death do we part? Might she hope to see her husband happy over committed to her across all timey-wimey-ness?
In some regards, Rogue is like River. He's adventurous, cunning, dynamic, and manages to surprise the Doctor in terms of spontaneity and self-sacrifice. Could it be that showrunner Russell T Davies is setting Rogue up to be the Doctor's new partner — potentially in a way that pays respect to River Song (and her legions of fans)?
I'll admit. I'm speculating wildly — and also desperately want Kingston back in play on the series. But fans have been pointing to River's potential return since the December 2023 special, "The Giggle."
There, the evil Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) said he'd put the Doctor's nemesis Time Lord, The Master, into his gold tooth. And at episode end, a hand wearing dark red nail polish creeps into frame to pluck it away. Some have suggested — including TikTokker cordeliavenable — that it might be Missy, Michelle Gomez's menacing take on The Master. But others have noted that particular nail polish looks awfully similar to the shade River wears in "The Time of Angels."
And if River is bopping about in time with the tooth-trapped Master — a thing that the Doctor might have thought impossible — perhaps it's not so unthinkable to imagine he might reconnect with Rogue.
While it seemed poor Rogue was doomed to die in the desolation of an unknown dimension by his self-sacrifice to save Ruby, he tells the Doctor, "Come find me!" He's hopeful they'll reunite. And why not?
There have been plenty of Whoniverse characters who should have died but didn't quite. See also River Song, or Jack Harkness, the Torchwood antihero who's hung with several Doctors and cannot be killed. Rogue definitely has some Harkness in him, being a swaggering American with great hair and queer romances.
Here's hoping that Rogue will become a recurring character, just as Jack did. And that River Song might return to give her blessing or make a throuple. We're not picky on this point.
How to watch: New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The season finale airs June 22.
Doctor Who's latest episode, "Rogue," begins with a familiar sight to Bridgerton fans: Two well-dressed Regency-era gentlemen stroll down a quiet lane before a towering, glowing estate. It's 1813 in Bath, England. But be warned, aristocratic fuckbois aren't the only villains here.
Season 14, episode 6 begins with an outraged Lord Galpin accosting the rakish Lord Barton, declaring, "You have dishonored my sister!" It's a serious charge in such times, as such gossip could destroy her marriage prospects. (Pen! Looking at you!) Yet Barton responds with some jaw-dropping cheek: "Lord Galpin, remind me to which dishonouring are you referring? The one in the kitchen? In your study? In the stables?"
SEE ALSO: Russell T Davies explains the 'Bridgerton'/'Doctor Who' conundrumBarton expects this conflict will end in a traditional duel. Little does he know, Galpin — "all noble and serious" — isn't what he seems. He's an alien body-snatcher known as a Chuldur. And he'd rather play this smug cad than the good gentleman. So a bit of murder and shape-shifting, then in his new form, he chirps, "Now I get to be the bad one."
And off we go, in a Bridgerton-inspired adventure of murder, romance, envy, and cosplay! But amid this episode's Easter eggs, there are far more than Bridgerton references. Let's dig into the hidden gems and burning questions of "Rogue."
"Oh my Bridgerton!" Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson dance in "Rogue." Credit: Disney+That's the exclamation Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) makes as she and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) twirl around the ballroom, dressed to the nines and hitting all the one-two-threes of this formal choreography. It turns out the TARDIS has telepathic movement tools for its travelers. "It's like instant Strictly," the Doctor notes — referencing Baz Luhrmann's feature directorial debut, Strictly Ballroom, which centers on dramatic ballroom dancers.
Elated to be waltzing in the real-world inspiration for the beloved period romance series Bridgerton, Ruby is giddy to chat it up with ladies and lords — including the body-snatched Barton (Paul Forman) and bookish wallflower Emily Beckett (Camilla Aiko). Meanwhile, the Doctor has his own Bridgerton-like romance, meeting the dashing Rogue (Hamilton's Jonathan Groff), a strong-jawed, time-traveling bounty hunter on the search for the deadly shape-shifter seen in the beginning.
Between Rogue and the Doctor there be white-hot chemistry, swoon-worthy banter, a proposal, a kiss, and a wedding — though that last bit is more Doctor Who, as it's a trap and tragic. Then, of course, we discover these alien imitators are actually even more fanatical about Bridgerton than Ruby! Murderously so!
But you know what else is strictly Bridgerton? That orchestral score!
Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" and Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" get the Bridgerton treatment.The hit Netflix series has driven fans wild with a soundtrack that reimagines modern pop hits — like "abcdefu" by GAYLE and "Happier Than Ever" by Billie Eilish — as soaring orchestral scores that play at balls and beyond. With "Rogue," Doctor Who plays this musical gambit with two well-chosen tracks.
First, when the Doctor first meets Rogue in the balcony above the ballroom, Eilish's "Bad Guy" plays as an orchestral tune, reflecting how both men believe they've found this adventure's villain.
Later, when there's a flashback to Ruby outwitting the Chuldur in the library, "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga plays over the companion going "Battle Mode." Here, the song reflects how Ruby put on a ruse to pretend to have been body-snatched to avoid detection by the other Chuldurs.
Wait. Who are the Chuldurs? The Chuldurs hunt in "Rogue." Credit: Disney+This species is new to the Doctor, so "Rogue" defines all we know about them. They are shape-shifters who wear the "look" of their victims like outfits. The Doctor compares them to cosplayers, who like to live in the skin of interesting characters. Except unlike human cosplayers (many of whom love cosplaying the Doctor and his friends and foes), the Chuldurs kill their inspiration, leaving them a desiccated husk.
These bird-like creatures are prolific killers who live up to 600 years. They recognize each other by scent, sometimes travel in packs, and they love the show Bridgerton.
Who is Rogue? What happens to Rogue? Jonathan Groff is Rogue. Credit: Disney+At first glance, he seems Doctor Who's answer to Star Wars' Han Solo: A universe-bounding bounty hunter with an American accent, a cool spaceship, and a habit of saying "I know" at heroic/emotionally tense moments. (Notably, the Star Wars movies and TV shows are also available on Disney+). But long-time Whovians might also be reminded of one of the Doctor's most alluring companions: Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). American swagger, unabashed queerness, and a penchant for violence defined this World War II soldier turned time-traveling antihero. And his ability to pop in and out of the Doctor's adventures could be a good sign for Rogue.
Long time Whovians knew Rogue wouldn't make it through the episode as soon as the Doctor suggested, "Let's argue across the stars." For all his virtues, he's not good at keeping companions around for long. So, when Ruby becomes snared in the modified triangle trap, which was intended to launch only the Chuldurs to a "random barren dimension" with "no way back," it was basically a guarantee that Rogue would sacrifice himself to save Ruby. But for as impossible as the Doctor says it will be to track his latest lost love down, there's always hope in Doctor Who. "Come find me!" Rogue had challenged him. And the Doctor has done that plenty, be it crossing paths again and again with the galavanting Harkness or his late and always dynamic wife, River Song. So, I'd wager we'll see Rogue again.
Dungeons and Dragons take a turn.Trapped in Rogue's molecular bond snare, the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to look for a way out and sees a set of odd-shaped dice. Well, they'd be odd if you aren't familiar with the decades-old role-playing game. "Did you get your name from Dungeons and Dragons?" The Doctor asks Rogue, referencing a class of character known for cunning.
SEE ALSO: How a canceled Fox sitcom led to 'Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' wildest cameoIn response, Rogue confirms this by saying, "Roll for insight" — a reference to the dice-rolling on which Dungeons and Dragons is played! Could this be a Toymaker connection?
What's the deal with the empty wallet? Ncuti Gatwas is the Doctor. Credit: Disney+The Doctor typically relies on three tools: his wits, his sonic screwdriver, and running. But throughout the seasons, he's also been known to pull out a very special billfold that might seem like it's brandishing blank paper. This is "psychic paper."
First appearing in Season 1, episode 2, "The End of the World," it essentially works as whatever credential the Doctor and his companions need to get him behind velvet ropes or closed doors. Per the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), the psychic paper is in the eye of the beholder. Whatever authority the onlooker would respect will be the credentials they see.
So, what does it mean that Rogue saw "You're hot?" Is it that the psychic paper had gone buggy with all his tech about? Or perhaps that the Doctor was "flustered," impairing its effect. Or maybe both Rogue and the Doctor have in common that they aren't much for authority.
The many faces of the Doctor make an appearance…But hang on.To prove to Rogue he's not a Chuldur, the Doctor employs some quick thinking to manipulate the bounty hunter's tech to reveal his many past Time Lord faces. Gatwa's is the Fifteenth incarnation of the Doctor. So before him came a long line of beloved actors. Spotted in the line-up are Fourteen/Ten (David Tennant), Thirteen (Jodie Whittaker), Twelve (Peter Capaldi), Eleven (Matt Smith), Nine (Christopher Eccleston), the War Doctor (John Hurt), and many from the series' original run, including Tom Baker. But eagle-eyed Whovians will note a face that's harder to identify, but may hold clues to where the show is going next.
Susan Twist spotted.For a full rundown on this curious recurring character, you'll want to read our Susan Twist explainer. But in this episode, there is no "Twist" in the end (credits), as the actress only appears as an oil painting in the duchess' home.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory gets a callout. The Doctor scans the ballroom. Credit: Disney+After Rogue and the Doctor have joined forces, the latter invites the former back to his, singing this famous lyric as he welcomes Rogue into the TARDIS: "Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination!" The line comes from "Pure Imagination," a song that first was sung by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then reprised in the 2023 sequel Wonka by Timothée Chalamet.
As we saw in "Boom," the Fifteenth Doctor tends to sing in moments of emotion. Here, rather than a sad song of soldiers, he expresses his joy in sharing his personal wonderland with his new friend. Even the doctor's velvet purple coat seems a nod to Wilder's Wonka's sense of style.
Kylie Minogue and Indira Varma return to Doctor Who. Indira Varma as the duchess. Credit: Disney+If you're wondering how Doctor Who can justify recognizing that Bridgerton exists while casting Bridgerton actors this very season, you should read our spatial genetic multiplicity explainer. This handy guide to the casting curiosities of the Whoniverse also laid out how Aussie pop goddess Kylie Minogue exists in the show both as a herself — of which the Doctor is a noted fan — and as Astrid Perth, a one-off companion who fans went absolutely mad for.
This sci-fi term also could explain the return Indira Varma, who previously played the duplicitous Suzie Costello in the Doctor Who spinoff series Torchwood (now streaming on Max). Here Varma plays the snotty duchess turned Chuldur leader, getting to enjoy a taste of Bridgerton drama and classic Who monster of the week mayhem.
As for Minogue, her music bursts forth on Rogue's spaceship, suggesting that he and the Doctor have an appreciation for her jams in common. But it's not just any Minogue song that has the Doctor singing along. Sure, Rogue is all dedicated to shipping the Doctor off to extermination for the assumed crimes of murder and body-swapping. But "I Just Can't Get You Outta My Head" is a bop that reflects the undeniable connection between these two time-traveling men, who — surely — will traverse time and space to meet and kiss again. Right?
How to watch: New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The season finale airs June 22.
E3 may be dead, but we'll always have ... a bunch of video game trailers in the summertime.
Geoff Keighley's annual Summer Game Fest kicked off on Friday with a lengthy keynote full of announcements and updates on hotly anticipated titles. Here are the biggest reveals you need to know about.
Summer Game Fest 2024: Biggest announcementsThere were far more games featured at Summer Game Fest, but these were the 10 that stood out to us.
Lego Horizon AdventuresSGF got off to a bizarre start with Lego Horizon Adventures. You know Horizon, the series of open-world PlayStation-exclusive adventures about killing robot dinosaurs? Well, now it's made out of LEGO, intended to be played in two-player co-op, and no longer exclusive to PlayStation consoles.
This seems to be a very different game from its predecessors, but maybe that's a good thing. Lego Horizon Adventures launches later this year on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
NevaNeva is an upcoming side-scrolling action-adventure game from the folks who made Gris, a beautiful puzzle game that came out in 2018. Nomada Studio's next effort looks to be a bit more complex as a game than Gris was with the addition of combat, but the hand-drawn visuals are as striking as ever. Neva is coming to every major gaming platform later this year.
Civilization VIIThe words "Sid Meier's Civilization VII" speak for themselves. The legendary turn-based strategy series is back, and while the cinematic trailer didn't have much in the way of useful info about the game itself, that doesn't really matter. While the Civ franchise continues, all is right with the gaming world.
Civ VII is coming out next year. Somewhat surprisingly, it's not PC-only to start, or at all. It's coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Blumhouse GamesBlumhouse Productions, the studio known for bankrolling well-liked horror movies like M3GAN, is getting into the games business. The folks from Blumhouse showed off a little sizzle reel of neat-looking mostly horror-based games, including one that looks like Stardew Valley added a scary monster that lurks around your farm. Creators such as Sam Barlow and Brandon Cronenberg were also name-dropped in the announcement.
If you like horror and games that don't have bloated budgets, this trailer is for you. Platform information for these games is TBD.
SlitterheadKeiichiro Toyama is a distinguished video game creator who helped birth a few popular franchises, but most relevant to this announcement is the fact that he created Silent Hill. His new game is called Slitterhead and it got a fresh gameplay reveal at SGF this year. It looks like...a lot.
As far as we can tell, players can jump between the bodies of various human bystanders in dark city streets and alleyways while fighting and/or running from horrifying nightmare creatures. The combat looks a little clunky for our tastes, but many Silent Hill fans wouldn't have it any other way.
Slitterhead launches on Nov. 8 for PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series consoles.
CairnCairn is the latest work from one of the best-named development studios on all of gaming, The Game Bakers. The makers of two wildly different (but both very cool) indie games in Furi and Haven are back with something that looks, well, totally unlike what they've made before.
While Furi was a sweaty action game and Haven was a more peaceful outer space take on Romeo & Juliet, Cairn is a game about climbing up a mountain. A very dangerous-looking mountain, at that. It's launching on PC and consoles in 2025.
WanderstopWanderstop is the newest game from creator Davey Wreden, best known for two metatextual narrative adventures called The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. His new game looks wildly different from those two, in that it appears to be about running a peaceful cartoon tea shop in a fantasy world and doing chores.
Of course, there will almost assuredly be some kind of wild twist that up-ends the whole thing. We can't wait to find out what it is when Wanderstop launches on PS5 and PC later this year.
Alan Wake II DLCAlan Wake II was the best video game of 2023. There is DLC for it coming out this weekend, on June 8. It has three new playable characters, one of whom is Jesse Faden, star of Control, which was the best game of 2019. That's a lot of good things happening at once.
SkateElectronic Arts announced a couple years ago that it was reviving its long-dormant series of skating simulations, Skate, in a free-to-play format. Very little news followed in the two years since, but now Skate fans have a new trailer — starring the always-fun-to-see Tim Robinson.
There was really only a tiny bit of gameplay shown, and the trailer is very clear about the fact that Skate is still a work in progress. But the good news is there will be console play tests this fall.
Phantom Blade ZeroPhantom Blade Zero was first announced last year, but a new gameplay trailer at SGF made it clear that fans of high-octane action games should pay attention. In short, it looks like a game for people who want highly skill-based samurai combat with very violent finishing moves. It's coming to PS5 and PC at an indeterminate date.
When interstellar bounty hunter Rogue (Jonathan Groff) meets the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) in the Doctor Who episode "Rogue," he gets more than he bargained for. Not only does he enjoy a full-on romance with the mysterious Time Lord, but he also gets a rare peek at the many faces of the Doctor's past.
Convinced that the Doctor is actually a shape-shifting Chuldur, Rogue is about to teleport his new frenemy to the incinerator when the Doctor makes Rogue's ship do a full scan of the Doctor's own rogue's gallery of faces. A hologram of David Tennant, the Fourteenth Doctor, appears. Then a hologram of Jodie Whittaker, the Thirteenth Doctor. Then William Hartnell, the First Doctor.
And then... Whose face is that? Could it be an old, evil version of the Doctor from the classic show, newly canonized with an official regeneration? And could that ancient evil figure also be the season's Big Bad, a.k.a. The One Who Waits?
Who Were All Those Faces?A total of 17 faces spin around the Doctor, all of the others well known. Following the mystery face, there is Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor), John Hurt (the War Doctor), Peter Capaldi (the Twelfth), Chris Eccleston (the Ninth), Matt Smith (the Eleventh), Jo Martin (the Fugitive Doctor, apparently some time before Hartnell in the show's recent "Timeless Child" chronology), David Tennant again (in his Tenth Doctor incarnation), Jon Pertwee (the Third), Colin Baker (the Sixth), Peter Davison (the Fifth), Paul McGann (the Eighth), Patrick Troughton (the Second), and Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh).
SEE ALSO: Russell T Davies explains the 'Bridgerton'/'Doctor Who' conundrumIn other words, counting Ncuti himself as the eighteenth face, that's all of the people to play the title role on TV in the show's 60-year history. This is a comprehensive set of holograms. Fans are familiar with the War Doctor and the Fugitive Doctor, both of whom feature in the Big Finish series of audio adventures.
So, who's the other face? Clearly it's someone we're supposed to notice, sandwiched as he is between the iconic First Doctor and even-more-iconic Fourth Doctor.
That guy. Second from left. Zoom. Enhance. Credit: Disney+ screenshotThis being a show about time travel and all, it's possible that this is a face from the Doctor's future. It's also possible that this is a face from the Doctor's distant, pre-Hartnell past, like the Fugitive Doctor, or the former Doctors seen briefly in the classic 1976 story "The Brain of Morbius," though the face doesn't really resemble any of them.
It does resemble actor Richard E Grant, who starred as the Doctor in an animated series called Scream of the Shalka. The face may be a sly reference to that obscure story, or to the time Grant appeared in Doctor Who as the Great Intelligence, who steps into the Doctor's timeline.
But there's another possibility — Grant (or a lookalike actor) may be neither of those characters here, but a villain still to come: the One Who Waits, perhaps. Showrunner and old-school fan Russell T Davies may be about to tie up one of the weirdest loose threads from the classic show and set fans' brains ablaze at the same time.
In the same way that his predecessor Chris Chibnall created the "Timeless Child" concept partly in order to satisfy lingering questions about those "Morbius" Doctors, Davies may reveal the Valeyard was a proper regeneration of the Doctor after all.
Who is the Valeyard?In the 1986 season-long story "Trial of a Time Lord," the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) is put in the dock by his fellow Gallifreyans. The prosecutor is a figure known only as the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) — to whom the face in the hologram bears an uncanny resemblance.
Tweet may have been deletedLong story short, the Valeyard turns out to be a bad guy with intimate knowledge of our hero. The Doctor's old enemy, the Master (Anthony Ainley), tells us that the Valeyard is actually a future version of the Doctor, an "amalgamation of the darker sides of his nature," hailing from "somewhere between the Doctor's twelfth and final regenerations."
Even longer story short: The Doctor, like the Master, was only supposed to have 12 regenerations in total, but both cheated their supposed final death. At the end of 2013's "The Time of the Doctor," Matt Smith's Doctor was gifted a new set of regenerations and promptly transformed into Peter Capaldi. The Valeyard did not show up then, nor in any of the Doctor's subsequent regenerations (or in the case of Gatwa, bi-generation).
Technically, the Doctor is nowhere near his "final" regeneration, so the Valeyard could still be from his future. That means we shouldn't necessarily get our hopes up for a return of the character — or at least not the version played by Jayston, who died in February 2024, at the age of 88.
But in a season that has already shown its willingness to delve deep into the Doctor's past, with that mention of his long-forgotten granddaughter Susan in "The Devil's Chord," Davies could be signaling with this Valeyard-like face that there's one more twist in the end.
Is the Valeyard also The One Who Waits?We've been expecting this season's major villain, The One Who Waits, since his presence was first announced by the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) in Gatwa's first episode at the end of 2023, "The Giggle." The Valeyard is a strong candidate for The One Who Waits — especially given that he's been looming in the Doctor's potential future for nearly half of the show's existence.
Whether that face is meant to be Jayston or that of a new actor to play the villain, teasing the return of the Valeyard by hiding his image in plain sight would be an audacious move by returning showrunner Davies. The introduction of bi-generation in "The Giggle" may even mean that we get an answer for how the Valeyard came into existence in the first place — by splitting off from the Doctor at some earlier point in his many lives.
How to watch: New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The season finale airs June 22, and will also be screened in UK theaters.
I have never rooted harder against a central movie romance than I did while watching Winter Spring Summer or Fall.
Led by Wednesday co-stars Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White (who is not returning for Season 2), Winter Spring Summer or Fall seems to think it's a Gen Z Before Sunrise. Two unlikely individuals connect — on a train, no less! — and kick off a romance with a seemingly firm expiration date, as one half of the pair leaves for college in the fall.
Not only is Winter Spring Summer or Fall's timeline of a year longer than Before Sunrise's one night, it feels longer, too. Generic teen romance tropes and cringeworthy dialogue don't help, but the cardboard characterization and excruciating series of red flag-filled "meet-cutes" take the film from unremarkable to downright painful to watch.
SEE ALSO: 'Hit Man' review: Richard Linklater delivers the year's most killer comedy What's Winter Spring Summer or Fall about?Taking place over a series of four days — one day in each season of the year — Winter Spring Summer or Fall tells the story of overachiever Remy (Ortega) and slacker Barnes (Hynes White). The first time they meet is on a winter day when they're both taking a train into New York City. But really, they cross paths some time earlier, when Barnes spies Remy from her neighbor's roof. He's out there smoking, and she's just finished giving an interview about a prestigious Google fellowship she won. He was a (bad) boy, she was a (good) girl. Can I make it anymore obvious?
After Barnes' earlier voyeurism and the way he follows Remy into her train car, the fact that some of his first words to her are "I'm not a stalker" is less than reassuring. It doesn't matter how self-deprecating Hynes White's delivery is, this meet-cute feels like Remy is meeting a guy who won't take "no" for an answer.
Things only get worse from there as Barnes makes a comment about how Remy's "Hispanic thing" will help her get into college, then attempts to remedy Remy's understandable hurt at that comment with a Talking Heads playlist. (She's so school-focused that she's never heard of them.) Remy finally shuts things down when Barnes' proposal that they go on a date lands her in the ER, but the damage is done. Thanks to his persistence, Barnes has gotten into Remy's head. By the time they reconnect at prom later that spring, she's more interested in him, and the two begin a relationship.
SEE ALSO: 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' review: Back in action, with explosions and banter Winter Spring Summer or Fall's romance feels more like horror.The lead-up to Remy and Barnes' first kiss is littered with warning signs, including a scene where Barnes drives them to a sushi restaurant that somehow requires him to park in a darkened alleyway. "If you murder me, my parents will kill you," Remy jokes. Then run, girl! This guy already feels like a stalker; let's not add more crimes to his resume.
Winter Spring Summer or Fall presents Barnes as someone who expands Remy's horizons, like some manic pixie dream boy. He introduces her to the Talking Heads! He explains the New York City subway to her! He plants the idea of a gap year in her head, throwing off her immaculately planned path from Harvard to a circuit judgeship! Yet as much as Winter Spring Summer or Fall tries to play Barnes off as cute, there's an underlying sinister quality to his actions.
Take the moments after their sushi date, when he drives Remy to his place without telling her where they're going. Remy expresses discomfort at going in, and at the sexual expectations that may come with. Even though he assures her that that's not what he's thinking, how is she supposed to know that? Hell, how is the audience supposed to? We've seen him spy on her, follow her into a train, then pursue her even though she wasn't comfortable with it. He's slowly moving the goalposts of her boundaries, to the point that Remy's agency seems more like an illusion than an active choice. The only response the film allows Ortega to have in these scenes is a charmed giggle or smile, a total underuse of the star power we've seen from her in projects like Scream and Wednesday.
Once their relationship truly kicks off, Winter Spring Summer or Fall shifts into an entirely different movie. The borderline-uncomfortable courtship scenes are gone, replaced with familiar teen movie melodrama: worries about college, tensions with parents, consequences of driving drunk. Here, Remy and Barnes come across as entirely different characters from those we met in the first half of the film, with Barnes seemingly losing all his slacker energy and Remy gaining a new sense of recklessness. Maybe they've changed each other, but we don't get to see enough of their relationship to understand that. Of course, given the agonizing way they met, maybe that's a relief. Winter Spring Summer or Fall isn't a romance you'd want to spend a whole year with — even an hour and a half feels like more than enough.
Winter Spring Summer or Fall was reviewed out of its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Its release date is TBD.
When he takes the stage for his keynote at Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC) Monday, Tim Cook will find himself at the crossroads of a Choose Your Own Adventure.
Will he bend to the whims of a market that worries Apple isn't doing enough "AI stuff," and breathlessly hype up any aspect of machine learning or large-language-modeling in iOS 18 that could be described as Apple Intelligence (the "that's so Apple" name that will reportedly be used Monday)?
Or will he stay the course he has set in recent keynotes, where Cook has never so much as whispered "AI," and focus on delighting customers rather than investors? In other words, will the meaning of Apple Intelligence be ... deploying AI features intelligently, securely, and minimally?
Certainly, there's an enormous amount of short-term financial pressure on Cook to take the first path. Apple stock is up year on year, but nowhere near as high as tech stocks linked to the AI craze. Nvidia just overtook Apple as the second most valuable company in the world because it's keeping pace with the massive amounts of processing power required by ChatGPT.
If it were up to Wall Street, Cook would turn WWDC into Google I/O — which for two years running has been an AI buzzword fest, a desperate bid to incorporate AI into every aspect of every product whether they belong there or not. (Looking at you, Google AI search overview that tell us to put glue on pizza.)
Listen to Apple's two most recent earnings calls and you'll hear Cook trying to talk about AI like he's at a parent-teacher meeting and AI's parents just walked in. "We view AI as huge," he said last month. "The potential is certainly very interesting." Still, he added, "there's a number of issues that need to be sorted ... I do think it's very important to be deliberate and thoughtful about these things."
You can almost see the report card: Tends towards hallucination. Room for improvement.
SEE ALSO: AI isn't your boss. It isn't a worker. It's a tool.Likewise, Cook's prior earnings call in February contained a bullish quote for the headline writers: "We continue to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort [on generative AI], and we’re excited to share details of our ongoing work in that space later this year," Cook teased. But drill down and you'll find a rich seam of disdain.
"In terms of generative AI, which, I'd guess, is your focus, we have a lot of work going on internally as I've alluded to before," he wearily told the third analyst who asked about it. "Our MO, if you will, has always been to do work and then talk about work and not to get out in front of ourselves."
Translation: Sure, you'll get a new Siri. Maybe some novelty AI writing services for Messages, an app where Apple likes to bring the fun (see also: confetti, fireworks, Memoji stickers). Maybe even the on-device translation service that was the most impressive thing about Samsung's Galaxy AI launch.
But there's no need to spray the letters "AI" indiscriminately on everything — especially not if it's going to make the kind of people who buy iPhones that much more wary of the product.
What do Apple customers want with AI?Outside the Silicon Valley bubble, less has changed than you might think. "The typical [iPhone] consumer is not going to care [about generative AI]," veteran analyst Gene Munster told Yahoo. "They want to know screen size, No. 1. Second is camera, third is battery."
Plus, top of mind for many customers is the word that Apple has been using in its iPhone ads (like the one above) for more than three years: privacy. Apple's business does not depend on vacuuming up your data and selling it in bulk like Google does. Rather, it depends on you buying a more pricey device because it won't track your every move, and it'll gatekeep the hell out of the App Store to make sure developers don't either.
What does privacy have to do with AI? They're like oil and water. Look at Microsoft, so enamored with its AI visions that it is literally going to take screenshots of everything you do in Windows; that's already being investigated. Look at Adobe, changing its terms of service so that Photoshop can peek over your shoulder, using your work to train AI and stoking user outrage in the process.
The creative class, Apple's (and Adobe's) core audience, is pissed at AI. They're wary of having their work stolen, furious at what conventional wisdom says OpenAI did to Scarlett Johannson. Heck, they're pissed at Apple for an ad that doesn't even mention AI, where a bunch of creative tools were crushed into a single iPad. That was deemed tone-deaf in an era where AI is copying and crushing artists.
Regular consumers aren't happy when they hear the dreaded letters either, even if Wall Street thinks they should be. A Global Consumer study conducted by Qualtrics XM Institute last year found that the iPhone's largest English-speaking markets — the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia — were also the most likely to say AI will have a negative impact on society. In the U.S. alone, some 40% of consumers already say they don't trust AI results — a number that may only go up with every slice of glue pizza.
So yes, Tim Cook has a Choose Your Own Adventure decision to make on Monday. But as with many options in those books, given the circumstances, it's really no choice at all.
The race between Apple and Android features might be getting closer.
In the everlasting battle between Apple phones and Android phones, Android has been ahead in one key feature: you can schedule texts ahead of time on Android devices. Sure, you can schedule texts on an iPhone — if you have the time and patience to create a complicated Shortcuts automation for it.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is about to announce that iOS 18 will allow users to compose a message in Messages and schedule it to send at another time. It's one of the more useful features on any device — and fans are sure to be psyched about the scheduling feature being more seamless if Gurman's report rings true.
Tweet may have been deletedThink about this new feature in the same way you might schedule send an email if you're working with someone in a different time zone or don't want to send an email after work hours. Or if you're one of those "good morning beautiful" guys and want to make sure your text arrives before any others. It's also great for holiday texting or making sure you wish your best friend a happy birthday the second the clock strikes midnight. You know, important things like that.
We'll find out for sure at Apple's World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC 2024) on Monday. Like many tech events this year, it'll likely be centered around generative artificial intelligence, but we also expect some announcements about new features for Messages, Mail, macOS 15, and more.
SAVE $230: As of June 7, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is $349.99, down from $579.99, at Best Buy. That's a discount of 43%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $349.99 at Best BuyIf you're ready to commit to a new laptop, but not the exorbitant price tags that come with it, we're here to reassure you that you don't have to. There are several affordable options out there that make excellent daily drivers, and you won't even have to spend half of a paycheck on them. Case in point: the Lenovo IdeaPad 1, on sale today at Best Buy.
As of June 7, get the 15.6-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $349.99 at Best Buy. That's $230 off its normal price of $579.99, and a discount of 43%. This unit is the attractive Abyss Blue color, but if that's not your favorite hue, you can always cover it up with a case. You'll also get a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (regularly $16.99 per month) with your purchase, which comes with access to tons of great games that you can play for free. Your digital key will be emailed to you after purchase.
SEE ALSO: The best laptop deals for June 2024, including two Apple MacBook Airs at record-low pricesThough it costs sub-$500 (and less than $600 to start with), this is a capable laptop that can handle your daily needs with ease. Its full HD touch display is large display is clear and crisp with plenty of real estate, and it's all powered by a Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB of RAM. With a 256 GB SSD, it can hold all the files and everything else you need for productivity or entertainment on the go. It has an HDMI output as well, should you want to connect to an external monitor to get more work done. And it's super light at just 3.52 lbs.
This is a great buy at just $349.99, so grab yours, or maybe one for Dad for Father's Day if he's looking for a new computer.
Since the release of Bad Boys in 1995, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have traded quips over bullets, car chases, and Michael Bay-sized explosions along various stretches of Miami (or locations meant to resemble Miami). Their characters, Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), have survived each other's teasing, breakups, parenthood, betrayal, and the loss of their beleaguered but dedicated boss, Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano).
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah's Bad Boys: Ride or Die, their fourth outing together, is much the same as it ever was, with a few changes since the original almost — gulp — 30 years ago. Building on some of the most recent updates in 2020's Bad Boys for Life, our heroes are no longer brash young talent in the Miami police force. They're brash veterans, still bold enough to stand up to internal politics behind the scenes or face a hail of bullets while investigating a case. They're not as fast as they used to be, and they no longer feel invincible, but Mike and Marcus stick together. More than the explosions and car chases, they're who the audience is here to cheer on.
SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: Every film you oughta knowThis long-running series, which first launched in 1995 with Michael Bay in the director's chair, now has a sizable history to work with. Bad Boys: Ride or Die feels like something of a nostalgic throwback, a tribute to these characters audiences have grown up watching and the outsized American action movies they used to make in the '90s. As a franchise, Bad Boys may be something of a last of its kind, the buddy cop action comedy, but their latest adventure proves there's still some gas in the tank.
What is Bad Boys: Ride or Die about? Credit: Frank Masi / Sony PicturesPicking up where Bad Boys for Life left off, Marcus is back on the force and once again holding on for dear life in Mike's sports car as he speeds by South Beach for a very important date. After numerous jokes about exes and his storied dating life, Mike is finally getting married to Christine (Melanie Liburd), and Marcus, always the class clown to Mike's straight-laced action hero, is teary-eyed celebrating his partner's new chapter. As the party rages on, Marcus stumbles into another world where his former boss Captain Howard greets him with a reassuring message: It's not your time yet. He survives a serious heart attack with a new appreciation of life, his "soulmate" relationship with Mike, and stories of their strange past lives he saw during his near-death experience.
Despite the heart attack and newly healthy diet, Marcus joins Mike on their latest case as Captain Howard is somehow framed for corruption. The news shocks the pair, who rally Mike's ex and current boss Captain Rita (Paola Núñez) as well as members of the Advanced Miami Metro Operations team, Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens) and Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), in their efforts to clear his name. The pair turn to Mike's long-lost, secret son Armando (Jacob Scipio) for intel, but the trio are ambushed by other corrupt figures in the police force and framed for aiding a fugitive's escape.
Both Mike and Marcus suspect the real villain is someone within their force. Following Captain Howard's posthumous clues to his files reveal just how deep the corruption trail goes, but as the pair and their allies get closer to answers, the action ratchets up to 11. The result is the sort of explosive outrageousness we've come to expect from the summer blockbuster, with a number of modern, tech-savvy twists.
Both Bad Boys for Life and Ride or Die stepped up their use of technology as part of the story and incorporated these gadgets into the film's visual style. Adil & Bilall, along with cinematographer Robrecht Heyvaert, maintain the polished look of a classic Jerry Bruckheimer production, while taking full advantage of cutting-edge filmmaking techniques. In this sequel, cameras on drones move freely through fight scenes or over the villain's hideout, and a creative point-of-view shot puts a camera between Mike and his gun as he walks through the climactic fight like the perspective of the old N64 Goldfinger game. And of course, there are countless visual effects throughout the film to make moments like a fight scene in a falling plane possible.
Tweet may have been deleted Bad Boys: Ride or Die never takes things too seriously. Credit: Frank Masi / Sony PicturesPart of the appeal of this franchise is its commitment to keep the action set pieces coming even faster than the jokes themselves. With three previous movies and almost three decades of backstory, there's plenty of callbacks to their previous misadventures, such as Marcus' penchant for getting hurt or embarrassing the two of them. But even if you haven't recently rewatched the series, this sequel includes enough details to give newcomers the information they need to follow along and even appreciate the in-jokes.
The practically screwball speed of Mike and Marcus' banter has slowed over the years, but the rapport remains strong even as they face their newfound health challenges and life changes serve to humanize the movie’s aging stars. Both Lawrence and Smith play off of each other, taking the lead in different moments and sharing the spotlight. In some moments, it's Marcus who saves the day; in others, it's Mike's turn to shine. Their onscreen friendship even becomes a safe space for Lawrence and Smith to joke about The Slap, when Marcus slaps Mike three times to snap his pal out of a panic attack. It's a clever way to reference the incident while also suggesting that Smith can take a slap as well as dish one out.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die delivers what its fans look for in this series. Credit: Frank Masi / Sony PicturesFriendship and action: These are the two basic ingredients that will keep this franchise going and going for as long as Lawrence and Smith want it to. Like the Fast and the Furious franchise, the filmmakers behind this series have found an action movie formula that works where few others are succeeding. New regulars like Núñez, Scipio, Hudgens, and Ludwig add fresh energy for Smith and Lawrence to play off of, while cameos and small roles from Tiffany Haddish, DJ Khaled, John Salley, and Michael Bay himself push the movie to embrace its funny side. Bad Boys: Ride or Die leaves its audience with a sense of having a good time at the movies, a feeling many moviegoers seem to be missing from this summer’s blockbusters.
With Captain Howard's death and the increasing age of our stars, would it be possible for this series to live on with a new generation of Bad Boys? There's more than a hint of promise in Marcus and Mike's sons, but the heart of this franchise still belongs to Smith and Lawrence. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is an entertaining reminder of what made the original movie work all those years ago.
BOGO MOVIE TICKETS: Celebrate National Best Friends Day with BOGO Babes tickets at atom on June 8.
Opens in a new window Credit: NEON National Best Friends Day 'Babes' BFF BOGO Get DealJune 8 is National Best Friends Day, and if you haven’t made plans yet, we’ve found a budget-friendly way to celebrate.
Thanks to NEON and Atom Tickets, you can buy one ticket to see Babes and get the second one free. It’s a BFF BOGO deal in honor of friendship and well-written comedy. This is a limited-time offer that’s only available on June 8, National Best Friends Day. (Participating theaters only.)
In this quintessentially New York comedy, Broad City star Ilana Glazer (Eden) and Survival of the Thickest lead Michelle Buteau (Dawn) play inseparable childhood best friends who, of course, grew up in New York.
After a one-night stand, Eden realizes she’s pregnant and wants to be a single mom, their friendship is met with a new set of challenges. But this film isn’t just about friendship — it displays the reality of motherhood and just how hard it is to raise a family, with or without a partner. (And, being in NYC doesn’t exactly make it any easier.) From dealing with breast pumps (where Dawn is literally attached to a cord in the wall) to balancing a career and personal life, Babes is a genuine and relatable portrayal of the complexities of modern womanhood.
If you’re interested in learning more about the movie, Mashable’s Film Editor, Kristy Puchko, interviewed Glazer and Buteau about their experience and what it was like to film in the middle of NYC.
Punchko calls the film unabashedly outrageous and rambunctiously heartfelt. “While you may howl with laughter and gasp at a gross-out gag, you'll also walk away with a big smile — and maybe a bit more appreciation for your own quirks.”
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