I think it’s safe to say at this point that Breaking Bad will go down in history as one of the best TV shows of all time. It’s somehow been almost 13 years since that harrowing series finale, and there are still dozens of Breaking Bad moments that blow our minds. So it’s hard to imagine that anyone — even creator Vince Gilligan — could ever have doubted whether the series was “good enough,” but according to Bryan Cranston, that’s exactly what happened.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul — who famously starred as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively, on Breaking Bad’s five seasons — sat down with the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, and Cranston recalled Vince Gilligan always fretting about making the show better — a trait the actor says all of the best in the entertainment industry share. Cranston said:

Knowing what resulted from his efforts, it seems like Vince Gilligan had no reason for such concern, but he undoubtedly was under pressure from naysayers — including the TV exec who called his Breaking Bad pitch “the single worst idea I’ve ever heard” — and maybe if he hadn’t pushed so hard, the show wouldn’t be what it is.

Aaron Paul noted how Vince Gilligan complicated his characters’ circumstances in ways that made it challenging to figure out how Walt and Jesse were going to continue to get away with their operation. He said:

Bryan Cranston credits Vince Gilligan’s dedication to his craft for making Breaking Bad as good as it is. His efforts were worth all the struggle, because the series they created is going to live on:

Breaking Bad’s legacy appears to be safe, and Vince Gilligan is no one trick pony, either. His prequel/spinoff Better Call Saul was arguably better than Breaking Bad, running for six seasons on AMC. Now Gilligan’s doing great things with Pluribus, which stars Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn and has been a must-watch since its gripping pilot episode. That series can be streamed with an Apple TV subscription, and you’ve probably got plenty of time to catch up as we wait for Pluribus Season 2.

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, meanwhile, are two of the best shows to binge on Netflix right now, so fire up that Netflix subscription to watch (or rewatch) these series that hopefully Vince Gilligan knows by now are more than just “good enough.”

Breaking Bad is a show filled with character tragedies of all sizes and flavors, but one scene that still bludgeons my brain all these years later is Brock’s poisoning, since that was one of the most unforgivable acts. (If any character actions that go down throughout the 2026 TV schedule even come close, I’ll be surprised.) Brock’s situation specifically led to one of the show’s most dramatic Walt and Jesse scenes, and Bryan Cranston has made the sequence all the more powerful to me with a BTS reveal.

Cranston, somewhat fresh off his 2026 Emmys win for his wild and mostly soundless performance in The Studio’s Season 1 finale, sat with fellow Vince Gilligan alum Rhea Seehorn (of Better Call Saul and Pluribus fame) and Variety to talk about working with one of television’s most celebrated creators. The two Emmy winners addressed the fact that Gilligan (and Saul co-creator Peter Gould) are known for holding off on giving actors scripts for future installments. As one might imagine, that detail brought interesting wrinkles to certain scenes, such as the aforementioned argument.

The scene in question took place in the back half of Season 4’s “End Times,” with Jesse holding Walt at gunpoint while accusing him of poisoning Andrea’s son, which Walt denies with heightened efficiency. Here’s how Cranston described playing out that dialogue without knowing the truth:

That all makes sense as an actor playing a character who, despite much evidence suggesting otherwise, often comes across as somewhat empathetic to those closest to him. But then Walt is also as desperate as characters can be, which also plays into his overtly frightened responses.

Of course, Walt DID poison Brock, so that entire scene is really an exercise in extreme duplicitousness. Which Cranston addressed when he continued, saying:

Gotta love that even Bryan Cranston seemed surprised to learn just how dark his character's actions could be. But did he really believe his own acting in that scene? Maybe so. When Rhea Seehorn asked him if he'd have played that argument any differently knowing the truth, to which he responded with:

Even knowing that Walt was responsible for so much of the horrible sh-t that happened in Breaking Bad, I still probably would have believed him during that exchange, given how hardcore Cranston's acting was. We're all just trusting Jesses deep down, I guess.

The wonders of the Breaking Bad-verse will likely never cease to make themselves known. All episodes can be streamed via Netflix subscription while waiting for Rhea Seehorn's return as Carol in Pluribus Season 2, which will presumably find its way back into our lives in 2027 via Apple TV subscription.

Breaking Bad is my favorite TV show of all time (well, either that or The Wire), and one thing that I've heard from several people is that there are a lot of similarities between it and the 1948 classic, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Now, I had seen the movie before (it's actually one of the best black and white movies you’ll ever watch), but I never really made the connection between the two…until I watched it again recently, and now it's incredibly obvious.

So, here are just a few of the ways that The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is similar to Breaking Bad.

Firstly, Humphrey Bogart Plays The Perfect Morally Gray Protagonist

Of all of the excellent characters in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is obviously the greatest. It all goes to the fact that he's actually the antagonist of the series, but it's really up to the viewer as to when they come to that conclusion (for me, it was when Walt just watched Jane die).

We get a morally gray protagonist in Fred C. Dobbs (played by Humphrey Bogart) in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Now, if you don’t know, Bogart actually played a number of gangsters before he played good guys like Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon, Rick Blaine in Casablanca, and Frank McCloud in Key Largo. So, he always had that bad boy streak in him. However, in Sierra Madre, he’s not an all-out bad guy. Not at first anyway. Similar to Walter White, he’s actually down on his luck, and broke at the start, as he completes a job, only to get stiffed out on the pay.

However, when he and two others uncover gold, you see his slow descent into avarice, and he essentially “breaks bad” and becomes a killer to protect the gold that he’s acquired. He might not poison children like Heisenberg, but he’s definitely not a nice person, either, which makes him one of the best morally gray characters in cinema history. He’s like Heisenberg-lite.

The Open Desert Setting Definitely Reminds Me Of New Mexico In Breaking Bad

Anybody who’s watched Breaking Bad can tell you - New Mexico is a character in itself. The vast desert, the crime coming in over the border, the law enforcement trying to quell the violence, it all just makes Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul feel completely unique like the best westerns often do (and yes, Breaking Bad is essentially a neo-western).

We get that same sense of openness with the Mexican setting in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. We see the vast desert, we get the federales (“Badges? We ain’t got no badges.”), and we get the rugged men who have to deal with this often harsh environment.

In a lot of ways, Breaking Bad’s New Mexico setting almost feels like an extension of the Mexico setting we get in Sierra Madre. I don’t know how I didn’t see this before with the first time I watched it, but I definitely see it now.

The Theme Of Greed Corrupting Completely Is Also Present In This Classic Film

Lastly, the theme of what greed can do to people is prevalent in both the movie and the popular AMC series. In Breaking Bad, Walt probably wouldn’t have gotten in over his head if he wasn’t greedy for the sense of power that being Heisenberg gave him. In the end, this greed destroyed his entire life, as well as his family.

We get that in Sierra Madre as well, as Fred C. Dobbs might have had a better fate if he didn’t let the temptation of gold take over his life. This greed was all-consuming, and it ultimately led to his downfall.

In that way, both the movie and the TV series have a lot in common. If you’ve seen the movie, can you spot any other similarities?

You can rent or buy The Treasure of the Sierra Madre on Amazon

We hear all the time about actors having people shout lines of dialogue at them when they’re in public or being asked by fans to recite a particular quote. This can surely be annoying to celebrities when they’re asked to perform on command, but it’s hard to fault the fans for being excited … right? Maybe not. Bryan Cranston admitted that he tends to troll people who ask him to say a famous Breaking Bad line, but after hearing why, I’m actually on the actor’s side.

Breaking Bad may be one of the best TV dramas ever made, with Bryan Cranston making the ultimate character transformation from Walter White, chemistry teacher with cancer, to “Heisenberg,” meth producer and drug lord. There were so many moments in Breaking Bad that blew our minds, so it’s really not a surprise that the actor gets fans asking to hear his most menacing quotes. In a conversation for Esquire, Frankie Muniz asked Cranston what famous line people want him to say, and he admitted to doing what he’s asked, just not in the way they want to hear it. He said:

It comes off as a bit rude that Bryan Cranston would agree to say something to an excited fan, only to do it in a way that he knows that person doesn’t want to hear it. Honestly, think about hearing the actor say that famous line in a high-pitched sing-song voice when this is what you were expecting:

It turns out, though, that Bryan Cranston isn’t just doing that to be a jerk. After hearing his explanation, I doubt he’s out there trying to ruin people’s day. He explained:

Walter White was undoubtedly an intense role, and if you’ll refer again to the clip above, it really feels like Bryan Cranston had to go to some dark places to evoke such menace and play a character who was capable of some horrible things. That’s not a place inside yourself that you want to revisit while walking down the street or catching dinner at a restaurant.

Bryan Cranston had to let his Breaking Bad character die, and now fans have to understand, too, that Cranston is not Heisenberg, and he’s definitely not out there demanding that people “Say my name.”

There may be a more gracious way for the actor to deny fans’ requests, but at least this way, people can say they heard Bryan Cranston do the line, and he doesn’t have to conjure any of the Walter White evil that may lie dormant inside of him either. If you want to hear the line as it was originally delivered, Breaking Bad is one of the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix right now, so fire up that Netflix subscription and head to Season 4’s “Cornered” to find the one who knocks.

In just two seasons, The Pitt has established itself as a HBO show that got the world talking. The second season of the medical drama (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) recently wrapped, with fans still reeling from the Season 2 finale. And while Bryan Cranston's daughter Taylor Dearden stars as fan favorite Dr. King, it turns out there's another Breaking Bad connection to the series. And my mind is officially blown.

Some fans out there are hoping Bryan Cranston appears on The Pitt at some point, even if one of the EPS shot down that idea. He's become synonymous with his outstanding performance as Walter White, but it turns out another Breaking Bad star actually showed up in Season 2. Namely Charles Baker, who played Skinny Pete throughout the series as well as El Camino (both of which are streaming with a Netflix subscription). The actor posted about his time on the Emmy-winning drama over on his Facebook, as you can see below:

Well, I'm shook. Despite being a Breaking Bad fan, I didn't clock that this was the same actor who played Skinny Pete. Although he did spend his first few episodes as Digby covered in dirt, so maybe I should give myself some grace. Still, it's mind-blowing that there's this second connection to the AMC drama, and I'm not the only one.

While some fans might have recognized Charles Baker when he popped up in The Pitt's second season, there are plenty of folks who were surprised like me. The comments section of the actor's post has some of those fan reactions, which read:

• I like to think Digby was Skinny Pete trying to get his life back together.
• We see you, Skinny Pete.
• Yo! Skinny in the house!
• Didn’t realize he was sneeky pete on breaking bad

Same, though. I love the top comment in particular, which creates a fan-made shared universe connecting Breaking Bad with The Pitt. Although that would mean that Skinny Pete fell on some hard times and eventually became unhoused. But in the end Mr. Digby got the last laugh when he stole Whitaker's badge and a medical training dummy.

While not a leading character, Skinny Pete was a great supporting presence throughout Breaking Bad's run on TV. He was one of Jesse's friends, and a low-level meth dealer in Albuquerque. As a reminder, you can see a compilation of Pete and Badger below:

Pete and Badger were endlessly loyal to Jesse Pinkman throughout the series, as well as El Camino, and remain fan favorites years later. I have to wonder if we'll see more of Digby in future seasons of The Pitt; the way he was treated with care and dignity by Dana Evans was just one of the many emotionally gripping plot lines from Season 2.

The Pitt is streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. And folks can re-watch Breaking Bad on Netflix.

Breaking Bad is generally considered one of the greatest modern TV shows of all time (and for good reason). With that, series lead Bryan Cranston still fields questions about the show over a decade after its conclusion. The crime drama came up again while Cranston was promoting the well received Malcolm In The Middle: Life's Still Unfair. And, funny enough, Cranston found himself in the position of defending the Skyler White character from co-star Frankie Muniz.

Muniz, who played Cranston's titular TV son on Malcolm in the Middle, appeared alongside him during a recent Hot One Versus interview. During the interview, Muniz asked Cranston which of his most well-known TV wives was a better spouse, Lois or Skyler. From there, Muniz talked about how much he couldn't stand Skyler when he watched Breaking Bad, but Cranston stepped in and shared his take on it:

That response got Muniz to back off his comments, and I can't help but wonder if the former child actor sensed he wasn't going to successfully convince Cranston that Skyler was a bad person. Regardless of that, the conversation went subsequently flowed right along with no further back-and-forth about it.

Frankie Muniz's view of Skyler White being awful is hardly unique, as actress Anna Gunn has talked about receiving fan backlash over playing her character. A portion of the fandom seems to view Skyler as the villain in Walt's story, given he initially took up drug dealing to help his family amid his terminal cancer diagnosis. However, toward the end of the series, it became clearer that Walt's motivations were less about ensuring his family's future after his passing and more about attaining power.

Fortunately, more viewers have come to see Skyler as sympathetic in the years since Breaking Bad. I would also argue that I've seen more people readily view Walter as the real villain of the series, despite his goofier, unassuming moments (including the pizza incident with the roof).

With all that said, I still don't think it's hard to understand why Bryan Cranston picked Lois over Skyler as the better fictional wife. There's just something sweet about seeing Hal and Lois' relationship on Malcolm, specifically the way they remain close despite juggling the chaos brought on by their sons.

Then again, how can one measure the love a spouse has when comparing odd shaving rituals with laundering money for a drug cartel? Skyler White certainly has her flaws, but I think it's clear enough at the end of the day that she genuinely cares about Walt despite the wild circumstances that he put the family in. Would Lois do the same for Hal? I have to wonder.

Malcolm In The Middle: Life's Still Unfair is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. Anyone looking for something a bit more intense, though, can check out Bryan Cranston's Emmy-winning turn as Walter White by streaming all five seasons of Breaking Bad with a Netflix subscription now.

There are some shows in the annals of TV history that have become wildly popular due to writing, setting, character development and just general approachability for a large core audience. However, some shows that ultimately have grown popular on TV and streaming have done so despite being polarizing, cringe-worthy, tough to watch, and sometimes very dark in concept. Luckily, people who don’t get these shows are not afraid to talk about it.

There Are A Lot Of Popular Shows Some TV Fans Just Can’t Get Through

In a recent Reddit thread, not only did a slew of people share great shows they couldn’t get through, they also took things a step further. The takeaway I particularly liked about this thread was that most people explained the “why” behind why they couldn’t get through a certain show, despite it being a series that was ripe for watercooler conversation.

Here is a rundown of some of the best takeaways, with the exception of the one I agree with most. Intriguingly, the list includes both comedies and dramas. They also include projects like Game Of Thrones, which started strong, but had fans bummed by the ending. (And led to comments from Benioff and Weiss about hiding out.) Shows like Ted Lasso, on the other hand, remained critically-acclaimed throughout. Some of these shows also got more popular streaming over time.

• "Schitt’s Creek. Everyone says to get through the first season and it gets better but I just can’t."
• "Yellowstone. People talk about it like it's the best show of modern times, but I don't get it at all."
• "The Bear. Not because I can’t get into it, but as a former line cook who has been in that kind of environment, it’s TOO REAL to the point where it triggers PTSD in me or something and brings back horrible memories."
• "Ted Lasso. Every scene is so fucking contrived. Every character is a one-note parody of themselves."
• "Game of thrones. People wouldn't shut up about it for years and years. Finally I watched the first episode and was bored to tears. Everyone says it gets better, but I shouldn't have to choke down my entertainment. Boy did I feel justified when it all went belly up."
• "Black Mirror, this serie is just plain boring to me, I don't get the high praise."
• "The Wire. Finished first season and I was stuck going this is wtf people are going crazy over. Made it 4 episodes into season 2 and just decided I wasn’t the target audience."

It's a pretty bold list, right?

Honestly, I’ve watched a lot of these shows. I’m actively obsessed with The Bear, despite it being stressful and never really going anywhere. (Though I will note the individual commenter above is not the first person in the restaurant industry to say they can't watch.) However, there’s one series on this list that cropped up several times that I also have tried watching more than once and could never get through. Now, I’m wondering if this is a common theme for anyone else?

Whomever Said Breaking Bad Was My Kindred Spirit

A few of the comments in the thread mentioned Breaking Bad as a TV series they found anxiety-inducing. Now, people are really speaking my language. I never finished Breaking Bad and I don't regret it. In fact, watched the entire first season of Breaking Bad, and couldn't handle it in any way, shape or form. I didn't like the characters. I didn't like how bleak and violent it was. I didn't even really enjoy the Albuquerque setting. It all depressed me, and I stopped punishing myself a couple of episodes into Season 2.

While I wouldn't wish a dependence on prescription drugs on anyone, this post mostly felt like it could have been written by me:

One thing all these shows have in common is they are acclaimed, and yet many haters still exist. I really have to wonder if there's a large smattering of popular shows with under-the-radar haters out there that weren't listed in this thread, as well.

To me, though, the most interesting thing about this thought experiment is that all the posters (presumably) watched episodes of all of these shows and just could not get into programs ranging all the way from Ted Lasso to the highly-violent political intrigue Game Of Thrones. The shows on the list have a few things in common, but certainly not everything, and it's so interesting to me that standout shows don't gel sometimes for many different reasons.

For me, Breaking Bad was ultimately just too bleak. I have a hard enough time just getting through day-to-day life to want to watch a show about being in the drug industry for fun. Others just don't want to be bored or deal with cringey moments. Sometimes shows just lose their way over time, too. We're all wired differently as fans. The good news? That's why there are plenty of different types of TV to choose from.

More than a decade after it ended, Breaking Bad isn’t just remembered as part of the peak TV era but still ranks near the top of many “greatest TV shows ever made” lists. The AMC drama turned Bryan Cranston’s Walter White into one of TV’s most unforgettable characters and helped redefine what long-form storytelling on TV could accomplish. But, according to creator Vince Gilligan, when he first pitched the concept, one executive had a brutally honest, and now famously wrong, reaction.

Speaking during a SXSW panel (via The Hollywood Reporter), Gilligan reflected on the earliest days of developing the series. While discussing how the idea first took shape, he revealed that a top executive at Sony Pictures Television once dismissed the concept outright. As Gilligan shared, the exec said:

The moment is particularly funny in hindsight, given how enormously influential the show eventually became. Per Gilligan, the original concept for Breaking Bad was surprisingly simple. While speaking on the panel, he shared that he had once rediscovered an old notepad containing the earliest version of the idea he had written down years earlier.

The entire premise fits into just nine words: “Good guy does something bad to save his family.” That concept eventually evolved into the story audiences now know of a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer who begins cooking methamphetamine to ensure his family’s financial security. Over time, Walter White’s moral compromises spiral into something far darker, transforming him from a sympathetic figure into a ruthless criminal.

Gilligan famously summarized the show’s trajectory as turning “Mr. Chips into Scarface” but, at the time, he was pitching the series, that transformation apparently sounded less like prestige TV and more like a bad idea.

The road to getting the show made wasn’t smooth elsewhere either. Gilligan also recalled pitching the series to HBO, a meeting he has previously described as deeply discouraging. According to the show creator, the executives in the room seemed almost completely uninterested in the concept, radiating what he once called a “toxic gamma radiation of disinterest.”

Eventually, Sony embraced the project, and AMC stepped in as the network that would bring the series to the small screen. The gamble paid off in a massive way. Premiering in 2008, Breaking Bad gradually grew into one of the defining shows of the modern television era. Across five seasons, the series earned critical acclaim for its meticulous writing, moral complexity, and unforgettable performances. Cranston won four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Walter White, while Aaron Paul also won multiple Emmys for his role as Jesse Pinkman.

The show’s success expanded into a broader Breaking Bad universe, including the acclaimed prequel series Better Call Saul and the follow-up film, El Camino, both available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Considering how BB ultimately turned out, it’s safe to say that what once sounded like “the single worst idea” ended up becoming one of television’s best. Luckily for audiences, Vince Gilligan didn’t let that brutally honest response stop him from moving forward with the idea.

Gilligan's latest great television series, Pluribus, starring Better Call Saul alum Rhea Seehorn, just wrapped up its acclaimed first season and is available to stream with an Apple TV subscription.

I came of age during the era of peak TV when dramas like Game of Thrones (before the final season when even the cast started complaining), Breaking Bad, Justified and Mad Men were constantly exceeding our expectations when it came to writing and production. That era is now over, but good TV is (often) still being produced. While good shows don't always have the same fanbases, this week’s petty revenge plot between fans of Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms and Breaking Bad has been very weird to behold.

You’d think there’d be space for as many great TV shows as possible streaming, but if you were to ask at least a sizable chunk of the fanbase, this is not the case. In fact, some longtime Breaking Bad stans had spent years ensuring their show maintained a top slot when it came to TV reviews, only to be faced with another determined fanbase this month.

For Breaking Bad, the review bombing has been a pretty hard fall. The critically-acclaimed “Ozymandias” had long and widely held the highest rating for any episode of TV, coming in at a solid 10.0 for about as long as I can remember its IMDB rating existing. When we covered the review bombing initially, what had happened was this:

First, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms dropped a new episode on the 2026 TV schedule the fanbase really liked called “In The Name Of The Mother.” At the time of this writing, 140,000 fans have weighed in with 10-star reviews, but an additional 20K have dropped in to give the episode 1-star reviews. This seemingly was a play by Breaking Bad fans to ensure the absolute dominance of “Ozymandias” in the Top 10 list.

However, Game of Thrones spinoff fans popped right over to the IMDB page for the Breaking Bad episode and dropped their own 1-star reviews. When we first encountered this phenomenon over the weekend, the rating for “Ozymandias” had dropped to 9.8, then 9.7. However, now the review bombing has had an even bigger impact, and has dropped the episode to a 9.5 rating, AKA the same rating “In The Name Of The Mother” has.

Sometimes the Internet is a petty place, and of course, fans have thoughts. One fan posted a meme of the Breaking Bad ep’s previous rating with a shot of Arya noting, “When people ask you what happened here, tell them the North remembers.” Fans are all over the board when it comes to their feelings related to this review bombing story, however, with some noting on X:

• As a Breaking Bad fan, I love this. Ruining everything you had because of your own ego is so accurate to the show.
• IMDB reviews lost all meaning anyway, but very clear their record is from review bombing others to stay on top. KOTSK was great. BB was great. We should just all be able to appreciate great TV.
• [Breaking Bad Is] an excellent show but perhaps deserves a bit of a correction. Better Call Saul is superior. The Dark Knight comes to mind as another piece that deserves to be adjusted down a bit.
• I’ve often felt IMDb needs a better way to rate things anyway, perhaps this will change things. But BB fans did this to themselves.
• Am I the only one who appreciates the irony of the episode this happened to being titled Ozymandias?

Meanwhile, some fans who are clearly chronically online, or who have been paying attention to Breaking Bad for a decade plus now have known about this review bombing for a while. Smaller shows have been impacted by BB fans in the past, with one fan noting Breaking Bad fans did this to the well-rated Mr. Robot with Rami Malek some time ago. A separate example of review bombing happening came when Zack Snyder fans review bombed Godzilla Vs Kong.

In the case of Breaking Bad fans, this may be the first time they’ve taken on a franchise with an equally devoted fanbase, and gotten the taste of their own medicine. Meanwhile, I just can’t get enough of this sassy video response one of the HBO off shoots posted from Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when this story broke wide.

The Pitt quickly became a smash hit for HBO Max in 2025, with the first season bringing Noah Wyle back to the world of fast-paced medical drama. That's not to say that the ER vet is the only factor in winning viewers over to streaming with an HBO Max subscription, and Taylor Dearden's Dr. Mel King has officially reached fan favorite status by this point in the 2026 TV schedule. The actress spoke with CinemaBlend about playing Mel in Season 2, as well as how far she's come since her very first credit as "Sad Faced Girl" on Breaking Bad in 2010.

Before the cast of The Pitt took the stage for the Impact Award at the 2026 SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, they opened up about everything from Noah Wyle as a director to Taylor Dearden's role in the 800th episode of The Simpsons. After I checked out Dearden's IMDb page, I had to ask the actress: how does it feel for her to have started on TV as more or less an extra on Breaking Bad to now playing a popular and quite layered doctor on The Pitt? She looked back to her early career and shared:

It certainly doesn't say anything bad about Taylor Dearden that her early acting work included student films and her first TV credit was as a character merely listed as "Sad Faced Girl." If anything, it's practically a rite of passage for actors to start small, and there are whole lists of Law & Order guest stars and even The X-Files guest stars who had bit roles there before making it big later on. (Fun fact: Dearden's dad, Bryan Cranston, was one of those X-Files vets to later become a big star with Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad.)

It's only natural that before she became Dr. Mel King on The Pitt, Dearden would start out with a role like Sad Faced Girl, seen above. (You can find her briefly in the Season 3 premiere of Breaking Bad streaming with a Netflix subscription.) The actress went on:

It only took a few more years after Sad Faced Girl on Breaking Bad for Dearden to start landing recurring roles on projects like 101 Ways to Get Rejected, Sweet/Vicious, American Vandal, and For All Mankind, but it's safe to say that The Pitt has been her biggest break to date. (And not just because it landed her a role on The Simpsons!)

Of course, Mel isn't having the best time in Season 2, with the added stress of a deposition looming over her on top of the usual pressure in PTMC's ED. In fact, in the preview for the next episode, Mel can be spotted saying that she didn't think her day could get any worse. Take a look:

Considering that the season is only halfway through, I think Mel's day is probably still going to get much more complicated as the weeks pass! If Season 2 has a major crisis planned for the later episodes like Season 1's mass casualty event, the characters are undoubtedly in for a difficult ride. For Mel, she might not catch many breaks in the rest of her shift as long as that deposition remains on her schedule.

Find out with new episodes of The Pitt on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET streaming on HBO Max, along with every other episode so far.

For 13 years, Breaking Bad’s epic final season episode “Ozymandias” was the highest-rated episode of any television series ever on IMDb. Of course, some critically acclaimed episodes of other shows have come close, but none have been able to take down “Ozymandias." That is, until Game of Thrones fans decided to review bomb it by giving it one-star ratings following the release of A Knight of Seven Kingdoms’ “In the Name of a Mother” on the 2026 TV schedule. Naturally, HBO shared a sassy video response that is truly A+.

Like some brand accounts on social media, HBO Max Nordic on TikTok is known for posting some pretty hilarious edits with some sassy and sarcastic remarks, as their bio is even “Maester of Memes and Edits.” In one video, “I Need a Hero” is playing in the background while a fight scene from Game of Thrones plays, while Breaking Bad and GoT fans fight each other, and their respective IMDb ratings are going down and up.

As much as I dislike review bombing, HBO Max Nordic’s video is pretty hilarious. And it’s also pretty on-brand not only for them but for Game of Thrones. Plus, after all of this fighting and review bombing, it was only a matter of time before an official account addressed it. HBO Max Nordic just happened to be the first and was more than happy to take part in it.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series of novellas, only premiered on HBO and with an HBO Max subscription on January 18. “In the Name of the Mother,” the episode that fans are rating extremely high, was released on February 15 as the fifth episode in the six-episode season. As of the time of this writing, both “In the Name of the Mother” and “Ozymandias” have a 9.5 rating on IMDb. ANOFTSK has 130,000 10-star ratings, while Breaking Bad has 331,000 for their episodes.

Whether or not either episode will get that 10-star perfect rating is unknown. But it can be assumed that if A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms achieves it, you best believe HBO Max Nordic will be among the first to post about it... especially if it means once again trolling the Breaking Bad fandom. So fans will just have to wait and see if that ever does happen.

Meanwhile, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ first season is officially done, having aired the finale on Sunday. However, the series has already been picked up for a second season, so perhaps fans will be able to have a little more luck when it comes to IMDb ratings by then. If anything, it seems like this is one Game of Thrones spinoff that will stick around for a while, and fans are more than willing to do whatever it takes to see it through.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but a small, loud and annoying subset of Game Of Thrones and Breaking Bad supporters are in a race to the bottom. Unappointed champions from each fanbase are hitting the other’s most acclaimed episodes with one star negative reviews on IMDB in order to push the average scores down. It’s working. It’s also maybe the most embarrassingly online thing that’s ever happened, and I need to talk about how much I hate it.

Before I throw my middle fingers up, there’s some backstory we should go over that explains what’s going on. Until recently, Breaking Bad’s epic final season triumph “Ozymandias” has been the highest rated episode of any show ever made on IMDB. It’s been the only episode with a straight up ten rating, which is incredibly impressive, given it’s been rated hundreds of thousands of times. It’s not, however, the only great episode of TV in history.

In the thirteen years since “Ozymandias” was released, several acclaimed shows have dropped episodes fans universally agreed were bangers. A small minority of Breaking Bad fans have responded to those bangers, not by celebrating their greatness but instead by hitting the episodes with one star IMDB reviews in order to keep “Ozymandias” on top. It’s all-time hater behavior, and you can see it clear as day.

The highest rated episode of Succession, “Connor’s Wedding”, has 1,700 one star reviews. Chernobyl’s highest rated episode, “Vichnaya Pamyat”, has 2,200 one star reviews. Better Call Saul’s highest rated episode, “Plan And Execution”, has 1,500 one star reviews. Any show on IMDB that’s ever gotten close to a 10 rating has the exact same pattern of one star reviews. There are an overwhelming number of tens, a smaller good faith number of nine and eight star reviews, almost none between seven and two and then thousands of one star reviews.

Recently, the same thing happened for the Game Of Thrones spinoff A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms. “In The Name Of The Mother” picked up 99,000 ten star reviews. Breaking Bad fans responded with the normal thousand or so one star reviews, but instead of just taking it, GOT fans responded by hammering “Ozymandias” with one star reviews. As the frequency picked up, more Breaking Bad fans responded, which then brought in fans from other shows who were mad about their top episodes being review bombed. As of press time, “In The Name Of The Mother” has more than 10,000 one star reviews and “Ozymandias” has more than 70,000, which has dropped its average score down to 9.7.

Most people are looking at this whole mess and laughing about the troll behavior. Part of me gets it. It’s a bit amusing from a detached perspective to see two fanbases sabotage each other purely to cause the other pain. It’s good comedy, but it’s also really frustrating for a few reasons.

Breaking Bad fans aren’t the only ones who use review bombing as a tactic, and most of the time it happens, it’s not one fanbase trying to get an episode rating dropped from a 10 to a 9.9. Most of the time it’s a movie getting hammered because people are mad that someone of a different race was cast. It’s another movie getting hammered because fans are mad about an unrelated decision the same studio made. Or they’re mad a TV show adaptation simply exists. Or even more concerningly, they’re mad about a viral post someone made, without providing any evidence, that an employee at some small restaurant did something wrong.

I like that we all get to weigh in as a society. Even though I work in journalism, I’m happy that fans can now see how other fans feel. It shouldn’t just be movie critics or food critics or professional product testers that get a say. More experienced voices definitely have value, but sometimes I want to know what the average person thought. I look up the IMDB or Letterbox fan score of movies and TV episodes all the time because I want to see if I’m on the same page as everyone else.

But those scores only have value if people are rating them in good faith. No one should be rating anything, not a movie, not a TV show, not a restaurant, not an item of clothing if they haven’t engaged with it. It doesn’t matter if they’re mad about politics or casting or a story they heard or don't think an adaptation should have been made. Put in the work or shut your mouth, and if you do put in the work, be honest about your feelings. If something deserves one star, then give it one star, but if something isn’t quite as good as other people think it is, that sounds like an eight or nine to me, not a one.

Yeah, Game Of Thrones and Breaking Bad fans sabotating each other is kind of funny, but it's also a representation of a larger problem we see all the time. The internet has allowed all of us to have a voice. Let's be honest about how we feel.

At this point, Heated Rivalry isn’t just a successful book-to-screen adaptation beloved by fans of Rachel Reid’s novels. The show starring Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams is a critically acclaimed series with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s a cultural phenomenon. Now, to prove that point even further, this spicy hockey romance hit a major milestone that only Breaking Bad has hit.

After the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry dropped, and fans had a proper freak out about its ending involving Shane, Ilya, Scott, and Kip, people couldn’t stop giving it its flowers. To prove that point, on IMDb, you can see the highest-rated episodes of television, and right now, only two have a perfect score, and one of them is from Season 1 of this smutty hockey romance.

The other, unsurprisingly, is an episode of Breaking Bad. Widely considered one of the best shows of the peak TV era, the drama starring Bryan Cranston holds the title for highest-rated episode on IMDb, as “Ozymandias” (Season 5, Episode 14) has a perfect ten based on 273 thousand ratings. As I’m sure you know, this AMC series is the best of the best, and this episode directed by Rian Johnson (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription) is beloved. So, anything meeting the bar it’s set is impressive.

Now, enter “I’ll Believe in Anything,” the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription). Without spoiling much, this episode serves as a pivotal point in Shane and Ilya’s relationship. It’s when they really start to accept their feelings for each other, and their romance gets taken to a new level over the course of the 56-minuteepisode. Along with being key to this show’s story, it also shows off its stars’ power. Between the Russian monologe Connor Storrie had to give as Ilya and Hudson Williams’ performance during Shane’s vulnerable moments, they both proved why they are the perfect men to be playing these hockey players.

So, all of that has made fans lose their minds, and they’ve made sure to let the world know how much they adore this episode of television. Over on IMDb, all this acclaim has led to this episode getting a perfect ten based on 34 thousand ratings.

No other show has a perfect ten. Some are close, but only Breaking Bad and Heated Rivalry have hit this milestone.

For context, after the two aforementioned episodes, 20 episodes of television have received a 9.9 rating. This includes Six Feet Under’s “Everyone’s Waiting,” BoJack Horseman’s “The View from Halfway Down,” Avatar: The Last Airbender’s “Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang,” Succession’s “Connor’s Wedding,” Game of Thrones’ “The Rains of Castamere,” and more.

Those are some seriously iconic episodes of television, and to know that Heated Rivalry sits above them next to Breaking Bad is incredible.

Now, to see if they keep this magic going, you can stream the Season 1 finale of Heated Rivalry on Friday with an HBO Max subscription. Trust me, I’ve read the book, you’ll want to see what’s next for Shane and Ilya. Plus, if this last episode proved anything, it’s that we’re likely in for a remarkably made, caring and spicy episode of television.

Malcolm in the Middle is returning, as Frankie Muniz and the cast reunited to shoot a four-part miniseries that’ll debut amid the 2026 TV schedule. The prospect of seeing the stars reprise their respective roles is very exciting, and that’s especially true when it comes to Bryan Cranston. Fans seem pumped to see Cranston play devoted but occasionally irresponsible father Hal again, and even Aaron Paul is psyched. That was evidenced by the excellent, Breaking Bad-related comment Paul left under Cranston’s recent post.

An official teaser for Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair was released just days ago, and it reaffirmed that the show would premiere for Hulu subscription holders in 2026. However, the clip does delightfully play on the classic scene of Hal having his back shaved. Bryan Cranston shared the video to his Instagram, with a portion of his caption reading, “Some things never change.” Take a look at the video below:

I never thought I’d ever say this in any context, but that video of a man getting the hair on his back shaved is making me nostalgic. Based on the comments section, I’m not the only one who feels that way either. Aaron Paul – who played Jesse Pinkman to Cranston’s Walter White on Breaking Bad – hyped up his longtime pal. He also included an excellent reference to the Vince Gilligan-created drug drama:

While Walter White sports the white undergarments on a few occasions throughout Breaking Bad, the most iconic instance in which he wears the tighty-whities while cooking meth and later while trying to defend himself from drug dealers. I’d like to think that Cranston is now indeed giving the people what they want by reprising his role as Hal. Of course, fans shouldn’t expect the humorous father of six to be slinging meth when he returns in the miniseries.

Life’s Still Unfair focuses on Malcolm – now a father with a daughter of his own – as he reunites with his family to celebrate parents Hal and Lois’ 40th wedding anniversary. In addition to lead actor Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston, other franchise veterans like Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield are also returning. Some of the stars have expressed enthusiasm about working together again, including Cranston, who’s kept tabs on his TV family in the years since the OG show ended its seven-season run on Fox in 2006.

I can’t see Cranston covering himself in blue paint again for the sake of this limited series, but what I can easily imagine is for Hal to have become somewhat kookier with age. My theory also extends to the various members of Hal’s family and, honestly, what would this franchise be without this large brood’s distinct eccentricities? Needless to say, like Aaron Paul, I’ll be tuning in for this TV revival.

For now, Malcolm and the Middle fans – as well as series newcomers – can stream all seven seasons of the show now on Hulu. A Disney+ subscription will grant access to the beloved single-camera comedy series as well.

Mild spoilers below for anyone who isn't caught up with Pluribus' first season via Apple TV subscription.

As someone who's gone through fluxuating levels of obsession with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, I was beyond ready for Vince Gilligan's newest show Pluribus to similarly suck me in, and I also knew that I'd be unable to watch without my brain forcing comparisons and contrasts between all the shows. I'd like to be able to say it's because all three shows take place in Albuquerque, but nope.

To be sure, Rhea Seehorn's Carol is invested in a story that's entirely unlike Gilligan's grittier crime drama and its body-dropping legal-ish drama follow-up, and not just because I can't predict what'll happen. Carol is a bestselling author and one of very few people left who still has her own thoughts and motivations intact, as the rest of the planet has "suffered" what appears to be the most peaceful alien invasion imaginable. It'd be an understatement to say she's not into it, and she makes zero effort to hide her constant misery and disdain.

It's that side of Carol's personality that brings to mind the point in Bryan Cranston's Breaking Bad run when his Heisenberg persona was rolling on all cyllinders. So let's dig into it.

Pluribus' Carol Is A Miserable And Moody Person, But Rhea Seehorn Immediately Makes It Work

Even before the world went belly-up, Carol Sturka revealed herself to be more misanthropic than one might expect from a hugely popular fantasy author with a loving fanbase. Flashbacks have also shown her to be the glass-half-empty side of the coin to optimistic manager and lover Helen (Miriam Shor). So when Helen is killed and the rest of humanity is taken over by hive-mind behavior, Carol is certainly qualified to be the most unhappy person in existence.

The tonal specifics are obviously intentional, with Carol set up to be the immovable object facing the presumably unstoppable force of The Others' influence. They're currently unable to figure out how to tap into Carol's brain, which sets up an ongoing mystery of sorts, and also allows for a very non-traditional narrative set-up. Our protagonist is both rude and rash, and she makes decisions that seem to fly in the face of her comfort and survival; meanwhile, the antagonists are unendingly pleasant, helpful and seem to have Carol's best interests at heart, even if an ulterior motive or two is also lurking.

A set-up like this doesn't happen that often because it's not one that's destined to succeed. Main characters are generally meant to be likeable and agreeable so that the biggest number of viewers watching can find ways to relate with them. That's more or less how Seehorn was brought into Better Call Saul's story, and her character Kim Wexler became arguably the fourth biggest character in Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould's crime saga.

Without Better Call Saul endearing me so strongly to what Rhea Seehorn brings to Gilligan's storytelling, I can't say for sure that I'd be quite as won over by Carol's unending snark and attitude. But probably so, with Walter White setting the precedent.

Heisenberg Is One Of TV's Most Adored Monsters, Despite Being An Egotistical Asshole

Even beyond the "Prestige TV" comparisons of the overall shows, Breaking Bad's Walter White stands alongside The Sopranos' Tony Soprano in the sense of being TV criminals that fans idolize as if they were bigger heroes than Superman. But when you look at Walt's behavior solely during the later seasons when he's fully taken on the Heisenberg persona, almost nothing he does is virtuous or agreeable or meant to earn goodwill from viewers.

Walt becomes increasingly invested in his own legacy and rise to prominence, and completely loses sight of the vaguely justified reasons he initially had for cooking meth. As Heisenberg, Walt legitimately burns all bridges and seems incapable of going any lower by the end, having both witnessed and perpetrated the murders of those most important to his loved ones, with plenty of other bodies keeping them company.

Unlike Rhea Seehorn's Carol, however, Bryan Cranston was given an ample amount of time during Breaking Bad 's early seasons to play up Walt as a smart and sympathetic family man who opts for logic over emotion. We see him as the loving husband, the supportive father and the dedicated employee, so that it means that much more when those distinctions are stripped away and destroyed.

By the time he's declaring himself to be the "one who knocks," Walt already has millions of viewers on his side, and it's an easy shift to follow along with, especially with an even bigger villainous benchmark like Gus Fring looming. So then when that threat gets taken care of, it's beyond clear that Walt could do absolutely anything without facing a full fanbase backlash.

We're not there yet with Seehorn's Carol, who doesn't appear capable of sinking to Walt's level just yet. Even though she did technically kill millions of people when her emotions went untethered, Carol had no idea it was happening, and has since atempted to avoid repeated instances. Which may or may not be the nicest thing the character has done so far.

By all means, Carol will likely start to shed some of her barbed armor as Pluribus gets deeper into Season 1, but I'm holding out hope that she remains just as prickly to keep audiences on our toes. If we've made it this far without everyone hating her, there's no reason to shift course, I'd think. Blessed be Bryan Cranston and Rhea Seehorn for making murderers and curmudgeons so loveable.

Vince Gilligan has said he’d only go back to Breaking Bad’s universe without other projects to work on, but that would mean Pluribus would need to get canceled. So for now, that’s a big reason why I’m not so eager to dig deeper into Walter White or Saul Goodman’s stories. But just for now.

Pluribus streams new episodes on Apple TV every Friday.

Mild spoilers below for the first two episodes of Pluribus for anyone who hasn’t yet streamed them via Apple TV subscription, so be warned!

The most anticipated post-Halloween streaming debut among prestige TV nerds like yours truly (if not the entire 2025 TV schedule), was the latest series from small-screen laureate Vince Gilligan, the inscrutably named Pluribus. The sci-fi-leaning project has kept fans guessing and doing detective work since its conception was announced, and not even the release of the first two episodes has stemmed that need for answers.

As many are aware, Gilligan was the brain behind Breaking Bad and its rise to permanence atop Best-Of lists for the rest of time, and he also co-created one of television’s most beloved and acclaimed spinoffs, Better Call Saul. Both shows are 100% in my own personal Top 10, and I can already foresee a day when Pluribus will join that same list. In part because it’s already doing something that wasn’t entirely possible with the two shows centering on Walter White and Saul Goodman.

Breaking Bad And Better Call Saul, While Often Mysterious, Weren't Impossible To Predict

Such as it goes for projects that are entirely embedded in the real world, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are largely genre stories that tend to allow for a set amount of possible outcomes. Sure, it was pretty impossible to guess with any amount of specificity how much havoc Bryan Cranston's teacher-turned-kingpin would bring to Albuquerque right when audiences were learning about his cancer diagnosis and meeting the rest of the family. But it wouldn't have been stretching to predict a truly epic fall from grace for Walt. Nor to think that he might not make it through the end alive.

Better Call Saul presented even fewer options for its finale endgame with Jimmy/Saul, since it was set up as both a prequel and a sequel to the Emmy-winning flagship drama, with all signs almost immediately pointing to the Cinnabon-managing Gene being brought to justice in one way or another. It wasn't always clear whether or not Rhea Seehorn's Kim Wexler would stick with him, but for those whose first instincts pegged her as being too smart to stick around....well, you know.

To be sure, I'm not voicing any of this through a negative filter, as I don't necessarily need crime dramas to deliver completely left-field storytelling. I love both of these shows regardless of how much they truly surprised me. But that does play into why I'm enjoying Pluribus on a slightly different level.

Pluribus Kicks Off With An Incomprehensible Event, And I Can't Begin To Imagine Where It's Going

I've never cooked amphetamines, and I've never passed the bar exam, but could obviously still find ways to relate to Walt and Saul's stories. On the flip side, Pluribus kicks off with epically tragic and world-shifting event that's so large-scale that it's relatively impossible to realistically wrap one's brain around it. Not even an author of fantastical fiction, Seehorn's Carol Sturka, can immediately grasp what's occurred, despite witnessing signs of it everywhere she looks.

In that first episode, Carol finds herself caught in a global nightmare when nearly every single living person's consciousness has been usurped by extraterrestrial beings that ooze positivity and helpfulness, despite Carol's behavior being entirely antithetical in the immediate aftermath. And understandably so, since her partner is dead, her successful career is meaningless, and she's one of the only people left whose identity is still intact.

Unlike Saul Goodman and Walter White, whose respective fates were always going to be either "dead" or "jailed," Carol doesn't inspire any such tidy predictions. Sure, she could also get killed or get imprisoned, but within this particular narrative, both of those outcomes actually would be fairly surprising. Especially since it doesn't seem like jails are necessary anymore.

Thankfully, Pluribus seems like it was crafted in part to keep audiences guessing from one installment to the next, and it isn't just a random cobbling of events that naturally aren't easy to foretell. But the fact that it's not a limited series, and that there are overall three-season plans, allows for so much story that I can't wrap my head around any of it.

If I absolutely HAD to predict something, though, it would be this: Magnets, bitch!

Pluribus drops new episodes every Friday on Apple TV. Let us know your own predictions, even if they don't center entirely around magnets.

Every streaming service has its own original content, and of the best Netflix shows to binge is definitely Stranger Things. The sci-fi series, which is available with a Netflix subscription, is arguably the most popular show on there, and fans are hyped for its upcoming fifth and final season. Mike Wheeler actor Finn Wolfhard recently boasted about its ending, and I'm curious if the show will join the likes of Six Feet Under and Breaking Bad.

What we know about Stranger Things 5 is limited, but the pressure is on for the beloved series to stick the landing. While a number of TV shows have ended well, disappointing finales have a way of tarnishing the entire show. I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones. In a conversation with Who What Wear, Wolfhard gassed up how the story of Hawkins will end, saying:

Those are some big words, and ones that will be relieving for the many Stranger Things fans out there who are worried about what will happen in the series finale. On top of fan concerns about which beloved characters might be killed off, all eyes are on how The Duffer Brothers will wrap up the long-standing narrative. Although if Wolfhard is to be believed, they crushed it with the series finale.

If his comments end up being accurate, then perhaps Stranger Things will be able to live up to other epic finales like Six Feet Under. That acclaimed series, which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription, has my favorite final episode of all time. It showed the fate of the Fishers over decades of time, revealing how each beloved character ultimately dies. Breaking Bad also had a wildly satisfying final season, where all of the drama and death built up to an emotionally satisfying ending.

The Stranger Things Season 5 trailer showed how high the stakes are, with the entire town of Hawkins quarantined due to the Upside Down's attacks. In the same interview, Finn Wolfhard spoke about what to expect from his signature character, teasing:

Honestly, this does sound pretty epic. It sounds like our heroes are taking one final stand against Vecna and his forces, and Mike is seemingly helping to lead the charge. While he might not have powers like Eleven, that's never stopped the rest of the gang from helping to fight the forces of evil in Hawkins. As a reminder, you can check out the trailer for Season 5 below:

While it's been a long wait between seasons, Stranger Things' fifth and final entry is nearly upon us. The first four episodes will arrive on Netflix on November 26th. After that we'll get three more chapters on December 25th, before the finale drops on December 31st as part of the 2025 TV schedule. The wait is almost over, and I'm really hoping that Wolfhard's comments about its ending are a sign of something great to come.

It’s been three years since fans last saw Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk don the loud suits and crooked smile of Saul Goodman. Yet the character still looms large in pop culture. Introduced in Breaking Bad before headlining his own spinoff (which many argue surpassed the original), Odenkirk transformed Saul from a comical sidekick into one of TV’s most unforgettable antiheroes. Now, the writer-turned-actor is opening up about what it would take for him to return to the Breaking Bad universe, and how, in his eyes, that story could continue.

During an exclusive interview with TODAY, Bob Odenkirk revealed that if Saul were to return, the story would need to reflect where viewers last left him, serving an 86-year prison sentence. Still, for Odenkirk, the role holds a deep personal significance, and he admits it wouldn’t take much to bring him back:

The Saul series finale saw Goodman finally confess to his role in Walter White’s empire and the death of Howard Hamlin, capping off years of transformation from Jimmy McGill, the struggling public defender, into Albuquerque’s most notorious criminal lawyer. As Odenkirk sees it, continuing Saul’s story means leaning into that consequence rather than undoing it. He continued:

Hey, that’s not a terrible idea. There are a ton of brilliant shows and movies that take place in a prison. Also, if anyone could find a way to make a compelling TV show set inside a prison wall, my money would be on Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.

At the same time, Odenkirk is realistic about the chances of another Better Call Saul or Breaking Bad-related spinoff. Both Gilligan and Gould have moved on to new projects, and the actor says he doesn’t expect them to circle back anytime soon. He added:

He’s not wrong. Gilligan is currently developing Pluribus, a psychological sci-fi drama for folks with an Apple TV+ subscription starring Better Call Saul co-lead Rhea Seehorn. The series has already received a two-season order and is set in a reimagined version of modern-day Albuquerque, promising to take Gilligan’s signature storytelling in an entirely new direction. Bob Odenkirk has already had a sneak peek, beyond that unsettling teaser we all got, and he has nothing but praise.

Bob Odenkirk isn’t slipping back into Saul’s Italian loafers, yet he’s keeping plenty busy. His action sequel, Nobody 2, just hit the 2025 movie schedule and is currently in theaters. He’s continuing to explore new roles that take him beyond the morally compromised men he’s become famous for playing. On that note, both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

Ever since Sharon Stone was announced as the villain in Nobody 2 about a year ago, we’ve been curious about how the actress best known for Casino, Basic Instinct and Total Recall would bring to the action comedy about an assassin-turned-family man. When CinemaBlend spoke to Ben Odenkirk, the movie’s star and producer, he shared the story behind how he convinced her to join the franchise, and his beloved Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, had something to do with it.

When I sat down with Odenkirk during the Los Angeles Nobody 2 press junket, I shared my curiosity about getting Sharon Stone on board for the movie. He luckily had a great story about how she joined the cast. In his words:

Considering how great Bob Odenkirk was as Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul over the years, the actor was nominated for a lot of major awards during its six-season run, including earning five Golden Globe nominations. As Odenkirk expressed, during one of the times he was at the award shows, he actually met Sharon Stone, and she revealed she’s a big fan of the series.

He later remembered her when it came to casting the villain for Nobody 2. Here’s what happened next:

While Odenkirk admitted Stone’s character, which has been called “batshit crazy” by the Nobody 2 director, isn’t a complicated role, he really wanted the chance to work with the actress. So he wrote her a letter making his case, and obviously it worked. She in turn plays Lendina, who Hutch crosses paths with while trying to leave behind his assassin ways on a family vacation. Bob Odenkirk also said this about getting to share scenes with the talented actress:

Now that the Nobody 2 release date is here, fans of the first Nobody movie can see what Sharon Stone brings to her role. The actress was actually originally going to play a DC villain in Blue Beetle, before she was replaced by Susan Sarandon. Thankfully, she found another juicy big bad role, this time with an actor she admired herself, in Bob Odenkirk.

And how sweet does this exchange sound? Bob Odenkirk and Sharon Stone seem to be genuine fans of each other’s work, and it ended in the pair getting to be in the same movie. You can see them in the latest of the 2025 movie releases, Nobody 2, now playing in theaters.

Given its near-universal acclaim and reputation as an awards darling, to call Breaking Bad my all-time favorite TV show may sound like an obvious choice, but it is the truth. As such, I would follow its creator, Vince Gilligan, anywhere he goes, which is why I am aching to see his next project, Pluribus.

I would not even need to know anything else about this upcoming Apple TV+ series for it to pique my interest, knowing that the Emmy-winning writer and producer is involved. In fact, there is not too much else that anyone knows about Pluribus, but that only makes it more alluring to me. However, let’s focus on what has been revealed about this new show in the following guide.

What Is The Pluribus Premiere Date?

Pluribus is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on November 7, 2025. That is certainly a spot on the 2025 TV premiere schedule to be thankful for, as far as I am concerned.

What Pluribus Is About

As I mentioned at the top of the article, details regarding the story Pluribus will tell remain pretty mysterious at the moment. The most we have received so far in terms of a plot description is that the series follows “the most miserable person in the world,” who is tasked with “saving the world from happiness,” but Vince Gilligan had more to say about it when he told Variety the following:

Those words are, in essence, really no less vague than the logline, but, in all honesty, I both respect and admire Gilligan for managing to maintain this aura of mystery surrounding Pluribus with his comment. That being said, he also told Variety back in October 2023 that he describes the series as “mild science fiction,” adding that the story contains “no crime, and no methamphetamine.” This further illustrates that this is his first project in years to not exist in the Breaking Bad universe, following the prequel spinoff Better Call Saul, which provided Saul Goodman’s (Bob Odenkirk) origin, and the feature-length sequel, El Camino, which provided a fitting end to Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) story.

The Pluribus Teasers Have Been Gross And Enticing

Also, effectively keeping Pluribus intriguingly shrouded in mystery is the series’ promotional material. See for yourself by checking out the first official teaser and premiere date announcement clip below. Fair warning: some viewers may find it disgusting, and it has even led CinemaBlend’s Mike Reyes to suspect that there may be a plague afoot in this story:

A couple of days after that unsettling clip of a woman inexplicably licking donuts dropped online, an even more cryptic, second Pluribus teaser was released. It depicts an unbroken shot of a phone receiver that a woman, seen out of focus and watching a White House broadcast on her TV, walks toward with a gold club in hand before nervously reaching for it.

During the clip, three captions also appear that read, “Hello, Carol” (which some YouTube commenters suspect is a reference to Walter White’s neighbor on Breaking Bad), “Call us,” and “No pressure,” before it cuts to a black background with the phone number (202) 808-3981 across the screen. I recommend calling the number to experience what is on the other line for yourself, but I will say that the recorded greeting I hear has me suspecting that, if not a plague, the plot of Pluribus might involve a cult. Hell, it might even involve both topics, which is undoubtedly a concerning combination.

The Pluribus Cast

With how little we still know about the plot of this new series, we cannot tell you much at all about its main characters. So, for now, let’s talk about who has been confirmed to appear in the Pluribus cast and what else you may know them from.

Rhea Seehorn

Leading the Pluribus cast as the woman we supposedly saw in the second teaser, and whose name might be Carol, is Rhea Seehorn in her second collaboration with Vince Gilligan, following her three-time Emmy-nominated role as Kim Wexler on Better Call Saul. She previously had a recurring role on another legal dramedy (Franklin & Bash), a starring role on the short-lived sitcom Whitney, and has since starred in titles like Bad Boys: Ride or Die and Amazon Prime’s Invincible.

Karolina Wydra

Pluribus is Karolina Wydra’s first collaboration with Gilligan, but she is known for a TV show similar to Breaking Bad called Sneaky Pete, in addition to other acclaimed series like True Blood, Justified, Quantico, and, most recently, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She made her acting debut in Michel Gondry’s 2008 comedy Be Kind Rewind, and her other notable feature-length credits include the beloved rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love, and the cosmic found footage thriller, Europa Report.

Carlos-Manuel Vesga

Carlos-Manuel Vesga made his English-language acting debut with the 2025 movie, The Luckiest Man in America. Some viewers may also recognize him from his role in the Spanish-language Netflix miniseries, The Hijacking of Flight 601, from 2024.

Miriam Shor

Billed as a Pluribus guest star is Miriam Shor, who recently appeared in an Apple TV+ original TV show called Before, but is best known on the small screen in the Younger cast as Diana Trout. She has shown up on the big screen most notably in films like the classic drag movie Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the Oscar-winning American Fiction.

Samba Schutte

Also guest-starring on Pluribus is Samba Schutte of Our Flag Means Death fame. He is also known for the short-lived comedy Sunnyside and lending his voice to series like The Legend of Vox Machina and video games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Pluribus Comes From Breaking Bad Creator Vince Gilligan

As previously established, Pluribus comes from the mind of Vince Gilligan, best known as the creator of the Breaking Bad universe. He first came to prominence in Hollywood as a writer for The X-Files, and even created the spinoff series, The Lone Gunmen, which unfortunately lasted just one season. He also wrote films like Home Fries and Hancock and co-created the short-lived cop dramedy Battle Creek for CBS with David Shore.

Also signed on as executive producers for Pluribus are Emmy-nominated Better Call Saul writers Gordon Smith and Alison Tatlock, Diane Mercer (who has produced every installment of the Breaking Bad universe), The L Word: Generation Q producer Allyce Ozarski, and Jeff Frost. Credited as co-executive producers are Saul and El Camino producer Jenn Carroll and Trina Siopy, an actor who has also worked on Saul and served as a co-executive producer on House of the Dragon.

How To Watch Pluribus

Also established early on, Pluribus will be available with an Apple TV+ subscription upon release. However, a Netflix subscription is the most common way to catch up on or revisit Vince Gilligan’s previous creations, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and El Camino – the last of which is exclusive to the platform.

We shall see just how contagious happiness really is when Pluribus premieres.

A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon some teaser art for a new show on the 2025 TV schedule. It didn’t have a title or a synopsis, just a cryptic image, a tagline, and Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan’s previous statement that it'd be "fun and different." There was also a countdown that ended today, revealing another handful of details for the Apple TV+ show we can now call Pluribus. While I’m glad my curiosity and patience have now been compensated, I’m absolutely skeeved out by the “reward” we’ve just received. However, it also gave me a theory...

Seriously, Who Licks Two Whole Boxes Of Donuts…

Pluribus’ odd teaser trailer is very simple, but also incredibly unsettling. I could describe it for you, and I honestly almost did to spare you Apple TV+ subscription holders. Eventually, I decided that if you really want to feel the discomfort of what I’m about to discuss here, you need to see it with your own eyes.

This is coming from me, a person who appreciates the best "sick" movies that deal with such subject matter. So here, without further delay, and a trigger warning for all germaphobes, is that very teaser:

The more I revisit this announcement for Pluribus’ November 7th premiere date, the more details I pick up on. This act of defiling baked goods, accompanied with sinister-sounding music and a sign that says “Help Yourself!” is the definition of a nightmare in a post-lockdown world.

Add on top of that that this setting looks like the lobby of a school, and things begin to look even grimmer. Though on the plus side, Vince Gilligan's past as a writer on the future TV star maker The X-Files definitely looks to be coming in handy right about now. Which returns me to that question I asked earlier, as I believe a person who licks two whole boxes of donuts is a very special type.

…Someone Who Wants To Start A Plague

That’s right, kids! I think Pluribus is an outbreak narrative! What’s more, it reunites Vince Gilligan with Rhea Seehorn, of Better Call Saul fame. One could assume she’s playing the starring role, which sounds like quite a doozy when you read this official description of the series:

Taking into account that the very title means “many,” and is prominently known as being part of the United States’ motto “E Pluribus Unum,” I’d also venture a guess that this might be a domestic threat. At least, for the first season, which only begs to question what sort of nastiness will we see to promote Season 2?!

Perhaps the last piece in this puzzle of mine is that cryptic promo art from earlier this week. Dropped throughout the social media accounts for Breaking Bad, those messages had this same image/caption combo:

So not only are we going to potentially see a plague, but this looks like a pathogen that can inspire a sort of reverse 28 Days Later scenario. Instead of carriers puking up blood and trying to kill their neighbors, Pluribus seems to suggest that they won’t be able to stop smiling at them…or anyone else…ever! Yep...this is definitely something that would come from an alum of the X-Files writers' room, aka "that place where some of the darkest TV episodes have come from."

In a sick sort of way, walking down this path of conspiracy kind of has me quite amped for Pluribus. On the other hand, donuts and any other freely offered food in large gatherings are going to have to wait for my attention. Which only makes the November 7th premiere date even more apt, as Season 1 will be airing on Apple TV+ through December 26th - the holiday corridor known as cold and flu season!

In many cases, a satisfying story sees the protagonist undergo a dramatic change. Sometimes, this means the character adopts new personality traits, for better or worse, but there are also some notable instances in which they change from the outside, often in wild and even unsettling ways. If you have the stomach for it, come relive some of the most bewildering physical transformations from the big and small screen.

Sherman Klump (The Nutty Professor)

Star Eddie Murphy underwent multiple, incredible physical transformations, thanks to Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup, to portray various roles in director Tom Shadyac's remake of 1963's The Nutty Professor. However, his central role is Sherman Klump, a scientist who creates an instant weight loss formula that not only changes his appearance but causes him to unlock an alternate persona that begins to grow increasingly independent.

Walter White (Breaking Bad)

Walter White, Bryan Cranston's four-time Emmy-winning lead role on Breaking Bad, is the ultimate example of a TV character whose personality takes a complete 180 over time. However, the chemistry teacher-turned-criminal not only changes from within, but also on the outside when he shaves his head and grows a goatee early on in Season 1.

The Joker (Batman)

Some iterations of Batman's archnemesis depict him as a man who puts on the face of a clown with makeup and hair dye, but not in Tim Burton's 1989 classic. Jack Nicholson's Jack Napier becomes The Joker when he falls into a vat of acid that turns his hair green and his skin white and leaves a permanent smile on his face.

The Doctor (Doctor Who)

The title hero of Doctor Who may hold the record for the highest number of dramatic physical transformations for a single TV character, having completely altered his appearance at least 15 times in the series' decades-long history. Every few seasons or so, the immortal Time Lord regenerates, appearing in a whole new form and portrayed by a new actor.

Prince Adam (Beauty And The Beast)

Beauty and the Beast, the acclaimed 1991 Disney animated movie classic based on the timeless fairytale, is a story that reminds us that there is more to a person than meets the eye. The titular Beast used to be a handsome, but cruelly arrogant, prince named Adam before he was afflicted with a curse that could only be broken by finding true love with Belle.

Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

You could argue that making Jaleel White's nerdy Family Matters character the star of the show ruined the otherwise beloved TV sitcom, but, admittedly, Steve Urkel did prove himself to be a genius in many entertaining ways. Most notably, he invented a transformation chamber that could replicate his DNA and make him into a more suave alter ego known as Stefan Urquelle.

Steve Rogers (Captain America: The First Avenger)

I believe that none of the Marvel movies in order are more inspirational than 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, in which the 5'3", 115-lb Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) gets his wish to defend his country in World War II. All it takes to get him qualified is an injection of a special "Super Soldier" serum that allows his inner strength to also become his outer strength.

Mac (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

For the seventh season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rob McElhenney (who legally changed his name to Rob Mac in 2025) thought it would be funny if his character, Mac, gained a great deal of weight. The actor, and his role, would later alter his physical appearance once again when he dropped 60 pounds and achieved a shredded physique.

Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith)

Few characters from the Star Wars movies look quite as unsettling as Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who once had an entirely different appearance (and I am not just talking about when another actor played him in The Empire Strikes Back). The prequel trilogy reveals that the Sith leader actually looked human before the Force lightning he used to kill Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) reflected back on him, giving him withered white skin, jagged teeth, and yellow eyes.

Sean Archer And Castor Troy (Face/Off)

In one of the all-time wildest premises for an action movie, John Woo's 1997 hit Face/Off sees grieving FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) undergo a revolutionary procedure that allows him to convincingly pose as the comatose Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). Unfortunately, he comes to discover that the notorious terrorist has awakened and has undergone the same surgery in order to look like him.

Seth Brundle (The Fly)

Arguably, the quintessential body horror movie is director David Cronenberg's (who else?) 1986 remake of The Fly. The stomach-churning classic stars Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a physicist whose instant transportation experiment goes wrong when his DNA is accidentally fused with an insect, causing him to slowly become a grotesque creature.

Henry Creel (Stranger Things)

The fourth season of Netflix's Stranger Things was chock-full of mindblowing revelations, including how all of the trouble in Hawkins has been caused by a frightening creature referred to as Vecna. A big twist on top of that big twist is that the powerful, decrepit ruler of the Upside Down used to be a human named Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower) until Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) pushed him through a portal to the alternate dimension, causing his transformation.

Sméagol/Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King)

Andy Serkis' performance in The Lord of the Rings movies is not entirely achieved with performance capture. The actor appears in his practical form in The Return Of The King for a haunting flashback that explains how the creepy little creature known as Gollum used to be a hobbit named Sméagol before he was corrupted by the One Ring.

Chuck Noland (Cast Away)

In 2000's Cast Away, FedEx employee Chuck Noland loses quite a bit of weight and never has an opportunity to shave or trim his hair while stranded on a desert island for four years. Robert Zemeckis actually took a break from production to film What Lies Beneath while waiting for Tom Hanks to lose 50 lbs.

The Gremlins (Gremlins)

In the classic 1984 horror-comedy movie, Gremlins, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) learns why you should never feed a Mogwai after midnight the hard way. The cute, cuddly, one-of-a-kind creatures mutate into the eponymous, menacing green monsters who cause anything but a silent night around Christmastime.

David Banner (The Incredible Hulk)

In the classic TV adaptation of the Marvel comic, The Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby plays David Banner, a physicist who is dangerously exposed to gamma radiation. As a result, if his stress levels rise too high, he transforms into a green behemoth played by bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno.

Elisabeth Sparkle (The Substance)

One of the best horror movies of 2024 (and most acclaimed films of that year, period), The Substance, is a cautionary tale of vanity sealing one's downfall, told from the perspective of Oscar nominee Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle. The actor uses a black market drug to create a younger alter ego named Sue (Margaret Qualley), who begins to take over her life, disrespecting the balance and, literally, draining every last drop of her youth until she becomes a completely unrecognizable, old crone.

Alex Murphy (RoboCop)

In 1987's RoboCop, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) suffers an incident that leads him to become part-man, part-machine... but mostly machine. Since much of his physical form was destroyed, just about everything from the neck down is replaced with robotic parts, turning him into the ultimate crime-fighting tool.

Melvin Junko (The Toxic Avenger)

Troma's cult-favorite superhero flick, 1984's The Toxic Avenger, is the story of an awkward, geeky custodian named Melvin Junko (Mark Torgl). After falling into a vat of toxic waste, as the result of a disastrously cruel prank, the 98-pound weakling transforms into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength, which he uses to make his crime-ridden community a better place.

Edward Lemuel (A Different Man)

In the acclaimed A24 movie, A Different Man, Sebastian Stan plays Edward Lemuel, an actor born with neurofibromatosis, which causes him to grow abnormalities on his face that he has removed with reconstructive surgery. However, he soon begins to experience an identity crisis when an actor with the same affliction (played by Adam Pearson) is cast to portray him in a play based on his life.

Ben Grimm (Fantastic Four)

Like in the beloved Marvel comic that inspired it, 2005's Fantastic Four sees a group of people suffer a strange accident during a space mission that causes them to gain powers like elasticity, invisibility, and pyrokinesis. However, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) is a special case because, in addition to gaining super strength, his skin turns to an impenetrable, rock-like substance.

Dr. Henry Jekyll (Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde)

One of the few actors to win an Academy Award for a horror movie is Frederic March, who starred in 1931's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as both the ambitious scientist and his grotesque, murderous alter ego.

David Kessler (An American Werewolf In London)

Cinema's gold standard for lycanthropic transformations occurs in 1981's An American Werewolf in London when David Kessler (David Naughton) undergoes a painful metamorphosis from man to animal under a full moon, courtesy of Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup effects.

Gwynplaine (The Man Who Laughs)

In 1928's The Man Who Laughs, Conrad Veidt plays the son of an executed English noble, whose face is surgically altered into an unsettling permanent grin, which would serve as the inspiration for the comic book villain, The Joker.

Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

Hocus Pocus is recognized as a kid-friendly movie about witches, but the Sanderson Sisters (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) cast some truly dark and cruel spells. For instance, they curse Thackery Binx (played as a human by Sean Murray and later voiced by Jason Marsden) to live forever, but as a black cat.

Squidward Tentacles (SpongeBob Squarepants)

When SpongeBob Squarepants (Tom Kenny) accidentally injures Squidward's (Roger Bumpass) face, it heals in such a way that he appears more conventionally attractive, with a smaller nose, smooth cheekbones, and a chiseled jawline. However, the blessing begins to become a burden, and SpongeBob tries to help by recreating the same incident, which ultimately makes him look like he was molded in clay. I actually think "Handsome Squidward's" final form is a little creepy, but I guess I would have to be a sea creature to understand the appeal.

Shrek (Shrek 2)

The first Shrek ended with Princess Fiona's (Cameron Diaz) nightly transformation into an ogre becoming her permanent form after admitting her true feelings for Mike Myers' title character. However, in the 2004 sequel, the couple both take on human characteristics after he drinks a special potion.

Delenn (Babylon 5)

Mira Furlan stars on the sci-fi series Babylon 5 as Delenn, who is a type of extra-terrestrial called a Minbari. However, in Season 5, she undergoes a procedure that turns her into a half-human hybrid.

Jason Voorhees (Jason X)

In the tenth installment of the Friday the 13th franchise, 2001's Jason X, hockey-masked iconic horror movie villain, Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder), is cryogenically frozen and awakened in the future on a spaceship, where he is nearly destroyed, only to be resurrected with a new look by nanobots.

Wallace Bryton (Tusk)

In writer and director Kevin Smith's odd A24 horror flick, 2014's Tusk, Justin Long stars as arrogant podcast host Wallace, who thinks he has found the perfect subject for his next episode in retired sailor Howard Howe (Michael Parks). However, much to his horror, Howe intends to surgically transform Wallace into a walrus, and the result of the process is nothing short of unsettling.

Gustav Graves (Die Another Day)

In the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, the MI-6 agent (played by Pierce Brosnan in his last 007 appearance) faces off against the Caucasian, English-accented Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). However, near the end, he discovers the foe is really North Korean Colonel Tan-Sun Moon (Will Yun Lee), who faked his death, underwent intense reconstructive surgery, and reinvented himself as a wealthy diamond magnate within a matter of months.

Wikus Van De Merwe (District 9)

In Neill Blomkamp's acclaimed 2009 alien invasion movie, District 9, Sharlto Copley plays Wikus Van De Merwe, who is accidentally sprayed with some mysterious substance. As a result, he begins to slowly mutate into South Africa's oppressed extra-terrestrial visitors, known as Prawns.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Dexter: Resurrection. Stream episodes now with a Paramount+ subscription, and read at your own risk!

Dexter Morgan's story is continuing with Dexter: Resurrection not long after it seemed New Blood was the endgame. The story picks up where the last one left off, but with everyone's favorite serial killer-killer settling up in New York City to help clean up the latest deadly mess made by his son Harrison. I'm loving the episodes we've seen so far, especially with the continuation giving me major Breaking Bad vibes the longer we get into it.

For all the nostalgia and love I have for the classic series (I also love that James Remar is back), I think the original Dexter did the series a disservice that the revival is fixing. It feels like Dexter is in his "Heisenberg" era in these new episodes, and if that's confusing, allow me to break it down.

Both Dexter And Walter White Are Easy To Root For, Despite Their Crimes

Breaking Bad and Dexter do a great job at taking unsavory individuals (a drug dealer and serial killer) and making them sympathetic. Both are similar in how they execute it as well, giving them noble intentions behind the despicable things they do. For Walter, this was raising as much money as he could to ensure his family was taken care of after he died of cancer. Of course, for Dexter, it's killing violent criminals who have either evaded the law or are operating completely under the radar.

In real life, I think many of us could confidently say we won't root for these types of people in any scenario. Of course, Breaking Bad and Dexter both try to paint their heroes in the most favorable light possible, to the point that the fandom is tricked into villainizing more rational characters like Skyler White or Maria LaGuerta.

These two characters in particular I like to compare, because both shows used illicit affairs to paint them in an unfavorable light. No one likes a cheater, and I applaud both for using that to make the audience more in the corner of the clear bad guys of the show, just because they were shown something unsavory about a character they might otherwise empathize with.

Part Of What Made Breaking Bad Incredible Was How It Reshaped Walter White

Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest shows of all time for many reasons, but for me, what sends it over the top is how it reshapes how the viewer feels about Walter White. Throughout the entire series, we see him evolve from a man who is clearly out of his depth to the mythical figure we come to know as "Heisenberg." A lowly school teacher turns into a drug kingpin throughout the length of the series, and ultimately becomes a terrible person in the process.

What starts out as a quest to financially support his family after his death soon becomes a quest to gain as much money and power as possible. He seems to get a great sense of pride that he was manufacturing the best meth in the southwestern United States. It becomes all-consuming, and the deeper he gets, the more willing he is to do despicable things to maintain the status quo. There are plenty of mind-blowing moments where you simply can't believe the person he's become, from allowing Jesse Pinkman's girlfriend Jane to die, to poisoning a child.

Dexter also has its share of mind-blowing moments, but the series lacked the kind of gut-punch that made you feel guilty for rooting for Dexter. Even when he let Doakes die, I didn't really feel too bad for the sergeant, despite having plenty of reason to. Doakes is essentially a villain because he's a good cop who had a suspicion that his colleague was up to some shady stuff, and it turns out he was 100% spot on. At the end of Dexter, Morgan ends up getting away with it all and living in the woods. Not the sort of justice he ultimately deserved as a serial killer, which is ultimately delivered in the novels.

Dexter New Blood And Resurrection Have Leaned Into Reminding Us That He Is Not A Good Person, Despite His Own Opinion

Dexter: New Blood and Resurrection have done a good job thus far of bringing the thing that made Breaking Bad great into its latest stories. Via Harrison, his former girlfriend Angela Bishop, and now his old colleague Angel Batista, we're slowly being shown again that, at the end of the day, Dexter Morgan is a serial killer. Sure, he often tries to kill others who committed heinous crimes and act by his code, but he still only does this because he struggles to resist an urge to kill.

Harry's code or not, he's not a good person, and even his own son recognized that. Even recently in Resurrection, when Dexter went on a manhunt for a serial killer that was using his moniker as "The Dark Passenger," it was more about his pride and the thrill of a kill than it ever really was about a moral code.

What's also true is that Dexter is a survivalist first and foremost. He went and killed the innocent Sergeant Logan under the guise that it was necessary to save Harrison. In reality, he doesn't really want to face any retribution for his various crimes despite the noble intentions he claims to have for his hundreds of murders.

If he did, he wouldn't have fled the city when Angel Batista went to visit him at the start of Resurrection, and I'll be curious to see how he responds should his former friend and colleague get a little too close to the truth later in the series. It really feels like the revival is finally showing us the plot lines that prove Dexter is not the hero the original series portrayed him as, and I'm all here for it, assuming they stick the landing.

Catch new episodes of Dexter: Resurrection on Fridays with a Paramount+ subscription, or on Showtime on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm very excited to see how the rest of this season goes, and if Dexter is going to reunite with his son after they parted ways at the end of New Blood.

There are so many fun, fake products in movies and TV. Sometimes, they become so iconic that they become real products. There are a few examples of that on this list of fake products from movies and TV shows, but most of them are just things we fondly remember from our favorite films and shows. So here it is, our list of just some of the best products we could come up with.

Apollo Bars - Lost

One of the things Lost did really well was building a world beyond the island. Apollo Bars were part of that world. The chocolate bars were seen all throughout the season, including when Hurley raided the pantry in the hatch when it was first discovered.

Big Kahuna Burger - Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino has done a really cool job over his career, not only inventing unique products for his movies, butalso using them in multiple films. Big Kahuna Burger from Pulp Fiction is a perfect example. We first find out about the "new Hawaiian burger joint" when Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) tries Brad's nutritious breakfast. It is a tasty burger! Eagle-eyed viewers may know that the brand was actually introduced in Reservoir Dogs when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is seen drinking from a cup from the fictional restaurant.

ACME - Looney Tunes

The ultimate example of fake products on TV has to be the ubiquitous ACME company from Looney Tunes. It's most often seen in Road Runner cartoons as the company where Wile E Coyote buys all the equipment he tries in vain to use to catch his nemesis. It seems it was the Amazon of the Looney Tunes world.

Sweetums - Parks & Recreation

Sweetums are the controversial candy seen a few times in Parks & Recreation. Loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, Leslie (Amy Poehler) is appalled by their popularity, while Ron (Nick Offerman) is predictably less worried about how unhealthy they are.

Wonka Candy - Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

One of the examples on this list of a fictional food product that was eventually a real brand name is Wonka Chocolate (or candy in general). Obviously, it's been seen in all the movie versions of the classic novel by Roald Dahl.

Hoverboards - Back To The Future Part II

When Back To The Future Part II came out, it was filled with futuristic products, but by far the one kids most wanted to be real was the Hoverboards (from Mattel in the movie). We're still waiting, decades later–and no, the "hoverboards" with the one wheel don't count.

The Cornballer - Arrested Development

Perhaps the most dangerous product on this list is the Cornballer from Arrested Development. Invented by George Bluth (Jeffrey Tambor), the product was recalled because it basically burned anyone who ever tried to use one, including Michael (Jason Bateman) multiple times in one episode. Getting Richard Simmons to help sell it in an infomercial was a bad idea, too.

Kitten Mittons - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Does your cat make too much noise? If so, Charlie (Charlie Day) from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has the solution for you. Kitten Mittons! Of course, your cat may not like them as much as you hope, so be careful!

Brawndo - Idiocracy

Brawndo has what plants crave! Actually, no... no it doesn't. It turns out water is still better for growing crops, but don't tell those corporate suits at Brawndo, they pay a lot of money to sponsor basically everything you would use water for... except the toilet.

Top Of The Muffin To You

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) sure loves the tops of muffins. Personally, I like the whole muffin, but it seems enough people love the tops enough to make an entire bakery making only the tops of muffins in the world of Seinfeld. Just don't expect the local food pantry to accept only the stumps.

Dapper Dan - O Brother Where Art Thou?

Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is a Dapper Dan man. He's not interested in any other pomade to style his hair. If he can't get his Dapper Dan, he'll be sure to let you know. Accept no substitute.

Allied Biscuits - The Simpsons

Apparently, Springfield is big enough to have not one or two cracker brands, but no less than eight! Luann Van Houten's family's fortune comes from Southern Cracker, but poor Kirk is a terrible manager and leads the brand to a tie for the sixth most popular with Table Time and Allied Biscuits. Marge was so embarrassed that she emptied her plate back into the box.

Soul Glo - Coming To America

Soul Glo is quite the product in Coming To America. It's made a fortune for Darryl's family, and Akeem (Eddie Murphy) seems jealous of anyone wearing the hair product. Fun fact: the song in the fake commercial was written and performed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers of Chic.

Stay Puft Marshmallows - Ghostbusters

Not only does Ray (Dan Aykroyd) manifest the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end of Ghostbusters, eagle-eyed viewers will notice that there is a bag of the sugary treats on the counter as Dana (Sigourney Weaver) is unloading her groceries before Zuul takes over her refrigerator.

Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor - NewsRadio

The legendary newsman Bill McNeil (Phil Hartman) only endorses products he uses and enjoys. Or, it turns out, anyone willing to pay him enough money. The best example of the latter is Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor, which he records ridiculous commercials for in one episode of NewsRadio.

Tracy Jordan Meat Machine - 30 Rock

Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) was always looking for ways to branch out, and that extended to endorsing a product called "Tracy Jordan Meat Machine" in the vein of the George Foreman Grill. It's not a bad strategy, as it clearly worked for the former heavyweight champion.

Los Pollos Hermanos - Breaking Bad

Los Pollos Hermanos, the fictional chicken chain in Breaking Bad, is another example of a brand on the TV show that has become real, with pop-up versions of the fictional restaurant taking over old storefronts on occasion.

Oceanic Airlines - Lost

Of the many different fictional brands in Lost, none were more prominent than Oceanic Airlines. The ill-fated flight that crashed onto "The Island" on the show was an Oceanic flight. There was even a fake website set up in the real world where fans could learn more about the airline and check out the "schedule." That flight from Sidney was on it, too... lost.

Duff Beer - The Simpsons

The Simpsons has been around a long, long time, and almost since the beginning, Homer (and everyone else in Springfield) has always been loyal to one brand of beer: Duff's. There are a lot of "flavors" of Duff, but they all come from the same vat, so it's really all about marketing. Duff Man agrees.

Cheesy Poofs - South Park

Eric Cartman loves his Cheesy Poofs. All the kids love them, but Cartman really loves them, as he's most often the one seen eating the fake snack food that seems to be off-brand Cheetos.

Mockolate - Friends

Mockolate on Friends makes light of products like Olestra that were popular in the 1990s. Mockolate is a synthetic version of chocolate that tastes terrible and is dangerous to ingest. It was eventually banned by the FDA on the show, but not before Monica tried to get a job inventing new candies with the chemicals. Yikes.

Soylent Green - Soylent Green

By far the most terrifying fake product on this list, Soylent Green is people! Never forget. And never, ever eat anything called "Soylent Green." Just starve yourself, it's safer.

Dunder-Mifflin Paper - The Office

Does anyone actually think about what brand of paper they are using? Do you sit in your office or at an office supply store, and make your decision based on the brand? I worked in a paper warehouse (for real) when I was in high school, and I never gave it a second thought ever again. Still, Dunder-Mifflin endures. on the US version of The Office. In the British version, it's the Wernham Hogg Paper Company.

Pawtucket Brewery - Family Guy

Like The Simpsons, the guys on Family Guy have a preferred brand of local beer from Pawtucket Brewery. The big difference is that the brewery in Family Guy is owned by a Willy Wonka-like character, instead of being promoted by a Superhero-looking mascot.

Mooby's - Clerks II

In the original Clerks, Randall and Dante worked in a nondescript shopping center (which is a real location in New Jersey). In the sequel, they've both taken jobs at the fictional Mooby's. It has since become a regular brand in Kevin Smith's films.

Bubba Gump Shrimp - Forrest Gump

Another example on this list of a fictional brand that became all too real is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Started by Forrest (Tom Hanks) in tribute to his friend who was killed in Vietnam, the name was eventually licensed out and became a popular fast-casual fish joint with locations all over the world.

Pizza Planet - Toy Story

Pizza Planet must be based on the real-life pizza places like Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E Cheese, right? Kids love it, parents probably hate it, but it does look pretty darn fun in the Toy Story universe.

Rekall - Total Recall

Rekall, where fake memories are implanted in your head to make it seem like you went on a fun vacation, is...messed up. Total Recall is a wild movie, and the whole idea of having memories implanted is about as disturbing an example of a messed-up future anyone could ever come up with. Even if it's a trip to Mars.

Shotz Beer - Laverne & Shirley

When bffs Laverne and Shirley move to Milwaukee, they get a job at that most Milwaukee of places–a brewery. Of course, it helps their dreams come true, so it seems like the kind of beer we'd all like to try.

Butterbeer - Harry Potter

Butterbeer is a brand and a way of life. It also seems to be the only thing anyone wants to drink in the world of Harry Potter. It's even become a real thing, I get to try it when I toured the Harry Potter studio outside London. I'm honest, it's way too sweet for Muggle consumption. At least this Muggle.

Opti-Grab - The Jerk

I've worn glasses for most of my life, but I've never had the need for anything like the Opti-Grab from The Jerk. Sure, it makes Nathan a very rich man (at least until it's sued out of existence), so some people might be interested, but glasses can be awkward enough without having that weird thing you can pinch.

Strictland Propane - King Of The Hill

Strictland propane and propane products! The best money can buy!

What makes TV crime dramas so alluring? It could be the simple thrill of the action or the satisfaction of seeing evil brought to justice, but, for me, it's the twists and revelations that shake up the story. Let’s revisit some of the most mindblowing moments from some of the best crime TV shows, and make sure to keep our SPOILER WARNING in mind.

Omar's Murder (The Wire)

Creator David Simon's The Wire delivered a shocking death that illustrates how even the most imposing and legendary individuals can expire in an unremarkable fashion. Fans of the acclaimed HBO drama anticipated that Baltimore thief Omar Little (Michael K. Williams) might go down in a showdown against Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector), but, instead, was fatally shot by Kenard (Thuliso Dingwall ), a kid who worked for the gangster.

Adrian Solves Trudy’s Murder (Monk)

In the series finale of Monk, Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub's obsessive-compulsive detective, Adrian Monk, finally gets to the bottom of the case that has haunted him for years: the murder of his wife, Trudy (Melora Hardin). The car bomb that killed her was planted by renowned Judge Ethan Rickover (Craig T. Nelson) in order to prevent her from coming clean about their affair from years earlier, which resulted in a pregnancy.

Walt Poisons Brock (Breaking Bad)

One of the best episodes of Breaking Bad sees Walter White (Bryan Cranston) resorting to abhorrent measures in order to take down his most fearsome adversary, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Jesse's (Aaron Paul) new girlfriend's son, Brock, winds up in the hospital, leading him to suspect the boy was poisoned by Walt, who insists that the poisoning was a manipulation tactic by Gus. Indeed, it was a tactic, but orchestrated by Walt, who is revealed to have poisoned Brock so he could pin it on Gus and get Jesse to help him kill the ruthless criminal.

Junior Shoots Tony (The Sopranos)

In the Season 6 premiere of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) shows up at the home of his uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), who is suffering from dementia and immediately mistakes his nephew for a dead mobster who robbed him years earlier named Gennaro Malanga. Junior reacts by pulling out a pistol and shooting Tony, who passes out before he can call 911, but luckily, he is rushed to the hospital, where he is put in a coma.

Moriarty Takes His Own Life (Sherlock)

Early on in BBC's modernized reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's revered mystery stories, Sherlock, fans were introduced to Holmes' (Benedict Cumberbatch) arch nemesis, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott). However, in only the second season finale, their quarrel of wits came to an end when the master criminal ended his life right in front of the detective.

Love Is A Killer Too (You)

In Netflix's hit crime TV show, You, serial stalker and killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) believes he has found someone who can help tame his dark side in Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti). However, he comes to discover that his seemingly sweet and innocent new lover has homicidal tendencies of her own.

Bones' Parents Have A Criminal History (Bones)

Emily Deschanel's eponymous forensic anthropologist from Bones, Temperance "Bones" Brennan, was abandoned by her parents when she was a teenager. Years later, she would find her mother's remains and, through subsequent investigation, discover that she and Brennan's father were career criminals.

Kristin Shepard Shot J.R. (Dallas)

One of the most iconic cliffhangers in TV history had America wondering who shot J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) in the Season 3 finale of Dallas. The mystery prompted an astonishing phenomenon that lasted the entire summer of 1980 before the primetime soap opera returned for its fourth season premiere, in which it was revealed that Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) attempted to kill the notorious oil baron.

Vic Kills Terry (The Shield)

Creator Shawn Ryan's intense, FX original police drama The Shield wasted no time in preparing audiences for what sort of startling twists and turns it had in store. The very first episode ends with the corrupt Det. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) murdering federal informant Terry Crowley (Reed Diamond) in cold blood.

The Trinity Killer Murders Rita (Dexter)

Most fans of Dexter would agree that the most wicked adversary Michael C. Hall's homicidal vigilante ever faced is Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow), a.k.a. The Trinity Killer, especially for his final kill. Dexter manages to take out the sadistic murderer, but not soon enough to prevent him from killing his wife, Rita (Julie Benz), whom he finds in a blood-filled bathtub with his infant son, Harrison, sitting on the floor nearby.

Dana Lewis Is A Murderer (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden appeared on multiple episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Dana Lewis, an FBI agent who strikes up a strong bond with Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). However, their friendship would come to an end when Lewis is arrested for murdering a woman her ex-boyfriend cheated on her with.

The Yellow King’s Identity (True Detective)

The first season of HBO's hit, anthological mystery drama, True Detective, follows Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) as they investigate the murders of a killer known only as The Yellow King. Ultimately, the criminal is revealed to be Errol Childress (Glenn Fleshler), who is the nephew of one of the case's prime suspects, Reverend Tuttle.

Opie Sacrifices Himself (Sons Of Anarchy)

One of the most heartbreaking moments from Sons of Anarchy comes when the imprisoned Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), Chibs Telford (Tommy Flanagan), Tig Trager (Kim Coates), and Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst) are forced to decide which of them will face four other inmates in a brawl to the death so that Jax and Chibs can be released as part of an agreement with Damon Pope (Harold Perrineau). Opie volunteers himself and, after uttering his final words, "I got this," bids his brothers farewell before suffering a brutal end.

Cooper Is Replaced With An Evil Clone (Twin Peaks)

While all David Lynch movies are known for raising many perplexing questions, the original CBS run of the filmmaker's hit TV series, Twin Peaks, especially left audiences with a lot to ponder in the Season 2 finale, which reveals that Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) has not returned from The Black Lodge, but has been replaced with a demented doppelgänger. More than two decades later, fans were finally treated to a continuation of the story with Showtime's 2017 revival.

The Reaper Is George Foyet (Criminal Minds)

One of the most notorious criminals that the Criminal Minds cast ever took on was an elusive killer known as "The Reaper," whose only surviving victim was a man named George Foyet (C. Thomas Howell). However, the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit comes to discover that Foyet is The Reaper after all.

Beaver Assaulted Veronica (Veronica Mars)

The season 2 finale of Veronica Mars solves the long-gestating mystery behind the young, titular amateur investigator's (Kristen Bell) traumatic assault. The perpetrator is revealed to be Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas (Kyle Gallner), who is himself a victim of assault, which has led him to become a violent person, causing even more destruction than what Veronica had suffered.

Elliott Has Been In Prison The Entire Time (Mr. Robot)

Creator Sam Esmail's USA drama Mr. Robot is the kind of series that always keeps you guessing, thanks to central character Elliott Alderson (Rami Malek) being an unreliable narrator. In fact, the seventh episode of its second season reveals that the hacker's entire life up to that point has been a delusion, and he has really been serving a jail sentence during this time.

President Logan Is Corrupt (24)

Corruption in the White House is a horrifying concept, which Fox's 24 boldly touched on with one of its most shocking twists. At the end of the 16th episode of Season 5, President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) is seen having a phone conversation with Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) that reveals he was behind the deaths of David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) and Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth).

Helen Is Killed (Ozark)

Few Netflix original TV shows have been as subversive as Ozark, which concluded its third season in an intense way. While it seemed that Marty Byrd (Jason Bateman) was doomed to suffer a grisly fate at the hands of Omar Navarro (Felix Solis), the cartel leader instead orders Nelson (Nelson Bonilla) to take out his lawyer, Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer), who attempted to frame Marty as an FBI informant.

Hank Realizes Heisenberg's True Identity (Breaking Bad)

The first half of Breaking Bad's fifth and final season came to a jaw-dropping end when DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) arrived at a startling, long-awaited conclusion. He is sitting on Walt's toilet when he grabs a copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, signed to "W.W." by Gale Boetticher (David Costabile). This clues him in to the fact that the drug manufacturer he has been trying to find for more than a year has been his brother-in-law the whole time.

Ryan Killed Erin (Mare Of Easttown)

Near the end of the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown, it appears that Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) was murdered by her older cousin and lover, John Ross (Joe Tippett), but the truth is much darker. John's 13-year-old son, Ryan (Cameron Mann), learned of the affair and set out to intimidate her into backing out of the romance, but it ended up resulting in a fatal end for the young woman.

Cody Hoyt Dies (Big Sky)

It was heavily implied in the marketing for creator David E. Kelley's ABC drama Big Sky that Ryan Phillippe would be the star of the mystery thriller. Thus, seeing his character, a private investigator named Cody Hoyt, fatally shot by crooked Highway Patrol officer Rick Legarski (John Carroll Lynch) at the end of the pilot episode certainly caught viewers off guard.

Amma Killed Ann And Natalie (Sharp Objects)

In HBO's limited series adaptation of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects, Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) comes to suspect that her abusive mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), was responsible for the murders of Ann Nash (Kaegan Baron) and Natalie Keene (Jessica Treksa). However, in the final scene, it is revealed that Camille's younger half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), killed the young women and even used their teeth as cobblestones for her dollhouse's patio.

Hilde Is Imogene's Mother (Death And Other Details)

For years, the hero of Hulu's clever whodunnit Death and Other Details, Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), has been haunted by the murder of her mother, Kira, which the renowned Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin) was never able to solve. However, while investigating a mysterious death on a private cruise, Imogene discovers that Kira actually faked her death all those years ago and has been hiding in plain sight on the ship, disguised as Interpol agent Hilde Eriksen (Linda Emond).

Boyd Crowder Escapes Prison (Justified: City Primeval)

Walton Goggins denied multiple times that he was involved with Justified: City Primeval, the 2023 miniseries revival of the hit FX crime thriller starring Timothy Olyphant as old-school U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. However, he turned out to be full of it, as a post-credit scene shows his character, Boyd Crowder, escaping prison.

Chloe Is A Godly Blessing (Lucifer)

The pairing of the Devil incarnate, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), with Det. Chloe Decker (Lauren German), as investigative partners, as well as lovers, would prove to be a match made in Heaven... literally. It is revealed in Season 2 of Lucifer that Chloe was created by God with the purpose of being the police consultant's perfect mate.

Sydney Wakes Up Two Years In The Future (Alias)

The second season of ABC's hit espionage drama Alias ends with a real gut-punch of a twist. Sidney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) wakes up in Hong Kong with no memory of how she wound up there and eventually discovers that she has been missing for the past two years. This leads her on a journey to piece together what happened to her during all that time.

Kima Greggs Is Shot (The Wire)

Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) was initially conceived as a smaller role on The Wire before creator David Simon was convinced by HBO executive Carolyn Strauss to keep her around longer. In other words, the shocking moment from the end of the first season's 10th episode, in which she is shot during a bust gone wrong, almost sealed the character's fate.

Peter Is From Another Dimension (Fringe)

In the second season of Fringe, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) survives a deadly shockwave that leads him to realize that he was born in an alternate universe and was forcibly brought into this dimension by his father, Walter (John Noble). The twist completely recontextualizes the character's place in the show and brings to light the impact that his cross-dimensional transfer has on the world.

Paige Stays In America (The Americans)

In the series finale of The Americans, Paige Jennings (Holly Taylor) is seen exiting a train headed for the Soviet Union. This means that she has chosen to stay in the States, her true home, and that her undercover Soviet spy parents, Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), will never see her again.

Georgia Trotman Is Thrown Out A Five-Story Window (Line Of Duty)

It seemed as if Detective Constable Georgia Trotman (Jessica Raine) was destined to be an important part of the second season (or, series, as they say in the U.K.) of the BBC's Line of Duty. However, the character's first episode also proved to be her last, in which corrupt DC Jeremy Cole (Henry Pettigrew) sends her plummeting to her death outside a hospital window.

Nina Myers Killed Teri Bauer (24)

By the end of the first season of 24, one of Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) most trusted allies is not only revealed to be a mole, but the one who murdered his wife, Teri (Leslie Hope).

While the final season of The Boys won’t be finished in time to debut on the 2025 TV schedule, that just means we already know the small screen will be covered in blood and other nasty bits throughout part of 2026. What we don’t know, however, is whose blood it will be, and how successful showrunner Eric Kripke & Co. will be in closing out the series in a fan-pleasing manner. I’ll say this: it doesn’t hurt that he got advice from some Breaking Bad writers.

In a fun and interesting conversation for Creator to Creator with Shawn Ryan, a creative behind The Shield, The Night Agent and many more, Kripke addressed the rarity of a great TV series finale, while saying he considered Vic Mackey’s final episode of The Shield to be present in those vested halls. The Supernatural creator also specified some of the narrative questions he was asking while putting the story together, saying:

Despite all kinds of superpowered plotlines having come and gone across its previous seasons, The Boys doesn’t have a TON of loose threads that desperately require closure. (Partially due to so many characters getting slaughtered.) Understandably, since we’re only going into the fifth cycle, as opposed to a show with double-digit seasons to pay tribute to. But that just makes it all the more difficult to connect everything organically.

Thankfully, Kripke was able to pick the brains of a few Breaking Bad writers to ask about how they delivered not just one of the best Breaking Bad episodes, but one of the best series finales of all time. Turns out they had the advantage of dutifully keeping track of all the plotty breadcrumbs that were left out across each season. As he put it:

I can definitely also understand how difficult it might be to craft the final season in a way that meets expectations for the size and scope, but doesn't prioritize the spectacle over the character dynamics that have kept viewers with Amazon Prime subscriptions tuning into new episodes each aseason. That said, fans should still 100% expect Season 5 to go all out on shocking deaths.

Eric Kripke Implies The Boys' Final Season Will Be More Death-Filled Than Ever

After touching on several of the reasons why crafting the final season of The Boys has been stressful, Eric Kripke also spoke to the joys of going down this particular creative path with Homelander, Butcher and other major characters.

So nothing should be considered too sacred to kill off when The Boys returns, whether we're talking about characters' lives or their personal relationships. I'll throw out my own personal predictions now.

Characters I Believe Will Survive The Boys Season 5

• Hughie
• Starlight
• Probably another person

Of course, no one will know all the answers until The Boys returns to Prime Video for Season 5 at some point next year. But we won't have to wait that long to see other characters from this universe, as Gen V Season 2 arrives on September 17 with the first three episodes.

Your mileage on the best era of basic cable television likely revolves around your age. For example, some Gen-Xers might point to the late ‘90s MTV era that gave us cartoons like Beavis and Butt-Head as the best era of basic cable. Others might point to the early 2000s, where we got shows like The Shield, Monk, and Psych.

And, while I think there’s definitely something to be said about both eras, I think there’s a very strong case for the Breaking Bad-era of AMC as being the best time in basic cable history, and I have a few reasons why everyone should say its name.

You Have Two Of Arguably The Greatest Shows In TV History Airing On The Same Network At The Same Time

Now, let me just set some parameters on what is actually considered “basic cable.” It may seem obvious, but networks like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax wouldn’t be categorized as “basic,” as they were premium networks that you had to pay extra for. In that way, even though shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, Spartacus, Outlander, Dexter, and Shameless are often considered excellent programming for their era, they were not basic cable shows.

Again, it might seem obvious, but now that pretty much everybody has migrated from cable to streaming services, there might be a segment of people who don’t remember the basic cable days. When I talk about basic, I mostly mean the channels that we got with packages, such as TNT, TBS, FX, USA, SyFy, just to name a few.

Well, out of the select channels we received, one of them was AMC, which is short for American Movie Classics. American classics were what the channel had to offer early on, but with the advent of cable networks creating television series, we got the miniseries Broken Trail in 2006. And, it was good! But, it wasn’t until the next year, when we got Mad Men, and then the year after that, when we got Breaking Bad, that AMC truly hit its stride.

Because, and I’m sure you already know this, Mad Men and Breaking Bad are often considered two of the greatest TV shows that have ever existed, and not just on basic cable. I mean period.

Often referred to as “The Golden Age” of TV (which included both Breaking Bad and The Wire), the time period from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s is usually looked back upon as the halcyon days of modern TV. That said, Breaking Bad and Mad Men weren’t on the premium networks. They were available to everybody with a basic cable subscription. Honestly, you really couldn’t get any better than those two shows. However…

We Also Got A Cultural Phenomenon In The Walking Dead, Which Was TV's Biggest Scripted Show For Several Years

I stopped watching The Walking Dead long before it ended (and I wasn’t alone), but I don’t think anybody could have predicted how big the show would be when it debuted back in 2010. Here you had this zombie show that was based on a comic book, and it just seemed to conflict with the seriousness of shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Rubicon. (My beloved, one season Rubicon).

However, The Walking Dead EXPLODED! Those first few seasons, all the way up to Glenn’s death (though, some may argue that the show fell off a cliff before that), amounted to a cultural milestone, and it was mind-blowing that AMC could juggle both its prestige shows AS WELL AS a super popular genre show.

And, to be quite honest, The Walking Dead was really good at times. Looking back, the show followed the comics as much as the creative teams could, keeping close to story arcs that were super impactful. It was honestly when the show deviated from those story beats that I felt as if it was going astray, but I digress.

What’s important to keep in mind is that The Walking Dead was, in a lot of ways, the show that people actually tuned in to AMC for. Yes, Mad Men and Breaking Bad were seen as highly lauded, respectable shows, but it wasn’t until Breaking Bad made its way to Netflix that it finally found its audience.

No, it was The Walking Dead that truly made AMC the destination for basic cable, which in turn made much lesser shows on the network seem like required viewing, which brings me to my next point.

Even AMC’s Lesser Shows Felt Like Important Television

For this one, you really had to be there, but AMC was on such a roll back in the Breaking Bad/Mad Men/The Walking Dead days that even far lesser shows seemed like important television back then.

The one that instantly comes to mind is The Killing. Based on the Danish series, Forbrydelsen, The Killing ran for 3 seasons (well, 4 if you count when it went to Netflix), and was popular…for at least the first season (Some people didn’t like how the first season ended).

Hell on Wheels, which was a western, was also well-watched. This is kind of strange when you come to think of it. Unlike neo-Western shows like Yellowstone and Justified, Hell on Wheels was an actual western-western, taking place in the 1860s (It was about the construction of the railroads).

I bring these two shows up because even though a lot of people might not talk about either of them today, back when they were both running concurrently with the big three (BB/MM/TWD), they were also seen as interesting (if not as important) television shows that people watched just because they were on AMC.

Sure, by the time we got to shows like Into the Badlands, Preacher, and Fear the Walking Dead, the channel had lost a bit of its allure, but, with Better Call Saul debuting in 2015, the network still had a reason to tune in.

This Was The Last Real TV-Specific Era Before Streaming Services Changed The Game

Lastly, the Breaking Bad-period was arguably the last true era before most people migrated to streaming services.

By the time Breaking Bad ended in 2013, you had people interested in the cast of Orange is the New Black, or engaged with shows like House of Cards on Netflix. Hell, as I mentioned earlier, Breaking Bad truly found its audience because of the streaming platform (I’ll never get over all the people who I tried to get into Breaking Bad who declined, only for them to tell ME about the show once they discovered it on Netflix).

That said, AMC truly represented a time when people actually showed up week after week to watch a program together. There was none of that binge-watching crap (yes, I called it crap) that is absolutely ruining TV. Instead, like the olden days, people had to actually wait each week to find out what happened next, which was excruciating if you really wanted to know the futures of Don Draper, Walter White, and Rick Grimes.

Yes, there were other shows in this period–I know a lot of people loved Sons of Anarchy, and Burn Notice–but no other basic cable network really had a stranglehold on viewers like AMC did back in the Breaking Bad-era.

But, what do you think? Were you there BEFORE Netflix and the rest became the one-stop shops for everybody? I’d love to hear your memories.

In any television show out there, some episodes genuinely take the cake for their dark themes – or rather, just being dark overall. Some shows are darker than others, but there's always an episode that genuinely makes people sit there for a moment and contemplate what they just watched – those are the kinds of dark episodes we are going to get into today.

Oh, and also, spoiler alert!

'The Rains Of Castamere' (Game of Thrones)

I mean, of course, I have to put "The Rains of Castamere" here. It's one of the most shocking Game of Thrones moments ever, when we watch basically a third of the Stark family get taken out by traitors. And yes, I will still never forgive the Boltons or the Lannisters for what they did.

'The Day Will Come When You Won't Be' (The Walking Dead)

It would be a sin for me not to put "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" here. It features Glenn's demise, one of the most heartbreaking The Walking Dead deaths, and really shows the entire group that we have come to love for six seasons straight get absolutely blasted with the arrival of Negan and his Saviors. It's still a dark episode, one I skip on any The Walking Dead rewatch.

'Ozymandias' (Breaking Bad)

There are some fantastic Breaking Bad episodes, but oftentimes, most of them are pretty dark, and "Ozymandias" is one of those. Considered one of the best television episodes ever by many critics, this episode really capped off the damage that Walt had done to his life when he watched Hank, his brother-in-law and DEA agent, get shot dead.

'To You, In 2000 Years - The Fall Of Shiganshina: Part 1' (Attack On Titan)

There are plenty of great dark anime out there that I could steal episodes from to put on this list, but I have to say the winner must be "To You, in 2000 Years—The Fall of Shiganshina: Part 1." I mean, you really can't get darker than having your mom get eaten in the first episode of your series—right in front of you as you're being dragged away. No wonder Eren was so messed up.

'Pretty Much Dead Already' (The Walking Dead)

For a time, The Walking Dead was the show out there that everyone talked about each week, and one of the darkest episodes of that time was "Pretty Much Dead Already." It was the first midseason finale for the show and featured a stumbling Sophie coming out of the Greene farm when everyone had been looking for her for several episodes already. Breaks your heart every time.

'The Hellfire Club' (Stranger Things)

I don't really consider a lot of Stranger Things dark, but I will say that as the series has progressed, these episodes have gotten a lot scarier, and the first that comes to mind is "The Hellfire Club." The episode starts off well enough—including the introduction of Stranger Things Season 4 All-Star Eddie. But then Vecna makes his first appearance at the end of the episode, and it is a horrorfest that instantly turns the entire thing darker than ever.

'Phoenix' (Breaking Bad)

Walter White has done some pretty horrible things as a human being, and one of his darkest moments, for sure, in Breaking Bad, was in "Phoenix." We already knew that Walter didn't like Jane, but standing there, watching her overdose right next to Jesse, was another level of darkness that I didn't think he was capable of.

'Heaven's Half Hour' (Daredevil: Born Again)

There are many moments in the original Daredevil series that I could point to, but I have to give it to a recent entry, Daredevil: Born Again, and the premiere episode. We literally open up with Matt and his friends just getting a drink, and BOOM, Foggy is shot, and Matt literally hears him die by the sound of his heartbeat. Darkness to the brim.

'The Dance Of Dragons' (Game Of Thrones)

While "The Dance of Dragons" isn't a super dark episode in itself, it's a moment in it that makes it super dark. One of the most heartbreaking Game of Thrones deaths happens here when Stannis burns his daughter alive because of Melisandre's ridiculous nonsense about a king's blood sacrifice. And then we watch her die. It's messed up in the worst ways.

'Living Doll' (The Twilight Zone)

I think The Twilight Zone is one of those shows where the episodes might not seem so dark now in comparison to what we have experienced on TV, but there are still some good ones there, and one is "Living Doll." The episode is all about a husband who is annoyed by a talking doll his stepdaughter has, but the doll begins to talk back to him, saying how much she hates him and how she wants to hurt him—it gets really dark, real quick.

'The Bent-Neck Lady' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

Honestly, every Mike Flanagan TV show has some incredibly dark episodes, but "The Bent-Neck Lady" is by far the darkest. It shows Nell finally realizes that the visions and ghosts that have been haunting her all her life are actually her. The reveal is incredibly sad and dark and one I often think about.

'72 Hours' (The Golden Girls)

I'm sure that at first glance, you would never expect me to put something like The Golden Girls on this list, but "72 Hours" is a very dark episode. Rose's doctor reaches out to her and says that her blood transfusion may have included HIV-positive blood, and now she has to wait for three days for results. It's a very harrowing episode for a show that is, at its core, a sitcom.

'Honor' (The Walking Dead)

There are plenty of moments in The Walking Dead that I could put on here, but one of the darkest episodes was "Honor." I'm sure most don't even know it because it happened in Season 8, but it was the episode where Carl, Rick's son, ended up getting bitten while trying to save a doctor for their community. It's literally one of the darkest episodes of the entire series, especially watching Rick and Michonne wait for the gunshot that signals Carl's death.

'Bullets Over Bel-Air' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an iconic sitcom for many reasons, but it also wasn't afraid to go dark in some of its episodes. One of which was "Bullets Over Bel-Air," in which Will is shot by a robber and then Carlton goes out and buys a gun to try and be safe. It's an entire episode focused on gun violence.

'ABQ' (Breaking Bad)

There are plenty of Breaking Bad episodes out there that are genuinely dark, but one I always think of is ABQ, which is the finale of season 2 of the show. While most of the episode isn't necessarily super dark, the ending moment is where Walt watches as two planes crash above his home, sending debris to the ground, because the air trafficker's daughter just died – you know, the daughter that Walt watched overdose and didn't do anything about it.

'Bad News' (How I Met Your Mother)

At first, we all think that the "Bad News" in this episode is going to involve a fertility test with Lily, but the bad news is suddenly broken to Marshall that his father has suddenly passed from a heart attack. It's so out there that it creates a devastating episode in this sitcom.

'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' (Game Of Thrones)

The episode 'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' isn't necessarily dark itself, but rather the ending scene. After Sansa is forced to marry Ramsay Bolton, he forcefully assaults her on their wedding night. Meanwhile, Theon (Reek at this point) is just standing over there forced to watch. My god.

'To The Lost' (Boardwalk Empire)

Boardwalk Empire wasn't afraid to venture into dark territory, and one of its darkest episodes was "To The Lost," mainly because of the death that happens when Nucky shoots Jimmy, a protege of his, because he failed to start a feud. The moment is shocking, considering that throughout the series, these two have basically been side by side, and now, all of a sudden, it was over.

'Coda' (The Walking Dead)

I will never forgive The Walking Dead for what they did to Beth in "Coda." One of the darkest episodes of the series, it shows the group reuniting with Beth only for her to get shot in the head when she stands up for herself. She didn't even get to reunite with her sister again. Talk about awful.

'Long Term Parking' (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with epic talent, which only means there will be epic episodes that tend to lean a little darker. When Silvio finds out that Adriana's slipping info to the FBI, she's taken out. It was dark and scary and showed just what happened when you crossed the Soprano family.

'Connor's Wedding' (Succession)

With how talented the Succession cast is, I wouldn't be surprised if they made half of their episodes darker, but the darkest I could point to was "Connor's Wedding." At first, it feels like just a normal episode, but all of a sudden, Logan Roy drops dead, and we, as well as the kids, are left to deal with the fallout of what occurred as the episode progresses.

'Two Storms' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

First of all, this episode is an absolute unit of cinematography. It's shot beautifully. But aside from me geeking out about how amazing it looks, "Two Storms" is dark because it's so creepy, and we keep seeing Nell's casket repeatedly getting moved or messed around with.

'Hardhome' (Game Of Thrones)

The first half of "Hardhome" is pretty tame, honestly. It's all about watching Jon and the Wildlings try to come to a compromise to, you know, survive. But then the White Walkers come and literally destroy it all, and the number of deaths that occur makes it one of the most brutal episodes for me to watch ever.

'Please Remain Calm' (Chernobyl)

I. Can't. Stand. This. Episode.

At all.

As someone who recently rewatched Chernobyl, I find this to be the darkest episode of the miniseries. Watching those three brave souls go into the factory to drain the radioactive water and try and stop this madness was terrifying, but seeing their lights go out at the end? Good god. The entire episode is shot beautifully, but man, is it dark in many instances.

'Endure And Survive' (The Last Of Us)

As someone who is one of the biggest fans of The Last of Us franchise, this episode took it out of me, both mentally and physically. I already knew that Henry and Sam (from The Last of Us cast) would die from playing the game but man, they made this episode twenty times darker with the ending and it still makes me jump and look away each time I've watched it.

'Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has some serious moments that often lead to darker episodes, and one of those was definitely "Papa's Got A Brand-New Excuse." Will's father shows up out of nowhere, but, of course, by the end, he gives an excuse not to spend actual time with Will. We get an entire monologue from Will about how he doesn't need his father before he breaks down. It's so sad.

'Alone Again, Natura-Diddly' (The Simpsons)

There are some side characters on The Simpsons that you might have forgotten about, but one was taken out in the darkest possible way. In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly," Ned Flander's wife, Maude, is struck in the head by a t-shirt and then knocked to her death. Yes, this happens in real-time on The Simpsons. This is an actual episode from Season 11.

'Too Far Gone' (The Walking Dead)

You want to talk about dark episodes of The Walking Dead? "Too Far Gone" is up there. The episode is the midseason finale for Season 4 and shows the all-out war that happens at the prison. But before then, we also watch The Governor completely snap and kill Hershel, who was hands down the group's moral compass for a long time.

'Teddy Perkins' (Atlanta)

This episode is just creepy, man. It's creepy in all the right ways. Aside from the social commentary that every episode of Atlanta seems to have, seeing Donald Glover dressed up in full prosthetics and makeup and creeping out Lakeith Stanfield is an episode I will never quite get over.

'Playtest' (Black Mirror)

There are plenty of dark episodes on Black Mirror, but one that I always think of is "Playtest," specifically for its ending. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep up with it, and then the main subject, Cooper, is just killed because everything was all in his head and nothing was real—it's just too much and too dark so quickly.

'Chikhai Bardo' (Severance)

Severance is an excellent Apple TV+ show, and usually, I don't think I'd put an episode here, but "Chikhai Bardo" is a dark episode because we find out what really happened to Gemma and how she's essentially a slave for Lumon, forced to carry out multiple Severance scenarios for whatever grand design they are planning. It's messed up in so many ways.

'The Female Of The Species' (The Boys)

As someone who loves Kimiko in The Boys, the first episode, where we really see her and get to know her, is one of the darkest of the series. We see just how violent and terrifying she really is. She is not for those who have a weak stomach, but man, I love it.

What are some dark episodes that you would think of? I need to go watch some of the best rom-coms as a palette cleanser now. Goodness gracious.

Breaking Bad is undeniably one of the greatest TV shows ever. And with any superb series, any major catchphrases attached to the characters are bound to stick around, including Jesse Pinkman’s frequent and flagrant use of the word ‘bitch.’ Star Aaron Paul just confirmed that, even ten years after the finale, he still hears that profanity thrown at him regularly, even when his children are present.

The actor and producer was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to talk about his upcoming 2025 movie, the sci-fi thriller Ash. Eventually, the duo got into talking about his longstanding friendship with Bryan Cranston, as well as their iconic AMC show. During the interview clip, the host asked if the word "bitch" still regularly got thrown around in Paul’s presence. He immediately confirmed it does, and that the count is higher than ever, thanks to a new generation of viewers. Smiling about it, he shared:

Chalk it up to the powers of streaming! To think the El Camino star may never live down the word is a little bonkers. But with each new set of TV watchers aging into the show, he may have many more decades ahead of him. And though Pinkman did mature through the Breaking Bad's spinoff-inspiring five-season run, the actor knows better than anyone that “Bitch” will likely remain intergral to his fandom for many years to come.

Even if the Need For Speed actor can deal with that as a general nickname, he does find it somewhat problematic that fans still call him that in front of his kids. However, he shared that they're still young enough to not be aware of the word’s definition or full context of how it relates to Jesse Pinkman. As Paul said:

Learning that his kiddos get that earful when that certain type of fan comes around is a bit bonkers. On the bright side, it’s a relatively mild profanity and doesn’t rival any of the mind-blowing BB moments, otherwise, the Paul family would maybe have a different feeling about it. Regardless, it makes the best Walt and Jesse moments all the more them, and I believe the pair who play them know that, too.

With the teacher-turned-drug-lord series ending over 12 years ago, both stars have moved on to some great projects. Paul has the aforementioned Ash premiering on March 21 and is presumed to be returning to Invincible Season 4 as one of the main villains.

But, if you are missing your Walt-Jesse fix, there are plenty of shows like Breaking Bad out there to catch. And on the off chance you come across Aaron Paul–with or without his kids–consider not throwing bitch around, bitch.

Better Call Saul is a (law school) textbook example of a TV spinoff that matches its predecessor in terms of quality storytelling, and it helped turn Mr. Show icon Bob Odenkirk into a dramatic powerhorse. But as it often goes with incredibly amazing television standouts, an ill-sighted network note nearly clipped the actor’s Saul Goodman character from existence before he could bring his signature sleaze to some of Breaking Bad’s best episodes.

Better Call Saul co-creator and esteemed Breaking Bad writer Peter Gould dropped this gobsmacking nugget of info in the impending BTS extravaganza Saul Goodman V. Jimmy McGill: The Critical Companion to Better Call Saul (via EW), penned by Alan Sepinwall and out on February 4, 2025. The Emmy winner dug into the origins of the flagship drama’s Season 2 episode “Better Call Saul,” by first admitting that when Season 2 was being crafted, he wasn’t entirely sure what the tone was, and defaulted to creator Vince Gilligan for guidance.

The basic idea was that Bryan Cranston’s Walter White needed a lawyer, and the writers initially went a little overboard in the conception phase for that character that eventually became Saul. As Gould put it:

As a kid, the idea of a pneumatic tube connections was the stuff of dreams, so I would have been down with that idea all the way. But I digress.

Continuing his explanation, Peter Gould said that as opposed to being conceived as a standalone character with the potential to expand this crime drama saga, Saul Goodman was just meant to be a means to an end for Walt's story, albeit a means that was more amusing than perhaps expected. Which sparked some nervousness when it came to how the shyster would properly fit into the deadly serious story. And as Gould put it, those nerves were fully justified.

You gotta love a higher-up boss who can look at something and, probably without making an attempt to grasp how much work went into it, ask if it could be done all over again from top to bottom. Wait, did I say "love?" I meant "rage out against."

Thankfully, Vince Gilligan made the decision to speak up in defense of the colorful attorney, making it possible for Better Call Saul's A+ episodes to exist and entertain in perpetuity. According to Gould:

And here I thought the wildest change-in-decision behind the scenes of Breaking Bad (at least ones concerning Bob Odenkirk's character) might have been flipping Saul from having a Hot Topic job to working at Cinnabon. But this is on a whole other level of "What the hell was that one person thinking?"

All episodes of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are available to stream with an AMC+ subscription, and if there’s ever a point when it looks like BCS doesn’t exist anymore, that’s how you’ll know you unwittingly slipped into that alternate universe where AMC execs got their way. Good luck getting home!

The so-called "Golden Age" or "Peak TV era" of television is broadly (and roughly) defined as the running from the debut of The Sopranos to the finale of Better Call Saul. This isn't a perfect description, as there are still some really amazing shows that continue part, like, say, Severance, just to name one. But, for this article, we're going to stick to those parameters. Without further ado, here is our list of some of the truly great shows from the Peak Era of television.

Game Of Thrones

We certainly couldn't make this list without the grand dragon on them all, HBO's Game of Thrones. Though the ending made a lot of people mad and you can argue that the show declined greatly in its last couple of seasons, it doesn't diminish the greatest of the show's early years. With some of the most shocking moments in TV history, the show was must-watch TV for all eight seasons.

Atlanta

Creator and star of Atlanta Donald Glover proved yet again that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Over six years and four seasons the show and its star were showered with acclaim and industry awards, including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys. Not only did Glover win an Emmy for acting on the FX series, but he became the first African-American to win Best Director at the Emmys in the show's first season.

The West Wing

There aren't a lot of network TV shows on this list, but one that simply has to be is The West Wing. For seven seasons in the early 2000s, the NBC hit was one of the best shows in network history. Featuring a long list of stars that included Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, and many other cast members, The West Wing gave us all a look into all that government can be if we want it to be.

Lost

Pardon the pun, but it's fair to say that ABC's Lost lost its way towards the end. A confluence of events, including a writer's strike, left fans more than a little annoyed with the show's final couple of seasons, but those first few years were simply incredible. The show, which debuted in 2004, was one of the first shows that was ever described as "bingable" and with good reasons, the cliffhangers were amazing.

Mad Men

In a lot of ways, AMC's Mad Men kind of came out of nowhere. Set in the 1960s, it was unlike anything on TV at the time and the longer it went on, the better it got, which is rare for any show. It made a star out of Jon Hamm and fascinated viewers each week both with its wonderful storytelling and its look back at one of the most turbulent and interesting decades in American history.

The Office

In an era when sitcoms were evolving and struggling to keep up with their dramatic counterparts, The Office was one of the biggest shows of all time (that's what she said). Steve Carell's performance as the worst boss in the world became one of the most quotable and memed shows ever. It's true the NBC show did suffer some when Carell left after Season 7, the legacy of the show was well-established by then.

Downton Abbey

If you had bet on a period piece set on an opulent estate during Edwardian England would be a massive hit, most of the time, you'd lose. If you placed that bet on Downton Abbey, however, you'd have won big. There are no action sequences, stunts, or special effects. It's simply a wonderfully told story with fantastic characters played by excellent actors.

Better Call Saul

As a spinoff to another Peak TV era show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul found its own place in television history. It's a very different show from the show that birthed it, as it's a little more surreal and, frankly, funny. In some people's eyes, the AMC's show's finale in 2022 marks the end of an era.

The Wire

Famously, The Wire was never a monster hit for HBO. Certainly not on the level of The Sopranos, which ran during roughly the same few years. Still, it has maintained a spot at the top or near the top of almost any list of "Best TV Shows in History." The Wire plays out like a 60-hour movie or a great book. The character development is unrivaled and the storytelling is heartbreaking, uplifting, and frustrating (in a good way). There is no doubt that the show will be remembered as one of the best for a long, long time.

Breaking Bad

What can we write about Breaking Bad that hasn't already been written. Widely considered the best (or close to the best) TV show of all time, the Bryan Cranston-led show was wildly popular with both fans and critics alike. It is one of the darkest shows in history, but that never diminished the love for it.

Narcos

Netflix landed itself a massive hit with Narcos in 2015. Wagner Moura, who played the kingpin Pablo Escobar stole the show with his uncanny and incredible performance as the notorious drug lord and Pedro Pascal found a new level of fame as one of the DEA agents trying to bring Escobar down. The show's third season, which shifted away from the Escobar story after the character's death wasn't quite on the level of the first two, but the show was popular enough to launch a spinoff, Narcos: Mexico, which ran for three seasons as well.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos' debut on HBO in January of 1999 marks the unofficial beginning of the Golden Age of Television - or at least the modern Golden Age. The production value, storytelling, and acting on the show were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. the characters were fully formed almost from the moment they first hit the screen and the story that unfolded, about a mafia boss played by the late, great James Gandolfini trying to keep both his crime family and his actual family together was simply unparalleled. Right down to the end and the show's much-talked-about finale.

Grey's Anatomy

As one of the longest-running prime-time shows in history, Grey's Anatomy has run for almost the entire era of "peak TV." Since its debut in 2005 and over more than 20 seasons and 400 episodes, the show has just kept chugging along with a devoted fanbase who stayed with it over the decades and though the endless cast changes can be frustrating, the show is remarkable.

24

One of the very first "bingable" shows would have to be 24. The Kiefer Sutherland-led action show from Fox kept viewers on the edge of their seats for nine seasons, one TV movie (24: Redemption), and a couple of spin-offs. It all made 24 one of the most bankable franchises of the era.

Six Feet Under

The early 2000s were an incredible era for HBO. Along with The Sopranos and The Wire, the network had another one of the best shows of the era with Six Feet Under. The show told the story of the Fisher family and their trials and turbulations running the family business, a funeral home. Mix in some supernatural elements and HBO had a unique hit on their hands.

Modern Family

Network sitcoms that enter the general cultural zeitgeist are few and far between these days. Certainly not like they were in their heyday of the 1970s and '80s. There are still a few that break through though, like Modern Family. For a time, it seemed as those everyone in the country was watching the ups and downs of the most dysfunctional and wonder families in TV history. For 11 seasons, the ABC hit dominated the ratings and is still a hit on streaming years after airing its finale in 2020.

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black wasn't the first "prestige TV" show from Netflix, but it's safe to say it solidified Netflix's spot among the biggest players in the industry. For seven seasons over six years, the prison comedy-drama told the semi-autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, whose book of the same name was the basis for the show. Kerman spent a year in prison and many of the stories in the show reflected or told the experiences she had while in jail.

Deadwood

Many of the best Westerns on film came out many decades ago. On TV, there were big hits in the '50s and '60s like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but the best Western television show of the 21st Century, Deadwood has almost nothing in common with any of those. The show was dark, crass, and unlike anything else on TV. The verbose language and insane moments made must-see TV at the time. Sadly it was never quite as popular as it should have been and that made for some herky-jerky starts-and-stops between seasons, but the show never dipped in quality.

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," from a speech by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in Friday Night Lights has become part of the television canon, just as the show has. Based on the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton about the spectacle that is high school football in Texas, the show has outshined its source material in almost every way.

Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is unique. She not only starred in the biggest sitcom of the 1990s, Seinfeld, but she's followed it up with two more hot shows. First in the '00s she won awards for The New Adventures of Old Christine and then in the 2010s had maybe her best performance as the hapless, power-hungry Vice President on HBO's Veep for which she won an incredible seven Emmys in a row.

House Of Cards

In 2013 Netflix loudly announced it was ready to be a player in the Peak Age of TV with House Of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Based on a British show of the same name, the show highlighted the darkest corners of politics and despite the show losing some steam when Kevin Spacey got caught in the middle of a serious legal battle forcing him off the show and effectively ending his career, it still deserves recognition for all six seasons it ran for.

The Walking Dead

Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, it's fair to say that not every moment on The Walking Dead was peak TV. That doesn't tell the whole story though, because when The Walking Dead was great, it was really great. The AMC zombie show was a ratings monster and cultivated one of the most dedicated fanbases ever, which led to multiple spinoffs that will seemingly run forever.

Boardwalk Empire

When Boardwalk Empire premiered on HBO in 2009, it came with a lot of hype as the mind behind it, Terrence Winter, had been of the key creative minds behind The Sopranos. While Boardwalk Empire never quite reached the lofty heights of The Sopranos, it was still one of the best shows on TV in its time.

Sons Of Anarchy

Like a few other shows on this list, FX's Sons Of Anarchy isn't a perfect show. There were some ill-advised plot decisions, like moving the gang to Ireland for a while, but like those other shows, when SOA was good, it was really, really good. The characters became our own dysfunctional family who we laughed, cried, and died with over the show's seven seasons. A spinoff, Mayans M.C., wasn't as good, but it also found a fanbase and lasted for five seasons.

The Americans

Of all the shows on this list, the one that maybe flew under the radar more than most has to be The Americans. The FX show was just... cool. It was a spy thriller that brought the Cold War back to U.S. television. Set in the '80s and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show ran for six great seasons and never really fell off as so many other shows do.

30 Rock

How do you follow up an incredible run as a star and head writer on SNL? Well, if you're as talented and funny as Tina Fey, you create one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 21st Century with 30 Rock. If nothing else, the show left us with the important bit of advice that you should never go with a hippie to a second location.

Justified

FX's Justified updated the Western for the 21st Century. Based on a book for Elmore Leonard and starring Timothy Olyphant as a 21st-century lawman with with his heart in the 19th Century, Justified was as noir as you'd expect from a story by Leonard and the acting is, across the board, fantastic.

True Detective

One of the darkest shows during the Peak Era of TV had to be True Detective, especially the first season. The unconventional storytelling was brought to life brilliantly by stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and while the show was still great for a couple of more seasons, it really was that first season that stood out and above the others.

Succession

On HBO's Succession, the entire Roy family are all awful people. It's a show entirely made of characters we love to hate. We hated them so much, we couldn't wait to tune in each week to see what awful things they would do and it made the show unique and magical in that way.

Homeland

Showtime's Homeland started with a bang in its first season, or rather, almost ended its first season with a bang that never happened. The spy thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis was the ultimate nail-biter as no one really knew how the season would end. While the end of that first season was probably the pinnacle of the show, it ended up airing for seven more excellent seasons.

Battlestar Galactica

Interestingly, though there are some exceptions, Sci-Fi wasn't a huge part of the era. One of those exceptions was Battlestar Galactica, a reboot of the old series from the 1970s. The new version was a mystery wrapped in a space adventure and featured some of the craziest twists of any show from the time.

Barry

It's always cool to see an actor known primarily for their comedic talents take on a more serious role and Bill Hader in Barry is a perfect example. Sure, there is some dark comedy in the show of course, but, especially as the show went on, the character played by Hader was as complex as any character we've seen on TV and Hader is amazing.

Sometimes, there are moments on television that truly break the internet – whether in a good way or a bad way. Sometimes, there are moments from the past (before the time of social media) when a moment so big in a television show spreads by word of mouth. But no matter how you hear about it, it rocks your world — here are the TV moments from huge television shows that fit the bill of that.

Oh, and also, spoiler alert for SO many TV shows down below.

The Red Wedding (Game Of Thrones)

If you want to talk about the most shocking Game of Thrones moments, I'm pretty sure The Red Wedding is high on that list. It was everywhere when it happened, and I'm sure that by the end of the series, people still agreed that the Season 3 moment is genuinely what tops the list of most in the show.

Max Somehow Surviving Vecna Through Music And Friends (Stranger Things)

You could not escape "Running Up That Hill" in the summer of 2022. What a time to be alive. No matter where you went on social media, it was always about Max running out Vecna in his strange alternate dark world, trying to look towards the light of her friends. Ugh, I get chills every time I think about it.

Cassie And Maddy's Fight (Really That Whole Play) (Euphoria)

Okay, so in comparison to many other spots on this list, this moment is hilarious in the way it rocked the world. Euphoria Season 2 had a lot of moments that worked well and others that didn't, but there was no other big one than Cassie and Maddy fighting each other on stage during that play – heck, Lexi's play in itself inspired so many memes and parodies online. It was indeed a time.

Wednesday's Dance (Wednesday)

Wednesday is one of the best shows on Netflix to binge-watch. Still, I can almost guarantee that most of you remember her dance in one of the episodes – one that wasn't even themed to "Bloody Mary" by Lady Gaga but exploded everywhere on the internet. And now, we can't get enough of it.

Hershel's Death (The Walking Dead)

There are so many heartbreaking deaths in The Walking Dead, but I'm pretty sure Hershel's death is high up there. I mean, I think we had a feeling it was all coming — The Walking Dead was known at the time to take characters out as if they were nothing every few episodes. But man, it still hurt, and we talked about it for ages to come.

When Joe Kills His Love (You)

There are so many crazy moments in You that I could talk about, but one that genuinely had the internet in a chokehold for a while was when Joe killed Love. Everyone loved Love (his wife) in the series because it felt like she was such a perfect counterpart to him. But I suppose he couldn't handle it – granted, she also tried to kill him, but crazy=crazy, right?

Poussey's Sudden Death (Orange Is The New Black)

The Orange is the New Black cast is filled to the brim with incredibly talented actors, but one that I wasn't expecting to leave the show was Samira Wiley, whose character, Poussey, was killed off in a prison riot in the show's Season 4 finale. It was a heartbreaking moment that was so sudden—and it came at a time when the world was really at a political divide, so it was double the heartbreak.

Villanelle Breaks Into Eve's House For The First Time (Killing Eve)

This show is really filled to the brim with intense moments, but the first time that Villanelle breaks into Eve’s house in Killing Eve is a major one that was huge. Nothing major happens during this scene, but the tension is enough to cut with a knife, and it makes for excellent television for this cat-mouse game.

The Opening Scene Of The Boys (The Boys)

I mean, duh. I love The Boys just as much as the next person – it's one of the best Amazon Prime shows for a reason. But there is literally no bigger moment in this series that makes the internet talk than the very first scene when we literally see someone explode from the inside out because of a literal fast-human running through them. Disgusting.

When We Find Out Who Nell Has Always Been (The Haunting Of Hill House)

I could talk about Mike Flanagan's horror shows for hours on end, but my favorite will always be The Haunting of Hill House, just because it's a beautiful story. However, the moment that everyone was in a chokehold was no doubt when Nell, the youngest daughter, found out that the person who had been haunting her for her entire life was actually just herself in the future – the bent-neck lady. What chills.

Walt Watches Hank Die In The Desert (Breaking Bad)

Breaking Bad is one of the best TV shows of the 21st century thus far, and there are plenty of moments I could point to. Walt, watching Hank die in the desert in one of the last episodes of the series, will always sit up there, and the internet would not stop talking about this. The episode itself, "Ozymandias," is considered one of the best TV episodes of all time.

When Fonzie Jumped The Shark (Happy Days)

I had to put this here somehow. The moment is so big that an entire catchphrase was made around it. When the Fonz jumped the shark in Happy Days, it coined the response, "Oh, that show jumped the shark," meaning the show ran out of so many ideas that it came up with a ridiculous one to keep it going. Hilarious.

Glenn's Death (The Walking Dead)

Yeah, I have to put Glenn on here. We can't not talk about Glenn. The moment he was killed in The Walking Dead, many fans stopped watching the show. It was a momentous death that really shook the world and all who enjoyed the classic zombie series, and dare I say, TWD was never quite the same again.

Lexi Getting Shot (The 100)

While I do believe that The 100 is one of the best CW shows out there, I will never forgive it for killing Lexi, this kick-butt warrior commander of the Grounders and how, when she and Clarke finally got together, she was shot by a gun no less. Despicable – and the internet agreed.

Wanda Becoming The Scarlet Witch (WandaVision)

You know, sometimes I think about WandaVision, and it feels like a fever dream because everyone was so into this show. And, of course, when Wanda finally became the Scarlet Witch at the very end of the miniseries, and we see her fully embrace her power – oh yeah, we were into this and could not stop talking about it.

Discovering Who Hodor Really Is (Game Of Thrones)

For most of Game of Thrones, we always thought of Hodor as just this bumbling giant full of love who would always be there to protect Bran, but it turns out his backstory is much darker than we thought. And when we all found out the reason why he says "Hodor" – precisely because of Bran and everything else – it's just heartbreaking and something we always talk about.

Bill And Frank's Backstory (The Last Of Us)

As a huge fan of The Last of Us video games, I could not approve of them changing up Bill and Frank's love story more than what they did in the show. While we barely got a scratch of them in the game, we were given a romance that truly shook the internet and had people crying for hours afterward—myself included. I can still remember all the reaction videos.

When Ned Stark Loses His Head (Game Of Thrones)

Of course, I have to put Ned losing his head here. It wouldn't be a list of big TV moments without it. Let me tell you that it's very hard to surprise my father, who is a TV junkie, and when Ned's head was cut off, he legit did not believe it for a good few days until everyone began talking about it. It's just one of those moments that alters your brain chemistry.

Walt Watching Jane Die (Breaking Bad)

Oh, Breaking Bad. The show broke my heart over and over again, no matter what the time of my life was like. While Jane wasn't necessarily good for Jesse (and neither was he to her, really), watching Jane overdose and then seeing Walt do absolutely nothing as he stands there and watches still hits me even now, knowing what happens. And most people out there feel the same way.

Kang Sae-byeok Dies (Squid Game)

It felt like everyone and their mother was watching Squid Game when it was released, and let me tell you, there were edits everywhere on Sae-byeok. I could not escape this woman. But, the moment everyone talked about was when she actually ended up dying towards the end, despite being one of the final three – by a stab wound, nonetheless. It still makes me sad thinking about it, as it did the rest of the world.

Klaus Kills Jenna (The Vampire Diaries)

For a time, it felt like The Vampire Diaries was legit everywhere, no matter where I turned. But one of the moments that everyone talked about was when Klaus killed Jenna in order to break a hybrid curse that made his werewolf side dormant. Everything about it was well done and definitely made the internet talk.

Buffy's Mother Suddenly Dying (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Before the internet was as huge as it is now, people still found a way to talk about plenty of crazy moments, and one was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Buffy's mother dies. It's so sudden and makes you blink in shock before you realize what the heck is going on – and it was all anyone could talk about with this series.

Finding Out Walt Poisoned Brock (Breaking Bad)

There are plenty of instances in Breaking Bad where you find out that Walt is actually a terrible human being. One is when we see that he did indeed poison Brock to get Jesse in line—mainly because of the Lily-of-the-Valley plant that he has in his backyard. This is truly despicable and something we all talked about.

Jon Snow's Death (Game Of Thrones)

This moment had people theorizing for months about whether Jon was truly alive or dead. How could he just be dead? Like legit, everyone and their mother could not stop talking about him and whether he was gone or not. Thankfully, it was resolved not that long after, but man, it was a time to be alive on the internet.

Sybil Passing After Her Daughter's Birth (Downton Abbey)

I mean, it's sad whenever anyone passes away from childbirth, as it's a real-life thing that can happen to anyone. But I think what made this moment such a big one online is that it was just so heartbreaking. Watching someone as life leaves their eyes and knowing there is nothing you can do about it – it breaks your heart.

Ted's First Major Panic Attack (Ted Lasso)

As one of the best TV shows on Apple TV+, there is a lot to love about Ted Lasso and its titular character, Ted. But I think we all started to love him even more when we found out that Ted actually suffers from panic attacks – and we see that first real one at a club. And, out of nowhere, Rebecca comes to comfort him. Fans everywhere could not get enough – and it made this show that much better.

Walt's Death (Breaking Bad)

I mean, we all had a feeling that Walt was going to die at the end of Breaking Bad – he had a death sentence with his cancer regardless at that point – but actually seeing him die and fall to the ground in the Breaking Bad finale was all over the internet, and everyone talked about it for hours and theorized if he actually did die – which, newsflash, he did.

Jinx And Ekko's Fight (Arcane)

There are some tremendous adult-animated shows on Netflix, and one I love to point to is Arcane. There are plenty of rocking TV moments on there I could point to, but man, Jinx and Ekko's fight takes the cake. The amount of edits, moments, and videos I've seen of this fight, in particular from Season 1 on that bridge, has seriously messed me up—but in a good way. Don't ever stop talking about it.

Rhaegal's Death (Game Of Thrones)

Look, I knew that when Daenerys lost Viserion, it was only going to be the beginning of death for these dragons, but it still shocked the heck out of me – and millions of other people – when we saw Rhaegal suddenly get speared out of the sky and fall to his death. Like, my GOD – give a girl a warning next time!

The Rumbling (Attack On Titan)

I quite literally can't think of another modern-day anime that has made as much of an impact as Attack on Titan. While I could point out so many moments from that series, the moment Eren begins the Rumbling sits with me, as well as many others. It was the moment everyone knew what was going to happen and the pain we were going to experience. It still gets to me even now.

Rue Fighting Her Mother And Sister (Euphoria)

Zendaya is a great actress, and honestly, watching her in this scene in Season 2 of Euphoria is just proof of that. She had everyone talking about the moment she had a breakdown against her mother and sister and fought against them to find her drugs. It was powerful and emotional and had you on the edge of your seat.

Rick Is Taken (The Walking Dead)

While The Walking Dead wasn't at the heights it once was at this point, everyone was talking about when Rick left the show in Season 9 of The Walking Dead – or, instead, Andrew Lincoln left the series in a blaze of glory before we see that Rick was taken up in one of those mysterious helicopters. I mean, it still led to his TV series in The Walking Dead universe years later, but still, a moment we all talked about nonetheless.

What moments are you always going to remember as instances that rocked your world? All I know is that I'm just waiting for the next significant moment – and for the emotional trauma that is bound to follow.

I have a confession to make. Amidst my dislike for green beans and custard (a tragedy given my St Louis home base), I also didn’t love one of the proclaimed peak TV greats: Breaking Bad. In fact, my husband and I got through more than a season of slogging through the well-acted, well-scripted, and highly lauded drama series before I gave up and called it quits. I don’t regret it for a second.

I didn’t quit Breaking Bad because I thought it was rubbish. I didn’t quit because life got too busy; life is always busy and I’ve still had time to binge-watch a decade’s worth of Masterchef. I didn’t quit because I have a grudge against Bryan Cranston or Vince Gilligan or because I liked Dean Norris better in Under the Dome. (Sidebar: I did not like Dean Norris better in Under the Dome, though the first season is solid.)

I didn’t quit because at the time of Breaking Bad’s airing, particularly near the end, the Albuquerque-set series was all my co-workers could talk about. Though it is worth pointing out that Breaking Bad was a huge talking point for CinemaBlend back in 2013 when I was a freelancer at this esteemed website.

I quit because I found it dark, graphic and depressing. Much like Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, it was keeping me up all night on the nights I managed to get through an episode or two. I could watch an episode at 4 p.m. and still be stressed about it at 1 a.m. It had nothing to do with the memorable characters or the solid writing; I simply could not abide living adjacent to this world created by Vince Gilligan.

I can’t be the only person in the history of the universe who simply found Breaking Bad to be too stressful to manage, but I have yet to find another person willing to admit this. All of the reasons above are reasons Breaking Bad is often listed as one of the best TV shows and (among the best TV shows that got even more popular streaming). In fact, there are so many people who like the Bryan Cranston-led drama there are literal resources to help viewers find shows like Breaking Bad.

My co-workers have since told me that Better Call Saul might be a better fit tonally for me, and they are probably right. Bob Odenkirk’s a funny guy in real life and Saul has been branded by us as a TV series that’s “easy to dive into.” I even recently found out Saul was originally supposed to work at a Hot Topic, a prospect I find very amusing. But I had so much trouble sleeping with Breaking Bad, I haven’t been willing to give Saul Goodman’s tale the proper reverence, either. Maybe my Gilligan-less streak will change when his new show with Rhea Seehorn drops?

Listen, as someone who works on the Internet, I am inherently aware I missed out on a lot of cultural milestones and a piece of peak TV history by ducking out when I did. I know because TV moments like Heisenberg throwing a pizza onto the roof were everywhere. But for me, there’s just stuff I wanted to do that didn’t include well-written stories about a teacher-turned-crime lord and the chances he was willing to take when he felt like he had nothing to lose.

I know I write about TV for a living, but the occasional gap is necessary given how much content is being created these days, and we have a lot of wonderful employees who could wax poetic about which episodes are the best (and worse) and which Gilligan series sticks with them more. It's just not me.

And in case you are wondering… No, I haven’t been able to finish Sons of Anarchy either.

Sometimes, you get to a point where you need a new show to binge – and thankfully, there are plenty of great dramas out there that are readily available. Whether it’s some of the best shows to binge on Netflix or some of the best HBO shows out there, there are so many dramas that you can dive right into. Here are some of the best that I would recommend.

Yellowstone (2018 – 2024)

Running for five seasons, Yellowstone is one of those neo-Western dramas that just exploded when it first came out. The series follows the lives of those who live on a large cattle ranch – the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch – as well as the Broken Rock Indian reservation and the land developers who want to take it all away. I can literally think of no other drama to dive headfirst into other than this one.

Narcos (2015 – 2017)

Narcos, a Netflix series with three seasons, follows the story of Pablo Escobar, a real-life drug lord, and how he became the legend we all know him as. Season 3 follows the aftermath of his defeat. As someone who loves a good crime drama, I think this show is one of the best to sink your teeth into.

Game Of Thrones (2011 – 2019)

There is no better cast out there than the Game of Thrones cast, and you will think the same thing once you watch this series. The legendary HBO show is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. It follows the story of several influential individuals who all look for one thing – to rule Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms, as well as the lives that are taken in the process. With eight seasons, it’s an easy binge.

Outlander (2014 – Present)

Based on the novels of the same name, Outlander takes romance and history and makes it into the steamiest drama that you’re going to love. The series follows the story of a World War II military nurse who is sent back in time to the 1700s and falls in love with a Highland warrior. Yes, this is a legit series, and it takes so many twists and turns that you’ll love every second of it.

The Wire (2002 – 2008)

The Wire is considered one of the best HBO shows of all time, and for good reason. The crime drama is set in Baltimore, Maryland, and each season discusses a new part of the city and how it’s related to the legal system there, from education to drugs. While it’s shocking that the series never won Best Drama at the Emmys, it’s still an incredible show, one that deserves so much praise.

Stranger Things (2016 – Present)

While plenty see Stranger Things as sci-fi (for good reasons), it is, at its core, a fun drama that features some really cool mysteries. The series begins in the 1980s with Will Byers going missing and his mother and friends trying to find him in a town full of secrets. The series itself is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, so it’s certainly worth the time to watch.

The Bear (2022 – Present)

I legitimately don’t care what people say. This show is way more drama than comedy, and I stand by that. The Bear follows the story of a young chef who travels back to Chicago in order to save his brother’s restaurant after he passes and tries to turn it into a fine-dining restaurant. The series has an incredible The Bear cast and is constantly nominated for so many awards. It’s so good.

Ozark (2017 – 2022)

Over four seasons, Ozark follows a married couple as they move to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to launder money for the Mexican drug cartel. However, as they arrive, they run into trouble that turns their lives upside down. The series was a huge hit on Netflix and earned plenty of praise during its run.

Silo (2023 – Present)

One of the best Apple TV+ shows will have you on the edge of your seat. Silo, which is based on the trilogy of novels Wool, Shift, and Dust, follows the story of a community that somehow lives in a vast underground silo that has 144 levels and the conflicts that arrive in this dystopian world.

Lost (2004 – 2010)

When we think of dramas, Lost certainly tops the list. The series, which aired for six seasons, follows the lives of plane passengers who survive a crash on a distant island. However, they start to realize that this place is not a typical island and that there are deadly forces at work. While the Lost finale is highly discussed as one of the worst out there, the rest of the series is great to watch.

House Of The Dragon (2022 – Present)

If you love Game of Thrones, chances are you’ll enjoy House of the Dragon as well. The series, based on the novel Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, focuses on the story of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and how she fights for the throne in the legendary Dance of Dragons when her half-brother takes it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best fantasy shows right now.

Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)

Starring Cillian Murphy as the iconic Tommy Shelby, Peaky Blinders is a period crime drama that follows the lives of the Peaky Blinders crime gang and their rise to power in Birmingham after World War I.

Bridgerton (2020 – Present)

If you’re looking for a romantic drama to dive into, then Bridgerton is the one for you. With three seasons (so far), the series follows the lives of the Bridgerton children back in the 1800s in England, with each season focusing on a new romance filled with scandalous drama and steamy moments.

Squid Game (2021 – Present)

Squid Game is hands down the biggest Netflix show of all time, and for good reason. This drama, hailing from South Korea, tells the story of a group of competitors who all play children’s games in order to win a large amount of money – but the competition takes a deadly twist when people are literally eliminated from life when they lose the games.

The Walking Dead (2011 – 2022)

The Walking Dead was, at one point, one of the biggest shows on television, and as someone who has watched all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, I still think it’s a great series to dive into. Based on the comics of the same name, the show mainly follows Rick Grimes, a former cop, who leads his group of survivors as zombies – known as “walkers” – take over the world.

Yellowjackets (2021 – Present)

Yellowjackets is hands down one of the best Showtime shows, and I will always recommend it to anyone who wants to dive right into it. The series follows two timelines—one in which a high school soccer team must survive in the Canadian wilderness when their plane crashes over the mountains and do whatever it takes to make it out alive, and the other decades later, where the survivors are still dealing with the consequences of their actions.

The Last Of Us (2023 – Present)

If you want to talk about the best video game adaptations out there, I can think of nothing better than The Last of Us. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us follows Joel Miller, a survivor of a zombie outbreak, who is tasked with getting a teenager across the United States because she might be the cure for the rest of the world.

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

I only put one miniseries on this list, but trust me when I say The Queen’s Gambit is the best miniseries to dive into. The series, based on the novel of the same name, follows the story of a young woman named Beth Harmon in the 1950s and 60s as she rises to fame as a chess player but also deals with substance abuse. The series was a huge hit and was a career-changing role for star Anya Taylor-Joy.

Barry (2018 – 2023)

I could go on about Barry for years. The series follows the life of a former U.S. Marine who takes on a new job as a hitman, but when he goes to California for a job, he finds himself drawn to the life of an actor and questioning his role in his life. The Barry cast is so talented, and all four seasons are so intense you’ll want to binge it for hours.

Alice In Borderland (2020 – Present)

Japan has always had some amazing dramas to dive into, and one that I love is Alice in Borderland. The series, based on the manga of the same name, follows the lives of two young people who work together to survive dangerous games in Tokyo. If they don’t succeed, they are killed by lasers shot from the sky. Yes, this is an intense drama, but it’s worth every second watching.

Breaking Bad (2008 – 2013)

I have to put Breaking Bad on this list. The famous AMC series follows the life of a high school science teacher who turns to a life of crime in order to provide for his family after his sudden cancer diagnosis. Considered one of the best dramas of all time, Breaking Bad is worth every second watching – and of course, the Breaking Bad cast is incredible as well.

Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022)

If you’ve seen Breaking Bad, then Better Call Saul is the subsequent drama that you should dive into. The series, which is a spinoff of Breaking Bad, follows the beginning years of the iconic lawyer, Saul Goodman, who originally began as Jimmy McGill. But throughout six seasons, we see him fall into a life of crime.

This Is Us (2016 – 2022)

This Is Us is one of those dramas that only comes once in a lifetime because, I swear, there is something that we can all connect to with this show. The series mainly revolves around the lives of three siblings and their connections to each other from across the United States, as well as seeing flashbacks of their past to growing up with their parents. It doesn’t sound like it would be dramatic, but trust me when I say you’ll find something to cry about with this show in the first episode.

The Sopranos (1999 – 2007)

The Sopranos is another great drama that I think everyone thinks of when they hear the word “crime.” The series, which comes from HBO, tells the story of Tony Soprano, a mobster from New Jersey, and how he deals with his personal and professional life with the mob and the problems he runs into.

Black Mirror (2011 – Present)

There are some excellent anthology shows out there, but Black Mirror is the type of drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. The series has different episodes each season, and all of them display some strange dystopian concepts in a not-so-far future that will truly shock and entertain you, from strange afterlives to how we view social media.

All Of Us Are Dead (2022 – Present)

South Korea has some of the best horror shows out there, and one that I will always recommend is All Of Us Are Dead. The series follows a group of high school students who must survive when a zombie outbreak begins within their walls and how they try to communicate to the outside world that they need help.

You (2018 – Present)

Oh, hello there, you. Yes, you, reading this, because surely, you’ll end up being the next thing Joe Goldberg is obsessed with. You is a drama that follows Joe, a seemingly normal man who falls in love way too quickly – and when he loves, he loves hard and will take out whoever threatens that relationship or your life.

Black Doves (2024 – Present)

Starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, Black Doves is the latest spy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seats. The series follows a young woman whose identity is revealed, putting her life in danger. Her employers send an old friend to keep her safe, sending them on a whirlwind espionage adventure.

The Haunting Of Hill House (2018)

There are plenty of Mike Flanagan TV shows to check out on Netflix, but I always recommend The Haunting of Hill House before any of the others. The series alternates between two timelines: one of a family moving into a seemingly normal house with a dark past, and the next day, the family comes back together to face the darkness they had once encountered in their new home.

The Crown (2016 – 2023)

The Crown, which detailed the life of Queen Elizabeth II, had six seasons that followed her rise to become the monarch we all knew her as and how her reign changed as the decades progressed. The series earned several awards and nominations over its six-season run.

Dexter (2006 – 2013)

While plenty of people talk about the Dexter finale, the series itself is still a great drama to drive into. Following the titular character, Dexter is a blood splatter analyst by day and a serial killer by night, who uses his job to find horrible people and take them out as a way to suit his dark urges. But when one other killer starts to challenge him, he decides to take matters into his own hands and end them.

Succession (2018 – 2023)

HBO has been a huge producer of dramas for years, and Succession is hands down one of the best in the last decade. The series follows the Roy family, a hugely successful family that owns an entertainment conglomerate. Their lives are thrown upside down thanks to a health scare from their patriarch. Now, the question of who will own the company after he passes causes drama.

These are just some of the best dramas out there to check out – all of which are great ways to spend a weekend. I think it’s time for another binge. Who’s up for a marathon?

As many Better Call Saul fans are well aware, one thing that made the AMC prequel stand apart from its predecessor was the use of black-and-white flash-forwards that gave audiences a peek into Saul Goodman’s life after splitting ties with Walter White. Gene’s introduction in Better Call Saul’s series premiere was an immediate callback to Breaking Bad, which set up Bob Odenkirk’s character managing an Omaha Cinnabon. But I was shocked to discover Saul was nearly set up in a different part of the mall: Hot Topic.

No, the man born Jimmy McGill wasn’t meant to be showcasing a previously untapped love of metal band T-shirts and Nightmare Before Christmas merch, at least not that we know of. It was just a creative choice that creator Vince Gilligan and the writers landed on when crafting Breaking Bad’s fifth and final season, with a coporate mall gig poking fun at how far away that kind of professional life is from Saul Goodman’s illegal dealings.

Breaking Bad writer and Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould took to BlueSky after stumbling upon an early draft of the second-to-last installment of the widely acclaimed drama, “Granite State,” and shared the page where the original idea for Saul’s follow-up gig was typed out, with the following message:

The scripted scene in question is taking place when Robert Forster's Ed is meeting with Bryan Cranston's Walter White and Odenkirk's shifty lawyer, and here's how Saul originally worded his assumed fate:

• Saul: I mean, a month from now, best case scenario, I'm managing a Hot Topic in Omaha.

For whatever reason, a Hot Topic in Omaha comes across as even more of a desolate situation for Saul than a Cinnabon in the same location. It would be very weird to pass by the semi-goth store and see someone with Gene's demeanor and mustache stocking shelves.

Why Breaking Bad Went From Hot Topic To CInnabon

Obviously the Breaking Bad episode that made it to air had no mention of that particular mall chain, which was replaced by the now-ubiquitous dessert brand Cinnabon. While it would be interesting to hear that the switch came about due to some deep character development ideas, it turns out Hot Topic was avoided for other reasons. As Gould explained in the comments beneath the post:

At which point someone pointed out that Cinnabon sounds funnier than Hot Topic anyway, to which Gould replied:

Never forget that the franchise's generosity included once giving Gene/Saul major props as its "favorite team member." At least, before things went far screwier in later seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I would have absolutely loved to have seen Saul-as-Gene dealing with Hot Topic inventory and customers, though it would have been the flip side of the bright, white aesthetics of Cinnabon's interiors. Plus, we wouldn't have gotten the all-time great cinnamon bun montage, which would be a crime against TV audiences.

But for those who would still like to know what Bob Odenkirk might have looked like as a more extreme Hot Topic manager, here he is in Mr. Show's Norma Jean Monster sketch.

Now to wash that image out of one's brain, both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul can be streamed in full with a Netflix subscription. Both shows go great with a nice, warm, fluffy, cinnamon bun.

Through five seasons of Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston completely shifted from being a beloved comedic actor to one of peak TV’s most celebrated thespians, all thanks to his increasingly more intimidating performance as Walter White. The former chemistry teacher became quite proficient with criminal acts, from cooking up nearly perfect meth to planting explosives to rigging up the show’s infamous “machine gun in the trunk of the Cadillac” contraption.

So yeah, Walter White certainly knows a thing or two about machine guns — even if series creator Vince Gilligan has publicly regretted its inclusion — but not everyone might be aware that Bryan Cranston himself is apparently known to get into a Nerf gun war on occasion. At least whenever he’s invited to, as it went on the set of Modern Family whenever the Emmy-winning actor popped by the ABC sitcom to offer up his directing talents.

When Modern Family vet Nolan Gould appeared on former co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast Dinner’s On Me, the younger actor talked about how he, Ariel Winter and Rico Rodriguez used to be “maniacs” behind the scenes and would get into all kind of shenanigans. Here's how he boasted about getting the superstar actor to join their horseplay:

Host Jesse Tyler Ferguson did indeed remember that experience, and told Gould to share a little more about it, to which the To Do List actor said:

Ferguson then addressed the fact that he'd actually hosted Bryan Cranston himself on the podcast previously, and that he'd talked about the Nerf gun experience at the time. As the Mitchell Pritchett actor put it:

As opposed to Modern Family and Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad didn't exactly have a ton of child actors hanging around the set. There was Walter and Skylar's baby, of course, but not until later, and it's probably not super safe (or fun) to play Nerf wars with an infant.

Cranston directed two episodes of Modern Family, one in Season 3 and one in Season 5, but that wasn’t his only stint behind the camera. He helmed three episodes of Breaking Bad, eps of Sneaky Pete and his Showtime thriller Your Honor, as well as that episode of The Office where a car stunt nearly went awry, with seven installments of Malcolm also under his directorial belt.

Just because he's proficient in directing doesn't mean he'll be quitting his day job anytime soon. To that end, Cranston’s comments about stepping away from acting went viral last year in ways he presumably didn’t intend for, since he came out afterward to clarify that he wasn’t fully retiring from the artform, but that he would be taking some time off when he turns 70 in 2026.

Before that happens, though, fans will get to see the actor return to his TV sitcom roots for Malcolm in the Middle’s officially confirmed revival, which will hopefully land on the 2025 premiere schedule.

In the meantime, fans can always rewatch Breaking Bad in full with a Netflix subscription, while Modern Family is available to stream in its entirety with a Hulu subscription.

A "bottle episode" is a term used when a TV show, usually in an attempt to save money on sets, keeps the action all in one place. Some of these episodes justify their singular setting by trapping the characters inside against their will while others incorporate more clever storytelling devices. Let's cover some of the most interesting and entertaining examples of a bottle episode in TV history with the following.

Mad About You - "The Conversation"

Sometimes, raising an infant might have parents feeling trapped in their own home (or even a singular location in their home) which is a topic explored in an episode from the sixth episode of the hit Paul Reiser TV show, Mad About You. Filmed in one single-shot take, "The Conversation" depicts Paul (Reiser) and Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) talking while they wait for their infant daughter to cry herself to sleep.

Breaking Bad - "Fly"

Considered by some to be one of the best Breaking Bad episodes and by others to be the worst, "Fly" earns its title from an insect that Walter White (Bryan Cranston) discovers making itself at home in the lab owned by Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Directed by Rian Johnson, the episode sees him and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), determined to save their jobs (and lives), spending an entire night struggling to rid the lab of the "contamination," while having heartfelt and complex discussions regarding the current state of their lives.

Seinfeld - "The Chinese Restaurant"

In an episode of one of the all-time best sitcoms that left some network executives confused from behind the scenes, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) spend 20 minutes waiting to be seated for dinner before heading to the movies. Despite not featuring Michael Richards' Kramer, Season 2's subdued yet witty "The Chinese Restaurant" is one of the best Seinfeld episodes and one that most strongly defines the NBC comedy's schtick as a "show about nothing."

The West Wing - "Isaac And Ishmael"

One of the most powerful bottle episodes in TV history was a standalone from Aaron Sorkin's Emmy-winning political drama called "Isaac and Ishmael," which was broadcast before the official Season 3 premiere as a tribute to the victims of the tragedy on September 11, 2001. Described as a non-canonical play by the West Wing cast in a cold open where the actors directly address the audience, the episode is primarily set in the mess hall of the White House, which has been put on lockdown amid a terrorist attack, forcing some of those inside to investigate the matter and others to discuss it from a philosophical perspective with some visiting students.

Friends - "The One Where No One's Ready"

In Season 3's "The One Where No One's Ready," the Friends cast is hanging out when Ross shows up urging them to prepare to leave for an event. Depicted in real time and taking place almost entirely in Monica's living room, the episode proved popular enough to convince the producers to do at least one bottle episode per season for the remainder of the hit series' run.

The Twilight Zone - "Five Characters In Search Of An Exit"

Some of the most interesting stories told on horror anthology TV shows are bottle episodes but that is not the only reason why "Five Characters in Search of An Exit" is a shoo-in for one of the best Twilight Zone episodes. As the apt title suggests, the Rod Serling-penned Season 3 story, following a group of strangers trapped in a room with no windows or doors and no memory of how they got there, is a wickedly surreal mystery with a killer twist ending.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "The Box"

One of the best episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, "The Box," sees Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher teaming up to see if they can get a dentist suspected of murder to give a confession before they are legally forced to release him from the interrogation room. Sterling K. Brown gives an Emmy-nominated performance in the Season 5 favorite as the stone-cold potential perp who forces Peralta to pull out every trick in the book to break.

Frasier - "My Coffee With Niles"

The Season 1 finale of Frasier (a spin-off show as good as its predecessor, Cheers) served as an homage to the 1981 dramedy, My Dinner with Andre. "My Coffee with Niles" takes place entirely during a cafe conversation between the title character (Kelsey Grammer) and his brother (David Hyde Pierce), during which they discuss happiness and Niles, for the first time, admits his feelings for Daphne (Jane Leeves).

Family Guy - "Brian & Stewie"

For its 150th show, Family Guy aired a bottle episode that stripped away its opening credits, musical score, the typical cutaway gags, and most of the characters. The entire plot of "Brian & Stewie" takes place inside a bank vault where the eponymous dog and baby (both voiced by creator Seth MacFarlane) find themselves accidentally locked inside for more than 24 hours.

Community - "Cooperative Calligraphy"

Likely responsible for teaching a generation of viewers about the concept of a bottle episode, one of the best episodes of Community, "Cooperative Calligraphy," is identified as such by Abed (Danny Pudi) in one of his signature meta moments. The Season 2 favorite sees the study group lock themselves in the study room for an entire night at the request of Annie (Alison Brie) to figure out who among them took her pen.

Parks And Recreation - "Leslie And Ron"

The seventh season of Parks and Recreation saw Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) on non-speaking terms for mysterious reasons until it was addressed and resolved in the season's fourth episode, aptly titled "Leslie and Ron." Locked in a room at the office by Ben (Adam Scott), the former coworkers are forced to talk through their feud, which we learn was caused by a sidelined Ron asking Leslie for a job to be closer to his old friends, only to be stood up.

Archer - "Vision Quest"

One of many examples of a bottle episode in which multiple characters find themselves trapped in an elevator comes from the sixth season of Archer. In "Vision Quest" much of the main cast of the animated spy comedy series get at each other's throats more than usual when they share a lift at ISIS that suddenly breaks down.

Kenan & Kel - "Freezer Burned"

Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel aired a few episodes that saw the eponymous duo (played by All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell) stuck in one place. One instance is Season 3's "Freezer Burned" in which Kel accidentally points a restaurant's restroom sign in the wrong direction, causing himself, Kenan, Kenan's family, and many others to become trapped in the freezer.

Grey's Anatomy - "The Room Where It Happens"

While all bottle episodes take place in one setting, not all are necessarily set during just one period of time. For instance, "The Room Where It Happens" from Season 13 of Grey's Anatomy takes place in a single operating room in which multiple characters recall their own memories of the most significant moments they have experienced there.

How I Met Your Mother - "The Limo"

Some TV shows get away with covering more ground than the typical bottle episode allows by keeping most of the action inside a mode of transportation. For instance, "The Limo" follows the How I Met Your Mother cast hopping between multiple New Year's Eve parties in a limousine driven by the recurring character Ranjit (Marshall Manesh), marking the beginning of his transition from taxi driving.

Hey Arnold! - "Das Subway"

Sometimes even a bottle episode set in a mode of transportation still sees the characters stuck in one place, like in the Season 1 Hey Arnold! episode, "Das Subway." Arnold and his friends decide to get home from the movie theater by taking the subway but end up sharing it with a bunch of stir-crazy passengers when it breaks down mid-trip.

Castle - "Cuffed"

Some bottle episodes manage to show scenes from outside the main setting by the use of flashbacks. That is how the Season 4 Castle episode, "Cuffed," explains how Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) ended up handcuffed together and trapped in a small room where they struggle to retrace their steps.

Supernatural - "Baby"

Rarely do bottle episodes and road trip episodes crossover but Supernatural achieved it in its eleventh season with "Baby," which is named after Dean Winchester's (Jensen Ackles) beloved Impala. The entire story – following him and Sam (Jared Padalecki) on a demon-hunting journey – is entirely told from inside the car.

Drake & Josh - "Tree House"

In the fourth season of Drake & Josh, the titular pair of stepbrothers (played by Drake Bell and Josh Peck) must reconstruct a neighbor's tree house that they accidentally destroyed. Upon finishing it, they find themselves trapped inside, having forgotten to cut out an exit before putting up the final wall. Their sister, Megan (Miranda Cosgrove), refuses to help them find a way out, and, to make matters worse, two twin sisters are waiting to meet them at the movie theater.

The X-FIles - "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas"

"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" is a fun holiday episode from the sixth season of one of the all-time best sci-fi TV shows, The X-Files. It sees FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) becoming trapped in a house haunted by the spirits of a dead couple (played by TV icons Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin) who want to prove to them how lonely the season can be.

Chicago Fire - "My Lucky Day"

The rescuers fall desperate for a rescue in a Season 9 episode of NBC's Chicago Fire ironically called "My Lucky Day." Firefighters Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) become cut off from outside communication when they and two others board a freight elevator that breaks down in the middle of a building fire.

Eureka - "H.O.U.S.E. Rules"

In the first season of the hit SyFy series Eureka, newly appointed sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) considers leaving the small town of brilliant people after being blocked from investigating a crime. However, his A.I.-equipped smart house tries to convince him to stay by luring other locals into the home and locking them inside.

Leverage - "The Bottle Job"

The title of the Season 2 episode of Leverage, "The Bottle Job," has a triple meaning – one being that it is a bottle episode. The other meanings refer to Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton's character, Nate, taking up his drinking habit again, as well as the team's task to commit an elaborate con that would take weeks in only 90 minutes.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - "Did The Earth Move For You?"

While there are many examples of bottle episodes used to help two characters mend their issues with one another by trapping them together, the Season 2 premiere of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sees two characters grow apart as a result. In "Did the Earth Move for You?" the victims are Will Smith (Will Smith) and his new girlfriend, Kathleen (Tisha Campbell), who learn too much about each other after an earthquake leaves them trapped in the Banks' basement.

This Is Us - "The Waiting Room"

Most episodes of This Is Us jump back and forth between different time periods but Season 3's "The Waiting Room" takes place entirely in the modern day without any flashbacks. However, for what it lacks in appearances by Milo Ventimiglia as Jack, it makes up for it by keeping the Pearsons (and the audience) on their toes as they stay in a hospital waiting for the birth of Kate's baby.

MacGyver - "Phoenix Under Siege"

Before Die Hard, there was the Season 2 MacGyver episode, "Phoenix Under Siege," which boasts a few plot similarities. Mac (Richard Dean Anderson) and his grandfather, Harry Jackson (John Anderson), stop by the Phoenix Foundation to look for some tickets to a hockey game only to become trapped inside the building when it is invaded by terrorists.

Scrubs - "My Full Moon"

The Season 8 Scrubs episode, "My Full Moon," is a notable bottle episode as being one of the few times we see Turk (Donald Faison) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) teaming up. They are left in charge of four interns at Sacred Heart on the night of a full moon, hence the title.

Teen Titans Go! - "Bottle Episode"

Never has a series taken the concept of a bottle episode as literally as the 29th show from the third season of Teen Titans Go! Aptly called "Bottle Episode," it sees the team of young superheroes struggling to figure out an escape when they become trapped in a large glass bottle.

Moonlighting - "Between A Yuk And A Hard Place"

Taking place months after the previous episode when Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) suffers a miscarriage, "Between A Yuk and a Hard Place" sees her and David (Bruce Willis) reunited when they become trapped in an elevator. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that Agnes (Allyce Beasley) and MacGillicudy (Jack Blessing) intentionally caused the elevator to break down, giving the couple a chance to work out their issues.

The Dead Zone - "Cabin Pressure"

In the second season of USA Network's series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) has a psychic vision that the plane he is currently traveling on is bound to crash. The episode is set entirely on a jet and is even depicted in real-time.

Black-ish - "Hope"

Creator Kenya Barris' ABC dramedy Black-ish was never afraid to address tough real-life topics and one of the most powerful examples is Season 2's "Hope." It takes place entirely in the Johnsons' living room as they watch a news report of a police brutality case, which prompts a difficult discussion regarding racial injustice.

That's My Bush! - "Trapped In A Small Environment"

From South Park creator Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Comedy Central's short-lived series That's My Bush poked fun at common sitcom cliches while also offering a humorous inside look at the then-current George W. Bush administration. It once took aim at the "trapped in a small environment" trope in an episode called "Trapped in a Small Environment," in which the president and his neighbor, Larry (John D'Aquino) get stuck in an elevator, giving them an opportunity to work through a feud.

There were whispers earlier this year that a Malcolm in the Middle revival was going to happen, and now it is officially confirmed. One of television's most dysfunctional families is coming back for a limited series, and I'm so excited to see Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and more for one major reason.

I'm considering splitting my time next year between the 2025 TV schedule and watching the classic sitcom, so I can be prepared for this new adventure first revealed by Disney+. The story will revolve primarily around Muniz, Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek's characters and feature other members of the Malcolm in the Middle cast as well. Now, here's what we know about it so far and why I'm so psyched about it.

Malcolm In The Middle Will Return With New Episodes On Disney+

Malcolm in the Middle will return for a four-episode limited series, and if you have a Disney+ subscription, you'll be able to see Malcolm return home for his parent's 40th wedding anniversary celebration.

It's also noted that creator Linwood Boomer will pen all four episodes and that actors Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield will likely be approached to reprise their roles as Francis and Reese. As for Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey, he left acting in 2010 and hasn't looked back. No word on other actors reprising their roles at this point, but I'm excited to hear more.

Another note is that it seems Malcolm will have a daughter and a wife. Assuming that holds true, we'll see new actors in those roles, but there's no word on who they may be. It makes me wonder if we will see Malcolm do his iconic fourth wall breaks or if his kid will take that over. For those thinking Malcolm can't be old enough to have his own daughter, Frankie Muniz just welcomed his own baby a few years ago. So, the family growing in realistic.

However, when it comes to what I'm most excited about, it comes down to the return of the OG parent played by Bryan Cranston.

I'm Thrilled To See Bryan Cranston Return To Comedy

While seeing the whole family interact will be fun, it's also going to be such a joy to see Bryan Cranston get back to Malcolm in the Middle as Hal. He played a character so kooky and outlandish that when Breaking Bad first came out, there was genuine confusion from people like me who thought he couldn't pull off such a serious role.

However, in more recent years, I think folks would more strongly associate Cranston with dramatic roles. So, it'll be really cool to see him get back to his comedic roots and a show he clearly still has a soft spot for, thanks to his connection with Frankie Muniz and others. Who would've thought that after years of wanting Heisenberg to return, we'd get Hal and be just as thrilled about it?

Details about the Malcolm in the Middle revival are still rolling in, but I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it in the coming months as we roll into the new year. Get pumped in the meantime by checking out the OG series with a Hulu subscription.

Alright, we always end up loving the side characters. While they may technically be part of the main cast of movies and TV shows, they are not the main characters that we are all supposed to follow. And yet, somehow, we always end up liking them more than the person we are supposed to pick the most – and here are just some of the classics that I need to bring up.

Frozone (The Incredibles)

When it comes to the best Pixar movies, The Incredibles tops the list, but you want to know who’s even better than the titular family? Their best friend, Frozone, another superhero with ice powers. Granted, he only has a little bit of screen time in comparison to most, but it’s thanks to his hilarious nature, and Samuel L. Jackson’s excellent voice-acting that makes him a fan-favorite.

NoHo Hank (Barry)

I think there are a lot of characters in the Barry cast that you could like way more than Barry himself, but the best example is NoHo Hank. I wrote a whole article about why NoHo Hank became one of my favorite TV characters ever since I watched Barry, and I still think he’s utterly hilarious.

Megan (Bridesmaids)

The Bridesmaids cast is filled to the brim with comedic talent, but let’s be honest – when we think of Bridesmaids, we think of Melissa McCarthy, and when we think of her, we think of Megan, the character that made her famous. She’s hilarious, and because of her role, she earned an Academy Award nomination.

Mike (Breaking Bad)

The Breaking Bad cast is filled to the brim with characters that are morally grey in every sense of the word, but Mike is one of those that you can’t help but love way more than Walter. He’s calm under pressure, has this stoic thing going on about him, and has appeared in both the mainline series and Better Call Saul.

Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Do I even need to say it? Zuko is the most-loved character in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko’s character arc is one of the best on television, and I have always been a Zuko lover because of it. Heck, I’ll rewatch the show specifically for him, not really for Aang anymore.

Amy (Pitch Perfect)

Amy, otherwise known as Fat Amy, felt like she was going to be a punching bag in the first Pitch Perfect film, but she ended up becoming one of the best parts. Rebel Wilson’s iconic performance, the hilarious singer showcased someone who was unashamedly herself and spoke her mind, and we loved her for that.

Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There are so many side characters where, at first, they look like they are the epitome of “jerk” or could probably beat you up. Rosa is definitely the latter, but she secretly has the biggest heart of gold, and out of everyone on the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she’s the person I connected to the most on the show.

Rizzo (Grease)

Grease is overrated, and I stand by that even now because I personally can’t stand Danny or Sandy. But you know who I can? Rizzo. She has depth, emotion, and the voice to match. Sure, the actress does not look like she belongs in high school, but who really does in this film?

Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)

Obviously, I had to put Daryl Dixon on here. I’m pretty sure that he became the entire show once Rick left the series. He has his spinoff now called The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. There was a whole campaign that said “If Daryl Dies, We Riot.” Heck, the character wasn’t even part of the main cast in Season 1 until Norman Reedus turned him into the loveable redneck that we all know him as today.

Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park)

Jurassic Park is a quintessential ‘90s film, but I’m going to be honest and say most of the characters in there, to me, are forgettable. You watch the movie for the fantastic dinosaurs and epic action. But you want to know who isn’t? Ian Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum. But that’s not fair, because Jeff Goldblum makes every side character better than the main one.

Genie (Aladdin)

Arguably one of Robin Williams’ best movies, Aladdin is a great Disney princess flick, but every time I think of it, I think of the Genie. He’s hyper, hilarious, and a great friend to Aladdin, even when Aladdin treats him selfishly at one point. You can’t get enough of him.

Urkel (Family Matters)

There are certain iconic TV shows that you know about just from a particular character. Urkel is the definition of that with Family Matters. Sure, I loved the hilarious sitcom for years, but the first thing that comes to my mind whenever it pops up is Urkel’s famous catchphrase, “Did I do that?”

Emily (The Devil Wears Prada)

The Devil Wears Prada cast is filled to the absolute brim with stars, but when you watch it, it’s really Emily Blunt’s character, Emily, that steals the show and her absolute love of fashion and all things Miranda Priestly. It’s actually amazing to think back on this film because this is the movie that made Emily Blunt into a household name because of how amazing she was in this role.

Titus (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

I will always love Titus in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. There was just something about this fabulous man that I could not get enough of, and I wanted so much more from him. I will never forgive Netflix for canceling this show. Titus Burgess (the actor behind the character) portrayed him so well, and I just need to see more.

Brienne Of Tarth (Game Of Thrones)

The Game of Thrones cast is ridiculously huge, so it’s almost impossible to pick side-characters that outshone the core six – Daenerys, Jon, Sansa, Tyrion, Jaime, and Cersei, because those were the ones we cared about. But in terms of side characters that surrounded their stories, there’s no one better than Brienne of Tarth. She was strong, fought for what she believed in, and arguably had one of the best endings out of everyone on this show.

O’Ren Ishii (Kill Bill)

I am an avid lover of Kill Bill because I adore watching women kick butt. If we’re being honest, I always rewatch the fight between Black Mamba and O’Ren Ishii. She is just so awesome, and her fighting style gives me chills every single time.

Troy And Abed (Community)

The Community cast is excellent, but let’s be honest here - Jeff, as a main character, is pretty boring, but it’s all the side characters around him that make him great, and Troy and Abed are the definition of that. Their friendship is iconic, but it wasn’t the same when Donald Glover left the series.

Dwight Schrute (The Office)

There are plenty of side characters in The Office that could make this list, but I think the biggest one is Dwight Schrute. The weird office worker had a certain charm about him that everyone loved—and I think it’s really in part to Rainn Wilson’s great performance of him.

Fonzie (Happy Days)

He is the definition of a side-character-turned-fan-favorite. He was a side character until fans ended up loving him so much that the show turned him into a main character for Happy Days. Granted, they ended up doing too much, and it ruined his character – hence the phrase, ‘jumping the shark’ was born – but still. It’s a great example.

Lisa (Girl, Interrupted)

Girl, Interrupted is a very serious movie that is tough to watch, but there’s no denying the excellent performances. Winona Ryder is terrific as the main character, but let’s be truthful here – Angelina Jolie as Lisa stole the show and then some. There’s no beating her.

Sam (The Lord Of The Rings)

While Frodo is the main character in The Lord of the Rings, everyone talks about Sam. He’s a great friend to Fordo, but he’s also kind, loyal, and utterly wholesome in comparison to everything else in the movies.

Bronn (Game Of Thrones)

There are so many side characters in Game of Thrones, but the one I have to point out that I love so much is Bronn. I feel like we always forget he’s there, but when he’s on screen, he just steals every scene he’s in. He’s hilarious, doesn’t hold back what he wants to say, and is a great fighter. You can’t help but love him.

Yelena (Black Widow)

Okay, so maybe this is a slight stretch, but I think when Black Widow came out, so many people had already moved past Natasha dying in Avengers: Endgame that it was hard to connect with her in this new film. But you want to know who people are really connected with? Yelena, Natasha’s adoptive sister, ended up becoming a tremendous character, and people wish to be back in the MCU. It catapulted Florence Pugh’s career.

Schmidt (New Girl)

The New Girl cast has so many great characters, but I’m going to be honest and say that Schmidt is undoubtedly my favorite. Jess is great and all but I don’t find myself laughing uncontrollably when she’s on-screen – I’m rooting for my man Schmidt and how he somehow comes up with the most hilarious moments that make me snicker.

Dionne (Clueless)

Clueless is a great ‘90s film, but Cher is one of those characters that you either love or hate because of how she acts. However, the one person I think we can all agree with is fantastic: Dionne, played by the impeccable Stacey Dash. She’s a fashionista who sticks by Cher’s side, and you have to respect that.

Grogu (The Mandalorian)

Alright, so I do love Din Djarin, and I will legit support anything that man does, but it wasn’t his face plastered everywhere after the first season of The Mandalorian – it was Grogu, who was first known as Baby Yoda. And, I mean, he is pretty cute, so I can’t really complain.

Darius (Atlanta)

Atlanta is a series that toed the line between drama and comedy during its four-season run, but one of the best characters that fit in with both of those was Darius. Played by Lakeith Stanfield, Darius is calm, if not a little weird, but does it so well and with a smooth nature.

Steve (Stranger Things)

It would be an absolute travesty if I did not include Steve Harrington on this list. He’s Steve—you know, the babysitter of all these kids, and will legit do anything to protect him? His character growth is impeccable, and I will stand by him until the end of this show. Joe Keery plays him so well.

Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

There are so many side characters in anime in general that people love more than the main character, but my top pick has to go to Levi Ackerman in Attack on Titan. If you know, you know. But if you don’t, he’s literally coined Humanity’s Strongest Soldier and proves it several times throughout the course of the series, and yet, behind his stoic nature, he is a good (if not morally grey) man. And fans eat that stuff up -- including myself.

Lexa (The 100)

As someone who was a devout fan of The 100 for many years, I don’t think any other side character came along that changed the game quite like Lexa did. Not only was she badass, but she ended up becoming a love interest for the main character, which spawned an entire shipping war, which was a time to be alive. She was only in this show for a few seasons, but she made her impact.

April Ludgate (Parks And Recreation)

The Parks and Recreation cast is hilarious in so many ways, but of course, I have to point out April Ludgate, played by the hysterical Aubrey Plaza. There was just something about her deadpan responses and the way she reacted to everything that made her the best character on this show. I would watch a whole spinoff of her.

Negan (The Walking Dead)

While Negan is no doubt a very complex villain-turned-antihero by the end of The Walking Dead, there is no denying that people loved him. I swear, fans were rooting for him to win in that war during Seasons 7 and 8, and honestly, I think it’s because Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrayed him so well. And he continues to do so in The Walking Dead: Dead City. You can’t beat Negan.

There are so many great side characters out there that I might have missed, but these are certainly my favorites. Now, we have to have a little marathon to enjoy all of them in their splendor once again.

Bryan Cranston is now arguably best known for his beloved role as Walter White as part of the Breaking Bad cast. However, the actor got his real big break by playing the goofy, fun-loving father Hal on Malcolm in the Middle. Even though it's been close to two decades since the sitcom’s series finale aired and the cast has moved onto other projects, it doesn’t mean they've all totally lost touch. In fact, Frankie Muniz recently revealed the sweet way that Cranston still keeps tabs on him after all of these years.

It's fair to say that Frankie Muniz is all grown up, as he's now a husband and father -- who's transitioned to race car driving. Still, it doesn't hurt to have someone older in your corner. On the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Muniz was asked who his role model in the entertainment industry is. Though he mentioned his faux father earlier in the interview, Muniz had to name-drop him again:

The fact that Bryan Cranston still checks in on his sitcom son all these years later is nothing short of sweet. On Malcolm in the Middle, Hal and Malcom's dynamic was particularly endearing, given the vast differences between the brainy child and goofy patriarch. The characters may have seemed mismatched, but they truly loved each other. With that, I can't help but smile knowing that the actors who portrayed them are still close.

Hal and Malcolm had hilarious moments on one of the all-time best sitcoms, one of which involved Hal inducting Malcolm into “The Brotherhood of the Wheel” via skating lessons. There was also the time when Malcolm helped Hal play chess. Few father/son duos were as quirky this one, and that's why some fans are likely eager to see a revival of the classic Fox show.

Frankie Muniz wants a Malcolm in the Middle sequel, and he reiterated that sentiment during his chat with Michael Rosenbaum. In previous interview, Muniz even stated that the show is taking so long to happen, because he and his collaborators don't want to rush it. Meanwhile, Bryan Cranston shares that same wish, with the Emmy winner even taking steps to make a revival of the comedy series happen. Like Muniz, I'd love to know what Malcolm and his family have been up to over the past 20 years -- including whether the boy genius became President of the United States like his mother wanted.

Bryan Cranston's role as Walter White will remain icon, but the same should also be true of his turn as the comedic Hal. What I'll now remember in addition to Cranston's work, though, is the warm way he keeps in touch with his longtime co-star. Here's hoping the two remain close and are able to reunite for a revival at some point.

Until then, know that Malcolm in the Middle is available to stream using a Hulu subscription. Also, those who want to see Mr. Cranston portray a suburban drug dealer can stream Breaking Bad with a Netflix subscription.

Some of the best TV characters are the ones that drive us crazy. Whether it's because they are villains, or simply just because they are obnoxious, we can't wait to see what they do next. Here is our list of all the characters we just love to hate.

Brenda Walsh - Beverly Hills, 90210

Brandon and Brenda Walsh may have been twins on Beverly Hills, 90210, but really, they couldn't have been any more different. Brandon was seemingly loved by everyone, including the audience, while Brenda was the ultimate teenage villain. It probably didn't help that the late Shannen Doherty was also controversial behind the scenes of the show, eventually leaving after Season 4.

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Theory was an incredibly funny character. He was also an incredibly annoying and obnoxious character that fans of the show just loved to hate. He was laughed at and with through the show and was so popular (and despised), that the character got his own spinoff, Young Sheldon.

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

Without a doubt, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones is one of the greatest TV villains of all time. She was universally hated by fans, which is the biggest compliment you can give Headey as the one portraying her. She was so hated that even her death by getting crushed by thousands of pounds of rocks wasn't satisfying enough to fans of the show.

J.R. Ewing - Dallas

"Who shot J.R.?" is arguably the best TV cliffhanger of all time. It wasn't just that fans wanted to know who shot him, but if he survived the shooting. Plenty of people would have been satisfied had the villain on Dallas not made it. Of course, he did make it, and he was only more hated for it - in the best way.

Rebecca - Cheers

Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca on Cheers walked into a pretty difficult assignment when she joined the show in Season 6. She was essentially replacing another character fans loved to hate, Diane, played by Shelly Long. Still, both the actress and the character slipped right into the sometimes villain, sometimes friend role and fans loved to hate her for it.

Dennis Reynolds - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The gang in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible people. It's why we watch them, to see just how awful they can be. There is little redeeming about any of them, but the worst has to be Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton). There's no way anyone would ever be friends with a person like that, and that's why we love him... and hate him.

Dr. Robert Romano - ER

Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano was one of the great TV villains of the 1990s in ER. He was brash, obnoxious, demanding, and mean. Audiences really hated him on a level that few TV villains are. It was a visceral hatred. That made his ridiculous death all the more satisfying, even though it was pretty over-the-top and somewhat silly.

Gemma Morrow - Sons Of Anarchy

Katey Sagal's portrayal of Gemma Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy was one of the highlights of the whole show. She was wonderful throughout the whole thing. And her character was simply a terrible, self-centered, shockingly sociopathic person. She was great.

Sue Sylvester - Glee

Even shows like Glee can have the most epic villains that audiences can't get enough of. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) fits the bill better than most on this list, too. She's brilliantly funny and shockingly mean all at the same time.

Dwight Schrute - The Office

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is the kind of work frenemy we all are grateful we don't have to deal with. He is obnoxious and overbearing and just simply annoying. Worse, he can be destructive. Of course, that only makes us love him more as a character. We may root for Jim, but secretly, we want to see what Dwight says next.

The Governor - The Walking Dead

Over its 11 seasons, there were a lot of great villains on The Walking Dead and while Negan may be the most notorious, he was pretty much just hated in every way (at least until the end). The Governor (David Morrissey) in Seasons 3 and 4 was the first villain we all truly loved to hate.

Livia Soprano - The Sopranos

Livia Soprano, played by the late Nancy Marchand on The Sopranos, was the worst mother imaginable. The way she dealt with her kids, and the rest of the world, was simply despicable. Had it not been for Marchand's untimely death after Season 3, who knows just how much more she would have been hated by fans of the show. One thing is for sure though, we all loved the late Marchand for her work as Livia.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't a lot of heroes in Breaking Bad. At best Walter White is an anti-hero. Gus Fring, however, is a truly great villain. Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal of Walter's rival is unparalleled in TV history. Fans simply could not get enough of the villain and he'll long be remembered as one of the best parts of one of the most rewatchable shows of all time.

The Entire Roy Family - Succession

When it comes to the HBO hit Succession, it's impossible to pick the worst member of the Roy family. They are all so terrible, and seemingly in competition with each other as to who can worse, that we just have to nominate them all for this list. They are all just awful.

Homelander - The Boys

Of all the shows on streaming, there may not be a bigger concentration of terrible people than the characters on The Boys. There are only one or two redeemable characters on the whole show, and the worst are all completely awful. At the top of the list of characters we love to hate though, is Homelander. How could it not be?

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Even setting aside the camera controversies of Kevin Spacey, Frank Underwood on House Of Cards was a shockingly terrible person. His quest for power was unrivaled in television history and his willingness to do anything, including commit murders, made him so easy to hate. Yet we couldn't stop watching, could we?

Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones

Joffrey Baratheon on Game Of Thrones was such a hated character that a rumor once started that it actually affected actor Jack Gleeson's career negatively (it didn't). That not only says something about the character and how much we loved to hate him, but it also says something great about Gleeson who played the evil tyrant so well, that some people can't separate the actor from the character.

Louie De Palma - Taxi

Danny DeVito may be most famous today for playing another terrible person, Frank on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but he got his big break in television playing the awful Louie De Palma on the classic '70s sitcom Taxi. Louie was the worst kind of tyrant boss.

Steve Urkel - Family Matters

Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, is hated for a very different reason than many on this list. He's just the most annoying TV character ever created. Fans who loved Family Matters also loved how obnoxious he was. People who weren't fans of the show just found him unbearable. A tribute to White's portrayal of the annoying neighbor.

Mr. Burns - The Simpsons

If there is one character on The Simpsons who does his best to be purely evil, it's C. Montgomery Burns. This is a guy who even tried to block out the sun from shining on Springfield. Of course, on any list of the best Simpsons characters, he'd be near the top, too.

Sawyer - Lost

Make no mistake that by the end of Lost, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) would become a hero. It takes him a long time to get there and in the early seasons, he's a pretty terrible person. That doesn't stop us from laughing at the creative nicknames he comes with or some of the snarky lines he has.

Eric Cartman - South Park

Eric Cartman is the worst kid in South Park. He's also the funniest character on the show (except for maybe Randy). Just about everything Cartman does is awful. He's one of the most self-serving and selfish people on TV, ever, yet, we can't stop coming back for more. We can't wait to see what obnoxious thing he will do next.

Ross Geller - Friends

Even the most die-hard Friends fan will admit that Ross Geller is a pretty awful person. Actor David Schwimmer was so good as Ross that it's hard to separate him from the character and that's too bad because Schwimmer seems like a great guy, while Ross is usually very much the opposite. It makes the "great" love story between him and Rachael (Jennifer Aniston) all the more confusing for fans.

Screetch - Saved By The Bell

The late Dustin Diamond played one of the most annoying nerds ever on Saved By The Bell. Screetch did basically nothing right and why anyone ever stayed friends with him is a complete mystery. Still, he was one of the reasons - if not the main reason - we laughed so hard at the show.

Sylar - Heroes

NBC's Heroes started off so strong before it sadly faded almost as quickly as it came out of the gate. However, throughout the show's short run, the one consistently great character was the one we all hated the most, the villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto).

Frank Burns - MASH

Everyone loved Hawkeye, Trapper John, and BJ Honeycutt on MASH. Everyone equally hated Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) who did everything he could to ruin everyone else's fun. It made it a critical character in the early seasons of the show, and his replacement after Linville left the show, Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was equally loved and hated.

Glenn Quagmire - The Family Guy

Quagmire on The Family Guy is just a horrible, horrible person. He's obnoxious and gross. Why the rest of the gang stays friends with just a terrible person is a mystery, though it might be because his awfulness makes him completely hilarious. That must be the reason, actually. It's a character we simply love for being so gross.

Gob Bluth - Arrested Development

Gob Bluth, played by Will Arnett, is the funniest character on Arrested Development. The screwup son and magician is also just awful in every way. He's selfish, rude, and honestly, not very smart. He's also occasionally racist. But again - he's the funniest character on the show and it's not because fans are laughing with him, they are laughing at him. Will Arnett deserves all the praise for that too, because it's not easy to be both.

Scrappy Doo - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

Scrappy Doo is just the worst. We don't love to hate him because he's a great character, like so many others on this list. No, we love to hate because everything about the character, from his introduction to everything he does just sucks. We love to be angry at him, for real.

Janice Soprano - The Sopranos

There are a lot of characters with awful motivations in The Sopranos and among the worst of those is Tony's sister Janice Soprano. Aida Turturro plays the unlikable character so well that there is really very little redeeming about her. There are moments when we feel sorry for her, sure. She goes through some terrible stuff, but none of it makes her actually likable. In fact, anytime we start to like her, she does something to remind us how much we hate her.

Ben Linus - Lost

Ben Linus, played by the great Michael Emerson, on Lost, is a bit of an enigma. There are times when we almost start to like him, or at least feel empathy towards him, but inevitably he ruins that pretty quickly and fans are reminded that he's not a likable person, like, at all.

Georgina Sparks - Gossip Girl

Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) is the classic high-society mean girl in Gossip Girl. She is so unlikable for her manipulative ways and awful attitude that fans can't wait for her to do something that they can be mad about. The perfect kind of villain.

This list is all about the most spectacular ways that some of favorite characters - the ones we love and the ones we love to hate - have been killed off on screen. Movies and TV have both produced some pretty incredible moments like this. So whether it's the hero or the villain, here are some of the most insane deaths ever seen in movies and on TV.

Marion Crane - Psycho

Almost more than any director in film history, Alfred Hitchcock wrote his own rules. One of the most interesting things he ever did was to kill off who was seemingly the main character in Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the first act of the movie. Of course, her murder in the shower has become one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

The tension in Do The Right Thing slowly simmers just under the surface until it boils over when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) burst into Sal's Pizzeria and demand changes. After Sal smashes Raheem's boombox, the cops arrive and in the struggle, Raheem is choked out by the police, leading to the destruction of Sal's. It's amazing that the movie is more than 35 years old and we're still talking about the same issues.

Robb Stark - Game Of Thrones

Is there any death on this list more dramatic and shocking than Robb Stark's on Game of Thrones? The Red Wedding is a legendary TV moment, among the best ever broadcasted. It shocked anyone who had not read the books and remains one of the most spectacular deaths, along with his wife, his unborn baby, and his mother, ever filmed.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history when John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) meets his inevitable end in The Green Mile. Still, he goes out spectacularly with sparks flying and tears flowing.

Charlie Pace - Lost

ABC's Lost had some pretty memorable deaths, but none more so than Charlie Pace's last moments as he warned about the incoming boat and sacrificed himself in one of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history.

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

It's hard to believe that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was Alan Rickman's first movie role. His death, as he falls from Nakatomi Tower, looking up at the camera as he goes, is iconic. It's become one of the most meme'd scenes in movie history and is easily one of the most spectacular deaths in film history.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

For years, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) was one of the most despised characters on TV. His death was worthy of such an amazing villain as he is not only blown up but survives long enough to walk out of the room where it happened and button his jacket before collapsing to the floor.

Thelma And Louise - Thelma And Louise

When Thelma And Louise was first released, the ending completely shocked people. No one expected the movie's heroes to go out like they did, by driving their car off the cliff. Still, it was on their own terms and they did it together, making it all that much more spectacular.

Adriana La Cerva - The Sopranos

There were quite a few deaths over the seasons in The Sopranos, but the episode when Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) is rubbed out is maybe the most incredible. The tension in the episode is impressive even by The Sopranos standards as no one wanted to see Adriana go, even though everyone knew why it was happening.

The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard Of Oz

"I'm melting" is one of the most iconic lines in Hollywood history as the Wicked Witch of the West is dying in The Wizard of Oz. There really isn't much more that needs to be said about this spectacular death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

For years, Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator obsessed over avenging his family's death and taking down Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Despite Commodus playing dirty in their final showdown, Maximus finally prevails, killing Commodus before he collapses and dies.

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd movie in MCU history and so it was only appropriate that Tony Stark - the character that started it all - would be the one to finally take Thanos out by snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet on. It led to his spectacular death, of course, but it was worth it.

Col. Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

After building for two hours, the climactic death of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) at the end of Apocalypse Now is one of the most dramatic and violent moments in film history. The scene, juxtaposed with the sacrifice of a cow, is terrifying and amazing.

Glenn - The Walking Dead

The death of Glenn (and Abraham) was one of the most controversial moments of The Walking Dead. That was partly due to the extreme violence that turned a lot of people off, but it was mostly because Glenn was such a beloved character. Still, it was a death that was totally unforgettable.

Kong - Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers may be the most celebrated member of the Dr. Strangelove cast (and for good reason), but Kong, played by Slim Pickens steals the show at the end with his death by riding a nuke down as it drops towards it's target.

Kenny McCormick - South Park

We couldn't make this list without including poor Kenny McCormick, the hapless member of the South Park crew. Kenny has been killed over 100 times over the show's incredible run and in some of the most ridiculous and fantastic ways, like getting crushed by a tree, getting hit by a volcanic boulder, and dozens of other ways.

Rosalind Shays - LA Law

Rosiland Shays' death by falling down an elevator on LA Law was one of the most shocking moments in television history. It came completely out of nowhere in a time in television when a death like that wasn't common at all. It actually changed TV storytelling.

Mark Greene - ER

Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) was one of the most beloved characters on ER and his death, while a different kind of spectacular than most of the others on this list. It wasn't a shocking moment, as it was a tragic slow death by cancer. It was still among the most heartbreaking moments ever.

Zoe Barnes - House Of Cards

For the first season of House Of Cards, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was one of the most important characters. The journalist was both investigating and getting a little too involved with Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Her surprising death shocked audiences as Frank threw her in front of a subway train. It came completely out of nowhere, and yet made total sense in the context of the show.

Roy Batty - Blade Runner

The death of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) at the end of Blade Runner has become one of the most legendary deaths of all time. It is not at all what anyone in the audience expected when the main villain of the movie turns into a hero at the very end, saving Deckard (Harrison Ford) before smiling as he dies. Time to die.

Alec Trevelyan - GoldenEye

You knew there was no way this list was going to be complete without including at least one death by a Sean Bean character, right? There have been so many spectacular deaths over the actor's incredible career, but for our money, you can't beat the death of his character Alec Trevelyan in the James Bond movie GoldenEye when Bond drops him to his death and he is crushed to make sure it's final.

Lane Pryce - Mad Men

Mad Men was unlike any other show on TV at the time and Lane Pryce's death by suicide is the perfect example of why. The character, played by Jared Harris was a fan favorite and while story-wise his death made perfect sense, it was still shocking.

William Wallace - Braveheart

Braveheart might be one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made, but William Wallace's death at the end is still pretty spectacular ( and not all that different from what really happened to the Scottish hero). We can't go into all the violent details here, but if you know, you know.

Nick Chevotarevich - The Deer Hunter

One of the most tragic characters in '70s cinema has to be Nick Chevotarevich, played by Christopher Walken. Even after the Vietnam War draws to a close and his best friend makes it back home after escaping a POW camp, Nick gets stuck in Saigon, playing dangerous games of Russian Roulette for months. When Mike (Robert De Niro) finds him, Nick is completely checked out, and that makes his horrible death all the more sad.

Quint - Jaws

Quint (Robert Shaw) is the grizzled fisherman who promises to catch "the fish" in Jaws, but in the end, it's the fish that catches him. As has often been pointed out, one of the most effective things about the classic movie is that the shark is rarely seen, so when Quint is eaten it's one of the scariest and most exciting moments of the movie.

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom - Con Air

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) in Con Air is one of the most over-the-top movie villains of the '90s, so of course he had to get killed in an over-the-top spectacular way. First, he is knocked out and handcuffed to a firetruck that crashes into a bridge, tossing Cyrus into some powerlines, and electrocuting him, but that's not all. He then falls into the path of a pile driver doing road work, which comes down on his head.

Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket

Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is, at the beginning of Full Metal Jacket a hopeless Marine recruit who can't do anything right. As the first act of the movie plays out, he gets more competent but also starts to lose his marbles. It all culminates in an incredibly tense scene when he shoots and kills his drill sergeant before turning the gun on himself.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

Say what you want about about The O.C., but the creative decision to kill off one of the main characters and star of the show, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) in Season 3 was a bold one. The way she died, in the arms of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) after a car wreck is just as dramatic as the decision to have the character die.

Jack Torrance - The Shining

That final image of a frozen Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining is one of the most enduring snapshots of a movie filled with incredible visual moments. A spectacular villain like Jack deserves a death as memorable as it is.

Sgt. Elias - Platoon

Platoon, as is said in the movie, is a battle for the soul of Chris (Charlie Sheen) between Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Barnes (Tom Berenger). Barnes wins the battle between himself and Elias when he shoots Elias towards the end, but Elias wins Chris' soul with his spectacular death as the helicopters lift away and Elias is left with arms outstretched as the Vietnamese soldiers gun him down for good.

Gennaro - Jurassic Park

We just had to include this one. Donald Gennaro isn't the main character of Jurassic Park, in fact, he's not even one of the main supporting characters. But him getting eaten by the T-Rex while hiding on the toilet is one of the silliest, and most insane deaths, of any movie, ever.

John Doe - Se7en

The ending of Se7en is one of the most talked about and debated, moments in film history. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) completely manipulates David Mills (Brad Pitt) into doing exactly what wants, completely the complete over-the-top murder spree ever seen on the big screen.

Even the best shows have their fan-favorite seasons. The seasons that most fans are perfect, or at least close to perfect. It's hard to judge based on reviews and even on Rotten Tomato rankings which one fans think is the creme de la creme of their favorite show, so we looked at Ranker, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other spots to nail down just which season of these classic shows fans love the most.

The Office - Season 2

Season 2 holds the top spot for The Office. That makes a lot of sense as it's really when the classic sitcom came out from under the shadow of the British show on which it was based and found its own footing. Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) separated himself from David Brent (Ricky Gervais) and the rest is history.

The Sopranos - Season 3

The Sopranos is one of the few shows that most fans agree doesn't really have any bad seasons. Some are better than others, sure, but, especially out of the first four, how do you separate them? Season 3 is as good a choice as any as Junior gets out of prison and begins his power grab against Tony, Tony's mother is at her worst, and it ends with one of the most devastating murders in the show's run.

Atlanta - Season 1

It's no surprise here that the first season of Atlanta sits on top. The show's four-season run is great, but it never quite matched the incredible impact or lofty heights of that first magical season. It won a slew of awards in the first year, something it also never matched again.

Seinfeld - Season 5

"The Puffy Shirt," "The Marine Biologist," "The Dinner Party," and "The Hamptons" are just a few of the stone-cold classic episodes of Seinfeld in Season 5. This is a show where almost any season could be the favorite as there are classic episodes in all of them, even the first. But Season 5 seems to be the one fans love the most.

Cheers - Season 4

As much as hardcore fans of Cheers love Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), it's not surprising to see the first season with Woody (Woody Harrelson) rank at the top. Season 4 is when the show really came into its own and became the ratings monster it would remain for the rest of its run on NBC in the '80s.

The Wire - Season 4

This is one choice that some fans will definitely disagree with. Not because Season 4 of The Wire is bad, because, oh boy, it certainly is great, but because Season 3 is at least as good if not better in the eyes of many fans, with a bunch of the best episodes. Still, the season following the kids in school comes out on top here, as viewers are introduced to a whole new generation of corner boys and future crew members.

The West Wing - Season 2

It's hard to pick just one season out of the first four for The West Wing. What probably puts this one over the edge is the season finale, "Two Cathedrals," which is one of the best episodes of any television show, ever. The whole season is incredibly good, but the ending is magical.

Gilmore Girls - Season 3

Season 3 of Gilmore Girls hits the top spot for the WB favorite likely pushed to the top for moments like the big reveal of Jess' father towards the end of the season and other milestones throughout the season.

The Simpsons - Season 4

This one is sure to spur some debate. The general consensus of fans of The Simpsons is that basically Seasons 2 through 8 or 9 are basically perfect. Still, it's easy to see why Season 4 won out here, with classic episodes like "Marge vs. the Monorail," "Homer the Heretic," "Duffless," "Mr. Plow," "Last Exit to Springfield," and "Whacking Day," which has a number of the best quotes from The Simpsons.

This Is Us - Season 1

It's hard to argue that the first season of This Is Us isn't the best. The first episode ends with an incredible twist and throughout the rest of the season, audiences get, well, emotionally connected, to the characters in a way that few other shows have ever matched. The tears of later seasons would have never happened without that incredible foundation.

Saturday Night Live - Season 15

How do fans choose one season of a show that has been on the air as long as Saturday Night Live? Surely every generation has its own favorite, but Season 15 is as good a choice as any with a powerhouse cast that includes the great Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, and Mike Myers in his first season as a full cast member.

Breaking Bad - Season 5

Yet another show on this list that has multiple amazing seasons that could be in contention here. There have been very few shows that have ended as well as Breaking Bad so it tracks that its final season would come out on top here. Even the Guinness Book of World Records named it the "most acclaimed" series of all time after it ended.

Friends - Season 5

No doubt that hardcore fans of Friends will have something to say here, but most will agree that if Season 5 isn't the best, it's one of the best. The season starts with the aftermath of Ross saying "Rachel," and ends with their drunken wedding in Vegas, all while Monica and Chandler's relationship grows into more than just hooking up.

Game Of Thrones - Season 4

This one was pretty surprising as well, as most might expect Season 3, with The Red Wedding to rank at the top, but maybe the death of Joffrey at The Purple Wedding and the rise of Daenerys as a conquerer is too much to resist. Not to mention the fight between Oberyn and The Mountain. And Tyrion killing Tywin... Okay, yeah it makes sense.

Abbott Elementary - Season 1

Abbott Elementary burst onto the scene as the freshest and best network sitcom in years. It won every award it could after that first season and while it's remained consistently great, it's never matched those early heights when it was all so new and so funny.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 5

Sometimes it feels like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has been on since the dawn of time, and it kind of has. There have been many great seasons, dozens of great episodes, and even more legendary scenes and lines. For fans, it reached its zenith in Season 5, but it's not like they've turned away from it in later seasons.

24 - Season 5

The most impressive thing about 24 is how it continued to raise the stakes season after season. Just when it seemed like it couldn't get any better, Season 5 came out and blew everyone away. It cleaned up at the Emmys and it's easy to see why as it was Jack's most exciting adventure, and at times the most devastating, of his brutal career at CTU.

Slow Horses - Season 3

Slow Horses is one of the outliers on this list because the seasons are so short, only six episodes in each, but they pack a ton into those six. Every season of the show has been acclaimed, with most having scores of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Season 3 ranks best for fans, with Season 2 right behind it.

Sherlock - Season 2

The first two seasons of Sherlock are two of the best seasons of TV ever, even if they are only three episodes each. Season 2 ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers - or cliff-fallers as it may be. In the third and final episode, "The Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock takes a dive off a building to outwit Moriarty, and viewers are left wondering about his fate.

Lost - Season 1

Lost is one of the most dissected, discussed, and disagreed over shows in TV history. One thing that almost no one argues over though, is how great the show's first season was. From the moment Jack's eyes open in the first episode to Jack and Locke looking down at the blown-open hatch in the last scene, it's a white-knuckle ride that takes viewers on one of the greatest adventures ever.

Grey's Anatomy - Season 6

Well, of all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy, and there are many, it's easy to understand why Season 6, which ends with a cliffhanger when multiple characters were shot in a mass shooting at the hospital. It was the peak of the show.

Mad Men - Season 4

Season 4 of Mad Men is really the downward descent into booze and bills for Don Draper as he continues to struggle with who he really is. It marked a shift in the decade in which it takes place as the wholesome early sixties start to get darker, just like Don's life. Of course fans are going to love this season most.

Blue Bloods - Season 1

Despite its controversial canceling, Blue Bloods has a ton of hardcore fans. Those fans still love Season 1 the most, which is understandable as it really sets the tone for the show and for the dynamics of the Reagan family and includes all the original members, some of whom left the show years before it ended.

Black Mirror - Season 3

Yet another show on the list that is sure to have people arguing over which season really is best. The consensus seems to be that Season 3, Black Mirror's first on Netflix is the best, though that may just be because of exposure. To be sure though, it's a great season with some powerful episodes that resonate, as well as some of the more controversial ones among fans.

Downton Abbey - Season 1

Downton Abbey is not a show anyone would have expected to gain such a large and loyal following, given that it's a period drama set in Edwardian England. But fans it has and passionate they are, especially for the show's excellent first season when we meet the upstairs and the downstairs parts of the Crawley family.

House - Season 1

Medical Procedurals often go on and on, but House is a show that only works with its main character so when Hugh Laurie was ready to go, so was the show. There is no question it felt like it was just running through the motions at the end, but in the beginning, there was no other show like it and that's what makes its first Season the fan favorite.

Dexter - Season 4

Season 4 of Dexter was unquestionably the peak of the show. The race to find the Trinity Killer was in full swing and by the end of the devastating season, viewers learned that maybe there was a killer out there more resourceful, more evil, and more cunning than Dexter as it ends with one of the most tragic seasons in TV history.

Luther - Season 1

Idris Elba got everyone's attention as Stringer Bell on The Wire but he proved he was more than a one-hit wonder with Season 1 of Luther. He could play a cop with loose morals as well as he could a criminal and we loved him for it.

True Detective - Season 1

Until the fourth season of True Detective, called True Detective: Night Country, there was no question that Season 1 would be at the top of fan favorites. Even now, with the show back on its feet after a couple of misses, Season 1 still wins, at least for now.

Law & Order - Season 5

Of all the Law & Order seasons, it makes total sense that Season 5 would top the list of favorite seasons. it's when the show cast really coalesced into the characters fans really love. Most notably, Sam Waterston joined as Jack McCoy and Chris Noth took his final bow on the show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 6

Is there really a "best" season of Curb Your Enthusiasm? There are great, cringy moments in every season but Season 6 comes out on top for fans for one important reason: it introduced Leon (JB Smoove) and the rest of his family to the show and the show began to reach new heights it never would have without them.

Westworld - Season 1

This one really isn't a huge surprise, as many fans really didn't like Seasons 2 or 3 of Westworld, but Seasons 1 and 4 are so good we had to include them. Season 1, especially, is brilliant.

Just like there was no other filmmaker quite like David Lynch, there are not very many TV shows like Twin Peaks. The passing of Lynch in January 2024 inspired fans to revisit the most essential David Lynch movies and his most acclaimed contribution to television, which he co-created in the early 1990s with Mark Frost and later revived for Showtime in 2017.

If you have already used your Paramount+ subscription to revisit Special Agent Dale Cooper’s investigation of Laura Palmer’s murder but are now looking through the best streaming services to subscribe to for more series with a similar blend of grounded crime drama themes and dream-like atmosphere, I can help. Fire walk with me as I present my recommendations for shows (somewhat) like Twin Peaks, along with tips on where to watch them.

Wayward Pines (2015-2016)

Starring: Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino

What it’s about: A Secret Service agent’s search for two missing feds leads him to a rural community where there seems to be no exit.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: One of the best horror TV shows on Hulu, developer Chad Hodge’s series adaptation of Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines book series, received comparisons to Twin Peaks upon release, and not just because it is another story about a lawman in a strange town with big problems.

How to watch Wayward Pines

• Stream Wayward Pines on Hulu
• Buy Wayward Pines on Amazon
• Buy Wayward Pines on Blu-ray on Amazon

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul

What it’s about: A terminally ill high school chemistry teacher turns to drug manufacturing to support his family.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: While Vince Gilligan’s Emmy-winning masterwork is not quite as strange, Twin Peaks could be considered a show like Breaking Bad for its similar slow-burn structure, shocking twists and turns, and unsettling depiction of the potential dark truths hidden within the seemingly average American.

How to watch Breaking Bad

• Stream Breaking Bad on Netflix
• Buy Breaking Bad on Amazon
• Buy Breaking Bad on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Curse (2023-Present)

Starring: Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, Benny Safdie

What it’s about: Mysterious circumstances derail a newlywed couple’s reality series chronicling their bid to create their own eco-friendly community.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: Renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan brought up Twin Peaks when voicing his praise of the acclaimed A24 TV show The Curse, which similarly boasts a subtle, malevolent aura in even the most seemingly mundane moments.

How to watch The Curse

• Stream The Curse on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on
• Buy The Curse on Amazon

Northern Exposure (1990-1995)

Starring: Rob Morrow, Janine Turner

What it’s about: An urban medical professional is forcibly relocated to a small town in Alaska where he struggles to adapt to the local culture.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, Northern Exposure is a hit series with a now obscure reputation that was often compared to Twin Peaks when it first premiered, mostly for being a fish-out-of-water story set in a peculiar town with lovably quirky characters.

How to watch Northern Exposure

• Stream Northern Exposure on Amazon Prime
• Buy Northern Exposure on Blu-ray on Amazon

The X-Files (1993-2018)

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson

What it’s about: A skeptical FBI agent and her more open-minded partner deal with crimes that are anything but normal.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: Like Twin Peaks, the protagonists of creator Chris Carter’s beloved sci-fi TV show The X-Files are FBI agents whose investigations lead them to stumble upon strange and unexplainable phenomena.

How to watch The X-Files

• Stream The X-Files on Hulu
• Buy The X-Files on Amazon
• Buy The X-Files on Blu-ray on Amazon

Atlanta (2016-2022)

Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz

What it’s about: A struggling father sees an opportunity for success in becoming the manager for his cousin, an up-and-coming rapper.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: While mostly a satire of the music industry and of Black culture, FX's Atlanta, one of the funniest shows on Hulu, boasts undoubtedly Lynchian elements and, according to Vulture, creator Donald Glover promoted the series as "Twin Peaks for rappers" early on.

How to watch Atlanta

• Stream Atlanta on Hulu
• Buy Atlanta on Amazon

The Leftovers (2014-2017)

Starring: Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon

What it’s about: Years after two percent of the world's population mysteriously vanishes from the face of the Earth, the remaining souls struggle to maintain stability.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: Teaming up with Damon Lindelof, author Tom Perrotta seems to take inspiration from Twin Peaks when adapting his bestselling novel, The Leftovers, into a twisted and visually surreal fantasy drama that keeps the mystery and suspense ratcheted high throughout.

How to watch The Leftovers

• Stream The Leftovers on Max

Lost (2004-2010)

Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lily

What it’s about: A plane crash leaves a group of strangers stranded on a desert island where nothing is quite as it seems.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: For many of the same reasons The Leftovers is a show like Lost, the survival drama (also co-created by Lindelof with J.J. Abrams and Jeffrey Lieber) is also a show like Twin Peaks in the way it keeps its audience in mystery throughout by starting off mostly grounded before slowly revealing its supernatural elements.

How to watch Lost

• Stream Lost on Netflix
• Stream Lost on Hulu
• Buy Lost on Amazon

True Detective (2014-Present)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A seasonal anthology TV show following different police officers at different periods of time investigating cases that are increasingly dark.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: The crimes that Dale Cooper investigates on Twin Peaks are so bleak and bizarre that they practically border on horror, which is how some might describe True Detective — an Emmy-winning, star-studded HBO drama from creator Nic Pizzolatto.

How to watch True Detective

• Stream True Detective on Max
• Buy True Detective on Amazon

Fargo (2014-Present)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A hitman creates a deadly ripple effect in a charming small town, a probation officer plans to rob his wealthy twin brother to afford his lover’s engagement ring, a seemingly average housewife struggles to outrun her violent past, and more stories about regular people in big trouble.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: An anthology crime thriller series that has even more in common with Twin Peaks is Fargo — Noah Hawley's FX hit inspired by one of the Coen Brothers' best movies — in the sense that it is set in quaint, midwestern communities and gets progressively weirder with each season.

How to watch Fargo

• Stream Fargo on Hulu
• Buy Fargo on Amazon

Outer Range (2022-2024)

Starring: Josh Brolin, Lili Taylor, Imogen Poots

What it’s about: A Wyoming rancher makes a life-changing discovery on his land that begins to affect his career and his relationship with his family.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: One of the best Amazon Prime original TV shows, creator Brian Watkins' Outer Range, is yet another sci-fi drama set in a rural community hiding some very strange secrets that deal with murder, corruption, and even time travel.

How to watch Outer Range

• Stream Outer Range on Amazon Prime

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Starring: Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch

What it’s about: After they are sent to live with their great uncle Stan, twins Dipper and Mabel find themselves at odds with a series of freaky occurrences.

Why it is a great TV show for fans of Twin Peaks to check out: Following David Lynch’s death, creator Alex Hirsch revealed on X that Twin Peaks was an inspiration for his surreal, acclaimed animated TV show, Disney Channel’s Gravity Falls, and that his voice for Bill Cipher was a “crummy Lynch impression.”

How to watch Gravity Falls

• Stream Gravity Falls on Disney+
• Buy Gravity Falls on Amazon
• Buy Gravity Falls on DVD on Amazon

Looks like you do not have to travel too far into the Black Lodge to find the Twin Peaks companion series you have hoped for.

Some people might like to argue that streaming, in becoming our dominant form of media consumption, has ruined the television industry. Well, there is no doubt that it has changed the industry in many ways and, in some cases, for the better. 

There are many TV shows that are now regarded as classics but might not have earned such an honor if not for audiences discovering it on a streaming platform, helping boost its appeal in a way traditional television could not for whatever reason. Let's take a look at some of the most beloved TV shows that were made more popular (or even saved) by streaming. 

The Wire (2002-2008)

In its initial run, The Wire was already considered one of the best shows on HBO, if not of all time, for its refreshing grounded depiction of urban crime in modern Baltimore from both sides of the law. However, thanks to having a Max subscription (formerly known as HBO Max and, earlier, HBO GO), new generations of viewers have been able to witness David Simon's masterpiece.

You (2018-2024)

Even many of the biggest fans of You might not realize that the serial killer drama starring Penn Badgley is not a true Netflix original. It was canceled after one season on the Lifetime Network and, after becoming a surprise hit on Netflix, the platform picked it up for four more seasons.

Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

Despite achieving instant success in its home nation of Canada on CBC, creator Dan and Eugene Levy's sitcom following a family's riches-to-rags story went underseen in the States for years on the Pop Network. Luckily, when the series dropped on Netflix, America suddenly could not get enough of the Schitt's Creek cast, the comedy's remarkable quotability, and surprisingly heartfelt moments.

The Expanse (2015-2022)

Based on a series of novels by Daniel Abrahams and Ty Franck (and James S. A. Corey), The Expanse quickly found a following on SyFy as one of the network's smartest and most exciting dramas and, yet, it still got the boot after three seasons. Fortunately, the adventures of James Holden (Steven Strait) and his crew's defense against a conspiracy affecting the colonized solar system were able to continue as one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime for three more seasons.

Suits (2011-2019)

Despite being one of the longest-running series on USA Network, Suits really became a hit in its later years after gaining traction as one of the most-watched TV shows on Netflix. Of course, Suits cast member Meghan Markle's marriage to Prince Harry likely had an influence on the legal drama's success.

The Office (2005-2014)

Greg Daniels' Americanized update of the hilarious British sitcom was certainly a hit on NBC, but its fanbase grew exponentially when it became one of the highest-viewed series on Netflix. It is no wonder why Peacock paid the platform $500 million for the streaming rights to The Office and even released special Superfan cuts of select episodes.

Letterkenny (2016-2023)

To be honest, Letterkenny, which follows the day-to-day lives of people from the titular rural town in the Great White North, already originated on a streaming service: the Canadian-exclusive platform, Crave. However, when it became available in the United States with a Hulu subscription, the quirky sitcom's fanbase took a Texas-size expansion.

Firefly (2002-2003)

There is a variety of reasons why Firefly was canceled after Fox aired only 11 episodes, from a doomed time slot to misguided marketing. Luckily, even before streaming helped widen its fanbase, the now beloved sci-fi TV show following a crew of outlaws traveling beyond the stars released a DVD set that allowed audiences to see the epic Western-style cosmic adventures they missed out on.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Following the journey of a young man born with the ability to manipulate the elements air, earth, fire, and water, Avatar: The Last Airbender was a huge hit during its initial run on Nickelodeon. It would only become even more popular when it became available to stream on Netflix, which would go on to produce a live-action series update in 2024.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

According to Variety, after Breaking Bad won the Best Drama Series Emmy in 2013, creator Vince Gilligan admitted he owed the success of his groundbreaking drama to Netflix, which later produced El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The thriller, following a terminally high school chemistry teacher (played by Bryan Cranston) turning to crime to support his family, could barely be called a hit during its few years on AMC.

 Freaks And Geeks (1999-2000)

One of the first titles that come to mind when people think of series that ended too soon is Freaks and Geeks, which was canceled by NBC after one season for the typical reasons: misguided marketing and a poor time slot. Since most of the Freaks and Geeks cast went on to take Hollywood by storm, the coming-of-age dramedy has become one of the most acclaimed series of its time by fans who discovered in the digital age.

Criminal Minds (2005-Present)

After lasting a whopping 15 seasons on CBS, Criminal Minds continued to captivate audiences as one of the most popular crime TV shows on Netflix. The procedural drama's enduring success eventually led to its revival, on Paramount+.

Manifest (2018-2023)

When NBC canned it after just three seasons, fans prayed that Netflix would swoop in to renew Manifest and, luckily, their wish came true. A fourth and final season of the sci-fi drama, about a commercial jet that suddenly reappears five years after mysteriously vanishing, debuted on the streaming platform, allowing it to have the smooth landing creator Jeff Rake intended.

Lucifer (2016-2021)

Based on a DC Vertigo comic book, Lucifer — starring Tom Ellis as the Devil, taking human form to be an LAPD consultant — debuted on Fox, where it lasted only three seasons. Soon after, it would be hailed as one of the best DC TV shows on Netflix when it was renewed for three more seasons exclusively on the platform.

Community (2009-2015)

Ironically enough, when Dan Harmon's comedy about a close-knit group of community students first transitioned from NBC to a streaming exclusive on the now-defunct Yahoo! Screen, it was considered a disaster. However, fans would go on to revisit the best episodes of Community on Hulu, Netflix, or Peacock, keeping the #SixSeasonsAndAMovie dream alive. 

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

One of the most popular shows on The CW (when it was still called The WB) was Gilmore Girls, which would only remain popular and acquire more fans who discovered it with their Netflix subscription. The streaming platform would even serve as the home of a four-episode sequel series called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

Friends (1994-2004)

Could Friends have been a bigger bit than it was during its ten-year run on NBC? As it turns out, yes, since the popular '90s TV show became a monster hit on Netflix and, once it left the platform, likely inspired many fans to get a Max subscription just so they could keep the binge going.

Luther (2010-2019)

Some of the best evidence of the enduring popularity of Luther — an acclaimed British crime thriller starring Idris Elba in the brilliant but cantankerous title role — can be found on Netflix. In 2023, the platform distributed a feature-length spin-off called Luther: The Fallen Sun, which quickly became its highest-watched movie and led to a deal for more films.

Arrested Development (2003-2019)

Despite never getting the ratings it needed to be a hit during its three-season run on Fox, Arrested Development was remembered fondly as one of the most hilarious cult favorite TV shows of all time. That enduring legacy led to its revival in 2017 as "a Netflix semi-original series."

Boy Meets World (1993-2000)

In its prime, Boy Meets World was one of the must-see comedies from ABC's TGIF Block in the 1990s and would later spawn a sequel series following Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga's (Danielle Fishel) daughter, Riley (Rowan Blanchard) called Girl Meets World. The success of the Disney Channel series, also starring Sabrina Carpenter, inspired a new generation of fans to check out the original with their Disney+ subscription. 

Futurama (1999-Present)

Creator Matt Groening's animated satire about an average 20th Century man who wakes up from an accidental, 1000-year cryogenic slumber initially ran for just four seasons on Fox, was revived on Comedy Central from 2008 to 2013, and then, a decade later, became an exclusive on Hulu where it is more popular than ever. At this rate, it looks like Futurama might last well into the future.

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

MTV's darker take on a funny coming-of-age creature feature from the '80s was a surprise hit, even as one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu in the years since it ended. The continued interest in the series on streaming would lead to a feature-length continuation that premiered on Paramount+ in early 2023.

iCarly (2007-2012, 2021-2023)

Miranda Cosgrove followed her role as the mischievous Megan on Drake & Josh by starring on the Nickelodeon sitcom as a teen internet sensation. People who grew up with the show would rediscover their love for it as adults when Paramount+ revived iCarly with more mature audiences in mind.

The Mindy Project (2012-2017)

Creator and star Mindy Kaling's first major follow-up after playing Kelly Kapoor in NBC's The Office cast was the aptly titled The Mindy Project, in which she plays an OB/GYN struggling to balance her personal and professional life. It premiered on Fox, where it remained for three seasons, before moving exclusively to Hulu for the latter half of its run.

Longmire (2012-2017)

Based on a series of novels by Craig Johnson, Longmire is a neo-Western drama starring Australian actor Robert Taylor as the titular Wyoming sheriff who brings his own brand of justice to his county. Despite debuting on A&E as the cable network's highest-rated original drama, it was not renewed for a fourth season, leading Netflix to step in and become its home for another three years.

Trailer Park Boys (2001-2018)

A show that Letterkenny fans would enjoy if they have not heard of it already is Trailer Park Boys — another comedy set in rural Canada which, for its first seven years, aired on a channel exclusive to the country called Showcase. A newfound interest in the documentary-style series and its feature-length spin-offs in the United States led Netflix to acquire the show in 2012, lasting several more seasons and even spawning more specials and an animated series.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)

Before a new Star Wars TV show premiered on Disney+ every few months or so, one of the most beloved small-screen titles to come from a galaxy far, far away was Star Wars: The Clone Wars. However, the Force initially could have been stronger with this one as it was canceled by Cartoon Network in 2013 before gaining newfound popularity on Netflix (where a new season was distributed) the following year and, later, getting revived for one more batch of episodes on DIsney+ in 2020.

Parks And Recreation (2009-2015) 

Despite being the brainchild of The Office producers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and starring former SNL cast member Amy Poehler in the lead, Parks and Recreation struggled to find its footing on NBC for its first couple of years. The mockumentary-style political satire got a bit of a boost in popularity once it dropped on Netflix and, for years after it ended, earned a reputation as one of the most popular series on the platform.

White Collar (2009-2014)

The show that made a star out of actor Matt Bomer is White Collar, in which he stars as a suave professional criminal who works with the FBI to catch other cons like him. Like many other USA original series, the dramedy was a much bigger hit on Netflix than it was during its initial run on the network.

Designated Survivor (2016-2019)

Kiefer Sutherland stars in Designated Survivor as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who is suddenly appointed President after everyone in the chain of command above him is killed in a catastrophic attack. The political drama was canceled after only two years on ABC but would go on for one more season on Netflix.

The Nanny (1993-1999)

Co-creator and star Fran Drescher is best known for playing Fran Fine on The Nanny, which had a strong run on CBS in the 1990s. The sitcom is noted for appealing to a new generation when it dropped on Max.

The Killing (2011-2014)

The American version of the Danish television series Forbrydelsen, The Killing, originally premiered on AMC, which would cancel the dark crime drama after its third season, which almost did not happen. The series then made an official transition to Netflix, where its fourth and final season was distributed.

Television is a valued and iconic part of the pop culture landscape and continues to create viral and memorable moments. That includes TV mistakes, whether they be poor writing or a flub that's noticed by the public. And there are 32 TV mistakes off the top of my head that stand out, spanning scripted, reality, and live television. Let's break it all down.

To be clear, this isn't a list of solely continuity errors or viral newscaster flubs. Instead, it's combining both of these categories, as well as narrative issues that have continued to plague the reputation of popular TV shows. And some of them just happen to be the most memorable TV moment from that particular show. In no specific order here is the list. Although a spoiler alert is in play for the scripted shows.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway's Oscars Flub

The biggest story to come out of the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony was that presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Betty accidentally named La La Land the Best Picture winner when it was actually Barry Jenkins' Moonlight. It was a truly wild to end the night and was one of the most memorable moments to come out of the star-studded event in modern memory. That is, until the infamous Will Smith slap incident.

Jeff Varner Outs Zeke, Survivor 

Survivor is one of the best reality shows of all time and has remained wildly popular in the decades since it first premiered. The show is endlessly captivating because every season is different, and is influenced by the unique cast of characters. Unfortunately, the social experiment got ugly in Season 34, when Jeff Varner outed Zeke Smith as transgender in an attempt to prove that he was untrustworthy. 

Kathie Lee Forgets Martin Short's Wife Had Died

Kathie Lee Gifford has a long career on TV, and had her own hour of The Today Show for years on NBC. While she and Hota Kotb had plenty of fans, there were some noticeable missteps along the way. Chief among them was an interview with Martin Short, where Kathie Lee referred to his late wife and seemingly forgot she had actually passed away two years earlier. It's wildly awkward, although the Only Murders in the Building star handled it with grace.

Dany Burns King's Landing, Game Of Thrones

Throughout Game of Thrones' run on TV, Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen was one of the show's primary heroes. Fans were thrilled when she finally appeared in Westeros to take the Iron Throne, and were shocked and disappointed when she suddenly decided to burn King's Landing down, killing thousands of innocent people. And fans have been complaining about this plot choice, and how quickly she went mad, for years. 

Asking the Models To Change Races, America's Next Top Model

America's Next Top Model ran for many years, and had a number of controversial challenges that haven't aged very well. Chief among them was back in Cycle 4, where models were asked to portray another race for a photo shoot. Before the term "cultural appropriation" was known, this was a wild challenge that seriously gives the ick... and happens to be one of the most iconic reality TV moments. 

The Faithful Trusting Cirie, The Traitors

The first season of The Traitors US was a big experiment, with the show's second season helping to make it a wildly successful Emmy-winning hit. Season 1 featured a mix of celebrities and normal folks, including Survivor legend Cirie Fields. Unfortunately, her allies seemingly didn't know her reputation, and completely trusted her and allowed her to easily win and take the money in the end. And the reunion was super awkward. 

Miss Teen South Carolina's Map Question

Every so often a beauty pageant will go viral, usually for all the wrong reasons. There are few as iconic as Miss Teen South Carolina Caitlin Upton's interview answer from back in 2007. She's asked why young Americans can't locate the country on a map, and has a stream-of-consciousness answer that's iconic in its word salad-ness. 

Netflix Canceling Mindhunter

After the streaming wars began, it became clear that services were producing way too much original content. Netflix has canceled a number of beloved shows, but few have caused as much of a stir as Mindhunter. David Fincher's drama was a gripping story, but Netflix won't let Fincher continue with Season 3. 

Anne Hathway And James Franco Hosting The Oscars

Finding the right host for ceremonies like the Academy Awards is easier said than done, and there have been some stinkers over the years. Back in 2011 James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted together, and it was an extremely awkward viewing experience. While the Les Miserables actress was seemingly trying to make it as perfect as can be, that stood in juxtaposition to Franco's laid-back stance.

Separating Lorelai And Rory, Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls ran for seven seasons and continues to have staying power thanks to new audiences streaming the show (and its reboot) on Netflix. However, Season 6 remains controversial for fans because Lorelai and Rory aren't on speaking terms throughout much of it. And that served as an example of a time when Lorelai was the worst.

Season 2, Heroes

The first season of Heroes was a huge success for NBC, offering a unique take on a superhero story. Unfortunately, the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike happened during Season 2, resulting in a disappointing and shorter installment. While the show would continue it never reached its former glory, and many characters and plot lines from Season 2 were abandoned altogether.

Fonzie Jumps The Shark, Happy Days

This moment changed the TV world forever and inspired a new pop culture for the masses. While "jumping the shark" is a phrase used to describe a TV show that goes off the wall, it's something that actually happened during Happy Days' run. Talk about a mistake. 

Killing Off McDreamy, Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy is one of the longest-running shows of all time and many of the OG fans (as well as the original cast) have dropped off as a result. While it was tough to continue the show without Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang, eventually the show had to write off Patrick Dempsey's Derek Shepherd... by tragically killing him. And for many the show hasn't been the same since. 

The Grape Stomping Lady

Journalist Melissa Sander became instantly recognizable thanks to a news blunder she was involved in which became one of YouTube's earliest viral videos. In it, she's stomping on grapes, and suddenly falls and gets the wind knocked out of her. The noises she makes and the instant karma of the video have helped it remain iconic through the years. 

Ralph Bohner, WandaVision

WandaVision was wildly popular upon its release on Disney+, especially as we were in the midst of isolating due to the pandemic. Fans were shocked when X-Men star Evan Peters showed up as "Pietro", since Quicksilver was played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the MCU. In the end, this was all a gag, with his character Ralph Bohner being perhaps the show's only misstep. 

Lisa Barlow's Hot Mic, The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City

Throughout the many years of The Real Housewives franchise, there have been a few notable hot mic moments. But the most iconic came from RHOSLC's Lisa Barlow, where she went off on a wild rant about Meredith Marks behind closed doors. Unfortunately, her mic was very much still on.

Ashlee Simpson's Performance, SNL

Ashlee Simpson was a popular reality TV star and recording artist in the early aughts, and eventually, she was offered a chance to perform on Saturday Night Live. But Simpson got caught lip-syncing, and that viral moment has continued to haunt her in the years since this infamous performance.  

Robert Durst's Bathroom Confession, The Jinx

True crime documentaries are super popular, and The Jinx is one of the best true crime shows on streaming. In the Season 1 finale, after denying having killed anyone, subject Robert Durst went to the bathroom with a hot mic on, where he seemingly confessed to "killing them all." 

Flash Sideways, Lost

Lost was super popular during its run on the air, although there's been some debate about how its quality dipped in later years. While the show often used flashbacks to offer context on the characters, the final season featured the controversial flash sideways, imagining a world where Oceanic 815 never crashed. The controversial Lost finale explained this, but not before fans got frustrated.

Killing Tara Offscreen, True Blood

Most shows struggle to stick the landing during their final season, and HBO's True Blood is in a long line of shows with controversial finales. But perhaps the biggest mistake the show made was killing Rutina Wesley's character Tara (who had been there from the very beginning) offscreen. Fans hoped she survived for some of the season before it was clear she was never coming back.

Jennifer Hudson's Early Elimination, American Idol 

While Jennifer Hudson is known as one of the biggest success stories to come out of American Idol, she didn't go as far as folks might assume. She actually got seventh place in Season 3 of Idol, before eventually becoming a celebrated recording artist and actress. Talk about a mistake.

Turok-Han Power Levels, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Season 7 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced a new type of blood-drinking villain: the Turok-Han aka Uber Vamps. In their first appearances they're shown to be way more powerful than regular vampires, with even Buffy struggling to take one on. But by Buffy's series finale, even regular humans like Giles and Wood are able to fight them off, as well as the newly activated Potentials.

Will Smith's Oscars Slap

The most memorable thing to come out of the Oscars for years has to be when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage, in a moment that continues to follow his career. The Academy and the network have both caught flak for how they handled this, and how Smith was able to accept the Best Actor Oscar so shortly after the onscreen assault. 

Valentina Asks To Keep Her Mask On, RuPaul's Drag Race

Season 9 of Drag Race was a memorable one, and contestant Valentina quickly became a fan favorite. But her most memorable moment was definitely a flub, where she asked to keep her mask on during a lip sync against Nina Bo'nina Brown. Ru insists that she take it off, and it soon becomes clear Valentina simply doesn't know the lyrics to her song. 

The Infamous Starbucks Cup, Game Of Thrones

HBO's Game of Thrones was a sensation when it was on the air, even if the final season left something to be desired. But it also went viral for unique reasons, such as the GOT error where a Starbucks cup was visible in Westeros. Oops. 

Various Stand-Ins, Friends

Friends ran for a whopping ten seasons, which saw a ton of acclaim come to its star-studded cast. Scheduling was likely a bit of a puzzle at the height of its popularity, which is why fans have spotted several scenes where actors' stand-ins are visible. Hey, it was before we were filming in HD. 

The Demogorgon, Stranger Things

Stranger Things is arguably the most popular original show to come out of Netflix since its inception. But that doesn't mean it's perfect, especially related to the use of Dungeons & Dragons lore. Because in Season 1 while the cast references the Demogorgon and even has a figure for the creature, it actually wouldn't be available in the year 1983. Given how passionate D&D fans are, the folks at Netflix probably should have seen this coming. 

Maggie's Picture, The Simpsons

Even animated shows could have some goofs, and The Simpsons isn't excluded from this. During the Sixth Season episode "And Maggie Makes Three" we see Marge and Homer talk about her being pregnant with the titular baby. But despite her not being born yet, we can see a photo of Maggie on the wall. 

Bin Ladin Reference, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is considered one of the best TV dramas ever, and continues to be a re-watchable show. But it's not without error, especially when it referenced Osama Bin Laden's 2011 death, despite it only being around 2007 in the show. 

Erica Hahn's Story, Grey's Anatomy

Throughout its long run on the air, we've seen plenty of characters come and go on Grey's Anatomy. But few characters got the shaft as bad as Brooke Smith's Erica Hahn aka one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ Grey's characters. Shortly after dating Callie and giving a gorgeous monologue about realizing she was gay, she was promptly written off the show in favor of Arizona Robbins. 

Rose's Education Level, The Golden Girls

The Golden Girls is one of the best sitcoms of all time, and has truly aged like fine wine. However, there were some discrepancies throughout its run, particularly when it comes to the education level of Betty White's Rose. In some episodes, she claims to be the valedictorian of her high school, while in others it's said she dropped out and instead got a GED. 

Josh's Age, Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World is an iconic piece of '90s culture, one that many millennial fans grew up on. But there were a few head-scratchers/mistakes in the comedy, especially related to the age of Cory's younger brother Josh. One season he's a baby, and then he mysteriously ages to about 5 years old without anyone acknowledging how.

We've been experiencing a TV renaissance for years now, to the delight of superfans like myself who love watching my weekly stories. But even before the small screen became a place for A-listers, there were a number of iconic moments that stuck with fans. And this will be all about the single most memorable moment of 32 iconic TV shows.

Obviously not every beloved TV title can be on this list, so apologies in advance if your favorite isn't included. The small screen is simply an embarrassment of riches in this regard, especially once you factor in streaming shows that have arrived in recent years. In no particular order, here are the biggest moments from 32 beloved shows. But be warned: a major SPOILER ALERT is needed, as some of these episodes feature big plot twists and/or character deaths. You've been warned!

The Red Wedding, Game of Thrones

During its run on HBO, Game of Thrones was jam-packed with wild, violent, and truly memorable sequences. And while fans are still debating the final season, perhaps the most iconic scene occurred during the Season 3 episode "The Rains of Castamere". This is the infamous Red Wedding, where Walder Frey betrays the Starks, resulting in the brutal deaths of Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa (as well as her unborn baby).

Nomi's Wedding, Sense8

When Netflix was rolling out expensive and ambitious new content early into its run, The Wachowskis helmed the sci-fi series Sense8. The show followed eight strangers who were connected psychically and was canceled after two seasons, but fan campaigns resulted in a Sense8 finale movie being produced. After beating the bad guys, the show ends with Nomi and Amanita's wedding on the Eiffel Tower, followed by one last, wild, party.

Fonzie Jumps The Shark, Happy Days

The beloved sitcom series Happy Days is known for bringing the phrase "jumping the shark" into the pop culture lexicon. This originates from a Season 5 episode of the classic series, where Henry Winler's Fonzie jumps over a live shark while on waterskis. Say what you want about this plot point, but it's remained the most lasting and iconic plot line from the show's tenure on the air.

"Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me", Grey's Anatomy

During its long tenure on the air, Grey's Anatomy had a number of iconic love stories. But the biggest has always been Meredith and Derek. Fans waited a long time for them to be together, and one of the show's most iconic moments is when she pleads for McDreamy to "pick me" instead of his wife Addison.

Rory's Graduation Speech, Gilmore Girls

When Gilmore Girls began its run on TV, it followed as Alexis Bledel's Rory struggled to adjust to life at her new fancy school, Chilton. Eventually, she becomes a leader in the school and delivers a graduation speech in Season 3. Not only did it make characters like Lorelai and Sookie cry, but it's one of the most iconic scenes of the entire show, where she pays tribute to all that her mother has given her.

Negan Kills Glenn And Abraham, The Walking Dead

For fans who watched The Walking Dead at the height of its popularity, there's life before Negan and after Negan. Jeffrey Dean Morgan's villain made a horrifying splash when he entered the scene, brutally killing fan favorites Abraham and Glenn with his bat Lucille. Some folks thought that killing was too much for the brutal apocalyptic drama.

The Plane Crash, Lost

Lost's pilot episode started a new must-see television show, with the sci-fi series instantly becoming water cooler talk. While some folks stopped watching as it ran, the first (wildly expensive) episode remains the most iconic, thanks to the thrilling plane crash sequences.

Tyra Banks Screams At Tiffany, America's Next Top Model

There are a handful of reality TV show moments on this list because of their impact on pop culture. America's Next Top Model might not be considered one of the best reality shows of all time, but it left its mark. Particularly the episode where host Tyra Banks screamed at one of the contestants after her elimination.

The Gift, Buffy The Vampire Slayer 

The first five seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer aired on the WB, before it eventually changed networks to UPN for the final two entries. Season 5 went out with a serious bang, with Buffy dying after sacrificing herself to save Dawn and the world. After wondering for half the season, we finally understood that death was her gift.

The Movements, The OA

The OA was an ambitious series that ran on Netflix for two seasons and was canceled far too soon. In the Season 1 finale, the group of teenagers (plus Phyllis Smith's BBA) decide to use the reality-traveling movements to distract a school shooter, saving the day in the process. It's a moment we waited all season for, and is an emotional and epic sequence.

The Lake House Fight, Girls

HBO's Award-winning comedy series Girls was a huge hit when it was on the air, and has been getting a lot of positive attention in the years since it wrapped. One of the best episodes of all time is Season 3's "The Lake House", where the four titular girls drink, dance and have an epic argument that shows just how messed up their friendships truly are.

Dexter Finds Rita's Dead Body, Dexter

Dexter was hugely popular during its original run on Showtime, and many consider Season 4 to be its strongest chapter. While Michael C. Hall's character eventually manages to murder the Trinity killer, he doesn't realize that the villain has already murdered his wife Rita. This represented a huge switch for the series and showed the consequences of Dexter's dark passenger.

The Final Scene, The Sopranos

The Sopranos' ending is one that has lived in infamy since it aired back in 2007. With an all-out mob war looming, fans expected Tony and the rest of the crew to go out with a bang. Instead, the finale famously cut to black during the final sequence, with audiences thinking their cable broke when it originally aired.

I Am The One Who Knocks, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad was a delightful slow burn, with audiences following as Bryan Cranston's Walter White goes from chemistry teacher to bonafide drug lord. Things got more and more dangerous for Walt and his family throughout the show's run, to the dismay of his wife Skyler. When she finally confronts him in Season 4, he gives a truly iconic speech where he claims that he isn't waiting for someone dangerous to knock on the door because "I am the one who knocks."

The Final Sequence, Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under goes in the long list of quality shows to come from HBO. But it stands out as having arguably the best series finale of all time, where the audience is shown how the characters live and (more importantly) die. Set to the tune of Sia's "Breathe Me", try to get through that final sequence without crying.

The Departure, The Leftovers

The Leftovers was a thrilling drama with a super fascinating concept: on October 14th, 2% of the world's population suddenly vanished. While the show follows the fallout of that event, the pilot episode opened on The Departure, with a mother desperately searching for her baby after he disappeared.

Jessie's Song, Saved By The Bell

During its run in the late '80s and early '90s, Saved By The Bell was a favorite show among young people. While it was largely a comedy, certain episodes got more serious. Case in point: the episode "Jessie's Song", where Elizabeth Berkley's character becomes addicted to caffeine pills.

Fiona confronts Monica, Shameless

The US version of Shameless had a super long run on Showtime, ending after a whopping 11 seasons on the air. But it was best during its early years, and perhaps the most iconic moment came back in Season 1. When Monica returns to the Gallagher family and tries to take Liam away with her, Emmy Rossum's Fiona reaches her breaking point and confronts her over years of neglect.

Ross Says The Wrong Name, Friends

Throughout all of Friends' decade-long run on the air, the biggest question was whether or not Rachel and Ross would end up together. They had plenty of starts and stops (they were on a break!) but perhaps the most dramatic part of this saga came during Ross' wedding to Emily. In the middle of his vows, he accidentally refers to Emily as Rachel, ending his marriage before it even began.

The Hallway Fight, Daredevil 

While Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock is taking center stage in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again, his tenure as the hero began with the Netflix Daredevil show. The series was gritty and featured dizzying fight choreography, with the most iconic being the long hallway fight, which was a thrilling one.

The Family Portrait, Modern Family

The Emmy-winning comedy Modern Family had a long life on the air, with the audience watching as the child actors grew up before their eyes. Season 1 was especially great, and the first finale "Family Portrait" is the show at its best. After stressing to try and pose for the perfect picture, the mixed family ends up throwing mud on each other and letting it all go in a heartwarming story.

Don Draper's Happy Ending, Mad Men

While it had a wildly successful run on AMC, arguably the most iconic moment from Mad Men came from its series finale. Fans have long debated the meaning behind the final shot, where Don Draper is seen happy and meditating, seemingly leaving the advertising world behind him. Although Jon Hamm's interpretation of the ending offers another, less hopeful perspective.

Pam And Jim's First Kiss, The Office

The Office had plenty of long love stories, with fans rooting for the staff of Dunder Mifflin. Jim and Pam's is the biggest example of this, and fans had to wait years for them to finally get together. In Season 2 the pair finally share their first kiss, although they didn't end up together just yet.

Teresa's Table Flip, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Real Housewives franchise is a huge behemoth at this point, but in the beginning, there were just a handful of cities. Chief among them was The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which entered the pop culture zeitgeist forever when OG Teresa Giudice flipped a table during a heated argument with Danielle Staub in the Season 1 finale.

Sue Hawk's Speech, Survivor

The first season of Survivor changed the TV world forever, and the show is still running to this day. Perhaps the most memorable moment from that prolific first chapter was Sue Hawk's scathing speech about snakes and rats, where he let out her rage about runner-up Kelly Wiglesworth.

Poussey's Death, Orange Is The New Black

Orange is the New Black was one of the first original Netflix shows, and it remained wildly popular until it ended. Fans know that the show was forever changed when Poussey was tragically killed in Season 4, inspiring a prison-wide riot that would take up all of Season 5.

Nina Kills Teri, 24

24 became a wild sensation when it started airing on Fox, with an entire season of action taking place in just one day. The Season 1 finale offered one more gut punch for audiences, when Jack finds the body of his wife Teri, realizing that she was killed by his former friend and colleague Nina.

Diane And Sam Breakup For Good, Cheers

Diane and Sam were the will they/won't they couple in the comedy Cheers, and fans all had their own opinions about them. In the series finale, we finally get some closure, and the pair realizes they shouldn't be together after all.

Nancy Burn Her House Down, Weeds

When Weeds started airing on Showtime, it was about a single mother who resorts to selling drugs to her suburban neighborhood. In Season 3 she burns down her house to avoid being caught, and the show was never the same after.

Kurt Dances To 'Single Ladies', Glee

Season 1 of Glee hit the world by storm, thanks to its colorful cast of characters and non-stop stream of hit songs. The first season was a huge deal, and there are perhaps no more iconic episodes when Kurt dances to Beyonce's "Single Ladies", and has to try and keep his identity from his father.

'Let's Go To The Mall', How I Met Your Mother

During the How I Met Your Mother episode "Slap Bet" the group of friends (and the audience) are introduced to Robin's teen pop culture persona Robin Sparkles. The song "Let's Go To The Mall" is a hilarious spoof on '80s stars like Tiffany, and is arguably the most iconic moment of the comedy series' run on TV.

Eleanor Realizes The Truth, The Good Place

The Good Place ran for four seasons on NBC, offering a hilarious and complex story. Season 1 was arguably its best, and the most memorable moment came when Kristen Bell's Eleanor realizes that they've been in the Bad Place all along.

From the best sitcoms that are perfect for a comfort watch to intense dramas that you rewatch in an effort to dissect a juicy story even more, there’s something incredible about returning to a great show. It’s a pastime many enjoy, however, the choices of what to watch seem endless. With that in mind, here are some of the most rewatchable television shows. 

Parks And Recreation 

If you are like me, you’ve seen the best episodes of Parks and Recreation – like “Flu Season,” for example – so many times you can recite the majority of said episodes from memory. OK, maybe that’s an over-exaggeration, however, it highlights just how good and rewatchable this workplace mockumentary is. Led by Amy Poehler, the Parks and Rec cast was always firing on all cylinders, cracking viewers up with hilarious one-liners, fantastic inside jokes (like Treat Yo’ Self) and a heartfelt story about a dysfunctional parks department. 

The Office

From deeply funny office shenanigans to heartfelt relationships like Pam and Jim’s The Office captured folks’ hearts from 2005 to 2013, and it’s continued to in the years since. To this day, this workplace mockumentary is a favorite among many, and it’s a zeitgeist staple as viewers continue to watch it on repeat, quote it constantly and use iconic memes that have surfaced because of it. As it gets older, it just feels like The Office gets stronger, because not only is it finding new audiences all the time, but it’s also infinitely rewatchable. 

New Girl

While workplace comedies are great, there's nothing quite like simply hanging out with friends, and that’s what New Girl is. Filled with a cast of quirky characters, New Girl follows Jess (Zooey Deschanel) as she moves in with three random guys, and what ensues is a hilarious and lovably chaotic story about found family. It’s because of silly inside jokes and bits, like True American, deeply complex and romantic storylines like Nick and Jess’s and the adorable friendship that’s formed between these roommates that makes this Fox comedy something folks always return to. 

The Good Place

The Good Place is one of those projects that you’ll have a different experience with every time you view it. The first time, you’re simply trying to figure out what in the afterlife is going on, and once you have the epiphany with Kristen Bell’s Eleanor and yell “Holy mother-forking shirtballs” your entire perspective on the show changes. However, it’s not just the plot twists that make this philosophical comedy rewatchable; its cast, led by Bell and Ted Danson, is beyond lovable and hilarious, and The Good Place’s heart is so big, all you’ll want to do is spend more time in this afterlife. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Led by Saturday Night Live legend Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a delightful comedy all about a group of detectives working together in New York City. While whodunnits and crimes of the week are involved, what makes this show rewatchable is Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s silly cast of characters who are played by incredible comedic actors like Samberg, Andre Braugher, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews and so many more. 

Gilmore Girls

These days, Gilmore Girls is considered the perfect autumnal comfort show, and many go back to it over and over again because of its cozy vibes. On top of the lovely energy that radiates out of Stars Hallow, the Gilmore Girls cast is also staked with an incredible crew of regulars and a revolving door of iconic recurring characters. Plus, how could you not want to rewatch the love story of Luke and Lorelai, Rory’s messy romantic drama with Dean, Jess and Logan as well as the incredible tale of a mother and daughter that lies at the heart of this beloved show? 

Gossip Girl

You know, sometimes you just need a good drama that will make you want to scream at the TV, and Gossip Girl is just that. The 2000s CW drama was a teen staple back in the day as it followed a group of high schoolers whose lives were always on blast because of the titular gossip site. It was praised and criticized at the time for how scandalous it was, and to this day people come back to Gossip Girl for the relationships, fashion, characters and, of course, the gossip, because as the titular writer says, “you know you love me…”

Arrested Development

Dysfunctional comedy is always fun, however, it’s hard to think of a show that does it better than Arrested Development. Of course, the series is rewatchable for its hilarious storylines and quippy dialogue, however, it’s the incredible ensemble that really makes it, as actors like Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and more brought the funny all the time.  

Futurama

While it’s been canceled, renewed and moved networks numerous times, Futurama remains one of the most rewatchable shows, and that’s why these attempted cancellations and moves haven’t sent it to its ultimate end yet. The animated series has been around since 1999, and for over two decades, it has been a fun animated comfort show that many have turned to when they need a good laugh and some fun sci-fi. 

Friends

Whether you tuned in live during the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, caught chunks of episodes on Nick at Night when it was in syndication or streamed all ten seasons on Netflix (back in the day) or Max (now), Friends has been a seminal show for many. Watching the shenanigans of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Monica was not only hilarious but relatable. It’s simply a show about six friends living their lives, and I think it's that relatability mixed with an incredibly special cast that has kept people coming back to it for decades. 

Breaking Bad

The story of Walter White almost feels like a legend now. Widely considered one of the best television shows of all time, Breaking Bad tells the story of a down-on-his-luck man who turns into a drug lord. Led by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, this series made an unforgettable mark on television history when it was released in 2008, and it’s something worth studying and watching over and over again. 

Bob’s Burgers

Can I apply a few personal anecdotes here? When I was in high school, I had a friend who would watch Bob’s Burgers every night before going to bed. As an adult, I have another friend who just completed another rewatch of the series. So many adore this wonderful animated series about a family who owns a burger joint, and it is so easy to rewatch and fall in love with. So, it rightfully deserves a place on this list. 

Dexter

The world loves an anti-hero, and it doesn’t get much better than Dexter. The series follows a blood splatter expert, played by Michael C. Hall, however, the thing is, he’s also a serial killer. Going on this journey with the titular character, and getting into his mind to figure out why he goes about life in the way he does is fascinating. It’s also one of many reasons why people keep coming back to Dexter. 

Fleabag

If you need a short, sweet and perfect two seasons of television, Fleabag is the show for you. The series was created by and stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and it follows her titular character as she goes about life in London while handling grief. On top of that, Season 2 introduces Andrew Scott’s Priest – a.k.a. The Hot Priest, as the internet likes to call him – and the incredible love story between him and Fleabag. 

Scrubs

Bill Lawrence has made a lot of terrific shows, however, Scrubs is his classic. The series, starring Zach Braff, is a fun workplace comedy about a hospital, and its irresistible ensemble and heartfelt friendships are what keep many coming back to it. 

Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso started out as an ad for NBC Sports, and then by some miracle it turned into one of the best comedies in recent memory. The titular coach of AFC Richmond is played by the mastermind behind the show, Jason Sudeikis. And he and his creative team brought together Ted Lasso’s epic cast that made names like Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Phil Dunster those of the household variety.

Overall, this show about an American football coach in the UK coaching soccer (I know, I know...it’s actually football) is heartfelt and thoughtful, and it’ll have you smiling from ear to ear from beginning to end. You know what they say, “We’re Richmond ‘til we die!”

The X-Files

What makes a supernatural case of the week show even better? Having David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson lead it as the beloved crime-solving duo of Mulder and Scully. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Vampires, action, romance and high school drama. Honestly, this show has everything. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a seminal early 2000s teen drama about Sarah Michelle Gellar’s titular vampire slayer, and it was impossible not to fall in love with her and her friends. 

The West Wing

If you are in need of a fast-talking, snappy and fun drama, The West Wing is your show. It follows Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet and his incredible staff who are played by fantastic actors like Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff and Rob Lowe. From the mind of Aaron Sorkin, this show all about what it’s like to be the president is a quippy yet thoughtful series about running a country and it’s irresistible and infinitely rewatchable. 

Yellowstone

Between the deep family story at the center of this show and the intense moments in Yellowstone, this modern Western was born to rewatch. It’s filled to the brim with compelling stories about the Dutton family that will have you hitting the next episode button immediately. While the show’s primary conflict has always been the same – they’re always battling to save their ranch – the new threats and long-lasting deep relationships are what make it so great.  

Seinfeld

Seinfeld is famously “a show about nothing,” and that might be the primary reason why it’s so easy to view over and over again. The series, starring Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, works because of these four and their chemistry, and watching them simply live life and make jokes is something so many can do over and over again.

Sherlock

It’s elementary my dear Watson, the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman-led Sherlock is a fantastic modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work, and with each viewing new details emerge that make it even better. The series was comprised of 15 episodes across four seasons, and each mystery Sherlock and Watson solved was dense with detail and intrigue.

There’s a reason the story of the great detective keeps getting told, and you’ll understand why when you realize that you can watch Sherlock over and over again. 

Supernatural

I realize 15 seasons – or 327 episodes – is overwhelming, however, it also proves just how beloved Supernatural is. The series about Jared Padalecki’s Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles’ Dean Winchester is beloved by many, and watching the two of them fight off evil over and over again is something so many fans can do on repeat, as proven by its 15 seasons. 

That ‘70s Show

That ‘70s Show is all about a group of teens growing up in the suburbs of Wisconsin who all gather in a basement to hang out. It’s a simple and relatable concept, and between that and its stellar ensemble, it’s no wonder everyone loves to say “Hello Wisconsin!” more than once. 

Psych

A silly case-of-the-week show about a guy who is pretending to be a psychic is obviously made for comfort viewing, and fans have been doing just that since 2006. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

No matter what age you are, it’s always a good time to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. As someone who watched the show for the first time in elementary school, and has seen it many times since, I can attest to this. Seeing Aang master the elements and work to defeat the Fire Lord and his evil plan is a masterful work of animation that is action-packed, deep, silly and heartfelt. 

Its handling of hard themes like prejudice and colonization are poignant and accessible, and its morals about love and acceptance are something everyone needs. So, yeah, this is 100% a show you should see multiple times throughout your life. 

Schitt’s Creek

How can you not want to watch David and Alexis bicker, Johnny aimlessly try to wrangle his family and Moira be Moira over and over again? The beloved comedy from Dan and Eugene Levy about a rich family who loses their money and has to move to a small town is quirky and unique while also fitting right in with the best comedies. Also, how can you not rewatch it simply to try and nail Moira’s ambiguous accent?

Community

Between the silly classes, paintball battles and Troy and Abed’s end credits, Community is a quirky comedy that’s one for the ages. It’s so fun to go back and remember all the silly inside jokes and ridiculous moments that happened at Greendale Community College. 

Cheers

Sometimes, you just want to go where everybody knows your name. Need I say more? No. But I will, because returning to that bar to see Sam, Carla, Cliff, Norm, Frasier, Woody and more is always a wonderful time. 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

This fast-talking period piece about a woman making her way in the world as a stand-up comedian in the 1950s is a wonderful romp. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, this series has the quick-witted silliness Gilmore Girls has, and it’s chock full of incredible and high-octane performances from Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub and more. 

The Simpsons

Talk about an all-time classic. The Simpsons has been around since 1989, and it’s still going strong. The animated comedy is so easy to watch, and the characters – like Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa – are so iconic that this show is one that fans want to come back to over and over again. 

Grey’s Anatomy

Medical drama, romance, McDreamy; Grey’s Anatomy has it all. Between its heart-pounding medical cases and simultaneously heartwarming and heartwrenching romance, it’s easy to understand why this show has been on for over two decades and why folks keep coming back to see what’s going on at Grey Sloan Memorial. 

What all these shows have in common is they’re all deeply loved by their fans, which is why they keep returning to them time and time again. 

Is there anything more frightening than a really smart villain in a movie or a TV show who always seems to be one step ahead of the hero? Whether it's TV shows like Breaking Bad and Dexter, or movies like Mission: Impossible 3, and Silence of the Lambs, a smart villain is always the most dangerous kind. This list is made up of villains just like that, the smartest ones in Hollywood. 

Hannibal Lecter (Silence Of The Lambs)

you certainly can't have a list like this without Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). When we first met him (really), in Silence of the Lambs, we knew just how smart he was before Clarice (Jodie Foster) even encountered him. It only gets more pronounced as the movie goes on. He's also one of the scariest ever in just how evil he is. 

Moriarty (Sherlock)

Among the most intelligent villains in all of Western culture is Moriarty. He is Sherlock Holmes' main nemesis in countless stories, movies, and TV shows. Maybe the best and smartest version of Moriarty comes from the BBC show Sherlock with Andrew Scott absolutely nailing the role of the brilliant, eccentric criminal. 

Lex Luthor (Superman: The Movie)

Another classic bad guy in entertainment history is Lex Luthor. He's played foil to Superman for over 80 years and every time we see him, whether on TV, in the comics, or on the big screen like in Superman: The Movie, where he's played by Gene Hackman, we know Superman is going to be in for a wild ride. You can't beat Superman with brawn, so you better outwit him. 

Tom Ripley - The Talented Mr. Ripley

There are a lot of great movies about con artists out there, and one of the smartest con men on screen has to be Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley. He's terrifyingly cold and calculating and Matt Damon's performance enhances just how scary and smart Ripley is. 

John Doe - Se7en

It's hard to imagine a criminal mind as devious, patient, and scary as John Doe (Kevin Spacey) in Se7en. He takes two detectives on a wild ride, knowing exactly when and how the whole thing will end, weeks before it does. People joke about politicians playing "3-D chess" but John Doe isn't even playing chess, he's on a much higher level. 

Owen Davian - Mission: Impossible III

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has faced a lot of really smart villains over the life of the Mission: Impossible series, but none are smarter - or scarier - than Philip Seymour Hoffman's Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III. No one expects anyone to get the jump on Hunt, but from the intense opening moments of Mission: Impossible III, it's clear that Davian is a different animal. 

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

In the game of thrones, you either win or you die. For most Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister wins. She is one or two or even three steps ahead of all her rivals and continues to hold on to power almost - almost - until the very end. Her death was nearly satisfying enough for most fans, as it didn't really do justice to how good she was at the game. 

Blofeld - No Time To Die

There are a lot of James Bond villains that could qualify for this list, but we have to go with the one who has most often shown to be ready to take on 007. Ernst Stavro Blofeld is so iconic, he was the main inspiration for Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers series - and a character who does not qualify here. Blofeld, especially the version played by Christoph Waltz in No Time To Die definitely does deserve to be here. 

Kilgrave - Jessica Jones

David Tennant is mostly known for playing a hero, Dr. Who, on the classic BBC show. It turns out he's just as, and maybe even better, as a villain. Kilgrave, Jessica Jones' antagonist in the first season of the former Netflix show, is absolutely terrifying. His powers to manipulate are exceeded only by his wicked intelligence. A combination that is truly the stuff on nightmares. 

Ben Linus - Lost

Lost had a few villains over the years, and sometimes it was simply The Island. The most iconic of the villains though, has to be Ben Linus, played by Michael Emerson. He's so smart that Sawyer's nickname for him is "Yoda." That's high praise. 

Magneto - X-Men

When you going to be a villain who goes up against Professor X often in the X-Men universe, you better be up to the task, mentally. Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender, among others, is just the kind of villain who is ready for Charles Xavier. He meets him beat for beat as they try to outwit each other. 

The Trinity Killer - Dexter

On Dexter, our anti-hero Dexter goes up against some truly diabolical killers, but none come close to matching his wits like Arthur Mitchell aka The Trinity Killer. There is an argument to be made that Mitchell may be the most brilliant villain in TV history but luckily we're not here to pick a winner. 

Nina Myers - 24

The only way Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on 24 was ever going to lose was by a betrayal. Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) shocked everyone when she made her move and revealed her treachery. It almost works too. She calculated out the whole thing and almost get it right, but Jack was just too good. 

Amy Dunne - Gone Girl

Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) in Gone Girl is unique on this list. One on hand, it's easy to understand why she's so vengeful against her adulterous husband (Ben Affleck). That doesn't mean she should get away with what she did to him, but she does, and its because she's stone-cold brilliant in the planning and execution of her diabolical plan. 

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't many people smarter than Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad. One of the only rivals who comes close is Gus Fring, played by Giancarlo Esposito. He matches wits - and even outwits - Walter time and time again on the show and almost wins. Almost. 

The Master - Doctor Who

Every great hero needs a nemesis and for Dr. Who it's most often The Master. No one knows The Doctor quite like The Master, as they've been battling each other for, well, almost forever, really. They were childhood friends, but lifelong enemies.  

Ozymandias - Watchmen

Ozymandias has been the central villain of The Watchmen in the book, the movie, and on the TV show. Some fans don't think the screen version of the villain lives up to his character in the graphic novel. He's still incredibly smart, able to keep up with and sometimes ahead of Dr. Manhattan in almost every way and that's no easy feat, to say the least. 

Keyser Söze - The Usual Suspects

Verbal Kint aka Keyser Söze has to be on this list. He pulls a trick that only the devil could have pulled before by convincing everyone he didn't exist. Throughout the movie, the cops and the audience are sucked into his tall tale and when the truth was revealed in the end, it instantly became one of the best moments in Hollywood history. Poof! 

Khan - Star Trek

Of all the villains in Star Trek history, few have a place in Trekkie hearts like Khan, played by the great Ricardo Montalbán. Not only is his episode on the original show, called "Space Seed," considered among the best, but he returned for the second Star Trek movie and saved the entire franchise after a controversial, and often derided first movie. 

HAL 9000 - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Not every brilliant villain is a person, either. In fact, one of the smartest of all time is Stanley Kubrick's early take on artificial intelligence, Hal 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hal outwits some of the smartest astronauts in the universe and toys with them as it does, leading to a wild ending. It's an idea that was pure science fiction in 1969 when the movie came out. It seems less so fantastical today. Yikes. 

Wilson Fisk - Daredevil

The Netflix Marvel shows, like Daredevil were, at best, uneven. One of the real high points in that universe has to be Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. He's an imposing figure, physically and mentally, as smart as he is physically strong, making him one of the most formidable opponents a superhero would ever want to face. 

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in Die Hard comes up with an unbelievable plan to rob a lot of money. He even plans it right down to counting on the FBI cutting the building's power at the right time. However, this entry comes with a caveat. Hans' brother Simon, played by Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With A Vengence actually may be more diabolical. It's a tough call. 

Neil McCauley - Heat

One of the greatest cat-and-mouse games to ever play out on the big screen is between Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). McCauley's planning of the heist is meticulous and he leaves nothing to chance. It's something only years on the job and a superior mind could come up with. 

Auric Goldfinger - Goldfinger

Ernest Blofeld may be James Bond's most common antagonist, but Auric Goldfinger  (Gert Frobe) might be the smartest of them all. Even Bond admits that Goldfingers plan to make all the gold in Fort Knox worthless is a stroke of genius. The plan is almost perfect, but it's tough to outwit 007. 

Cyrus The Virus - Con Air

Leave it to John Malkovich to play a villain so well in a movie as over-the-top and ridiculous as Con Air that we have to include him on this list. Cyrus The Virus is truly one of the great villains in action movie history and it's all due to Malkovich's amazing performance of the brilliant but psychopathic bad guy. 

The Joker - The Dark Knight

Batman is considered among the smartest of superheroes. That's what makes The Joker, especially Heath Ledger's legendary version of the Clown Prince of Crime, so critical to a list like this. Over the years, in every medium, The Joker and Batman have gone toe-to-toe in desperate bids to outwit each other. 

Aaron Stampler/Roy - Primal Fear

Edward Norton's first role came as Aaron Stampler aka "Roy" in Primal Fear alongside Richard Gere. His manipulation of the trial to convince everyone that he is nuts shows just how stone-cold brilliant he is. It's scary how smart he is. Literally. 

Clyde Shelton - Law Abiding Citizen

Hell hath no fury like a man coming after his family's murderer. Clyde Shelton is more of an anti-hero than a villain, but his planning and patience fit right on this list. His desire to make sure those who killed his family get the retribution they deserve is intense, and his level of planning is simply next level. 

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Because of Kevin Spacey's legal problems, we never saw the true conclusion to Frank Underwood's story on House of Cards, but before he died, we did see him stop at nothing in his quest for absolute power. He met and vanquished all his enemies in his rise to the top and who knows where he would've gone from there. 

Loki - Marvel Cinematic Universe

Let's be honest, most of the villains in the MCU aren't really that smart or really that great. In the history of the behemoth franchise, villains have often left audiences longing for more. One notable exception has always been Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. He's always great, and always up to the task when taking on all the smartest guys in the Avengers over multiple movies and his own TV show. 

Marlo Stanfield - The Wire

On HBO's The Wire, it's rare that anyone wins in the end. Good guys, bad guys, and everyone in between usually don't win. The lone exception is Marlo Stanfield. His rise to power on the streets of Baltimore is a combination of his street savvy and his fearlessness. It's that savvy that keeps him on top, right up until the end. 

Voldemort - Harry Potter

You knew we couldn't have this list without he who shall not be named. Lord Voldemort is the only villain in the Harry Potter series who has the abilities and smarts to conquer Harry and his allies. Sure, he fails in the end, but it's close, and matching wits with all of Hogwarts is still incredibly impressive. 

Jigsaw - Saw

In a lot of horror and slasher films, the main villain is less appreciated for their brains as they are for their unrelenting desire to kill. Jigsaw in the Saw series is so much more than that. He is brilliant. Terrifyingly brilliant. His ability to come up his insane games and manipulate people is just the scariest thing in the history of horror. 

Three are a lot of places around the world that have become famous for being set locations or exterior shots from television shows. From restaurants, to prisons, to houses, to everything in between. These are just a few of these now-famous locations everyone recognizes from their favorite shows. 

Tom's Restaurant - Seinfeld

In virtually every episode of Seinfeld, the gang met up at Monk's Diner. The interiors were a set, of course, but all the exterior shots for Monk's were of Tom's Restaurant at the corner of Broadway and 112th Street in New York City. The cast of Seinfeld is enshrined in caricatures on the wall. One more fun fact about the eatery, it was also the restaurant that inspired the song "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega. 

Highclere Castle - Downton Abbey

Grand houses dot the English countryside, many of which are quite famous for their ornate beauty. One house now stands out from the rest, Highclere Castle in Hampshire. As hardcore fans of Downton Abbey know, not only was it used for the exterior of the house, but many of the interiors, including the iconic library, were used in the production. 

The Painted Ladies - Full House

San Francisco was once home to thousands of grand Victorian homes, though many were destroyed by the earthquake in 1906. A notable row that survived across from Alamo Square Park is famously known as "The Painted Ladies" and is a big tourist destination for fans of Full House after they featured prominently in the show. 

Police Beach - Lost

The mysterious island in Lost was in actually many filming locations across Oahu in Hawaii. One of the most famous locations is known as Papailoa Beach or Police Beach. It is located on the North Shore and was used a lot in the show as the spot where the plane crashed and where the survivors lived for a time. 

94 Bedford Street - Friends

94 Bedford Street, at the corner of Grove and Bedford, has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City. Not because anyone famous has lived there, but because that's the building used for the exterior shots of where most of the characters on Friends lived.

St. Michael's Mount - House Of The Dragon

St. Michael's Mount in southeast England is less famous than its cousin, Mont-Saint-Michel in France, but they are very similar monasteries. Both were built on little spits of land surrounded by a tidal area that leaves them completely separated from the mainland much of the time. St. Michael's Mount serves as the exterior for Driftmark, the seat of House Velaryon in House Of The Dragon.

Salish Lodge & Spa - Twin Peaks

On Twin Peaks, one of the most prominent locations is The Great Northern Inn, where Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) lives during his time in the town investigating the murder of Laura Palmer. The exterior of the hotel, located above a beautiful waterfall, is actually the Salish Lodge & Spa in Snoqualmie, WA.