What, like making a prequel series is hard? I should never have doubted the power of Elle Woods, who at this point feels like the pop culture equivalent of Mother Teresa to millennials.

Since the moment that Elle was announced by Prime Video, I've been it's number one hater. I've written opinion pieces about how its existence is going to destroy the sanctity of Elle's journey at Harvard, and I've spent hours stewing over how anybody could touch the side of Reese Witherspoon's career-defining performance. If we're getting another Legally Blonde project, make it about Elle's Supreme Court Justice years... right?

But oh, how the mighty have fallen. Having now watched all eight episodes of Elle, my hater-self is metaphorically standing in a dumpster fire of her own making. As someone prepared to loathe it, take this next remark with absolute seriousness and sincerity: this series is outrageously good.

In the blink of an eye, I once again felt like my 6-year-old self when the 2001 movie first came out — enraptured, inspired and completely at ease with who I am inside. How? Well, that's just what Elle Woods does, regardless of who is playing her.

But if you'd have told me at Lexi Minetree was actually an AI version of Witherspoon in her twenties, I'd have believed you. Minetree has all of Witherspoon's mannerisms down to a tee, has perfected her voice, and wholeheartedly understands the spirit of the woman we all know and love. It is, frankly, a miracle.

But Minetree isn't the only reason for Elle's success... absolutely everybody, and almost everything, is pulling their weight.

Elle is about to put the Legally Blonde haters to shame — and most of the film's lore holds up

When Elle turns 16, she's forced to leave her Bel-Air luxury lifestyle behind for Seattle, all thanks to a plastic surgery scandal that her father is embroiled it. With her new high school in the grip of the 90s grunge scene, our favorite pink tornado is once again a fish out of water, and she has to fight to fit in.

As I've pointed out, Minetree's freakishly brilliant understanding of Elle — and how unwilling she is to deviate from Witherspoon's blueprint — spearheads the feel-good fun, but let's look at what's happening around her.

Surprisingly, Elle isn't just a nod to Legally Blonde. There are also clear references to big nineties and noughties hitters including Mean Girls, Clueless, Freaky Friday and The Breakfast Club, and the nostalgic yearning is strong. From the corded landlines to the banging soundtrack, our young adult life from this time period is fully and lovingly represented.

As willing as I initially was to write our Seattle newbies off, they're also a treat of an ensemble. Bel-Air bestie Madison (Jessica Belkin) shirks the airhead sidekick stereotype in favor of a grounded spirit and unshakable loyalty, while high school mean girl Kimberly (Chandler Kinney) is hiding a true self that is the last thing you'd expect (no spoilers here).

British boy Dustin (Zac Looker) fuels Elle's curiosity for anarchy and change, while also providing proof that she can truly extract the best out of every walk of life. A more touching shoutout goes to the enigmatic role of Dean Wilson, which marks James Van Der Beek's final acting credit before his death earlier this year.

It's no surprise that my favorite side character is Eva Woods, played by the underrated powerhouse in June Diane Raphael. You only had to briefly see this woman in Parks and Recreation or Grace and Frankie to know how much she truly understands the superficial class, which she poignantly balances with a steady heart and sense of empathy.

Sadly, Perfect Day by Hoku is nowhere to be seen

Now for the most important bit of feedback: the existing Legally Blonde lore. For the most part, I found that it adds to my love of the IP rather than takes away from it, especially when it answers some pivotal questions.

Without giving too much away, we'll find out how Elle gets Bruiser the Chihuahua (who's wardrobe is absolutely jaw-dropping, by the way), how Elle ends up back in Bel-Air in time for the events of the original movie, and how she begins to gain an interest in defending innocent people.

However, it's this last one that's a bit of a sticking point. For those of us who know the 2001 film better than we know ourselves, it's unspoken knowledge that Elle had zero interest in pursuing anything related to a law degree, but was only compelled to do so to win boyfriend Warner back.

That, in a nutshell, is the reason why Legally Blonde even exists. So the mere fact that Elle's rewritten history suggests that this inspiration came much earlier in her life doesn't completely sit with what we know of her adult life. It's clearly supposed to be a seedling for what's to come, but perhaps is a little overplayed.

Even so, I had such a good time watching Elle that I don't even care. The ebbs and flows of high school drama are deliciously played, the script is genuinely hilarious, and the overarching narrative plot is addictively compelling. I've been that engrossed that I'd even go as far as to say that it needs a second season, stat.

According to our series poll (which you can vote in below), you've all loved new Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch as much as I have.

In fact, it's surely only a matter of time until Paramount+ renews it for a second season, but we're waiting for the news with baited breath as of writing.

It might not have felt like it to them, but Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip's (Cole Hauser) move to Rio Paloma has been nothing short of a success, even if Carter (Finn Little) actively hates it.

Now, we've only got one episode left until it's all over. But when does Dutton Ranch episode 9 land on Paramount+?

What time can I watch Dutton Ranch episode 9 on Paramount+?

Dutton Ranch episode 9 will drop on one of the world's best streaming services on Friday, July 3.

Like The Madison and Landman, we can expect the episode to arrive at 12am PT. Here's when it will be released in other nations globally:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 1:30pm IST
• Singapore – 4pm SGT
• Australia – 7pm AEDT
• New Zealand – 9pm NZDT

When do new episodes of Dutton Ranch come out?

Dutton Ranch will have a total of nine episodes, airing weekly after its two-episode premiere.

That gives us the following schedule:

• Episode 1: out now
• Episode 2: out now
• Episode 3: out now
• Episode 4: out now
• Episode 5: out now
• Episode 6: out now
• Episode 7: out now
• Episode 8: out now
• Episode 9: July 3

Cast your mind back to the so-called "flopfest" season that is January. Only five short months ago, Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson were fronting Mercy, a new movie following a man falsely accused of murder, only to be tried by an AI-generated court.

The premise is simple: Make the AI judge believe you're innocent through a numerical threshold, and you walk free. Don't, and you die. There's no lawyer or jury — just your brain and access to your life via curated digital files.

After its theatrical release, it has been on Prime Video for the majority of 2026, and I cannot discourage you enough from watching it. It's far from the worst movie of the year so far, but it's bad enough to be a must-miss.

Without boring you too much, the production feels cheap, it struggles to retain momentum, and Pratt (whose character is hilariously also called Chris) being restrained in a chair for 90% of Mercy's runtime runs thin incredibly quickly.

But let's not talk about Mercy... instead, we need to focus on the movie Pratt recommended as a double bill. Not only does it serve as inspiration for Mercy's action, but it's arguably the most underrated Christopher Nolan movie all time.

Perfect timing ahead of The Odyssey, don't you think?

Chris Pratt reveals Christopher Nolan's Memento is a huge inspiration — and you need to stream it ASAP

"There's a little bit of Memento in this," Pratt told me shortly before Mercy's release.

"This is a character who does not know what's going on, and he's unpeeling the layers of his reality as he learns in real time what has happened."

As soon as he mentions it, I remember just how much of an astonishing viewing experience it was. Starring Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, it follows insurance investigator Leonard Shelby (Pearce), who suffers from anterograde amnesia.

He uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. This means that we know as much as he does, making it one of the most unique and interactive crime thrillers of the last 26 years.

You're thrust back and forth in time with so much confusion that you're wondering if you killed your ex-wife. It's no secret just how much of an exceptional director and storyteller Nolan is... but this was only his second movie.

The talent was already off the scale, but it's no surprise that, given just how many corkers came out more recently (his Batman trilogy, Inception, and Oppenheimer, to name a few), Memento has been put on the collective back burner.

For Matrix fans, Carrie-Anne Moss is also the best female lead that Nolan could have picked. Add in sharp 2000s vibes and lashings of desperation, and you're about to stream a movie you'll never forget (unlike Mercy, which you hopefully do immediately).

• Watch Memento on Prime Video in the US
• Watch Memento on Sky in the UK
• Watch Memento on Paramount+ in Australia

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 has only just landed on Netflix, but we're already thinking about season 3 (you can read our ending explained to learn why).

Luckily for us, it had incredibly early confirmation. We've known all along that Aang (Gordon Cormier) needs to learn all four elemental bending skills in order to stop the Fire Nation, led by Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), from controlling the Four Nations.

As our current batch of episodes draws to a close, we're still far from reaching this conclusion. Enter Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, which is already poised to take over.

From release window predictions to returning cast, here's everything we know about the next installment.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 release window prediction

It's worth pointing out that, as of writing, Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 doesn't have a confirmed release date or window. However, internet rumors suggest we could be seeing new episodes at some point in summer 2027.

Seasons 2 and 3 were shot back-to-back, and filming for new episodes wrapped back in November 2025.

Worst case, we can expect season 3 at some point in 2028, given that there's been a two-year gap between seasons 1 and 2.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 trailer: is there one?

A trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 hasn't made its debut yet. Once one is released, we'll update this section.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 cast

We can expect the following cast to return for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3:

• Gordon Cormier as Aang
• Kiawentiio as Katara
• Ian Ousley as Sokka
• Dallas Liu as Zuko
• Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai
• Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Zuko
• Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula
• Miya Cech as Toph
• Chin Han as Long Feng
• Justin Chien as King Kuei
• Amanda Zhao as Joo Dee
• Crystal Yu as Lady Beifong
• Kelemete Misipeka as The Boulder
• Hoa Xuande as Professor Zei
• Lourdes Faberes as General Sung
• Rekha Sharma as Amita
• Madison Hu as Fei
• Dichen Lachman as Yangchen
• Lily Gao as Ursa
• Terry Chen as Jeong Jeong

Dolly De Leon as Lo and Li, Jon Jon Briones as Piandao, and Tantoo Cardinal as Hama were all originally tipped to appear in the second reason, but do not. Despite this, we can expect them to star in season 3.

More new names will likely be announced as we get closer to the show's release, so keep your eyes peeled.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 plot predictions

Spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ahead.

We're pretty confident that season 3 is going to directly adapt the third Avatar book, following Aang learning to firebend, infiltrating the Fire Nation, and preparing for his climactic showdown with Fire Lord Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrives. Not too much, then.

We also know that Zuko will eventually team up with Aang and the gang to make this happen, so we can expect to see some more emotional upheaval from him.

Obviously, finding out if Aang has actually survived the battle is a top priority for season 3. But the mere fact that season 3 has already been greenlit basically confirms that we'll be seeing Aang again anyway.

Will there be more seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender?

As of writing, nothing has been announced. Narratively, it makes sense for season 3 to be the last, if Books 1, 2, and 3 have all been adapted in each.

However, the fact that there are so many written and comic book continuations means that the possibilities could be endless. Even if we don't get a direct season 4, Netflix could invest in spinoffs galore.

Spoilers for Dutton Ranch episode 8 ahead.

In the words of Charli XCX in 2024, we're going full brat. Dutton Ranch episode 8 turns the tables on Carter (Finn Little) after getting hideously drunk at the 10 Petal anniversary party and destroying Beulah's (Annette Bening) property.

He's been lashing out in the Yellowstone spinoff for two reasons: the fact he's had to move to Texas in the first place — being convinced that Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) are now interfering in his life too much — and because Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind) has rejected him for someone with more status and money.

Mix in the expected teen angst of a 19-year-old and you've got a very unnecessary storm brewing. With Beulah collapsing to the floor in the finale scene of episode 7 (just after Carter smashed up her prized bull head), the tension is even higher.

In fact, Carter haters might want to look away from Dutton Ranch episode 8 altogether... and you'll see why below.

Beulah is hospitalized after having a heart attack — and everyone is questioning her decisions

Episode 8 starts with Beulah being airlifted out of the party and sent to hospital, with Rob-Will (Jai Courtney) following close behind.

The next morning, Rob-Will finds Oreana, Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba) and Everett (Ed Harris) in the hospital waiting room, and explains that Beulah has had a heart attack. She has a standard angioplasty procedure and is declared medically fine.

Beulah asks to see Rob-Will and Joaquin together before anyone else, with the pair still taking swipes out of each other. She explains that Rob-Will has been given 10 Petal because he is "weak," with Beulah adding "it's not your prize, it's your protection."

She claims that the brothers are going to be joined at the hip no matter what, and that Rob-Will needs Joaquin much more than the other way around. Rob-Will also claims that he wants to fire Beth and Rip with Beulah refusing, responding that they are the "assets" that the ranch needs.

Beth herself stops by to visit later, offering her apologies for Carter's behaviour the night before. The pair talk about the fallout of parenting boys before Beth moves onto why she's really there: she cannot understand the decision behind Rob-Will's appointment.

"I agreed to work with you, not with him," she adds, claiming that they need to speak about things properly once Beulah is out of hospital. Everett asks her the same questions when he visits on his own later on, with Beulah implying that 10 Petal had to go to a "flesh and blood relation."

Their conversation moves onto Beulah's suggestion of retiring together earlier in the season, with Everett stating that he's ready for a new shot at romance if she is. "If I knew a heart attack was going to change your mind, I'd have had one a lot sooner," Beulah replies.

Everett takes Beulah back to his to recoup at home, essentially breaking out of the hospital before she's officially been discharged.

A disgraced Carter finally opens up to Beth — but it all goes wrong

Rip and Carter make their way back from the party on horseback, with Carter repeatedly falling off and vomiting over his own horse (maybe one of the worst things I've ever seen).

The next morning, Beth makes Carter a coffee and asks to talk to him outside. Carter reveals that he's quit school, though neglects to tell her anything about working with Dwight (Ray McKinnon). Beth implies that just hating school isn't good enough, telling Carter that he needs to take every opportunity to make his life better with both hands.

Despite being hungover, Rip makes good on his promise to Carter to take him to work at 10 Petal to get some experience. Immediately, Azul (J.R. Villarreal) and the other ranchers start ribbing Carter for how much he's had to drink, which takes a sour turn when Carter is thrown off of his horse while trying to lasso an escaped cow.

Rip scolds Carter for snapping at Azul, with Carter swearing and storming off in a huff. Rip finds him in a cattle barn, telling him that if any other rancher had rode away from him, they'd be fired on the spot.

Carter threatens Rip to do it, with Rip sensing that Carter wants to throw a punch. Rip then tries to teach him lessons from life's failures while also empathizing with Carter's struggles of being an orphan, but Carter is having none of it.

Returning home, Carter than explodes at Beth, who tearfully claims that she's going to try harder to be a better mother figure. Carter says he needs some time alone, and drives off.

We later find him back at Dwight's, with the Sherriff (Josh Stewart) finding him outside the empty leopard cage. Carter than tries to blackmail the Sherriff into getting a job shadowing him by threatening to reveal that he killed Dwight for no good reason.

It doesn't work, but there is some good news... we learn that Dwight's leopard has been rehomed at a local zoo.

Joaquin tries to turn Rob-Will in for murder

Fuming after his conversation with Beulah, Joaquin pays his own visit to the Sherriff's office. He reveals a gun in a plastic bag, which was the same gun that Rob-Will used to kill Wes (Nakoa DeCoite) in episode 1.

Joaquin tells the Sherriff about Wes, but cannot prove anything because he doesn't know where the body is. The Sherriff tells him to leave the gun, but that he doesn't believe a word Joaquin is saying. "I haven't forgotten who you are... I just no longer give a f**k," the Sherriff says.

On the drive home, an infuriated Joaquin is seen roadside by a local graveyard in a fit of rage. In episode 8's final scene, we see Joaquin get back in his car to dial his dad — who if you remember from episode 7, was essentially Beulah's caretaker.

In Spanish, we hear Joaquin say, "Hi, Dad. I need your help."

Austin tells 10 Petal's truth to Beth and Rip

10 Petal rancher Austin's (Sterlin English) moral crisis also reaches a head in episode 8. After the deaths of Wes and Chet (Hart Denton), he's on a rampage to reveal the Jackson's family secrets once and for all.

This starts with Austin pulling a gun on Miguel (Berto Colon) during wrangling hours, demanding that he reveal what's been going on or be killed. Zachariah (Marc Menchaca) has to intervene, with Austin later asking him if Rip can be trusted. "With your life," replies Zachariah.

That evening, the pair visit Beth and Rip at home and reveal the truth — 10 Petal is running an illegal cattle smuggling operation across the Mexican border to keep financially afloat. The next shipment is in two days, leaving Rip and Beth at a loss for what to do next.

This also explains how Bullet, the bull bought at cattle auction in episode 2, was able to be unvetted while having foot and mouth disease.

• The first trailer for the new film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, fronted by Daisy Edgar-Jones, has been released
• Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw are also in the cast
• The movie is set to be released in cinemas on September 25

The first trailer for the new movie adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones as lead protagonist Elinor Dashwood, has been released — you can check it out below.

Releasing in cinemas worldwide in September 25, other cast members include Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Fiona Shaw.

The new movie, directed by Georgia Oakley, is the eighth adaptation of the Jane Austen novel since 1971, across all global media. However, fans of the book are already worried that the new film won't live up to one version in particular: the 1995 movie led by Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson.

"Unnecessary," one fan comment on YouTube reads, with another agreeing, "Gonna be very hard to top the Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson one."

A third adds on X, "1995 stans will riot, but this looks like it actually gets the heartbreak. Count me in for the tissues and the bonnets."

While fans are already divided over the impact of Oakley's take on the classic book, we're potentially overlooking the most crucial casting of the bunch: Caitríona Balfe.

Opinion: Caitríona Balfe's Outlander experience could elevate Sense and Sensibility

We've all been so busy talking about Daisy Edgar-Jones in the role of Elinor Dashwood that we've completely neglected how inspired a piece of casting Caitríona Balfe is.

The Outlander star will be playing Mrs Dashwood, originally played by Gemma Jones in the 1995 movie. Balfe is no stranger to creating compelling historical romance, having starred as Claire in the hit Starz series since 2014.

Frankly, she's the ideal person to cast in the face of a Jane Austen remake being so noticeably divisive. The new movie will need as many safe pairs of hands as possible to fend off the 'There-was-no-point-in-making-this-movie' brigade, especially if the idea is to showcase something completely different.

As far as the above trailer is concerned, we can expect traditional period-drama vibes throughout. Universal Pictures describes the adaptation as "an irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility: a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood."

What Stars Watch is the franchise that makes the tough choice of what to stream next for you using A-List recommendations. Whenever your favorite actor has a new movie or TV show coming out, we’ll get their take on what cinematic classic or underrated gem would make the ideal double bill. Two for the price of one, as the saying goes.

Want to know which 1960s French film Patrick Dempsey thinks is the perfect companion piece for his latest 10-part crime thriller? Or which forgotten action movie Channing Tatum loves so much from his childhood that he wants you to stream it with what he’s working on now? Like a streamable oracle, entertainment reporter Jasmine Valentine has got all the answers.

• The second season of Netflix crime drama Dept Q begins production in Edinburgh, Scotland
• Core cast set to return alongside nine new faces
• No word yet on release date or the number of episodes

Netflix has confirmed that the second season of the hit crime drama Dept Q. is now in production, filming in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Our core cast is set to return, including:

• Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck
• Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim
• Jamie Sives as DS James Hardy
• Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson
• Mark Bonnar as Stephen Burns,
• Kate Dickie as Moira Jacobson
• Aaron McVeigh as Jasper
• Sanjeev Kohli as Martin Flemming

Nine new cast members will also be seen in new episodes. While we don't know exactly what their roles will be, we do have names:

• Aisling Franciosi as Kimmie
• Greg Wise as Derek Powell
• Nicholas Rowe as Thomas Fulton
• Tony Curran as Winnie Calderwood
• Hamish Clark as Christopher Herron
• Alex Ferns as Phil Allenbeck
• Ross Anderson as Ricky Daddario
• Rebecca Root as June Lovesay
• Isla Johnston as Agnes

Currently, there's no word on exactly when Dept Q. season 2 will be released, nor how many episodes will make up the series.

However, we do have a brief idea of what the plot will involve thanks to the synopsis below.

Dept Q. season 2 set to explore a brand-new case

As per Netflix, Dept Q. season 2 follows "DCI Carl Morck heading up the maverick Dept. Q from the basement of an Edinburgh police station, charged with cases previously deemed unsolvable.

"This darkly humorous, propulsive show delivers all the pleasures of a procedural but takes us into the complex mysteries not just of the cases but of the detectives themselves."

Unsurprisingly, this is all very vague at this point in development. However, Rob Bullock, Executive Producer, Left Bank Pictures, added in a statement, “This season, Carl and his band of misfits tackle a terrible crime hidden in the highest echelons of Scottish society. It is a story for our times: rich and powerful people who believe they are above the law."

Executive Manda Levin agreed, "The story of season 2 is as darkly delicious as you’d expect, and Carl and his glorious gang will have their work cut out pinning down the perpetrators as we launch back in for more!”

What we know for sure is that we will continue to see an adaptation of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s original novels — but how faithful the show will be remains to be seen.

Two years ago, Netflix dramatically let me down. As a massive anime fan, I tuned into the first season of their live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender remake and was horrifically disappointed within minutes. In fact, the most positive critique you could give it is that it was better than the live-action movies, which are widely considered to be garbage.

Why? The action was all there, but the heart of Aang's story wasn't. Spectacular VFX tried to cover up the hollow, mundane narrative underneath. In fact, to quote a fantastic jaw-dropping writer called Jasmine Valentine: "There’s little room to learn, with life-changing realizations made in a ridiculously short amount of time. If a tale can’t be paid its due diligence in a certain remit, should we even bother at all?"

In 2026, my excitement for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is non-existent. I've approached its seven-episode run with complete trepidation, honestly wondering if there is anything better that I could be covering this week. However — while a long way from being a masterpiece — the hit Netflix show has clearly been listening.

Now that all of the exhausting worldbuilding is out of the way (for the most part), fans can finally focus on the character relationships that they want to invest in. There's a lot of tenderness and vulnerability on display, which is the most fulfilling part of our cast having grown up so much between seasons.

But there's still something obvious that's really bothering me... and it comes back to Netflix's "cookie-cutter" mold that none of its programs can escape.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 has finally learned its lesson about the importance of heart

Read it and weep (for joy), kids — Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 actually has heart. If we're being honest, nobody had to put any effort into achieving this, with the mere fact that the lore of the Four Nations is fully established meaning there's now room for bigger, better things.

A mature Aang (Gordon Cormier) now straddles his inner struggles of legacy and constant imposter syndrome even more effectively, with the likes of Katara (Kiawentiio), Sokka (Ian Ousley), and Suki (Maria Zhang) now all settled into their selves, wants and needs.

If anything, Zuko (Dallas Liu) is going through it the most. After deserting his family and retreating into hiding at the end of season 1, we've got a lot more sympathy with him this time around as he grapples with his supposed destiny of capturing Aang for the Fire Nation's glory. Unlike Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), he's no longer a villain, but a victim.

The standout character of season 2 is easily Toph (Miya Cech), who has finally been introduced after not appearing in season 2. Coming from a complicated family background that routinely dismisses her Earthbending, she comes into her own sassy self after teaming up with Aang to teach him the next element.

Collectively, the team is now firing on all cylinders, and it's nothing short of a joy to watch. Now we understand who they are and what the bigger picture looks like; intimacy, fun, and genuinely satisfying friendships are now flourishing. The jokes land, the serious moments stab you in the heart, and whimsy is flying around like Appa the sky bison.

Netflix makes season 2 look exactly like The Witcher — just with different lore

Everything else in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 feels like more of the same — and that's a huge problem when it comes to the visuals. Broadly speaking, the Four Nations are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the detail that the creative team has packed into the landscapes is nothing short of impressive.

The immediate VFX, such as the bending that our characters use, leave a lot to be desired. It's obviously not a usual thing for people to have fire and water shooting out of their hands, so we're suspending a great deal of belief anyway... but being in the moment doesn't help when seeing it happen looks so fake.

This lumps season 2 into the same visually poor category as The Witcher, which is another comparison I made during season 1's debut. Cover the faces of the actors, stick them in the woods for a combat scene, and you'd be hard-pressed to tell the shows apart. Netflix is determined to make all of its genre programs look exactly like one another, and I'm baffled as to why.

Then there's the ultimate ending, which we already know without including spoilers. Much like other long-running anime series like One Piece (with its Netflix adaptation also guilty of this), we've known about the final endgame from its first five minutes. Here, it's for Aang to learn his bending skills, become all-powerful, and defeat Lord Ozai and the Fire Nation.

With a third series already confirmed, this is being drawn out for as long as humanly possible. It was obvious that none of the above was going to be achieved by the time season 2 wrapped up, so we've made little substantial progress from when Aang's goal was first introduced.

For me, the constant theme of "Oh no! Danger is on the horizon, and the Fire Nation must be stopped" is going to wear thin quickly. I'd really like to see season 3 mix things up, but I'm guessing that it won't.

Did I enjoy seeing Aang and the gang in 2026 more than in 2024? Absolutely. Has it renewed my interest in seeing them again at the end of 2027 (season 3's assumed release window)? Far from it.

Spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ahead.

Even before Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 dropped on Netflix, we knew exactly where it was heading: the Fire Nation taking over all of the Four Nations.

In the latest batch of seven episodes, the target is the hidden city of Ba Sing Se — and as of season 2 episode 6, it's been captured.

With Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) the only person who can save the day, the pressure is on to stop Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) from doing any more damage.

Unluckily, Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu) is taking her dad's wishes into her own hands. But can our favorite gang cope with her fiendish plans?

Here's everything you need to know about the Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ending... and what it might mean for the already confirmed season 3.

Appa, Sokka, Zuko and Katara are all captured by the Dai Li — which is now controlled by Azula

We kick off Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 episode 8 with a flashback of baby Aang meeting Appa the sky bison for the first time. Aang feeds Appa an apple (trying to say that three times fast), and they embrace.

Cut to the present day, where Appa has been kidnapped by the Dai Li — Ba Sing Se's secret police force — which is now being controlled by Princess Azula. Trust me, you will cry seeing him in chains.

In a meeting with the city's Grand Secretariat, Long Feng (Chin Han), Azula kills all of Ba Sing Se's highest-ranking men in the force when they question why the Fire Nation wants to control the city. Long Feng, however, begrudgingly but fearfully complies with Azula's plan: to raise Ba Sing Se's drawbridge and let the Fire Nation troops roll in, taking out anything they want in the process.

Remember, this is all coming from Lord Ozai's orders, despite Azula being a more than willing vehicle for them. But Appa isn't the only Aang ally the Dai Li has captured on her orders, with Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio) also in separate cells.

Sokka reunites with inventor Sai (Danny Pudi) in his cell, with the inventor already being captured before his arrival. Together, they try to figure out how to use the prison's underground structure to break free.

Katara has been put in a cell with Zuko (Dallas Liu), who was caught by the Dai Li after "doing a good act." This marks the biggest pinnacle in Zuko's personal struggle between good and evil so far, and Azula has no idea that he's jailed.

Meanwhile, Toph (Miya Cech) returns home to her mother, complaining that Aang and co. "don't understand her" after their huge falling out in episode 6. While initially seeming on board with how great Toph's earthbending powers are, her mother poisons Toph's tea in order to try and control her urge to leave home forever.

Aang and Iroh plan an escape mission

So where is Aang in this? Right behind his pals, having already figured out where Appa is underground just by sensing him. When the Azula-controlled Dai Li parade through the center of Ba Sing Se, he's hidden by allies made in season 2, episode 1.

When he attempts to approach the Dai Li's underground jail, he's spotted by Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and is immediately suspicious. Iroh reveals that he's also on a mission to break Zuko out of jail, thinking that the pair should team up for maximum effect.

Iroh tells Aang about a secret door that Avatar Kyoshi once installed to lead into the underground caves, but it needs all four elements bent at once to be able to open it. Aang is missing his firebending powers at this stage, so he needs Iroh just as much as Iroh needs Aang.

Together, the pair locate and open the door, and set off on their rescue mission.

Zuko tries to bond with Katara

While Sokka and Sai try to be proactive, Katara learns who Zuko really is. Immediately, she goes on the defensive, telling him how all of her family — and the entire Waterbending tribe — were wiped out thanks to the hostile Fire Nation invasion.

Zuko definitely feels empathy for Katara, but still has a chip on his shoulder. He tells her that the Fire Nation also stripped him of his family, with his mother dying at the hands of Lord Ozai.

The more the two talk, the more they realize that they have a lot in common. It's the closest we've even seen Zuko come to his "good" side, and it seems as though he's finally going to stay that way for good.

Looking at the burn mark around his left eye, Katara offers to try and heal Zuko using the waterbending potion in the locket around her neck. Just as she's about to apply it, Aang and Iroh storm in, having found and released Sokka and Sai first.

Aang goes to fight Zuko, but Iroh stops him, claiming that he's seen huge changes for the better in his nephew. Not quite believing that Zuko has defected from the Fire Nation, the gang sets off in search of the exit.

Aang's escape plan is thwarted

With the Dai Li everywhere, the gang splits up. Aang goes to find Appa after Long Feng brings him up to speed with Azula's plans, earthbending a hole through the ceiling so that Appa can fly to safety.

But as he tries to rejoin the others, he passes another prisoner who was originally being psychologically tortured by a Dai Li officer earlier on. Aang offers to bring her with them, but instead of accepting his offer, she shouts that "the Avatar is here," alerting the guards.

From there, it's fighting on all fronts. In pairs, the group makes light work of the Dai Li roaming the hallways, especially when Toph joins suits, revealing that she has invented "metalbending."

In fact, metalbending is how she ended up there in the first place. When she wakes up after her poisoning, Toph awakes in a metal box riding inside her mother's horse and carriage. Coming to the conclusion that Aang really does understand her, where her family doesn't, she bends the box and flies out of the carriage, making her way to safety.

An all-out battle with Azula changes Zuko's allegiance

With the fight raging on, Azula soon joins the mix, learning that her brother is among the escapees. Honing her focus on him, she tries to convince him, once again, to rejoin her side.

At first, Zuko remains hesitant, more confident in his newfound ability to do good things. But when Azula brings up the death of their mother, he changes his mind.

Where Zuko has always held a grudge against Azula for how she acted when their mother died, Azula reveals that she was only acting on her mother's orders. Their mom wanted the siblings to stay together through the trauma, breaking an emotional trigger point inside Zuko when he hears this.

By the time the rest of the gang reach a large clearing in the underground caves, Azula and Zuko emerge to fight them all as a team. This shocks Katara, who had genuinely believed that Zuko was coming around to being on their side.

After a lot of intense bending and fighting, it looks as though Azula has Aang right where she wants him — after all, the entire point of kidnapping his friends was to lure Aang to Ba Sing Se.

But in his hour of need, Aang taps into what can best be described as an "Avatar portal," seeing physical forms of all the Avatars that came before him in his mind's eye. More clearly, it's what causes Aang's eyes and head arrow to turn a shining blue, as he's essentially channelling their collective power through his body.

Aang is left unconscious

At this point, we see Aang's best bending to date, turning the tables on Azula and leaving her (and the Dai Li guards who join her) powerless.

But just as he's about to deliver the final blow, Aang loses his inner vision, effectively shutting his power off. He collapses to the floor, but Katara, Sokka and Toph are able to get him to safety thanks to Appa having waited outside.

With Ba Sing Se still under Azula's control, our final scene shows the gang flying away on Appa's back. Kata uses the potion she initially offered to Zuko on Aang, aiming to heal him and bring him back to full health.

However, nothing happens after she gives it to him, with the final shot showing Aang completely unconscious and unresponsive.

Season 3 predictions

Obviously, finding out if Aang has actually survived the battle is a top priority for season 3. But the mere fact that season 3 has already been greenlit basically confirms that we'll be seeing Aang again anyway.

In a nutshell, we can expect to see Aang learning to firebend, infiltrating the Fire Nation, and preparing for his climactic showdown with Fire Lord Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrives. Not too much, then.

We also know that Zuko will eventually team up with Aang and the gang to make this happen, so we can expect to see some more emotional upheaval from him.

We're hoping to see season 3 episodes next summer.

Fans have been asking for a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory for years... but I don't think they were expecting Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

Created by Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady, Kevin Sussman reprises the role of Stuart, the awkward and angsty comic book shop owner who often plays host to many classic TBBT scenes, not to mention its ever-spiralling scientific lore.

While the main season ran until 2019, Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage have taken over the reins when it comes to keeping the 'Sheldonverse' alive. Seven years later, and we're returning to the original story — only it's nothing like it, really.

In all honesty, it looks like a hilarious spoof of The Walking Dead with a comic book twist. But what do we actually know about the new HBO Max show?

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe release date

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe consists of 10 episodes, which will debut on HBO on July 23 at 9pm ET.

It will also be available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will debut on subsequent Thursdays.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe trailer

The full trailer was released on June 23, which you can watch above. There's a bunch of direct references to classic movies, from Mad Max to Alien.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe cast

We're expecting the following main cast members to appear in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe:

• Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom / Alternate Stuart Bloom
• Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler
• Lauren Lapkus as Denise
• John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke / Supreme Ruler Barry Kripke
• Ryan Cartwright as Kyle
• Josh Brener as Trevor
• Tommy Walker as Gary

However, according to the synopsis (which you can read in full below), we can also expect to see some cameo appearances of alternate TBBT characters.

Annoyingly, we don't know exactly who yet. This will likely be kept under wraps until episodes air, so keep your eyes peeled.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe plot

Here's the official synopsis: "Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki), accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon.

"Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise, geologist friend Bert, and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke. Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory. As the title implies, things don’t go well."

See what I mean about those potential cameos? A lot of TBBT lore is set to be featured here, and fan theories are already spreading across the internet like wildfire.

None of these is confirmed, however, so don't believe everything you read.

The Big Bang Theory timeline — will it cross over?

Out of the four shows that currently make up the Sheldonverse, this is the correct chronological order for them (according to time, not when they were released):

• Young Sheldon
• Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
• The Big Bang Theory
• Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

There's currently no confirmation that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe and The Big Bang Theory will directly cross over, outside of the tipped cameos.

However, as a show with alternate realities, it is logically feasible that some of these realities just happen to be the set of TBBT, or Sheldon's childhood home in Medford, Texas. Even more so for the latter, as the set is currently being used to film Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage season 3.

We'll have to wait until the show starts airing to see if any of this is true.