Walter White isn’t the most vile reprobate to ever cross the small screen. He’s practically a household name, cheered and loathed in equal measure.

One of the most powerful and insanely popular scenes in the entire Star Wars saga is when Darth Vader enters a dark, smokey hallway on a Rebel ship and unleashes a hellish slaughter on the crew.

It’s not the everyday good guy who makes us perk up on the couch and lean forward in anticipation.

It’s the callous degenerate, the spiteful dictator, the bumbling father wrecking his way through life, or the selfish spinster, always undermining the best characters.

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Why? Who knows?

This isn’t an exercise in psychological philosophy.

Some creative minds out there just know how to make a bad character fun by depicting their worst moments in the most entertaining ways.

Captain Jack Randall (Outlander)

Black Jack is a far cry from Tobias Menzie’s squeamish portrayal of Edmure Tully.

The aura of restrained violence follows Jack wherever he goes, but his malevolence is kept in check by his careful observations of those around him, especially Claire.

He wraps his sadistic hedonism in the red coat of an officer in service of Britain, leading through fear and control.

What makes Outlander’s Jack so compelling is his ability to remain consummately calm as he plucks every last morsel of physical, mental, and spiritual torment from his victims.

Worst, his most awful character traits remain beneath the murky depths of a cold stare.

There is truly no calculating how far he will go without societal restraint and his position as a British officer, though he is able to skirt the rules often enough.

Beth Dutton (Yellowstone)

Few characters on TV can conjure vitriolic levels of disagreement like Yellowstone’s Beth Dutton.

She’s either loved or hated, with little to no in-between. This is mostly due to her relationship with her brother, Jamie Dutton.

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Beth is a strong-willed force driven by intoxicating levels of wealth, power, vengeance, and fear. Yes, fear.

Her emotional insecurities fuel her behavior, often driving her to push things too far. She’s one of those rare characters that garners a lot of attention despite lacking a character arc.

No one can disagree that Beth Dutton in later seasons is the same Beth Dutton from the first season. Her vulnerability draws the viewer in despite the fact that Beth will likely never change.

Homelander (The Boys)

The best depictions of awful character traits are the ones with disparate, underlying derivations. Homelander is exquisitely arrogant, pompous, and downright murderous when he doesn’t get his way.

It’s rare to see epic levels of narcissism and psychopathy present themselves in an entertaining manner, but Antony Starr pulls it off with zeal and unbridled enthusiasm.

Homelander’s sick character traits are wholly derived from his self-loathing, making him one of the most fascinating characters to enter the superhero genre in a long time.

He may be the anti-superman of The Boys’ universe, but he’s also the most fragile.

Theon Grejoy (Game of Thrones)

Theon (Alfie Allen) is an interesting dichotomy, even more so from the point of view of the fans.

How is it that a character who did terrible things but far less than the likes of Jamie Lannister and Sandor Clegane became so hated?

The answer is simple: cowardice. Though Jamie and Sandor were reprehensible in their own ways, both were warriors and loved as such.

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Before Ramsey Bolton imprisoned and tortured him, Theon betrayed the most popular family on the show.

Post-betrayal, he was a broken coward, fleeing in the face of his own sister’s demise.

His awful character traits, before and after his fall, were so well depicted that Theon is one of the most reviled characters in Game of Thrones.

Jinx (Arcane)

Jinx is perfectly depicted as the young, cute character that everyone ignores — the one who messes everything up and destroys the lives around her (at least, from her point of view).

Unbeknownst to her friends, family, and allies, this clumsy, empathetic portrayal was really a cocoon. What grew within was a maniacal Arcane version of Harley Quinn.

Her unpredictability is her strength, and she is just as likely to sit and talk calmly as she is to blow up a skyscraper while hysterically laughing at the sky.

She’s a walking powder keg and fascinating to watch because you never know what she might do next.

The Ghoul (Fallout)

Not all awful character traits reveal themselves via a slow-burn character arc.

By all measures, Cooper Howard was a good family man who loved his wife and child. Two centuries later, give or take a few decades, and he’s a cold, callous killer with zero empathy.

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Such a drastic change doesn’t normally work, but Fallout is not a normal, cut-and-dry series.

The Cooper Howard of love, hard work, and family witnesses his wife’s betrayal of humanity right before the entire world is engulfed in a nuclear holocaust.

Even so, the difference is jarring, and it works so well because his transition from family man to calculating, sometimes vengeful killer is left to the imagination.

Harmony Cobel (Severance)

Cold, lifeless granite and Harmony Cobel are one and the same until they aren’t — usually in shocking, explosive fashion.

Patricia Arquette plays the perfectly calm, emotionless Harmony that could teach Spock how to repress emotions.

That’s what makes her sudden outbursts so shocking and disturbing, like when she chucked a coffee mug at Mark’s head.

It came from nothing — explosive rage from a cold, reptilian creature slinking behind the dead eyes of a Luman Industries supervisor.

By the end of Severance, we witness a full-fledged meltdown. It’s shocking not just because it’s coming from a seemingly lifeless rock but because it’s difficult to fathom how this lifeless rock held it in for so long and with such ease.

Aemond Targaryen (House of the Dragon)

Ewan Mitchell has a fantastic range, going from a young warrior monk in The Last Kingdom to the most subtly intimidating, disturbing, and powerful force in the room as Aemond Targaryen in House of the Dragon.

Of Aemond’s many awful character traits, it’s his quiet, near-whisper dialogue that conveys the most threat. Sure, he’s petulant, jealous, and ambitious of his less-deserving brother’s ascension to the iron throne.

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However, he has no qualms about roasting his brother alive hundreds of feet above the ground and watching him fall.

His youth and impulsive nature are his weaknesses, however.

His malevolent nature is less repulsively cruel than his brother’s, but his quiet insidiousness is somehow more terrifying nonetheless.

Sheldon Cooper (Young Sheldon and Big Bang Theory)

Not all awful character traits involve brutal oppression, murder, vengeance, and psychopathic tendencies.

Some are far simpler despite inhabiting an above-average intellect. Sheldon is the result of being different, though not necessarily in the worst ways.

Simply put, he thinks he’s more intelligent than everyone in the room. The problem? He is. That’s the most frustrating part about this character trait and why it’s so fundamentally annoying.

Ironically, this makes him the least-liked character on a show where he is the central focal point.

Fortunately, Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon both surround him with otherwise likable characters. If either were a young man (or a young boy) show, both would have failed.

There are far too many characters to list, so feel free to comment and tell us which characters you think exhibit the most awful character traits in fascinating ways!

The post The Best Depictions of Awful Character Traits We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Quietly, deliberately, one animated series after another is becoming the next big offering, whether it’s Netflix’s Castlevania and Arcane series or Prime’s The Legend of Vox Machina.

From a distance, Bojack Horseman seems like a bizarre Indie cartoon straight out of left field.

However, it has remained above 90% throughout the six seasons in critical and audience reviews. How’s that for a horse that walks on two legs and carries on conversations?

As it turns out, high-quality, well-written animated shows are a boon for streaming platforms. This is especially true, considering 60% of adults between 18 and 49 watch them.

Not bad. With the increase in video game adaptations, some of which are becoming animated narratives, the kid in you has every reason to celebrate.

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Adult Animation is No Longer Fringe Entertainment

When the adult animation conversation crops up, most think of Arcane, maybe Bojack Horseman, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons.

Those are good examples of popular animated TV shows, especially The Simpsons, which feels as if it’s been running since the Eisenhower administration.

However, Vox Machinas and similar shows are growing in popularity. Arcane, Human Resources, Castlevania, Love, Death, & Robots, South Park, Big Mouth, Inside Job, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Bob’s Burgers are both animated and excellent shows.

Arcane Season 2 will air in November, and if it continues the formula that made Season 1 such a hit, it will drive the ratings in the right direction. Castlevania, another Netflix animated series based on the video game, is an interesting combination.

Arcane and Castlevania exemplify very successful animated adaptations as we shift from the age of superheroes into an era of video game adaptations.

Arcane is based on Riot Game’s highly popular MOBA, League of Legends, while Castlevania is a Nintendo mainstay dating back to the original console.

The Legend of Vox Machina isn’t a console derivative, but it does come from a real-life streaming D&D session.

If nothing else, studios don’t have to worry about attracting adults with animated adaptation releases of popular video games rather than live-action.

Video Game to Adult Animation

Looking at the numbers, it seems like a no-brainer. With 60% of all adults indulging in cartoons to one degree or another, 76% play video games on at least one platform, according to a 4-year Statista survey.

What better combination can a studio ask for? It’s certainly playing out well with the handful that currently exist. There’s also an inherent benefit to such an adaptation.

No one has to worry about who will play the roles of such and such. No matter who fills Kratos’s boots in Amazon’s upcoming God of War series, some will complain—perhaps many.

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An animated version removes that from the table while retaining everything that makes the game such an intriguing story.

Comic book adaptations also do well. You can’t claim that DC or Marvel got their start on consoles and PC, but they each have their fair share of hits.

While many video game adaptations are going live-action, there’s an excellent argument to make that some will do very well in the adult animation category.

For instance, Red Dead Redemption is a must for live-action, but Hades, Baldur’s Gate, and Mario Bros are perfect for animated adaptations.

That’s not to say they can’t do well as live-action, but devils, vampires, and plumbers are easier to connect with as cartoons. These games are immensely popular, and it’s hard to imagine an adult animation adaptation failing right out of the box.

What Do Adults Find Attractive About Animated TV?

Fun and innovation. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, at least psychologically.

The entertainment industry often makes the horrible mistake of thinking massive CGI effects will boost its box office returns.

That’s never been the case. People love stories, especially complex and rewarding stories. The Arcanes and Bojack Horsemans of the world don’t reach peak fandom because they look cool.

Honestly, Bojack Horseman has the animation of a five-year-old child hanging upside down from a tree, trying to finger paint on a cardboard box. It doesn’t have to look great; it only has to “be” great.

Adult animation shows have every tool for success that their live-action counterparts do.

Embracing the cliche Field of Dreams quote, “If you build it, they will come,” even though that’s not the actual quote of the movie.

That old Mandela Effect is playing tricks on us again.

But the quote fits here, as it’s absolutely true. Imagine the percentage of the world’s population that enjoyed playing League of Legends on PC or its mobile counterpart, Wild Rift.

The number may seem large, but it’s a microscopically tiny percentage.

Many who love Arcane have never heard of League of Legends. That’s a testament to the show’s captivating story. The animation looks fantastic as well, but that’s always secondary to a good story.

Demand for Adult Animation is Outstripping the Supply

According to Parrot Analytics, demand for adult animation, especially on Max, Hulu, and Netflix, is outstripping supply.

Don’t think that sort of thing goes unnoticed in entertainment circles.

There are 100 adult animated series in the pipeline. That’s a 50% increase over last year (2020). And, fully 40% of those are non-comedy genre series. Literally, I’m showing forty series, that’s a jump from 3 to 40 in a one-year period.

-John Evershed, CEO of High Concentrate

The above quote was made in 2021. John Evershed is the CEO of High Concentrate, a company that helps production studios develop animated content.

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This was a little over three years ago, and that pipeline is only growing larger.

Kid’s animation is a global commodity, but adult animation is rapidly catching up, with more and more to come.

Evershed wrote a white paper on adult animation, and his conclusion was simple: Adult animation is the fastest-growing animation category, and there is little to no ceiling.

Studios like Max, Fox, Hulu, and Netflix are placing more emphasis on adult animation as a result of Evershed’s and similar findings. It’s not as if Evershed is the only person who sees the writing on the wall.

If you love animation, regardless of what genre you prefer, it’s a fantastic time to be alive!

What do you think about adult animation?

Is there a particular category or show that you want to see on the small or big screen?

Leave us a comment and let us know!

The post The Kid In All of Us: Demand for Adult Animation Is On a Roll appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The entire point was to talk about the colossal leap forward in game adaptations from the days of the Bob Hoskin Super Mario Brothers absurdity to Amazon Prime’s Fallout.

The latter is sitting on 16 awards and nominations, while the former remains the butt of jokes, memes, and gifs to this day.

Once upon a time, Hollywood just wanted to cash in on a popular video game franchise.

Quality be damned. While the money factor hasn’t changed, Tinseltown now knows the audience is hypersensitive to adaptations of beloved franchises.

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Then, in the midst of prepping for this little shindig, Borderlands rears its ugly head to muddy the waters as arguably a match for the infamy of Super Mario Bros.

Despite Borderland’s prescient mockery of the above title, the show must go on, and there are still plenty of positive attributes to point to, especially when it comes to the small screen.

The Early Days of Video Game Adaptations

Saying “the early days” is kind of a misnomer.

Historical film gems like House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, Bloodrayne, and Prince of Persia are all post-2000 releases. There’s more, but I might fall asleep listing them.

Prince of Persia wasn’t even decent enough to just be a bad movie. They had to go the extra mile and put Jake Gyllenhall, a man who bears no earthly resemblance to a prince of Persia, in the driver’s seat.

All 4,000 sequels to Resident Evil are fun to watch if you enjoy non-surgical lobotomies and electrical shock treatments. But you have to go back to the 1993 Super Mario Bros if you really want to feel your gray matter leak out through your nose.

It was a critical and commercial failure in every respect, yet video game adaptations continued throughout the ’90s and into the new millennia.

“Moderately” better is akin to the fan base being run over by a Humvee rather than a tank. The video game generation is largely misunderstood. Hollywood was far more interested in the popularity surrounding games rather than the “why” of it all.

Video Game and Film Development are Drastically Different

Without diving into the technological intricacies of video game adaptations, there are a few major differences between movies/TV and video game development.

Video games involve a lot more backtracking. Post-production and testing are extensive, especially in games with huge, intricate stories. Designers, developers, artists, and testers collaborate extensively.

Films are linear, and that includes even the most elaborate TV series.

Scriptwriting, storyboarding casting, location scouting, and planning are nominal parts of the process.

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The audience experience is markedly different as well, for obvious reasons. While movie and TV entertainment is linear, you must actively participate in playing a game.

Again, without delving too deeply into the sharply contrasting characteristics of development and participation in each entertainment venue, all of this is to say that video game adaptations are not easy — a far cry from adapting a book, comic, or graphic novel.

The Turning Point

The Witcher is the easiest of the successful video game adaptations to point to. However, it’s more of a hybrid book and video game reworking.

Castlevania was a critical and commercial success, needing only a four-episode first season for Netflix to green-light a second season. Two years later, The Witcher came along, and Arcane in 2021. All three are huge hits on Netflix.

All three also proved that the episodic format may be a better method for video game adaptations.

An episodic format provides more creative freedom to bring games with huge casts, extensive lore, and multi-faceted plot points into the world of film.

Amazon’s Fallout is a massive success, thanks to the showrunners avoiding the pitfalls of using existing characters and going with something set within the universe and lore but also apart, with new characters and a new story.

Secondly, and this is the challenging part, it means that you have to figure out how to translate to a passive medium, the essence of an interactive one. And to me, this is where Fallout has been particularly revelatory.

–Game Consultant, Tom van der Linden

On the movie side, Tomb Raider’s 2018 release proved that Hollywood can adapt a video game without turning it into a steaming pile of, well, you know.

Tomb Raider is not on the list of most successful adaptations, but it’s far better than Super Mario Bros.

Detective Pikachu did the same, though you can argue that it’s more of a hybrid, similar to The Witcher, with lore to draw from cards, games, and animated series.

Adaptations of SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog are moderately successful as well, enough to merit a third outing for Sonic in December.

The Case of Borderlands

We’re not out of the woods just yet, and Borderlands is another example of terrible decision-making in video game adaptations.

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I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I will keep my personal opinions to a minimum, but its 10% critic and 50% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes speak volumes.

So we could use certain things, but I didn’t want to have to be too slavish. I didn’t just want to film the game. We wanted to tell a great story on its own, but of course it’s loaded with Easter eggs for the fans. It’s a big movie.

-Director, Eli Roth

Well, fantastic job there, Eli.

There are currently seven Borderlands games on the market. These are huge games full of lore, characters, worlds, and plot points.

Condensing that into two hours is almost never advisable, yet Tinseltown continues to try. There are rare exceptions, but it’s safe to say that the episodic format is probably the future (at least the more successful future) of video game adaptations.

Borderlands serves as yet another example of how showrunners tend to disregard the vast differences between video game development and success versus filmmaking. It also sets the enthusiasm for adaptations back a step or a thousand.

The Future of Video Game Adaptations

Arcane was a fantastic first outing for Riot Games, and Season 2 is on the way this November. Christian Linke and Alex Yee (the creators behind the show) aren’t going anywhere just yet, and the first season’s success means they know their business.

Following Fallout’s success, a second season is a no-brainer. Prime already greenlit it back in April. An animated version of Tomb Raider is heading to Netflix as well, following the storyline of the reboot trilogy.

The success of Castlevania and Arcane shows that adults are more than willing to consume cartoon products and ask for more. Speaking of Castlevania, Castlevania: Nocturne will premiere on September 28, following the exploits of fan-favorite Richter Belmont.

One of the biggest franchises on the radar, however, is God of War, an immensely popular Sony franchise from Santa Monica Studios.

Similar to Fallout and The Witcher, God of War has a fan base that will tolerate zero major deviations unless they are done within character and make sense. Hopefully, Amazon is learning quickly from Fallout’s success and will do its due diligence regarding Kratos.

Ultimately, the rise of video game adaptations is almost wholly within the TV sphere, though there are sporadic helpings from the movie industry.

Fallout, Arcane, Castlevania, The Witcher, The Last of Us, and even Halo are proof positive that the small screen is a huge venue for these adaptations.

Despite decades of mediocre and downright awful adaptations on the big screen, things are looking up for those who want to see their favorite video game franchises find success on more than just one platform.

What are your favorite video game adaptations, and do you think mining the video game industry is good for TV? Let us know in the comments!

The post From Laughing Stock to Emmys: The Rise of Video Game Adaptations appeared first on TV Fanatic.

For all of Amazon’s endeavors to get a grip on the fantastical fiction of books and gaming arenas, Fallout finally hit the mark. Wheel of Time and Rings of Power are treading water despite critical success.

While those shows could learn something about built-in fanbases and adherence to the source material (as well as the show don’t tell method), Fallout chose the less-trodden path.

It may sound barbaric (sarcasm), but imagine taking something fans have loved for decades, incorporating a new storyline, and sticking to the feel and authenticity of the source material. The result? Fantastic levels of success. Shocking, right?

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The powers that be at Amazon are no fools. In their eyes, success will beget success. Amazon is scooping up some major video game franchises in an effort to capitalize on the mediocrity and deficiency of rival platforms, along with correcting their own mistakes.

The Video Game Franchises In Amazon’s Bag of Tricks

In many ways, video game adaptations are a lot like books. There are huge fanbases behind them, some for far longer than a non-gamer might expect.

The translation from game to video format is a little easier, thanks to similarities in structure, direction, and special effects.

Amazon picked up some big ones with long and storied histories and correspondingly huge followings. If Fallout is the blueprint moving forward, these franchises are in good hands.

Tomb Raider

For a while, Tomb Raider bandied back and forth, with the TV adaptation often falling under Netflix rather than Amazon.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with her experience as a director, writer, and executive producer from Fleabag and Killing Eve, will helm the adaptation.

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There may be some level of trepidation behind her choosing, as many blame her for single-handedly wiping out the latest Indiana Jones movie. Taking on a morally ambiguous role next to Indy didn’t sell well. However, acting and directing are two different things.

Killing Eve and Fleabag were both highly acclaimed shows, especially the latter. If she brings the same level of proficiency to Tomb Raider, the show will likely do well.

Warhammer 40,000

In December of 2022, Amazon acquired global rights to the Warhammer 40k universe, and two rather phenomenal things occurred not long after. First, Netflix and Henry Cavill parted ways, leaving the Witcher role in Liam Hemsworth’s hands.

Second, Amazon handed over one of the biggest video game and tabletop franchises to him, reportedly with all the creative freedom he wants. If there is one actor or actress from Tinseltown who will honor the source material, it’s Henry Cavill.

He will star in and executive produce the series. He’s also a well-known gamer with immense respect and love for the source material. Such experience is necessary because Warhammer is epic in terms of scale and lore.

God of War

Sony’s mega-franchise God of War is heading to Amazon as well. The upcoming series will focus on the 2018 game release. Of all the video game franchises in the works, God of War is the only one that probably has no grey area.

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It’s sink or swim, with an immense fanbase that isn’t likely to tolerate wholesale, unnecessary lore changes, and characters that hardly resemble their video game counterparts.

Wheel of Time’s Rafe Judkins is in the driver’s seat, which is concerning considering Wheel of Time is still struggling to find its footing.

However, the writers penning the script have plenty of solid work and experience under their belts. Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby are the scriptwriters behind Iron Man, Children of Men, and The Expanse.

Like a Dragon

Yakuza is one of the more successful video game franchises over the long term, with the series selling well over 20 million units since 2005. Amazon has two things working for it with Like a Dragon: The huge popularity and appeal of the franchise and the recent success of Shogun.

Shogun proves there is a marked interest in Japanese culture, and Like a Dragon brings more of that to the forefront. It’s a bit different from the fantasy and sci-fi elements of the above entries, focusing instead on crime, drama, and suspense.

Masaharu Take is in the director’s chair, and Ryoma Takeuchi is the primary character. Unlike God of War, Tomb Raider, and Warhammer, Like a Dragon has a release date of October 24.

Disco Elysium

This will be an interesting one. The game is an isometric tactical RPG without the fighting prevalent in games like Rogue Trader, Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Divinity series. Instead, you’re a detective in a fictional city ravaged by a recent revolution.

It’s an Indie hit and a cult favorite. How Amazon will translate a game of unique level progression and choices into a TV series is a fascinating thought experiment. In games like these, you can take things in a hundred different directions.

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It opens up a wide door for creative showrunners to play with, especially within an engrossing visual setting of historical fantasy.

Video Game Adaptations are Amazon’s MCU

To be fair, Amazon isn’t the only one latching onto multiple video game franchises. Netflix is adapting Bioshock, Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin’s Creed, and Gears of War. That’s not including Arcane and Castlevania.

But Amazon isn’t stopping with just the above list. Life is Strange, and It Takes Two are also somewhere in the development stage.

The world went through a two-decade-long fascination with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there is a fundamental difference between the MCU and game adaptations.

While consumers grow tired of exorbitant leotards and skin-tight outfits, video game adaptations offer wholly contained spheres.

One of the things that negatively impacts comic book stories is the sheer volume of it, the characters, the storylines, and the intersections.

On the other hand, Kratos’ Nordic universe and its characters limit God of War to a well-built and simpler world. If the story gets wild and out of hand, it’s because the showrunners are taking it in the wrong direction.

Couple this reduction in complexity with stories that are highly popular, and you’re cooking with gas.

Will the Fallout Formula Lead the Way?

This is the key. The biggest complaint (and it’s not even close) about major franchises today is the showrunner’s ability to turn it into a personal project, limiting the scope of the characters to reflections of the writer’s persona.

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The fans of video game franchises like Warhammer, Fallout, God of War, and so many others want to see the games they fell in love with, not the Hollywood version of famous skins draped over interlopers.

Fallout manages to satisfy fans without even bothering with well-known and well-loved characters. This is because the world is a character in its own right.

The bleached, irradiated terrain, a hodgepodge of dilapidated dwellings, and the desperate lives of those that people these worlds are a match for their video game counterparts.

Within such a sandbox, Amazon is free to create new characters and story arcs so long as they obey the rules of the original. Fallout’s success is due to this simple formula.

If Amazon can mimic it throughout the various acquired franchises, the level of success will be unrivaled.

Expect Even More

Last but not least is the unknown horizon. There is a sense of inevitability when it comes to major video game franchises, much like the MCU movies that led up to The Avengers.

It’s not just the fact that Amazon is making these acquisitions, either. Amazon’s competition is doing the same thing, with Netflix, Max, Peacock, and Paramount+ either with skin in the game already or working their way to it.

Hopefully, competition will breed quality, but it will certainly breed volume. Expect more and more game franchises to join the fray sooner rather than later.

The epic scope of the Divinity series or Baldurs Gate 3, the vast, surreal, and utterly dangerous world of Elden Ring, the planet-conquering politics of Helldivers, and the dark sci-fi of Metroid are too tantalizing to ignore.

It’s only a matter of time before things get really real and, hopefully, a lot of fun as well.

What video game franchises do you think are perfect for Amazon Prime? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Amazon Plans to Change the Game by Adapting Major Video Game Franchises appeared first on TV Fanatic.

It's also the reigning champion of spontaneous cancellations, catching fans off-guard and delivering some real gut punches.

Some refer to it as a cancellation loop, and it's making viewers wary of investing their time and subscription money on new and exciting shows.

Netflix is dealing with the self-inflicted wounds that come with popular shows, forcing them into an endless loop that's not based on reality but perception.

It's also changing successful, tried-and-true storytelling formulas and driving creators to other streaming platforms so their product stands a chance at longevity.

To be fair, this is not unique to Netflix, especially as other streaming platforms continue to grow.

But Netflix is the OG with the most shows and brand recognition.

Because of that, the damage to the brand from especially infamous cancellations feels more extensive to fans.

The Pattern of Cancellation

In the past, popular shows would go viral, quickly jacking up viewership.

People would binge the show, talk about it, recommend it, and the numbers would soar.

However, Netflix canceled one too many over time, creating the perception that any show, regardless of popularity, could be on the chopping block.

These Cancellations Still Haunt Us

Now, instead of jumping all over the next big thing, potential viewers are content to wait and see how the show fares over time.

Unfortunately, Netflix sees this as a lack of interest in the show and gives it the ax.

It creates the impression that Netflix wants mass viewership immediately, and anything less simply won't cut it.

On the bright side, several popular shows are returning in 2024 and 2025, including Arcane, Squid Game, Stranger Things (final season), Sweet Tooth, Love, Death and Robots, Castlevania: Nocturne, and Cobra Kai.

With nearly half of 2024 already over, dozens of shows are still set to release.

The only concern is how many people will watch and how many will sit on their hands, anticipating the show's fate.

Netflix Follows the Binge Model Religiously

That's an educated guess since Netflix doesn't spend much time releasing deep-dive data for us to peruse.

The model is simple: Netflix releases a show, and people watch the show.

If there aren't enough butts in seats after a month or so, the show may get the ax.

The sad part is that it doesn't matter how many awards the show wins, how many top-notch reviews pop up on Tomatometer, or even if the show sits in Netflix's top spot for a while.

If the show is not a nuclear explosion of viral excitement, it's in danger.

This perpetuates the loop in which Netflix now finds itself.

Why would I invest in anything remotely interesting on Netflix if it might get the ax because it had 80 million viewing hours in week one instead of 500 million?

5 Spinoffs That Never Made It To Air

Mindhunter, Shadow and Bone, Lockwood & Co., and 1899 are prime examples. None of these shows were unpopular, highly unlikable series.

They weren't explosive enough for Netflix's taste, especially within their first month.

"Completion Rate" is another issue that Netflix seems to favor strongly.

If there are 10 episodes and you watch 8 before getting distracted by another show for a week or two, that's not a positive look from Netflix's PoV.

They want completion, and they want it within a month.

The cost to produce the show is certainly a factor, but it's only important as an association with the binge model.

The Ripple Effect

Netflix's propensity for canceling anything and everything we don't sit and watch immediately, all the way through, causes a negative ripple effect.

The first is obvious. Fewer people are likely to invest in shows on Netflix because of the fear that Netflix will cancel them.

Netflix makes no bones about it, regardless of exciting cliffhangers and audience pleadings.

Cliffhangers That Made Our Jaws Drop to The Floor

They are just as likely to cancel a show after a brutal season 3 cliffhanger as they are a slow-burning season 1.

Imagine the cliffhanger from Severance (Apple TV+) being the last scene you see from that show. Ever.

There was a collective meltdown after Lockwood & Co.'s announced cancellation, and it was a real head-scratcher.

Lockwood & Co. had a solid completion rate, with nearly 80 million viewing hours in three weeks.

And it remained in the top 10 for three weeks straight.

However, there was a residual decline in viewership week after week, enough for Netflix to cut its knees out from under it.

Another ripple effect is in the way series are made.

It's hard to blame creators for taking their projects elsewhere or only developing a limited, one-season-run storyline for Netflix.

There might be fewer cliffhangers, as well. It wouldn't be surprising to see fewer cliffhanger-type endings in the future.

The odds are too high that Netflix will cancel it, and no one will ever get a resolution.

The Future of Netflix Originals

Though Netflix is not immune to the "peak TV" woes faced by other major streaming networks, it fared much better in the short and long term.

In fact, Netflix spent a cool $17 billion on original programming in 2024.

Now, it remains to be seen how much of that stuff ends up being canceled a month into release.

Streaming is Dominated by a Handful of Shows. Is There Any Room For Smaller Players?

The 3 Body Problem performed well enough in its first season to merit a second, while Cobra Kai will wrap things up this year with a series finale.

Originals are definitely coming to Netflix despite the drop in original content across the board.

It's easy to blame Netflix for the seemingly knee-jerk cancellations, but the brand remains at the top of the industry.

On the flip side, Netflix cut well over a hundred shows at the beginning of 2024, so there is simultaneous growth and reduction. It all adds up to a rollercoaster ride for fans of Netflix originals and Netflix in general.

The Evolving Landscape at Netflix

One thing is for certain, Netflix is still the top dog.

As such, the business model is not likely to change anytime soon.

There's a reason Neil Gaiman urged viewers to watch every Sandman episode within a month.

He's well aware of Netflix's careful study of series completion within the first month of release.

Even an enormously popular franchise is not immune to Netflix's bloodthirsty retribution if fans aren't binge-watching it in a hurry.

"Sandman is a really expensive show. And for Netflix to release the money to let us make another season we have to perform incredibly well," Gaiman tweeted in 2022.

"So yes, we've been the top show in the world for the last two weeks. That still may not be enough.

Sandman did phenomenally well on Netflix, yet fans were super worried about the future of season 2. This shows the kind of stress and angst Netflix's methodology creates with fans of its shows.

Officially, Netflix renewed 16 shows in 2024, including the 3 Body Problem, and canceled 4, including Obliterated and Ratchet.

Several popular shows, including Sweet Tooth, Vikings: Valhalla, The Umbrella Academy, Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, and Elite, will conclude with a series finale in 2024.

The series of conclusions is the hardest to stomach and will be missed.

Next time you subscribe to Netflix, remember the brand's completion analysis. If you love the show, you better watch all of it quickly.

If not, you won't likely see it again.

What do you think about Netflix's cancel-happy business model and does it make you more or less likely to watch new shows on the platform?

Let us know what you think in the comments!

The post Is Netflix Leaving Its Cancel-Happy Ways In The Past? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

They're the culmination of the negative, the positive, or simply the need for upheaval in an otherwise flat character arc — a self-destruction so piteous as to seem irredeemable.

Sometimes, this act affects others as well.

Naturally, the on-screen breakdown is the culmination of psychological stressors, whether self-induced or brought on by binge-watching The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

It's often difficult to watch without empathy, especially in characters we've grown to love and even in some we love to hate.

After all, the most intense breakdowns are all too often close to home and personal to the viewers.

It's easier to empathize with Walter White's failure to find the money to pay Saul in Breaking Bad if you've ever misplaced a hundred-dollar bill in the couch cushions.

The closer a TV series parallels real life, the more we can empathize with the characters. That's what makes shows like The Bear so damnably stressful.

With that being said, some actresses and actors are highly adept at turning on the aura of a psychological meltdown through their visceral, physical efforts. The horror, sadness, and spectacle are nearly unrivaled when done right.

Saved By The Bell – Jessie's Song – Jessie Spano

Who would have thought Saved By The Bell would be at the top of such a list?

Most Gen Xers who think back on Saved By The Bell imagine some variation of lighthearted comedy, probably with Screech involved, and little else.

However, returning to some of the most popular episodes years later, it's easy to notice things that a child's mind or teenage perceptions failed to catch the first time around.

Sure, it lacks the gravitas of some of the more recent melodramatic moments in many modern TV series, but it tickled many viewer's emotions at the time. Perhaps 'tickle" is too weak a word.

Related: How the Saved by the Bell Revival Honored Dustin Diamond

Addiction is a brutal takeover of the human body and mind. A religious person might call it 'possession.'

Whether you're religious or not, 'possession' is the most adequate descriptor.

Fortunately for Jessie, caffeine pills were the extent of it.

But anyone watching Jessie having a meltdown to a tune from The Pointer Sisters approaches comprehension of the power a pill can have on the human body and psyche.

Those who have suffered from addiction know and understand all too well.

Regardless of background, the scene resonated with many, growing into a legendary moment in an otherwise moderately popular TV show.

Game of Thrones – The Laws of Gods and Men – Tyrion Lannister

Nothing facilitates a crescendo quite like an extensive narrative build-up.

Game of Thrones Season 4 Episode 6 is quite a ways into Game of Thrones' 8-season run.

That build-up rewarded audiences with an epic, rage-filled repudiation of the recently deceased King Joffrey (and all the purple-faced delight that came with it) and the entire Lannister family.

Tyrion Lannister and Game of Thrones fans were the source of all that rage and animosity.

Related: House of the Dragon Season 2 Fan Theories: Who Is Cregan Stark, and Why Does He Matter?

For years, Tyrion withstood the taunting, general disgust, selfish machinations, and unrivaled hatred of his family, most of which was directed at him.

The Laws of Gods and Men served as the proverbial soda can release, with Tyrion raging at a packed chamber of Lannisters and sycophants with silver spoons jammed up their posteriors.

While the speech's end result didn't change any minds within the story (except perhaps the only one that mattered), it certainly resulted in some fist-pumping of the binge-watching couch variety.

Euphoria – Stand Like the Hummingbird – Rue

Euphoria doesn't come close to describing this TV show.

A combination of chaos, betrayal, maniacal, senselessness, and roller coaster may be more apt.

Is there a word in any language that encapsulates them all?

Zendaya, as a fairly young actress, has taken Hollywood by storm, starring in a large slice of the movies and shows the entertainment industry is pumping out.

Her role in Euphoria has since been eclipsed by major roles in Spiderman, Dune, and Challengers.

Related: It's Time to Give Up on Euphoria Season 3, and That's OK

However, Euphoria brings out her full range in spectacular fashion.

This is especially true in Euphoria Season 2 Episode 5.

The scene begins with Rue (Zendaya) bursting into her sister's bedroom and accusing her of ratting Rue out over smoking weed.

What happens next can only be defined as spiraling chaos — an epic meltdown in front of an increasingly terrified mother and sister.

The scene also manages to convey how deeply Rue has fallen into the grasp of drug use.

Again, addiction rears its monstrous head.

It's a far more violent and sadistic act of self-destruction than Jessie Spano's turn over caffeine pills.

However, Euphoria is aimed at a far more mature demographic, and it shows, wrapped in four straight minutes of absolute anarchy.

Outer Range – The West – Cecilia Abbott

Despite the many things going on in the surreal world of Outer Range, Cecilia Abbott remains grounded in her faith.

This is emphasized several times throughout the first season, especially in her interactions with her family, specifically her husband.

In the first season finale, however, she falters, falling victim to stress and the fact that her granddaughter just went missing right under her nose.

The scene itself is stressful and strange, interspersed with Ceclilia's desperate search, her son's injury after being thrown by the bull he was riding, and the sudden reappearance of a character once thought to be dead.

Related: Some of TV's Heaviest Moments Came From Lighthearted Shows

The camera, in a traditional technique of spinning around and around a distressed character, infuses the scene with the chaotic moments that anyone would feel at the sudden disappearance of a loved one.

Cecilia's desperation becomes more poignant as she is ignored and rebuffed, ultimately resulting in her complete devastation and renouncement of her faith.

Servant – Awake – Dorothy

Servant was a slow burn — four seasons of creeping dread and confusion that culminated in Dorothy's (Lauren Ambrose) cataclysmic breakdown on a rain-soaked sidewalk, her brother and husband simultaneously restraining and desperately attempting to comfort her.

In typical M. Night Shyamalan fashion, Servant saved its best twists for last, even though most of the viewers probably had a good idea as to who was responsible for the death of Dorothy and Sean's baby.

It's one thing to witness the death of your child, and quite another to realize the perpetrator was none other than yours truly.

Related: Is Apple TV+ the Most Innovative Streamer?

In fact, the entire 4-season run of Apple's Servant was a long-winded description of Dorothy's breakdown.

The trauma of the event resulted in her refusal to accept reality. The paranormal happenings, along with the actions of those around her, were subordinate to that moment.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse – Will Smith

In a similar fashion to Saved By The Bell, it's hard to imagine The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air becoming a study of devastation, despair, and despondency.

It's a good thing it did since it resulted in one of the most touching and heartbreaking moments in TV history.

With the renewed hope and optimism of having his father back in his life, Will is rewarded with watching his dad (if you can call him that) walk right back out.

Several things happen immediately after. Will breaks down.

There's hope in his resurgence spurred by his Uncle. His uncle proves that you don't have to be the actual parent to be a good and honorable father.

Though the scene is devastating for Will and the viewers, who absorb Will's despondence and confusion, it's also touching that we know his Uncle will fill that void willingly, lovingly, and responsibly.

Found – Missing While A Pawn – Gabrielle

The strange dynamic between Gabi and Sir is one of the driving forces in Found.

On a surface level, it makes little sense for the kidnapping victim of a kidnapper to kidnap her kidnapper.

The knee-jerk reaction is to assume a kidnap victim would want the worst for her kidnapper. A lifetime in a maximum security prison, picking up bars of soap for a living perhaps?

Gabi and her kidnapped kidnapper, Sir, are not on that page, however.

The nature of their relationship recalls echoes of Silence of the Lambs. Regardless, Gabi still has to face a good deal of internal trauma, and Found Season 1 Episode 4 brings that trauma to a head.

Related: 13 Deeply Flawed Characters We Can't Get Out of Our Heads

Gabi has transformed trauma into purpose at this point in the season, though the ride is not without its bumps and bruises. Her breakdown in the kitchen is revelatory, both for her and for Sir.

However, though Gabi loses control in episode 4, it's only the beginning of her unraveling. Later episodes reveal more about her complex character and inner thoughts.

Arcane – The Monster You Created – Jinx

Arcane is a rare, highly popular animated show, mostly for its excellent story and character-driven arcs.

Alone, Jinx is a fascinating character, torn between two devotions.

Unfortunately, this makes her a chaotic piece on the chess board, as the first season finale attests.

Jinx believes she has the upper hand with her kidnapped sister Vi and her boss, Silco, in her hands.

Related: Arcane Season 2: Everything We Know Before the Premiere

That is until Vi begins talking, conjuring up memories of their childhood and strong sisterly connection.

The chaotic, inner workings of Jinx's psychological civil war ensue in spectacular, animated fashion.

It's a neat scene that both reveals Jinx's mental disorder and gives birth to a new Jinx that is probably more devastating and destructive than the one before.

There's nothing quite like a well-known or well-loved character's moment of shattering.

In movies, this generally takes place in the third act, before the final resolution.

In an ongoing TV series, it's a magnificent mark of character growth or degradation, becoming integral to the overall story, plot, and character arcs as the seasons roll on.

The above examples are bolstered by the terrific performances of the actors and actresses that fill these roles, ultimately becoming them in our view of their fictional world.

Moments like these bring us frightening close to our own inner demons.

The fragility of the human psyche isn't limited to the small or the big screen, after all.

It helps us to alternately identify with these characters, and fear how easily a few random life events could bring out the worst in us as well.

There are far more than just eight passionate, on-screen breakdowns out there, so feel free to add your own by commenting below!

Who knows? Your addition may inspire one of our writers to focus on that character in a later article.

It's always fun to be the catalyst for inspiration!

The post TV’s Best, Most Passionate (Fictional) On-Screen Breakdowns appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Scenes that pull on your gut and fill it with butterflies are nothing new, especially in the theater, with its massive screen and booming sound.

But whoever said that crescendo moments are reserved for the big screen only?

The small screen is rife with scenes that pull on your gut and fill it with butterflies (usually around the time you really have to go to the bathroom and can't bring yourself to press pause).

Moments like the infamous scene where Darth Vader discontinued Luke's hand and told him, "I'm your daddy," are found across the fruited plains of streaming entertainment.

Even better, you don't have to go looking for them because we did the hard work (it was actually pretty easy and fun) for you and rounded up some of these incredible TV moments that will have you waxing poetic over the grandiloquent melodrama at work.

Severance: The We We Are

Severance Season 1 Episode 9 was the most impressive and poignant episode of the bunch.

It was full of tension, startling revelations, and one heck of a cliffhanger ending.

The season finale repeatedly kicks you in the stomach through a wicked combination of Innie's and Outie's perspectives.

Each kick is as effective as the last, if not more so.

Bouncing back and forth between two perspectives, Severance piles on stunning revelations, while the fate of an important character (the one holding the door open for everything) hangs in the balance.

Severance Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV +

While the Innies are essentially fish out of water for the moment, they are also desperately trying to alert their Outies (yes, it's complicated if you haven't seen the show) with crucial information.

In the midst of the chaos, the series abruptly draws to a close, probably leaving many an audience member sitting on the floor in a state of abject dismay.

Game of Thrones: The Winds of Winter

No, there's still no word on the actual book release of Winds of Winter.

We're referring to the HBO series. Sorry, we'll have to wait another decade or 8 before we see the release of Winds of Winter.

Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 10 was a dual moment of confirmation and revelation.

Die-hard fans of the book were finally rewarded with something we all assumed and theorized over for years. for non-book readers, it was a startling revelation.

Game of Thrones Fans Are Still Divided Over These Controversial Storylines (Why Did They Do That to Daenerys?)

The reveal was the season's crescendo in more ways than one.

The origin of Jon Snow was laid bare to the tune of a somber violin and a vivid scene of life and despair, tragedy and betrayal.

To many, the scene was also the show's climax, as the writing fell off afterward, leading to one of the most disappointing series finales of all time.

Arcane: The Base Violence Necessary for Change

Arcane Season 1 Episode 3 is easily the crescendo of a surprisingly excellent animated series on Netflix.

Based on Riot Games' League of Legends universe, Arcane is intensely character-driven, with fantastic imagery and action.

This particular episode is the catalyst—the birth, if you will, of Jinx, Vi's sister and once ally.

The crescendo builds from the moment Vi and her crew attempt to rescue Vander, only to be cornered and subjected to Silco's mutant aberration.

Arcane Season 2: Everything We Know Before The Premiere

As the father figure of the bunch, Vander sacrifices himself in more ways than one, as the soon-to-be Jinx destroys everything in an attempt to save Vi.

The entire scene is fascinating in its ability to resolve and create in only a few minutes.

It's the sky punch of the entire series — the nucleus around which everything that came before and everything that comes after revolves.

The Last Kingdom: The Last Kingdom

From the pugnacious and arrogant Aethelred to the final redress for all of the grievances Aethelwold caused, the season finale of The Last Kingdom was the defining aspect in a crescendo of vengeance.

Admittedly, there were many times throughout the first three seasons where Aetholwold was friendly and even hilarious.

Surprisingly, there were moments when you could feel his character creeping towards your good side.

The Last Kingdom: Coming to an End!

Unfortunately, he ended all of that with a cowardly murder in a fit of selfishness so extreme that there was no hope for his character's recovery.

The only feeling was relief when Uhtred finally ended it in an almost quiet, serene scene dappled with bars of shimmering sunlight.

The moment was touching for what it meant between Uhtred and Brida and darkly malevolent for Aetholwold and the instances of life that drive humanity into death, violence, and despair.

The Great: Ice

Rarely in the history of television has a character been so repulsive that you grow incredibly fond of him or her.

Peter III's ending is sudden, bizarrely placed in the middle of a season, and incredibly effective nonetheless.

The Great is not known for its serious drama nor its subtleties.

The Great Canceled at Hulu

Instead, it's rife with irreverent humor, animal abuse, ludicrous political maneuvering, torture, and lots of sex, extramarital and otherwise.

Suddenly, amidst all the buffoonery and thunderously hilarious antics, Elle Fanning (Catherine the Great) cries.

Her face is a shadow of its former splendor — broken and set adrift to wander the world alone.

It's almost heart-stopping. It both comes out of left field and feels rightly placed as a scene worthy of a show unfairly canceled before its time.

It was peak Peter III, going out in the only way such a figure could.

No more epiphanies from the grandson of Peter the Great.

Stranger Things: The Mind Flayer

Come on, now. You can't kill off Samwise Gamgee! Not Rudy! Of course, Rudy was arguably offside before he was hoisted and carried off the field, but that's still no excuse.

Nevertheless, Bob, the invariably, sometimes irritatingly good guy of Stranger Things, met his demise in the cruelest of ways — food for the demodogs.

The scene was visceral and a suitably blind-side gut punch, wrapping up the eighth episode with a sacrifice for the love and well-being of those who fought with him.

Stranger Things Season 5: Everything We Know Before the Final Season

Every horror series needs a shining light in the darkness, and Bob was that light.

Unfortunately, the showrunners knew how to send the audience into a frenzy of disbelief and dismay with the tragedy in Stranger Things Season 2 Episode 8.

"Crescendo" may not be a common word nowadays, but it sums up these episodes nicely.

These Relationships Changed Dramatically from Page to Small Screen

Open List

Are there any TV episodes that successfully stirred your sentiments?

Wrong answers only.

Gilligan's Island, Hannah Montana, and The Jerry Springer Show don't count.

Feel free to let us know in the comments!

The post TV Moments That Give Meaning to the Word Crescendo appeared first on TV Fanatic.

What was somewhat surprising was how appealing the show is to non-League watchers. A collaboration between Riot and animation studio Fortiche Productions, Arcane streamed as three acts, each consisting of three episodes, with acts dropping weekly, with consecutively record-setting viewer numbers.

Two years later, Arcane continues to entertain and inspire League, animation, and Imagine Dragons fans with a 100% Fresh score at Rotten Tomatoes and consistently high streams. So when will we get the next chapter of Piltover and Zaun? Who will return? And what does it mean for the future of Hextech and Shimmer?

What is Arcane about?

Based on a game with over 140 champions to choose from, the show's creators had to narrow the scope down to a few core characters with a story to tell.

They chose sisters Vi and Powder, who grow up in the care of foster father Vander in the impoverished undercity, Zaun.

Orphaned again when Vander is killed, the sisters are separated and survive in very different circumstances — Vi in a Piltover prison and Powder raised by Zaun's crime lord, Silco.

Arcane Season 1 Act 1 provides us with the backstory and introduces several supporting characters.

Vander: What the hell were you thinking?

Vi: That we could handle a real job.

Vander: A real job?

Vi: We got our own tip, planned a route, nobody even saw…

Vander: You blew up a building

_{🔗 permalink: You blew up a building}

Grown, the sisters find each other again as tensions between the affluent Piltover and Zaun begin to boil over, fueled by Hextech in the over-city and a dangerous Shimmer addiction epidemic in the underworld.

As politics become fraught with multiple endgames and the leaders of both cities work at cross-purposes, the sisters struggle to reconnect despite all the trauma and years that stand between them.

The finale ends with explosive aggression as Jinx (Powder's new name and persona) weaponizes the crystals that power Hextech and seeks to even the playing field by evening out the landscape, literally.

Arcane Season 2 Plot

It all comes down to who survives Jinx's attack.

The best guess will be that Piltover will need time to rebuild their city and their leadership, and that will give Zaun a chance to rise up successfully and seize the wealth and comforts they've been denied.

That will require someone to take the reins in Zaun now that Silco's gone. That could be Jinx, but it could also be Ekko with his Firelights.

Ekko, with Heimerdinger's help, could be the leader Zaun needs, capable of building something positive with a vision of a better future. On the other hand, Jinx is self-destructive by nature and wouldn't care if she took everyone down with her.

The double-edged blade of being based on a lore with so many characters is the risk of bringing in too many and spoiling the narrative.

Vander, Jinx and Vi's foster father, does not appear in League canon, but the glimpse of a Shimmer-ridden wolf-like visage with a distinctly Vander-esque silhouette hints that game favorite Warwick may be next up for release.

Described as a monster who hunts the gray alleys of Zaun, Warwick is a powerful presence who hunts the criminals of the undercity, sharing a hatred of the baddies with Vander.

Transformed by agonizing experiments, his body is fused with an intricate system of chambers and pumps, machinery filling his veins with alchemical rage; if Vander has been turned into Warwick in Singed's laboratory, his reunion with his daughters will be an incredibly compelling story.

Arcane Season 2 Cast: Who's In?

One surprising confirmed return is Jason Spisak's Silco.

The character's death at her hands on Arcane Season 1 Episode 9 cements Jinx's resolve to be the daughter he raised and motivates her to launch her weapon at Piltover.

In August, Spisak confirmed that he'd recorded lines for Season 2.

If a Vander/Warwick story is a Season 2 thing, flashbacks to Vander's youth with Silco would make sense, as they were as close as brothers.

Their relationship is tragically echoed in Vi and Jinx's.

While not confirmed, Reed Shannon's Ekko, Mick Wingert's Heimerdinger, Kevin Alejandro's Jayce, and Harry Lloyd's Viktor will likely return.

The other three voice actors confirmed for Season 2 are the three women standing in Zaun, watching Jinx's weapon arc toward the Piltover Council Tower.

Hailee Steinfeld's Vi, Ella Purnell's Jinx, and Katie Leung's Caitlin are all heard in the Season 2 announcement teaser.

When will Arcane 2 premiere?

September 1 Update: Riot Games' parent company, Tencent, has announced Season 2 will premiere in the fourth quarter of 2024. This means sometime in October, November, or December which would be in keeping with Season 1's November drop.

According to co-showrunner Christian Linke, Season 2 scripts were completed in 2022.

Production began after the success of Arcane Season 1 guaranteed a Season 2 renewal, but if they'd had a crystal ball to see just how incredible the reception would be, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent says they would've started much earlier.

As it is, Season 1, with its cutting-edge animated art style and pitch-perfect direction, took SIX YEARS to bring to our screens.

In comparison, three years isn't long to wait. And, as of August, reports are that first three episodes of Season 2 were in post.

Mind you, in 2015, we had NO idea how excellent it would be.

Will Arcane Season 2's soundtrack be as amazing as Season 1's?

An integral part of Arcane was the music, anchored by its theme song, "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons. (Full disclosure: I couldn't have named a single Imagine Dragons song before watching Arcane. "Enemy" was my workout warmup track for a YEAR after watching.)

Hopefully, Season 2 will incorporate the same caliber of music to soundtrack the next adventure.

Over to you, Fanatics! How has Arcane changed your life?

Have you started playing League of Legends because of the series?

If you played before, did you change your champion after watching Arcane?

Which characters are you hoping to see in Season 2? Hit our comments with your wishlist!

Love Is In The Air For These TV Couples

Open List

The post Arcane Season 2: Everything We Know Before the Premiere appeared first on TV Fanatic.

There were so many amazing shows released in 2021 that it may be challenging to decide which one to binge on.

TV Fanatic staff compiled a list of the best streaming shows that aired in 2021, as well as the ones we deemed the worst.

Grab some popcorn, chocolate, and enjoy hours of entertaining TV.

Scroll down to find out if your shows made the list.

Arcane (Netflix)-Best

For an animated epic based on an online arena role-playing game like League of Legends, Arcane was a phenomenon that came out of nowhere to delight and intrigue both hard-core players and total newbies to the lore.

Gorgeous visuals, butt-kicking action, and a club-thumping soundtrack all contributed to the show's instant popularity as it rocketed to the top of Netflix charts in over fifty countries every time it dropped one of its three acts.

Season 2 is in the works, with the creators promising another installment as impressive as the inaugural offering.

Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)-Best

Nine Perfect Strangers built on Liane Moriarty's best-selling novel and made the series so much more dramatic and trippy.

They took the best parts and expanded the characters' arcs. The weird triangle between Masha, Yao, and Delilah was one of the best relationships.

We never knew Masha's true intentions as she drugged her guests. Did she want them to conquer their fears, or was it part of her sinister plan?

Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy shined in their emotional acting.

Tell Me Your Secrets (Amazon Prime)-Best

Lily Rabe and Amy Brenneman, together! Need we say more?

But this one packs a concussive punch. The morbid darkness of the plot leads to necessary and immediate bingeing—total drama and insanity, with stellar performances.

Sex/Life (Netflix)-Worst

We're still wishing the universe could restore the time we wasted watching this insipid, feckless series. Sex/Life is a worthwhile series to watch if you want to spend the entire time shredding it to pieces or kicks and giggles as you watch, mystified that the writing of a series could be that freaking bad.

It's all guilt and no pleasure, except for Sarah Shahi's Billie, usually seen writhing in something akin to ecstasy every ten minutes or so in the most gratuitous, irritating sex scenes ever. You can't find a single likable character in this series.

It's hard to say if Billie's supposed to be a feminist icon for tired, bored suburban moms or just a genuinely terrible person. Bad Boy Brad is every unoriginal toxic male trope wrapped up in leather and decent hair, and Cooper is just sad.

If 50 Shades of Grey didn't suck what's left of your soul, leaving you reevaluating the state of fiction as we know it, then Sex/Life will finish it off.

Outer Banks (Netflix)-Best

Outer Banks took what worked in Season 1 and excited the action by 1000 percent for Season 2. They were off and running immediately with the chase to find John B and Sarah in the Bahamas.

Season 2 excited the action by giving Pope his family mystery, which led the Pogues on a new adventure.

And Ward Cameron, played by the talented Charles Esten, had one of the best showdowns ever with his daughter. The emotions were so heightened. We can't wait until Season 3!

The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)-Best

It may be hard to believe that an adaptation of a tween series made our best list, but Season 2 delved into meatier issues while still using the core material of the book series.

It didn't matter if you were a tween girl or a 40-year-old woman; you related to Stacey's issues with diabetes or Kristy's struggles fitting into a blended family.

The series featured its best episode when Claudia's grandmother, Mimi, died, as it delved into Japanese traditions and how a teenager handled grief.

Firefly Lane (Netflix)-Worst

This series was one of Netflix's worst page-to-screen adaptations. They told it in three different timelines in each episode, very like a This is Us style, but only the teenage timeline was anything like the famous Kristin Hannah novel.

Both the 1980s and the 2000s timeline kept minimal source material accurate. While we enjoyed Tully and Kate's friendship, we're hoping Season 2 follows the book a little closer.

Dafne and the Rest (HBO Max)-Best

An HBO Max original dramedy from Madrid, Dafne and the Rest (aka Todo Lo Otro) explores relationships between a newly trans woman and her gay male ex-boyfriend and her best friend/roommate/love interest.

Showrunner and star Abril Zamora uses real-life friends to play with onscreen, and the result is a funny, sad, heartfelt tale.

Oh, and if you watch the English dubbed version, you'll even hear TV Fanatic contributor Kerr Lordygan as the American voice of Manuel.

WandaVision (Disney +)- Best

WandaVision was brilliant in every sense of the word. The Disney+ series took the world by storm with its gripping mystery and unique style from many iconic TV sitcoms.

WandaVision perfectly captured each TV era in its episode structure and highlighted the talents of its cast, like Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Kathryn Hahn.

WandaVision shined and kept us in our eyes; it will take a lot for another MCU series to capture the same magic that this one did right.

Pretty Smart (Netflix)-Worst

Pretty Smart suffered from slow pacing and a weak peak. This wasn't the first time that a TV series played off the trope of beautiful people who were dumb/shallow, but where those shows differed was that they gave nuance to their characters. Pretty Smart stayed in the same realm and didn't grow beyond its main idea. The dynamic between the sisters was interesting, but you're not going to get much depth out of the series.

Pretty Smart wasn't fun enough to carry ten episodes of misadventures for a friend-based sitcom.

Locke & Key (Netflix)-Best

Locke & Key ended the Dodge storyline on a thrilling point. The series had a stellar first season, but Locke & Key Season 2 grew on that momentum and blew it out of the water.

The characters matured and took agency over their mission to stop Dodge. Plus, Locke & Key explored many deep plots, like loss, death, gaslighting, and the search for truth.

The sophomore slump was nowhere to be found here.

Shadow & Bone (Netflix)-Best

Epic. Expansive. Magical. Shadow and Bone is an intriguing fantasy series that will quickly pull you into its action. If you're a fan of the book series, the TV show loves the source material while making needed shifts.

But if you're new to the world, it's easy to jump right in and fall in love with the seamless special effects, well-written characters, and captivating plot.

Squid Game (Netflix)-Best

Squid Game was a cultural phenomenon. It took the world by storm with its simple concept of regular people playing children's games to the death for money.

The games were clever, the episodes were addictive, and the story was well-written. Squid Game easily won over everyone as a great series.

The only debate left was if you were a viewer who preferred the subtitles or the dubbed version. The battle still rages on.

Big Mouth (Netflix)-Best

Big Mouth continued its trend of dirty jokes and hormone monsters for another season. And they owned every second of it!

Big Mouth Season 5 had lots of fun growing its characters and expanding on the world of puberty monsters. The hate-worms and lovebugs were excellent additions that affected the overall stories, like Missy's increasing hatred of Jessi or Nick's newfound crush.

The series didn't shy away from exploring unlikely romances and the debate of when to end a relationship/know when a relationship is over. Big Mouth is a fun guilty pleasure and easy binge for any binge-watcher.

Crossing Swords (Hulu)-Worst

For some reason, this show received a second season. Crossing Swords hails from the creators of Robot Chicken yet fails to meet any of the latter's quality of humor.

The humor is childish for adult animation, and hopefully, season two will be its swan song.

Did your favorites make our list? Chime in below in the comments.

The post The Best and Worst Streaming Shows of 2021 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Wow.

I'll come out and say it. Arcane's Act 3 — comprised of Arcane Season 1 Episode 7, Arcane Season 1 Episode 8, and Arcane Season 1 Episode 9 — was not the ending I expected.

Probably because it's not an ending, and that's more than okay. No one, but NO ONE, was prepared for an online multiplayer battle arena game to produce a season of rich and intriguing animated narrative at this level.

Shooting to the tops of Netflix charts worldwide, Arcane has been a juggernaut of a phenomenon.

That being said, I may still be in shock from how the season closed out.

I mean, SHE KILLS THEM ALL. In the final moments of Arcane Season 1, Jinx launches a HexTech juiced explosive device directly into the Piltover Council chamber.

I didn't imagine that, right? Everyone else saw what I saw, right?

To be sure, we didn't see the explosion. But Jinx is awfully good at making explosives. What are the chances that the device doesn't detonate? Slim to none.

If it does, as it is likely to do, that's the end of Mel, Jayce, Viktor, AND Caitlyn's mom.

And the irony that this act of war dots the "I" on the unanimous vote in favor of peace is not lost on me.

Woah. Yeah. This is going to take some time.

Backing up to examine Episode 7, "Boy Savior," I was feeling pretty clever, having predicted that Ekko was the Firelight Leader after Arcane Act 2.

Having Vi reunite with Ekko was great, but seeing the Firelight haven he'd helped create was even more inspirational.

Ekko, all grown up, is a diligent and honorable leader with an eye to the future while firmly grounded in the lessons he learned from Vander and Vi.

Ekko: It’s not enough to give people what they need to survive, you have to give them what they need to live.

_{🔗 permalink: It’s not enough to give people what they need to survive, you have to give them what they…}

I love that he connects with Heimerdinger. Those are basically my two favorite characters kicking it together under that gorgeous tree.

Heimerdinger: How were you able to accomplish so much so quickly?

Ekko: You’d be surprised what you can pull off when your life depends on it.

_{🔗 permalink: You’d be surprised what you can pull off when your life depends on it.}

There's a significant shift in the animation of Act 3 fight scenes to emulate the video game action. Surprisingly, seeing Little Man Ekko and Powder face off in mock sparring as their adult selves prepare to fight to potential death was way more emotional than I could have predicted.

Viktor's reunion with Singed is less joyous.

Singed himself is a living reminder of the dangers of unfettered experimentation. (Are there any gamers who want to fill me in on what is physically wrong with him?)

Singed: I must warn you. If you take this path, they will despise you. Love and legacy are the sacrifices we make for progress.

_{🔗 permalink: I must warn you. If you take this path, they will despise you. Love and legacy are the…}

And yet, I can't see him as a villain. He does horrible things to innocent creatures, but I get the sense that he truly believes that he is serving a greater good.

The Shimmer that he gives Viktor leads to Viktor's first time running, and that was exhilarating and heart-warming. However, the obvious signs of corruption on the HexCore were darkly foreboding.

Sky's tragic demise resets Viktor's moral compass.

About that; does he ever TELL anyone that she's dead? Doesn't she have family or friends who would be wondering where she is?

Nonetheless, it's the wake-up call he needs, even if he cannot destroy the HexCore himself.

(Of course, if he's been blown up, that unsupervised HexCore could spawn a lot more problems down the road.)

Another thing I didn't expect was for Mother Medarda to show up and make Mel's life (and Jayce's, too) so complicated.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the flashback to Mel's childhood. Despite the character's impressive political acumen and her romantic ties to Jayce, I've viewed her mainly as a side character with the potential to complicate situations.

Mel: Kino says war is a failure of statecraft.

Matron Medarda: Your brother thinks he can talk his way out of anything. He fancies himself a fox among the wolves. But, mark me, child, if you want to last in this world, you must learn to be both the fox and the wolf

_{🔗 permalink: Your brother thinks he can talk his way out of anything. He fancies himself a fox among the…}

Introducing Noxus principles into Piltover's landscape feels like a narrative on-ramp to future conflicts.

Having her mother offer her a place at her side now that her brother's been killed by this nameless, wronged rival also appears to be long-range planning for House Medarda.

Caitlyn continues to impress me with her skills, determination, and choice of love interest.

I'm pretty sure I didn't need to watch her standing in the shower for several minutes but, then again, I'm probably not the target audience for whom that scene was produced.

Vi: We tried. Okay? It wasn’t enough. Topside and bottom. Oil and water. That’s all there is.

_{🔗 permalink: We tried. Okay? It wasn’t enough. Topside and bottom. Oil and water. That’s all there is.}

(Who else was impressed with how her mom kicked in the bedroom door? Looks like Caitlyn came by her military abilities honestly.)

Ultimately, Caitlyn's most admirable quality is not her acumen with weapons or her articulate speech. Despite her privileged upbringing, she sees the world for how it is and wants to make it better for everyone.

Jayce has a bit more trouble with that, although he does get things done better than his fellow Council members.

Vi: You’ve always been a part of this. You just never had to look it in the eye. One dead kid? There’s hundreds more where he came from, thanks so Silco and thanks to people like you who stuck their heads in the dirt.

_{🔗 permalink: You’ve always been a part of this. You just never had to look it in the eye. One dead kid?…}

Seeing him fighting at Vi's side was discombobulating. Even after seeing him working at the forge, I still associate him with academia.

His hammer also seems like a strange combination weapon to wield in battle.

Viktor: We lost ourselves. Lost our dream. In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good.

_{🔗 permalink: We lost ourselves. Lost our dream. In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good.}

One thing is clear. Jayce is at his best when Viktor is at his side.

I observed in Act 2 that Silco's affection for Jinx was a liability. Here, that dysfunctional relationship bears the fruit of the deadly variety.

Silco: Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?

_{🔗 permalink: Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?}

You could almost feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a psychopath.

And this brings us full circle back to that shocking final scene in this final act.

Tracking it back from Jinx firing on Piltover, she decided to do it after Silco died. Silco died because she shot him full of holes. She shot him because he was going to shoot Vi. He was going to shoot Vi because Vi was somehow bringing back Powder.

Jinx: I thought maybe you could love me like you used to. Even though I’m… different. But you changed too. So here’s to the new us.

_{🔗 permalink: I thought maybe you could love me like you used to. Even though I’m… different. But you…}

As tragic as it is, Caitlyn is probably right when she tells Vi that Jinx is too far gone to save.

So, what happens now? Where do we go from here? How loud does the community need to get for Riot Games to greenlight another season?

Where did this show rip your heart out and stomp on it?

Who do you need back if and when they launch a Season 2?

See you in the comments! I feel like we're going to need to talk this out.

The post Arcane Season 1 Act 3 Review: The Price of Peace appeared first on TV Fanatic.