Following a slight delay, Epic has deployed the latest patch for Fortnite. Update 4.2 is now available across PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile, and it brings a handful of new items and some gameplay adjustments to both Battle Royale and Save the World.
On the Battle Royale side, Epic Games has introduced Epic and Legendary variants of the Burst Assault Rifle, which can be found as floor loot or in treasure chests, supply drops, or vending machines. Like other Burst Assault Rifles, the Epic and Legendary variants use medium ammo and have the same damage fall-off ranges.
Additionally, update 4.2 adds a new consumable to Battle Royale: apples. These can be found near certain trees around the map and restore five health points when eaten. Epic has also increased the drop rate for the Impulse Grenade by 5%, while a handful of items receive balance tweaks.
Specifically, Epic has buffed the Suppressed Machine Gun. Both its damage and accuracy reset speed have been increased, as has its damage fall-off range. The Damage Trap, meanwhile, has been nerfed. It now does 75 damage (down from 125), although its reset time has been slightly decreased by one second. The damage radius and throw distance of the Remote Explosives have been increased, and they now damage all structures within their range.
Other notable changes in the update include a new auto-pickup option for the PC and console versions, which lets players automatically acquire items when they walk over them (provided they have enough space in their inventory). Epic has also addressed a variety of bugs and performance issues. You can find the full list of changes in the patch notes on Fortnite's website.
Update 4.2 was originally scheduled to roll out on May 15, but it was postponed when Epic discovered an unspecified issue prior to its release. While the update may have arrived a little later than planned, the newest set of weekly challenges for Battle Pass holders arrived as usual. We've put together a guide on how to complete the Week 3 challenges.
With an assist from Walmart, the news is out: Rage 2 is official. We don't know a ton about the game yet, but we do know it's coming to PS4, PC, and Xbox One sometime in 2019. It's being co-developed by Id Software and Avalanche Studios, and published by Bethesda.
As for what kind of game it is, Rage 2 is an open-world shooter set in a Mad Max-like post-apocalypse. A comet has crashed into Earth, killing off 80% of the population. For the few who are left, anarchy reigns, bullets fly, and explosions are as common as a cold. The game also features a healthy dose of vehicular combat, which comes as no surprise, seeing as Avalanche Studios' last game was Mad Max. There's even a gyrocopter for anyone who wants to take to the air.
If you've already decided you're all-in on Rage 2, you're probably wondering what kind of extra freebies you can get for locking in your pre-order. We have all the info you need below, along with which retailers are currently offering Rage 2 for pre-order.
Rage 2 pre-order bonuses
You'll get a handful of freebies for pre-ordering Rage 2.
Exclusive mission "Cult of the Death God"
Settler's Pistol
Nicolas Raine Armor
Monster Truck
It sounds like you'll have to complete the pre-order exclusive mission to get the gear. According to GameStop's description, the Cult of the Death God mission is "a wild ride that sends [the protagonist] Walker after a cult of crazed mutants who have taken to worshipping the image of Nicholas Raine--the hero of the original RAGE. Survive the sewers and fight through hordes of mutants--including the massive and monstrous Abadon Warlock--to receive Raine's legendary armor along with the fan-favorite Settler Pistol and the new Mutant Monster Truck."
Where to pre-order
Ironically, you can't pre-order Rage 2 at Walmart (or most other retailers that sell games) yet. But here's where you can secure a pre-order:
Ubisoft's open-world racing game The Crew 2 is set to arrive on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in June, but some players will have the opportunity to try the game out ahead of its release. Ubisoft has announced more details about its upcoming Crew 2 closed beta, which kicks off on all platforms later this month.
The closed beta begins May 31 and runs until June 4. As is the case with most other closed betas, space is limited, so only some players who have registered for the test on the game's official website will be selected to participate. Those who are chosen will be able to pre-load the beta beginning May 29.
"During the closed beta, players will experience the first level of the progression system as they compete in races across all first four disciplines [Street Race, Rally Raid, Powerboat, and Aerobatics] against the backdrop of a fully redesigned USA," Ubisoft says. Players will be able to try out the game's Fast-Fav feature, which allows them to instantly transform their vehicle depending on the terrain.
Even if you don't get chosen to participate in The Crew 2 closed beta, you can already begin building up your car collection by taking part in The Crew Rewards Program. By completing monthly challenges in the first The Crew, you can unlock vehicles for the upcoming game. More details about The Crew Rewards Program can be found on Ubisoft's website.
The Crew 2 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on June 29. Along with the standard version, Ubisoft is releasing a special edition of The Crew 2 dubbed the Motor Edition. It includes the game's season pass, a Motorsports Deluxe Pack that contains several outfits and vehicles, a Crew-themed license plate, steelbook case, roadmap, and four stickers. Everyone who purchases the Motor Edition will also receive access to the game three days early, on June 26.
By Anonymous on May 16, 2018 11:30 pm Join us as we check out the first hour and a half of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain as it is available for free via Xbox Games with Gold in May 2018.
By Anonymous on May 16, 2018 11:04 pm Neither Metro Exodus or Shenmue 3 will come to PS4, Xbox One, and PC until 2019, but Stalker 2 is totally happening.
How Krypton is freeing itself from decades of Superman mythology
The arrival of Krypton on Syfy comes at a time when comic book TV is redefining classic superheroes that have been the focus of attention for almost a century. Whether it's the way Gotham is tackling the Batman mythos or the continuously growing universe of heroes on Arrow and The Flash, it's anything but business as usual for DC comics on TV.
That's what makes Krypton so interesting. While it tells the story of Superman's family and his home planet, it's set generations before the Man of Steel is even born. While it may sound like that makes for a boring story given fans know Superman's story goes, this is a show that's not really concerning itself with comic book canon thanks to the arrival of a time-traveling Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos).
GameSpot spoke with the cast of Krypton during a group interview to discuss the ways it deviates from Superman's typical canon and what it means for the future of the series. Make sure you give Krypton a shot when it airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET on Syfy.
1. Adam Strange's time travel changes everything
The very notion of somebody coming back in time from the modern day is bound to make you think it will completely alter the timeline. With Adam Strange, that is absolutely the case.
"The second Adam Strange comes back into time," star Cameron Cuffe (Seg) says. "The timeline is irrevocably changed. Things could change and things do change." Executive producer Cam Welsh agrees, explaining, "I think because now that Adam Strange has traveled back in time, the timeline that we know from canon has now changed. That's really what's built into the premise of the show is can you rewrite history, and what are the dangers that can come out of that."
2. Adam also provides Seg with a link to future generations of the House of El
Thanks to Adam's arrival, it provides evidence to Seg of his family's future, which will no doubt shape how he views his own fate. "[Adam has] been there, he's been to the future, he's from the future. He knows Clark, he's met Clark," Cuffe says. "Clark is his friend. Having this guy on Seg's side, it makes him listen and it plays into the ideas that Seg does hold deep down, but [that] feel very far removed from who he is."
3. The Zod family may not be so bad after all
The introduction of Lyta-Zod (Georgina Campbell) as a love interest to Seg was an interesting choice, given the bad blood between the Houses of El and Zod by the time Superman is born. As Campbell explains, though, Lyta is really nothing like the infamous General Zod--at least not yet.
"I think like all young people she has that idea that she wants to change things, and she wants to be different, and she wants to rebel against her parents," she says. "And she's very emotional, as you are when you're young, and she's in her first love and all that sort of thing. So I think it's quite interesting over the series looking at how that develops and how things change. And also that question of, as you get older, do those things start to fall away?"
4. In fact, could the House of Zod be the source of morality Seg is lacking?
Tyrannical, Lyta is not. She's merely a young woman trying to do what's right in the world--something Seg could learn a thing of two about. "She's a way more moral character than Seg is," Cuffe admits. "She in many ways is Seg's moral core, and he learns so much from her."
5. The wild card that is Nyssa Vex
While Superman fans have met the ancestors of a lot of these characters before, there is one piece of the puzzle that is a total mystery, and her name is Nyssa-Vex (Wallis Day). She's a mysterious character who could swing toward good or evil. However, her family has no notable place in Superman canon. Though, perhaps, that's going to change due to Adam Strange altering the timeline.
As Day tells GameSpot, her character does have a motive and it's one that will be revealed sooner than later. "As time goes on yes definitely she definitely does lean one way and again at the end, we're not quite sure if that was genuine, we don't know but I can tell you for sure in this season she definitely does lean towards one side," the actress teases.
6. There are no heroes and villains
The comic book history of Superman is filled with absolutes--there is good and there is evil. Superman is unabashedly good as he works to save the world from the likes of Lex Luthor, General Zod, or any other forms of ultimate villainy that come his way. Krypton is a different story.
Instead of dealing with good vs. evil, it operates somewhere in between. "There are no goodies and baddies. No one in this show is putting on a costume and fighting crime. There is no freak of the week," Cuffe says. "Everything is changed at the end of every episode. The status quo changes, the relationships change, there are consequences to every action, so even when you win, it's at a cost. Also, there are wonderful shades of gray. We have no villains on the show, there are no heroes on the show, everyone believes they are doing the right thing."
That's how you wind up with Superman's ancestor being a conman or the House of Zod having the moral high ground. It's taking what fans recognize as the norm and turning it on its head, constantly shifting alliances.
After much speculation, EA has finally announced Battlefield V. Little else is known as yet about the upcoming shooter, though this is the first time the company has confirmed the name of the next Battlefield title.
"The next chapter of EA DICE's groundbreaking all-out war saga is Battlefield V," reads a statement on the official Battlefield website. The statement goes on to confirm the game's full reveal is slated for May 23 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST (2 PM AET).
The reveal event will be hosted by TV presenter and comedian Trevor Noah. The stream, which will be hosted on YouTube, Twitch, and Mixer, will feature the development team sharing their vision for the game. As yet, we don't know which platforms the game is coming to, or precisely when it will launch; EA had, however, previously stated a Battlefield game was coming this fall.
The title "Battlefield V" previously leaked from multiple sources. Those same sources stated the game is set in the Second World War, though EA has not confirmed this as yet. Whatever the game's setting, it will be playable in June at the publisher's own EA Play event.
If EA does return to WWII, it will be the first in the series set during that era in a while: the last game set during the conflict was 2009's Battlefield 1943. The last Battlefield game was of course 2016's Battlefield 1, and the WWI game proved to be very popular with fans and critics alike.
Now that Cobra Kai is out and the world has had a chance to watch it on YouTube Red, it's clear that the soul of The Karate Kid movie franchise is alive and well in this sequel series. Set over three decades after the first showdown between Daniel LaRusso and the villainous Cobra Kai dojo, the show pays tribute to the legacy of the films in smart ways that are sure to make any fan smile.
Throughout Season 1 of Cobra Kai, there are not just mentions of The Karate Kid in flashbacks, but the story is structured in a way that the film is on your mind constantly--and that's a good thing. Given how seminal a movie The Karate Kid is, to not only fans but the stars who now reprise their roles on the show, it's important to pay respects to what came before. Still, it's a fine line to walk between properly paying tribute and flat-out copying without bringing anything new to the table. Thankfully, Cobra Kai relies on the former with nearly all of its homages helping to further expand the world its set in.
If you haven't watched the show and don't want to be spoiled, you should stop reading now. We're diving into heavy spoiler territory for the entire first season of Cobra Kai to look at the ways it honors The Karate Kid and even expands on it. Besides, what are you waiting for? The first season is out now and waiting for you. If you have seen the show or don't care about finding out what happens, buckle up because we have a lot to talk about. If anything, it should get you excited for Season 2.
1. Right where we left him
From: Episode 1
When fans last saw Johnny Lawrence, he was face down on the mat after being defeated by Daniel at the All-Valley Karate Tournament. Naturally, the first shot of him in Cobra Kai is face down on the mat after being defeated by life.
2. Back in the valley
From: Episode 1
California's San Fernando Valley is as important a character in The Karate Kid as anyone or anything else, and Cobra Kai recognizes that right away. While the show was mostly filmed in Georgia, it's nice to see it returned to the Valley for some establishing shots.
From: Episode 1
When Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel how to care for Bonsai trees in The Karate Kid, chances are he didn't expect them to be used as gifts for anyone who bought a luxury car. That said, kudos to Daniel for keeping the hobby alive.
4. A glimpse at Karate Kid 2
From: Episode 1
While footage from the original Karate Kid is used throughout Cobra Kai, this blending of the movies and the show put Johnny right back in the moment his former sensei turned on him. Interesting that the reminder of his leaving Cobra Kai is what makes him restart it.
5. Three rules
From: Episode 1
And restart it he does. Taking the harsh lessons he learned from Sensei Kreese, Johnny brings back the yellow and black.
6. Cobra Kai is back
From: Episode 2
While the dojo may have a different location and design (though the original makes an appearance later) there's no mistaking that logo and what it means to this franchise.
7. A glimpse of Mr. Miyagi
From: Episode 2
Though Pat Morita died in 2005 and is unable to reprise his role as Mr. Miyagi, his presence is felt throughout the show. Beyond that, though, his face appears a number of times--including this newspaper clipping that touts the victory of a "mystery dojo" at the All-Valley tournament.
8. Washing windows means nothing in Cobra Kai
From: Episode 2
While waxing cars, painting fences, and sanding floors helped to teach Daniel karate in the first movie, Johnny's style is a bit different. For him, chores are chores and nothing else. It shows a stark contrast in Cobra Kai's version of karate and Miyagi-Do's. So get busy, Miguel.
9. Even after 35 years, a good Halloween costume doesn't go out of style
From: Episode 3
Yes, it's hard to believe that Johnny held onto a Halloween costume he wore in 1984--especially one that holds terrible memories like getting beaten up by an old man. Still, it's a nice homage to the original movie to have him dust of the old skeleton costume and offer it to his student.
10. We missed you, Ali
From: Episode 3
Though Ali (Elisabeth Shue) only appeared in the first Karate Kid, her absence is very noticeable in Cobra Kai. Thankfully, her high school still keeps a photo of her in a trophy case for some reason. Good work finding that, Johnny.
11. Miguel's new threads
From: Episode 5
You can only learn karate in your street clothes for so long. Johnny passing on his training gi from The Karate Kid to Miguel proves he's the star pupil--well, the only pupil at this point--of the new Cobra Kai.
12. The student catches up with his teacher
From: Episode 5
Giving Daniel the chance to speak with Mr. Miyagi, even in this way, shows the importance of their relationship. Even though he's grown now, with a wife and kids, he's still that teenager from New Jersey looking for a father figure in his sensei.
13. The return of Miyagi-Do
From: Episode 5
Daniel wearing that familiar headband just feels right. It also shows him getting back to his own karate roots, the way Mr. Miyagi trained him.
From: Episode 5
It's appropriate that this was the episode that paid tribute to Morita, who was the soul of the film franchise. Spending an episode largely on Daniel reconnecting with his mentor and the ideals he learned from him helps in bringing the character full-circle.
15. The Cobra Kai of old
From: Episode 6
While Johnny's Cobra Kai dojo looks quite different from the one he first learned karate in, it was nice of the show to resurrect that old place for a flashback. It also smacks of the late 1970s/early 1980s with that huge mural.
16. Johnny leading the class once again
From: Episode 6
Inside the new Cobra Kai dojo, Johnny is once again head of the class. This time, though, it's not because Kreese has him step in to teach the students--he's the sensei now.
17. Wash the windows, wax the car. The classics never go out of style for Daniel
From: Episode 7
When Daniel said he loves this part, he wasn't the only one. Using chores to teach karate, just like Mr. Miyagi did with him, serves Daniel well. It may not be Johnny's thing, but it certainly is his.
18. One student is all he needs
From: Episode 7
As Miyagi did with him, Daniel only needs one student to go up against Cobra Kai's army.
19. The All-Valley Karate Tournament
From: Episode 7
Let's be honest, everyone knew the series was going to build up to this. Seeing the advertisement for the same tournament that led to Johnny's downfall, though, was a special moment.
20. Shape the tree
From: Episode 7
The seventh episode of Cobra Kai is a treasure trove of throwbacks to the original film. It's this quiet moment when Daniel teaches Robby how to trim a bonsai tree that he seems most like his former sensei.
21. Golf N' Stuff lives
From: Episode 7
Miguel's first date with Samantha was as cheesy and fun as Daniel's outing with Ali back in The Karate Kid--and that's thanks to the destination. Golf N' Stuff makes its return to the Karate Kid world, packing just as much putt-putt excitement as ever. Kudos to the show for including the song from the movie, Young Hearts by Commuter, as well.
Fun fact: Golf N' Stuff is a real place in the Valley that you can still visit, should you want to recreate these moments yourself.
22. A flashback to the tournament that started it all
From: Episode 7
As Johnny fights to get Cobra Kai's ban from the All-Valley tournament lifted, the council that makes the decision--which includes Daniel--looks at photos of the dojo's history in the competition. Naturally, that's where we see images of Daniel fighting Johnny from the movie.
23. A cobra in red
From: Episode 8
While this obviously isn't the same jacket Johnny wore in the movie, it's clear that this Cobra's sense of style has never really changed.
24. Ma's back!
From: Episode 8
Mr. Miyagi, Daniel's father-figure, may be unable to appear on the show. Thankfully, though, his mother did visit her boy during Season 1. Randee Heller reprised her role as Lucille LaRusso, the woman who first brought Daniel to the Valley, in this episode.
25. It's not a boat, but this will do the trick
From: Episode 8
As Daniel continues his lessons with Robby, they resemble Miyagi's teachings more and more. While he notes that the lake he and Mr. Miyagi trained on is no longer an option, the two of them practicing on a large rock created a similar visual.
26. Some rivalries never die
From: Episode 9
Daniel and Johnny bickered a bunch during Season 1, but this is the first time they nearly came to blows--recreating their final showdown at the All-Valley Tournament. It doesn't seem quite as intimidating when it's poolside.
27. Back at the South Seas
From: Episode 9
Though they don't come to blows, the two do go for a ride through the Valley, which brings Daniel back to his first Southern California home. This is the same run-down apartment complex he and his mom moved into in the first movie.
28. Some things have changed
From: Episode 9
Unlike when Daniel lived at the South Seas, the complex looks like it's been cleaned up--and there's actually water in the pool now.
29. Hitting the beach
From: Episode 9
What's the Karate Kid universe without a beach party? Unlike the one Johnny crashed in the movie, though, this one mostly goes off without a hitch.
30. Facebook stalking your ex is cool, right?
From: Episode 9
Johnny and Daniel's trip down memory lane leads them to a bar, which brings up the final mention of Ali this season. It seems Daniel is Facebook stalking his ex, though he won't add her as a friend. The audience learns that she went on to become a doctor, got married, and now lives in Colorado.
31. It's the final countdown
From: Episode 10
Some things never change--like the signage on a community center. The All Valley Sports Arena marquee looks incredibly dated.
32. This is a little awkward
From: Episode 10
While Daniel probably loved seeing a picture of himself on display this big, it's a little strange that the tournament had a poster printed of a moment from over three decades ago.
33. The yellow and black attack
From: Episode 10
If Cobra Kai is going to fight in a tournament, they're going to look good doing it. The classic sleeveless black and yellow gi makes its return in this episode and have the new class of Cobra Kai looking sharp.
34: Is he stealing Daniel's move?
From: Episode 10
Having the tournament start with the move that ended it in the movie is a really fun choice. Having star Cobra Kai student Miguel using it to taunt Daniel is even better. It's good to know the Crane Kick is still pretty devastating.
35. Hawk takes things too far
From: Episode 10
Just like Bobby in The Karate Kid, Hawk ultimately adheres to Cobra Kai's rule of showing no mercy and gets himself disqualified while attacking his opponent. Unlike Bobby in the movie, though, Hawk is thoroughly satisfied with his actions.
36. Kreese is always watching
From: Episode 10
Before the final fight between Miguel and Robby, Johnny is at odds with himself. After all, his star student is about to fight his son. Walking the hallways of the sports arena and seeing his old sensei's photo on the wall certainly doesn't help matters, though it does give Johnny a glimpse at who he's turning into.
37. That trick doesn't always work
From: Episode 10
While Miyagi was able to cure what was ailing Daniel with the heat from rubbing his hands together, Daniel clearly does not have the same talent. However, he does know how to call for a medic.
38. The students have become the teachers
From: Episode 10
It's Daniel vs. Johnny at the All-Valley one more time. However, now they're the senseis and not the students. Daniel is right when he says this will never be over.
39. It looks all too similar
From: Episode 10
The final fight is Cobra Kai vs. Miyagi-Do. Nothing has changed (except for the color of the mats). Even the scoreboard is the same.
40. The new Crane Kick
From: Episode 10
Since Miguel already unleashed a Crane Kick, Robby decided to up his game. Miyagi-Do is nothing if not creative when it comes to an attack. Daniel certainly couldn't pull this off.
41. Sweep the... shoulder?
From: Episode 10
Just like when Johnny swept Daniel's leg, Miguel targeted Robby's injured shoulder to get an advantage over his competition.
42. This looks wrong
From: Episode 10
In the end, the result wasn't what The Karate Kid prepared audiences for. Cobra Kai's ruthless ways won the trophy, leaving Robby defeated and Miguel and his crew standing tall.
43. Wait, isn't he dead?
From: Episode 10
Johnny clearly said that John Kreese was dead earlier in the season. That's simply not the case, though. In the final moments of the Season 1 finale, the former Cobra Kai sensei makes his grand return, puffing on a cigar and telling his student that the story is just beginning.
The most utterly ridiculous cereals ever based on movies, TV shows, video games, and more
The 1980s and 1990s were a great time to be a kid if you loved cereal. Every trip to the grocery store would find a new offering on the breakfast cereal aisle, taking a movie, TV show, video game, or celebrity and turning it into a sugary morning treat.
While themed cereal can still be found in stores--we're looking at you, Fruity Pebbles--the glory days that saw practically every title getting its own special blend of marshmallows, corn, rice, and oats have come to an end. Ralston, the company behind many of the best-remembered offerings, no longer dabbles in licensed foods. In fact, based on their website, the company now specializes in cereal that looks similar to name brands like Fruit Loops and Cocoa Puffs, while being different enough to be marketed as a different product.How the might have fallen. Then again, in its heyday, Ralston was actually known as Ralston Purina and dedicated a sizable chunk of its business into making pet food, so perhaps its better off now.
How important is taste and originality in these cereals anyway? After all, one of the biggest reasons anyone bought these was due to the characters emblazoned on the boxes and the prizes that were included with the cereal. Who cares what Batman cereal tastes like when it comes with a bank in the shape of the Caped Crusader? Thankfully, there were still some colorful and tasty cereals to be found back then, right Spider-Man?
Take a trip back in time with GameSpot as we revisit 22 of those cereals--both good and bad. How many of these do you remember sitting down with at breakfast?
Image: Sony Entertainment
1. Urkel-Os
There was a time when nothing in pop culture was hotter than Steve Urkel, the nerdy character on Family Matters. In an age where the TGIF programming block ruled the world, Urkel was its king. This cereal that was first released in 1991--and remained in production until 2000--is proof of that.
Image: Ralston
2. Nintendo Cereal System
When it came to video games, nothing was hotter in the late '80s than the Nintendo Entertainment System. It permeated pop culture in such a way that it spawned merchandise, cartoons, and even the movie The Wizard. Naturally, like many popular properties, it also got a cereal--two if you want to get technical. In each box were two bags, one a Super Mario Bros. cereal and one for The Legend of Zelda. What a time to be alive.
Image: Ralston
3. Bill and Ted's Excellent Cereal
Excellent! A Bill & Ted cereal not only existed, but it wasn't based on the movies. Instead, this cereal followed the cartoon and featured the animated versions of Bill and Ted emblazoned on the box. The real joy of this breakfast wasn't the marshmallows, though. Instead, it was the prize that came with the cereal--a cassette tape holder shaped like Bill and Ted's phone booth time machine.
Image: Ralston
4. Smurfberry Crunch
For many, Smurfberry Crunch is the gold standard for sugary cereals based on TV shows and movies. The fruity corn and wheat cereal first debuted in 1981 and lasted for years before an addition to the Smurf's cereal line--Magic Berries--that added marshmallows to the mix in 1987.
Image: Post Cereals
5. The Addams Family
Addams Family cereal sounds like a great idea, in theory. However, its pieces were made to resemble skulls, dismembered hands, and headless dolls--all things very familiar to this particular family. Serving a bowl of that to a kid could be pretty traumatic, though. However, there was a period of the time where the "toy" it included was a flashlight made to resemble a character from the movie. That's pretty exciting for a kid.
Image: Ralston
6. Donkey Kong
Mario and Zelda had to share a cereal. Before that, though, Donkey Kong got a box all to himself. According to the box, it was "crunchy barrels of fun." While that doesn't exactly found appetizing, what's not to love about a video game-themed cereal with a taste similar to Captain Crunch?
Image: Ralston
7. E.T. Cereal
While the E.T. Atari game may have been a colossal bomb, the cereal was not the same case. Taking a note from E.T.'s love of Reese's Pieces in the movie, the cereal was flavored like peanut butter and chocolate. Among the bonus prizes included in the box were trading cards, as well as a picture of Michael Jackson and E.T.--because why not?
Image: General Mills
8. The Real Ghostbusters
This is another cereal based on a cartoon that's based on a movie. This particular cereal was released three times under three different names and was incredibly simple, in terms of design. Marshmallow ghosts mixed with fruity Os, to create the Ghostbusters logo in your cereal bowl. The best part of this cereal, though, was the prizes that came in the box--from glow-in-the-dark door hangers to buttons to frisbees.
Image: Ralston
9. Batman
Like many Ralston cereals, Batman essentially consisted of themed corn pieces--bats in this instance--and a standard sweet flavor. The prizes were where Batman was able to shine. Honestly, the only reason to get this cereal was for the Batman bank that came attached to the front. Who's going to keep your change safer than the Dark Knight?
Image: Ralston
10. Gremlins
This sweetened cereal may not be all that exciting--its pieces are meant to look like Gizmo but they don't--but it's hard to resist something as adorable as the mogwai on its box. Inside the box with the cereal was a sticker, which is a decent bonus. However, the big prize was something you had to actually mail away for--a plush Gizmo.
Image: Ralston
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
It's essentially Rice Chex ("ninja nets") with marshmallows. The marshmallows in question are shaped like ninja weapons and pizzas, everything needed for a radically tasty breakfast. None of that matters, though, without what is perhaps the most beloved prize of all time-- a Ninja Turtle-shaped cereal bowl. You could eat your Ninja Turtles cereal out of a Ninja Turtles bowl.
Image: Ralston
12. Fruity Pebbles/Cocoa Pebbles
Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles are undeniably the most successful licensed cereal of all time. They were first released in 1971 and can still be found in stores today, almost 50 years later. Clearly, Post stumbled onto something good when it came to The Flintstones.
Image: Post Cereals
13. Spider-Man
The Spider-Man cereal from 1995 is very similar to Ralston's Ninja Turtles offering. This time, though, the "ninja nets" were spiderwebs and the marshmallows were supposed to be pumpkin bombs, "spider symbols," Peter Parker's camera, and Kingpin. In reality, they were essentially blobs of various colors.
Image: Ralston
14. GI Joe Action Stars
This cereal arrived in stores in 1985--the same year the cartoon premiered. It wasn't colorful or flashy, but it was part of a complete breakfast to help create a real American hero… probably. What's most important is the mini-comic books that came packaged in the box. Cereal and comics, what more do you need?
Image: Ralston
15. C-3PO's
And you thought the Star Wars Christmas Special was the most shameless cash-in on this franchise. These were essentially Honey Nut Cheerios in a figure-eight shape. As for prizes, they varied from trading cards to a Rebel Rocket toy.
Image: Kellogg's
16. Mr. T
We pity the fool that never got to try Mr. T's cereal. Why did Mr. T have a cereal, you ask? Between his appearance in Rocky III and his role on The A-Team, Mr. T was a pop culture sensation in the early 1980s and that got him his own breakfast. If only they'd come up with a better idea than pieces shaped like T and literally nothing else, though.
Image: Quaker
17. Pac-Man
Following the success of Donkey Kong's cereal, it was Pac-Man's turn. This cereal features Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and ghost marshmallows, along with sweet balls of corn. Among the prizes offered inside was bubblegum. There was also the possibility of winning a full-size Pac-Man arcade game.
Image: General Mills
18. Donkey Kong Jr.
Donkey Kong cereal was a little too basic--thankfully, Donkey Kong Jr. righted the wrongs of his father. Out are the crunchy barrels. Instead, this cereal is made up of pieces shaped and flavored like bananas and berries, putting a fruity twist on breakfast.
Image: Ralston
19. Rainbow Brite
Of course, the Rainbow Brite cereal--based on the cartoon and movie--is rainbow-colored and shaped. It's essentially Fruit Loops, but with half-circles instead of full loops. The only notable prize, really, was a colorful chain necklace you could mail away for. What's the point of buying cereal without a toy in it?
Image: Ralston
20. Morning Funnies
With so many cereals based on well-known cartoons and movies, opting to create one based on newspaper comic strips might not seem like a cutting-edge idea. What's even more bizarre is the cereal itself had nothing to do with the various comic strips it licensed. It was simply made up of smiling faces in a variety of colors.
Image: Ralston
21. Booty O's
Where do you start with Booty O's? What started as an on-screen joke made by the trio known as New Day became an actual breakfast cereal you could buy in stores and a never-ending string of merchandise. The oat-based breakfast comes packed with marshmallows that look like trombones and booties, to name a few shapes. If only Ralston was still a cereal giant that could mass produce it.
Image: WWE
22. Pro Stars
Not every cereal can be based on a fictional character, right? That's where Pro Stars, which puts the spotlight on sports celebrities, comes in. We know what you're thinking: That's what Wheaties are for, right? Thankfully, Pro Stars added funny to the mix and included a contest to win breakfast with Wayne Gretzky. Top that, Wheaties.
Netflix's interstellar family vacation, Lost in Space, is a seriously fun show to watch. Based on the cult classic TV show from the 1960s, this new take is riveting, exciting, and looks beautiful--even if this distant planet they've landed on looks a lot like the wilderness outside of Vancouver, where the show was filmed.
So while it's a good show--GameSpot's review of Lost in Space is proof of our love--it's not perfect. In fact, some of the show is downright silly. Time and time again, terrible things happen in and around the Robinson family as they cope with life on this new planet, proving Murphy's Law is as strong as the laws of gravity in this corner of space.
Whether it's Will Robinson falling into an ice hole in the pilot or his parents sinking in a tar pit while out for a drive--down to the possible destruction of the planet itself--things happen again and again throughout season 1. In fact, it's so constant that you can't help but laugh.
After digging through the first season, we were able to come up with 45 different times everything went absolutely wrong on Lost in Space. Follow along, though do beware of spoilers if you haven't actually seen the show.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
The series stars off with Murphy's Law immediately sticking it to the Robinson clan when their friendly game of Go Fish turns into a space emergency, as they lose control of their ship.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
During that very crash, Maureen--the matriarch of the Robinson family--breaks her leg when a case slams into it.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
After crash-landing on a strange, new planet, the Robinsons quickly try to escape their battered ship. Of course, they don't get far due to a damaged hatch that temporarily keeps them stuck.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
Not long after finally getting off of the ship, they realize it crashed into a lake of freezing water that is swallowing it whole. This is still in the first half of the first episode.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
Before it gets frozen, though, eldest daughter Judy goes back into the ship to retrieve power cells to keep the family from freezing to death. Naturally, because only bad luck exists on this planet, she doesn't make it back in time and gets frozen in, with only her spacesuit keeping her alive.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
Will, the youngest in the family, had a plan to free her. Instead, though, he fell down an ice hole.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
They do find a way to melt the ice, though. However, then it starts to rain and the temperature plummets again, causing the water around Judy to freeze again.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
Meanwhile, after climbing out of his ice hole, Will ended up in a jungle being chased by a scary robot.
Season 1, Episode 1--Impact
He made friends with the robot, but then forest fire threatened to harm him--again, this is still the first episode. Thankfully, the robot turned out to be friendly and saved him, then took him back to his family, where it saved Judy. Thanks, Robot.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
The beginning of the second episode introduced another crashed ship on the planet, with a crew in a similarly disastrous situation.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
There's is a different kind of disaster, though, as the ship they're on hangs over the edge of a cliff.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
The Robinsons are looking for other survivors, though, and instead find fire and a destroyed ship, meaning not all of their people made it out alive.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
With her family off looking for other survivors, Penny sees a massive storm rolling in because nothing is ever simple.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
Naturally, her family gets caught in the storm. This isn't your run-of-the-mill rain, though. The hail can pierce your skin and cause some scary damage, as John quickly learns.
Season 1, Episode 2--Diamonds In The Sky
Once they finally escape and get clear of the storm, seeing a flare from another survivor leads them right back into it as the Robinsons try to be heroes.
Season 1, Episode 3--Infestation
Because they simply cannot catch a break, after getting back to their ship safe and sound, the Robinsons realize damage has been done to their engines that must be fixed before they can leave the ice.
Season 1, Episode 3--Infestation
Additionally, a portion of the ship has flooded, making certain places impossible to reach.
Season 1, Episode 3--Infestation
To make matters even more difficult, Maureen realizes that their fuel is disappearing somehow. Without fuel, they'll never be able to power the ship.
Season 1, Episode 3--Infestation
Where's the fuel going, you might wonder? These scary-looking snake creatures that have now infested the ship are eating it.
Season 1, Episode 3--Infestation
Thankfully, they're able to fix the engines and power the ship enough to rid them of the creatures, but not before Judy becomes trapped underneath shifting cargo.
Season 1, Episode 4--The Robinsons Were Here
Another group of survivors are working their way to the Robinsons, only to fall prey to... a dead battery. Seriously.
Season 1, Episode 4--The Robinsons Were Here
That's probably better than the trouble John and Maureen run into, though, as a massive dish falls on top of them. It's astounding to look at, but one of the worst things that could happen. Luckily, they survive without a scratch.
Season 1, Episode 5--Transmission
As Maureen tries to conduct some weather and atmosphere experiments, a gust of wind and her trusty weather balloon nearly pull her to her death over the edge of a cliff.
Season 1, Episode 5--Transmission
Not long after, she uses that same balloon to float into the planet's atmosphere. It's there that she realizes the planet's gravitational pull means it will soon be destroyed. So not only is the planet trying to kill them, it's also trying to kill itself.
Season 1, Episode 5--Transmission
But that's all in space. Down at ground level, the survivors are menaced by--what else--a big creepy, lizard monster.
Season 1, Episode 6--Eulogy
As the sixth episode kicks off, Judy and some of the other survivors find a cache of fuel they can use to leave the planet. The problem is, it's stuck in a ship that's about to topple over a cliff.
Season 1, Episode 6--Eulogy
As the group drains the fuel, Don finds information to show that Dr. Smith is an impostor. Unfortunately, almost all of it slid right out the door in a box as the ship went over the cliff. This particular moment is almost comical.
Season 1, Episode 6--Eulogy
Back at the home base, a particularly unstable survivor got their hands on a gun--thanks to Dr. Smith--and put pretty much everyone in danger in her quest to get to Robot.
Season 1, Episode 6--Eulogy
Where else would that lead but to Robot going temporarily mad, which left John badly injured. Again, thanks Dr. Smith.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
Thankfully, by the next episode, John is largely healed and Robot is taken out of commission. Unfortunately, John, with Maureen this time, quickly lands back in danger when their space SUV gets stuck in a tar pit.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
Meanwhile, the mission to rescue the fuel hits a snag when the transport vehicle is damaged by gaseous explosions. Evan heroically springs into action, lest the entire mission be doomed.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
That goes about as well as you'd expect, given how this show operates, when the transport hits more rough terrain.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
A particularly nasty explosion topples the tanker, crushing Evan underneath. Not all hope is lost, though, as Judy puts her medical skills to use to save him.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
However, by removing the tanker crushing them, the group also loses all of the gas they procured--mission not accomplished.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
Meanwhile, Maureen and John sink all the way into the tar. In theory, that should seal their fates. Of course, they find a way out right before running out of air.
Season 1, Episode 7--Pressurized
Sadly, after sacrificing the fuel to save him, Evan still dies.
Season 1, Episode 9--Resurrection
As Episode 9 kicks off, John uses what little fuel was left to return to space in an effort to signal to others that there were survivors on the planet. As you can tell, that went really well--the ship he was in blew up. He didn't die, though. Instead, he and his co-pilot were left floating through space on a small sliver of the vessel.
Season 1, Episode 9--Resurrection
As if one parent in danger isn't enough, Dr. Smith also kidnapped Maureen. You know, because she's a crazy person. Her plan was to rebuild Robot so he would be loyal to only her--and it worked.
Season 1, Episode 9--Resurrection
The rest of the survivors, though, found a source of fuel to help power their ships into space. However, upon retrieving it, they were met be these creepy and deadly alien creatures. This planet is full of monstrosities.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
While the Season 1 finale wrapped up a lot of storylines, it wasn't without its calamities. Like when the Robinsons thought they had defeated the now-evil Robot, only for him to creep back onto the ship--and destroy the hatch that keeps the cargo bay airtight.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
He wasn't alone, though. In case you thought one unstoppable killing robot was too easy a task, two of them came to play.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
While ultimately Will's Robot remembered its loyalty to the youngest Robinson and destroyed its fellow machine, it wasn't without damage to Maureen's helmet, which sucked away at her air supply.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
Likewise, the space SUV that Judy and Penny were hiding in was damaged in the fight, leaving their air supply in doubt.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
Will went outside of the ship to repair the hatch only to, in true Robinson fashion, end up in an even worse position than before when he lost touch with the ship and floated away. It's a good thing John chose that exact moment to make his way back to the ship, saving his son and rejoining the family.
Season 1, Episode 10--Danger, Will Robinson
Unfortunately, just as the Robinsons and Smith were about the rejoin the rest of the survivors, a piece of alien technology on their ship instantly sends them to another galaxy--meaning they are only again lost in space.
Gotham isn't over yet, as Fox has renewed the series for a fifth and final season. However, the show's producers are looking to the future, and it is looking decidedly Batman. Bruce Heller and Danny Cannon have received a straight-to-series order on yet another prequel to the Dark Knight's story--and it won't be connected to Gotham at all.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Epix has ordered 10 episodes of Pennyworth, exploring the history of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth before he came to Gotham City. The show will follow Alfred's life in London in the 1960s after his time as a soldier in the British SAS, as he begins working with Bruce's father, Thomas Wayne.
Heller will write the pilot script and serve as showrunner on the new series, with Cannon joining as executive producer and director of the first episode--just as he did with Gotham. Still, it's important to note once again that this is not set in the same continuity as Gotham, but rather carve its own path in retelling this piece of the Batman mythos.
That means Sean Pertwee will not be reprising his Gotham role as Alfred in Pennyworth. However, an actor has not yet been cast in the role.
Interestingly, this isn't the only new DC Comics series Cannon's name is attached to. It was announced in January that he and Gotham executive producer John Stephens were developing Metropolis--a Superman prequel that follows Lois Lane and Lex Luthor--for DC Universe, the upcoming streaming network. As Deadline reports, that project is currently being redeveloped, while a release date has not been revealed.
Shenmue III has been delayed. The highly anticipated new installment in Yu Suzuki's beloved series was originally slated to release for PS4 and PC later this year, but publisher Deep Silver has announced that the game has now been pushed back into 2019.
According to Deep Silver, the delay is to give the development team more time to further refine the game. In an update on its website, the publisher said, "The extra time will be used to polish the quality of the game even further, to the high standards it deserves and release the product in the best possible timeframe."
The delay doesn't come as much of a surprise; despite being slated to launch in 2018, we've heard and seen little of Shenmue III thus far. A recent batch of screenshots showcased some improved character models, which were criticized for looking stiff and emotionless in the game's first teaser trailer.
Shenmue III was first announced during Sony's E3 2015 press conference. A Kickstarter campaign launched shortly after the title was revealed, and it would go on to become the most-backed video game in Kickstarter history, raising more than $6.3 million from nearly 70,000 backers.
While we may have to wait longer to see where Ryo's journey takes him, fans will soon have a chance to relive the previous two installments in the series. Sega recently announced it is releasing a Shenmue I & II collection on PS4, Xbox One, and PC later this year. Sega says the package features "fully scalable screen resolution, choice of modern or classic control schemes, PC graphics options, an updated user interface, and the option to enjoy either the original Japanese or English voiceovers."
Solo isn't even out, and already, people want more of Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Down the line, we will more than likely see Lando in his own film, but it won't be the next Star Wars solo movie.
Although news about a new Lando film is popping up everywhere on the internet, as of this writing, there is no concrete plan for it. The French magazine Premiere recently interviewed Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy at the Cannes Film Festival. Lando is on everyone's mind, so of course, she was asked about whether or not we'd see the character on his own solo adventure. "We think that the next spin-off will be dedicated to Lando Calrissian," Kennedy told Premiere. "Of course, there are still many stories to tell about Han and Chewbacca but Lando will be next."
However, that's not the case. Much like a Bill Murray movie, something was lost in translation from English to French (and back to English for this). Since the news first came out, Lucasfilm has commented about this news to Premiere: "We would love to tell a story about Lando Calrissian one day, but it's not relevant, it would be fun to tell the story of Han and Chewie."
Additionally, io9 heard from Lucasfilm as well, and the company's rep told them that Kennedy said it's something she'd like to do in the future. For now, we have Solo to look forward to. Next year, we'll get Episode IX, then maybe an Obi-Wan solo movie after that.
Since 2017, an Obi-Wan movie has been reportedly in the works at Lucas. It hasn't officially been announced yet. The last known piece of news being Stephen Daldry (The Hours) was in talks to direct as of August of last year according to THR. While many outlets are reporting that the movie will begin shooting in January 2019, Fantha Tracks is reporting that the Obi-Wan movie is currently in pre-production and will begin shooting in April 2019, with a December 2020 release date. The legitimacy of this information is unknown, but it lines up with other rumors and reports.
Needless to say, Obi-Wan--hopefully starring Ewan McGregor--should be the next solo Star Wars adventure coming up next. Until then, Solo arrives in theaters Friday, May 25. Check out GameSpot's review of the movie, in which Mike Rougeau said of Lando, "Donald Glover is so powerfully alluring as Lando Calrissian that fans who called for a standalone Lando movie will feel totally validated. Even more than Ehrenreich, Glover nails the balance between Billy D. Williams tribute act and the new actor's own undeniable aura."
AMC's horror show, The Terror, keeps getting scarier. The crews of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror--two real ships that set out from England in 1845 and disappeared for over 150 years--arrived in the frigid Northern wastes in search of the Northwest Passage. Please don't consider it a spoiler that things won't turn out great for these characters in the end. These real life shipwrecks weren't discovered until 2014 and 2016, respectively, and their crews had died long ago from cold, starvation, disease, lead poisoning, and cannibalism. Anything that happens in The Terror between the start and that foregone conclusion is just embellishment invented by Dan Simmons, the author of the book on which the show is based, or showrunners David Kajganich and Soo Hugh.
But what embellishments they are. With that in mind, we're going to keep a running list of all the scariest s*** that goes down in each new episode of The Terror.
Of all the things that are no doubt going to kill these characters over The Terror's ten episodes, you might think falling overboard and drowning would be the least terrible. Then you imagine your whole body going numb, your vision shrinking, and your senses deadening as you slide further into the depths, unable to move or help yourself or do anything but die. Not a great start to this voyage.
2. This Guy
Episode 1
We don't know what it means. We just know that he's terrifying.
3. A Boy Among Men
Episode 1
It's unclear what this poor kid died from, but does it really matter? It's easy to envision these expeditionary crews as ships full of brave, hardened men, big sailors with 5 o'clock shadows and tattoos of mermaids and anchors. Seeing this kid get sick and scared and die is pretty jarring.
4. Hello Again
Episode 1
This trip underwater is filled with so much foreboding that you spend the entire scene just dreading that something awful is going to happen. Ultimately it could have been worse, but it was still a deeply unsettling moment.
5. World of Ice
Episode 1
The final shot of episode 1 is the most chilling of the whole episode: The two ships are completely encased in ice, presumably with no hope of digging out any time soon. This is only the beginning of the doom, though.
Episode 2
6. Crew, Meet Tuunbaq
Because probably starving to death in an Arctic wasteland isn't bad enough, the crew met the Tuunbaq, an Inuit creature of legend, in The Terror Episode 2. It doesn't seem very nice.
7. Bye Dad
Episode 2
Given that they were able to get this woman (who will come to be known by the name Lady Silence) and her dad back to the ship, there was a brief hope that they would save his life. Her frantic cries that he couldn't die below deck were terrible to hear.
8. Lady Silence's Warning
Episode 2
If only Lady Silence knew how right she was when she said they're going to disappear. Was it a prescient prophecy, or is she going to make sure of it? We'll have to keep watching to find out.
9. Photo Fnish
Episode 3
Captain Franklin poses for a photograph with the men chosen to hunt and kill the "bear." This being 1846, the group must pose for a full 30 seconds for the picture to be taken. Nothing really happens here, but the atmosphere is seriously ominous, as Goodsir watches his pocket watch to count down until the picture is done. It's almost like they are counting down to something terrible happening...
10. Tent Attack
Episode 3
And it does! Before the hunting party can even leave their tent, the Tuunbaq attacks, ripping open the tent from above and grabbing one of the men. As the rest of the group fire wildly into the blizzard and Franklin makes a run for it, the creature's victim loses his head in gruesome style.
11. Owwww-lid!
Episode 3
Episode 3 might be filled with decapitation and dismemberment, but one of the most excruciating moments comes shortly after the Tuunbaq attacks the hunting party. Crozier hears the gunshots and screams so runs to the deck, using a telescope to see what's going on. After he spots the terrified men retreating back to the Terror, he moves the telescope away from his eye, only to find that the metal has frozen to his eyelid, pulling a chunk of skin away with it. OWWWW!
12. Franklin Checks Out
Episode 3
Franklin's death was a genuine surprise. He had been introduced as one the show's main characters, and his antagonistic relationship with Crozier provided much of this episode's drama. But he becomes the Tuunbaq's third victim, pulled through the ice before having his leg torn off and dumped in same icy grave that we saw the Eskimo dad's body lowered into at the start of the episode.
13. Dinner Gift
Episode 3
This episode closes with Lady Silence back at her camp, alone. From outside the igloo we hear the ominous sound of large, beastly footsteps and the breathing of something big and scary. But the Tuunbaq is not here to kill--it is leaving her some food (a dead seal). The final shot of Lady Silence's terrified face as she emerges from the igloo is one of the most chilling moments of the whole episode.
14. Setting Sun
Episode 4
Crozier and his men stand on the deck of the Erebus, watching the final rays of the sun disappear below the horizon as the months-long darkness of winter descends. "The last of the year," says one of the men. "Feels like an omen." How right he is.
15. Heather's Brain
Episode 4
The marine named William Heather is laid out on the operating table after being attacked at night by the Tuunbaq. His head is half-open and his brain is on display, but amazingly, he's still alive. The whole scene is so spooky that even the doctors are forced to seal his eyes shut so he doesn't stare at them while they operate.
16. Two Men, One Body
Episode 4
In Episode 4's creepiest scene, Hickey creeps along the deck of the Erebus towards a mysterious figure seemingly leaning over the edge of the ship. As he reaches out to touch the figure, the body falls to the ground in two pieces. Even worse, we discover in the next scene that the top and bottoms halves of the body belong to different victims and have been stacked by someone--or something--in this macabre way.
17. Hickey's Confession
Episode 4
Hickey takes matters into his own hands and kidnaps Lady Silence, bringing her back to the Erebus. When Crozier demands to know what happened, the officer describes seeing the Tuunbaq up close. It doesn't sound good. "It was three times that of any bear we've seen. With a different... set to its head," he says. "I do not believe it is an animal we battle."
18. Hearing Voices
Episode 5
A crew member named Manson is helping move yet another body into the lower decks of the Terror, into what is called "the dead room." Except the terrified Manson doesn't want to go; he tells Lt. Irving that he's heard the voices of the dead trying to escape...
19. Why Do You Want To Die?
Episode 5
In his drunken desperation to find out how stop the Tuunbaq, Crozier yells at Lady Silence, demanding to know how the creature can be killed. Her reply is as unsettling as it is accurate. She stares straight into Crozier's soul and tells the pathetic, sorrowful man, "You don't want to live. Look at you. Why do you want to die?"
20. Up The Mast
Episode 5
In the show's most terrifying sequence so far, the Tuunbaq finally boards the ship in search of victims. Poor Blanky is sent by a drunken Crozier to pointlessly observe the ice, and in doing so is chased up a mast by the angry beast. We get the best look at it so far, just before it slices into Blanky's leg.
21. Sore Saw
Episode 5
Speaking of which, unfortunately Blanky's leg can't be saved. And this being the Arctic wilderness in the 19th century, there's nothing that can be done except take a swig of whiskey, put a stick between your teeth, and get busy with the saw. We don't really see much, but the sound of the saw and Blanky's screams are truly horrifying.
22. "A Darkness… With No Firm Hand To Stem It."
Episode 6
Blanky tells Fitzjames a story about a previous expedition he was on, where the odds of survival were about as low as they are for the crews of the Terror and the Erebus. The point of this eerie scene is to foreshadow the creeping madness in this episode, and Ian Hart's performance makes for a chilling scene.
23. Toungue-baq
Episode 6
Lady Silence sits on the ice with the Tuunbaq and reveals that her father was its master. "You cannot be with a shaman for so long," she tells the creature. "Accept me in his place." And then, with the beast looking on, she raises a knife and starts to cut out her own tongue.
24. King Heather
Episode 6
Poor old Heather hasn't had the best winter. He was mauled by the Tuunbaq in Episode 4 but survived, and since then has been lying on a gurney with his brain exposed. But if that was enough of an indignity, he ends up as the centrepiece of Fitzjames's carnivale, propped up as a macabre king with a paper crown on his head.
25. Lady's Back
Episode 6
Lady Silence returns to the ship, minus her tongue and covered in her own blood. Has her sacrifice given her control of the Tuunbaq? I suspect we'll find out soon enough.
26. Fire And Ice
Episode 6
In a great bit of misdirection, Collins sits with Dr Stanley early in the episode, describing his feelings of isolation and general mental disintegration. But in the end, it's not Collins but Stanley who cracks first. He sets the carnival tent ablaze and then immolates himself, staggering towards the terrified crew with his arms outstretched. It's a truly horrifying scene.
27. Cooking With Gas
Episode 7
Collins' mental disintegration continues. He tells Goodsir that the smell of "gas" is everywhere, ever since the ill-fated carnivale. Goodsir presumes he means the fire itself, but Collins is more specific--he is continually smelling the "meat" of his friends, burning alive. "They were cooking, like fillets grilling."
28. Heads Off
Episode 7
The one glimmer of hope that the stranded men had was the rescue team sent out after Franklin's death in Episode 3. Unfortunately, as we discover in the most gruesome way possible, the team only made it 18 miles. Hartnell finds their severed heads lying in the snow, presumably removed weeks earlier by the Tuunbaq and now displayed as gruesome frozen trophies.
29. Morfin's Madness
Episode 7
Madness continues to creep amongst the men, and a crewmember called Morfin is its next victim. The camp is awoken by Morfin screaming at the others, demanding that they cut off his head and lay it with those that they found the previous day. While his colleagues are obviously reluctant to do that, his death wish is soon granted when his gun malfunctions and explodes in his face.
30. Hacking Hickey
Episode 7
The episode ends with a shocking death, but it's not a Tuunbaq attack. Having encountered a group of Inuits, Irving races back to tell Hickey and another man. At this point Hickey fully becomes the evil character that the show has been building up to, and having already killed the other man, brutally stabs Irving several times through the chest. The episode concludes with the reveal that he is not Hickey at all, but someone else who has assumed his identity to board the Terror before it sailed.
31. Butchered
Episode 8
Suspecting that Irving didn't die at the hands of a savage gang of Inuits as Hickey reports, Crozier insists on viewing his body. The camera pans gruesomely down Irving's corpse, which has been scalped and castrated, revealing the extent of Hickey's savagery.
32. Tuunbaq attack!
Episode 8
After a slow build-up with very little actual horror, this episode explodes into mayhem as the Tuunbaq makes his reappearance, pursuing Collins into the midst of Hickey's impromptu trial. The creature bursts through the fog and lays bloody waste to the camp, trampling, biting, and clawing every man in sight.
33. Collins No More
Episode 8
While the fog-shrouded chaos of the final sequence makes it hard to see who exactly the Tuunbaq is killing, we do get Collins' demise in an excruciating close-up. The creature flattens him and proceeds to tear him apart, while he lies on the ground screaming. Bye Collins!
34. Whose head?
Episode 9
The grim business of gathering the bodies from the Tuunbaq's attack is underway, and it opens with this gruesome shot of one poor victim. Luckily Blanky is on hand to help the poor lad given the job of identifying the dead. "Mr Honey the carpenter," he says. "I recognize his neckerchief."
35. "What are we willing to eat next?"
Episode 9
Food is desperately short for both Crozier's men and Hickey's gang of mutineers. And of course, it is over in Hickey's camp that the previously unspeakable taboo of cannibalism is raised. Stating that they never really knew what was in cans of meat that they have been eating for years anyway, Hickey argues that eating human meat wouldn't be much worse. "Our needs have changed," he says.
36. Gibson Goes
Episode 9
Having made the decision that the only way to survive is to eat their own dead, Hickey is quick to supply a main course. After the captured Goodfellow tells him that the increasingly sickly Gibson is unlikely to live past a few days, Hickey speeds up the process and brutally stabs him to death.
37. Dinner Is Served!
Episode 9
Goodfellow is forced to carve up Gibson and deliver the choicest cuts of meat to the rest of Hickey's men. They sit silently around the table, grimly eating the lightly-charred meat. It's a dark scene, but one that also that evokes great sympathy for these men who have been forced into this terrible situation. Well, except for Hickey of course, who looks like he's really enjoying his dinner.
38. Soul Man
Episode 9
Although the bulk of Episode 9 is filled with murder and man-eating, there is a haunting sequence in which Tozer tell Hickey of what he saw when the Tuunbaq devoured Collins in the previous episode. "I saw my Collins' soul… and I watched that creature inject it. Feed on it." Chilling indeed.
With the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story finally upon us, the reviews are in. The movie is the second Star Wars spin-off, following 2016's Rogue One, and it focuses on the early adventures of the iconic space smuggler. It stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, and Donald Glover as Lando, plus Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Paul Bettany, and Emilia Clarke.
Solo had a troubled production, with original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller replaced by Ron Howard during shooting, leading to many months of reshoots. So what do the critics make of the finished movie, which hits theaters next week? The film currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 72%, which while solid, is below that of The Force Awakens (93%), The Last Jedi (91%), and Rogue One (85%). Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on May 25, so let's take a look at the reviews...
GameSpot -- no score
"Solo wasn't an essential story to tell, and some of this might have been better left to the imagination. It's valid for some fans to wish Disney would devote resources to telling fresher tales that don't rely so heavily on nostalgia and existing plots and characters. With who knows how many more Star Wars releases planned from now until the end of time, we'll no doubt get those at some point. But Solo: A Star Wars Story is what we have right now, and if it's simply an enjoyably well-crafted side story, well, is that really so bad?" -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]
Pop Matters -- 8/10
"Its action sequences are crackling with energy, the charming but shifty-eyed cast of characters brings the hilarity while constantly keeping you on your toes, and visually, it's a dazzling affair that captures the whimsy and tactility of the original trilogy arguably better than any of the other Disney-era Star Wars flicks. Solo has got its flaws, some glaring and some easily forgivable, but overall, it's a sterling success, albeit an unlikely one." -- Bernard Boo [Full review]
Slashfilm -- 7/10
"What hurts Solo is the fact that it's ultimately not about anything. Let me be clear: I understand that in one way or another, all Star Wars films simply exist to create more Star Wars films. These stories are products. But Solo is the first Star Wars film in recent memory that feels like it's selling something. Even Rogue One, one of the worst Star Wars films in years, felt like a self-contained, well-intentioned story with something on its mind. Solo merely exists to set up more Solo movies. And it shows." -- Chris Evangelista [Full review]
New York Post -- 1/4
"Disney was bound to hit a wall sooner or later. The studio has been cranking out Star Wars movies with the rapidity of chocolates on Lucy and Ethel's conveyor belt. Everything started out dandy, but now they're scrambling to keep up with the demands of cranky fans, troublesome talent, and truly crazy annual release dates. Four movies in less than three years is a lot of celestial battles. Solo is the first victim of that madcap pace--a movie so un-fun you should get college credit for watching it." -- Johnny Oleksinski [Full review]
RogerEbert.com -- 2.5/3
"As unnecessary prequels go, Solo: A Star Wars Story isn't bad. It's not great, either, though--and despite spirited performances, knockabout humor, and a few surprising or rousing bits, there's something a bit too programmed about the whole thing. It has certain marks to hit, and it makes absolutely sure you know that it's hitting them." -- Matt Zoller Seitz [Full review]
ScreenRant -- 3.5/5
"Ultimately, Solo delivers on what was promised: an entertaining enough origin story for Han Solo that explains how he became the smuggler introduced in A New Hope. Beyond that, the movie takes very few risks and offers very few surprises." -- Molly Freeman [Full review]
Collider -- 5/10
"Solo doesn't do anything egregiously wrong, but it doesn't do much right, either. There are a few bright spots, especially the relationship between Han and Chewie, but the plot drowns in the perfunctory as new characters, outside of woke droid L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), fail to leave an impression. I don't have a bad feeling about Solo: A Star Wars Story. I don't have much of a feeling about it at all." -- Matt Goldberg [Full review]
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