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At 6.6p, could this fast-growing penny stock be a millionaire-maker?

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Image source: Getty Images

One thing I like about penny stocks is how they sometimes offer a sneak peek into the future. Many of these small start-ups are at the cutting edge of technology, working on projects that have yet to gain mainstream media attention.

From groundbreaking new AI implementations to life-saving medications, they’re paving the way for how our future might look. At the same time, many aren’t yet profitable, relying on funding to keep going until they make it.

Naturally, this adds an extra level of risk to any penny stock investment. When assessing penny stocks, a key consideration is whether or not the company’s product (or service) has long-term viability.

With that in mind, I think Shield Therapeutics (LSE: STX) is onto something big — and I like the direction it’s headed. After years of share price declines, it’s been making impressive strides in 2025.

Yes, substantial risks remain. But looking at the numbers, I think it has significant growth potential.

Impressive growth

Currently trading at just 6.6p per share, Shield Therapeutics is a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company that specialises in iron deficiency treatment. Its flagship product, Accrufer, is used to treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) — a rare disease that causes high blood pressure in the lungs.

In H1 2025, revenue increased by 72.4% year-on-year to £16.5m, with Accufer accounting for £14.6m. In Q2 2025, revenue doubled from the previous quarter, with 47,000 new prescriptions selling at an average price of £175.

For the year, revenues are up 93.5% while earnings improved 51.2% year-on-year, boosted by accelerating commercial traction in the US. Cash and equivalents stood at around £7.89m as of June, the majority of which came from equity funding.

The business is reportedly on track to achieve cash flow positivity by the end of 2025. But that target could easily derail if things don’t work out as planned.

A strong roadmap… with risks

A recently-formed partnership with US pharma giant Viatris has proved highly successful, giving it access to a 100-person sales team. Prescription volumes reached around 84,000 for the first half, with the average net selling price increasing 1.4 times from H1 2024. This pricing power, alongside volume growth, is a strong indication of strengthening market acceptance.

In my opinion, it demonstrates the hallmarks of a potential millionaire-maker penny stock: strong revenue acceleration, expanding market opportunities, and a path to profitability.

Still, the risks can’t be ignored. It has a severely strained balance sheet with significant debt and negative equity, which is concerning. The company’s survival depends largely on achieving cash flow positivity by year-end and sustaining commercial momentum. Any setback — whether regulatory delays, competitive pressures or execution missteps — could prove catastrophic given the weak financial foundation.

My verdict

As a risk-averse investor, I don’t often consider penny stocks, but Shield Therapeutics is compelling. With a product that’s already flying off shelves amid rapid expansion, I see a bright future ahead for the company.

At the same time, the risks are equally pertinent — as much as it could skyrocket, it could also go to zero. Overall, I still think it’s one worth considering for speculative investors with high risk tolerance, albeit as a small portfolio position.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Where High-Design Meets High-Function at Sea

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Where Business, Leisure, and Artful Design Converge

In the ever-evolving world of superyacht design, some creations do more than define luxury—they redefine purpose. The Magnate is one such vessel: an 80-meter masterpiece envisioned for the modern tastemaker who commands both the boardroom and the horizon. It is a yacht not simply built to impress, but to inspire.

Bow view of the Magnate superyacht concept slicing through tranquil waters, its sculpted hull and rose-gold decks embodying contemporary maritime grace.

An Exterior Sculpted by Vision

Magnate’s exterior design exudes a sense of power in repose—sleek, deliberate, and sculptural. Her silhouette, carved with sweeping lines and metallic depth, captures the perfect balance between elegance and authority. Each tier of the aft deck unfolds like an architectural terrace, designed for fluid living between sunlight and sea spray. The hull’s deep tones contrast against shimmering glass surfaces, creating a dialogue between reflection and movement.

Interior of the Magnate superyacht featuring a circular white lounge, ambient lighting, and contemporary décor designed for refined relaxation at seaInterior of the Magnate superyacht featuring a circular white lounge, ambient lighting, and contemporary décor designed for refined relaxation at sea

Interiors That Breathe with Intention

Step inside, and the Magnate transitions from yacht to sanctuary. Vast, panoramic glazing blurs the boundary between interior refinement and the infinite horizon beyond. Every space has been crafted for dual purpose—each salon, lounge, and study effortlessly transforms from a tranquil retreat into an inspiring setting for conversation or creation.

The yacht’s business suite is a vision of quiet sophistication—a place where ideas flow as freely as the tides. Meanwhile, the main saloon invites connection, its design language rooted in organic curves, natural textures, and a palette that evokes serenity.

Top-down aerial shot of the Magnate superyacht highlighting its helipad, upper-deck jacuzzi, and sweeping curvature that defines its architectural fluidity.Top-down aerial shot of the Magnate superyacht highlighting its helipad, upper-deck jacuzzi, and sweeping curvature that defines its architectural fluidity.

The Essence of Leisure

At the stern, Magnate unveils her most alluring secret: a multi-level beach club conceived as a modern resort at sea. A private bar, open-air cinema, and wellness area invite long afternoons and even longer evenings. The infinity pool mirrors the horizon, while the surrounding terraces cradle moments of stillness amid the ocean’s embrace.

From sunrise yoga on the deck to moonlit dinners at the water’s edge, every detail of Magnate’s leisure experience has been curated with restraint, elegance, and purpose.

Side profile of the Magnate superyacht with a sleek helicopter poised on its helipad and a glass-fronted lounge showcasing modern nautical innovation.Side profile of the Magnate superyacht with a sleek helicopter poised on its helipad and a glass-fronted lounge showcasing modern nautical innovation.

A Yacht for the Modern Magnate

More than a vessel, Magnate is a statement of intent. It speaks to the owner who lives without boundaries—an individual who demands efficiency without austerity, indulgence without excess. It is a yacht designed to hold space for ambition, contemplation, and escape, all within the same exquisite frame.

The Magnate’s expansive aft deck featuring sculptural architecture, sun loungers, and an open-air lounge that transitions seamlessly into the yacht’s interior salon.The Magnate’s expansive aft deck featuring sculptural architecture, sun loungers, and an open-air lounge that transitions seamlessly into the yacht’s interior salon.

Redefining Tomorrow’s Luxury

In Magnate, the worlds of art, business, and exploration converge. It stands as a beacon for a new era of design—one where success is not measured by scale, but by harmony.
For those who seek not just to own a yacht, but to inhabit an idea, Magnate is where that journey begins.



This story originally appeared on Upscalelivingmag

Who Is Tatiana Schlossberg? 5 Things About Caroline Kennedy’s Daughter – Hollywood Life

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Image Credit: Getty Images for New York Magazine

Tatiana Schlossberg has always been one of the more private members of the Kennedy family, but she recently stepped into the public eye after revealing that she’s been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.

In her essay “A Battle With My Blood,” published in The New Yorker, the 35-year-old shared that her illness was discovered shortly after she gave birth to her daughter in May 2024. Reflecting on the moment she learned of her diagnosis, she wrote, “I did not — could not — believe that they were talking about me. I had swum a mile in the pool the day before, nine months pregnant. I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel sick. I was actually one of the healthiest people I know.”

With her health update bringing renewed attention to her life and work, learn more about Tatiana Schlossberg below.

She’s the Daughter of Caroline Kennedy & Edwin Schlossberg

Tatiana was born into one of America’s most prominent political families as the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and designer Edwin Schlossberg. She is also the granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, making her part of the next generation of the Kennedy legacy.

Despite the family’s visibility, Tatiana has long maintained a more private life compared to many of her relatives.

She Studied History at Yale University

Tatiana graduated from Yale University, where she studied history. Her academic background helped shape her interest in politics, climate issues, and media — areas that would later guide her journalism career.

She’s a Journalist & Author

Tatiana has built a respected career as a journalist, writing for outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Bloomberg. She focuses on climate change, environmental science, and the cultural impact of consumer habits.

In 2019, she published her acclaimed book Inconspicuous Consumption, which explores how everyday choices contribute to global environmental challenges.

She Recently Revealed She’s Battling a Rare Form of Leukemia

In November 2025, Tatiana shared publicly that she has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia. A routine blood test revealed dangerously elevated white blood cell levels, leading to further exams and the discovery of acute myeloid leukemia with the uncommon Inversion 3 mutation.

Tatiana explained that standard treatments offered little hope for a cure, leading her to undergo intensive care, including a bone-marrow transplant and CAR-T-cell therapy trials. Her doctors told her she likely has about a year to live. “During the latest clinical trial, my doctor told me that he could keep me alive for a year, maybe,” she wrote.

She’s Married to George Moran

Tatiana has been married to physician George Moran since 2017, when the two exchanged vows at the Kennedy family’s Martha’s Vineyard home. Over the years, they’ve grown their family and now share two children — a son, Edwin, born in 2022, and a daughter born in May 2024.

Throughout her essay, she reflected on how the diagnosis has shifted her priorities, writing about how precious time with her husband, children and family has become.



This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife

The tiny Spanish village with a dark past that’s a magnet for true-cri | Europe | Travel

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The tiny mist-shrouded village of Tor has become Spain’s capital of true crime, attracting murder-mystery enthusiasts from around the globe. The village is located in the heart of the Pyrenees, and lies at the foot of a mountain with the same name.

The settlement became notorious after a spate of murders that reached their peak in the 1980s. Villagers had been embroiled in a long standing dispute over land rights, that appeared to have become violent and deadly. The last unsolved murder occurred in 1995, when 70-year-old Josep Montané’s decomposing body was found with an electric cable around his neck.

The grisly discovery was the third killing in 15 years and attracted the attention of a young TV reporter. He published a book about it in 2005 and then realised a smash hit podcast in 2018.

His investigations were later turned into a hugely popular true-crime documentary series last year.

The media spotlight has drawn the village to the attention of unsolved-mystery murder enthusiasts, who come in their droves to visit.

Some even stay at Josep Montané’s to get the full Tor Experience and re-enact the killing, walking around with electric cables hanging from their necks.

Local myth claims the village is cursed and is ruled over by a ghostly guardian whose job is to protect the mountain from those who seek to possess it.

This malign spirit is said to be the cause of the bitter disputes that have riven the community.

Locals say they have often seen strange lights and unexplained sounds at night, which they believe are caused by the spirit.

Beyond the murders and legends, Tor is also a natural site of breathtaking beauty.

The mountain and its surrounding areas offer a wild, untouched and almost impenetrable landscape.

Tor is also a place of a rich biodiversity, whose forests and meadows are home to brown bears and golden eagles, making it a paradise for wildlife watchers.



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Does ‘Cobra Kai’s Sekai Taikai Tournament Exist in Real Life?

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Cobra Kai‘s Sekai Taikai tournament is the bedrock of the Netflix show’s final season, and the contest is so convincingly portrayed that the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred. The Sekai Taikai provided the perfect scenario for the redemption of William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence after winning a tie-breaker that allowed the show’s titular dojo to emerge victorious. For all the tournament’s importance in Cobra Kai Season 6, it’s impossible to tell from simply watching the Karate Kid spinoff whether the Sekai Taikai also exists in the real world. For that, some research is necessary.

Still, even then, it’s tricky to arrive at a black-and-white conclusion. While most of Cobra Kai takes place in a heightened reality where people can pretty rapidly become karate masters, it also includes grounded moments that remind the audience that the story isn’t intended to be all that fantastical. The result is an entertaining blend of expertly choreographed fight sequences and emotional moments that are far more character-driven. In this way, the Sekai Taikai embodies both sides of Cobra Kai, as the tournament is a blend of realism and perhaps excessive drama.

‘Cobra Kai’s Sekai Taikai Is Not a Real Karate Tournament

Netflix

In a revelation that won’t surprise everyone, the Sekai Taikai is a work of fiction within the Karate Kid universe. First mentioned in Cobra Kai Season 5, securing a place in the tournament rapidly became the sole focus for most of the main characters. The contest sees elite karate dojos from around the world arriving in Barcelona to fight it out, with first-place prizes on offer in both the male and female categories. Within the franchise’s lore, the Sekai Taikai takes place every two years, and the host city changes each time. However, it has Japanese origins. The show never specifies an age limit for Sekai Taikai fighters, but it’s generally assumed to be a tournament for competitors under 18.

Despite being created for Cobra Kai, the Sekai Taikai isn’t a completely original idea. It is loosely based on the World Karate Championships, which also pits fighters against one another every two years in a different city. Perhaps the biggest difference in the formats is that fighters in the World Karate Championships represent their respective countries, rather than their dojos. While a dojo’s country of origin is mentioned in the Sekai Taikai, it’s only really included as arbitrary information. In reality, the fighters for Miyagi-do would be representing the USA, not their American-based dojo.

There are other divergences, such as the World Karate Championships having an extensive list of rules regarding fight styles, which would have made the Sekai Taikai storyline less exciting. Former host cities for the World Karate Championships include, but aren’t limited to, Budapest, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, and Long Beach. The country with the most medals is Japan, which, as with the Sekai Taikai, is the country of origin for its real-world counterpart. Holding the two tournaments up side by side, it’s easy to spot the influence the World Karate Championships had on the Sekai Taikai, despite their differences.

The Sekai Taiki Completely Transformed ‘Karate Kid’ Canon & the Franchise Timeline

A flashback dream sequence of a younger Mr. Miyagi ready to fight at a tournament in Cobra Kai Netflix

Introducing the Sekai Taikai ahead of Cobra Kai‘s final season allowed for the perfect kind of ending. The show had already included wall-to-wall karate contests, official and otherwise, so things needed to be taken to the next level to achieve the desired gravity required to end the story. An international tournament was an inspired and logical choice in this respect, but it didn’t slot all that cleanly into the Karate Kid/Cobra Kai lore as it then existed. For such a high-profile martial arts contest to have existed for decades, in a version of California where karate is constantly in the public eye, it didn’t make all that much sense that no one had heard of it before.

Of course, this is because it didn’t exist until Cobra Kai Season 5, so the retconning required was pretty extensive if the Sekai Taikai was going to be installed with any real conviction. It wasn’t a perfect process, but the unexpected twist that Mr. Miyagi — the franchise legend made famous by Pat Morita — competed in the Sekai Taikai added a layer of intrigue to the proceedings. The later revelation that he had accidentally killed his opponent added even more to Mr. Miyagi’s established backstory in a way that felt authentic to the source material.

Watching the Karate Kid movies after seeing Cobra Kai is now a different experience. Mr. Miyagi’s tragic past was already established in the first movie, but the loss of his wife and son was initially the core of his darkness. The aftermath of that loss had never really been documented, which is why the Sekai Taikai storyline is so interesting. It reveals a new portion of Mr. Miyagi’s timeline, which then bleeds out into his influence over the entire saga. The intrinsic sadness that has always been a part of Morita’s character is artfully amplified via historical context.

Furthermore, the thought of the Sekai Taikai happening off-screen in the Karate Kid movies makes it all the more poignant when Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny eventually learn about the contest and attend it in the Netflix legacy sequel show. It also retroactively gives Mr. Miyagi a dark secret to keep from Daniel, choosing instead to imbue his student and surrogate son with only the knowledge he needs to keep himself safe, decades before the events of Cobra Kai. Every episode of Cobra Kai is streaming now on Netflix.


0323535_poster_w780.jpg


Release Date

2018 – 2025-00-00

Network

Netflix, YouTube Premium

Directors

Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz, Joel Novoa, Jennifer Celotta, Steven K. Tsuchida, Sherwin Shilati, Marielle Woods, Steve Pink, Lin Oeding, Michael Grossman

Writers

Josh Heald, Ashley Darnall, Chris Rafferty, Bill Posley





This story originally appeared on Movieweb

What Time Stranger Things Season 5 Releases On Netflix (For All 3 Volumes)

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Stranger Things season 5 is almost here, and Netflix is rolling out a special plan when it comes to the final season’s release date and time. Coming in just short of the show’s 10-year anniversary, the Duffer Brothers’ Netflix series will conclude with a three-part schedule. The split release format has been increasing on the platform in recent years, including past Stranger Things seasons.

Stranger Things season 4 was notably released in two parts, with the first seven episodes arriving on May 27, 2022, and the final two episodes dropping on July 1, 2022. Fast-forward to 2025, and Stranger Things season 5’s streaming guide is even more complicated. Despite debuting new episodes on Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, the release times for Stranger Things season 5 will remain the same.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 Releases November 26 At 8 PM ET On Netflix

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

With the final installment split into three parts, Volume 1 will consist of four episodes. Those first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 are set to release on Wednesday, November 26, at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on Netflix. Here’s a breakdown of when Stranger Things season 5 Volume 1 will become available to Netflix subscribers in other time zones:

Location

Time Zone

Release Time

Date

US

MT

6 pm

November 26

US

CT

7 pm

November 26

Brazil

BRT

10 pm

November 26

UK

GMT

1 am

November 27

Germany

CET

2 am

November 27

China

CST

9 am

November 27

Japan

JST

10 am

November 27

Australia

AEDT

12 pm

November 27

New Zealand

NZDT

2 pm

November 27

If you’re planning to binge Stranger Things season 5 Volume in one sitting, you’ll need to set aside around four and a half hours based on the episode runtimes. The season premiere is 1 hour and 8 minutes, with episode 2 coming in at 54 minutes, episode 3 at 1 hour and 6 minutes, and episode 4 running the longest within Volume 1 at 1 hour and 23 minutes.

When The Rest Of Stranger Things Season 5 Comes To Netflix

Eleven is staring while Hopper is next to her in Stranger Things season 5
Eleven is staring while Hopper is next to her in Stranger Things season 5

Following the release of Volume 1 on November 26, the next set of Stranger Things season 5 episodes will be available to Netflix subscribers on December 25. Volume 2, which consists of episodes 4-7, is officially dropping on Christmas night, just about a month after the initial batch of episodes. Then, less than a week later, the Stranger Things series finale in the form of Volume 3 hits Netflix on New Year’s Eve.

Like the case with Volume 1, all remaining Stranger Things season 5 episodes will release on Netflix at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on their respective release dates. While it’s not the ordinary release time for most Netflix releases, the streamer does go this route for special cases. The fifth and final season of one of their biggest shows in history certainly explains the special release time, especially when factoring in the holiday planning.

Stranger Things 5 Episode

Release Date

Release Time

Episode Runtime

Chapter One: The Crawl

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

1 hour and 8 minutes

Chapter Two: The Vanishing of…

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

54 minutes

Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

1 hour and 6 minutes

Chapter Four: Sorcerer

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

1 hour and 23 minutes

Chapter Five: Shock Jock

Thursday, December 25, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

1 hour and 17 minutes

Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz

Thursday, December 25, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

58 minutes

Chapter Seven: The Bridge

Thursday, December 25, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

1 hour and 37 minutes

Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

8 pm ET/5 pm PT

2 hours and 1 minute

As part of the Stranger Things season 5 celebration, the series finale will be coming to select theaters across the US and Canada. Showtimes will begin at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on December 31, to coincide with the Netflix release. That said, the series finale fan events will reportedly only run through January 1, 2026, so the availability will be limited.

What Stranger Things’ Creators Have Said About The Season 5 Release Schedule

Vecna looking towards Will in the trailer for Stranger Things season 5 (2025)
Vecna looking towards Will in the trailer for Stranger Things season 5 (2025)

There have been reports that the Duffer Brothers pitched an idea to Netflix that would have given Stranger Things season 5 a weekly release. However, the Duffers have since debunked the rumors, indicating that the option was never considered. Still, the three-part release plan has been divisive, especially since each Volume coincides with a holiday for many subscribers.

When Ross Duffer spoke about Stranger Things season 5’s release plan, he defended the episode split, adding that they knew about the three-part schedule well ahead of time, which factored into the storytelling. This wasn’t the cast with season 4’s two-part release, according to Duffer:

“I’m also excited about the first volume because, in season four, we weren’t aware that it was going to get split in two. It’s not Netflix’s fault, it’s nobody’s fault. There was the pandemic, and we ended up dividing it in two so we could get episodes out sooner. But this time, we knew we were going to divide it into two, so it really is in two halves. Volume One really exists as its own mega-movie. It has its own climax.”

Despite the fact that there are three parts, Ross Duffer seems to be combining Volumes 2 and 3 when discussing the second half of the season. Either way, the anticipation for Stranger Things‘ conclusion will be high heading into New Year’s Eve, and it’s safe to say the show is planning to go out with a bang.


03112487_poster_w780.jpg


Release Date

2016 – 2025-00-00

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer




This story originally appeared on Screenrant

New York Comedy Festival 2025: Best Performances

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The old line that if you have to explain a joke, it’s not funny didn’t apply to two panels held during the festival. On Nov. 15, the cast of NBC/Peacock’s very funny mockumentary, St. Denis Medical — which takes place in a financially strapped Oregon hospital — and its co-creator and showrunner and Eric Ledgin gathered at the Hard Rock Hotel to discuss the hit sitcom.

After screening an episode from the series’ second season, which is currently airing, Ledgin and cast members David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper and Kaliko Kauahi took part in a Q&A moderated by Mara Webster.

Kauahi, who plays the deadpan Nurse Val — in season one, she dragged a giant wooden crucifix into the room of a patient who wouldn’t undergo an appendectomy without it —revealed her favorite line of dialogue: “I’m sorry your finger smells like that, but you have to move to the back of the line.”

Aussie Josh Lawson, who plays the cluelessly egocentric Dr. Bruce — in pretty flawless American English — and Ledgin talked about the curious items in the surgeon’s on-set office, which include a golden football, second-place talent show trophies and an electric guitar. “He’s that guy, good God,” Lawson said. Ledgin also recounted how Lawson’s office display came to include a samurai sword after a prop guy asked him about one of the awards in the office. “I said, ‘His sword?’ And he said, ‘No, his award.’” Ledgin’s reply: “We’ve got to get him a sword.”

“Comedy Is Not Pretty,” goes a song (and album) by Steve Martin, and Ledgin gave testament to that declaration when he said that working on the second season of St. Denis Medical gave him “a lot deeper acceptance for how not fun my life is while we’re making the show.”

But as Joyce, McLendon-Covey’s hospital administrator, might say in an attempt to ease the pain: “We’re working late, and there’s pizza!”

Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris speak onstage during the Celebration Of The 25th Anniversary Of The Cancellation Of “Strangers With Candy” event as part of the 2025 New York Comedy Festival at Town Hall on November 08, 2025 in New York City.

Valerie Terranova/Getty Images

There were no snacks for Strangers With Candy creators Sedaris, Dinello and Colbert, who sat for a panel discussion that was billed as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the cancellation of the out-there Comedy Central show that ran from 1999 to 2000. On Nov. 7 at Town Hall in midtown Manhattan, the trio — who Colbert said often “would write all night and go to the set” — revealed that they were never actually told their show was canceled. “They just stopped filling our snack drawer,” Dinello said.

The series was a spoof of after-school specials — ham-fisted morality plays that ABC, CBS and NBC broadcast from the ‘70s through the ‘90s — and featured Sedaris as Jerri Blank, a former prostitute and junkie high-school dropout who resumed her education as a 46-year-old freshman. Colbert played married history teacher Chuck Noblet, who was carrying on a secret affair with Dinello’s art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck. “We were improvising while we were writing a lot,” Colbert said of the trio’s creative process, adding: “If we laughed, we couldn’t cut it from the show.”

Although Strangers was satire — one of its funniest episodes is a spoof of the 1962 film The Miracle Worker, in which the illiterate Jerri, in the Helen Keller role, learns to read — the show, which is available on Paramount+, was more than groundbreaking. Its surreal vibe defies imitation. As one audience member observed, Jeri Blank was one of the first gender-queer characters on television.

The series also featured some memorably absurd dance sequences, and at the end of the discussion, the audience was treated to a montage of fascinating footwork by the characters that should be available to stream as well.



This story originally appeared on Billboard

Premiere Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot, and More

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A Man on the Inside‘s second season has arrived, and while it may not exactly set up a new mystery for undercover investigator Charles Niuewendyk (Ted Danson) to solve, there are plenty of avenues that he and the rest of the characters could take if the show returns for Season 3.

While Netflix hasn’t announced a Season 3 renewal, the cast and series creator Michael Schur have hinted at plans for a potential next chapter amid Season 2’s release. As we await official word on a Season 3 order, we’re breaking down everything we know so far about the possibility below. Stay tuned for any updates, and scroll down for a closer look.

Has A Man on the Inside been renewed for Season 3?

No, A Man on the Inside hasn’t been renewed for Season 3 yet, but stay tuned for the possibility as fans continue to binge the recently released second season.

What would A Man on the Inside Season 3 be about?

Netflix

A Man on the Inside has tended to focus on different topics each season, with the first being a retirement community, and the second revolving around a liberal arts school, so what would Season 3 shine a light on? Schur told TV Insider, “If we get a third season, the themes will remain the same and we’ll add some new ones. Among the ones that I’m interested in exploring are the state of the American city.”

According to Schur, the subject “is very interesting to me for similar reasons that we set the show in a liberal arts school in the second season. It’s a subject that gets demonized all the time. I’ve lived in small towns and I’ve lived in suburbia, and I’ve lived in cities, and I think cities are great and they’re wonderful and exciting.. It’s a place where a whole bunch of people come together from a whole bunch of different places and get to meet each other and experience what it’s like to live with each other.”

Who would star in A Man on the Inside Season 3?

You couldn’t have A Man on the Inside without the “man” himself, Ted Danson, but we’d also imagine many of the other stars would return, including Lilah Richcreek Estrada, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Eugene Cordero, and Stephanie Beatriz, as well as possible guest stars like Mary Steenburgen (Danson’ real-life wife), but keep an eye out for any official announcements.

When could A Man on the Inside Season 3 premiere?

As the series isn’t renewed yet for Season 3, it’s not clear yet when that potential chapter might arrive, but if it’s renewed soon, it is possible that A Man on the Inside could be back as soon as 2026, as it was a year between Seasons 1 and 2. We’ll keep you updated on any announcements.

A Man on the Inside, Seasons 1-2, Streaming now, Netflix




This story originally appeared on TV Insider

Two Playdate games about cheese, and spooky campfire stories with a twist

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After taking a break from the Playdate following Season Two and the wonderfully weird experience that was Blippo+, I finally dusted off my little yellow console this week and dove back in. And what better place to start than with a couple of games about cheese? Cheese ‘n Crackers and Say When! both hit the Playdate Catalog recently, but aside from the thematic similarity, they’re two very different games. As an extra treat (unrelated to cheese), I also picked up Ware-wolf Campfire Stories, a free game on itch.io that’s actually over a dozen bite-sized games in one.

Cheese ‘n Crackers

When it comes to snacking, everyone’s got their preferences. Some crave a savory blast of umami, while for others, a sweet treat might be what always hits the spot. Or maybe you’re like me, and if you have one, it needs to be followed by the other. Creating snacks that hit just right is what Cheese ‘n Crackers is all about.

In this Playdate game, you have what is essentially a neverending charcuterie board with all the fixins you could imagine. There are meats, cheeses, spreads, spices, vegetables, fruits and various types of crackers and breads to adorn with those toppings. You have to combine ingredients to make the perfect snacks for whatever group you’re serving that round. Each group — like the Speed Daters or Grandma’s Bridge Club — has a specific set of guidelines that may include favorites, dietary restrictions or aversions to certain tastes.

A still from the Playdate game Cheese n Crackers showing a cutting board with various meats, vegetables, cheeses and crackers (Scenic Route Software)

While pairing ingredients is pretty intuitive, there are specific combinations that will earn you more points, so you’ll have to pay attention to descriptions of each food item. Or, you can turn to the Cheese ‘n Crackers Compatibility Spreadsheet for all of that information in one place. Yes, that exists, and it’s an intimidating work of culinary organization. Toppings will go bad if they sit out for too long, so you won’t want to waste too much time scouring the spreadsheet, but it’s still a relatively low-pressure game that you can play at your own pace. For the more competitive among us, though, there are leaderboards so you can challenge yourself with scores to beat.

Say When!

This is the more intense of our cheese games, with a Root Bearlike structure that sees you tending to a revolving door of restaurant patrons and trying to grate the perfect amount of cheese for their meals using the crank. And despite being called Say When!, your customers (very unhelpfully) will not actually say “when” to let you know you can stop cranking; you have to pay attention to their unique tells to know when they’re satisfied — the twitch of a mustache, a change in facial expression, etc.

A still from the Playdate game Say When! showing a man wearing dark sunglasses sitting at a table, with a dish in front of him. Grated cheese is pouring onto the dish from a cheese grater that floats above it

A still from the Playdate game Say When! showing a man wearing dark sunglasses sitting at a table, with a dish in front of him. Grated cheese is pouring onto the dish from a cheese grater that floats above it (Smashtoad Studios)

There’s a customer satisfaction meter at the top of the screen that will take hits any time you under- or over-serve cheese, or suffer if you’re moving too slowly, and once it’s down to the bottom, you’re fired. After each shift, you’ll be given the choice to use a modifier that can help you out in areas like customer satisfaction or getting the boss off your back. To mix things up, there are also mini-games that pop up in the middle of your shift. You might be furiously grating cheese and then have to switch gears and save the life of a choking customer, for example.

It’s fast-paced, it’s silly and it’s pretty hard to put down once you get going.

Ware-wolf Campfire Stories

While the Playdate Catalog has lots of great titles to choose from, there are plenty of gems not on there that are worth checking out too. One such example is Ware-wolf Campfire Stories, a unique package of 14 tiny games that’s free on itch.io. It’s the result of a collaboration between 15 developer teams — including the developers of Off-Planet Dreams, the Life’s Too Short series, Voidblazers and other popular Playdate titles.

Per the description:

In Ware-wolf Campfire Stories, 5 kids are sitting around a fire with their counselor telling spoooooky tales! Each story launches a separate game that you may win or lose…. with consequences.

It’s a cool format, and there’s some nice variety among the games, which each only take a few minutes to get through for the most part. They’re all of the spooky sort, so expect bats, ghosts and skeletons galore. It’s a nice way to get a taste of some of the many different game styles you’ll encounter on the Playdate, and maybe discover some developers whose games you haven’t yet checked out.



This story originally appeared on Engadget

Wicked Musical Falls Short Of Minecraft Movie In Surprising Box Office Showdown

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X/@PopBase

‘Wicked: For Good’, the movie that has just been released, has taken the US box office by storm with a phenomenal opening weekend of $150 million. It has now secured the position of the second-biggest domestic debut of the year after ‘A Minecraft Movie’ which had a pioneer of even $162 million.

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The great movie battle has just taken place and the winner might be a surprise to you. The much-anticipated feature film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical ‘Wicked’ has opened with a whopping $150 million domestically. But that was still not sufficient to win the first spot. The winner was ‘A Minecraft Movie’ which is still very much alive and has already spun a complicated and unexpected box office narrative for 2024 with its $162 million debut.

The news came as a shock and many people couldn’t believe that a video game adaptation was more popular than the cultural phenomenon called ‘Wicked’. `Be for real, what has minecraft even did, literally nobody knew that movie came up,’ one person articulated the general astonishment feeling. The comment highlights the perceived stealth success of the ‘Minecraft’ film as compared to the high-profile ‘Wicked’ release.

Though there were comparisons being drawn, an analytical voice intervened to provide the appropriate context for the numbers. ‘Didn’t wicked for good have 2 extra days of release ?? So it’s actually even more said that it didn’t beat minecraft,’ one more person commented. This remark suggests that despite an opening window that could be longer, ‘Wicked’ still could not overshadow the earnings of its pixelated rival, thus making the outcome even more interesting for the experts who follow the film industry.

Suddenly, the discussion shifted from mere figures to the question of which was the better culture. The fans of ‘Wicked’ celebrated and acknowledged the victory for what it really was. ‘Love that for us! So wicked,’ one person exclaimed, indicating the movie’s revenue success no matter how it was ranked. Conversely, another spectator offered a brief but unforgiving comparison of the two films regarding their artistic merit, simply stating ‘real art vs green screen slop’.

The argument became increasingly heated when some respondents took the box office rivalry as a personal defeat. ‘Huge disappointment. I thought it was supposed to be record setting,’ one person lamented, referring to the very high expectations that had been set for the musical adaptation. This opinion was countered by another who cleverly said, ‘Minecraft: building empires Wicked: just singing, Still $12M behind, tho,’ using the game’s main feature as a metaphor for it winning the box office battle.

Moreover, the most indicative answer came from a spectator who seemed to be speaking for many of the casual viewers. He said, ‘this is how i find out about the minecraft film.’ This single statement conveys the surprise aspect of the success behind ‘A Minecraft Movie’—an enormous money-making film which, however, to a segment of the audience was non-existent and only made ‘Wicked’s’ second position more evident.

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Ultimately, the box office numbers tell a story of two different types of hits. ‘Wicked: For Good’ displayed a show-stopping opening which indicates how musicals will always have charms in theaters. On the other hand, it was ‘A Minecraft Movie’ that with its unassuming yet unstoppable character set a new standard for video game conversions by taking the largest opening of the year so far and at the same time crafting an unexpected David and Goliath scenario in the film industry of 2024. The film’s star, Ariana Grande, has been a major draw for audiences. Additionally, the performance by Cynthia Erivo has been widely praised, and the choreography by Alan Bersten added to the film’s magical appeal.



This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider