Blogroll
What parents of tweens and teens need to know about BookTok
Olivia Carter, a 7th-grade school counselor in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, lets out a laugh when asked about the novel Icebreaker.
The book frequently pops up on TikTok as a #BookTok recommendation. With its pastel cover featuring a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain, the book has the look of a classic rom-com for teens. It's anything but that.
Icebreaker, part of the Maple Hill series by author Hannah Grace, is what BookTokkers call a "spicy" read. Translation? It contains graphic descriptions of sex. In this case, the main characters are college students.
The novel is so explicit that students at Carter's school are not permitted to read it on campus, and their parents are often discreetly contacted as a courtesy if their child is found reading it. Carter has spoken to parents who had no clue that Icebreaker is erotica.
"Parents are generally happy to receive that phone call," says Carter.
They're not alone in their surprise, as other parents demonstrated in a Reddit thread about Icebreaker a few months ago.
SEE ALSO: Teens who talk about their mental health on this app may be taking a big riskWhile Icebreaker was published last year, it continues to stir controversy on BookTok. In a recent video, a bookseller commented on how the cover's cute design fools both young readers and their parents; he suggested the book and others like it get a sticker indicating they're for those 18 and above. (No such rating system currently exists.) The TikTok video has been viewed more than 886,000 times and received 1,600-plus comments.
Icebreaker is a prime example of how BookTok has the power to steer tweens and young teens toward explicit or violent content, even as it encourages them to develop positive reading habits and helps them build community around books and ideas.
Experts like Carter say that parents should be curious about what their children are finding on BookTok. By paying close attention to their child's reading list, being ready to talk about difficult subjects like sex and violence, and helping their child identify signs that a book is too mature for them, parents can be a supportive presence.
By contrast, a hard-line approach that restricts books without discussion is likely to backfire. Carter says that tweens and teens, particularly on TikTok, are using their book selections as a form of self-expression. They want to be seen as mature enough to handle certain types of content, and they're doing so on a digital platform where the act of purchasing and displaying books gives them a sense of belonging to a broader community.
"I think that kids definitely want people to notice, like, 'Oh these are all the books I'm reading, and these books say something about me,'" says Carter.
What to know about BookTok for tweens and teensPrior to the advent of social media, a curious tween or teen could certainly find titles with mature or explicit themes, says Mandie Caroll, books editor for Common Sense Media.
Caroll recalls being a young reader and encountering The Clan of the Cave Bear, a work of prehistoric fiction published in 1980 that depicts sexual assault. Later books in the series include consensual, graphic sex.
"In every generation there's going to be some way that kids discover sex in books," Caroll says. Her own review of Icebreaker describes it as containing "lots of graphic, erotic sex" and says it's for readers 17 and older.
The difference today is that these discoveries happen at the speed of social media, facilitated by influencers and algorithms. Gone are the days when romance novels geared toward adults could be spotted by their sultry covers.
Caroll says that instead book publishers often market romance titles for adults and young adults with more modern aesthetics, like the rom-com look of Icebreaker. So youth looking at the covers of "spicy" adult novels might mistakenly assume they contain little to no sexual content.
She adds that publishers are eager to find an audience for their novels on BookTok. According to one youth librarian recently interviewed by Slate, BookTok can generate "huge bestsellers" in teen publishing, at a time when reading appears to be declining among kids between the ages of 8 and 12.
In addition to Icebreaker, Caroll says other sexually explicit books popular among younger readers but intended for older audiences include Fourth Wing, a romance-fantasy set in a war college for dragon riders, and The Love Hypothesis, a contemporary romance between a Ph.D. candidate and a young professor.
Both Caroll and Carter worry about BookTok recommendations for novels that depict sexual assault, domination, or "dubious consent" in the guise of a so-called dark romance.
Carter says that the 2021 novel Haunting Adeline continues to circulate amongst middle-school readers, even though it depicts stalking and a nonconsensual sex act with a firearm.
"There are lots of what they label as 'spicy' novels that have some level of sexual assault," says Carter.
How to help your child navigate BookTokCaroll says the reality of young adult BookTok means that parents truly cannot judge a book by its cover, or simply be so pleased that their child is reading that they don't explore the titles themselves.
In order to determine whether a book is appropriate for their child, she urges adults to flip through a novel before purchasing it, to read alongside them, or use resources like Common Sense, Goodreads, and Wikipedia to research its themes.
Caroll says that a parent worried about BookTok can start by telling their child that they may be exposed to books with scenes that are violent, sexual, or make them uncomfortable, and that the child can talk to them about it.
Though Common Sense does not believe in censoring what kids are reading, Caroll says parents may decide that certain books are just "absolutely not appropriate" for their child.
Either way, Caroll says that books offer parents an opportunity to talk about their child's interests and their family's values, in an open and nonjudgmental conversation.
To help young readers better understand their own limits, Carter says parents can talk to them about physiological signs that a book is too extreme or mature for them. These might include feeling sick to their stomach, or experiencing a racing heart, tense shoulders, or nightmares.
Tweens and teens might also consider how the book is playing a role in the rest of their day, and whether it's contributing to a general sense of anxiousness or unhealthy preoccupation. The solution may be to stop reading the book or to choose another genre altogether.
Carter says parents can also encourage their child to pause before purchasing a BookTok recommendation, particularly on a reading platform like Kindle. For a young reader who hasn't yet researched the title they purchased, an instant buy and download can rapidly lead to complex and confusing feelings. (Carter says many "spicy" novels are available on Kindle Unlimited.)
Though parents might feel similarly overwhelmed, Carter encourages them to start a conversation with their child with a simple question: "What are you reading today?"
How to watch every 'Law and Order' season, episode, and spinoff online
Spanning 30 years, seven spinoffs, and more than 1,200 episodes and counting, the iconic Law & Order franchise is a true cultural phenomenon. It's not just a police procedural or legal drama; it's the police procedural and legal drama. Created by Dick Wolf, the Law & Order universe originated in 1990 with the flagship show, and it's still pumping out new episodes weekly through three different series.
With so much material, a Law & Order watch party would keep you occupied for months on end. If you want to revisit old episodes, check out one of the spinoffs, or dive in for the very first time, we've put together a viewing guide to all things Law & Order.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Law & Order online and at home — every season, episode, and spinoff included (except for Season 4 and Season 7 of the original show, which are inexplicably missing from the streaming apps).
SEE ALSO: The 15 most binge-worthy TV shows on Peacock How to watch the original Law & OrderLaw & Order debuted on NBC in September 1990 as a straightforward procedural about the criminal justice system. Filmed on location in New York City, most episodes follow the same format: a criminal investigation, then a prosecution. Many episodes are based on real cases ripped from the headlines, although the show typically takes dramatic licenses.
During its lengthy run, Law & Order has starred a rotating cast. However, some major cast members might look familiar, including Jerry Orbach, who portrayed Detective Lennie Briscoe for 12 seasons, Sam Waterston, who portrayed District Attorney Jack McCoy for 19 seasons, and S. Epatha Merkerson, who portrayed Lieutenant Anita Van Buren for 17 seasons.
How many seasons are there?After 20 seasons, the series was unexpectedly cancelled in 2010. However, in 2021, NBC brought back the iconic series for its first season in over a decade — with long-time Law & Order stars Waterston and Anthony Anderson. As of January 2024, the show is now in Season 23, with new episodes airing every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Where to stream every seasonUnfortunately, you can't stream every season of Law & Order online. Thus is the reality of distribution and broadcasting rights in the streaming age. However, all hope is not lost. You can still watch many seasons online Here's your best options to watch the OG series.
Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Stream 'Law & Order' on Peacock Seasons 13-23 Watch NowThe 10 latest seasons (13 through 23) of Law & Order are available to stream on Peacock as of May 2024. That includes the current season airing on NBC, with new episodes arriving on Peacock on Fridays. Peacock subscriptions start at just $5.99 per month (or $59.99 per year, which saves you 17%) with ads or $11.99 per month ($119.99 per year, which saves you 17%) without ads.
Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV Stream 'Law & Order' on YouTube TV Seasons 1-3, 5, 6, 8-13, 19, 20, and 23 Watch NowWhile YouTube TV has significantly more seasons of the beloved OG Law & Order, it's also significantly more expensive than Peacock. While you can try it for free, it'll run you $57.99 per month for your first three months once you trial is up, then $72.99 per month thereafter for the base plan. Unfortunately for Law & Order completists, there are still some gaps in the lineup.
Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Buy select seasons of 'Law & Order' on Prime Video Seasons 1, 2, 16-20 Watch NowIf you'd rather own seasons of Law & Order to watch at your own leisure — and not have to worry about streaming services dropping the show — you can purchase specific seasons via digital on-demand libraries like Prime Video and Vudu (Fandango at Home). Prime Video has Seasons 1, 2, and 16 through 20, while Fandango at Home includes Seasons 1, 2, and 16 through 23. Most seasons will run you around $19.99 or so, but if you're a Prime member, you may be able to score select seasons at a discount.
How to watch Law & Order: Special Victims UnitThe first and most successful spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU), premiered in 1999 and has been pumping out new seasons ever since. Like the OG series, it follows a similar dual narrative approach, taking audiences from the precinct to the courtroom and largely ripping details of its stories from actual headlines. SVU's cases tend to be much more emotional and focus on sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and beyond.
Mariska Hargitay has starred as Detective Olivia Benson since the show's inception, making her the longest-running character on primetime TV and earning her a handful of awards. Rapper-turned-actor Ice-T joined SVU in Season 2 as Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola and has starred alongside Hargitay, making him the longest-running male actor in a TV series. While those two remain staples, like the original series, SVU has otherwise featured a rotating cast over the years.
How many seasons are there?Currently in Season 25, new episodes of Law & Order: SVU air on NBC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
Where to stream every seasonUnlike the original series, you can stream every season of SVU in one place — or, actually, two places. Every season of Law & Order: SVU is currently streaming on both Peacock and Hulu. The only difference is that Peacock also streams new episodes of the current season the day after they air live. Hulu likely won't add Season 25 to the library until after the season ends.
Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Stream 'SVU' on Peacock Seasons 1-25 Watch NowPeacock subscriptions start at $5.99 per month with ads or $11.99 per month without ads. You can also sign up for an annual subscription and save 17%. Keep scrolling to check out the best Peacock streaming deals below and see if you qualify for an even bigger discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Stream 'SVU' on Hulu Seasons 1-24 Watch NowA Hulu subscription will run you $7.99 per month with ads or $17.99 without ads. The good news is, if you're new to the platform, you can score your first month for free. A single month probably isn't enough time to binge watch 24 seasons of SVU, but you can always try.
How to watch Law & Order: Criminal IntentFirst airing in 2001 as the third spinoff, Law & Order: Criminal Intent spent less time in the courtroom and more time dissecting the minds behind some of society's most horrific crimes. Major Case detectives focused on high-profile crimes like kidnapping, theft, and assassination threats. The rotating cast included Kathryn Erbe, Vincent D'Onofrio, Courtney B. Vance, flagship Law & Order alum Chris Noth, Julianne Nicholson, and Jeff Goldblum.
How many seasons are there?Criminal Intent ran for a total of 10 seasons from 2001 to 2011. While the series began on NBC like the others, it transitioned to USA Network after Season 6.
Where to stream every seasonDespite the network change mid-series, all 10 seasons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent are available in one place. You can stream every single episode on Peacock.
Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Stream 'Criminal Intent' on Peacock All seasons Watch NowPeacock plans start at just $5.99 with ads and $11.99 without ads. However, you can save 17% (or more — see below) by signing up for an annual subscription instead.
How to watch Law & Order: Organized CrimeEssentially a spinoff of a spinoff, Law & Order: Organized Crime debuted in April 2021, making it the newest addition to the franchise. It stars Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler, a former (and beloved) SVU member and Benson's ex-partner. Meloni left SVU ahead of Season 13, but as a fan favorite, returned with his own spinoff series years later. The series follows the Organized Crime Control Bureau as they tackle New York City's most vicious criminal enterprises — from mob activity to drug rings to fake vaccines.
How many seasons are there?Organized Crime is currently in its fourth season and airs Thursdays on NBC at 10 p.m. ET. It's already been renewed for Season 5; however, unlike the previous seasons, it will be a Peacock Original.
Where to stream every seasonAll four seasons of Law & Order: Organized Crime (including the current season) are available to stream on Peacock. And since Season 5 has been ordered to Peacock as well, it's a good time to subscribe to the streaming service.
Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Stream 'Organized Crime' on Peacock All seasons Watch NowYou can sign up for Peacock for a little as $5.99 per month if you don't mind a few ad interruptions. For an ad-free viewing experience, it'll run you $11.99 per month. There are plenty of ways to save on a subscription, however. Keep scrolling to learn more.
How to watch other Law & Order spinoffsWhile Law & Order, Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, and Organized Crime may be the most successful of the bunch, they're not the only series in the Law & Order universe. There were a few other one-off seasons of spinoffs or shorter lived series you may want to include in the ultimate Law & Order binge watch.
Other spinoffs include:
Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005-2006) — Buy it at Prime Video ($12.49 for the season)
Law & Order: Los Angeles (2010-2011) — Buy it at Prime Video ($29.99 for the season)
Law & Order: True Crime (2017) — Stream it for free on Tubi
Law & Order: UK (2009-2014) — Stream it on AMC+ (plans starting at $4.99 per month)
Since the majority of the Law & Order franchise is streaming on Peacock, we'd recommend signing up for a subscription to watch the most episodes and get the most bang for your buck. Before you sign up, though, do yourself a favor and check out the best streaming deals below. Many people qualify for a discounted Peacock subscription — or even a free account.
Best long-term Peacock deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $59.99 per year (save $11.89) or $119.99 per year (save $23.89) Get DealIf you're committed to long-term streaming on Peacock, you can sign up for an annual subscription instead of a monthly subscription and save 17%. It'll cost you either $59.99 per year with ads or $119.99 per year without — that's basically 12 months of streaming for the price of 10.
Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free for select Xfinity customers Learn MoreSelect Xfinity customers can score Peacock Premium for free. Be sure to check your own eligibility through your account. Here's a breakdown of who is eligible for a free Peacock subscription:
Xfinity Internet users on the Gigabit or Gigabit+ plans can score free Peacock Premium for two years (offer ends June 25, 2025).
Xfinity Internet customers that are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can also score Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.
NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.
New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.
Students who can prove their student status via SheerID can score Peacock Premium for just $1.99 per month for an entire year. That's less than a daily coffee purchase. Once your student status is verified, you'll get a unique promo code to secure the discount. Just remember the code can only be used once (so no sharing!).
Best Peacock deal for first responders Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders $1.99 per month for one year Watch NowSimilar to the student offer, first responders can take advantage of a special $1.99 per month offer so long as they can verify their first responder status via SheerID. Just sign up using the unique promo code you receive to get the discount. If you continue to meet verification qualifications, you can renew the deal annually. You'll have to go through the process each time to receive a new promo code each year. Learn more about eligibility terms and requirements.
Best for Instacart users Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $59.99/year) Watch NowAs of Dec. 2023, Instacart partnered with Peacock to offer new and existing Instacart+ members a free Peacock Premium account. That's a $59.99 per year value — so make sure to take advantage of this freebie if you haven't yet. An Instacart+ account costs $99.99 per year and includes free grocery delivery on orders over $35, lower fees, credit back on eligible pickup orders, and more perks.
Best for JetBlue members Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / JetBlue Peacock Premium Free for one year for Mosaic status members Watch NowThrough July 2025, JetBlue TrueBlue members can earn 1,000 free TrueBlue points when they sign up for Peacock. Meanwhile, TrueBlue members with Mosaic status can get an entire year of Peacock Premium for free (a $59.99 value). Unfortunately, the offer is only valid for new Peacock subscribers. Read more about eligibility and terms over on Peacock's special offer page.
How to watch every 'Hunger Games' online, including 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes'
When The Hunger Games first hit theaters in 2012, it was an immediate box office hit. It launched the acting career of Jennifer Lawrence and skyrocketed her to stardom. It explored themes of rebellion, sacrifice, and the fight for freedom that made our teen and tween brains work overtime. And while a great deal has changed since the initial film release, "it's a franchise that grows with you and gets richer with time," as Mashable's Elena Cavender pointed out.
Last year, a new Hunger Games film hit the box office, giving us all a chance to revisit the film franchise and the books that created it. Based on a 2020 book of the same name, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes premiered in theaters in November 2023. It earned about $338 million worldwide and was met with largely positive reviews. Mashable's own Belen Edwards called it "well worth the wait."
Whether you want to catch up on the franchise, relive the excitement, or dive in for the very first time, we've broken down everything you need to know to watch all of the The Hunger Games movies online in 2024. But first, check out a preview of the newest film, due to start streaming on May 14.
How many Hunger Games books and films are there?There are a total of four books in the Hunger Games saga: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. When the books were adapted for film, Director Francis Lawrence split Mockingjay into two films, which he now regrets, making a total of five films instead of four.
"In truth, we got more on the screen out of the book than we would've in any of the other movies because you're getting close to four hours of screen time for the final book. But, I see and understand how it frustrated people," Lawrence told People, regarding the splitting up of Mockingjay.
Is The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes streaming?The Hunger Games prequel film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes opened nationwide in theaters back in November. As of May 14, it will be available to stream at home exclusively on Starz. It's also available now at digital on-demand retailers (like Prime Video or Fandango at Home) for rent or purchase.
How to watch and read every Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games films left Hulu in July 2023, but have found a temporary new streaming home in Netflix. Once that temporary stay is over, your only option will be to purchase or rent the films through video-on-demand services like Amazon, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV. That is, until they find a new streaming home. The good news is you can purchase the five-film collection at Prime Video if you want to avoid the streaming shuffle. You can buy a bundle with all five films for $39.99.
Below, we've broken down the best ways to watch each of the films at the time of writing, as well as the best ways to read each of the books.
The Hunger Games (2012) Opens in a new window Credit: Lionsgate Stream on Netflix Starting at $6.99 per month Get DealSet in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, The Hunger Games introduces audiences to teenage Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence). Katniss volunteers to fill in for her younger sister, Prim, and compete in the Hunger Games to fight for her life, ultimately sparking a revolution. You can rent the first film in the franchise at Amazon ($3.99), which gives you 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start.
For those who prefer to own it as part of their digital collection, it'll cost you just $7.99 at Amazon (save $5 compared to other digital retailers). It's also available to stream on Netflix through May 31. A Netflix subscription starts at just $6.99 per month (with ads).
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) Opens in a new window Credit: Lionsgate Stream on Netflix Starting at $6.99 per month Get DealSeeds of rebellion are growing in Panem in Catching Fire and as Katniss and Peeta travel through the districts on their victory tour, they can sense it. President Snow hosts another Hunger Games, but this time with a diabolical twist that finds Katniss once again fighting to survive. You can purchase the digital version of the film at Amazon for just $7.99 (reg. $12.99) or rent it for only $3.99. The film is also currently available to stream on Netflix through May 31.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) Opens in a new window Credit: Lionsgate Stream it on Netflix Starting at $6.99 per month Get DealThe third book in Collins' original trilogy was split into two separate films. Mockingjay — Part 1 follows Katniss as she adjusts to her new life in the rebellious and mysterious District 13. As a symbol of the revolution, she struggles to find her place amongst the other rebels. Meanwhile, Peeta is being held captive by the Capitol, which prompts a rescue mission. In order to watch the events unfold, you can purchase The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 at Prime Video for only $7.99 (reg. $12.99) or rent it for only $3.99. It's also available to stream on Netflix through May 31, where subscriptions start at $6.99 per month.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Opens in a new window Credit: Lionsgate Stream it on Netflix Starting a $6.99 per month Get DealKatniss and Peeta join the revolution in Mockingjay — Part 2, the fourth and final film in the original Hunger Games franchise. It features the final showdown between Katniss and President Snow. Katniss and Peeta want to liberate the people of Panem; President Snow declares war. You can watch the film by purchasing a digital version at Amazon for $7.99 (reg. $12.99) or renting it for just $2.99 (reg. $3.99). If you prefer streaming, head on over to Netflix while the film is still part of the streamer's library. It leaves Netflix on — you guessed it — May 31.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) Opens in a new window Credit: Lionsgate Stream it on Starz Starting at $4.99 per month Watch NowAn origin story and prequel following 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, the new film gives viewers insight into how he became the evil president we met in the original Hunger Games movies. Technically, you don't need to watch the other films first, as this film is set 64 years prior to the first in the series. However, it certainly wouldn't hurt to touch up on your knowledge of Panem before streaming it.
In order to watch Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, you can either rent or purchase it at Prime Video for $2.99 (reg. $3.99) or $9.99 (reg. $19.99) or stream it exclusively on Starz, beginning May 14. Starz typically costs $9.99 per month, but for a limited time, the streamer is offering a special 50% off deal for your first month. Sign up for just $4.99 to watch the latest Hunger Games flick, then cancel at any time.
Want to Read The Hunger Games? Opens in a new window Credit: Scholastic 'The Hunger Games' Get DealYou really don't know The Hunger Games until you've read the books. Discover the source material by snagging a copy of the first book by Suzanne Collins. You can go the digital route and get the Kindle version for $9.99, the audiobook for free with an Audible membership ($14.95 per month), or the paperback for only $8.99.
Read Catching Fire Opens in a new window Credit: Scholastic 'Catching Fire' Get DealTo revisit the second installment of the Hunger Games book series, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is also available at Amazon as a digital Kindle version for $14.99, an audiobook for free with an Audible membership ($14.95 per month), or a paperback for only $8.67.
Read Mockingjay Opens in a new window Credit: Scholastic 'Mockingjay' Get DealWhile the director who adapted Mockingjay split it into two films, you'll only have to read a single book to get the whole story. Snag a digital copy for $14.99, the audiobook for free with an Audible membership ($14.95 per month), or the paperback for $10.53 at Amazon.
Read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Opens in a new window Credit: Scholastic 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Get DealReleased in 2020, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the newest book in the Hunger Games series, yet the first chronologically. As a prequel, it takes place 64 years prior to The Hunger Games, so you can technically read it first or last. Purchase a digital version for $10.99, listen to the audiobook version for free with an Audible subscription ($14.95 per month), or snag the paperback version for $11.65 at Amazon.
Find your match: The best dating apps of 2024
Once upon a time, we had to rely on good old luck, wit, and charm to find love. Today, it's a little easier to woo potential partners without putting ourselves out there, out there. Thanks to the ever-evolving landscape of dating, sex, and technology, finding love or a quick fling is as simple as downloading a dating app.
SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to knowIt's also becoming more common to meet serious, long-term partners on dating apps. A 2022 survey from the Pew Research Center found that out of nearly 6,000 respondents, one in 10 partnered adults (those who were married, in a long-term relationship, or living together) met through a dating app. For adults under 30 and members of the LGBTQ+ community, 20 to 24 percent found their partner on the apps.
A dating app for every desireWith so many dating apps out there, it's easy to feel confused or overwhelmed by the options. While Match Group (Tinder, Match, Archer, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and The League, among others) continues to dominate the market, you don't have to limit yourself to just one brand when looking for the best dating app.
SEE ALSO: How to stay safe on dating appsFor example, First Round’s On Me (FROME) is a newer app that's gained popularity for its date invitation feature. Choose a drink, date, time, and venue, and the app will send a personalized invitation to your potential match. Once a date is confirmed, it's locked into both users' calendars, and the in-app chat feature is activated 12 hours before the date.
Other apps like Pure cater to people open to ethical, non-monogamous relationships or threesomes. There really is something for everyone, including more traditional dating apps like eharmony, Facebook Dating (think Tinder Lite, for your grandma), and Christian Mingle that swap endless scrolling for compatibility quizzes and faith-based connections.
The best dating apps of 2024After trying all of these apps and more, we narrowed down the best dating apps of 2024 based on our hands-on testing, customer reviews, availability (all are available on the App Store or Google Play), privacy, and overall user-friendliness:
Tired of casual dates? These dating apps will help you find a serious relationship
Dating is rough, especially at a time when we're dealing with AI-generated BS, fuckbois looking to play games (because this is still happening for some reason), and the constant pressure to present curated versions of ourselves to potential partners. It can feel like the Hunger Games, and the odds have been stacked against us.
Terms like "Boysober" (dubbed "this year's hottest mental health craze") and "benching" have become common in the dating lexicon, and many people are beginning to lose hope. Others say they're burnt out from the dating app scene altogether, leading to a wave of "app fatigue."
Are dating apps worth it?With an influx of ghosting, breadcrumbing, and FWB arrangements, it's easy to see why you might question whether or not dating apps are worth it. Our answer is a resounding yes (with an asterisk).
SEE ALSO: How to use Bumble, and is it better than Tinder?We're not going to ignore the elephant in the room and say that human connection can be replaced by swiping through profiles on a dating app. But we're not giving up hope just yet.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly 44 percent of adults say they use dating apps to find a long-term partner rather than just casual dating or hookups. This survey also found that one in 10 partnered adults met their current partner through a dating app. So, even if you've yet to find that magical, swoon-worthy connection, the statistics show that it's definitely possible. Some of our own writers and editors have found love on the apps, too.
Which dating app is best for serious relationships?There are so many dating apps, but not all of them are created equal when it comes to finding a serious, long-term relationship.
Some dating apps are better suited for casual flings or hookups (e.g., Tinder, Grindr, AdultFriendFinder, etc.), while others have matching algorithms and profile features specifically designed to help users find meaningful connections (e.g., eharmony, OkCupid, Hinge, and Coffee Meets Bagel).
The good news is that we've done the research (and hands-on testing) to figure out which apps work best for long-term committed relationships, and Match Group isn't the only player in the game. Plus, all of these platforms are available via Google Play and the App Store, so having an Android or iPhone won't limit your options. Some of the old-school dating sites still maintain a desktop version as well.
To find your match, here are the best dating apps for serious relationships in 2024:
Access useful new features on your Mac with MacPilot for under £24
TL;DR: Through May 12, you can gain access to more than 1,000 Mac features to enhance your Apple user experience with a lifetime license to MacPilot for just £23.91 (reg. £78.99).
We Mac users love our machines. Wouldn't it be exciting to level up your Mac experience with a key to hidden features? That's what MacPilot is made to do. And through May 12, you can get a lifetime license for just £23.91 (reg. £78.99).
Unlock your Mac's untapped power while still enjoying the Apple interface you know and love. This offer gets you lifetime access to more than 1,200 features. Best of all, you don't need to employ complex file operations to do so. If you're used to the type of control you have with a Windows desktop, then MacPilot lets you make similar adjustments to your Apple computer.
So, have some fun with your Mac using MacPilot while optimising performance. You can add spacers and stacks to the dock, display certain hidden files in Finder, change the file format of screenshots, toggle animations, optimise and repair your system, and more. MacPilot also makes it easy to see everything about your computer, including the graphics card, RAM, and serial number.
This lifetime license is available on up to three desktop devices. It also includes all updates needed.
Don't settle for a one-size-fits-all Mac experience. With MacPilot, you have the power to customise your Mac to suit your needs.
Take the pilot's seat while using your Mac with this lifetime license to MacPilot — on sale for just £23.91 (reg. £78.99) until May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Koingo MacPilot Lifetime License $23.91 at the Mashable Shop$78.99 Save $55.08 Get Deal
How to watch Game 3 of Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers online for free
TL;DR: Stream Game 3 of Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
You get the feeling that the Boston Celtics are walking through the NBA playoffs without a real challenge. Sure, they have been beaten. But have they ever looked like actually losing a series? We don't think so, but the Cleveland Cavaliers will still believe that they can turn things around.
If you want to watch Game 3 of Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Game 3 of Celtics vs. Cavs?Game 3 of the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers series starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on May 11. This game takes place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
How to watch Game 3 of Celtics vs. Cavs for freeGame 3 of the Celtics vs. Cavs series in the NBA playoffs is available to live stream for free on Ran.de.
Ran.de is geo-restricted to Germany, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world.
Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Germany
Connect to Ran.de
Watch Game 3 of the Celtics vs. Cavs series for free
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA playoffs for free.
What is the best VPN for the NBA?ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking Ran.de to stream live action from the NBA playoffs, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Germany
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Game 3 of Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers for free with ExpressVPN.
How to watch Bristol Bears vs. Saracens online for free
TL;DR: Stream Bristol Bears vs. Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Gallagher Premiership is building to a dramatic conclusion. There is still so much left to play for before we get stuck into the playoffs and final, including an absolutely huge matchup between Bristol Bears and Saracens. Bristol Bears have a growing number of teams lurking just behind them in the standings, so a win is really needed to secure that top four spot.
If you want to watch Bristol Bears vs. Saracens for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Bristol Bears vs. Saracens?Bristol Bears vs. Saracens kicks off at 3:05 p.m. BST on May 11. This fixture takes place at Ashton Gate in Bristol, England
How to watch Bristol Bears vs. Saracens for freeBristol Bears vs. Saracens will be broadcast live on ITV1, with free live streaming also available on ITVX.
ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access ITVX from anywhere in the world.
Unblock ITVX to watch live rugby by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit ITVX
Stream Bristol Bears vs. Saracens for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ITVX without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Bristol Bears vs. Saracens before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for ITVX?ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking ITVX, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Bristol Bears vs. Saracens for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
How to watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians online for free
TL;DR: Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
With just over two weeks left of the IPL, cricket fans will be gearing up for the final. With just a few matches left, who's next to take to the pitch?
For the 60th match of the season, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians will go head-to-head. Want to tune in? You can watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians for free from anywhere in the world. Keep scrolling to find all the information you need.
When is Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians?Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians will start at 3 p.m. BST on May 11. This game will take place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India.
How to watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians for freeHead over to JioCinema to catch live streams of every IPL cricket match.
While JioCinema is geo-restricted to India, you can unblock this with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (i.e. your digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.
Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in India
Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)
Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians for free from anywhere in the world
Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.
What is the best VPN for JioCinema?ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking JioCinema, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including India
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.
Jinkx Monsoon promises 'the queerest season of 'Doctor Who' you've ever seen!'
Jinkx Monsoon has achieved more dreams than some even dare to have. The fan-adored drag queen has twice won RuPaul’s Drag Race, taking home the crown on both Season 5 and All-Stars Season 7. She's toured the globe with her collaborative bestie BenDeLaCreme with The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special, which is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video. And she's stomped the boards, first as Matron "Mama" Morton in Broadway's current iteration of Chicago, and right now as ingenue Audrey in off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors. Next, she's taking to all of space and time, joining Doctor Who Season 14 as the melodic and maleficent Maestro.
So, after all her success, what's it like for Monsoon to get paid to say "timey-wimey," as she does in the episode "The Devil’s Chord"? In an interview with Mashable, she said, "It's really incredible. As a Doctor Who fan myself — and as a big fan of the David Tennant seasons — the fact that 'timey-wimey' was written into my dialogue felt like a special gift from [Season 14 showrunner] Russell [T Davies]. And I loved saying it. I'd say it for free. Getting paid was a bonus."
SEE ALSO: Jinkx Monsoon on trans visibility, Patti LaBelle's Virgo energy, and bad lip reading Jinkx Monsoon joins the Pantheon of Doctor Who foes. Credit: Disney+In "The Devil’s Chord," the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) face off against Monsoon's Maestro in 1960s England, just as the Beatles are primed to record their debut album. But amid their battles over music and the very future of mankind, the Maestro (who uses they/them pronouns) drops all kinds of tantalizing teasers about their origins. Child of the Toymaker from the Doctor Who special "The Giggle," the Maestro declares themselves part of the Pantheon, noting, "There are vast powers beyond the universe." Then, before being trapped in a piano (but not just any piano!), the Maestro cackles a warning: "The One Who Waits is almost here!"
What does all this mean? More specifically, how much did Davies reveal to Monsoon about what this foe's cryptic lines refer to? "Just what's pertinent," Monsoon explained over a Zoom interview. "I can tell you, from the experience I have working on sci-fi, nothing has ever been so close-lipped and secretive. And I love that. It's a special challenge as an actor to only have little bits."
But even if Monsoon can't spill the tea on the Maestro's mysterious proclamations, she had plenty of clues to pull from to create the character. "Luckily, Russell's an incredible writer, and everything you need is in the text,” she said, adding that the Maestro’s origins — which tap into Greek mythology and Lovecraftian horror — gave her plenty to work with.
The door is open for me and for other drag entertainers and trans entertainers and visibly queer people to come in and start claiming our space in front of the camera and onstage."I had tropes that I could draw from for inspiration. But essentially, as an actor, if you're worth your salt," she emphasized by affecting a salty dame voice, "You should be able to just get everything you need from the script and infer enough to perform effectively."
And boy, does she. Within "The Devil’s Chord," Monsoon unleashes a performance that proves her a force of nature. As an influence in audacious villainy, she cited Michelle Gomez, whose thrillingly menacing Missy rattled the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) from 2014-2017. Then, she celebrated the current cast and crew. "It was just so exciting to work with people who were so game to try so much," Monsoon said, referring to the experimentation that went into choreographing the final music battle. "They do take after take because they too wanted to do it the best they possibly could."
Jinkx Monsoon looks back on her path from Drag Race to Doctor Who. Jinkx Monsoon on the set playing the Maestro in "Doctor Who." Credit: Disney+Reflecting on her work on Doctor Who, Monsoon mused, "When you're working at a certain level, the likelihood that everyone there is there because they want to be — and there because they're passionate about this — is much higher. And when you're in a room full of people who have all set their egos aside to put on the best show possible? I'm experiencing that right now in Little Shop. I experienced it with Chicago and Doctor Who. It is such an honor as a performer to get to work with other people who just really love what they do and want to do it to the best of their ability."
Monsoon has come a long way since the days of muttering the mantra "Water off a duck’s back" while buffering the bullying of Drag Race contenders. Notably, she and Drag Race Season 5 rival Roxxxy Andrews recently "squashed" their beef with a meme-centric Instagram post. So, with so many crowns won and mountains climbed, what's next for Jinkx Monsoon?
"I feel like I can go anywhere now," she said. "Like, I used to feel so limited, because drag was my chosen medium. You know, when I was in acting school, I thought I had to give up drag to be an effective working actor. And that just didn't end up being true for me. Because immediately after college, I was playing female roles in theater."
The transfeminine actor, who publicly came out as trans in 2017, continued, "Some directors just always saw me in me, even before I saw me in me — you know what I mean?... So, I said to myself, 'You don't have to give up drag to be an actor; you can marry the two.'"
SEE ALSO: Peppermint talks drag, transness, and the evils of capitalismMonsoon admitted, "It's been a long journey to do that to the level I've gotten to do it recently. But every step along the way has been fulfilling." A highlight of which she's particularly proud is The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special. "I was putting really good work into that as an actor, as a writer, as a creator, as a performer," she explained. "That [pride is] what gave me the mojo that I'm now taking into everything. There's something about creating my own thing that made me feel like no matter what happens in my career, this is something I'm really proud of. And this feels like it's met the goals I wanted to meet as a performer. So it was almost like going into All Stars; I had nothing to lose, because I had everything I had worked towards already."
Since All-Stars, Monsoon counts herself lucky to be offered roles that have "all been a perfect fit," referring to Mama Morton, Audrey, and the Maestro. "I feel like the door is open for me and for other drag entertainers and trans entertainers and visibly queer people to come in and start claiming our space in front of the camera and onstage," Monsoon declared. "We've always been here. We've always been a part of the entertainment community. We've just not been able to be as vocal and as honest as we're getting to be now.
"And honestly," Monsoon said with a smile, "I think with every swing the conservative right takes at us, entertainment goes, 'You know what, we see you, and we raise you the queerest season of Doctor Who you've ever seen!' And really, it's just gonna be incredible. I'm so excited for people to see it. It's such an amazing show. And this new iteration of it is just like, fresh and exciting and so full of potential and possibilities."
How to watch: Doctor Who streams Friday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously on May 11 at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for May 11
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for May 10's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Seaside adjective
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no letters that appear twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to Wordle #1057 is...
TIDAL.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for May 11
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for May 11's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Lead
Green: Van Helsing's toolkit
Blue: Funny pages
Purple: Rhymes with "tub"
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: ONE WITH TOP BILLING
Green: VAMPIRE VULNERABILITIES
Blue: SATIRICAL PUBLICATIONS
Purple: CLUB ___
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to Connections #335 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayYellow: ONE WITH TOP BILLING - HEADLINER, LEAD, PRINCIPAL, STAR
Green: VAMPIRE VULNERABILITIES - CROSS, GARLIC, SILVER, SUN
Blue: SATIRICAL PUBLICATIONS, FAMILIARLY - CRACKED, LAMPOON, MAD, ONION
Purple: CLUB ___ - MED, MUSIC, SANDWICH, SODA
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.
'The Devil's Chord' on 'Doctor Who': Your questions answered
Doctor Who is back with a new Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), a new companion in Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), and a whole new season of time-travel adventures, courtesy of returning showrunner Russell T Davies. With scads of past seasons of lore to pull from, Season 14 started off strong with "Space Babies" and "The Devil's Chord," a double-header that took audiences to a far-flung future and a mop-topped past. Lucky for us Whovians, both episodes are rich with Easter eggs.
The first Easter egg in "The Devil's Chord" is the tritone itself: a dissonant chord that has indeed unsettled listeners for centuries. But the packed musical episode has plenty more to reveal about the Beatles, the Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), and the rest of the Pantheon that the Doctor may soon face. Let's dive in.
SEE ALSO: How to watch 'Doctor Who': When does the new season premiere? The Doctor's wardrobe is on point. Credit: Disney+The TARDIS, a time-traveling spaceship that is bigger on the inside, has a wardrobe room to help its inhabitants dress up in the style of whatever era they happen to be visiting. We heard its location described in "The Unquiet Dead" (Season 1, episode 3), when Rose (Billie Piper) needed a dress for 1860; it was in the same place in "Thin Ice" (Season 10, episode 3), when Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) had to dress for 1814.
The wardrobe also helps the Doctor decide how he's going to dress in each incarnation. Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor appears to be going for a novel strategy: Wear different clothes, but perfectly fabulous ones, on each outing. And wigs too, apparently, mentioned and shown off here for the first time. (Technically, Matt Smith was wearing a wig for his final outing as the Doctor in 2013, but that's because he was filming Ryan Gosling's directorial debut Lost River at the same time. This is the Doctor's first canonical wig.)
As for the music that accompanies the Doctor and Ruby as they strut out of the TARDIS and into 1963 London? Incongruously, that's "California Soul," a 1967 hit by married songwriters Ashford & Simpson. If you follow tech news, you might remember it from Apple's California-themed iPhone 13 launch in 2021.
This was the Beatles' big day. Credit: Disney+Monday, February 11, 1963 was the day the Beatles went to EMI Studios and changed music history forever. (As the Doctor correctly points out, it was not yet called Abbey Road.) What they're supposed to be recording — with the help of George Martin, whom we see in the control room — is their seminal first album, Please Please Me.
No, it did not contain any songs about dogs; that's the doing of a new and dastardly foe. The "loss of music" plot is a clever way for the show to get around using actual Beatles music, which is notoriously expensive to license. For example, Mad Men showrunner Matthew Weiner spent $250,000 for a single play of a single track from Revolver.
SEE ALSO: 'The Beatles: Get Back' is a profile of the greatest band ever, as you've never seen them beforeBut back to the real-life music and Please Please Me. This immortal 14-track LP was recorded in three sessions on a single day. The Beatles were worn out from touring, as they'd just been doing shows at Sunderland in the northeast of England two days earlier, but they still gave it their all.
John Lennon in particular was not in good shape, nursing a cold. The incredible power of his voice on the final track, "Twist and Shout," comes from the fact that you can hear his vulnerable vocal chords literally being torn apart. He lost his voice for much of the next week.
RIP Cilla Black.Dismayed by the lack of talent in the Beatles, the Doctor and Ruby run to the next studio, where they find British singing superstar Cilla Black (played by Liverpudlian actor Josie Sedgwick-Davies). "Don't let me down, Cilla," the Doctor mutters. Cilla's lackluster performance confirms that something is very wrong in the realm of music.
Admittedly, the timeline is a little off here. Cilla Black, who spent the latter part of her career as a beloved TV host and died in 2015, was a friend of the Beatles from the old days in Liverpool; they sang together on occasion. She did sign with their manager, Brian Epstein, but not until September 1963. She released "Love of the Loved" (which Lennon and McCartney gave her) the following month, and soared to the top the charts by 1964.
The Doctor talks about his granddaughter Susan.If you're an old-school Doctor Who fan, you were probably pointing at the screen like that Leonardo DiCaprio meme during the scene on the rooftop with the Doctor and Ruby. He said Totter's Lane! (That's the location of the junkyard where we first met the Doctor, played by William Hartnell in 1963). But more importantly: He said Susan! (He also said she might be dead because of the Master's genocide of the Time Lords, which apparently rippled out through space and time, so... swings and roundabouts.)
Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford), as she was initially known, was introduced as the Doctor's granddaughter in that first episode on November 22, 1963. But Ford soon grew frustrated with her moody, otherworldly teenage character, who tended to have little agency. She left the show in 1964. Other than returning with a Hartnell lookalike for brief scenes in the 20th anniversary special "The Five Doctors," she has not been seen and has barely been mentioned in the show since.
We also don't know anything about Susan's parents; indeed, Doctor Who subsequently seemed embarrassed by the initial suggestion that its mysterious lead once had at least one kid and one grandkid. But given the season arc about the search for Ruby's parents, it seems Davies might take the opportunity to clear up the Doctor's family situation. Carole Ann Ford is still alive, and she seems willing to participate. Might we see Susan one more time?
Breaking the fourth wall: The Maestro and the Doctor winked at us.At the end of Gatwa's Christmas special, "The Church on Ruby Road," a character named Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) talks directly to the audience. "Never seen a TARDIS before?" she winks.
Well, it seems Mrs. Flood's cheekiness wasn't a one-off. In "The Devil's Chord," the Maestro clearly and specifically winks at the audience too — right before attacking the old woman who dared play Debussy's "Clair de lune" on her piano. The Doctor also winks, right before the final song number. Does that mean Mrs. Flood, the Maestro, and the Doctor are all members of this still-mysterious "Pantheon" of god-like beings?
"Pyramids of Mars" is revisited.When Ruby insists that the Maestro can't win — because Ruby herself is from the future and knows everything turns out alright — she's making a classic Doctor Who companion mistake.
Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), beloved companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors, famously made that same error regarding a superhuman villain in 1975's "Pyramids of Mars," a fan favorite episode set in 1911.
And when the Doctor snaps Ruby out of her complacency by taking her to post-apocalyptic London in 2024, explaining that this is the future if the Maestro wins, he's doing exactly what Tom Baker's Doctor did in that classic serial. Although as you can see, the show had a slightly lower budget at the time.
The Mrs. Mills piano is real.In his battle with the Maestro, the Doctor uses a famous old EMI piano that's supposedly thrumming with musical energy. This specially customized Steinway Vertegrand, which had been in the studio since the 1930s, was known as the Mrs. Mills piano; it was named after popular music hall pianist Gladys Mills, who often appeared on the BBC. The Beatles used it on "Penny Lane" and "With a Little Help from My Friends."
And if you want to hear what it sounds like to play the Mrs. Mills piano, Abbey Road studios is pleased to sell you a software version, endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney itself.
The Beatles' magic chord isn't what you think. Credit: Disney+In the finale of the episode, that Mrs. Mills piano is sent flying from the midst of the Maestro's music battle. This flings the iconic instrument away from the Doctor, who was trying to capture the Maestro by playing a specific chord. But the day is saved when the tune is completed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who read the floating notes and unleash their latent musical energy at last. (The Beatles famously never learned to read sheet music, but we'll allow it.)
But what is that chord? You might sense a reference to the end of the Beatles' most highly regarded song, "A Day in the Life," from the end of their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. However, that famous chord — played on four pianos at once, with microphones moving in to catch the echoes so the fade-out seems to last forever — was an E major, a powerful chord often used in rock tunes.
Best we can tell, thanks to sound-detecting AI apps, is that Doctor Who uses a C major in that scene. (The chord appears to have nothing to do with the respective positions of Lennon and McCartney's hands on the keyboard, which seem random.)
That leaves us wondering. Was Davies too worried about lawyers for the Beatles label Apple Corps to give us an E? Is that chord, in the context of an ending provided by the Beatles, effectively copyrighted now? Does its association with "A Day in the Life" make E the truly terrifying devil's chord here?
What's the "twist at the end"?The unusual closing number, "Always a Twist at the End," is essentially a dad joke based on the popular 1960s dance move, as well as a reference to the Beatles' hit song, "Twist and Shout." It also seems designed to needle Doctor Who fans who take the show too seriously.
Heads will explode as hardcore fans try to answer the question: Did that song really happen? Was there some residual energy from the defeat of the Maestro that made everyone in their vicinity do a dance number, perhaps in the style of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's musical episode, "Once More, with Feeling"?
Regardless, the obvious twist is introduced at the end of the song: the re-emergence of the young boy, Henry Arbinger, which is likely a sign that the Maestro is not as defeated as you might think.
But there's also a literal twist hiding in the dance scene: Susan Twist. The actor also showed up in "The Church on Ruby Road" as the woman in the pub asking Ruby to play her favorite seasonal song, and in 2023's "Wild Blue Yonder" as Isaac Newton's maid.
Davies has hinted she's important to the show's future, so... expect yet more Twist(s) before the end.
Doctor Who streams Friday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously on May 11 at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
When the real Beatles were on 'Doctor Who' — and almost traveled in time
When that most seasoned of time-travelers, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), returns to our screens Friday, he'll be making what he says is his first visit to the Beatles.
In the second episode of the new season of Doctor Who, "The Devil's Chord," TARDIS co-habitant Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) declares she's always wanted to see the band, so an excited Doctor whisks her away to 11 February 1963 when the Fab Four recorded their first album, Please Please Me, in a single day.
Now, Ncuti's Doctor is technically correct (and right to be surprised!) that his previous incarnations have never been to see the Beatles. Neil Gaiman intended otherwise: he wrote a scene where Matt Smith's Doctor and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) see the group's famous Shea Stadium performance at the opening of his 2011 episode "The Doctor's Wife," but that never made it to screen.
And yet the Beatles — the real ones, not the barely-lookalike versions seen in "The Devil's Chord" — did perform on Doctor Who once before, almost appearing as their future selves.
The biggest band in the world and the longest-running drama in the world both arrived on the scene in 1963, and have had a long-and-winding, timey-wimey history together ever since.
The Beatles 50th Anniversary concert … in 1965?Two years into their magical mystery tours, the Beatles and the world of 'Doctor Who' collided multiple times.
One of these collisions was in person, and it took place at the Cannes film festival in May 1965. A lone Dalek (one of a squadron in France to promote the Peter Cushing movie Dr. Who and the Daleks) was photographed running into John Lennon and this then-wife Cynthia at breakfast. The Lennons, there to promote the band's surreal second movie, Help!, looked nonplussed.
That same month, the BBC started screening another Dalek serial on Doctor Who, "The Chase." Over six episodes, in a madcap escape across time and space, the first Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions fled the evil pepper pots that menaced the Lennons.
But first, they relaxed with a goofy, never-to-be-seen-again Time and Space Visualizer (taken from the previous serial's "Space Museum). After tuning in to Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln, the TARDIS team rock out with some embarrassing dancing to ... a performance by the Beatles of their latest chart hit.
SEE ALSO: This is the best Beatles book ever yeah, yeah, yeahLess than a minute into "Ticket to Ride," as the Doctor and schoolteacher Ian (William Russell) are bopping away like awkward dads, schoolteacher Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) accidentally turns the performance off. "You've squashed my favorite beetles," jokes the Doctor.
Vicki (Maureen O'Brien), a British space colonist from the far future, then tells her aghast friends from the 1960s that the Beatles are considered classical music in her time. "I've been to their memorial theater in Liverpool," says O'Brien — who was from Liverpool herself. (There is no Beatles Memorial Theater in Liverpool yet, though even O'Brien might have been shocked to learn about John Lennon International Airport.)
What the BBC producers had proposed, according to the seminal Doctor Who: The Complete History, was even wilder: the live performance would pose as footage from a Beatles "50th anniversary" concert, presumably in the 2010s. Playing their older selves, the band would wear long gray beards.
One could imagine the four jokesters — Goon Show lovers who had already appeared on many UK TV comedy shows — really getting into the idea. Indeed, they would do something very similar in animated form three years later, during the "When I'm Sixty Four" segment of Yellow Submarine.
But the band's manager, Brian Epstein, turned the Doctor Who team down: he felt it would be bad for his boys' image. Instead of inventing elder mop tops, then, the show simply grabbed a Beatles performance that the group had filmed the previous month, in Doctor Who's regular studio, for another BBC show — Top of the Pops. Epstein consented to a very short clip being used, hence Barbara's accident with the off switch.
In a final timey-wimey twist worthy of the Doctor, episode 1 of "The Chase" is now the only place you can see that particular Beatles performance since the BBC regularly wiped its TotP tapes. (Unfortunately, thanks to copyright issues, the segment isn't available in U.S. versions of "The Chase.")
Epstein's decision was a disappointment for the show. But it would turn out to be a tragedy for the band, which missed its only opportunity for a 50th anniversary concert.
Not only did the Fab Four quit the concert scene for good a year later, and quit each other in 1970, but two members of the band would be dead long before its 50th birthday.
Yesterday and todayBy 1973, the Doctor seems to have quit following the group once described as "my favorite beetles." That was the year the second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and the third (Jon Pertwee) met in the TARDIS, confusing companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning).
"It's all quite simple," Pertwee's Doctor says. "I am he and he is me."
"And we are all together," replies Jo, "goo goo g' joob?" But neither Doctor knows the song she's referencing. Did he, in common with a lot of old folks in the 1960s, quit listening to the Beatles around the Revolver album, when they got weird?
All we know is that by the time of the new show, the Doctor seems to have become a fan again. David Tennant's Doctor helps with a crucial security question on a sunbound spaceship in the 2007 episode "42" by correctly calculating whether the Beatles or Elvis have had more number 1 hits.
Matt Smith's Doctor, attempting to escape his fate in 2011's "The Wedding of River Song," muses about joining the Beatles.
And perhaps the Doctor still can, in his Ncuti Gatwa incarnation.
Judging by the way he handles a couple of the Beatles' instruments in "The Devil's Chord," providing inspiration to Lennon and McCartney in the process, the group could get by with a little help from its oldest fictional fan.
How to watch: Doctor Who streams Friday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously on May 11 at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
'Doctor Who's 'Space Babies' is full of Easter eggs
Doctor Who is back for a brand-new season, along with the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). With the arrival of Doctor Who's fourteenth season on Disney+, the long-running sci-fi series is welcoming a new generation of fans to join a veritable legion of experienced Whovians.
Whether you've been a fan of the Doctor since the initial run, fell in with its 2005 revival, or have just started wading into all things "timey-wimey," returning showrunner and writer Russell T Davies is offering treasures with the premiere episode "Space Babies."
Along with a space-set fairy tale of monsters and derring-do, "Space Babies" delivers a bumper crop of references, questions answered, and other assorted Easter eggs. Here's what you might have missed.
Gallifrey is gone, babes.Gallifrey, home of the Time Lords, has spent the last 20 years bouncing in and out of existence on Doctor Who. In Davies' first era as showrunner (2005-2010), the planet had been wiped out in a mysterious Time War with the Doctor's main enemy, the Daleks. Wiped out, we were led to believe over seven seasons, by the Doctor himself.
That all led up to the Doctor Who 50th anniversary, in which the loss of Gallifrey was expertly retconned by then-showrunner Steven Moffat. The Doctor made his way back home over two seasons as Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, finally sending big bad president Rassilon packing in "Hell Bent" (Season 9, episode 12)."
Then, in Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor era, controversial showrunner Chris Chibnall told us Gallifrey had been destroyed again. This time, it was because the Doctor's ultimate frenemy, the Master, found out that all Time Lords including himself had the Doctor's DNA in them as part of the so-called Timeless Child reveal and... had a fit of rage sufficient to destroy an entire people in some way? It was never quite clear.
Now with "Space Babies," Davies confirms that the Doctor's world of Gallifrey is "gone." Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor says it twice, in two registers, in one of the episode's most affecting line readings. The Doctor's recurring search for home is no more. As in Davies' first tenure, the lead character is the last of the Time Lords.
What Davies appears to be signaling is that he's not going to retcon Gallifrey back again; the Chibnall genocide (which is here explicitly called a genocide for the first time) was for real. And really, in story terms, the call is a no-brainer. The Doctor is better off without those pompous big-collared elites cramping his new sense of style.
"Space Babies" tackles the butterfly effect. (No, not that butterfly effect.)At the start of "Space Babies," Ruby Sunday gets firsthand experience on how a little change in the past can radically alter the future. When visiting the dinosaurs of long ago, she accidentally crushes a butterfly — and just like that becomes an ornery reptilian hatchling. (Good thing the Doctor's quick thinking resuscitates the fallen bug and sets things right!)
Beyond setting up some basic rules of time travel in Doctor Who, this simple scene of Ruby stepping on a butterfly has an older lineage than you might think — even older than Doctor Who itself.
The 1952 Ray Bradbury story "A Sound of Thunder" features a time-travel safari skipping back 65 million years in order to hunt for T. rex. The hunters are constantly told not to change anything in the past lest they change their present, and they think they've heeded the warnings — until one discovers a dead butterfly on the sole of his shoe. That changes something crucial in their own time: a fascist candidate for president, who'd lost when they left, now appears to have won.
That's the don't-step-on-a-butterfly rule of time travel reflected in Doctor Who, which is not to be confused with "the butterfly effect," which boils down to the "butterfly flaps its wings and causes a hurricane around the world." Though the two are often conflated, the latter has more to do with chaotic patterns resulting from tiny changes in large systems like, say, the global weather, than it does with the theoretical realm of time travel.
Whatever you call it, Doctor Who has had some fun with the "don't step on a butterfly" rule over the years. "Tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies," David Tennant's Tenth Doctor tells Martha (Freema Agyeman) when she brings it up in "The Shakespeare Code" (Season 3, episode 2). "What have butterflies ever done to you?"
The butterfly chat goes in a different direction when Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) brings it up to the Twelfth Doctor in "Thin Ice" (Season 10, episode 3). "I mean, that's what happened to Pete," the Doctor says, deadpan, making up a companion on the spot. "He was standing there a moment ago, but he stepped on a butterfly, and now you don't even remember him."
But when Ruby actually steps on a butterfly, it marks the first time the Doctor has seen the result in person — what he deserves for teasing Bill, perhaps. Luckily, he was able to revive the butterfly, but how? Regeneration energy? Can the Doctor bring creatures back to life now? It isn't clear.
Remember WALL-E? Meet Nan-E. Credit: Disney+If you saw the self-driving baby carriers in "Space Babies" and thought of the baby-like, helpless humans revealed to be in a space station at the end of the beloved Pixar movie, you're not the only one.
The homage is clear. And it becomes even clearer when we learn of the existence of Nan-E (Bridgerton's Golda Rosheuvel), a robotic voice with an anti-swearing filter, chosen as a pun on the traditional British "nanny." But this one turns out to be an isolated carer who's a bit more homicidal (or strictly speaking... booger-cidal?) than WALL-E the robot ever was.
The Bogeyman enters. That's dis-gusting. Credit: Disney+In the Peter Capaldi episode "Sleep No More" (Season 9, episode 9), the Doctor encounters a monster that is literally made out of sleep. Not the act of losing consciousness, but the stuff that gets in your eyes overnight, aka eye boogers.
Some fans thought that choice was the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Doctor Who monsters. But apparently there's a whole other barrel below it, and it contains nose mucus. Welcome to Doctor Who canon, bogeyman! (A TARDIS-style translation note: Bogeys in the UK are boogers in the U.S., and the UK bogeyman is the same as the U.S. boogeyman.)
Davies has all the juvenile linguistic fun you might expect, including Ruby's expression of disbelief: "It's not." It is, of course, snot.
Appropriately enough for this episode, the old English name of the mythical creature used to scare children since time immemorial simply means "frightening specter."
What is the Doctor's real name?An oldie but a goodie in Doctor Who is to tease the notion that the Doctor is about to reveal his actual secret Gallifreyan name. And no, his actual name is not "Who." Although former showrunner Steven Moffat likes to point out there are plenty of indicators throughout the classic series (1963-1989) and the revived series (since 2005) that the full title of the show is what the universe actually calls him.
Moffat's episode "The Name of the Doctor" (Season 7, episode 13) is the ultimate tease. Even with a title like that, it fails to reveal any name beyond the Doctor. "The name you choose, it's a promise," Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor insists, and that's been good enough for fans ever since.
That doesn't mean Davies won't continue to tease it, as he does at the end of "Space Babies." In the premiere ep, he's about to tell Ruby Sunday and her family his real name as he closes the door of the TARDIS. But as in "The Name of the Doctor," our attention is distracted by something else. In this case, it's a TARDIS scan revealing that whatever Ruby Sunday is, she is actually human (and thus not a Time Lord.)
Doctor Who streams Friday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Disney+, where available, and simultaneously on May 11 at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Jinkx Monsoon's 'Doctor Who' performance was inspired by Michelle Gomez
The 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' cast on how we can learn to better co-exist with our environment
Where the northern lights will be visible thanks to the solar flare
Amid its period of peak activity, the sun is launching electromagnetic bombs at Earth, and all you can think of is gazing up at the northern lights? Good. You have your priorities in order, because nothing bad is likely to happen despite the recent solar flare eruptions. Here's how to enjoy the show:
According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center a "Geomagnetic Storm Watch" is in effect for Saturday, May 11. That means unless you normally wake up at about 1:00 a.m., staying up Friday, May 10 will be the best to way to see the local results of the sun's recent strong flares. On the night of May 11 and early morning of May 12, aurora conditions will be less favorable.
Credit: NOAAAuroras will potentially be visible at latitudes so far south that residents of Alabama and California may be able to catch a rare glimpse of the northern lights if they play their cards right and the weather permits.
SEE ALSO: This breathtaking Martian vista is a crucial lookout for dangerIf you're in Alaska, you probably already know the deal. But if you're seizing your golden opportunity as a resident of a warmer locale, the best way to ensure you don't come away empty-handed is to find a location away from city lights — or even suburban lights — with an unobstructed view of the horizon to your north.
What parts of the U.S. can see the auroras tonight? Credit: NOAAAccording to NOAA's current earth-weather forecasts, among the states where NOAA's map of aurora viewing conditions says viewing is possible, weather conditions look favorable in:
Washington
Oregon
Idaho
Montana
Wyoming
The Dakotas
Possibly Nebraska,
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Illinois
Iowa
Pretty much all of New England
Weather conditions look less favorable in:
The northernmost tip of Utah
Michigan
Ohio
Appalachian Pennsylvania
The panhandle of West Virginia
Upstate New York
...and Maine
But never let the clouds stop you from at least glancing up in the hopes of seeing something good. Furthermore, this solar storm is a real rarity, so if you're a little further south, like in Northern California or Northern Missouri and you're hoping for a once-in-a-lifetime chance of seeing these lights in the lower latitudes, now is your chance to try.
What are the northern lights anyway?The auroras (aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere, and aurora australis in the southern hemisphere) are the visual evidence of charged particles that flow toward us in what's known as the solar wind — in this case a "severe" solar storm — colliding with the particles in the Earth's magnetic field such as oxygen atoms. The glowing display itself is occurring not in space, but in Earth's upper atmosphere.
They will often look, at first, like a whitish glow hanging over the northern horizon, but with any luck they will then turn into technicolor, wobbling rays of light that can seem to waft or stretch. Most displays will contain green. Stronger storms will contain red shades, and blues, pinks, and purples are also possible.
OpenAI will reveal a mysterious AI product on Monday. What we know, how to watch.
OpenAI is hosting a live demo of updates on Monday, May 13. But it won't be about GPT-5 or a search engine.
The announcement came from OpenAI's X account. In typically evasive fashion, the post only said the livestream would be about ChatGPT and GPT-4. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman retweeted the news, saying "not gpt-5, not a search engine, but we’ve been hard at work on some new stuff we think people will love! feels like magic to me."
Tweet may have been deletedPresident and Co-Founder Greg Brockman also teased the announcement, saying, "Not GPT-5 or a search engine, but we think you’ll like it."
Tweet may have been deletedThere were reports about a ChatGPT search engine being launched on Monday, which was especially juicy since Google I/O is happening the very next day. Followers are also eagerly anticipating the release of GPT-5 which is rumored to come out this summer and possibly sooner. However, a livestream event unrelated to a search engine or GPT-5 is unexpected.
Within minutes of Altman's confirmation that their announcement won't be about a search engine, Google stock shot up. So Google execs can breathe a sigh of relief... for now.
Tweet may have been deletedThe genAI side of X is already abuzz with speculation. GPT-4.5? A Sora announcement? It's anybody's guess right now, but we're staying tuned.
The livestream will be on openai.com on Monday, May 13 at 1pm ET/10 am PT.
Dear Apple, I want ‘Space Black’ on everything, including a 'dark mode' iPhone 16
"Space Black" looks badass — period. When Apple debuted the Space Black MacBook Pro at the "Scary Fast" Apple livestream event in October, I was salivating.
There's something mysterious, smoldering, and seductive about it.
If the Space Black MacBook Pro were personified, I'd imagine it'd be Morpheus from The Matrix or a mature Wednesday Addams. Or better yet, a film noir detective with a confident swagger, dressed in an onyx suit, sitting in a billow of smoke as he puffs his cigar in a seedy bar.
Space Black isn't just a color to me. It's a mood, a vibe — one that matches my silent mystique and enigmatic introvert personality. And I want it on everything, including the upcoming iPhone 16.
SEE ALSO: IOS 18 tipped to get 3 new AI features, including Siri summarizing your texts Space Black debuted last year, but with limitationsAs mentioned at the outset, Apple unveiled the new Space Black MacBook Pro last year — and it had Apple enthusiasts in a tizzy.
The Space Black MacBook Pro was revealed last October. Credit: AppleIt's not just the color that had people chatting. It featured a fingerprint-resistant, dark-aluminum finish, which had folks, including myself, in a chokehold.
I adore the color on my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, which comes in Midnight Blue. (It's the closest I could get to black with Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver on the menu.) However, I do need to keep a microfiber cloth handy; it attracts fingerprints like bees to honey.
My M2 15-inch MacBook Air Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableSpace Black on the MacBook Pro, on the other hand, features a "breakthrough chemistry" finish, as Apple calls it, that forms an anodization seal to keep pesky fingerprints at bay. Insert the heart-eyes emoji here!
However, if you wanted a Space Black MacBook Pro, you'd be nuts to think you could grab the cheapest model, starting at $1,599 (MacBook Pro with M3 chip). You'd have to snag, at the very least, the M3 Pro MacBook Pro, which sets you back $1,999. Oof! Guess my dreams on typing on a laptop that looks ripped out of a black Optimus Prime will have to wait.
Space Black certainly isn't Apple's first pure black MacBook color. As Inverse pointed out, Apple released the first black MacBook in 2006 (though the first black Apple laptop was the G3 Powerbook.)
Apple G3 Powerbook Credit: Shutterstock-Pixelsquid / Shutterstock.comAnd well, since then, you'd be hard-pressed to find a black MacBook. As such, I can't help but wonder if this is a brilliant marketing ploy where the Cupertino-based tech giant was playing the long game.
Black is prevalent among other laptop brands (e.g., Lenovo), but the scarcity of true black among MacBooks had "people losing their minds," as Inverse said, when Apple unveiled the Space Black MacBook Pro last year.
If Apple could make an even darker, richer color than Space Black — the blackest black to ever black in the history of black — I'd lose my mind, too.
There's now a 'Space Black' iPad — is this a sign?Fortunately, it looks like Space Black won't be limited to the M3 Pro MacBook Pro. Apple unveiled the new iPad Pro and I gasped when I heard that it comes in Space Black, starting with $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableIt's a more accessible entry into Space Black. And naturally, the iPad Air, priced at $599, got locked out of the Space Black fun. You can only choose from Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight. Blue and Purple look OK, but they're too muted for my tastes. I prefer rich, vivid hues.
Sadly, though, the Space Black iPad does not come with the same fingerprint-resistant seal featured on the Space Black M3 Pro MacBook Pro.
I want my iPhone 16 in dark mode, pleaseThe last iPhone I truly loved was the Pacific Blue, which was featured on my iPhone 12 Pro. It was so stunning, I risked a cracked screen to go caseless.
Pacific Blue in all of its glory Credit: NYC Russ / Shutterstock.comGranted, the iPhone 15 Pro models, featuring a new titanium chassis, do come in "Titanium Black," but it's not the same. The Titanium Black lacks the richness and vividness I'm looking for in a pure onyx chassis.
So here's my plea to Apple: I want the iPhone 16 to look like it was dipped in jet-black ink, as if you'd find it on Batman's desk in his Batcave or his bedroom dresser in Wayne Manor. I want a dark mode iPhone 16 — a Space Black iPhone 16, to be specific.
I want to walk around with a badass iPhone 16 Pro Max with an inky-black hue — and bonus points if it has some sort of anti-smudge tech. (Though it's worth noting that iPhone 15 Pro Max, which I've had the pleasure of testing, didn't have any issues with fingerprints, thanks to the brushed metal.)
Apple, of course, is going to do what Apple wants, but I'm crossing my fingers that my prayers are answered — and Space Black iPhone 16 Pro models are revealed in September later this year. (If not iPhone 16, I'll wait for the iPhone 17.)
Finally, I'd die and go to heaven if a blackest-black finish came to the AirPods Pro and Apple Pencil Pro. Hell, let's get an inky-black colorway for every Apple product that matches my cold, black heart.
