The Next Take

Now it feels like we have rebuilt cable with more apps, more logins, more bundles, and more monthly decisions.

My June 2026 State of Streaming update looks at where everything stands now — from Netflix and HBO Max to Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, FOX One, Peacock, Apple TV, YouTube TV, Prime Video, Sling, Fubo, and Paramount+.

The big question is no longer “What is the best streaming service?”

It is “Which services are actually worth keeping right now?”

What streaming service do you think gives the best value right now?

Apple TV may not have the biggest library, but its best shows make a pretty strong case that it has one of the strongest lineups in streaming.

I ranked my favorite Apple TV shows so far.

What Apple TV original would you put at number one?

The Man in the High Castle is one of those shows that sticks with you because the premise is so disturbing:

What if the Axis powers won World War II?

My latest post looks at why Amazon Prime Video’s alternate history series is still worth watching — from its chilling production design and political thriller tension to its multiverse mystery and morally complicated characters.

It is not comfort viewing, but it is gripping, unsettling, and absolutely worth discussing.

There is something strangely comforting about rewatching a show you already know by heart.

You know the jokes. You know the characters. You know the emotional beats. You know exactly what you are getting.

And sometimes, that is the whole point.

My latest post looks at why we keep returning to comfort shows like The Office, Friends, Parks and Recreation, Gilmore Girls, and The Golden Girls — especially in a streaming world that gives us too many choices and not enough mental energy to make them.

What show feels like home to you?

Apple TV may not have the biggest streaming library, but that might actually be the point.

While other platforms can feel like endless content warehouses, Apple TV has quietly built one of the strongest quality-over-quantity identities in streaming.

My latest post looks at why Apple TV still does not miss in 2026 — from its sci-fi lineup and prestige dramas to its smaller, more curated feel.

Featuring thoughts on Severance, Silo, For All Mankind, Slow Horses, Dark Matter, Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and why Apple’s hit rate might be its biggest strength.

What Apple TV show would you rank number one?

Sometimes the most important character in a movie is not the one whose name is on the poster.

My latest post is about five movie side characters who were secretly the real main character — the ones who carried the emotional weight, drove the theme, or quietly became the reason the story worked.

Who is your favorite side character who basically became the heart of the movie?

There is something perfect about the way The Office could drop you into complete Dunder Mifflin chaos before the episode even officially started.The cold opens gave us Jim and Dwight pranks, Michael Scott’s desperate need to perform, awkward reaction shots, and quick bursts of comedy that did not need a full plot to work.My latest post breaks down why the cold opens were one of the best parts of The Office — and why they helped make the show so endlessly rewatchable.What’s your favorite cold open from The Office?

No, the survivors were not dead the whole time. The Island was real. The crash was real. Jack’s sacrifice was real. The flash-sideways was something different: a spiritual meeting place where the characters reunited after death so they could remember, reconnect, and move on together.

My latest post breaks down the finale, the Island timeline, the flash-sideways, the final church scene, and why fans still get the ending wrong.

Do you think the Lost finale deserves more credit?

A new weekend means a new round of releases, and this one has a pretty interesting mix.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is obviously the big one, but Passenger gives horror fans something darker, and I Love Boosters might be the most interesting wild card of the weekend.

I broke down the biggest new releases, who they are for, and what feels most worth watching.

What are you watching this weekend?

The spinning top gets most of the attention, but the real question may not be whether the top falls. It may be whether Cobb has finally let go of the guilt that has trapped him for the entire movie.

My latest post breaks down the dream layers, the full mission timeline, limbo, Mal’s role, the final shot, and whether I think Cobb is back in reality at the end.

What’s your take — dream or reality?

Movie critics can be helpful, but they are not always the final word.

Some movies get dismissed for being too loud, too weird, too sentimental, or too ridiculous — only to become comfort classics years later.

My latest post on The Next Take is all about those movies: 10 Movies Critics Underrated That Deserve Way More Love

Featuring Con Air, A Knight’s Tale, The Butterfly Effect, The Mummy, National Treasure, and more.

What movie do you think critics underrated the most?

We realized four spots just wasn't going to cut it, so we built a full Hall of Fame. We’re counting down the 10 best sports movies ever made, while paying proper respect to the absolute legends sitting in the honorable mentions. Read the full countdown and let us know your personal favorites.

For over a decade, The Rock was Hollywood's cheat code. Today on the blog, we look at the evolution of his career, exploring why leaning into raw vulnerability for A24 is the greatest move he's made in years. We’re talking about the early grit of Gridiron Gang, the unhinged chaos of Pain & Gain, and the death of the invincible action hero.

It’s been 15 years of Charlie Brooker absolutely ruining our relationship with our phones. Today on the blog, we are going deep. We ranked every single episode of Black Mirror from worst to best. We’re talking the pastel horror of Nosedive, the quiet heartbreak of Be Right Back, and the undisputed masterpiece sitting at number one.

Come for the San Junipero praise, stay for the existential dread.

April is going out with a bang. This weekend features a massive action headliner, a deeply emotional A24 coastal drama, and a 30th-anniversary IMAX return for a psychological thriller masterpiece. We’re breaking down the cast, the plot, and the production secrets behind every major release.

Read the full deep-dive

t’s not up for debate; it’s a cinematic fact. Today on the blog, we are breaking down the legacy of the Farrelly Brothers' 1994 masterpiece. We are looking at the brilliant chemistry between Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, the ultimate 90s road trip soundtrack, and why that final scene is the most perfect, uncompromising ending in comedy history.