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The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Sing-song

These words are melodic.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are types of songs that are sung.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is VocalMusic.

NYT Strands word list for October 26

Aria

Lullaby

Spiritual

Jingle

Vocalmusic

Ballad

Shanty

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1225 on October 26, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

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 October 26’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.

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 was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

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:

Cause a large amount of damage.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter W.

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 today’s Wordle is…

WREAK.

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.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.

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Connections is a New York Times word game that’s all about finding the “common threads between words.” How to solve the puzzle.

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 October 26’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.

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Each 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.

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Players 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 categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Disarrange hair

Green: Long string of texts

Blue: Relaxing places to sit

Purple: Circular-shaped objects

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Fluster

Green: Series of Messages

Blue: Places to Lie/Sit That Move

Purple: Cylinder-Shaped Things

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 today’s Connections #503 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Fluster: FAZE, RATTLE, RUFFLE, THROW

Series of Messages: CHAIN, CHAT, CONVERSATION, THREAD

Places to Lie/Sit That Move: CRADLE, HAMMOCK, ROCKER, SWING

Cylinder-Shaped Things: CAN, ROLLER, SILO, SPOOL

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.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.

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Isabella Rossellini and Ralph Fiennes are joined by filmmaker, Edward Berger, to discuss the importance of comedy in their Vatican-set thriller, ‘Conclave’.

Isabella Rossellini and Ralph Fiennes are joined by filmmaker, Edward Berger, to discuss the importance of comedy in their Vatican-set thriller, ‘Conclave’.

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Everything you need to know about how to watch the 2024-2025 NBA season without cable, including the best streaming deals.

Watching sports keeps getting more complicated. The 2024-2025 NBA season just kicked off and if you cut cable along with the majority of the country, you’re going to need a streaming service or two to catch the action live.

Between regional sports networks, blackout games, and national broadcasts, we have a lot to cover. Buckle up, basketball fans. We’ve got your guide to watching the 2024-2025 NBA season, including all of the best streaming deals.

When does the 2024-2025 NBA season start?

The NBA season officially kicked off on Oct. 22 with the New York Knicks taking on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston. The 82-game regular season wraps up April 13, 2025.

What channels do I need to watch live NBA games this season?

During the 2024-2025 NBA season, games will air live on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, TNT, NBA TV, and of course, regional sports networks. Each team has a regional sports network that broadcasts games live for viewers within that region. If a game isn’t on ABC, ESPN, TNT, or NBA TV, it’s on a team’s regional sports network (more on that below). The NBA playoffs in 2025 will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and TNT, while the NBA finals will be live on ABC.

Things are set to get even more complicated next season, as the NBA’s new media deals with Prime Video and Peacock will replace TNT. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

If you have cable, you can tune in through your TV provider or on the mobile apps with your cable TV account login for the main networks. Not a cable subscriber? No worries — in 2024, there are plenty of other options. Live TV streaming services serve as cable alternatives with no strings attached, giving you live access to a well-rounded channel selection through your internet connection (rather than a cable connection). With no contract required, you can cancel whenever you wish. Below, we’ve rounded up our top picks, including the best streaming deals currently available for each.

What is an RSN and which one do I need?

Unlike the NFL, which offers national broadcasts of most games with specific in-market choice games, the NBA complicates things with regional sports networks (RSNs). These are essentially sports-specific TV channels dedicated to a local market or geographic area. If you live in the same region as your favorite team, you’ll need to know which RSN broadcasts your team’s games. Some examples of RSNs are FanDuel Sports Network (which replaced Bally Sports), NBC Sports, and Altitude Sports. Head over to the NBA schedule if you aren’t sure which network your team plays on. For a complete list of each team’s RSN, see the FAQs below.

If you really only care about your local team, many RSNs offer subscriptions for you to tune in without cable. For example, Fan Duel Sports Network Southeast (which includes Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies games) is $19.99 per month or $124.99 for the whole NBA season. Monumental Sports Network (which includes the Washington Wizards) is $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. A quick Google search for your team’s RSN will let you know if there’s a separate subscription available. Of course, these RSN subscriptions will not include nationally broadcast games on ABC, ESPN, TNT, or NBA TV.

If you want to watch a team outside of your region, you don’t necessarily need to know which RSN said team plays on; instead, you’ll want to get NBA League Pass for out-of-network games (more on that below). You’ll probably be blacked out from watching a team in a different city anyway (in which case, you can try a VPN).

The best live TV streaming deals for NBA games

YouTube TV

Best for: Sweet introductory deal for new subscribers, well-rounded channel lineup

Channels: ABC, ESPN (and ESPN2), TNT, NBA TV, some RSNs

Pricing: Free 10-day trial, then $49.99 per month for your first two months (save $46). $72.99 per month thereafter for YouTube TV Base Plan.

YouTube is one of our favorite live TV streaming services for watching NBA games. It offers every channel you need to watch as many nationally broadcast games (in network) as possible, with over 100 in total. It also offers access to some RSNs depending on your region. Plus, if you’re new to the streamer, you can kick things off with a free trial, then a two-month introductory price of $49.99 per month. Afterward, the price will jump back up to $72.99 per month.

Sling

Best for: Affordability, a la carte channel selection

Channels: ABC (in select networks), ESPN (and ESPN2), ESPN3 (simulcast ABC games) TNT, NBA TV

Pricing: $40 per month (half off first month) for Orange package + $11 per month for Sports Extra = $31 for first month, then $51 per month thereafter

Sling is the best way to watch the most nationally broadcast NBA games for the least amount of money. You’ll get access to ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV, as well as ABC in select networks. For those who don’t get access to ABC in their region, ESPN3 simulcasts ABC games, so you can still watch live. You’ll need the Orange package, which costs $40 per month, plus the $11 per month Sports Extra add-on to access all of these networks through Sling. That brings your monthly total to $51 per month. However, you can slash $20 off your first month to get started. You can also add NBA League Pass to your package for $16.99 per month if you want to watch out-of-market games.

Hulu + Live TV

Best for: More than just live sports streaming, more bang for your buck

Channels: ABC, ESPN (and ESPN2), TNT, limited RSNs

Pricing: $59.99 per month for three months, then $82.99 per month

While Hulu + Live TV doesn’t include access to NBA TV, it does offer ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and TNT in its 90+ channel lineup. Not to mention, a subscription also gives you unlimited access to the streaming libraries of Hulu, ESPN+, and Disney+. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. Typically $82.99 per month, you can sign up for just $59.99 per month for your first three months through Nov. 19. Plus, new subscribers get a three-day free trial. There are limited RSNs included in the base plan, but you can add on Fan Duel Network for an additional $9.99 per month.

FuboTV

Best for: Fans of sports beyond NBA, the most comprehensive channel lineup

Channels: ABC, ESPN (and ESPN2), NBA TV, most RSNs

Pricing: 7-day free trial, then $59.99 for the first month. $79.99 per month thereafter for Fubo Pro plan.

Ideal for sports fanatics of all shapes and sizes (beyond just NBA), FuboTV has the most comprehensive channel lineup of any live TV streaming provider with over 185 channels in its base plan. The downside is it doesn’t include TNT, which is set to broadcast 66 games this season. For that reason alone, it’s not our top pick for watching NBA games this year, but it’s still a solid choice overall. After a seven-day free trial, your first month of the Pro plan is just $59.99 ($79.99 per month thereafter).

DirecTV Stream

Best for: Fans who live in same region as their team, more than just watching sports

Channels: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, NBA TV, most RSNs

Pricing: $89.99 per month for the Choice package + RSN fee

If you mostly care about your home team, but like to check in with other teams as well, DirecTV Stream’s Choice package is a solid option, albeit expensive. The Choice package starts at $89.99 per month (with a $10 discount per month if you sign up for two years) and gives you access to almost every team’s RSN (for a fee). The Choice package also includes ESPN, ABC, NBA TV, and TNT. With the hidden fees, it’ll likely cost you over $100 per month, which is why it’s not our favorite option.

NBA League Pass

Best for: Out-of-market games, analysis, highlights, and more

Channels: Everything except national broadcasts on ABC, TNT, and ESPN.

Pricing:

$109.99 for the season (with ads) or $16.99 per month

$159.99 for the season (no ads) or $24.99 per month

$89.99 for just one team for the season

$9.99 per month for students

Similar to NFL’s Sunday Ticket, minus the outrageous fee, NBA League Pass gives fans access to live out-of-market games. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy games from the NBA’s archive, analysis, documentaries, highlights, and more. Local games on NBA TV, as well as nationally broadcast games on ESPN, TNT, and ABC will be blacked out live. You can tune into locally blacked-out games three days after the live broadcast and nationally broadcast games three hours after.

For example: As a Nashville resident, live Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks games are blacked out for me.

Max

Best for: Casual fans, catching games on TNT

Channels: TNT

Pricing:

$9.99 per month With Ads or $99.99 per year (save $19)

$16.99 per month Ad-Free or $169.99 per year (save $33)

$20.99 per month Ultimate Ad-Free or $209.99 per year (save $41)

Max subscribers get access to live NBA games on TNT through the new B/R Sports add-on. It’s currently free with your Max subscription for an unspecified limited time. So, casual fans looking to tune into a few NBA games here and there could get by with a Max subscription only.

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Stephen Colbert has roasted Tucker Carlson’s weird speech made at a recent Trump rally.

Stephen Colbert has roasted Tucker Carlson’s weird speech made at a recent Trump rally.

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus took the “Questionert” of rapid-fire questions from “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, and the tables were turned.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus took the “Questionert” of rapid-fire questions from “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, and the tables were turned.

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What should you watch this weekend? Mashable ranks new releases from Hulu, Peacock, Max, Shudder, and Netflix.

When it comes to streaming options, the list goes on and on: Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that’s before you even look at their vast libraries of movies and television within each one!

It can be overwhelming. So, Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more. But maybe you don’t know what you want beyond something new and entertaining. No worries. 

Mashable’s Entertainment Team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least to most watchable. Whether you want nail-biting horror, heartwarming comedy, chilling true crime, or a binge-worthy new series, we’ve got you. 

7. Trap

M. Night Shyamalan is in fine form in his latest film, Trap, which takes an already out-there concept and spins it into a bonkers fun thriller. Josh Hartnett (Oppenheimer) stars as Cooper, a devoted dad who’s taking his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to the concert of her dreams. There’s just one problem: Cooper is also a serial killer known as “the Butcher” — and this whole concert is a trap set to catch him.

So begins a delicious cat-and-mouse game where you can’t help but root for the mouse, serial killer though he may be. Hartnett’s performance is a nonstop blast, as are the many twists and turns offered up by the film’s concert-centric premise. Want a series of musical set pieces? Pop star Lady Raven (R&B singer Saleka, who is also Shyamalan’s daughter) has got you covered. How about ludicrous ploys to get backstage? Cooper will give you exactly what you want, including a wild-eyed suggestion that he and Riley pop through a trapdoor in what remains one of the funniest film moments of the year. Perhaps most shocking of all is that amid all this chaos, Trap manages to craft a surprisingly compelling story about fatherhood (even if that father is, yes, a serial killer).

As Siddhant Adlakha wrote in his Mashable review, “Trap is practically an ode to his daughters and their teenage years, though it also wrestles with some of the darker implications of fatherhood.” Between that, Hartnett’s knockout turn, and the tightly wound suspense of the concert scenes, what more could you want? Get on the Trap train, people! — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka

How to watch: Trap is now streaming on Max.

6. Territory

Territory is a land succession drama that takes place on an Australian cattle ranch. This new Netflix series is co-created by Mystery Road‘s Timothy Lee and Ben Davies, with Wolf Creek‘s Greg McLean directing. You’ll meet the Lawson family, owners of the world’s largest ranch, Marianne Station. But what happens when the reign of patriarch Colin (Robert Taylor) ends? Anna Torv (The Last of Us) stars alongside For All Mankind‘s Michael Dorman, Vikings: Valhalla‘s Sam Corlett, and Longmire‘s Robert Taylor.

Mashable’s Amanda Yeo described the show as “Yellowstone meets Succession in the Australian outback” in her review, writing, “Contending with such titles, Territory puts in the effort to set itself apart by embracing its distinctly Australian characteristics, making it different enough to be intriguing while still familiar enough to be comfortable.” — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Anna Torv, Dan Wyllie, Robert Taylor, Jake Ryan, Clarence Ryan, Michael Dorman, Sam Corlett, Tyler Spencer, Hamilton Morris, and Philippa Northeast

How to watch: Territory is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Inside Out 2

Pixar‘s sequel to 2015’s Inside Out is finally streaming, with youngster Riley Andersen’s (voiced by Kensington Tallman) anthropomorphic emotions gaining some roommates inside her head. Why? She’s starting high school. You remember. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Fear (Tony Hale) are joined by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser).

As Mashable’s Belen Edwards wrote in her review, “Like 2022’s Turning Red, which in itself proved a groundbreaking representation of puberty, Inside Out 2 embraces the complexities of this daunting life stage, especially when it comes to feelings of self-worth and anxiety. The result is a frank take on mental health that proves more mature than its predecessor, while also maintaining a well-needed touch of irreverence and Pixar comfort.” — S.C.

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kensington Tallman

How to watch: Inside Out 2 is now streaming on Disney+.

4. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin

In the mood for a documentary this weekend? Then check out The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, which uses World of Warcraft recreations to dive deep into a deceased Norwegian gamer’s rich online life.

That gamer is Mats Steen, who died in 2014 from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. His parents Robert and Trude worry that he didn’t make any connections while he was alive, as he spent so much time physically isolated and playing World of Warcraft. Yet when they post about his passing on his old blog, a wave of support from Mats’ World of Warcraft friends proves he was anything but alone.

Director Benjamin Ree reenacts Mats’ in-game conversations with the help of over 42,000 pages of gaming logs, painting a portrait of Mats as someone who was caring, empathetic, and central to his online community. As I wrote in my review for Mashable, the film “serves as a touching tribute to what Mats meant to so many people, as well as the power of the virtual ties that bind us.” — B.E.

How to watch: The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Late Night with the Devil

Writers/directors Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes (aka the Cairnes Brothers) won critical acclaim for their Satanic Panic gem Late Night with the Devil out of the 2023 SXSW film festival and even garnered praise from Stephen King. And now, it’s easier than ever to watch at home, as this frightening film has come to Hulu.

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The Boogeyman‘s David Dastmalchian plays Jack Delroy, a late-night talk show host who’s clinging to relevance. For Halloween, he decides to craft the spookiest lineup he can muster, with one of his guests seemingly possessed by something sinister.

As Mashable’s entertainment editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her review, “Paying tribute to ’70s horror, Late Night with the Devil is steeped in the era’s aesthetic and its emerging moral anxiety, as well as the methodical pacing that draws us in, grabs on tight, and won’t let go until that final ghoulish moment.” — S.C.

Starring: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Georgina Haig, and Josh Quong Tart

How to watch: Late Night with the Devil is now streaming on Hulu.

2. What We Do in the Shadows, Season 6

Everyone’s favorite vampire roommates are back for one last hurrah in What We Do in the Shadows‘ sixth and final season — so consider this your sign to tune in or catch up if you haven’t already!

This season brings more bloodsucking chaos to the lives of Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). From a new vampire roommate named Jerry (Mike O’Brien) to landing jobs in corporate America to Laszlo’s new Frankenstein-esque experiments, Season 6 is a delightful ride — and a reminder of why What We Do in the Shadows has one of the best comedic ensembles on TV. — B.E.

Starring: Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, Doug Jones, Mike O’Brien, and Kristen Schaal

How to watch: What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 is now streaming on Hulu.

1. Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 5

Created by Rick & Morty writer/producer Mike McMahan, Star Trek: Lower Decks is an animated sci-fi comedy as packed with outrageous action as it is audacious laughs. Far from the strong-jawed drama of most of Star Trek’s movies and TV series, Lower Decks plays like a workplace sitcom, covering everything from intimidating alien threats to the thankless clean-up work demanded of the holodeck. In every episode, there’s reason to thrill and cackle. And now is the perfect time to begin a binge watch (or rewatch).

This week, Paramount+ debuts the start of this sensational show’s fifth and final season. Having seen the first five of the 10 episodes promised, I’m freshly in love with this sensational series, and not ready to say goodbye. In my review, I cheered, “Lower Decks didn’t only amuse me with its spirited screw-ups and clever turns on sci-fi cliches and Star Trek tropes. It drew me into the world of these characters so intensely that I want more, more, more.”

Lucky for us, there’s plenty more Star Trek adventures on Paramount+.

Starring: Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis, Jerry O’Connell, Fred Tatasciore, and Gillian Vigman

How to watch: Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 debuts with two episodes Oct. 24, with new episodes weekly.

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“Star Trek: Lower Decks,” one of TV’s best comedies, is coming to a close with its fifth season. Watch of the Week.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is ending, and I’m not ready.

Created by Rick & Morty writer/producer Mike McMahan, Lower Decks giddily shook up the one-hour sci-fi drama format of the long-running Star Trek franchise. Its focus shifted away from noble captains and their courageous bridge crew going on universe-saving missions. Instead, this workplace comedy embedded audiences in the cramped bunk beds and chaotic inner lives of a band of eccentric ensigns, who barely make it out of their daily tasks alive.

Impulsive and enchanting, Mariner (Tawny Newsome) is the feisty leader of her motley band of friends; she relishes margaritas and role-playing games about Klingon warfare. Her right-hand man is by-the-book brown-noser Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), who dreams of earning his own captain’s chair someday. Meanwhile, Orion badass/unapologetic nerd Tendi (Noël Wells) gave up a life of plundering and piracy to study science aboard the starship Cerritos. Her best bud, engineering cyborg Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), shares her enthusiasm for all things science, as well as a mutual crush that’s been achingly unspoken for four seasons and counting. Their energy — which often involves much squealing — is countered by the ever-stoic Vulcan transfer T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz), who has become the series master of deadpan delivery.

Together, they’ve tackled extraterrestrial beasts, personal catastrophes, the horrors of a holodeck gone wrong, and much, much more. But with their latest season, they set forth on their fifth and final frontier. And it’s going to be hard to say goodbye.

Lower Decks kicks off with what could have been for every major character.

Season 5 launches with “Dos Cerritos,” an ambitious episode in which the Cerritos crew runs into their parallel dimension doubles. Swiftly, audiences are invited to marvel at what might have happened if Billups (Paul Scheer) had risen to his royal destiny or if Mariner ever got promoted to captain. It’s a conceit that allows for visual gags through cheeky variant designs, but also shows how far these ensigns have come — and how far they may still have to go.

While Mariner and her captain/mom face a reality in which their roles are reversed, Boimler is caught up in how confident his double is. Maybe it’s the beard? To be more like his briefly glimpsed parallel self, Boimler decides to grow facial hair. And props to McMahan, because the evolution from clean-shaven to bold bushiness is charted across the five episodes given to critics through a mounting array of awkward looks. A few stray hairs become a sketchy mustache, with a scraggly goatee on the way. It’s funny every time Boimler pops up with truly awful facial hair and unmatched moxie as he goes on a dangerous undercover mission, engages with an ancient alien ritual, and touches down on Starbase 80. Oh, yeah.

Lower Decks Season 5 tackles new terrain.

In past seasons, Starbase 80 was established as a punishment station, where Mariner was punted when it was thought she’d betrayed the Cerritos. In episode 5, “Starbase 80?!,” we’ll finally witness what all the fuss is about — and with a Nicole Byer appearance to boot! Elsewhere this season, Lower Decks will dive deeper into non-Starfleet stories, following up with compelling characters like the Klingon who helped Mariner escape the clutches of the crazed traitor Nick Locarno in Season 4. But best of all, we get to see Tendi doing more pirate action!

Yes, yes, Lower Decks has been rewriting the history of the Orions, giving them a complexity beyond being merciless plunderers. Still, it’s a thrill to watch the Mistress of the Winter Constellation kick butt, but in her own uniquely non-lethal, brainy way! While Season 5 displays how Tendi has grown through Starfleet, it also shows how Rutherford is struggling to cope without her. Unexpectedly, it’s his Vulcan buddy who makes a grand emotional gesture to ease his aching heart. And true to this show’s form, it’s in a way that is delightfully unhinged.

In all these little ways, McMahan’s team of writers and animators charts new terrain for their lovable losers, who are getting promotions, life lessons, and hilarious hijinks to an almost overwhelming degree. The series has moved away from focusing on kooky misadventures, carving out an arc of what it means to be a young adult figuring out your path among the stars. And so even amid cartoon violence, much Boimler yelping, and pitch-perfect callbacks, there’s an emotional tug to every episode as we draw near to not only the Season 5 finale, but also the series finale.

Lower Decks brought together Trekkies and newbs.

I’ve written before about how Lower Decks became my gateway into really understanding Star Trek. The show’s short-and-sweet comedy setup didn’t demand I know decades’ worth of lore to enjoy the ride. But the more I watched and rewatched, the more I began to venture into other Star Trek series. Partially, this was so I could better enjoy the bevy of Easter eggs nestled in the show’s dialogue and background designs by a team who clearly loves this sci-fi franchise deeply (but not too seriously). But a bigger part is that I became as enchanted with Starfleet as Boimler and his friends.

I binge-watched Star Trek: Strange New Worlds because I heard they were doing a crossover episode with Lower Decks. How does a live-action drama series cross over with an animated sitcom? The Strange New Worlds episode “Those Old Scientists” answered that with aplomb, then doubled down on its smoldering, sexy approach to Star Trek by offering up a musical episode with “Subspace Rhapsody.” From there, I’ve been trekking all across the franchise’s riches on Paramount+.

Lower Decks didn’t just amuse me with its spirited screw-ups and clever turns on sci-fi cliches and Star Trek tropes. It drew me into the world of these characters so intensely that I wanted more, more, more. And while Season 5 will only offer 10 episodes, it’s nice to know there are plenty of stories beyond in their sister series.

What does the rest of Season 5 have in store? Will Tendi and Rutherford end up together? Will Mariner find the confidence to be the kind of captain she’d like to see in Starfleet? Will Boimler’s beard ever come in? And where will the Cerritos leave us? I both can’t wait to find out and never want this show to end. Much like Evil, another critically heralded Paramount+ show that recently drew to a close, Lower Decks is a series that is sharply funny, joyously subversive, and rousingly poignant. It’s not enough to watch it. You’ll want to revisit it. You’ll want to explore beyond it. And you’ll likely wish there was more Mariner and Boimler mayhem to come.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 debuts with two episodes Oct. 24, with new episodes weekly.

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What could the mid-credits scene in “Venom: The Last Dance” mean for “Venom 4”?

The title Venom: The Last Dance suggests this wacky and wild Spider-Man spin-off franchise could be coming to a close. However, much of this sequel (too much even) is devoted to setting up a big bad dead set on wiping the symbiote out of existence. So, barring a box office bomb on par with Morbius or Madam Web, it seems Venom 4 could rise. And the mid-credits scene for this third entry into this freaky franchise lays out how.

Written and directed by Venom: Let There Be Carnage scribe Kelly Marcel, Venom: The Last Dance unveils Knull, a big bad who doesn’t really get a chance to shine. But there are clues early on he’s being set up to wreak havoc.

In an early scene in the film, a frustrated bartender (Ted Lasso‘s Cristo Fernández) is explaining to Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) about the terrors galactic titan Thanos brought down on the MCU’s timeline. Then Eddie and Venom (also played by Hardy) get jettisoned back to their own dimension. Could this conversation be a hint of what’s to come back on Eddie’s home planet?

Who is Knull?

Both in the comics and Venom: The Last Dance, Knull is the creator of the symbiote. Depicted in the movie as a gray figure with long locks and a grumbling voice, this ancient god of darkness saw his creations turn on him and imprison him. And he’s ready to get them back for their betrayal.

First, he sends out his monstrous xenophages, giant bug-like beasts who can track the codex key that could free Knull’s binds. Ultimately, Venom manages to keep him bound through a grand act of self-sacrifice. But the post-credits scene suggests this wily symbiote might resurrect. And the mid-credits scene promises Knull isn’t out of the fight yet either.

What’s the mid-credits scene inVenom: The Last Dance?

If you stay through the playful montage of various Venom-animal combinations, you’ll see Knull once more on his throne, grumbling about his quest to take down his symbiote children once and for all.

Andy Serkis plays Knull, which might seem like a cheeky Easter egg as he directed Venom: Let There Be Carnage. However, Serkis is a pioneer in mo-cap acting, bringing to life Caesar in the recent Planet of the Apes movies and Gollum in the Lord of the Rings film franchise. So, if Marcel is bringing in this heavy hitter to play her CGI villain, you can bet Sony has big plans for Knull.

In fact, in an interview with Games Radar, Marcel said of Knull, “[He’s] way too big to be one and done. So, [his role in The Last Dance] is just a little introduction to him. It’s just a kind of taster of where he might potentially be able to go with his own movies, in the same way that they introduced Thanos very carefully through the Marvel movies.” 

There it is. The Thanos allusion is confirmed. Watch out, Eddie. Your war is just beginning.

Venom: The Last Dance opens exclusively in theaters Oct. 25.

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