There may be only one thing more subjective than picking the best series on TV so far this year: tallying the best small screen performances yet in 2025 That's partly because the audience's love for individual performances can be boosted by a lot of factors an actor doesn't have much control over audience affection for certain kinds of characters and the kind of lucky pop culture timing that puts people right at the zeitgeist's center just as they're ready to offer their best work television is a medium that is mostly about spending time with performers and characters you find compelling welcoming them into your home — or your smartphone — with an intimacy that's different from movies on a giant theater screen And though it's been less than five months TV this year has been packed with towering performances on programs you can still go back and savor like a good book pulled off a library shelf here's my short list of who has triumphed on screen so far this year Even before his jaw-dropping performance in this year's season finale — leading a marching band through a seriously HBCU-inspired musical number inside the offices of Lumon Industries — Tillman made his mark as devoted department manager Seth Milchick Milchick had a lot going on during the show's second season inside the cult-like corporate culture of Lumon: anger over constant humiliations frustration over bizarre racial microaggressions ambivalence over some of the extreme actions he had to commit whose work memories were "severed" from their home lives But Tillman often managed to communicate all this complexity with few words emotions playing across his face as he constantly seemed to reconsider whether it was all worth it A proud Black man struggling with the world's worst middle management job which seems to celebrate as much as critique wealth with its twisty stories of privileged white folks at exotic getaways And I didn't much buy how it resolved the storyline for Coon's character this year — leading her to decide in the season finale that spending a vacation with toxic friends who made her feel terrible about her life choices But I do value how Coon delivered the monologue that sold this arc to viewers "We started this life together … I look at you guys and it feels meaningful … I'm just happy to be at the table." It was an amazing example of a performer's ability to turn an awkward storytelling curve into a cathartic experience with a spellbinding performance Move aside Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot; ardent birder/police consultant Cordelia Cupp now stands as one of fiction's most compelling detectives thanks to Aduba's magnetic performance in Netflix's White House-set whodunit The show was the surprise hit of the spring using a mystery surrounding the murder of the head usher to explore the lives of those who work as maids stylish center for a story that rode the line between absurdist comedy and complex mystery presenting a confident woman brashly solving the crime while waiting impatiently for everyone else to finally admit she's always been the smartest person in the room Fans may fixate on a showy moment from the program's 13th episode Michael "Robby" Robinavitch collapses in a ball of tears and regret after failing to save the life of an important patient Wyle owned just about every scene from the very first minutes of this series which offers 15 hour-long episodes played out in real time covering a monstrous 15-hour shift in an emergency room in Pittsburgh As the staff handled everything from a child's birth to casualties from a nearby mass shooting event Wyle quickly outpaced any comparisons to his well-known stint decades earlier in the cast of NBC's popular drama ER — presenting "Dr down-to-earth pro with little in his life but his job facing one of the most challenging work days of his life This show has won praise for many things — from its technique of telling every episode in a single unbroken shot to its exploration of incel culture among high school-aged boys and the searing effectiveness of lead actor But it's Cooper who sealed this show's excellence with his emotive a young man accused of murdering a female classmate when Jamie meets with a forensic psychologist seven months after the murder Cooper masterfully renders the young man's unpredictable flips between a cagey charm and volatile anger particularly when questioned about his feelings for girls Given that Cooper had no professional acting experience before this role it's a tour-de-force that leaves your mouth open in wonder and heart torn over whether to feel sorry for Jamie or fear him She's been a towering comedic actress since her days in the mid 1970s and '80s cracking wise with legends like Martin Short and Eugene Levy on the Canadian cult classic Second City TV series But O'Hara has shone most recently as a powerhouse supporting actress edgy energy to roles as a post-apocalyptic therapist in HBO's The Last of Us and a deposed movie studio executive-turned-producer on Apple TV+'s The Studio no-nonsense figure in a massively dark story she's a breezily competent player who knows exactly how over his head Seth Rogen's Matt Remick — the guy who took her job — truly is she's the perfectly calibrated combination of funny and dramatic required to make things sparkle a testament to her status as one of the best supporting players in the business Become an NPR sponsor With Eater editors dining out sometimes several times a day, we come across lots of standout dishes Check back for the best things we ate this week Obviously for my first Mets game of the season at Citi Field I had to check out chef Kwame Onwuachi’s patty stand at Citi Field Patties are generally a high school nostalgic food for me — warm The curried chicken patty ($19.89) is a pricy one offering a nice balance to the spicy pepper sauce ($3) It was enough to make up for the Mets losing I was wading in the magic that is Le Bernardin The end of a day’s exploring around North Jersey led me to Paterson’s Al Kumah the kebab shop that’s been here for 30 years In addition to selections of hummus and kibbeh the restaurant lures potential customers from the sidewalk with the scent of grilled meats This Aleppo kebab platter ($15.99) featured super savory and smoky lamb with whole grilled onions and flatbread rubbed with the featured pepper Don’t miss the place should you visit the neighborhood All the new restaurant openings in New York this month playThe team that Jordan Reid says has knocked the draft 'out of the park' (0:48)Jordan Reid explains why he is a big fan of what the Patriots have done in the 2025 NFL draft Let's look back at the 2025 NFL draft now that the dust has settled on all 257 picks both in the first round and further down the board Which teams made the most confusing moves based on value and/or needs What team will have the most impactful rookie class in the upcoming season We asked 17 of our NFL experts to weigh in with their opinions on everything that went down in Green Bay as we will continue to update this file with new questions for our analysts each day We will tackle the top Rookie of the Year candidates (Wednesday) fantasy sleepers in Year 1 (Thursday) and bold predictions for top draft picks for this season (Friday) But let's start with the teams that won draft week Then they added multiple offensive playmakers in subsequent rounds making for a well-constructed rookie roster that can yield immediate results Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter: Browns. They got starters out of their first four picks. Graham and Schwesinger will elevate the defense with playmaking. Judkins symbolizes a much-needed new era for the Browns' running game. Fannin is the perfect complement at tight end to David Njoku And the Browns could get meaningful snaps out of Gabriel or Sanders without spending an early pick on either QB adding depth at O-line and defensive tackle They wisely used their first four picks on offensive support for Maye Williams and Wilson should all play significant snaps while making an immediate impact as a three-down back who can protect Maye and produce big plays They landed a potential playmaker at left tackle in Campbell a big-time running back in Henderson and a receiver in Williams who brings downfield speed Both are likely to see playing time early on in their rookie seasons Campbell may not end up being a long-term All-Pro at left tackle but he certainly strengthens the Patriots at their weakest position Henderson gives the Patriots a receiving back in the Kevin Faulk/James White mold and he can also hit a home run with a long carry And don't be surprised to see a lot of pass-rushing defensive tackle Farmer I think we could see all four of their early-drafted offensive rookies taking a majority of the snaps at their respective positions can dramatically raise the floor of the Patriots' offense which will allow Maye to shine in his sophomore season Sampson and one of the rookie QBs will all contribute meaningfully this season They made a clear commitment to surround quarterback Maye with the tools he needs to improve the offense Expect all four offensive picks to be called upon immediately by Vrabel as they try to improve a unit that averaged a measly 16.5 points per game in 2024 (30th in the league) play1:34Nick Saban: Cam Ward a 'great start' for the Titans organizationNick Saban has high praise for Cam Ward and breaks down how his game will translate to the NFL I took a long look at the Patriots for this question But the possibility of Tennessee getting an average-ish starting QB performance out of Ward would be such a huge upgrade from last season Bell: Running back Ashton Jeanty to the Raiders (No I love when draft picks have an immediate impact The Raiders were last in the league in rushing yards in 2024 (1,357) His talent as both a pass catcher and runner offers versatility for new coach Pete Carroll who is looking to make the Raiders' offense more dynamic Bowen: Safety Malaki Starks to the Ravens (No. 27). With Starks playing opposite Kyle Hamilton in the secondary the Ravens have two interchangeable safeties to disguise coverages and change the picture post-snap Starks is a versatile defender with playmaking ability capable of impacting multiple levels of the field as a rookie Baltimore has built much of its recent success on being strong up the middle of the defense and Starks should be a perfect fit with that plan The Ravens had their eye on Starks predraft thinking his center-field abilities would allow them to play Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage more often The pair should complement each other well Miller was a favorite developmental quarterback for several scouts He had a really impressive pro day and could prove to be a great pick Maldonado: Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to the Jaguars (No. 2). This trade up was bold and exactly what this team needed Hunter is a unicorn with his ability to be a shutdown corner and playmaker His infectious energy could reinvigorate Jacksonville's entire locker room Orlovsky: McMillan to the Panthers. He reminds me so much of Atlanta's Drake London and a QB loves a big-body wide receiver who catches everything Jason Reid: Simmons to the Chiefs. He could have been a top-five pick if he hadn't sustained a knee injury in October. He displays a rare combination of power and quickness at the position. The Chiefs expect him to be ready by training camp Carolina's receiver room consists of a lot of secondary options But Young needed a go-to playmaker on the perimeter for his crucial third season McMillan can develop into a true alpha WR1 play1:26The highlights that make Tetairoa McMillan an intriguing NFL prospectCheck out highlights from Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan as he heads to the Carolina Panthers Schatz: Edge rusher Jalon Walker to the Falcons (No We know the Falcons needed to improve their pass rush and Walker is a super-versatile player who can rush the passer or drop into coverage the Falcons got him a couple picks later than his position on consensus boards Solak: Cornerback Jacob Parrish to the Buccaneers (No. 84). Parrish is a classic Todd Bowles cornerback -- feisty, instinctive in zone, able to press and an excellent tackler in space. He reminds me of Tykee Smith a 2024 third-rounder who emerged as a key nickel defender for Tampa Bay The Bucs needed to add depth to their secondary and they got a perfect scheme and culture fit in Parrish This is a tone-setting pick for Carroll and GM John Spytek Jeanty gives the Raiders a much-needed explosive playmaker and he's an ideal fit in new coordinator Chip Kelly's offense Walder: Edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku to the Cowboys (No. 44). My sack model had Ezeiruaku essentially tied with James Pearce Jr Despite not playing for an elite team in college (which can sometimes boost a player's sack numbers) Dallas only had to use a second-round pick to get him Yates: Guard Donovan Jackson to the Vikings (No. 24). Jackson was 20th overall on my board as I am extremely bullish on his positional versatility The Vikings began this offseason saying they would get their trenches in order and have done it But their move to take a first-round slot receiver (where Godwin lined up over 60% of the time last season) suggests they are making contingency plans Download the ESPN app and enable Adam Schefter's news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here Bowen: Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa to the Lions (No He's a 6-foot-4 target with seam-stretching ability and he posted explosive testing numbers (4.43 40-yard dash and it cost the Lions two 2026 third-rounders to trade up for him Fowler: Wide receiver Jack Bech to the Raiders (No Bech has the ball skills and competitiveness to make a quick impact on the Las Vegas offense and the Raiders had a solid draft in Spytek's first year at the helm But several scouts from around the league -- even ones that really like Bech -- felt the second round was a bit high and the third round might have been a more sensible range Trading next year's first-round pick to get Pearce felt like a massive overpay especially after the Giants gave up only two third-round picks to trade up to No invites pressure and doesn't get through reads fast enough -- traits that only increase his risk of taking more hits Miller: Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to the Dolphins (No This was both a poor value -- Grant was an early-Round 2 player for me -- and a luxury given the Dolphins' needs at cornerback and safety Moody: Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II to the Bears (No This fourth-round selection was shocking because many analysts predicted Hyppolite could go undrafted I thought this was a major reach in the middle rounds by general manager Ryan Poles but they should have tried to find a secondary receiving option in any of the other early rounds Orlovsky in tears with his Cowboys' draft observationStephen A Smith has fun with the Cowboys drafting another offensive lineman named Tyler Two developmental rookie QBs with Flacco and Pickett under contract how will Gabriel and Sanders get enough reps to adjust to the NFL and prove they deserve roster spots but he had only 4.5 sacks in three college seasons I struggle to find a world where Gabriel really makes waves in that Browns QB room Tannenbaum: The Falcons trading up for Pearce giving up a future first-round pick is always risky especially since Pearce's predraft evaluations were all over the place Walder: The Falcons trading up for Pearce. Surrendering a future first-round pick to move up for a non-QB is almost always bad business, but it's a particularly poor move for the Falcons. That's because Michael Penix Jr so there are plenty of worlds where the Falcons gave up a top-10 or even a top-five pick in this deal (I'll also throw the Vikings in here because they could've made a deal with the Falcons (or Giants) and traded out of the first round Yates: Wide receiver Pat Bryant to the Broncos (No. 74). This was a reach relative to my own rankings as I thought Bryant was a Day 3 pick after posting a 4.61 in the 40-yard dash at the combine There are traits of Bryant's game I admire: He's a strong route runner has extremely reliable hands and was a clutch performer in college This subscription does not include access to ft.com or the FT App Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker I grew up in the shopping centers of the San Gabriel Valley, their bright lights and maze-like parking lots serving as the colorful backdrop of my Chinese American childhood. My mother once chased an unruly grocery cart that held me in its front basket as it rolled through the parking lot of the Victorian-looking strip mall at the corner of San Gabriel Boulevard and New Avenue. I remember racing my younger sister up and down the stairs of the Atlantic Place Shopping Center while we waited for a table at my grandmother’s favorite dim sum restaurant. There were countless days spent as a child under the care of my uncle and grandmother, who brought us along to three, sometimes four strip malls in a day to find the various ingredients needed for that evening’s dinner, beauty products, the Hello Kitty pencil box I desperately needed and egg tarts. Food Where to eat on a ‘Brothers Sun’ food crawl through the San Gabriel Valley with the Netflix series’ star Justin Chien and writer Byron Wu ‘When it came to setting the show somewhere It was the same story for countless Asian Americans growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, where 13 of the 14 Asian-majority suburbs in Los Angeles County are located These strip malls were a way for residents to create a stronghold in their communities markets and other businesses that catered to an Asian clientele a gleaming display of resilience that often functions as its own ecosystem Diners dig in to a spread of salted egg crab and sautéed cabbage with skewers at Tang Dynasty a restaurant on the third floor of the Hilton Plaza in San Gabriel (Jennelle Fong / For The Times) My current favorite a multistory strip mall adjacent to the Hilton Hotel on Valley Boulevard in San Gabriel a wooden trellis that lines the second and third floors of the complex and a fountain in three of the four corners of the center The parking lot upstairs is a war zone I tend to avoid because of its sharp turns and car horns the spaces are larger and the tempers milder The Hilton Plaza is a one-stop destination for soup dumplings nightlife and an outpost of one of L.A.’s most celebrated ramen restaurants The spicy chicken burger from Macho Burger in San Gabriel. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) If you’re curious about the wave of chicken burger restaurants that have opened in the San Gabriel Valley over the last few years It’s a chain with multiple locations in California with a chicken-centric menu of chicken burgers fried fish sandwiches and beef wraps that look a little like a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme Its red and yellow color scheme is reminiscent of the most recognizable American fast food chains only the mascot is a cartoon character with buff arms and a sesame seed bun on top of its baseball cap There is no ground chicken patty involved in the sandwich a fried chicken thigh with a circumference consistently greater than its bun serves as the burger The bun is a soft potato roll and the chicken has a thick craggy crust heavily seasoned with black pepper A few bites in and the chicken burger craze starts to make sense Fish congee from Huo Zhou Wang in the Hilton Plaza. (Jennelle Fong / For The Times) It’s difficult to find congee that competes with the stuff my grandma Tina makes But the porridge at Huo Zhou Wang may be in a category all its own You can order the porridge studded with dried scallops silky nuggets of fish nestled into the rice There is no shortage of deep-fried delights to dip into your porridge with fried rolls like mini coconut-scented doughnuts and red bean-filled sesame balls And don’t overlook the complimentary side dishes marinated radish that arrives mere seconds after you reach the table Grilled fish with two flavors from Liu Roast Fish at Hilton Plaza in San Gabriel (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) The dish in front of every party is a raised platter of fish its body submerged in a bubbling liquid that sputters all over the table Faces are momentarily obscured behind extravagantly scented walls of steam The fish on my table is typically black cod with one fillet trembling in a “golden soup garlic,” and the other in “Lius homestyle.” The golden soup is savory and pungent with an astonishing amount of garlic humming with the flavor of mellow toasted chiles You scoop spoonfuls of the fish and sauce over white rice with cumin-rubbed mutton and spiced quail eggs you may want to eat by the dozen feature a sunshine yellow hue just below the wrapper The pork filling is infused with the salty making them about five times more satiating than your average dumpling A bowl of noodle soup from Potato Powder Love Noodle in the Hilton Plaza in San Gabriel (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times ) Each order of noodle soup arrives in its own pot The potato noodles that bob across the top are pale and round almost too slippery to catch between your chopsticks the noodles may be tangled with ribbons of beef and bok choy alongside a handful of cilantro The noodles themselves are unlike any other with a singular texture that’s at once chewy and bouncy There are fried mushroom skewers to round out the meal and each order of soup or rice bowl comes with a free beverage This is a tea shop where the most popular drink on the menu is a concoction called the Tiramisu milk tea It’s a robust black tea mixed with milk and topped with something called tiramisu puff cream this is the place to go for a brown sugar latte with boba after lunch or for a cocoa drink with cheese foam and crushed Oreos after dinner sautéed cabbage and skewers from Tang Dynasty one of the many restaurants at the Hilton Plaza in San Gabriel (Jennelle Fong / For The Times) I don’t know that I crave a single dish in Los Angeles more often than the stir-fried cabbage at Tang Dynasty It’s seasoned with just the right amount of what could be black vinegar as the main attraction or as a side dish intended to offset the meat skewers that are likely to accumulate on the table Tang Dynasty is a restaurant that feels like a peaceful respite during the day and a roaring party when the sun goes down with dishes and elaborately presented beverages that are meant to be shared the glass containers filled with pink peach wine osmanthus rice wine and whatever other flavored low A.B.V The skewers range from garlic vermicelli scallops to Taiwanese sausage And the salted egg yolk crab is a must order with the fried crab enveloped in a buttery salted egg sauce you can suck from every crevice Where to start your SGV strip mall journey Hilton Plaza, 227 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel. Jenn Harris is a columnist for the Food section and host of “The Bucket List” show. She has a BA in literary journalism from UC Irvine and an MA in journalism from USC. Follow her @Jenn_Harris_. World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Kodai Senga, Unfair 3 Ghost Fork K...with 2 Swords. 😳👻🍴⚔️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DCHi2WRZ3J Tylor Megill, Dirty 84mph Slider. 😨9th K pic.twitter.com/KmfNOk4LYE The improbable story of MLB's best rotation so far in 2025May 5th Coming into 2025, the Mets looked built to slug their way to the postseason. They’d added . They’d re-signed . And they still had it’s the rotation -- once viewed as a potential liability -- that has emerged as the Mets’ biggest strength That's not to say New York’s lineup hasn't had its moments, too, with Alonso looking like an MVP candidate and Soto starting to find his footing after a slow start it's the starting staff that has set the tone day after day propelling the Mets to first place in the National League East and one of the best records in baseball overachieving rotations have long been part of the playbook for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns The Mets’ rotation hasn’t just been dominant it has been head and shoulders above every other staff in the game The club's numbers may have taken a bit of a hit Sunday, when spot starter Blade Tidwell allowed six runs to the Cardinals in his MLB debut after being called up to start Game 1 of a doubleheader But that was an outlier -- the team's regular rotation has been an elite unit It’s a result that would have been surprising under any circumstances made even more remarkable given the context which cropped up in his final spring outing All of that left the Mets to rely on a group of starters rife with uncertainty, making the extent of the club’s success on the mound feel all the more improbable. As the Mets prepare to open a three-game series against the D-backs in Phoenix on Monday let's take a look at the key questions the club's rotation faced coming into 2025 -- and how each has been answered so far How will ’ transition from reliever to starter go While Holmes had some ups and downs with the Yankees in 2024 he was still expected to be a coveted free agent in the reliever market this past offseason the sinkerballer posted a 2.69 ERA with 74 saves 238 strikeouts and 69 walks over 217 2/3 innings He also had a 1.35 ERA over 20 postseason innings in that span However, a surprising report emerged from MLB Network insider Joel Sherman in early December that said multiple teams were showing interest in Holmes -- as a starter. Not long after, Holmes reached a three-year, $38 million deal with the Mets and Stearns confirmed that the team planned to transition the right-hander to the starting rotation While a number of pitchers in recent years have successfully made that move, including , and it was fair to be skeptical of Holmes’ ability to do the same given he hadn’t filled that role since making four starts with the Pirates in 2018 Any doubts about the plan were compounded when Manaea and Montas went down in Spring Training suddenly making Holmes a crucial piece of the rotation puzzle as he ascended the depth chart ultimately drawing the nod as the team’s Opening Day starter Despite his inexperience pitching in the rotation Holmes has been nothing short of spectacular so far he owns a 2.95 ERA and a 2.16 FIP over 36 2/3 innings He’s striking out more than a batter per inning and hasn’t allowed a home run yet with his signature sinker still generating a steady stream of ground balls Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball While that pitch remains Holmes’ bread and butter the 32-year-old has diversified his arsenal to handle the increased demands of facing lineups multiple times per game Holmes has gone from a three-pitch pitcher to a six-pitch pitcher cutter and four-seamer to his sinker-sweeper-slider mix while dropping the usage of his primary offering by more than 20 percentage points The new additions to his repertoire have been outstanding -- he has allowed a .149 average and .170 slugging percentage with 18 strikeouts in 49 combined plate appearances ending on changeups What version of will the Mets get after he made just one start in 2024 After showing frontline starter potential as a rookie in 2023 when he finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year Award voting and seventh in the Cy Young race Senga missed most of last season due to injuries kept him out the first four months of the season Senga returned on July 26 to strike out nine Braves over 5 1/3 innings in a superb debut but sustained a left calf strain during that start and went back on the IL He ended up missing the rest of the regular season before returning for three short postseason appearances totaling just five innings With Senga having thrown only 10 1/3 combined frames in 2024 it was tough to know what to expect from him in ’25 native has recaptured his ace form in a hurry Although Senga has allowed a .350 average and .517 slugging percentage on his two primary fastballs -- a four-seamer and a cutter -- it hasn't mattered That's because his patented “Ghost Fork” has been as terrifying as ever for opposing hitters With the Ghost Fork's innate ability to generate swings out of the zone, Senga has allowed just three hits (all singles) with 21 strikeouts in 41 at-bats ending on forkballs this season, good for a .073 batting average Lowest BA allowed on individual pitch type 2025Minimum 40 PAs ending on that pitch type Kodai Senga, Unfair 3 Ghost Fork K...with 2 Swords. 😳👻🍴⚔️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DCHi2WRZ3J Senga has notched a sparkling 1.38 ERA over six starts the fourth-lowest mark among those with at least 30 innings pitched in 2025 Can build on his 2024 success Peterson’s career hasn’t followed a straight line He’s bounced between promise and frustration year after year -- a 3.44 ERA as a rookie in 2020 a rebound in ’22 (3.83 ERA) and another step back in ’23 (5.03 ERA) before undergoing left hip surgery which kept him out for the first two months of ’24 While Peterson returned from surgery last May and went on to post a stellar 2.90 ERA over 21 starts in 2024 his inconsistent track record made it tough to fully trust the results Peterson has done his part to quell those concerns he owns a 3.06 ERA with a 2.93 FIP over 32 1/3 innings The doubts about Peterson may persist, especially considering some of the underlying metrics that paint his 2025 season in a less flattering light But it’s also hard to ignore that his performance has been on par with some of the best pitchers in baseball for nearly a full calendar year Lowest ERA among qualifying pitchers since May 29 2024^^Peterson's return from hip surgery Can and hold down the final two rotation spots until Manaea and Montas return Of all the questions facing the Mets' rotation at the start of the season this one had the greatest potential to go awry The Mets gave Megill ample opportunity to prove himself as a starter from 2021-24, but his performance and his durability left a lot to be desired. Megill, who spent time in the Minors in both 2023 and ’24, entered this season with a lifetime 4.56 ERA and an 88 ERA+ over 74 games (67 starts) even the most optimistic Mets fan had to be at least a little concerned about Megill and Canning at the outset of the season turning the back end of the Mets' rotation into a formidable force The recipe for success has been strikingly similar for both: four-seamers and sliders each pitcher is using his slider more than ever this season making it his go-to secondary pitch behind the four-seam fastball The sliders themselves share similar traits with each featuring significant downward break -- both relative to the rest of MLB and their own sliders in 2024 Tylor Megill, Dirty 84mph Slider. 😨9th K pic.twitter.com/KmfNOk4LYE Megill’s slider is dropping 46.2 inches from his hand to the batter this season, which is 8.5 inches more drop than comparable slider users -- the best drop of any MLB slider his slider has the third-best drop (minimum 100 sliders thrown) at +6.6 inches Both hurlers are also getting strong results with the four-seamer, particularly when it comes to limiting extra-base hits. Among starting pitchers who have ended at least 30 plate appearances on four-seamers this season, Canning ranks third with a .200 slugging percentage allowed Canning has posted a 2.61 ERA and a 3.25 FIP through six starts Megill has been even more dominant in his six outings pitching to a 1.74 ERA with a 2.31 FIP while striking out nearly 30% of the batters he has faced none of this means the aforementioned questions have disappeared entirely and the club’s current group still needs to prove it can hold up across six months the Mets' rotation has clearly redefined expectations offering evidence that the club's hopes of hanging with baseball's elite might not rest solely on its high-powered offense The ETA Aquarids, one of the most anticipated meteor showers known for sending fiery balls of space debris flying across the sky, is set to peak this week The Aquarids (also sometimes spelled Aquardiis) meteors are created by debris left behind by the famous Halley's Comet that then fall to Earth creating "shooting stars" that leave long glowing trails behind The meteor shower is one of the best astronomical viewing events of the year and can be seen across the globe though those in the Southern Hemisphere are treated to the best view the event can still be seen from every U.S giving stargazers one final chance to watch a shower until the next expected one in July Here's what to know about the ETA Aquarids meteor shower The Aquarids, which first became active April 19, are due to peak between May 5 and May 6 as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris, according to the American Meteor Society While the meteors won't be as bright or dazzling after the peak stargazers should still be able to catch some of the light show until about May 28 What time can I see the Aquarids meteors?Like all meteor showers, the Aquarids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn. According to NASA's Watch the Skies blog the best time to view the peak starts at 2 a.m Time and Date also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon based on your specific location The Aquarids should be visible around the globe assuming clouds and a bright moon do not obscure the view the meteors are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere This is because the meteors seem to emerge which is higher up in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere than it is in the Northern Hemisphere In the Northern Hemisphere, ETA Aquarid meteors appear as what NASA refers to as "Earthgrazers," or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon Some more tips for getting a better look from NASA and Date and Time include: Most meteor showers are the result of Earth passing through debris left by comets, explains NASA. These broken-up meteoritic materials fall to Earth and burn up in Earth's atmosphere creating what we know as "shooting stars." This happens daily (NASA scientists estimate that 48.5 tons of material fall on Earth each day) you should be able to see a few per hour on an average night When the number of meteors entering Earth's atmosphere increases significantly Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation closest to where the meteors appear in the sky; in this case I heard a recurring comment from the locals "Have you made it over to 30A yet?" said my Lyft driver "You've got to — it's the up-and-coming spot around here." While I was purchasing tickets for the Shell Island Ferry "Do you have plans to go over to 30A?" When I said no she insisted I return to the area for a trip because it's just so beautiful I live in a different Florida beach town that often gets inundated with spring breakers and summer beachgoers so I couldn't decide whether Panama City Beach locals were trying to run tourists out of town or they really meant what they said about 30A Turns out, those locals were right. I think 30A is one of the best gems in Florida and I liked it even more than Panama City Beach Panama City Beach reminds me of the beach towns I grew up visiting in the Northeast: lots of souvenir shops and more tourist attractions than one could squeeze in during a vacation There's lots of good food in PCB, including a crepe shop adored by reviewers on Yelp but I'd say the general vibe of the area can best be described as "touristy beach town." The landscape changes entirely when you drive just 15 or 20 minutes to 30A High-rise hotel chains become private rental cottages and souvenir shops give way to luxury shopping venues The overall vibe switches from a busy vacation spot to a place where you'd do beachfront yoga and sip freshly pressed juice before spending your day on a quiet The beaches alongside 30A communities such as Rosemary Beach and Seaside are home to white sand and transparent blue water you need a wristband or beach tag — visitors can get these from whichever rental property they're occupying I think the beaches benefit from the lack of large nearby hotels and public access resulting in a beautiful setting that feels more intimate There are some spectacular sunsets along the Gulf of Mexico I especially loved watching the sunset from Bud and Alley's a Seaside restaurant with sweeping coastal views I watched the sun set from the beach and was equally blown away by the beauty around me I chose a rental property between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach with ample spacious sidewalks and bike lanes throughout Lots of condos or hotels here come with bicycles plus there are many rental companies in the area I took a beach cruiser from my condo over to Rosemary Beach for coffee or a meal or I'd bike down 30A and stop to explore each town I drove to some of the spots farther away from me and the area was simple to navigate by car with my phone's GPS system a beach community where the movie "The Truman Show" was filmed a small boardwalk area with shops and restaurants It felt relaxed and not too pretentious, but more upscale than Florida beach towns such as Fort Lauderdale and it's the spot along 30A where I saw the most families with children If Seaside is a family-friendly-but-upscale beach town Alys Beach is on the opposite end of the luxury vacation spectrum This small community is filled with white-washed stone vacation homes and Mediterranean-inspired architecture — it felt like a big resort there's nothing comparable to Alys Beach in Florida that I've seen Because of its stunning homes and high-end feel Alys Beach feels like one of the areas least accessible to the public in 30A especially because I saw so many residential streets with signs prohibiting the public from walking through or taking photos If you're interested in vacationing in a more private area of 30A Rosemary Beach has made its rounds on TikTok going viral for its similarities to a little European town Its downtown area is lined with cobblestone streets full of shops and al-fresco eateries and it has a hotel complete with spires that reminded me of something I'd see in the Swiss Alps I passed many street carts selling wares such as scarves and fresh flowers and homes with European-style architecture The area also has beautiful private beaches which can be accessed only with a key card and Rosemary Beach are perhaps the most famous spots along 30A but I was impressed with the lesser-known areas I visited You truly could make an entire day out of exploring the tiny towns and communities that make up this beautiful part of Florida I stopped by Eden Gardens during my visit — a 163-acre state park home to sweeping gardens The area also has a collection of coastal dune lakes a rare saltwater and freshwater phenomenon that only exists in a few spots around the globe I've lived in Florida for nearly 10 years and call a small ocean beach town home As someone who's spent time on both the gulf and the ocean side of the Sunshine State I can say 30A is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in all of Florida and it has a peaceful vibe I've rarely found in Florida beach towns and I think it's the perfect destination for everything from bachelorette parties to family vacations dining critic Rachel Bernhard rounds up some of the most delicious dishes she ate around Milwaukee in recent weeks From food-truck finds to fine-dining dishes these are some of her favorite things that crossed her plate each month Things started off fast and furious with a milestone birthday celebrated near the beginning of the month almost as if my body were rejecting the notion of entering a new decade it turned on me soon after and left me sick for the next three weeks But in between the birthday fun (including a darn good cake made by the wizards at Aggie’s Bakery which I would include here except it was devoured before I could snap a photo) and the time spent bedridden I did manage to squeeze in a few fab meals These are some of the best things I ate around Milwaukee in April After a short winter hiatus, Cavas recently re-opened its darling Third Ward restaurant offering two types of prix fixe menu: a seven-course tasting menu of Spanish-inspired dishes and a “paella dinner for two,” which includes an appetizer I counted the night out as a belated birthday meal so a bottle of bubbly and steamy paella sounded like a perfect way to celebrate Cava’s version of surf and turf with a mix of roasted chicken New Zealand mussels and wild-caught shrimp and the shrimp was plump and bouncy — perfectly cooked With a crispy golden socarrat — that deliciously scorched layer on the bottom of the pan — the rice was aromatic and fluffy and made even better with bright Eating at Cava is such a treat — chef Ana and her sweet husband make it feel as though you’re eating in their home Bistec jibarito from Johanna’s Cafe I stopped into Johanna's Cafe for guava quesitos (horn-shaped pastries filled with guava paste and cream cheese) but was completely derailed when I saw someone at a table digging into a massive jibarito I’ve had the sandwich—a Puerto Rican-inspired creation that uses flattened fried plantains as buns — on my brain for weeks and Johanna’s version looked too delicious to pass up The bistec version ($16.50 with a side of rice) comes with thin slices of marinated steak The top is brushed with a garlicky mojo sauce that will absolutely stink up your hands but the whole thing is so unbelievably delicious that I ordered mine with a side of Puerto Rican rice fluffy and fragrant and punched up with briny green olives and firm pigeon peas Between the sloppy-but-splendid sandwich and the way I shoveled that superb rice into my mouth Kare-Kare from Sinta After interviewing chefs Zach and Katrina Panokse about Sinta, their monthly Filipino pop-up series at Bavette La Boucherie there was no way I was going to miss out on their April installment Eight courses ($100 for the dinner) of elevated Filipino fare in such a warm Any of the dishes could’ve earned its spot as a Best Bite from the shrimp and pork lumpia that kicked off the meal to the flaky It’s difficult for me to choose a favorite but the kare-kare — the final savory course of the evening — was one of the biggest standouts The dish was a confluence of flavors with a hunk of beef short rib at the center As soon as I grabbed a knife to cut into the short rib The short rib essentially melted underneath — so juicy Over a bed of rice and scattered with sauteed the beef played with a mix of sauces like annatto peanut sauce sauteed shrimp paste and dollops of spicy chili crisp umami and spicy — but were balanced and complimentary in every bite I let the sauces soak into the rice before eating up every grain I’m going to remember that meal for a long time and can’t wait to see what Sinta brings next in its beautifully curated pop-up series Over weeks of sniffles, coughs and sleepiness, I kept dreaming about a big bowl of brothy chicken soup. As soon as I felt well enough to be out in the world, to Benji's Deli I went The classic diner’s famous matzo ball soup ($7.29 for a bowl) would heal me That unctuous broth was like medicine: steamy soothing and so richly chicken-y despite no actual pieces of chicken present in the bowl bouncy matzo balls swimming in the broth soaked up so much flavor and as I sipped the last remaining drops of broth from the bowl I can’t say whether it was a placebo effect or the pure magic of the soup but I left the diner with more pep in my step than I’d had in weeks Rachel Bernhard joined the Journal Sentinel as dining critic in June 2023 She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way accepts no gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers What should she cover next? Contact her at rseis@gannett.com. Follow her on BlueSky at @rachelbernhard.bsky.social or on Instagram at @rach.eats.mke as four teams open up their second-round series on Monday night the New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson are massive underdogs against Jayson Tatum and the defending champion Boston Celtics as they went 0-4 against Boston in the regular season The C’s are -800 favorites to win the series and nine-point favorites in Game 1 I have a pick for a side in that game as well as two player props for today’s NBA Best Bets Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are fresh off a Game 7 win and have a quick turnaround against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder OKC swept the Memphis Grizzlies and has been off for quite some time ahead of this matchup Oddsmakers have set the Thunder (who are the current favorites to win the title) as nine-point favorites in Game 1 I’m sharing my breakdowns and top bets for the playoff action on Monday night Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. averaging 33.5 points per game while taking at least 18 shots in every matchup He has killed Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks’ drop coverage in the pick-and-roll clearing 27.5 points in three of the four meetings between these squads Tatum has at least 25 points in every game against the Knicks this season and he’s gotten off to a great start in the playoffs In the final three games against Orlando after missing Game 2 with a wrist injury and with Jaylen Brown dealing with a knee injury and Jrue Holiday nursing a bad hamstring He should thrive against this Knicks team that hasn’t had an answer for him all season and he’s loved torching his former team since being traded to Boston In seven matchups against the Knicks as a Celtic Porzingis has made at least two 3-pointers in all of them shooting a combined 26-for-52 from deep (50.0 percent) He’s taken at least five shots from beyond the arc in all seven of those games the Knicks had issues guarding Myles Turner – another stretch big – and they have been awful against Boston’s pick-and-roll offense all season long KP should get plenty of easy looks against a Knicks team that was in the bottom five in the NBA in opponent 3-point percentage during the regular season OKC is a massive favorite in Game 1 for good reason The Thunder are an NBA best 29-12-2 against the spread when favored at home this season and they were also 11-5-1 against the spread when they had a rest advantage The Nuggets are essentially playing six games at the moment – there are some spot minutes for DeAndre Jordan and Peyton Watson – and they have a short turnaround after a wild seven-game series with the Clippers has struggled with a rest disadvantage this season (11-12 against the spread) and it has not held up on the defensive end since the All-Star break ranking 23rd in the league in defensive rating Even though OKC had some anxious moments in Game 3 against Memphis it rolled through that series without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing at his best Denver lacks the perimeter defenders to deal with SGA (outside of Christian Braun) and OKC has been too good at home this season (37-6 overall) for me to fade it in Game 1 Boston had four wins against the Knicks and three of them came by double digits New York’s defense simply couldn’t hold up against the C’s and even a shorthanded Boston team beat the Knicks in overtime late in the regular season Brunson’s heroics against the Detroit Pistons kept the Knicks alive but New York only had a plus-eight point differential in that series That is way too close for my liking when heading into a matchup with the defending champs Boston finished the regular season with the second-best net rating in the NBA and it can beat the Knicks in a ton of ways on offense but mainly by spamming pick-and-roll against Karl-Anthony Towns In the first five games of the series against Detroit New York was allowing more than one point per possession against Detroit’s pick-and-roll offense with Towns in the action The C’s have dominated at home this season going 28-13 in the regular season and 3-0 in the playoffs They also covered the spread in both home games that Tatum played in during the Orlando series they are just 5-14 against the spread this season when they have a rest disadvantage I’m not buying them to pull off the upset in Game 1 Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $150 in bonus bets. Win or lose DraftKings will issue six $25 bonus bets instantly The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission From the perpetual-motion machine that is the Star Wars franchise to the films of Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan science fiction has been enjoying a long moment at the movies over the last several years Whether they focus on futuristic action or provide commentary on dangerous tech a sandbox where planet-shattering blockbusters and introspective indies alike can thrive That means it’s also all over the streamers Where should you go if you’re looking to find your next favorite sci-fi movie or revisit some of the best of all time Year: 2024Runtime: 2h 45mDirector: Denis Villeneuve You can only watch the second of the recent Dune films on Netflix for now The second half of Villeneuve’s saga fulfills the promise of the first turning the set-up of the 2021 film into a full-blooded action tale of a new messiah Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead an all-star cast in a film that understands both scope and character It may not play quite as well at home as it did in theaters Year: 1997Runtime: 2h 9mDirector: Paul Verhoeven No one else but the director of RoboCop could have made this unforgettable sci-fi/action epic about giant bugs from outer space it’s a wildly entertaining action movie about young soldiers trying to stop an unimaginable force Dig deeper and you’ll find richly rewarding satirical levels about the military complex and fascism Year: 2023Runtime: 1h 59mDirector: Juel Taylor This is one of the best Netflix original films and especially Jamie Foxx simply rock in this genre hybrid that plays like nothing else on the streaming service Boyega plays an average dude who gets shot one night in his neighborhood but wakes up the next day somewhat startling the pimp (Foxx) and prostitute (Parris) who saw him get gunned down They look into the conundrum and discover a sci-fi premise that’s clever and kind of terrifying Year: 2018Runtime: 1h 39mDirector: Leigh Whannell It feels like the cult following of this movie should be growing right about now Leigh Whannell wrote and directed this clever sci-fi/action flick about a man who gets a chip implanted in his body that Logan Marshall-Green is fun in the lead role but it’s really Whannell’s show as the director shows off his playful action spirit Year: 2001Runtime: 1h 53mDirector: Richard Kelly It’s a mad world in Richard Kelly’s sci-fi hit starring Jake Gyllenhaal Darko made almost nothing in theaters but developed a loyal following on the home market becoming one of the more acclaimed sci-fi films of the ’00s Join in the conversation that seems to constantly surround this film (We can only hope Kelly will be encouraged to make another one soon; he hasn’t directed in over a decade.) Year: 1997Runtime: 1h 42mDirector: Andrew Niccol Andrew Niccol’s 1997 sci-fi drama truly was ahead of its time Unpacking themes of eugenics that would only become more feasible with medical and technological advancements over the last quarter-century Niccol’s excellent genre flick tells the story of a future where genetics are determined Year: 2014Runtime: 2hDirector: Spike Jonze Spike Jonze won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this 2013 film about a man who falls in love with his A.I Joaquin Phoenix gives one of the most vulnerable performances of his career as Theodore who gets closer to the Siri-esque Samantha Jonze’s film is a smart unpacking of man’s relationship to technology and the never-ending need for connection Year: 2024Runtime: 1h 39mDirector: Michael Sarnoski Who would have guessed that this would work John Krasinski handed his franchise off to the director of Pig and the luminous Lupita Nyong’o to tell a prequel story of the day that the murderous aliens arrived elevated greatly by the consistently impressive work from Nyong’o Year: 1989Runtime: 2h 20mDirector: James Cameron James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi blockbuster is one of the most prominent films never to have been released on Blu-ray in the United States — but that finally changed in March with the 4K release and it’s also finally more readily available on streaming too People who love this movie really love this movie and it’s great to see it finally coming to the fans who have deserved it for so long Year: 1979Runtime: 1h 57mDirector: Ridley Scott Alien didn’t just launch a megafranchise or create an iconic character in Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley It shifted the entire sci-fi/horror landscape forever And what’s even more stunning over four decades later is how much it still rips this is one of the rare movies that could be called perfect Year: 2016Runtime: 1h 56mDirector: Denis Villeneuve The French Canadian director guided Amy Adams to one of her best performances in this sharp sci-fi film about an alien invasion that says more about the people on Earth than the interstellar visitors Based on a short story called “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang Arrival asks how we would communicate with an alien species — a task handled by a linguist played by Adams A time-twisting narrative and Villeneuve’s undeniable craftsmanship made this a smash hit Year: 2014Runtime: 2h 49mDirector: Christopher Nolan No one else makes movies like Christopher Nolan a man who took his superhero success and used it to get gigantic budgets to bring his wildest dreams to the big screen complicated film about an astronaut (Matthew McConaughey) searching for a new home for humanity It’s divisive among some Nolan fans for its deep emotions Year: 2004Runtime: 1h 47mDirector: Michel Gondry Michel Gondry directed Charlie Kaufman’s script into one of the best films of the ’00s Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are breathtaking as an estranged couple who have decided to erase the memory of their relationship from their minds Would you remove a formative part of your life because the heartbreak was too painful Year: 2010Runtime: 2h 28mDirector: Christopher Nolan After the crazy success of The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan went and made one of the most ambitious blockbusters ever made cementing himself as one of the most interesting auteurs working in the Hollywood system Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a man who leads a team into other people’s dreams for the purposes of corporate espionage at first This movie is a reminder of Nolan’s incredible vision and robust filmmaking One wishes there were more big-budget filmmakers taking these kinds of risks Year: 2015Runtime: 2h 22mDirector: Ridley Scott One of the best late films from an all-time master this sci-fi gem sees Matt Damon playing an astronaut who gets stranded on Mars and has to use his ingenuity to get home One of the many reasons this movie rules is how much it values intelligence and knowledge two things that more blockbusters could stand to elevate Year: 1987Runtime: 1h 43mDirector: Paul Verhoeven a film that foretold how technology would impact law enforcement in ways that took decades to come true the movie tells the story of a Detroit cop who is murdered and revived as the title character It’s even more riveting and relevant almost four decades later (Note: Both original-era sequels and the 2010s reboot are also on Max.) Year: 2016Runtime: 1h 20mDirector: James Ward Byrkit Eight friends get together for a dinner party in Northern California as news of a passing comet overhead can be heard What starts as a traditional character-driven drama becomes something very different when the power goes out and An incredibly smart script anchors this study of alternate universes that plays out in a disturbingly relatable way Year: 2018Runtime: 1h 51mDirectors: Justin Benson The brilliant Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead direct and star in this sci-fi thriller about two brothers who return to a cult from which they escaped years earlier They learn that there’s more to this group than they remember or understand It’s a riveting film about cycles and trauma Year: 2024Runtime: 1h 34mDirector: Matt Vesely Lily Sullivan is stunning in this excellent under-seen indie sci-fi flick about a podcaster who becomes obsessed with rumors of monoliths being randomly discovered in the world and what it could mean More about obsession than it is a traditional sci-fi flick it still qualifies because of how much it gets under the skin of why we look to the stars and imagine what could come from them Year: 2011Runtime: 1h 34mDirector: Duncan Jones The director of Moon returned with an excellent sci-fi film about a man who has to relive the same eight minutes over and over again to try and solve the mystery of who blew up a commuter train on its way into Chicago Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent in the lead role and he’s ably assisted by Michelle Monaghan Year: 2018Runtime: 1h 55mDirector: Alex Garland Paramount notoriously had no idea what to do with Alex Garland’s film and barely promoted it in American theaters dropping it on Netflix in the rest of the world which is where it now returns five years later One of the best films of 2018 stars Natalie Portman as a woman who enters an alien occurrence to find out what happened to her husband there Although that barely scratches the surface of this complex Year: 2002Runtime: 2h 25mDirector: Steven Spielberg One of Steven Spielberg’s best modern movies is this adaptation of a Philip K Dick story about a future in which crime can be predicted before it happens Tom Cruise stars as a man who is convicted of a crime he has no intent of committing in a fantastic vision of a future in which the systems designed to stop crime have been corrupted Year: 1991Runtime: 2h 17mDirector: James Cameron Any list of the best sequels ever made that doesn’t include this is flatly wrong James Cameron took the ideas of his 1984 sci-fi breakthrough and expanded on them in this action masterpiece that reverses roles and made movie history the woman who knows that her son is the key to the future who flexes his action-directing muscle here in unforgettable ways Year: 2005Runtime: 2h 31mDirector: Steven Spielberg The star and director of Minority Report reunited for this phenomenal adaptation of the classic H.G Tom Cruise plays an ordinary guy who tries to survive the day the enemy aliens arrived in this incredibly well-directed action epic that plays well as escapism but can also be read as one of the first great movies about 9/11 Year: 2009Runtime: 2h 42mDirector: James Cameron The world became Pandora again as the excellent Avatar: The Way of Water opened in theaters in 2023 and made a bajillion dollars And the third movie is dropping in late 2025 It really helps the new adventure to be familiar with the arc of Jake Sully and the Na’vi — so take the time to revisit James Cameron’s stunning vision on Disney+ before going back Year: VariousRuntime: VariousDirector: Various Consider this a placeholder for all of the various films in the Lucasverse that are on Disney+, the only place where you can watch all of them and the associated original TV series if you so choose. (And certainly don’t miss Andor.) Year: 2023Runtime: 1h 38mDirector: Laura Moss This mesmerizing riff on Frankenstein is one of the best horror films of 2023 Judy Reyes stars as a nurse whose daughter dies at the age of 5 only to be brought back to life by a morgue technician (an unforgettable Marin Ireland) who has been experimenting with a daring new process How far would you go to bring a child back from the dead Year: 2020Runtime: 1h 50mDirector: Richard Stanley Richard Stanley co-wrote and directed this adaptation of the H.P marking his first time behind the camera since the disastrous 1996 production of The Island of Dr Nicolas Cage plays the patriarch of a family that moves to a remote farm where a glowing meteor seems to crash in the front yard And then things get really weird in a way that only a Lovecraft movie can Year: 1990Runtime: 1h 36mDirector: Ron Underwood Kevin Bacon stars in this 1990 low-budget action B-movie that became such a cult hit that it spawned an entire franchise (the seventh film in the series is currently in production) There’s something so wonderfully simple about Tremors — average people trying to survive an attack by creatures under the sand and easy to revisit if you haven’t seen it in 30 years or to rewatch even if you have Year: 2025Runtime: 2h 7mDirector: Scott Derrickson Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy have a blast in this gloriously silly sci-fi action flick that recalls similarly goofy ’80s genre hits The gifted pair play snipers on either side of a gorge that holds A love story with giant monsters that might be emerging from hell You don’t see something like this every day Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York Get ready to sing and dance your way through these movies I love going to the theater and seeing a musical. In Los Angeles, we have lots of choices to see something new, and to check out older prints of famous musicals I wanted to pick out some of my favorite musicals that are actually based on Tony Award-winning shows and rank them I had to put my wife's favorite movie number one Mostly because I also love it and because it's the quintessential movie musical for generations It's a Rodgers and Hammerstein tale of the von Trapp family singers set against the backdrop of WWII Austria Robert Wise's film adaptation takes it further using breathtaking Austrian landscapes as its backdrop and getting Julie Andrews to belt out bangers She delivers an iconic performance as Maria and the film is arguably more famous than the stage show that inspired it with songs like "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Me," and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" becoming timeless tunes Here's a movie I don't think enough people have seen It's really fun and full of tropes that have been used in many movies since Based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion Lerner and Loewe's musical about phonetics professor Henry Higgins transforming Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle was a Broadway smash George Cukor's film adaptation is a witty and visually stunning affair some of the best cinematography of all time is in here Rex Harrison reprises his Tony-winning stage role as Higgins perfectly embodying the character's snobbery and vulnerability who didn't sing but held a dominant presence Her singing was famously dubbed by Marni Nixon but her charismatic performance as Eliza is unforgettable The score has a ton of classics ("I Could Have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain") Original Musical Tony Nomination: Best Musical I could have gone with the Spielberg version here even though the original stage production didn't take home the top Tony prize This adaptation is widely considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made Transferring Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the turbulent streets of New York City's West Side Leonard Bernstein's electrifying score and Jerome Robbins' groundbreaking choreography are brilliantly captured on film and its powerful story and unforgettable songs ("Maria," "Tonight," "America") Most of this list was just me having songs stuck in my head and then tracing their origin And whenever I hear the word "tradition," I can't help but sing it This beloved musical tells the story of Tevye a Jewish milkman in pre-revolutionary Russia trying to maintain his family and religious traditions amidst changing times and growing antisemitism Norman Jewison's film adaptation masterfully balances warmth Topol delivers a definitive performance as Tevye (having played the role on the London stage) The film beautifully captures the spirit of the shtetl and brings classic songs like "Tradition," "If I Were a Rich Man," and "Sunrise I was at a show from Epic Players last night it's a great organization to look into and to donate to Bob Fosse's cinematic take on the Kander and Ebb musical is a stunning Set in decadent 1931 Berlin as the Nazis rise to power the film uses the Kit Kat Klub as a metaphor for the era's moral decay I'm not sure there is a role more synonymous with one person than Liza Minnelli in her Oscar-winning performance as Sally Bowles Fosse restructured the musical for the screen confining most musical numbers to the stage of the club Cabaret won eight Academy Awards (famously beating The Godfather for Best Director) and redefined the possibilities of the movie musical 1976 (Note: The 1996 revival won Best Revival of a Musical Tony) Chicago burst onto the scene and dazzled audiences and critics alike I actually think this might have been the first musical I saw in theaters because I was in like 8th Grade when it came out director Rob Marshall cleverly staged the musical numbers as fantasies inside the characters' heads Renée Zellweger (Roxie Hart) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma Kelly alongside a stellar supporting cast including Richard Gere energetic choreography (inspired by Bob Fosse) ultimately winning the Academy Award for Best Picture – the first musical to do so since Oliver I watched this movie a lot when I was a kid I think it was because I played the trombone The story follows fast-talking con man Harold Hill who poses as a boys' band organizer to swindle the naive folks of River City only to find himself falling for the town librarian Marian Paroo who directed the original Broadway production brings infectious energy to the film adaptation You can't watch it without tapping your feet Robert Preston triumphantly reprises his iconic Tony-winning role as Harold Hill delivering a performance bursting with charisma and rapid-fire talking Featuring enduring tunes like "Seventy-Six Trombones" and "'Til There Was You," it's a classic These films prove that the magic of a Tony-winning musical can shine just as brightly on the big screen They capture the essence of their stage counterparts while utilizing the unique power of cinema to create unforgettable experiences Let me know what you think in the comments Explore how the damsel trope has shaped storytelling—from classic fairy tales to modern media For much of the 20th century, women on screen often appeared as “damsels in distress”—sometimes as love interests, other times as sisters, mothers, or daughters—but typically as characters with limited agency compared to their masculine counterparts. Think Mary Sues and Manic Pixie Dream Girls These one-dimensional portrayals established a pattern that became a recognizable cinematic shorthand female characters are much more likely to solve their own problems and drive their own stories we still see echoes of the old damsel trope Sometimes filmmakers use it knowingly (with a wink) Let’s learn about the damsel in distress and how (if you like) you can use the trope in your writing A damsel in distress is essentially a female character who exists primarily to be rescued by the hero This character trope has been a staple in storytelling for centuries In its most basic form, the damsel has little to no agency of her own. She's beautiful, vulnerable, and completely dependent on the male protagonist to save her from whatever danger she faces. Her purpose in the story is rarely about her journey but instead serves as a plot device to showcase the hero's bravery and strength the damsels in distress are usually elemental in the climax: being all pretty and needy waiting for their “knight in shining armor.” A polite way to objectify women The damsel in distress trope—whether featuring a sister or female stranger—often reinforces traditional gender dynamics in literature and film By positioning female characters as helpless and in need of rescue these narratives frequently highlight traditionally masculine traits like strength and bravery while limiting female characters' abilities A damsel in distress can be identified from miles away They have the most stereotypical treatment in any film Below are a few common traits—a distressed damsel might have one or many at a time: A popular and sophisticated character based in Shanghai Kate Capshaw’s character Willie is indeed the beautiful burden of Indy’s life in the story She is materialistic and selfish and does get on your nerves “Why didn’t he just keep lowering her into the lava?” “This is not my idea of a swell time!” She is no Bear Grylls and definitely didn’t sign up for any of that insanity It's refreshing to see how Disney princesses have evolved from waiting for rescue to charting their own adventures Characters like Moana and Anna represent a welcome shift from earlier princesses like Cinderella and Snow White whose stories often centered on distress resolved through princely intervention While these classic tales reflected their eras' limited views of women's roles they weren't without merit—Cinderella showed remarkable resilience despite cruelty and even Snow White displayed kindness and compassion valued in her time I appreciate that Cinderella had her Fairy Godmother providing crucial magical assistance showing that women helping other women has always been part of these narratives even if overshadowed by the romantic endings Today's young viewers thankfully have a more diverse range of heroines modeling independence alongside the classics the damsel in distress of this screenplay checks off multiple traits—heavenly The film ends with Andromeda (Judi Bowker) being saved by Perseus (Harry Hamlin) Spider-Man’s lady is the perfect superhero love interest Mary Jane is another iconic example of a beautiful burden to the hero While MJ's difficult family background in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy provides context for her vulnerability her character deserves more dimension than merely being a rescue target The films suggest her father's mistreatment affected her choices and relationships yet they don't fully explore how such experiences often forge resilience rather than perpetual dependency and has a knack for danger—but she is the one who always needs saving Daphne is quite a fresh and dignified approach to the regressive damsel in distress trope Her character’s evolution throughout the seasons as a relatable and dependable female character is something that is not adored enough when damsels in distress were all the rage so what do you do if you want to write a helpless character who needs rescuing (Maybe it could even occasionally be—gasp—the male character.) A more satisfying approach doesn't eliminate rescues Female characters can face danger or need help while still demonstrating agency Give your "damsel" specific skills established early in your script that become relevant during the climax Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) initially seems like a superficial sorority girl at Harvard She solves a murder case using her knowledge of hair care Show psychological resistance when physical escape isn't possible Your character can maintain agency through their reactions Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) resists the Capitol's control through symbolic defiance No character should be fully inactive unless it’s important to their arc and they’re supposed to be stymied in that moment How does this experience change your character Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) is repeatedly captured and rescued throughout the film There are so many ways to create an interesting These elements can help you create richer stories that acknowledge vulnerability (without equating it with helplessness) The damsel in distress trope represents storytelling's past While countless films have relied on this formula of women awaiting rescue modern audiences expect characters with more complexity The evolution from Snow White to Moana shows how storytelling can present feminine strength without sacrificing emotional development too The best modern takes on these narratives recognize that real heroism isn't gendered—it's about courage and determination in the face of challenges Suzanne Blake is a Newsweek reporter based in New York Her focus is reporting on consumer and social trends spanning from retail to restaurants and beyond She is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and joined Newsweek in 2023 You can get in touch with Suzanne by emailing s.blake@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content While many just celebrate Cinco de Mayo with tacos and margaritas, the day serves as a celebration of the day the Mexican army defeated French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 However, many American restaurants take advantage of the holiday and offer major discounts on food and drinks Newsweek has compiled a list of the top discounts and savings to help you celebrate the holiday Pizza and Mexican food lovers alike can take advantage of California Pizza Kitchen's deal this Cinco de Mayo as customers can earn $5 margaritas and a free order of White Corn Guacamole + Chips from May 1 to May 5 you have a choice between the Fresh Agave Lime just mention the chips and guacamole offer to your server The offer is limited to one order per table The leader in fast casual Mexican food is allowing customers to celebrate Cinco de Mayo for five days customers will get free delivery if they use the code DELIVER on the app or website You can also get a free order of chips and Queso Blanco if you order between May 3 and May 5 with the code CINCO25 the restaurant chain is giving away 50,000 free burritos through an "Ingredient Quest" experience on Roblox Those who want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Chuy's can score a $6 regular of $9 grande signature House 'Rita The restaurant is also offering $1 floaters Moe's Southwest Grill will give customers a free queso side with the purchase of any entree on May 5 Participating locations will also give the first 20 guests a chance to win a free Moe's T-shirt TGI Friday's is also getting in on the Cinco de Mayo action with a $5 happy hour or a $5 all-day menu You can also order chips and salsa or chips and queso for just $5 and there's a $5 promotion on classic margaritas Loyalty members will get the deal once they purchase a regular entree at full price A coupon will automatically be delivered on May 6 to their loyalty account to redeem for a free entree from then through May 11 fans must be loyalty members of Bubbakoo's Burritos all guests are able to use code CINCO10 to receive 10 percent off all catering orders said in a statement: "Cinco de Mayo is all about flavor and fun—and that's what Bubbakoo's is all about It's our way of saying thanks and helping everyone celebrate with even more of the bold flavors they love This holiday is the perfect time to turn up the flavor and this is our way of adding a little extra excitement to the festivities." said in a statement: "Our fans love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with our real ingredients we're giving the Roblox community the opportunity to compete for free Chipotle and learn more about what makes our brand unique along the way." several other unofficial food holidays are happening throughout the month of May This includes International Hummus Day on May 13 Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Skims does not offer special discounts for students so your best bet is to take advantage of the retailer's other coupons and deals Skims was founded by Kim Kardashian just a few years ago and has been taking the internet by storm ever since That's why having a good Skims discount code to use at checkout is key Read our full Skims bodysuit review to learn more about our testing process check out the best Skims discount codes we've tested below to save even more You can find a full list of current markdowns on the "Sale" page of the Skims website at any time Skims is running the following deals and promotions All sale prices and promotions are automatically applied at checkout apply a coupon by pasting a code into the "Discount code or gift card" text box and clicking "Apply." From there continue the checkout process by entering your shipping and billing information Skims does not allow discount codes to be stacked together Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHARTFORD CT (WFSB) - Connecticut was the runner-up when it came to the best states to be a police officer The personal finance website WalletHub.com on Monday released its list of 2025’s Best & Worst States to be a Police Officer It put the Constitution State as the 2nd best WalletHub said it compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 30 indicators of police friendliness and state and local police protection expenses per capita Here’s how Connecticut’s metrics ranked and contributed to the state’s overall rank: Joining Connecticut in the top three were California (1st) and Illinois (3rd) “Some states make protecting and serving the public in a law enforcement career more appealing than others,” said Chip Lupo “The best states for police officers offer competitive compensation supplemented by solid training that helps minimize the chances of deadly violence between officers and civilians State-level policies like ‘red flag laws’ or ‘Blue Alerts’ also contribute to a better environment for police.” Check out WalletHub’s complete report on its website here However, after traveling solo to all 63 US national parks and all 50 states I've discovered that some of the most stunning and underrated places aren't part of the national park system — they're state parks These hidden gems offer the same beauty or permit hassles that come with national park visits Despite being Wisconsin's most-visited state park I find that many people I talk to don't know about Devil's Lake in Baraboo it's my favorite of Wisconsin's 50 state parks the park's East and West Bluff trails offer some of the best panoramic views in the Midwest the massive rock formations — like Balanced Rock and Devil's Doorway — make it a favorite for hikers and rock climbers alike making it a perfect year-round destination Often nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the East," Letchworth State Park is a natural wonder where the Genesee River carves through a deep gorge creating three stunning waterfalls framed by towering cliffs and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation Letchworth is a paradise for nature lovers The park is especially magical in the fall making it one of the most spectacular leaf-peeping destinations in the Northeast West Virginia is another one of my favorite states for outdoor recreation but I always recommend visiting Coopers Rock State Forest I love hiking in this park or simply enjoying a sunset at Coopers Rock Overlook which offers a panoramic view of the Cheat River Gorge The park also has many unique rock formations scattered throughout the forest along the miles of scenic trails Matthiessen State Park is a hidden gem known for its dramatic canyons With peaceful trails and fewer crowds than nearby Starved Rock State Park Matthiessen is a must-visit for nature lovers in the Midwest I especially love visiting in the fall to enjoy the changing foliage When visiting Utah, many travelers aim to see one (or all) of the state's "Mighty Five" national parks Utah is also home to 46 state parks — my favorite being Kodachrome Basin Just over 20 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park Kodachrome Basin feels like stepping into another world entirely The less-crowded landscape is a stunning mix of red thin spires of rock that the park is known for or drive through the rock formations of this hidden gem park for a peaceful adventure With four major national parks and over 40 state parks, Colorado is known for outdoor recreation many people don't know about one of my favorite places to visit — Eldorado Canyon State Park the park is known for its dramatic canyon views Its towering golden sandstone cliffs make it one of the top climbing destinations in the US Visitors can also choose to cross-country ski or snowshoe in the winter months Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement One of the best series on Max is The Pitt Browsing Max for a new show to watch These days, it's Max -- not HBO Max -- that delivers HBO to the streaming masses. The service is home to popular shows like The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Hacks and The Pitt. There's no shortage of exceptional fare to explore. Max unites the HBO Max and Discovery Plus libraries. Here are the highly rated shows you shouldn't wait to watch, plus this month's new releases. What's new on Max in MayNote: These descriptions are taken from press releases and lightly edited for style This list focuses on shows that have premiered a new season since 2023 (or are currently renewed for more seasons) Atsushi Nishijima/HBO Fantasmas (2024- ) Viewers have former Saturday Night Live writer Julio Torres to thank for this quirky and captivating HBO comedy an Alf-like sitcom takes a turn for the awkward and the letter "Q" gets a life story also known for the HBO show Los Espookys and A24 film Problemista HBO The Rehearsal (2022- ) Nathan Fielder the comedian goes to extraordinary lengths to let people rehearse moments before they happen Fielder helps a man prepare for a confession to a friend and builds an exact replica of the bar they're planning to meet at (the attention to detail is incredible) After planning for any outlandish thing that might happen we see how the real exchange between the two friends plays out The Rehearsal should get some time on your screen Max Peacemaker (2022- ) Following the events of 2021's The Suicide Squad this DC spinoff catches up with Peacemaker (John Cena) costume-clad protagonist who's just been released from the hospital but with his oft-repeated phrase about attaining "peace no matter how many people I have to kill to get it," the title doesn't really suit him The show establishes Peacemaker's next steps -- he isn't returning to prison but instead taking part in a black ops mission that will (again) get his hands dirty and you'll especially enjoy its entertaining supporting cast Max Hacks (2021- ) The great Jean Smart rightfully takes the spotlight in this acclaimed comedy-drama series Throwing iPads into swimming pools and delivering withering looks a legendary Las Vegas comedy diva who must face the prospect of appealing to a younger audience or disappearing into obscurity She's partnered with Ava (Hannah Einbinder) Perfectly balancing its biting insight into how the comedy business treats women with the warmth of an odd couple buddy comedy Hacks is one of the best original series to come out of HBO Max Ryan Green/HBO The Righteous Gemstones (2019-25) This outrageous series highlights a highly dysfunctional family of famous televangelists called the Gemstones a member of the family is blackmailed and ridiculous antics ensue John Goodman stars as the family patriarch Edi Patterson and Adam Devine also commit to the bit pulling off an absurd and addictive black comedy and HBO has renewed the series for a fourth.  HBO Somebody Somewhere (2022-24) Like feel-good shows Somebody Somewhere is a great option you may have skipped over living in her Kansas hometown and dealing with a recent loss the half-hour series is the perfect thing to wind down to.  Max Rap Sh!t (2022-23) A half-hour comedy series from Issa Rae (the star and creator of HBO's acclaimed series Insecure) Rap Sh!t introduces two former friends from high school and Mia is a make-up artist and single mother who works multiple jobs the young women (now in their 20s) have reconnected and filmed a mesmerizing rap video that takes off on the internet The show's protagonists are phone-obsessed constantly checking up on social media and recording videos and it impacts the viewing experience in interesting ways.  Jake Giles Netter/Max Our Flag Means Death (2022-23) In this comedy set on the high seas an aristocrat who abandons his cushy life and family to become the captain of a pirate ship Spoiler: He hilariously bumbles through the gig Game of Thrones fans may spot Hodor actor Kristian Nairn hanging out among the crew and the series also stars Taika Waititi as Blackbeard Max The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021-25) Mindy Kaling co-created this dramedy about four 18-year-old girls who start their freshman year of college together in Vermont the college newcomers navigate love and sex in their own ways easily bingeable and bolstered by the chemistry between its female leads A contemporary teen comedy showcasing messy experiences Max Starstruck (2021-23) Starstruck is a classic screwball comedy a twentysomething Londoner who parties it up on New Year's Eve then later discovers she had a one-night stand with Tom Kapoor and her blossoming relationship with a film star that involves no high jinks whatsoever Watch out for scene-stealer Minnie Driver as Tom's agent in this witty Max The Other Two (2019-23) The sibling rivalry is strong and primed for hilarity in this comedy from a couple of Saturday Night Live writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider tell the story of Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne Yorker) siblings in their late 20s who struggle with the sudden rise to internet fame of their 13-year-old Justin Bieber-channeling brother ushering her children through open doors to success The Other Two's pop culture satire and surprisingly heartfelt storylines are a winning combination Schitt's Creek fans should give this a look HBO Succession (2018-23) This satirical show follows the family controlling the world's biggest media and entertainment company whose members become embroiled in a battle to take over as their father's health declines.  Johnson/HBO Barry (2018-23) In Barry's opening scene SNL alum Bill Hader casually leaves a hotel room that contains a dead body who isn't happy with life or his unconventional profession but his path is altered when he travels to Los Angeles and gets roped into performing in an acting class Barry features plenty of violence and a deeply troubled protagonist leaning into the "dark" part of its dark comedy designation you'll want to tune in for truly great scenes between Hader and his acting teacher Warrick Page/Max The Pitt (2025- ) A lot can happen in one day on the job in a hospital's emergency department This modern-day medical drama fills its 15-hour first season with what transpires during a single shift Scott Gemmill and starring ER's Noah Wyle as chief attendant Michael Rabinavitch this compelling and realistic series is worth checking out Liane Hentscher/HBO The Last of Us (2023- ) This TV adaptation of a popular video game follows hardened survivor Joel (The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal) and spunky teen Ellie (Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey) as they face human and not-quite-human dangers in a postapocalyptic world Warner Media House of the Dragon (2022- ) Creating a show as beloved as Game of Thrones is tough to pull off but HBO spin-off House of the Dragon soars to impressive heights Set hundreds of years before fantasy series GoT the prequel depicts how infighting and tragedy consume House Targaryen including Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) Max The White Lotus (2021- ) What was initially a limited series was so good HBO renewed it for a second season The satire about guests at a fancy resort gradually unveils the darker edges of its picture-perfect postcard a murder mystery with the big reveal waiting till the very end will keep you thoroughly entertained Amanda Searle/HBO Industry (2020- ) If you're missing the competition and drama on display in Succession you should pay attention to this HBO series including Harper Stern (Myha'la from Netflix's Leave the World Behind) as they step foot into London's Pierpoint & Co The early 20-somethings hope for permanent jobs at the leading international bank Eddy Chen/HBO Euphoria (2019- ) Euphoria's second installment is on Max now This visually stunning series has garnered its fair share of fans and it's not hard to see why -- the absorbing performances cinematography and exploration of mature topics make this show shine Seacia Pavao/Max Julia (2022-23) Following the life of television chef and cookbook writer Julia Child this drama doles out a generous serving of humor and charm (and delicious-looking food Sarah Lancashire is endlessly watchable as the famed American cook who paved the way for future cooking shows with her long-running series The French Chef Two seasons are available on the streamer now Macall Polay/HBO The Penguin (2024- ) Set between Matt Reeves' 2022 film The Batman and the upcoming sequel The Batman Part II The Penguin stars Colin Farrell as the underestimated and ambitious Gotham gangster (though you'll barely recognize the Oscar-nominated actor) eight-episode season chronicles Oz Cobb's rise and is enhanced by other complicated characters such as Cristin Milioti's Sofia Falcone and Rhenzy Feliz's Victor Aguilar Short/HBO True Detective (2014- ) True Detective may be best known for its first season starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson but the anthology series continues to release intriguing new stories which premiered in 2024 after a five-year hiatus follows Jodie Foster and Kali Reis' characters as they tackle a chilling mystery in the fictional town of Ennis Kumiko Tsuchiya/Max Tokyo Vice (2022-24) Season 2 of Tokyo Vice a crime drama based on a book by journalist Jake Adelstein this noir follows an American journalist (Ansel Elgort) who nabs a job at a major Japanese newspaper neon nightclubs and powerful crime bosses awaits Max Creature Commandos (2024- ) This engaging DC series from James Gunn examines the backstories of a ragtag team of monsters put together for dangerous missions From Frankenstein's bride to a Nazi-targeting robot to a creature resembling both a human and a furry animal the Creature Commandos are a motley crew worth spending violent The series is the first in Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Universe and it's already renewed for season 2 Max Harley Quinn (2019- ) Harley Quinn is an adult-oriented animated series that centers on the baseball bat-wielding antihero Kaley Cuoco voices the mayhem-prone Harley who in the first episode breaks up with the Joker and tells him she's going to replace him as the top villain in Gotham action-packed show also features characters like Poison Ivy It premiered on the DC Universe streaming service before moving to HBO Max Max Scavengers Reign (2023) An unusual alien world and the humans stranded on it are the subject of this spectacular sci-fi series on Max The story follows characters marooned on a peculiar planet that's home to fascinating creatures and landscapes The world is beautiful but also poses dangers to the human guests who seek out their ship and fellow crew members An expansion of a 2016 animated short film 12-episode saga you won't be able to quit watching.  HBO Telemarketers (2023) This docuseries provides an intriguing look at the world of telemarketing when Sam Lipman-Stern began working at a New Jersey call center Over the course of three hour-long episodes Lipman-Stern and office buddy Pat Pespas learn the murky truth about the work they were doing and set out to uncover more about the industry -- a quest that eventually leads them to the halls of Congress It's worth tuning into these amateur sleuth's unhinged The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will light up the sky Monday May 5 with a chance to see pieces of Halley's comet streak through the night sky The annual Eta Aquarid showers are best known for their fast and bright meteors traveling at speeds of 40.7 miles per second They are caused by debris left by Halley's comet when Earth passes through its orbit Eta Aquarids will be the last major meteor shower until the Southern Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capricornids peak simultaneously between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society This year's Eta Aquarid shower could give stargazers the opportunity to see up to 50 meteors per hour pass swiftly across the sky and leaving glowing 'trains' during its peak tonight, according to NASA Here's what to know about tonight's shooting stars The Eta Aquarids are active from April 20 to May 21 and are set to peak between May 5-6 in 2025 While approximately 10 meteors per hour may be observed during the night skies between April 20 through May 21, NASA reports up to 50 meteors per hour may be visible during its peak between May 5-6 is an annual shower of meteors shooting through the night sky as they come into Earth's atmosphere When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail of particles and bits of broken asteroids, NASA explains and every year when Earth passes through these debris trails during its orbit the bits 'collide with its atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.' The debris that causes the Eta Aquarid meteor shower originates from comet 1P/Halley which takes about 76 years to orbit the Sun The infamous Comet Halley is not expected to enter the inner solar system again until 2061 How to watch the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?To best view the Eta Aquarids, find an area well away from city lights or street lights. On a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair, lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible, according to NASA. It may take about 30 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adapt and then you will begin to see meteors. It will be an all-night show of spectacular shooting stars. Discover more about Browse the latest jobs and a new face on the podium: A fly on the wall look at this weekend's action on and off-track where we’ll break down the best and the bonkers of F1 from across the weekend From our favourite photos to the slickest fits we spotted plus all the behind-the-scenes goodness you might have missed we’ll cover the best of the action on and off track and Oscar and Lando’s overtake-fuelled one-two in the Grand Prix Two members of the Papaya Army went the extra mile to celebrate the first US race of the 2025 F1 season We loved Lando and Oscar’s 305-themed attire on Friday, with the duo turning up to track in some of their favourite pieces from Reiss, New Era and SunGod’s respective Miami ranges Lando’s steely look in this photograph epitomised his determined race-winning performance later that day in the Sprint the British star cutting a composed figure during a chaotic 16 laps Seven months after he took the drivable LEGO Technic McLaren P1™ for a spin around Silverstone the field couldn’t resist racing one another and then suffered contact with the Alpine… thankfully With the help of Mastercard But there was a surprise in store for Hanna as only one other person would be joining her.. Hanna is one of our many creative supporters She designs her own clothing and accessories and was busy building some McLaren-themed bracelets for the camera when Oscar walked in and surprised her Hanna’s Aussie hero initially joined in with the arts and crafts before he invited Hanna for a hot lap of the circuit to cap off her first race in person A post shared by Mastercard (@mastercard) Oscar enjoyed a lightning getaway when the lights went out for the Sprint charging through to first ahead of polesitter Kimi Antonelli before an unfortunately timed Safety Car saw him finish in second Over team radio after the race, Oscar’s Race Engineer Tom Stallard told him that they were going to “save the luck for tomorrow”. His prediction was proven right. The Australian was brilliant throughout and won from fourth, chalking up his third Grand Prix win in as many races, making him the first McLaren driver to win three consecutive Grands Prix since Mika Häkkinen in 1998 it certainly wasn’t Oscar’s attempt at the Griddy – but at least he stayed true to his word Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is known for performing dance-themed celebrations after a touchdown in the NFL and he had made a bet with Oscar on Friday that if he won the race the Australian would have to do his famous Griddy celebration "That was my first attempt at a Griddy live on world TV,” Oscar laughed after the race but that's the one and only time you'll be seeing me do that.” OP hit the GRIDDY!! 🤩🤣#McLaren | #MiamiGP 🌴 pic.twitter.com/Wrf2AaDY2S It was the one blot in an otherwise flawless performance as Oscar achieved our third win at the circuit in two years and secured our second one-two of the weekend Both drivers put in an eye-catching shift in a hugely entertaining fifth Miami Grand Prix including impressive moves on Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen we became the only team to finish one-two in a Sprint and a Grand Prix on the same weekend It wasn’t just our drivers who took the plaudits in Miami. With Oscar and Lando running in first and second, the team made a bold call to pit both drivers simultaneously. It paid off, as our pit crew executed an impeccable double stack stop to ensure they retained their positions. As they collected their trophies, Oscar and Lando were joined by Chief Marketing Officer Lou McEwen who added her name to the impressive list of women to have represented their teams on an F1 Grand Prix podium The team are currently on their way back from Miami ahead of a week back at the McLaren Technology Centre, where they'll use the weekend off from racing to reset and go over what we've learned. After a well earned rest, we'll then head to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix The Motley Fool is a financial services company dedicated to making the world smarter The Motley Fool reaches millions of people every month through our premium investing solutions free guidance and market analysis on Fool.com Microsoft just got the market focused on business results again Motley Fool analyst Nick Sciple and host Dylan Lewis discuss: Motley Fool analyst Yasser el-Shimy and host Mary Long continue their conversation about Warner Brothers Discovery and shine a spotlight on David Zaslav the man tasked with leading the media conglomerate into the future To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center. When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy Dylan Lewis: The cloud spend ain't slowing down I'm joined by the airwaves by Motley Fool Analyst Nick Sciple Nick Sciple: Great to be back here with you Dylan Lewis: We have been living largely in a market dominated by macro vibes and Microsoft and Meta reminding Wall Street that earnings power exists with their reports this week We're seeing why big tech are the big dogs on the stock market and seemingly immune to all the macroeconomic and consumer demand concerns that we've been hearing about in the headlines all year long and you see that in the performance of the shares this morning and pulling the rest of the stock market along with them Dylan Lewis: Microsoft posting up some pretty strong results The market cheering that shares up almost 10% after the report Nick Sciple: Analysts really drilling in on Cloud results and really strong output for Microsoft in that respect 16 points of that growth associated with AI They're really stronger than expected performance from Azure came from non-AI services even at the Box Office this year have had some success Minecraft is the number 1 most successful movie so far here in 2025 which are under pressure because of that continued AI spin this is a big tech giant that continues to be a steam roller that keeps on rolling That CapEx number not coming down anytime soon even with the macro picture being what it is plans for the second half of the year remain what we outlined in January We are not slowing down the spend; we continue to see the opportunity there." I know that's something a lot of people were waiting with bated breath for wondering Is the macro picture going to interfere with these plans?" Doesn't seem like that's the case You saw lots of headlines leading up to this report suggesting that big tech may be pulling back but if you listen to commentary for Microsoft's management "Demand for AI services is growing faster." They can bring data center capacity online and the company expects to have AI capacity constraints beginning in June of this year and that's despite spending more than $16 billion on CapEx in this quarter and plans to spend as much as $80 billion this year and certainly management thinks they're getting good return on investment Dylan Lewis: One of the things I was really struck by getting outside of the cloud and just looking at the overall business was there are five different segments for Microsoft that are posting double-digit revenue growth They are seeing acceleration in some categories like Microsoft 365 They're seeing a little bit of a pickup when it comes to search and news advertising but I dare say that this might be a firing on all cylinders quarter Nick Sciple: Hard to see anywhere where there's really disappointment You could say a little bit of deceleration in commercial cloud revenue but when you're going from mid-teens growth to low double-digit growth still expecting to have strong growth in the quarter to come Guidance for Azure is expected at 34-35 percent growth in constant currency That's right in line with 35% constant currency growth they put up this quarter Operating margin still expected to increase and management also called out that if you think about a business that's transitioning reportedly better now than when Microsoft was at a similar stage from that on-premise to cloud shift a business that's showing success across all metrics and guidance calls for more of that to come Dylan Lewis: Staying with the big tech names market also very happy to see numbers out from Meta I think shares were up about five or 6% after they reported It seems like a similar story to what we saw from Google parent They're noting there's the possibility of some softness in the outlook Nick Sciple: If you look at Meta's results revenue up 16% ahead of estimates from analysts the big standout if you drive below the top line is engagement and advertising efficiency A lot of that is driven by their investments in AI Meta continues to be the dominant social media platform worldwide and you see that on how many folks are active on the platform Family daily active people reached $3.43 billion for the reported quarter That's 60% of the world's total Internet population That's 6% more daily active people year over year That's the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth when it comes to price per ad AI recommendations drove time spent gains on Facebook up 7% You're also seeing more advertisers use AI tools put more inventory on the platform Thirty percent more advertisers use AI creative tools in the first quarter and improved ads models for Reels is increasing conversion rates on that platform They continue to say that conversion is outpacing impressions Mark Zuckerberg said their long-term goal is to basically make it where any business can give us the objective they're trying to achieve like selling something or reaching a new customer that he thinks if he can deliver on that vision that increased productivity from AI is going to make advertising an even larger share of global GDP than it is today it's a platform that was already dominant in advertising and I think these AI investments are making them that much stronger today and they're going to be even stronger in the years to come Dylan Lewis: I do want to hit some of the AI stuff because we have some other new stuff there but just sticking with the ad business for a second reduced consumer demand can start to flow through to all of the other businesses that are reliant on it we think of Meta as this incredibly strong big business It is going to be subject to whether consumers are buying stuff and whether advertisers see that consumers are buying stuff and are advertising to them We saw a little bit of a falloff with political spend we're also probably going to see a little bit of weakness from some Chinese retailers if the tariff situation holds up That was some big worries that folks had called out leading into the earnings report Folks like Chen and Timo had been big spenders on Meta and other online platforms and with these large reciprocal tariffs put in place in April the cost of those products on those platforms likely to go up significantly Meta did say that has impacted their business in the current quarter if you look at revenue guidance for the quarter ahead and that suggests that efficiency gains elsewhere their ability to increase productivity of advertisements for their other advertisers are more than making up for that lost revenue Dylan Lewis: Mark Zuckerberg was quick to note improved advertising definitely one of the major opportunities that they see when it comes to artificial intelligence Zuckerberg has placed his chips on AI devices Felt he got burned in the past by Apple controlling the ecosystem on the iPhone and wants to make significant investments there and really own this new platform that this is the year where we're going to prove whether AI glasses can successful or not They fully rolled out live translation on the Ray-Ban glasses in all markets so that's adding functionality to the platform We'll talk in a second about the new Meta AI app but that's directly integrated with these glasses I think you can see where the company is beginning to go the impact of AI is making the core advertising platform stronger you can see where the company is trying to evolve Dylan Lewis: I think I'm a near-term skeptic on the Ray-Ban glasses I am more easily convinced that the Meta AI ambitions might turn into something for the business This is their new stand-alone AI assistant app something that they are launching in addition to giving us this earnings report this week It is another hat in the ring for people who are already using Gemini What do you think we'll see from Meta here Nick Sciple: It is going to be interesting They called out on the earnings call that Meta AI already has over a billion monthly active users where it's really directly built in to the chat tool one billion monthly active users puts it in the same ballpark with ChatGPT where the public numbers say they've got 400 million weekly active users different use case of this kind of Meta AI app certainly integrated into these other platforms than what you'd seen from ChatGPT we'll get a little bit more apples to apples comparison on how people use the Meta AI app compared to others I don't think the text-based chatbot is what Zuckerberg sees as the end state for AI I think he sees that as where we are today and he's emphasized this a lot is voice-based chat integrating with some of these other devices that they're working on selling I don't think this is the end of the road for where Meta is headed in AI Dylan Lewis: I think it's interesting to have them in there because as a stand-alone app it will force them to think a little bit about the business model and the economic realities of AI chatbots "We are doing the subscription model." There's a free version Alphabet historically has been a business that has been ads based Their Gemini app is also a subscription model It is an ad-based business that is stepping into a spot where I have to imagine that that's where they would lean but there also may be some more creativity here now that we have someone who has not been reliant on the subscription model for where most of the revenues come from Nick Sciple: Maybe you see the next generation of sponsored content and we can make a perfect piece of ad copy to nudge you toward purchasing things You can see how maybe ads can be integrated into that platform over time as folks use these things in a more robust way for shopping and less about just generalized chat purposes I think Meta is positioning themselves to be among the leaders in AI What's interesting is they also called out that they are capacity constrained when it comes to data centers but they're not running a commercial AI platform where they're selling services to other folks like a white-label ChatGPT or anything like that Meta is using incredible amounts of AI resources just for its core business even though today they're not the one that's front and center what you think about when you think about AI Dylan Lewis: One of the things I've always appreciate about Mark Zuckerberg is he's able to communicate the vision very well You might always agree with the vision in the case of some of the metaverse ambitions but when it came to monetizing the portfolio of apps they had originally there's a clear process to the way they do that Similar thing here with artificial intelligence and with what the company's ambitions are Where would you put AI existentially for Meta in how important it is for the long-term thesis Nick Sciple: I think it's super important for Meta if you just put aside the reality labs business AI directly drives the growth of the core ads business to the extent that AI can let them lower the barrier to entry for creating ads and make those ads more efficacious and more targeted it'll make Meta's core advertising business But then if you look outside of that to the reality labs business this is also the app where you upload your AI glasses and start to communicate with those things Zuckerberg has repeatedly said their AI models are voice optimized It looks to me like Zuckerberg wants to Meta AI Meta glasses like Iron Man's JARVIS or what Apple always promised Siri could be If he can deliver that in a compelling form factor I think that can make Meta AI the place their people go first If it's integrated in a super useful way and help those Meta AI glasses become the next computing platform "This is the year where AI glasses go mainstream." It's really make it or break it for the company this year so expect more announcements from the company He also said on the call that they have some new launches coming this year with EssilorLuxottica The existing form factor for Meta AI glasses that we know today may not be the state of the art of the technology here at the end of the year can drive efficiency and make the company that much stronger and then long term for where Zuckerberg thinks the company is headed he's wearing these glasses on every interview he goes on now You can see where things are playing out there as well Dylan Lewis: We still have a couple big tech companies that are yet to report We'll hear from Apple and Amazon later this week They are now the best performer in the Mag 7 so far in 2025 They're also the only company in the Mag 7 year to date that is currently in the green but they don't have the antitrust issues that Alphabet has They don't have the FTC looking at them the way that Meta does at the moment They do not seem as subject to consumer spending and advertising as Amazon Is Microsoft the big tech company that has the best outlook right now Nick Sciple: I think in the near term here in 2025 maybe you could raise some other questions Microsoft is arguably the most insulated from tariff and economic uncertainty because its products are mission critical and customers aren't likely to drop them under any economic circumstance In fact the company called out that they help their customers become more efficient during economic downturn so maybe there's even more demand for these types of software products that can make your company more efficient if you had to point to a question around Microsoft OpenAI is currently the leader with their ChatGPT model but they've gone over the past year plus from close friends to looking more and more like frenemies Microsoft reportedly has begun developing its own internal models and is testing some of those of competitors like xAI and the other AI companies out there OpenAI has begun signing data center deals with SoftBank and Oracle and starting to distance its for Microsoft If you look at the early reviews on Microsoft's copilot offering has been criticized as expensive and not that useful I think if you contrast that with the positioning that I lined up for Meta I do think the path that they're on I think is a lot more clear whereas Microsoft is in this frenemy relationship with OpenAI and may have to go their own when it comes to their AI aspirations over the long term Microsoft is the business that no matter what happens with tariffs I think they're just going to keep on ticking Dylan Lewis: I feel like Microsoft and AI are like that couple that gets together in the first season of a sitcom "This is either going to go really well and they're going to have the whole run of the series or they're going to be broken up by about Season 2 or Season 3 and we're going to start seeing them with other people we're taking a quick break for a word from our sponsor for today's episode It's been the cornerstone of wealth building for generations but it's also often been a major headache for investors a $1.1 billion real estate portfolio with more than 4,000 single family homes in the sunbelt communities 3.3 million square feet of in-demand industrial facilities all professionally managed by an experienced team The flagship fund taps into some of real estate's most attractive qualities and diversification beyond the stock market Visit fundrise.com/fool to explore the portfolio and see just how much easier investing in real estate can be Carefully consider the investment objectives and expenses of the Fundrise Flagship Fund before investing This and other information can be found in the fund's prospectus at fundrise.com/flagship analyst Yasser El-Shimy and Mary Long continue their conversation about Warner Brothers Discovery and shine a spotlight on David Zaslav Mary Long: I want to turn to the man in charge was that Michael Wolf recently wrote up a 15-page profile of Zaslav in New York magazine more so to describe what he wants to be and who he wants to be perceived as what impressions did you have as you worked through this article Yasser El-Shimy: Mogul is definitely Zaslav's aspirational self He's a controversial personality in Hollywood He is perceived by many artists as a slash-and-burn executive who's there to only focus on the bottom line cut projects when they don't fit his view on how to maximize profits and cash flow I believe there was this project of the Bad Girl movie that never saw the light of day because he decided to effectively take a tax right off on it by just tanking it after it had been shot and edited and everything That has not endeared him to a lot of people in Hollywood and also artistic journalistic community in and around Hollywood that cares about film and cares about entertainment industry from an artistic perspective David Zaslav was a very successful CEO of Discovery and he had turned Discovery into one of the most profitable businesses in the entertainment industry when he was at the helm He has tried to effectively bring that same kind of logic into Warner Brothers Discovery where they are focusing a lot more on efficiency and you'll find all kinds of TV shows that are highly artistic that are the White Lotus succession among others come to mind as prime examples of that line of thinking he is not afraid to yank a project when he sees it as not having promise of being successful He's also not shy away from licensing HBO content or other Warner Brothers' content to other distributors and other platforms and he effectively did it for another platform He also doesn't shy away from licensing older content into other platforms like Netflix where you can watch Six Feet Under right now and so on Doesn't necessarily make him the grim reaper for all artists in Hollywood but he's definitely viewed with a lot of controversy Mary Long: One of the most fascinating and comical anecdotes from this profile of Zaslav it opens telling this story about a recurring Zoom meeting that happens at 10:00 AM every Friday among a handful of 80-something-year-old they're not at the top of the hill of the industry as they once were This recurring conversation is all about the future of media but it's from people who no longer really have the same pull in that media industry as they once did Zaslav at 72 is the youngest person on this call [laughs] One of the things that this article keeps hitting is that Zaslav seems to believe that it is his calling to save the media industry and to bring it into the future "a man charged with leading the media business into the future navigating the business out of its cultural and technological obsolescence." With all that said what is Zaslav's vision for the future of media Why does he believe that he's the man for the job Yasser El-Shimy: I think he loves the industry That comes through in all of his interviews and all the work that he has done There was no need for him to take on the massive challenge that is merging with Warner Brothers had he actually not been really drawn into film and to TV and wanting to wade further into that world You can even see from the New York magazine piece that they're talking about how he bought an old Hollywood mansion that used to belong to the producer of Chinatown Zaslav tried to play down saying that he just appreciated the architectural style of the home but I think all the whispers are that David Zaslav is a bit of a romantic when it comes to the film industry I think he also is trying to salvage that film industry from going into obsolescence He has to take on the likes of Alphabet and Amazon and Apple It's no longer just competing with Fox and other studios He now has to compete with the tech titans of the world he has to make his studio as efficient as possible to create content that will be popular either financially or through a cult-like following I mentioned the artistic shows on HBO as an example but he definitely sees franchising as a huge part of that vision that he wants to recreate the magic that maybe Disney once had with the Marvel's Universe Maybe he can do that with the DC Comics Universe That's something he's been really focusing on with movies but also newer iterations of Superman and Batman and so on He's also going for a new Harry Potter series coming in next year He really thinks that franchising is going to be the future Mary Long: Another gripe that folks might have with David Zaslav is that while he has certainly made a lot of money during his tenure as CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery Warner Brothers Discovery started trading at $25 a share valuing the company at $60 billion dollars It was up 4% from what it was the year before his pay package is tied to the generation of free cash flow that encourages him to do what he's been doing to pay down that hefty debt load but it also encourages these production funds that we've talked about that get a lot of pushback from the people that are actually making the films in the studio what do you make of this incentive structure and Zaslav's pay package as it exists now If you were tasked with building a pay package for Warner Brothers Discovery executives what would you tie the metrics of success for those executives to Yasser El-Shimy: Let me start with saying maybe somewhat of a minority position here which is to say that I actually think that the pay package makes some sense for now I'm not going to comment on the exact numbers of how much he's paid But in terms of the incentive structure that's in place to generate cash flow being the barometer of rewarding his success or his tenure being that the company just was born with a massive debt load that needed to be repaid almost immediately and so to generate cash flow is to be able to manage that debt load and to pay it down year after year he's taken down the leverage of the business from five times in debt to EBITDA to 3.8 right now as maybe that net debt to EBITDA ratio comes closer to two times then you want to perhaps incentivize other aspects of the business including growth in both the studio and streaming divisions I think that it's going to be extremely hard if not impossible to arrest the decline in the linear TV side of the business The best he can do there is to just manage that decline so that it's not a freefall I think he's been doing that to a good extent just focus on the growth on the studio and streaming division once you've cleared the hurdles that currently exist and thanks for shining a light onto not just this interesting company people on the program may have interest in the stocks they talk about and Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against Don't buy or sell anything based only what you hear Motley Fool and its affiliates do not endorse or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made in the advertisements TMF is not involved in the offer sale or solicitation of any securities advertised herein It makes no representations regarding the suitability or risks associated with any investment presented Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult legal tax and financial advisors before making any investment decisions TMF assumes no responsibility for any loss or damages arising from advertisements *Average returns of all recommendations since inception Cost basis and return based on previous market day close Market data powered by Xignite and Polygon.io Robbie Caponetto; Stylist: Mary Beth Wetzel but the past 10 years have witnessed an explosion of regional Mexican styles influenced by an array of culinary traditions and chefs who apply their creativity and craft to the form Below is a map of the 20 taco trucks and restaurants (some with multiple locations) serving the best tacos in Austin Restaurant Hall of Fame: Great tacos, Salsa Doña, strong collaboration set Tacodeli apart Chef Rene Ortiz’s three locations create tacos packed with a plate’s worth of complementary flavors and textures, like the grilled onion, cabbage, guacamole and cotija cheese with pulled achiote chicken of the El Santo, or the hazy hues of adobo shrimp with avocado salsa and pickled onions. Bonus points for the best queso in town. 915 N. Lamar Blvd. 1703 S. First St. 3600 Loop 360. fresaschicken.com 18. Vaquero TaqueroYou want juicy steak charred from the grill? You want to see an actual trompo spinning like a burnt orange beacon? You want thick, homemade corn tortillas and puffy flour versions? You want chopped nopales brightened with avocado crema and salsa verde like you might find on the streets of Mexico? You’ve come to the right place. 104 E. 31st St. 603 Sabine St. vaquerotaquero.com Restaurant Hall of Fame 2024: 'Hard labor' brought beloved Habanero Cafe to South Austin Maria Rios makes some of the best breakfast tacos in town — such as chilaquiles served with a trio of salsas — and her talents extend to a massive lunch and dinner menu featuring the citrus and spice of soft al pastor on bubbled homemade flour tortillas, and an alambre that combines steak and chorizo. Started as a trailer, Granny’s is now a brick-and-mortar location. 1407 E. Seventh St. grannystacosatx.com Related: 40 Best Bars in Austin list includes De Nada Cantina Ramen may be in the name of this Mexican-Japanese hybrid found inside the Hana World Market, but the tacos are just as good as, if not better than, the soup. The tortillas are draped with yakitori grilled items like lengua and chicken thigh. Start with the charred Spanish octopus and its nutty salsa macha and go from there. 1700 W Parmer Lane. ramendelbarrio.com They make one type of taco here, and they do it right. Beef, pork and peppers are cooked down across a broad disc pan, and the mixture is piled into tiny corn shells and topped with the acid and citrus of tomato, onion and lime juice. Small tacos, big flavor. 1319 Rosewood Ave. discadatx.com Beto Robledo’s little truck serves Mexico City-style street tacos in doubled up corn tortillas that are gone in a few bites. In addition to the perfectly salted and tender suadero, you’ll find funky (in the best way) longaniza, tender street meats like stomach and beef cheek, and a mushroom taco that pairs nicely with the earth and heat of salsa roja. 1108 E. 12th St. cuantostacosaustin.com Este (and Suerte*)There’s no better surf-and-turf taco combo in town than Este’s hulking masa-fried swordfish with its zippy hot sauce followed by a taco of paper-thin Wagyu ribeye and melted asadero cheese clinging to a homemade tortilla packed with tingly smoky sweetness provided by charred onions and tomatillo salsa the best steak taco in town might be found at the best seafood restaurant in town Review: Este's bold flavors make it one of Austin's best seafood and Mexican restaurants The duck carnitas taco and citrus-cured tuna tostada at chef Edgar Rico’s taqueria in East Austin quickly became modern Austin icons after the restaurant opened in 2019 The former for its richness and depth of flavor Duck fat is used to make lush refried beans that come slathered on the "enchilada Potosina taco." Filled with a chorizo-and-potato blend the unique taco serves as an homage to Rico’s family home in San Luis Potosi Those dishes, along with vegetarian tacos ranging from roasted cauliflower to butternut squash; Nixta’s nixtamalization program; and the work the restaurant has done in the community have led to praise from Food & Wine and Time magazines (among others). Nixta also serves a killer tasting menu that allows for even greater creativity (and indoor seating). 2512 E. 12th St. nixtataqueria.com This story has been updated to include the new address of Yellow Bell Tacos and and new name of Taqueria de Diez From 2019: Nixta Taqueria takes craft approach to some of city’s best tacos Related: 15 new Austin restaurants to try that have opened this year; plus 4 places we lost May 5, 2025 3:02 PM EDTAmericans love their beer but the best-selling beer in the United States is imported from Mexico Modelo Especial overtook Bud Light to become the top-selling beer brand in America is still flying off the shelves in the U.S According to Darren Rovell of cllct media and Kickstand Cocktails, via BevNet Modelo has been the most purchased beer in America over the last year Coors ($3.13 Billion) and Corona ($3.12 billion) round out the top five Both Corona and Modelo Especial are made by the Grupo Modelo brewery south of the border The best cheap beers in America range from Budweiser to Miller Lite to Corona to Modelo feeling fresher and more authentic.” Bernot added that the Mexican imports are "just cooler brands," and their rise is indicative of a surge in Latin American culture in America in other areas “We see it in music as well,” Bernot said “Look at Bad Bunny and Nathy Peluso It matters that these beers have cultural cache at a time when Hispanic cultural exports of all kinds—food music and art—are enjoying a moment in American mainstream culture.” As for the American brands, Miller can at least take solace in being named "America's favorite beer" in a recent study by Coffeeness, a German-based website.  Miller was the preferred brew in 30 of 50 states, finishing well ahead of Coors, which placed second as the favored beer in eight states. By Andrew Holleran is a trending news writer on Men's Journal He's covered sports and pop culture for more than a decade The 2025 Met Gala doesn't start until Monday night but celebrities already spent the weekend celebrating Stars will soon gather at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the annual Met Gala a fundraiser for the museum's Costume Institute A-list attendees will dress for the event's "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" theme but the outfits they wore to pre-parties for the event over the weekend might offer clues Take a look at some of the best outfits stars wore to pre-Met Gala events Versace designed the actor's sleeveless slip which was covered from top to bottom in translucent sequins The dress also had a cowl neckline and the brand's signature hardware in silver across each strap She wore it with black patent-leather kitten heels a loose black blazer with a gold logo embellishment at its pocket Her party look was cool and chic on its own but it became more feminine thanks to her choice of accessories and donned heeled sandals with beaded detailing The garment gave a feminine edge to a classic menswear piece Getty wore a yellow Versace minidress with long sleeves and a plunging neckline that revealed the middle section of her torso One of Versace's signature gold safety pins held the garment together She completed the look with classic accessories the "Espresso" singer stepped out in a sleeveless Versace dress that hugged her body and shimmered in the light It had sheer sequins all over its baby-blue fabric a gold safety pin that pulled it together at the hips Carpenter wore her signature platforms in the form of tan sandals The fashion designer wore one of the brightest looks of the night: a hot-pink suit over a yellow blouse printed with shell images She also wore platform Versace heels in the same pink shade and rectangular sunglasses with cherry-red frames Domingo attended pre-Met Gala events throughout the weekend and his cream suit from Eleven Sixteen for Wayman + Micah's party spoke directly to the 2025 Met Gala theme The bold tailoring of his cream suit represented Black dandyism while the thick material and checked pattern made it feel modern and his white shoes completed the outfit effortlessly Henson also played with the silhouette of a suit arriving at the LaQuan Smith Met Gala party in a fitted jacket and matching wide-legged trousers mirroring the pointed hemline that cinched her waist Williams is also a Met Gala co-chair this year and he arrived at the dinner that Wintour hosts the night before the event in a mix of high- and low-fashion garments He paired a green blouse and a brown sweatshirt with khaki trousers and a Louis Vuitton trench coat and Williams added sunglasses and a yellow cap to the look perhaps offering a clue as to how Williams might be approaching his Met Gala look Erivo's Saint Laurent suit was double-breasted Her blouse underneath featured a colorful pattern of stripes Tinted sunglasses and Christian Louboutin shoes completed the look Page's Brioni suit was bright blue and had a classic pinstripe pattern which the actor juxtaposed with a more relaxed pink T-shirt ARIZONA CARDINALS BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN and then there’s judging the value of where said talent is grabbed So when ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller considers the talent of Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson and where they got him — the 47th overall selection — the value was top-notch Miller called that selection the second-best pick of the entire 2025 NFL Draft in his list of the 100 best picks of the draft behind only the Chicago Bears nabbing wide receiver Luther Burden III with the 39th pick Johnson was a top-10 player in this class when looking solely at film and not accounting for injuries While he didn’t want to slip to Round 2 Jonathan Gannon’s system is a great fit for him Johnson has Trevon Diggs-esque ball-hawking skills and is a shutdown corner when healthy This is one of the steals of the draft as far as value as he was taken 40 spots lower than I had him ranked The quick context: Johnson played in six games for Michigan last season due to toe and shoulder injuries but it was reportedly a knee issue that tanked his draft stock in April Still, the Cardinals didn’t believe Johnson would be available with their second-round choice and it left Gannon feeling like he was missing something when Johnson remained on the board on Day 2 of the draft Johnson’s sophomore season was his best He finished with four interceptions and the first of two All-American accolades Despite playing in just six games as a junior in 2024 he recorded two picks and returned both for touchdowns Miller ranked Arizona’s 16th overall selection of defensive tackle Walter Nolen as the 34th-best pick of the draft considering his upside fitting well in the Cardinals’ 4-3 scheme The ESPN analyst also hat-tipped Arizona for selecting third-round pick Jordan Burch (78th overall) Burch’s physical tools are impressive — his movement skills were apparent when he played Wildcat quarterback at Oregon He has to round out his pass-rushing tools Follow @kzimmermanaz 2025Parade aims to feature only the best products and services Parade aims to feature only the best products and services Its A-line silhouette is perfect for curves giving just enough movement without overwhelming your frame Dress it up with strappy heels for a summer wedding or keep it casual with sandals and a denim jacket or slip into strappy heels and add a leather jacket for a nighttime switch-up The non-stretch fabric offers a sleek shape and the elasticated bust means no pinching or pulling - it's a win-win This adorable ensemble from Universal Standard is made from a sustainable ultra-soft fine ribbed jersey to fit any body shape or size like it was made just for them pilling-resistant fabric ensures comfort all day long minimalist look or layer it under your favorite shirt dresses for added dimension ruffle-trim neckline and romantic prints give it just the right amount of drama while the empire waist cinches just below the bust to highlight your shape and let the rest flow beautifully It’s the kind of dress that flatters curves catches a breeze and turns heads all at once Pair it with platform sandals and oversized sunnies for a picnic or throw on a cropped denim jacket to make it work for brunch this piece adds a touch of sophistication without trying too hard a swimsuit or even a pair of matching pants for a coordinated finish noting that “wrap dresses define the waist offer a customizable fit and are incredibly flattering on curves.” Her top pick The Sexy Sasha White Chiffon Wrap Dress by her own brand It nails all of these elements while adding a touch of effortless elegance semi-sheer chiffon fabric offers a breezy feel ideal for warmer days while the wrap design allows for customizable fit and comfort Whether you're attending a summer concert this dress adds a touch of elegance and confidence to any occasion founder of Australian fashion brand Mode Mischief suggests that this is a smart way to incorporate color into your look while maintaining a polished this ultramarine-colored linen kaftan is everything you need this season The lightweight fabric feels cool and breathable—perfect for those hot summer days—while the relaxed fit deep V-neckline and side slits give it just the right amount of shape without being too structured or cinch it with a belt to create more definition around the waist this sleeveless midi shirt dress brings a fresh The classic button-down design and cinched waist create a flattering silhouette while the crisp cotton fabric ensures comfort all day long Nautical themes are making a major comeback this season so pair this dress with espadrilles or some rope-inspired accessories for that perfect maritime feel Whether you're heading to brunch or a beachside escape this dress is your go-to for a polished yet relaxed look And the vibrant blooms on this seasonal midi dress are no exception The rich navy backdrop allows the colorful florals to pop making it a perfect choice for everything from brunch dates to garden parties and the flattering neckline and A-line silhouette the handy pockets add a practical touch so whether you're pairing it with wedges for a daytime look or dressing it up with heels for an evening out and this plus-size midi dress is a perfect example of why The Layla Denim Dress offers a flattering fit with its structured bodice and functional front pockets The light wash and timeless A-line silhouette give it a polished yet casual feel while the adjustable straps and back zip provide a customizable fit grabbing coffee with friends or enjoying a relaxed weekend outing this dress embraces the denim trend with ease or dress it up with nude heels and delicate jewelry for a more polished ensemble and this black-and-white number captures the trend with a fresh The boat neckline and clean silhouette channel classic French-girl energy structured jersey keeps things comfortable Dress it down with canvas sneakers and a slouchy tote for weekend errands or go bolder with a red lip and gold hoops to lean into that timeless This one nails that clean-slate energy with an easy A-line silhouette delicate straps and a flattering smocked back that hugs in all the right places The midi length makes it versatile enough for park picnics or dressier dinners and it looks just as good with chunky sandals and a raffia bag as it does with heeled mules and bold earrings The exaggerated short sleeves and crisp collar add polish while the pleated waistline draws the eye inward creating a flattering silhouette that celebrates curves Crafted from a cotton blend with just enough stretch which is ideal for days packed with meetings Style it with sleek loafers and a bold lip for the office or swap in chunky sandals and a woven tote for a weekend-ready look If you're looking to channel your inner rockstar or add a touch of edge to your wardrobe the Michaela Sheer Mini Dress is your ticket to effortless coolness textured lacey mesh that offers just the right amount of coverage while keeping things playful The relaxed fit and scoop neckline make it perfect for layering over a bold bralette or a sleek bodysuit Maxie J recommends pairing it with chunky boots and a leather jacket for a night out or throwing it over your swimsuit as a chic cover-up The possibilities are endless with this versatile piece.​ and this breezy white midi dress makes it easy to see why With its softly curved neckline and smocked back The A-line skirt offers a relaxed yet refined silhouette perfect for everything from farmers' market strolls to rooftop brunches Pair it with woven slides and a straw tote for a laid-back weekend look or add a lightweight cardigan and espadrilles for a polished ensemble This dress does just that with its V-neckline and cinched waist highlighting curves in all the right places while the longer back adds a touch of sophistication the light fabric is ideal for staying cool and chic whether you're grabbing brunch with friends or heading to a party.Up Next: Mode Mischief.Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing Get quick access to your favorite articles Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers Make your voice heard with article commenting Palou began building on his stunning performance after winning the pole position on Saturday, and drove a perfect caution-free race on Sunday en route to his 14th IndyCar Series win and his third in four races in 2025 — a season in which his worst result is still a second-place finish in last month's round at Long Beach "It's probably my best race or my best weekend in IndyCar Palou said during the post-race press conference "Getting the pole when it was everything so tight and then today the fact that we had to run used tires that are used from qualifying but I think everybody that was on the Fast Six was in a small disadvantage than everybody else To still be able to keep a good performance honestly I felt it was probably one of my best races" While he mentioned right after the checkered flag that the race felt "a bit lonely," Palou emphasized the challenges he faced during his Sunday afternoon drive and why it was still very difficult to accomplish his feat at a track as demanding as Barber we always know that Barber is probably one of the more physical tracks that we have I'd say it's the most physically demanding for the drivers but the car doesn't like it towards the end of the tire life." Palou left Barber with a 60-point cushion over Lundgaard and looks unstoppable but he's not taking his amazing moment in the IndyCar Series for granted I'm aware that I'm very lucky to be in the position I'm in today to be able to compete for wins every single weekend I don't know how long that's going to last but hopefully it's going to be a long time The 2025 IndyCar season continues next weekend with the Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course honestly Indy road course we've been really Hopefully we can maintain our performance there I'd say it's the toughest place because for some reason everybody has a good car there You have to work so hard to get into the fast 12 The same to get the pole or to stay in front Hopefully we can continue with the form we have had so far this year From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport In order to keep delivering our expert journalism we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3kdbdMiKt8 $1.4 Billion to Protect Critical Programs Previously Facing Spending Cliffs and More  “After-School for All” Will Bring 20,000 Seats Online in Next Three Years Increasing Budget by 75 Percent and Expanding After-School Access to at Least 184,000 Total K-8 Students by 2027 Adams Administration’s Actions Keep New York City on Path to Have 35,000 Uniformed Officers by Fall of 2026 all while maintaining record-high reserves and ensuring a strong fiscal future for the City of New York I am proud to present our Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget: Our ‘Best Budget Ever,’” said Mayor Adams “This budget is a testament to our commitment to making New York City safer From prioritizing access to child care and launching ‘After-School for All’ to investing in permanent funding for libraries and our world-class institutions that make New York City what it is to tackling quality-of-life issues and making our streets safer the $1.4 billion we're investing to protect and lift up critical programs will make lives better for families across all five boroughs We are doing all of this while maintaining record-high reserves to help us face anything that comes our way with the city’s largest 10-year capital plan at $173 billion we are delivering on infrastructure improvements and transformative generational projects that were talked about for decades but never achieved we’re saying to working families: your city has your back.” Keeping New Yorkers Safe and Improving Quality of Life The FY 2026 Executive Budget makes New York City safer and improves quality-of-life by: Making New York City More Affordable for Working-Class People The FY 2026 Executive Budget builds on these achievements by making key investments that make New York City more affordable for working-class people Implementing a Bold Vision for Educating Young People To make New York City more affordable and the best place to raise a family the Adams administration is making key investments in initiatives that help students thrive both in and outside of the classroom and improve education outcomes Permanent Funding for Educational Programs Once Funded by Federal Pandemic-Era Stimulus Dollars annual funding of $199 million in critical education programs to support families and their children that were once funded by federal pandemic-era stimulus funding The FY 2026 Executive Budget further invests in programs to help keep New Yorkers healthy by: Delivering Financial Stability for Human Services Providers The Adams administration is committed to supporting human services workers and ensuring non-profits are able to thrive. In 2024, Mayor Adams announced a $741 million investment for an estimated 80,000 human services workers employed by non-profit organizations that contract with the city as part of a new cost-of-living adjustment in this Executive Budget the Adams administration is: Protecting a Historic Level of Funding for Programs and Services That Keep New York City Safe Affordable and Help the Most Vulnerable New Yorkers the Adams administration will invest $1.9 billion in new needs in FY 2026 and is taking the unprecedented step of allocating $1.4 billion of these funds to protect programs that were not previously funded in the upcoming fiscal year with more than $675 million of them funded permanently — many for the first time This brings total programs and needs newly baselined in the FY 2026 Executive Budget to more than $1.3 billion Highlights of this major investment include: Protecting Another $840 Million in Critical Social Services in This Fiscal Year The FY 2026 Executive Budget remains balanced at $115.1 billion The city’s strong economy — notably in job creation and tourism — reflects the Adams administration’s strong fiscal management and laser-focus on policies that keep New York City a safe and clean place to live Tax revenue is expected to increase by nearly 8 percent in FY 2025 driven by growth in income and business taxes growth is forecast to decline to around 1 percent in FY 2026 This results in an upward revision over the FY 2026 Preliminary Budget of $1.7 billion in FY 2025 and $1 billion in FY 2026 and puts the city forecast on-par with fiscal monitors and the New York City Council This baseline forecast is predicated on economic conditions as well as federal fiscal and trade policy known prior to April 2025 The unprecedented and unpredictable federal trade policy recently announced in early April and the subsequent impact on financial markets poses a potential impact to the city’s economy as well as its tax base The outlook may be updated in the upcoming Adopted Budget The Adams administration remains focused on saving taxpayer dollars Total citywide savings in this plan are $1.9 billion over FY 2025 and FY 2026 This includes asylum seeker savings of $298 million in FY 2025 and$1.2 billion in FY 2026 with $1 billion of the savings achieved in FY 2026 used to offset $1 billion in assistance the city assumed the state would Maintaining budget reserves as a safeguard against the unexpected is a critical part of the Adams administration’s strong financial management strategy The FY 2026 Executive Budget maintains a record level $8.5 billion in reserves including $1.2 billion in the General Reserve $5 billion in the Retiree Health Benefits Trust Fund $250 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve and a record level of $2 billion in the Rainy-Day Fund Taking Bold and Innovative Action to Meet New York City’s Ambitious Climate Goals which showcases the city's commitment to funding climate action including nearly $8 billion in capital funding for decarbonization and almost $13 billion for flooding and extreme heat resiliency Climate budgeting is an ongoing and evolving process that will continue to demonstrate how New York City's leadership will advance sustainability and resiliency in a cost-effective way Investing in the City’s Largest-Ever 10-Year Capital Plan In the FY 2026 Preliminary Budget Mayor Adams announced the city’s largest 10-year capital plan at $170 billion to a record $173.4 billion over the next decade This will improve the city’s infrastructure and transportation systems in neighborhoods across the five boroughs As the largest 10-Year Capital Plan in city history New investments funded within the 10-Year Capital Plan include: The FY 2026 Executive Budget builds on the administration’s $114.5 billion FY 2026 Preliminary Budget, which deepened the administration’s commitment to strong fiscal management achieved savings and reduced asylum seeker costs invested in critical programs and services and more livable for working-class New Yorkers These achievements were also made possible due to the strength of the national and local economies pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov(212) 788-2958 Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox and more info about our products and services © 2025 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved. A Division of NBCUniversal Data also provided by A team from Florida has made the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past five seasons Elsewhere in the East, the Carolina Hurricanes head north to take on the Metropolitan Division-winning Washington Capitals Also on Tuesday night, the Edmonton Oilers will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference semifinals The Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets both advanced in dramatic fashion in Game 7s and will open their semifinals series on Wednesday Sean Allen (East) and Victoria Matiash (West) provide their best picks in each series along with picks for the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoffs MVP) All times ET. Odds accurate as of time of publication. For latest odds and markets, go to ESPN BET. the sportsbooks have the lower seed favored to take the series in this matchup which makes the Game 1/series winner combos more interesting I'd even lean the same way as the other series by nature taking the Capitals to win Game 1 and lose the series (+320) as a backdoor way to improve the odds of taking the Hurricanes to win The Caps and Canes split four games in the regular season, with the Hurricanes getting the slight edge for pushing one of their loses to a shootout. Alex Ovechkin played in three of the contests eight missed shots and 10 shot attempts blocked across four games If the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Sebastian Aho (14-1) is getting better as the playoffs get deeper scoring equal or more points in each subsequent game against the Devils The move to add Svechnikov to his wing only makes this top line more powerful and his proficiency for game-winning goals continues with an overtime game-winner in the first series Alex Ovechkin's odds didn't improve much between rounds but that's likely more to do with how likely the sportsbooks think the Capitals are to win the Cup no question -- their superior team defense goaltending and scoring depth should suffice in pushing Vegas through in six Eichel series total points over 6.5 (-125) is even more attractive especially if the series lasts at least six games the club's top center banged out 1.22 points per contest He also collected nine against the Oilers when they met up in the postseason two years ago how about Evan Bouchard to record 2+ shots on goal in each game (+320) Bouchard failed to register a minimum of a pair only once through six contests with the Kings a standout performer in the opening round -- and a big reason the Oilers are still playing -- the blue-liner is bound to continue peppering the net often enough checking off this box every single game is a bit of an ask That McDavid's odds dropped from +1600 since the launch of the first round speaks volumes Never mind that he's leading the league with 1.83 points per game or that he's the current favorite for the award How do you wager against the guy who won the honor when his team lost in last year's Final I'm sticking with the heart and soul of this Golden Knights squad One of the game's most effective two-way forwards Stone is expected to bring his best against Edmonton's two standout superstars If the Knights manage to hurdle the Oilers and eventually beat whoever emerges from the East it will be because of a superlative showing from one of the game's most well-rounded skaters Game 1 Puck line: Stars -1.5 (+210), Jets +1.5 (-300)Series line: Stars (-175), Jets (+150)Series length: Four games (+700), five games (+270), six games (+195), seven games (+180)Series winner Winnipeg Jets (+150) the Jets face a fresh dawn with less pressure The Presidents Trophy winners won't have to endure months upon months of hearing about how they squandered away an unmatched season by getting the boot in the first round No one on that team is going to feel the lift of that weight more than the Vezina/Hart candidate in the crease Sure, Connor Hellebuyck was awful in St He was also lousy to start Game 7 back home appearing poised to pave the way for an early exit 1 appreciably improved as the contest wore on to the point of looking like the best version of himself in the extra frames Anyone who understands the mental element to the game will appreciate the cleansing aspect of righting the ship when it comes down to the wire we could now see a version of Hellebuyck more akin to what we've been accustomed to all season which holds promise following days of extra rest Another option for those siding with the underdog in this set: Jets to win Game 1 & win the series (+230) Best bets: Kyle Connor to record 2-plus shots on goal in each game (+180) while the Stars surrendered 34.4 shots/contest -- the most of any team advancing to round two -- in their respective opening sets the arithmetic shines a positive light on this play Plus, anyone who believes Jake Oettinger is good for a minimum of one blowup game in this series might also consider siding with Kyle Connor to score 4-plus goals in series (+170) The Stars netminder was far from rock-solid in three contests versus the Avalanche in round one allowing 12 goals in fewer than 160 minutes of play there's an excellent chance Winnipeg's top-scorer will play a part in that onslaught The Stars aren't playing anymore this spring if not for an exceptional showing from the former Avalanche skater Rantanen scored five goals and six assists in the three final games against his old buds including a nail-driving hat trick in Game 7 Same refrain as from before the postseason started: If the best goalie in the NHL is near his best the Jets hold a legit shot at driving to the end Game 1 puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-265) Best bets: The Maple Leafs had some demons to exorcise in Round 1 and while it was touch and go for a few moments but this series should be about as good as we've come to expect .. and the difference is going to come in the margins Are the Maple Leafs' bottom six up to the task With the favored team by the oddsmakers actually being the road team for Game 1 there's an opportunity to let the Leafs have their home-game advantage but take the Panthers in the long run with enhanced odds The Maple Leafs to win Game 1 and lose the series checks in at +300 as opposed to the -175 odds for just taking the Panthers to win the series it's arguably worth taking on a series spread take as Panthers -1.5 series spread pushes the payout to +110 so long as they take care of business in six games or fewer I've got to stick to my guns in taking the Leafs to go all the way this season so I'm leaning the other way with the Maple Leafs to win Game 1 and win the series (+230) It feels like this Leafs team has a strong tailwind headed into Round 2 On the player front, Carter Verhaeghe has been a "Leafs killer" going back to when the Cats dispatched the Leafs in the 2023 playoffs (three goals in five games) Verhaeghe posted two goals and four points in four games and also managed an astronomical 25 total shot attempts (seven shots on goal five missed shots and 13 shot attempts blocked) He has pretty long odds in a lot of the player categories -- most goals in series (+1000) most shots on goal in series (+1000) and score a hat trick in any game (+1100) -- that dovetail with his history against Toronto 🎂 AND B-Siders Rachel Simeon and Kevin C’s birthdays! Happy Even if you aren’t a teacher or a nurse Challenge accepted: If Mother Nature can make it rain this week Here are the best free things to do around Boston this month:  ✍️ Draw us like one of your French girls. Imagine: A local artist guiding you through fun and easy drawing exercises as live music plays in the background. Sound good? That’s exactly what Seaport Sketch Even better: They provide the art supplies!  ⛴️ Set sail to Spectacle Island. A ferry ride there normally costs ~$25, but thanks to Free Ferry Weekend on May 17 and 18 so get to the ferry center as early as possible (it opens at 8 a.m.) and keep your squad small — only five tickets are allowed per adult Enjoy sips from over 12 local spots with the task of crowning the best of the best.  Just remember: Tickets are available on a first-come 🍷 Drunk-dial your state reps. Every Monday, Rebel Rebel wine bar hosts a night of political mobilization where you’ll tackle one community action item while sipping on wine 📲 Forget your FYP for the night. Ditch your phone and spend a few screenless hours crafting and chatting with like-minded folks at this no-phone night in Somerville on May 8.  If there’s one thing that’ll get Massholes riled up, it’s a Dunkin’ closure. And apparently Recently, a bunch of State Reps down in D.C. got wind that a Dunkin’ location in their office complex was closing to be replaced by a — *gasp* — Starbucks New England lawmakers wasted absolutely no time taking to the internet to complain … and meme.  Check out all of the wild — and very New England — reactions here — Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario 🍩 Thanks for reading! You can take the New Englander out of the Dunkin’ … 💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for supporting local journalism and connecting Boston’s movers 🎓 The results are in: 55% of B-Siders both got into and attended their No 1 college — Gia and Emily absolutely cannot relate Amari Cooper is one of the most prominent free agents who remains unsigned following the 2025 NFL Draft Cooper spent the 2024 NFL season with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills to whom he was dealt ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline He played 14 total games and posted a combined 44 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns That said, Cooper isn't far removed from being a 1,000-yard receiver. He totaled a career-best 1,250 receiving yards with the Browns in 2023 and was named to his fifth Pro Bowl that season Cooper – who turns 31 in June – could still have something left in the tank That could prompt a receiver-needy team to take a chance on him hoping he can once again be a quality starting receiver Which teams could show the most interest in Cooper Below is a look at the top potential landing spots for the veteran More: Who are the top NFL free agents still available after the 2025 NFL Draft? NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where all 32 teams stand following the 2025 draft 3 receiver job while providing depth and experience in Philadelphia's receiver room Howie Roseman once took a similar gamble on Julio Jones in the latter stages of his career so perhaps he will be willing to give Cooper the same chance 2025 NFL DRAFT: 17 NFL veterans on thin ice, including Browns & Giants stars