Strands hints today: Clues and answers on Friday, June 27 2025
WARNING: THERE ARE STRANDS SPOILERS AHEAD! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT THE JUNE 27, 2025 STRANDS ANSWER SPOILED FOR YOU.
Ready?
OK!
Have you been playing Strands, the super fun game from the New York Times, the makers of Connections and other brain-teasers like Wordle in which you have to do a search in a jumble of letters and find words based on a theme? It's pretty fun and sometimes very challenging, so we're here to help you out with some clues and the answers, including the "Spangram" that connects all the words.
Let's start with the clue: Playing dirty.
If you want our help? Think about where you might play in dirt! As for the answers, scroll below the photo below:
Truck, Rake, Mold, Sifter, Bucket, Funnel, Shovel
The Spangram is ... SANDBOX TOYS.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Defense delivers closing arguments in sex trafficking case
The defense is delivering its closing argument in the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Friday, a day after federal prosecutors portrayed him as the 'leader of a criminal enterprise' who abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called 'freak offs,' and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors at the end of a nearly five-hour presentation. 'It's time to hold him accountable. It's time for justice. And it's time to find him guilty.' The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including the New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and the Washington Post. During the break when jurors were out of the room, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution thought the defense's arguments were too sarcastic about the government's charges against Combs. "Respectfully, I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic," defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. In response to the prosecution's complaint, Judge Subramanian told Agnifilo not to question or speculate why the government was pursuing its charges against Combs, calling the situation "grossly improper." When jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge reminded the group, "I will be instructing you on the law in this case." Judge Arun Subramanian is back on the bench after the court took a break. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo spoke for around 94 minutes before the break. The defense said its closing argument should be around three hours long. Judge Arun Subramanian has called for a 15-minute midmorning break. The defense will continue with its closing argument when court resumes. After mentioning Capricorn Clark's testimony claims that she was kidnapped by Combs and taken to rapper Kid Cudi's house at gunpoint in December 2011, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo addressed the prosecution's allegations that Combs was behind Kid Cudi's Porsche catching on fire in early 2012. Kid Cudi testified that his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs learned that he and Cassie Ventura were dating. Prosecutor Christy Slavik reminded the jury of Kid Cudi's testimony about the Porsche yesterday and said, "Of course, the defendant was behind this." Agnifilo argued that the small DNA profile that was found on the Molotov cocktail bottle was "consistent with a female." 'There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the Porsche,' he said. Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense lawyer, started to comb through some of the prosecution's key witnesses and their testimonies, reminding the jury members that they are allowed to question or disregard testimonies if they don't trust them. Agnifilo brought up Capricorn Clark, whom the prosecution argued had been a victim of being kidnapped by Combs twice while working as his personal assistant. The first alleged experience was in 2004, after Clark had started working for Combs. Clark testified she had to undergo five days of lie detector tests to prove she hadn't stolen jewelry and was repeatedly told by the test administrator that if she was caught lying, "they're going to throw you in the East River." But Agnifilo emphasized that Clark testified she went home after the lie detector tests every day. "It's not a kidnapping," he said, before pointing out that the jurors had spent hours watching the trial for the last seven weeks. "Anyone feel kidnapped?" The second alleged incident was in 2011. Clark testified that Combs came to her home with a gun and brought her to Kid Cudi's house, but Agnifilo emphasized that Kid Cudi testified Clark did not mention any guns when she called him and Cassie Ventura that day. 'Had Capricorn said 'gun,' Cudi would've remembered 'gun.' You're not gonna forget 'gun,'' Agnifilo argued. He also reiterated his earlier point that Clark, like most of Combs's employees, loved working for him and would willingly do anything for him. 'If he asked her to take a trip to the moon, she'd go, and he knows that. He doesn't need a gun." Moments after conceding his client was "guilty" of assaulting Cassie Ventura, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo called Ventura a "gangster" for using a burner phone to contact Kid Cudi while she was seeing both men. 'Cassie's keeping it gangster!' Agnifilo said. "She played them both.' During her relationship with Kid Cudi, Ventura repeatedly lied to Combs, Agnifilo said, arguing that it showed she was "not afraid of him." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's defense attorney, used part of his closing argument to mock the raids on Combs's homes. In its indictment, the prosecut said that federal agents recovered guns, drugs and 'more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.' 'Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,' Agnifilo said. 'Thank goodness for the special response team," he added. "They found the Astroglide, they found the baby oil, they found like five valium pills. Way to go, fellas.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued to the jury that Cassie Ventura is not part of a "one-sided, oppressive" relationship with Combs, as the prosecution argued, but ultimately the financial "winner" of the breakup. "She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million," Agnifilo said. Ventura won a $20 million civil settlement from Combs after filing a lawsuit against him in November 2023, and is expecting a $10 million settlement from the owner of the InterContinental hotel where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016. Agnifilo called Combs and Ventura's relationship 'a great modern love story,' and said that this case isn't about crime. "We're here because of money," he said. In his closing argument, Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs is "guilty" of domestic violence, but that's not what he's been charged with. Multiple women, including Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that he beat them repeatedly. And a key piece of evidence for prosecutors was a surveillance video that showed Combs assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. "We own the domestic violence — I hope you guys know that," Agnifilo said. 'It happened. That's not charged. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo said. 'He didn't commit racketeering — he just didn't.' The lawyer added: 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs's employees were loyal to him because 'Sean Combs has become something that is very, very hard to be. Very hard to be. He is a self-made, successful, Black entrepreneur.' Even though multiple former employees have testified in the trial, Agnifilo argued Combs had been integrating DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — into his businesses since he was 24 years old. 'Did they always like him? No way. Let's not even go there,' Agnifilo said about the former employees. 'But they loved him. They didn't want to leave him.' Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead attorney, began his closing argument by telling jurors that the case presented by federal prosecutors was "false" and "exaggerated." Agnifilo said the evidence does not show criminal behavior but rather 'a lifestyle — you want to call it swingers.' 'Whatever you want to call it, that's what it is," Agnifilo said. "That's what the evidence shows." Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench, members of the jury have been seated, and Combs's lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, is delivering the closing argument for the defense. Combs's sister, Keisha Combs, is sitting with their mom, Janice Combs, in the family section of the courtroom. Combs's three teenage daughters, Chance and twins D'Lila and Jessie, are also in the spectators' gallery. The defense will deliver its closing argument to the jury at 9 a.m. ET. Combs's lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said he expects his presentation to take about three hours. The prosecution — which took nearly five hours to deliver its closing argument — will have a chance to give a rebuttal. Judge Arun Subramanian will then give the jury its instructions. Subramanian said the jury will determine its own schedule for deliberations, which could begin as soon as Friday afternoon. The prosecution delivered a lengthy closing argument. For nearly five hours, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors how Combs operated as the "leader of a criminal enterprise," using "power, violence and fear" to force women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called 'freak offs.' Slavik said Combs exhibited a "pattern" of coercion, using money, drugs and threats to control his victims, including former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a woman identified by the pseudonym "Jane." The prosecutor recounted their harrowing testimony detailing years of physical abuse and sexual assault. Slavik outlined the five counts Combs faces, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now,' Slavik said. 'It's time to hold him accountable. It's time for justice. And it's time to find him guilty." Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik wrapped up the prosecution's closing argument around 4:30 p.m. ET after nearly five hours. Court was adjourned for the day. Slavik thanked jurors for paying attention over the last seven weeks. 'You heard how the defendant ran his criminal enterprise with total control and with the loyal assistance of his inner circle," Slavik said. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now. "It is time to hold him accountable; it is time for justice," she continued. "And it's time to find him guilty." In addition to Ventura and "Jane," U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors that "Mia," Combs's former assistant who testified under a pseudonym, was a victim of forced labor. Slavik recounted Mia's testimony about the abuse she says she endured from Combs. Mia told the court that Combs physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times during her employment. 'He sexually assaulted Mia when Cassie and his other girlfriends were not around,' Slavik said. The prosecutor argued that Combs had 'all the power and control,' often threatening Mia's job. Mia also testified that she witnessed Combs become violent with Ventura. 'Mia saw and experienced extreme violence at her boss's hands,' Slavik said. 'It's no wonder she was always worried about her physical safety if she was to tell him no.' Prosecutor Christy Slavik told the jury that Combs forced Cassie Ventura and "Jane" into days-long sexual activities without any sleep. Both women testified that Combs forced them to have sex with multiple men, multiple times over the course of several days. They said they were given drugs like Ecstasy and MDMA to keep them awake. "They got sores, they got sick, they got infections," Slavik said, noting that both women testified they were still told they had to have sex even when they hadn't recovered from infections. "These nights were labor and services. ... This was work." Judge Arun Subramanian and the jury have returned to the courtroom. The court has taken a 15-minute break. Prosecutors indicated that their closing arguments would take another hour when court resumes. During the break when jurors were out of the room, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution thought the defense's arguments were too sarcastic about the government's charges against Combs. "Respectfully, I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic," defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. In response to the prosecution's complaint, Judge Subramanian told Agnifilo not to question or speculate why the government was pursuing its charges against Combs, calling the situation "grossly improper." When jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge reminded the group, "I will be instructing you on the law in this case." Judge Arun Subramanian is back on the bench after the court took a break. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo spoke for around 94 minutes before the break. The defense said its closing argument should be around three hours long. Judge Arun Subramanian has called for a 15-minute midmorning break. The defense will continue with its closing argument when court resumes. After mentioning Capricorn Clark's testimony claims that she was kidnapped by Combs and taken to rapper Kid Cudi's house at gunpoint in December 2011, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo addressed the prosecution's allegations that Combs was behind Kid Cudi's Porsche catching on fire in early 2012. Kid Cudi testified that his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs learned that he and Cassie Ventura were dating. Prosecutor Christy Slavik reminded the jury of Kid Cudi's testimony about the Porsche yesterday and said, "Of course, the defendant was behind this." Agnifilo argued that the small DNA profile that was found on the Molotov cocktail bottle was "consistent with a female." 'There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the Porsche,' he said. Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense lawyer, started to comb through some of the prosecution's key witnesses and their testimonies, reminding the jury members that they are allowed to question or disregard testimonies if they don't trust them. Agnifilo brought up Capricorn Clark, whom the prosecution argued had been a victim of being kidnapped by Combs twice while working as his personal assistant. The first alleged experience was in 2004, after Clark had started working for Combs. Clark testified she had to undergo five days of lie detector tests to prove she hadn't stolen jewelry and was repeatedly told by the test administrator that if she was caught lying, "they're going to throw you in the East River." But Agnifilo emphasized that Clark testified she went home after the lie detector tests every day. "It's not a kidnapping," he said, before pointing out that the jurors had spent hours watching the trial for the last seven weeks. "Anyone feel kidnapped?" The second alleged incident was in 2011. Clark testified that Combs came to her home with a gun and brought her to Kid Cudi's house, but Agnifilo emphasized that Kid Cudi testified Clark did not mention any guns when she called him and Cassie Ventura that day. 'Had Capricorn said 'gun,' Cudi would've remembered 'gun.' You're not gonna forget 'gun,'' Agnifilo argued. He also reiterated his earlier point that Clark, like most of Combs's employees, loved working for him and would willingly do anything for him. 'If he asked her to take a trip to the moon, she'd go, and he knows that. He doesn't need a gun." Moments after conceding his client was "guilty" of assaulting Cassie Ventura, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo called Ventura a "gangster" for using a burner phone to contact Kid Cudi while she was seeing both men. 'Cassie's keeping it gangster!' Agnifilo said. "She played them both.' During her relationship with Kid Cudi, Ventura repeatedly lied to Combs, Agnifilo said, arguing that it showed she was "not afraid of him." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's defense attorney, used part of his closing argument to mock the raids on Combs's homes. In its indictment, the prosecut said that federal agents recovered guns, drugs and 'more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.' 'Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,' Agnifilo said. 'Thank goodness for the special response team," he added. "They found the Astroglide, they found the baby oil, they found like five valium pills. Way to go, fellas.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued to the jury that Cassie Ventura is not part of a "one-sided, oppressive" relationship with Combs, as the prosecution argued, but ultimately the financial "winner" of the breakup. "She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million," Agnifilo said. Ventura won a $20 million civil settlement from Combs after filing a lawsuit against him in November 2023, and is expecting a $10 million settlement from the owner of the InterContinental hotel where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016. Agnifilo called Combs and Ventura's relationship 'a great modern love story,' and said that this case isn't about crime. "We're here because of money," he said. In his closing argument, Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs is "guilty" of domestic violence, but that's not what he's been charged with. Multiple women, including Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that he beat them repeatedly. And a key piece of evidence for prosecutors was a surveillance video that showed Combs assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. "We own the domestic violence — I hope you guys know that," Agnifilo said. 'It happened. That's not charged. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo said. 'He didn't commit racketeering — he just didn't.' The lawyer added: 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs's employees were loyal to him because 'Sean Combs has become something that is very, very hard to be. Very hard to be. He is a self-made, successful, Black entrepreneur.' Even though multiple former employees have testified in the trial, Agnifilo argued Combs had been integrating DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — into his businesses since he was 24 years old. 'Did they always like him? No way. Let's not even go there,' Agnifilo said about the former employees. 'But they loved him. They didn't want to leave him.' Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead attorney, began his closing argument by telling jurors that the case presented by federal prosecutors was "false" and "exaggerated." Agnifilo said the evidence does not show criminal behavior but rather 'a lifestyle — you want to call it swingers.' 'Whatever you want to call it, that's what it is," Agnifilo said. "That's what the evidence shows." Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench, members of the jury have been seated, and Combs's lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, is delivering the closing argument for the defense. Combs's sister, Keisha Combs, is sitting with their mom, Janice Combs, in the family section of the courtroom. Combs's three teenage daughters, Chance and twins D'Lila and Jessie, are also in the spectators' gallery. The defense will deliver its closing argument to the jury at 9 a.m. ET. Combs's lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said he expects his presentation to take about three hours. The prosecution — which took nearly five hours to deliver its closing argument — will have a chance to give a rebuttal. Judge Arun Subramanian will then give the jury its instructions. Subramanian said the jury will determine its own schedule for deliberations, which could begin as soon as Friday afternoon. The prosecution delivered a lengthy closing argument. For nearly five hours, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors how Combs operated as the "leader of a criminal enterprise," using "power, violence and fear" to force women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called 'freak offs.' Slavik said Combs exhibited a "pattern" of coercion, using money, drugs and threats to control his victims, including former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a woman identified by the pseudonym "Jane." The prosecutor recounted their harrowing testimony detailing years of physical abuse and sexual assault. Slavik outlined the five counts Combs faces, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now,' Slavik said. 'It's time to hold him accountable. It's time for justice. And it's time to find him guilty." Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik wrapped up the prosecution's closing argument around 4:30 p.m. ET after nearly five hours. Court was adjourned for the day. Slavik thanked jurors for paying attention over the last seven weeks. 'You heard how the defendant ran his criminal enterprise with total control and with the loyal assistance of his inner circle," Slavik said. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now. "It is time to hold him accountable; it is time for justice," she continued. "And it's time to find him guilty." In addition to Ventura and "Jane," U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors that "Mia," Combs's former assistant who testified under a pseudonym, was a victim of forced labor. Slavik recounted Mia's testimony about the abuse she says she endured from Combs. Mia told the court that Combs physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times during her employment. 'He sexually assaulted Mia when Cassie and his other girlfriends were not around,' Slavik said. The prosecutor argued that Combs had 'all the power and control,' often threatening Mia's job. Mia also testified that she witnessed Combs become violent with Ventura. 'Mia saw and experienced extreme violence at her boss's hands,' Slavik said. 'It's no wonder she was always worried about her physical safety if she was to tell him no.' Prosecutor Christy Slavik told the jury that Combs forced Cassie Ventura and "Jane" into days-long sexual activities without any sleep. Both women testified that Combs forced them to have sex with multiple men, multiple times over the course of several days. They said they were given drugs like Ecstasy and MDMA to keep them awake. "They got sores, they got sick, they got infections," Slavik said, noting that both women testified they were still told they had to have sex even when they hadn't recovered from infections. "These nights were labor and services. ... This was work." Judge Arun Subramanian and the jury have returned to the courtroom. The court has taken a 15-minute break. Prosecutors indicated that their closing arguments would take another hour when court resumes.
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
NYT ‘Connections' Hints And Answers For Saturday, June 28
Connections hints and answers are here. Looking for Friday's NYT Connections hints, clues and answers instead? You can find them here: It's time for weekend Connections and this has one of the hardest purple groups I have seen in a while, so buckle up. How to Play Connections Connections is the second-most popular NYT Games puzzle game outside of the main crossword itself, and an extremely fun, free offering that will get your brain moving every day. Play it right here. The goal is to take a group of 16 words and find links between four pairs of four of them. They could be specific categories of terms, or they could be little world puzzles where words may come before or after them you need to figure out. And they get more complicated from there. There is only one set of right answers for this, and you only get a certain number of tries so you can't just spam around until you find something. There are difficulty tiers coded by color, which will usually go from yellow, blue/green to purple as difficulty increases, so know that going in and when you start linking them together. You pick the four words you think are linked and either you will get a solve and a lit up row that shows you how you were connected. If you're close, it will tell you that you're one away. Again, four mistakes you lose, but if you want to know the answers without failing, either come here, or delete your web cookies and try again. If you want to play more puzzles, you can get an NYT Games subscription to access the full archives of all past puzzles. So, onto the hints and answers: FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder What Are Today's Connections Hints? These are the hints that are laid out on the puzzle board itself, but after that, we will get into spoiler territory with some hints and eventually the answers. The hints for the Connections groups today are: What Are Today's Connections Groups? Alright, the full spoilers follow here as we get into what the groups are today: The Prompt: Get the week's biggest AI news on the buzziest companies and boldest breakthroughs, in your Subscribed! You're Subscribed! What Are Today's Connections Answers? The full-on answers are below for each group, finally inserting the four words in each category. Spoilers follow if you do not want to get this far. The Connections answers are: Connections Whew, that was a tough one, especially one category. The one I got first, however, was yellow group. I saw frisbee and ball and thought it was about throwing. But then I realized it was about throwing to a specific animal, and here we are. Green group had three that lined up but 'score' threw me off, as I was thinking about sports between ball and stick and boot (soccer boot?) so that was tricky. That's what they always try to do with us, however. Traffic violations was smart, but I got that one decently easily given that my license is not exactly clean of these things. Never got a boot or got towed, however. Purple group? Forget it. I only got this as the default final group and I was never going to otherwise. These are: Alexander Bell, Rudolf Diesel, Isaac Singer, James Watt. I got Bell and…sorry I did not know the others, though of course I know their inventions in hindsight here. How did you do today? Did you know the purple guys? Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
The Bear We Were Liars The Buccaneers What To Watch
Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything! Welcome to Screen Time! I'm Nora, and if there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that I love watching TV and movies. I also absolutely love being absorbed in fandoms. This week, I dive into the TV shows I am currently watching, like, can we talk about We Were Liars, please? THAT TWIST!!! I SOBBED!!! I also share what's all over my FYP — like the New York Times dropping the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century — and what we've got going on over on BuzzFeed Celeb's YouTube channel, plus more. Thanks for joining me! We Were Liars — watch for: one of the best plot twists ever Streaming on Prime Video Based on the bestselling book by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars follows "The Liars," a tight-knit circle of friends who vacation every summer together on a private island in New England. While on the surface the Sinclair family is known for their good looks, generational wealth, and their close bonds, after a life-altering accident, everyone seems to have something to hide. This book (and show) has one of the best plot twists, so if you are unspoiled, try to watch before you get spoiled, and if you've read the book already, I honestly think I loved the show more?! This adaptation works on every level. The Vampire Diaries fans, co-creator Julie Plec is behind this one, and even brings along Candice King, aka Caroline Forbes. Also, this young cast is so stellar. In particular, it was awesome getting to see Joseph Zada (aka young Haymitch in the upcoming Hunger Games movie, Sunrise on the Reaping). So, cue the fan edits already. The Buccaneers — watch for: a show that fills the Bridgerton void with an absolutely stacked cast Streaming on Apple TV+, new episodes every Wednesday It's the show every Bridgerton, Dickinson, and/or Reign fan should be watching. Based on Edith Wharton's unfinished novel, The Buccaneers is set during the Gilded Age and follows a group of ambitious young women from America who travel to London for a debutante season in hopes of securing husbands and titles. I think one of my favorite TV genres might be a period piece that utilizes modern music, manners of speech, and more, because The Buccaneers and Dickinson have both done this, and I've adored them both. Like I said, the cast is one of the main draws: Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Matthew Broome, Aubri Ibrag, Guy Remmers, Mia Threapleton, Josie Totah, Imogen Waterhouse, and Christina Hendricks to name a few, and in Season 2, Leighton Meester joins, so enough said. Also, who doesn't love good Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan needle drops?! The Bear — watch for: the cast's always entertaining dynamic Streaming on Hulu and Disney+ The fourth season of this Emmy-winning comedy (or let's be real, drama) just dropped, and while I wasn't a big fan of the third season — I liked aspects but overall it felt super rushed and I didn't love every storyline — I will be finishing binge-watching the new season this weekend regardless. The new season will pick up with Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), Syd (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and the rest of the crew continuing to make their restaurant, The Bear, strive for excellence. However, as with previous seasons of The Bear, more challenges, both financial and personal, are around every corner. Honestly, I will be watching for Ayo's performance and to see if there are any exciting guest stars this season. I'm curious if Season 4 regains the spark that Seasons 1 and 2 had, or if The Bear is just running in circles and overstaying its welcome. These are some of my favorite things from my FYP, feed, and more: The New York Times published its list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century. My favorite part of this project is that they asked actors, directors, and more to give their 10 favorite movies of the 21st Century, too, and it's been so cool reading them — Sofia Coppola's list is pretty flawless, but I am also obsessed with Julianne Moore having Superbad on hers — because as a Letterboxd superfan, I love this kind of stuff. You can also make your own ballot. Mine might have some recency bias, but I feel pretty comfortable saying this is my top 10: And I know this isn't technically a movie or TV show yet, but I just finished reading Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and it has already been optioned to be adapted, so I'm putting my love for it here, too. I've read everything she's written, consider The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo my favorite book of all time, and I loved the Daisy Jones & the Six adaptation. A book about space deserved a photo under Grand Central's iconic constellation ceiling. So naturally, when I finished Atmosphere, after I screamed and cried and felt every single emotion, I started fan-casting in my head, and I've proceeded to tell all my friends who have finished that Ashley Johnson would be the perfect Joan. So, please read this book. It's QUEER AND ABOUT WOMEN IN SPACE! And then tell me your fan casts for Joan and Vanessa. This week, over on BuzzFeed Celeb, I fulfilled my Disney Channel kid dream. We had the cast of Phineas and Ferb — Dan Povenmire (creator and Dr. Doofenshmirtz), Ashley Tisdale (Candace), Jeff "Swampy" Marsh (creator and Major Monogram), Alyson Stoner (Isabella), and Vincent Martella (Phineas) — compete in a game of trivia about the show. Like, not only do they sing "Gitchee Gitchee Goo," but Ashley breaks out into "Busted," so I feel like I can die happy now. The whole thing was so fun, and they were adorably hilarious. The show just returned after 10 years for new episodes, and it's just as good as before. A place where I answer YOUR questions about TV, movies, fandom, and more: Question: If you had to pick your top five favorite characters of all time, who would they be and why? Hi! Okay, I have a literal note on my phone where I list some of my favorite TV shows, movies, episodes, books, video games, and fictional characters because whenever I am asked to narrow anything down like this, I draw a blank, and I end up saying the most recent things I have hyperfixated on. So I'll do you one better, directly from my notes app, my current top TEN characters of all time: Well, that's all I've got for this week's edition of Screen Time. Come back every week to get more TV and movie recommendations, find out which celebs we're working with, and so much more! Have a question for me, or want to tell me what you're watching right now, or have a suggestion of what I should watch next? Send it to me now at screentime@ or at this Google form. Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything!
