Number One on the Call Sheet review – a spectacular tribute to black excellence in Hollywood
Denzel Washington. Don Cheadle. Morgan Freeman. Laurence Fishburne. Idris Elba. Viola Davis. Halle Berry. Cynthia Erivo. Angela Bassett. Octavia Spencer. To say that the cast of Apple's new two-part, feature-length documentary series is stacked would be an understatement, and that truly is only a smattering of its many interviewees: I'd be here all week if I listed every single one. A celebration of black excellence in Hollywood, these two films are produced by the likes of Jamie Foxx and Kevin Hart, and stuffed full of household names who have made it to that coveted No 1 spot on the call sheet – in other words, the top-billed star of a production. They also offer a potted history of how black actors came to thrive in Hollywood – and the struggle baked into almost every stage of that process.
Episode one focuses on male stars, juxtaposing more established names with a new generation of actors, such as Michael B Jordan, John Boyega, Daniel Kaluuya and the late Chadwick Boseman. We start, though, with Sidney Poitier, and the debt that so many performers feel towards the pioneering star of In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Director Reginald Hudlin cleverly segues between archive footage and new interviews, as we observe Washington's tribute to Poitier on stage at the Oscars in 2002 (the former won best actor, while the latter picked up an honorary Academy award). Present-day Washington then adds more colour to the story, namechecking the stars who Poitier had in turn tipped his hat to: James Edwards, Canada Lee, Paul Robeson and – of course – Hattie McDaniel, the first black Oscar winner (in 1940, for Gone With the Wind), whose story we return to in the 'women' episode.
We race through the decades – via Blazing Saddles and blaxploitation – before arriving at Eddie Murphy's imperial phase, when he showed that a black comic actor could garner mainstream acclaim in films such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. If you've forgotten just how big a deal Murphy was in the 80s and 90s, he's here to remind us, complete with some wicked anecdotes, such as, er, the time James Brown advised him to bury his money in the woods to keep it away from the government. As his life story begins to coalesce with that of his biggest fan, Will Smith, there's the risk of these actors going all luvvie central on us. But, luckily, even when Smith (and, later, Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson) begin to speak in riddles and motivational metaphors, the episode stays on the right side of self aware. Its best moments are those that highlight candid, endearing memories, such as Boyz N the Hood's Morris Chestnut confessing that the film's Cannes success went right over his head (he remembers asking: 'Are they gonna release it here in LA …?').
The second instalment – directed by Shola Lynch – pays homage to Whoopi Goldberg in the same way as it does Murphy, reminding viewers that, at the peak of her powers, she was the cream of the comedy crop and totally devastating as Celie in The Color Purple. But Goldberg had to fight for even her most memorable roles; she explains that she only got Sister Act because Bette Midler wasn't available, and Patrick Swayze fought for her to be cast alongside him in Ghost. Elsewhere, we hear from actors at the top of their game who are yet to get the awards-show recognition they deserve; the disappointment on Erivo's face as she learns that Renée Zellweger has won the 2020 best actress Oscar is positively heartbreaking. Meanwhile, the temptation to generalise is resisted. After all, audiences of all races are likely aware that Halle Berry – a former beauty queen whose acting skills were initially underestimated – has had different challenges to overcome in the industry than, say, Gabourey Sidibe. Sidibe speaks beautifully about not conforming to beauty standards: in the way she cared for the titular character in the 2009 film Precious; and feeling that she could relate to a girl who was 'not the sexpot, not the popular girl – not even the one with the cool sneakers'.
It isn't a perfect set of films. Samuel L Jackson is conspicuous by his absence (surely the film-makers could've grabbed five minutes with him?!) and Quentin Tarantino makes a needless cameo. And I'm not convinced that splitting the films by gender was necessary. But, Number One on the Call Sheet is still a joy to watch – as a loving homage to black Hollywood's past and a sign of its rude health in the present.
Number One on the Call Sheet is on Apple TV+ now.
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We live in a golden era of headphones; they have never sounded better or come with more features, but they've never cost more, either. Navigating the choices available, including earbuds, over-ear and noise cancelling headphones, while still finding the best sound quality so you can blast out your favourite albums, can be a challenging task. I have reviewed headphones for decades and tested everything from the very first wireless earbuds to hand-crafted mahogany devices that cost thousands. I'm passionate about finding the best headphones for every situation that give you a high quality listening experience, effective noise cancellation, clear phone calls and value for money. Sony, Apple and Samsung dominate the market alongside traditional hi-fi brands like Bang and Olufsen or Bowers and Wilkins, with prices ranging anywhere from £50 up to £600. 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Be aware that some use different codecs (the software that transmits data to the headphones), which can make a big difference to the overall sound quality. Higher-resolution codecs such as Apt-X and LDAC sound sharper than the standard SBC and AAC codecs. It's also worth looking for headphones that have Bluetooth multipoint as this will let you connect them to more than one device at the same time, like your laptop and your phone, while a better battery life means you won't be left high and dry mid-way through a long commute. If you often forget to plug yours in, look for newer models with fast charge modes that can get you back up to 100 per cent in no time. Some on this list will give you 100 hours between charges, too. How we test headphones I tested each of these headphones in real-world listening conditions over several days. I wore them indoors at home and out and about on busy streets and public transport. I assessed their design and how comfortable each pair was to wear, the look and overall feel of each set of headphones and their battery life where applicable. Most importantly, I've tested the sound quality across a range of music genres, recorded how clear wireless phone calls are, how well the noise cancelling features work and other staples like EQ adjustments (where you can fiddle with bass and treble) and spatial audio to see if you can get a true surround-sound experience. We used each pair of headphones below throughout the day to test out their battery life and recorded how long they take to recharge. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our tech experts continuously conduct in-depth, independent, real-world tests, scoring devices against pre-set testing metrics and industry benchmarks, so we can deliver definitive and comprehensive buying advice. Telegraph Recommended reviews are never shared with product manufacturers before publication, we don't accept payment in exchange for positive reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. The best headphones of 2025 1. Best Buy Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6 Over the years, Sony has built a well-deserved reputation for unbeatable performance in the headphone sector and this particular pair have become a cult item, with Sony wearers exchanging nods to show they are part of the high-end audio cognoscenti. The latest update (the first since 2022) is a proper overhaul, delivering massively improved noise cancelling and boosted sound and calls. The actual look, sadly, is the worst aspect here, with a cheap plastic finish that hardly screams sophistication. However, the Japanese company's expertise in noise cancelling headphones means that just about every other part of these is spot-on. They're a delight to wear, offering what is now sadly a bonus extra in the form of a headphone jack for wired connection. The noise cancelling is simply superb, with twelve microphones on the outside isolating everything from the rumbles of buses to people talking nearby. It used to be that these headphones lagged behind Bose on the noise cancelling front, but Sony has worked hard to catch up and there's barely anything in it. For audio purists with an Android smartphone, you can switch to Sony's LDAC codec, which sounds extra crisp. There's Bluetooth Multipoint here, too, so you can remain connected to two devices at once, jumping near-instantly between listening on a laptop and a phone. Adaptive Sound Control learns your behaviour to adjust the noise cancelling up or down on the fly: this works superbly and ensures you're never over-cooking the noise cancellation. Yet it's the sound that is the star of the show here. With some songs, these sound so magnificent that you almost feel they should be in a category of their own. Audio is incredibly precise with loads of depth, especially during frantic instrumentals and soft vocal sections of tracks. I had zero qualms with the call quality, too, even in high winds. Key specifications 2. Best Value Over-Ear Headphones: Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 British brand Cambridge Audio is well known for its high-quality hi-fi equipment, and excels in making headphones and earbuds that package up that top technical performance at a lower price than you'd expect. These headphones produce excellent sound, have an excessive 100-hour battery life and give you the dulcet tones of British actor Matt Berry to let you know whenever you've connected to your phone or laptop. No bones about it, the finish here isn't as glamorous as pricier rivals like Bowers and Wilkins, but that is of little issue once you turn them on. You get a big, enveloping sound when playing music, which is particularly flattering for anything with acoustic instruments, with strong noise cancellation (which you can control through the app and on the headphones themselves) and clear voice calls. And while the battery life might sound like a gimmick, it means you barely ever need to think about it. There's also a fast charge mode, which gets you hours of playback with just five minutes of charging. Key specifications Type: Over-ear Battery life: 60 hours with ANC, 100 hours without Charging time: Five minutes for up to four hours playback (ANC off), up to two hours with ANC on; full charge in under 160 minutes. Connections: Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C audio and charging, 3.5mm mini jack Codecs supported: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC Accompanying app: Yes, Melomania Connect app 3. Best Headphones for Sound: Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S3 These stylish Bowers and Wilkins headphones are built with a metal construction, a soft headband, and real metal buttons to round off their classic look. This pair is made with vegan leather, but other models (like the flagship Px8s) are made with sheep leather if you want the premium option. Either way, the style and quality live up to the price. These are easily among the best noise-cancelling headphones available. B&W is a British brand known for producing professional speakers and headphones and wearing a pair of these will instantly mark you out as an audio connoisseur. And you will feel like one too; the headphones make it sound like you've conjured up a live band to play directly into your ears when you hit play. They create a liveliness and sense of space that, in my opinion, puts them ever-so-slightly ahead of the Sony pair above, but it's a matter of personal taste. Pairing with your phone or laptop is effortless and done through the simple B&W Music app. Everything from their noise-cancelling capabilities, which shut out traffic noise and the rumble of everyday life, to the amount you get out of the battery (30 hours with ANC switched on) is stellar. Overall, these headphones give you a killer mix of a classic design, amped up sound and unobtrusive but cutting-edge tech that is hard to match. B&W also makes earbuds if you want a smaller option. Read our Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 review for more. Key specifications Type: Over-ear Battery life: Up to 30 hours with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) on Charging time: 15 minutes for up to seven hours playback Connections: Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C audio, 3.5mm mini jack Codecs supported: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Accompanying app: Yes, Bowers & Wilkins Music App 4. Best Noise Cancelling Headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds When it comes to noise cancelling headphones, Bose has long been the brand to beat. This pair creates a level of silence that other brands simply can't match. Someone could be talking directly at you and it will be hard to register anything other than their mouth moving. It's honestly as though you've discovered a mute button for the world. You could use these headphones just to block out sounds when you need some silence at work, while travelling, or even when you misplace your earplugs at night. The sound performance is great here too. You can fiddle with the equalisers in the app if you want to but the audio is so well balanced whatever genre you play that there's no real need to. I found the headphones made anything played on acoustic instruments really sing, however. Phone calls sound clear and crisp, and I could switch between the different ANC modes in the Bose app. 'Quiet' blocks out all noise and 'Aware' drops the level of noise cancelling so you can hear chatter around you. The design is slightly odd looking, although they fit comfortably and stay in your ears. They never once fell out during testing. Key specifications 5. Best Headphones for iPhone Users: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Apple has shifted over half a billion sets of AirPods since they launched, making CEO Tim Cook's 'cultural phenomenon' description of these white earbuds pretty reasonable. The first AirPods, and in fact several generations after, did not sound great, but newer generations, including these AirPods Pro 2, are among the best wireless earbuds and work superbly. That's particularly true if you're an iPhone user, with settings integrated seamlessly into the iOS operating system. These are, effortlessly, the best wireless earbuds for Apple users, and now match the latest iPhones with a switch to USB-C charging. That means they can be charged with the same cable that everything else has, rather than the special Lightning cable that only Apple gadgets used to have. They're compact, well-designed and sit beautifully in the ear. They're the best AirPods out there at present (although read our Apple AirPods 4 review for another decent and cheaper challenger). The sound quality is splendid, despite being pipped to the post by some Sony and Bowers and Wilkins earbuds, while the full package of on-ear control (you can adjust the volume directly on the sticks) and great noise cancelling means these are excellent everyday headphones. A new Adaptive Audio mode cleverly mixes the Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation mode, adjusting the noise control in real-time and it works well to cut repetitive noise like the chatter of an office. The physical appearance of AirPods is always going to be a little divisive, but if you can stomach the gleaming white toothbrush-heads, these are a fantastic listen. Read our full AirPods Pro 2 review. Key specifications 6. Best Headphones for Android: Nothing Ear 3 Smartphone brand Nothing is based in London and was founded by Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, offering devices with transparent-plastic designs and a focus on delivering performance without gimmicks and extras (hence 'Nothing'). These are great value for the money, with big bold sounds and noise cancellation for far less money than rival brands. The only downsides are a relatively low battery life of five hours and a finish that hovers somewhere between minimal and cheap. If you're using Nothing, you expect clear plastic, but they're not as tactile as many rivals. For the money however, the Nothing Ear 3 headphones are great, with the app offering extras such as sound detection to adjust music levels on the fly, and far better sound than you have the right to expect for this money. Codecs such as LDAC offer improved sound for Android users too, though Android fans should also read our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review for an alternative. Key specifications 7. Best Budget Headphones: Anker Soundcore Space One Pro Audio upstart Anker Soundcore offers a great variety of low-priced earphones and in a market where there is a lot of rubbish, they are a mostly reliable low- and mid-priced choice. The Soundcore Space One Pro are more expensive than all other Anker headphones, but they are often available at steep discounts, and they cost a fraction of the price of the leaders in this sector. If you're on a budget, it's worth looking at other Anker Soundcore cans and buds. The sound won't trouble the likes of Sony and Bowers with the bass a bit muddy and the separation of the sound into different instruments iffy too, but it's pretty reasonable for the money. Battery life is great with up to 55 hours with the ANC off and the noise cancellation is very good for the price, with a combination of decent blocking by the large ear cups and creditable ANC from the headphones. Extras include Bluetooth multipoint so you can stay connected to multiple devices and an Easy Chat mode for conversing without having to switch everything off. The one downside is they look and feel reasonably cheap: they fold up for transport, which is nice, but they feel flimsy and don't have a particularly polished finish. That won't be a deal breaker for some, but others will feel tempted to flee to plusher brands. Key specifications 8. Best Budget Earbuds: JBL Live TWS Pro 2 If you're looking for value for money in audio, JBL is the brand to go for whether you're talking speakers, headphones or in-ears. JBL does cheaper earbuds than the Live TWS Pro 2, but for us, the Pro 2s strike the perfect balance between affordability, features and sound. Earbuds that come in under £130 (and which can often be found discounted for less than £100) simply have no right to sound this good. They're not short on features either. The app offers a Find My Buds feature and there's also an option to ensure the three supplied tips fit your ear perfectly and optimise the great noise-cancelling. Speaking of which, the noise cancelling reacts to the environment and works equally well on traffic rumbles as it does on less predictable sounds such as crowds. There's Bluetooth multipoint so you can keep the headphones connected to both a laptop and a smartphone at the same time, and other extras include auto-pause when you take an earbud out, voice assistance and a talk through mode. Not bad for something half the price of some rivals. The only (slight) fly in the ointment is the lack of sharper Android-friendly codecs such as Apt-X. The Live TWS Pro 2 sound is big and bold with bass amply ladled on, though not garishly so, and a decent, realistic performance with vocals. Audiophiles might want to opt for more premium brands, but for most people, these sound great, perform well and have longer battery life than more expensive rivals. For another sportier JBL earbud option, read our JBL Reflect Aero TWS review. Key specifications 9. Best On-Ear Headphones: Beats Solo 4 Audio purists will occasionally still sniff at Dr Dre's Beats brand, which began life with cartoonishly bassy headsets in garish colours that sat somewhere between proper hi-fi kit and fashion accessories. Over time, the sound quality of Beats has evolved from its murky, bass-heavy beginnings to offering clearer, more solid sounds and the cans have a big following. The Beats Solo 4 stand out from the crowd and might be very desirable to some purchasers because they are not over ears (i.e. big headphones that go right over your ears), they are on ears, which perch daintily on top. The on ear format has always been a little Marmite but while it has been abandoned by most brands in recent years, these new Solos still rock the look. The ear cushions are soft and comfortable enough that you'll forget you have something clamped over your ears. Sound-wise these won't trouble the leaders in this category, but they're decent, with clean, nicely separated sounds that are a world away from the muffled woofs of early Beats. They're well-built and fold neatly for travel, though the plastic finish isn't the classiest in this guide. They'll deliver 50 hours off one charge, and (in an upgrade from their predecessor) have a standard USB-C charger rather than the irritating old USB Micro-B one. Pleasing extras include a 3.5mm jack (sadly now a rarity) and these headphones are far easier to use with Android devices than they once were. Apple owns Beats, so iPhone owners get integrated Apple features like Hey Siri and Find My. So what's missing? Noise cancelling, basically. If you want ANC you'll have to splash out for the more expensive Solo Pro cans, or read our Beats Powerbeats Pro review for another Beats option. Key specifications 10. Best Headphones for Outdoors: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven Danish brand Bang & Olufsen brings the same design panache to its wireless earbuds as it does to its exotic looking home hi-fi equipment, and the same careless bravado when it comes to pricing. These latest Beoplay Eleven are excellent, a worthy successor to the superb Beoplay EX. They are pricey, but they have an air of quality and style that few in this market can match. With a case that resembles an antique snuff box, and a metallic finish on the earphones themselves, these headphones look and feel absolutely lovely. The sound performance is similarly impressive: the bass is bigger than the previous Beoplay buds and it all feels realistic, sharp and crisp. The headphones are neatly designed and stay in your ears even when running. Noise-cancelling is similarly splendid, with Bang and Olufsen claiming to have doubled it since the last Beoplays. These are lovely earbuds, a delight to use and the IP57 rating means they can be immersed temporarily in water. Many customers might baulk at the price, but the stylish finish, great sounds and rock-solid fit will make these worth the price for some. Key specifications 11. Best Headphones for Running: Technics EAH-AZ100E-K Depending on discounts available, these come in a tiny bit beneath the price of the leaders in the earbud sector. Made by Technics, the 'serious' audio wing of Panasonic, these offer great performance for the money, feel great and have a solid, well-made design. You get five adjustable ear tips here compared to the three offered by many rivals in order to help you find a perfect fit. Getting just the 'right' fit and thus a good 'seal' inside your ear can make an enormous difference not just to the sounds that get in and out, but also to the musicality of the sound overall. It also helps if you're jogging, making these among the best running headphones under test here. The sounds are great too and while they are not quite as gloriously musical as rivals from B&W, they are cracking performers. You can also twiddle with the sound in the app, adding a bass boost if that is your thing, but it's not really necessary. The ANC is highly adjustable, with a 'dial' interface that lets you turn it up and down, although in most cases, you either want 'on' or 'off'. On the whole, these look good, sound good and are a delight to use. Key specifications 12. Best Headphones for Rockers: Marshall Monitor III Hard rockers will instantly feel at home with the branding here. The Marshall signature on the walls of black amps is the visually recognisable look of rock gigs, particularly those at the hairier, sweatier end of the rock spectrum. Naturally, these cans (endorsed by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, no less) make a guitar sound effect when they connect to your smartphone. Of course they do. Marshall has been bold with these: with a price of £299, they're squarely aiming at the higher end of the headphone market and thankfully, these are no rock-themed gimmicks. They sound excellent, feel high-quality and have incredible battery life. There's up to 100 hours with the noise cancelling turned off, so you rarely have to think of plugging these in to charge. The heavy cups offer natural noise cancelling, and a welcome transparency mode which turns people's voices up so you can hear them over the music. The ANC is also great. Another welcome trick is adaptive loudness, which tunes your music to the noise around you. The soundstage tool adjusts music to offer a more spacious live sound, offering a great experience with rock and other genres with an actual band playing. Overall, these sound big, enveloping and bold, and they work well with genres where you tend to turn things up to eleven, with rock and metal sounding pleasingly real. Key specifications 13. Best for Home Listening: Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 German headphone veterans Beyerdynamic are best known for big, high-quality headphones verging towards the professional end of the market. The company is dipping a toe into the wireless Bluetooth market, however, with these big, nicely engineered cans. The sound from the Aventho 300 is pleasingly neutral and makes music feel real and grown up, although it doesn't quite have the sparkle of leaders in this sector like Sony's brilliant noise cancelling headphones. These are still excellent, however, and offer plenty of functions like a voice that tells you which codec you're using so you can ensure you're getting the best audio quality possible. Beyerdynamic is relatively new to this market and the noise cancelling is a little wishy-washy, although the large, solid cups do a decent job of blocking sounds even without electronic assistance. There's touch control via the right ear cup (stroke up to raise the volume, for example, and tap twice to pause), which generally works well. Sometimes lags very slightly, which means that you can face a delay in informing someone that, no, you do not have a supermarket loyalty card. Extras such as Bluetooth multipoint round out the package, and overall, these are very good headphones that just miss out on being truly great. Key specifications: Headphone FAQs How do noise-cancelling headphones work? Noise cancelling headphones use a microphone (or multiple microphones) to listen to ambient noise and generate an opposing sound wave to cancel out sounds, such as aeroplane engines and office chatter. Can you wear headphones while driving? It's not illegal to wear headphones while driving in the UK, but you can be charged for careless or dangerous driving if a police officer believes your use of them was affecting your driving. What does ANC mean on headphones? ANC stands for active noise cancelling, which means it is done electronically – as opposed to passive noise cancelling, where the ear cups block out sound. How do you connect Bluetooth headphones? To connect Bluetooth headphones, open the Bluetooth menu on your device (i.e. a phone or PC) and then put your headphones or earbuds into Bluetooth pairing mode. Pairing mode varies by device, but with earbuds in particular, often simply opening the case puts them in pairing mode the first time. They should appear under available devices on your phone or computer, after which you choose them from the list to connect. Can you use Bluetooth headphones on a plane? You can use Bluetooth headphones on planes, although connecting them to the in-flight entertainment can be difficult and may require a Bluetooth transmitter like AirFly. What are bone conduction headphones? Bone conduction headphones are a less common technology, transmitting sound waves through your skull to your ear instead of through your ear canal. This leaves your ear canal unblocked, allowing you to stay more aware. How do you clean headphones? Carefully. Use a soft cloth to wipe them, if necessary making it slightly damp, and if needed, use a small amount of soap.
