Latest news with #HBOMax
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I've watched 43 shows in 2025 so far — here's the 7 worth watching right now on Netflix, Hulu and more
After seeing 43 shows over seven months, my list of the best shows of 2025 so far is starting to solidify. I did this exercise back in March when I had only watched a mere 24 shows this year. Now, I've nearly doubled that figure, and that's not even counting my rewatch of "Call My Agent." Full disclosure: Just because I've seen 43 shows doesn't mean I've seen everything. I still have yet to see "Squid Game" season 3, for example. But still, 43 is a good sample size, especially given that more than a few of these recently earned Emmy nominations. I feel particularly vindicated in a few of my selections after seeing them secure dozens of nominations. As usual, these shows are all available on the best streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and more. In fact, all but one of them are streaming originals. So, without further ado, here are the seven best shows of 2025 so far that you need to stream right now. Spoiler alert: it's largely changed from my previous list, so you definitely want to read to see what's changed. A quick peek behind the curtain: As I maintain my list of best shows (I do this for movies, too), I create tiers, in addition to ranking the shows in order. If a show is within a given tier, I could probably be convinced to reconsider its ranking, relative to the other shows in the same tier. I say this because "The Bear" season 4 is the only show in my top outside of my top two tiers. It's simply not as good as the next six shows. This season was a significant improvement from last year's season 3, though, which barely cracked my top 25 shows last year. Yes, it still felt a bit thin on story, but examining Carmy's (Jeremy Allen White) personal journey as a chef and as a person, and then bringing it to a close, was a worthwhile experience. I also particularly enjoyed the episodes "Worms," "Bears" and "Goodbye," even though I felt they never quite hit the heights of some of the episodes of a show like "The Last of Us" season 2, which "The Bear" season 4 just beats out in my rankings. Stream now on Hulu I loved "The Studio." In our Emmy nominations coverage, I declared it my top comedy series of the year ... and up until a few days ago, it was (more on that later). But regardless of what has moved ahead of it, that doesn't diminish how good this show is. The show's two-episode premiere was excellent, with the first episode establishing the world in which Matt Remick's (Seth Rogen) fictional Continental Studios exists. It never really dips in quality from there. The second episode, "The Oner," is a masterpiece and remains one of the best episodes of television I've watched all year. Its Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series is well deserved. I just hope that if it wins, somebody thanks Sal Saperstein. Stream now on Apple TV Plus "Paradise" was briefly my show of the year so far. It's been pushed down to fifth on the list, which just goes to show you what a great year of television 2025 has quietly been. The Hulu political drama stars Sterling K. Brown as a Secret Service agent to an assassinated president, and it's a masterclass in story building. It expertly layers twist after twist and manages to pay them all off by the season's end, while still propelling us into season 2. While it's ultimately dropped into a tier just below the final four shows on this list, it still has incredible moments. "Paradise" episode 7, "The Day," hits you like a nuclear bomb and will leave you feeling genuinely unsettled. I'm still shook by it, and that's no small feat. Stream now on Hulu I only just started watching "The Rehearsal" season 2 around the time it was wrapping up its run on HBO. I never watched the first season, and while I think show star/director/creator Nathan Fielder can be brilliant, I find some of his stuff can miss the mark. I couldn't even finish "The Curse." But wow, am I glad I watched this show. It's brilliant, expertly blending the genres of reality TV and scripted comedy in a way that constantly messes with your mind. You can never tell what's an act, what's real, and honestly, it doesn't even matter if it's all an act — because it's just so compelling. I can't tell you exactly where this season goes without spoiling it, and I don't want to do that. But the show starts with Fielder crafting a role-play simulation to examine why pilot communication failures lead to fatal airplane crashes. Ultimately, to fully construct his rehearsal, he creates a flight simulator, recreates a terminal of George Bush Intercontinental Airport and even stages a fake reality music competition within the show. He also crafts the episodes "Pilot's Code" and "My Controls," which are two of the five best episodes of TV I've watched all year. Stream now on HBO Max "Andor" season 2 started rough. A three-episode partial binge drop release schedule over just four weeks dumped 12 hours of episodes within a month. After the first three episodes underwhelmed me, I was ready to take a break and just come back to it eventually. But I'm glad I stuck with it, because the final nine episodes of this series were excellent, and if season 2 had maintained that level of quality across 12 episodes, it might be my No. 1 show of the year. Unlike last season, this season is covering four years within the "Star Wars" universe, with each three-episode arc covering essentially a weekend in one of those four years. The show hits its high watermark at episode 8, "Who Are You?", which is the best episode of TV I've seen all year and brings us the legendary Ghorman Massacre to life, a pivotal moment in "Star Wars" history. Stream now on Disney Plus "Adolescence" is not for the faint of heart. Consisting of just four episodes, each is an emotional gut punch, particularly the finale. The show revolves around the arrest of Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy who is suspected of murdering his classmate Katie Leonard (Emilia Holliday). Over four hours, we watch this tear apart his family and learn what may have contributed to the alleged killing, particularly the toxic online environment known as the manosphere. It's a compelling story that presents more like a play over four acts than a standard scripted drama. But "Adolescence" is also a technical marvel. The story takes place over months, but each episode is an hour of real time and is comprised of just a single shot. This choice forces the show to take us away from certain characters and moments when other dramas would cut back and forth, but in "Adolescence," it's a choice that pays off. Despite the impressive technique on display, though, this show lives and dies on its performances, and it holds the No. 2 spot on my list because of two specific performances, one of which is Stephen Graham's emotional scene to close out the show. The other is the entirety of "Episode 3," which is almost entirely a dialogue between Jamie and forensic psychologist Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty). Both are incredible, but Cooper's performance as Jamie in this episode should be enough to win him an Emmy. It already earned the show a Tom's Guide Award for Best Streaming Original Show. Stream now on Netflix Last time I did this list, I started this blurb with a simple line: "'The Pitt' is incredible." Spoiler alert: It's still incredible, and now the Television Academy has recognized how incredible this medical drama is, nominating it for 13 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series and several acting nominations. For those who haven't seen it yet, "The Pitt" is part "E.R." and part "24." It stars "E.R." vet Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby Robinavitch and follows him and his colleagues at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital throughout a 15-hour shift. That means, like "Adolescence," each episode takes place in real time. But despite the first season covering just mere hours in the lives of the characters, it accomplishes incredible world-building and character development. The show also excels at being realistic and navigating ongoing storylines. In the first part of the season, storylines can run throughout episodes, sometimes taking an episode off only to come back and make you cry, as episode 8, "2:00 P.M.," does to me every time. But then in episode 12, suddenly everything compresses into a single storyline, and it's executed perfectly. Stream now on Max Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately:
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Things to Know About Netflix Stock Before You Buy
Key Points Netflix's first-mover advantage has resulted in a sizable revenue and user base, leading to impressive profitability. Management has done a great job at shifting its strategy over time in an effort to do what's best for the business. Despite its dominance in the streaming industry, there is still growth potential. 10 stocks we like better than Netflix › We might all wish that we'd bought shares of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) 10 years ago. As of July 25, this category-creating enterprise has seen its stock price skyrocket 978% in the last decade. Look even further back, and the returns are truly eye-popping. Netflix deserves credit for completely upending the media industry. The company's success probably puts it at the top of the list as a potential addition to long-term portfolios. But it's important to gain a deeper understanding. Here are three things you need to know about Netflix before you buy this top streaming stock. Benefits of scale Netflix leveraged its first-mover advantage to rapidly grow its membership base in the early days of streaming, when the company was really only competing with traditional cable TV. Nowadays, Netflix is a scaled-up operator, generating $11.1 billion in revenue in the second quarter, and including more than 300 million households in its member base. Investing in content and technology are huge fixed costs. This is why scale matters. Companies need to increase their revenue enough to become profitable on a consistent basis. Smaller peers have struggled with this. Here's where Netflix truly shines. It spends massive amounts on content -- $18 billion in cash is planned for this year -- while still producing significant earnings. Operating margin is expected to be 29.5% in 2025. And the leadership team believes free cash flow will total $8 billion to $8.5 billion. Successful strategic pivots It's interesting to see how companies change over time, adapting to the shifting landscape in an effort to continue expanding. Netflix has made some smart moves, particularly in the past few years. In November 2022, it introduced a cheaper ad-based tier, following what competitors were doing. This targeted a wider audience, particularly consumers who were price-sensitive. This offering is seeing robust demand. In May 2023, management cracked down on households that were sharing passwords. Rivals Disney+ and HBO Max (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery) made similar decisions after Netflix. And perhaps most notable is the company's foray into live events and live sports, a move co-founder and former CEO Reed Hastings previously said Netflix wouldn't make. The business prioritizes the economics of deals, though, ensuring they make sense from a financial perspective. "We remain focused on ownable big breakthrough events," co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on the Q2 2025 earnings call. "Our audiences really love them." Netflix owns the rights to Christmas Day NFL games, and will air the next two FIFA Women's World Cups in the U.S. Netflix's success at adapting over the years should encourage investors to give the management team the benefit of the doubt. Looking ahead, it's almost a certainty that the company will continue to tweak its business model to drive further growth. Netflix's big opportunity Netflix is already a winner in the streaming wars. However, there's still a sizable runway to keep the growth going. "We also think that we are a minority of our addressable market," co-CEO Greg Peters said on the Q1 2025 earnings call. Of course, bringing on the next 100 million customers will be more challenging than it was to sign up the last 100 million -- otherwise, these people would already be subscribers. And because the biggest gains are likely to come from international markets, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America (regions where people typically have lower incomes), Netflix won't be able to flex the pricing power that has worked so well in the U.S. and Canada. Wall Street analysts believe Netflix's revenue will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 13.1% from 2024 to 2027. Over the very long term, I expect these gains to moderate into the single digits. If you're thinking of buying Netflix stock, you're now familiar with its scale advantage, the evolution of its business model, and the opportunity ahead. Should you buy stock in Netflix right now? Before you buy stock in Netflix, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Netflix wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 28, 2025 Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Netflix, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Things to Know About Netflix Stock Before You Buy was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Upturn
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Hacks Season 5: Release date speculation, cast and plot details – Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on July 30, 2025, 20:00 IST Last updated July 30, 2025, 19:17 IST The comedy gem Hacks has fans on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels' wild ride. This Emmy-sweeping HBO Max series, packed with sharp humor and raw emotion, has delivered four unforgettable seasons. With Season 5 confirmed, here's the latest scoop on its release date, cast, plot hints, and everything else worth knowing—perfect for die-hard fans and curious newcomers. Hacks Season 5 Potential Release Date No official release date has dropped yet for Hacks Season 5, but the show's track record offers some clues. Past seasons typically premiered in spring—April or May—except for a 2023 delay due to production snags. Following this pattern, May 2026 seems a solid guess for the next season's debut. The creative trio behind the show—Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky—keeps the production machine humming. Season 4 filming began in September 2024, and with Season 5 greenlit, the team is likely sticking to a similar schedule. Expect 10 episodes, possibly with a two-episode premiere followed by weekly drops, keeping fans hooked. Hacks Season 5 Expected Cast The cast is the heartbeat of Hacks , and Season 5 is set to bring back the heavy hitters who make the show shine. Here's the lineup fans can expect: Jean Smart as Deborah Vance Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels Paul W. Downs as Jimmy LuSaque Jr Megan Stalter as Kayla Schaefer Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus Rose Abdoo as Josefina and Mark Indelicato as Damien Season 4 brought fresh faces like Eric Balfour, Julianne Nicholson, and Bresha Webb, plus iconic cameos from Carol Burnett and Jimmy Kimmel. While Season 5's new additions are under wraps, the show's knack for surprise guests (think The View hosts in Season 3) means more big names could appear. Hacks Season 5 Potential Plot The magic of Hacks lies in Deborah and Ava's push-pull dynamic, and Season 5 is poised to shake things up. Season 4 ended with the duo on better terms after Ava's bold blackmail move to snag the head writer gig on Deborah's late-night show. Now, the focus shifts to how they navigate this high-pressure partnership. The creators have dropped hints about a less intense, more balanced relationship. Hannah Einbinder wants Ava to find her own circle, maybe leaning into friendships or a new community. Jean Smart agrees, suggesting both characters could benefit from a bit of independence while staying connected. Will the late-night show soar or crash? If it struggles, Season 5 might dive into the fallout, exploring how it reshapes their bond. Expect the signature mix of biting comedy and heartfelt moments. There's also talk of a potential spinoff featuring Kayla and Jimmy, with Statsky and Aniello tossing around the idea. While it's just speculation, it shows the Hacks universe is ripe for expansion, and Season 5 could plant seeds for more. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Tom's Guide Awards 2025: Our favorite streaming services, movies and TV shows
Regardless of whether you want to see a new original movie, binge the latest hit TV show in one sitting or follow your favorite sports team as they go all the way, streaming your favorite content online has never been easier and we've tried all the best streaming services available today. From streaming live TV, to streaming new original shows and movies, to streaming sports, there's always something to watch no matter when you fire up your TV. To help you find what's actually worth your time and money, we've watched all of the big releases across a number of different platforms, both paid and free. Our team of experts has tested and reviewed all of the best streaming services for the Tom's Guide Awards 2025. Below, we highlight our favorite new movies and shows and of course, the services that make watching them effortless from the last 12 months to make your viewing experience the best it can be. HBO Max is built on HBO's legacy — decades of being the place for quality TV before streaming was even a thing. It's where the phrase 'prestige television' basically came from, and that standard still holds. Their current shows are top-tier: "The Last of Us," "The White Lotus," "The Pitt," "Hacks." Their back catalog may be even more impressive: "The Sopranos," "Game of Thrones," "Succession." The movie library backs it up with everything from big new releases to cult classics, including a steady stream of A24 gems. Netflix brings quantity, and the Disney/Hulu bundle is great value, but HBO Max feels curated, like your friend with excellent taste put together a streaming service. This year, I re-reviewed all six of the mainstream live TV streaming services you can get in the U.S. I went in with an open mind, despite the fact that I was already a YouTube TV subscriber, because I was curious if I needed to make the switch to a different live TV service. Ultimately, I still felt that YouTube TV was the best choice for most people, thanks to a combination of popular channels, great features and a clean user interface. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It was close, though. Hulu + Live TV and Sling both are great values, and might be better bang for your buck depending on what you're looking for from your cable TV replacement. But they come with enough caveats and shortcomings that YouTube TV reigns supreme. Best sports streaming service is a tricky category. Is it about which service offers the most sports? Or is it about which service offers the best selection of sports? Maybe it needs to be about which has the best features for sports watchers? After examining these questions, I'm not sure there's a clear winner, but I landed on YouTube TV for a couple of reasons. Multiview, catching up with key plays and NFL Sunday Ticket integration are a combination of features that only YouTube TV can offer. That led me to the conclusion that YouTube TV was the best streaming service to watch sports on, even if it doesn't necessarily offer the most sports channels or most sports leagues of any streaming service. Tubi is my go-to for free streaming. It's like wandering into a video store from 1997 and finding everything from cult horror to forgotten sitcoms to the dumbest action flicks. Where else can I watch a forgotten '80s slasher, a conspiracy doc, and an Oscar winner back-to-back — all without paying a dime? The Roku Channel is solid, and Pluto TV scratches the live-TV itch when I'm feeling lazy. But Tubi gets the nod over them for live-streaming the Super Bowl this year, without a single glitch. Touchdown! I fought long and hard for "The Pitt" to win this award, but I was overruled by a good amount of the streaming team here at Tom's Guide. To be fair, I get it. "Adolescence" is an incredible show, and while I have "The Pitt" ahead of it for my best show of the past 12 months, there are some days I consider swapping their places. This Netflix limited series is intimate and chaotic and a technical marvel all at the same time. Watching it is akin to watching a play in four acts, each one of them leaving you emotionally raw at the end of it. I promise you, you won't watch anything else like it this year. There was decent competition for this slot, but 'Woman of the Hour' was the streaming movie that left the biggest impression on the team at Tom's Guide (myself included), and I can see why: it was Anna Kendrick's directorial debut… and what a debut it was. This genuinely chilling watch isn't the movie you expect it to be. It depicts the stranger-than-fiction story of serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto) and aspiring actor Sheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick), who crossed paths when they were both cast on an episode of 'The Dating Game.' It's a compelling, tense, and well-composed feature, one that centers not on the killer, but the victims whose lives he cut short. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Time Business News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
IPTV Sverige: Samla all din TV på ett ställe 2025
Sound familiar? You flop down on the couch after a long day, ready to relax. Maybe you want to watch that new, hyped-up series everyone's talking about—or the big Allsvenskan match. You grab the remote and… then it begins. Which service was it again? Is the show on Netflix, HBO Max (or just 'Max' now?), SkyShowtime, or Prime Video? And the match—is it on TV4 Play or Viaplay? Before you know it, you've spent ten minutes jumping between apps, and that relaxing feeling? Gone. I've been there. I had three—sometimes four—different streaming subscriptions draining money every month. Yet it always felt like I was missing something. That was the last straw. There had to be a smarter way to watch TV in 2025. And there is. Let me tell you about my biggest 'aha!' moment in a long time. Back in the day, it was simple. One box, one remote. You just flipped channels. Today, every media company and production house has its own platform. Sports and series rights are scattered like shotgun pellets. If you want to watch everything—from Premier League and Formula 1 to local SHL games and the latest Hollywood hits—you'd need a wallet as thick as an old phone book. It's a deliberate strategy to lock us in. But for those of us who just want easy access to entertainment without the hassle or crazy costs, it's… exhausting. While searching for a better solution, I stumbled across a term I had heard before but never truly understood: IPTV. And no—it's not super technical or complicated. Quite the opposite. Imagine combining the best of old-school TV (all your channels in one place) with the best of the new era (the freedom to watch whatever, whenever, wherever). In its simplest form, it's TV streamed through your internet connection. This was a total game-changer for me. Suddenly, everything was right there—in one single app. I'm glad you asked! It's easy to get nerdy here, but let me break it down to the three things I personally love the most: And I'm not just talking about standard Swedish channels. I mean global sports, the latest blockbusters straight from the cinema (VOD – Video on Demand), thousands of series, and even international news channels. Jumping from a Djurgården match to a brand-new documentary without switching apps is so liberating. Let's be honest—this is a huge reason. I went from paying over 800 SEK/month for various services to a fraction of that. For more content. That's tough to beat. I can watch on my Smart TV in the living room, my tablet in the kitchen, or my phone on the bus. Perfect for summer cabins—or when the family can't agree on what to watch. Here's where you need to be a little smart. The entire experience hinges on which provider you choose. There are lots of IPTV services out there, and quality varies widely. I did the hard work—testing different options and reading endless forum threads. The key is to find a reliable service with a broad offering and good support. After a lot of research, I found an IPTV provider that ticked all the boxes. Setup was super easy—basically just download an app and enter a code. Within ten minutes, I had access to an entire world of entertainment. What really sold me was how well-tailored the service was for us in the Nordics. Finding a solid IPTV Nordic provider that brings together everything from SVT's archive to the hottest local sports leagues felt like finding a digital home. Make sure you have a stable internet connection (at least 30 Mbps is recommended for HD streaming). That's the key to a buffer-free experience. IPTV doesn't use more data than streaming Netflix in high quality, but a solid connection makes all the difference. Today, watching TV feels logical again. One app, one interface, endless options. I've rediscovered the joy of aimlessly channel-surfing on a Tuesday night and stumbling across a classic movie—or a sport I've never watched before. I'm not saying you should cancel all your subscriptions tomorrow. But if you, like me, are tired of overpaying for a fragmented and frustrating experience, it might be worth exploring a smarter alternative. For me, it's meant more entertainment, lower costs, and—most importantly—less stress. Now I'm curious—what show or sport are you most looking forward to this fall? Drop a comment below! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
