The Last of Us, a video game that practically held even nongamers in a chokehold during quarantine after part two dropped in 2020, is getting the HBO treatment. 

The original PlayStation game, which debuted in 2013, follows Joel—or well, I guess it’s more accurate to say that users control Joel—a smuggler escorting a teenage girl named Ellie across a zombie-infested, postapocalyptic United States. Ellie has been infected with the disease that wiped out civilization but shows no symptoms and believes that her immunity may lead to a cure. Along the way, friends and allies help the pair, often losing their own life in the process. Joel and Ellie develop a deep bond; at the outset of the infection, Joel lost his daughter, and he takes protecting Ellie very seriously.

The game debuted to major acclaim and popularity, as did its sequel. HBO greenlighted a television adaptation in November 2020. The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal will take on the role of Joel, while Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont on Game of Thrones) plays Ellie. You can see a picture of them in character here; although, don’t get too excited, because it’s from behind.

Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us.

The first season will be based on the first game. There have been expansion packs and, of course, the sequel, but The Hollywood Reporter notes that incorporating these storylines is just a “possibility” at this point.

It’s going to be dark. The writer and creator of the game, Neil Druckmann, will be involved with the writing of the series, per THR, and he’s teaming up with Craig Mazin, who made Chernobyl for HBO. So, yeah, pretty serious stuff. ICYMI, Chernobyl was also a kind of apocalypse story, a harrowing dramatization of the real-life disaster at a nuclear facility in the Soviet Union in 1986.

Back to the 19th century we go! HBO has renewed prestige period drama The Gilded Age, from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, for a second season. 

On February 14, 2022, HBO announced the renewal, which is currently in the midst of airing its nine-episode first season. The series stars veteran actors Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, and Carrie Coon, as well as breakout newcomers Louisa Jacobson and Denée Benton.  

“Julian Fellowes and the entire Gilded Age family have captivated us with their tale of late 19th century New York City extravagance,” executive vice president of HBO programming, Francesca Orsi, said in a statement. “Along with our partners at Universal Television, we couldn’t be prouder to embark on a season two journey with this extraordinarily talented team.” 

Here’s everything we know, and we’ll continue to update this post as more information becomes available. 

What is The Gilded Age about?

Per HBO, “The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, of great conflict between the old ways and brand new systems, and of huge fortunes made and lost. Against the backdrop of this transformation, HBO’s The Gilded Age begins in 1882 with young Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) moving from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father to live with her thoroughly old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon). Accompanied by Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), an aspiring writer seeking a fresh start, Marian inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a social war between one of her aunts, a scion of the old money set, and her stupendously rich neighbors, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife, George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon). Exposed to a world on the brink of the modern age, will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path?”

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When will season two begin filming?

Production will most likely begin later this year, though no exact date has been given. And given the expansive nature of the series, a 2023 premiere date seems likely. 

Which cast members will be returning?

No official announcement has been made, but it’s a safe bet that series regulars Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Blake Ritson, Simon Jones, Harry Richardson, Thomas Cocquerel, Jack Gilpin, Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski will return. By the way, did you catch this Gossip Girl fan favorite in the series?

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. For more on The Gilded Age, you can read our season one premiere review here and our profile on Denée Benton here. 

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the second season of HBO’s hit teen drama Euphoria. The latest episode, “A Thousand Little Trees of Blood,” is currently available to stream on HBO Max. 

Does Euphoria have as much drama off-screen as it does on? Probably not, but it’s not exactly a low-key workplace, according to rumors that have been circulating over the past few months. Earlier this year, blind items on DeuMoix suggested that Barbie Ferreira, who plays Kat Hernandez on the show, was not “vibing” with creator Sam Levinson’s vision for the second season, even walking off the set at one point during an argument. Viewers soon noticed that Kat, who had been featured prominently in the first season, had far fewer scenes in the new episodes, with many guessing that this was a form of retaliation by Levinson. Ferreira notably didn’t attend the second-season premiere, which only fueled speculation.

Now, we have confirmation that Kat’s arc is not what was originally planned—because a lot has changed for every character. In a joint interview with The Cut, star and executive producer Zendaya revealed that the original scripts were significantly reworked. “There are very few things that remain in the version you’re now seeing,” she said. “The things that didn’t make it definitely needed to die.” (Alexa Demie also revealed a change in the script regarding that sex tape.)

In the same interview, Ferreira explained why Kat’s behavior may strike fans as confusing. “Kat’s journey this season is a little more internal and a little mysterious to the audience,” Ferreira said. “She is secretly going through a lot of existential crises.” 

In the most recent episode, for instance, she told her boyfriend that they had to break up because she had a terminal brain disease, seemingly a lie that came out of nowhere. “She loses her marbles a little bit — just like everyone else in this season,” Ferriera continued. “The theme is everyone’s gone a little crazy.”

Though Ferriera did not comment on the behind-the-scenes rumors, Kat’s actions in episode six did not seem to convince fans that everything is copacetic behind the scenes… Hopefully, in the final two episodes, Kat’s storyline will come together and give us more scenes with Ferreira to obsess over. 

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Sunday nights mean one thing for stans of the East Highland High crew—new Euphoria outfits. As we reach the halfway point in season two, it’s clear that the main characters’ looks have inspired more than just a revival of glitter and stardust eye shadow. 

With its mashup of aesthetics, the show is a gateway for storytelling and exploring personal style, from the indie sleaze you’ll recognize in Rue’s and Jules’s outfits (mesh tops, anyone?) to the Y2K pieces that make up Maddy’s wardrobe. And in a time dominated by remixed trends, there’s no better moment to play around with your own wardrobe choices. 

As the storylines continue to unfold, so does the show’s costume design—and we’ve been keeping tabs on the pieces and designers that define each character’s aesthetic. Whether you’re channeling Maddy’s baddie energy with subversive basics that leave little to the imagination or prefer Rue’s tomboy vibe, ahead, a full breakdown of how the main cast dresses, along with the Euphoria outfits you can use as prime inspo for your next ’fit.

Maddy Perez 

Euphoria fans can all agree on one thing—Maddy’s the squad’s biggest risk-taker, and her already iconic looks are rivaling those of Manny Santos in Degrassi. (Who can forget the thong scene?) At the start of season two alone, Alexa Demie’s character had fans sprinting to Google to find the cutout minidress she paired with Amina Muaddi heels. Turns out the dress is from indie label Akna, which has sadly been sold out since the episode’s debut. (Variety reported that a mix of brands like I.Am.Gia, Dion Lee, Jacquemus, and Balenciaga are also featured in season two.) You can always count on Maddy to stand out, though, whether it’s with a flared matching set or a deconstructed tank top held together by blinged-out safety pins. (A fun DIY project, BTW.) Her accessories game is also always on point—and she rarely leaves the house without her signature nameplate necklace or chunky gold hoops. Bottom line: Maddy inspires us to channel our inner baddie.

Cassie Howard

If you thought Euphoria couldn’t get any more stressful, well, you probably haven’t seen season two, episode five. Warning: Spoilers ahead. The latest episode, “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird,” is currently available to stream on HBO Max. Watch it and come back.

A lot happens in the episode, but we’re going to focus on the first 15 minutes. At the top of the episode, everything goes to shit for Rue (Zendaya) after her mom (Nika King) has learned of her daughter’s relapse. While Rue initially thinks her sister Gia (Storm Reid) ratted her out, it’s revealed Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Elliot (Dominik Fike) are also present for this intervention when Jules tells Rue that Mrs. Bennett has flushed her entire suitcase of drugs down the drain—you know, the drugs that she was supposed to sell for a terrifying drug dealer, whom she owes $10,000…. Not good.

However, while your mind was playing out the ramifications of those actions and processing the ensuing fight between Rue and Jules, cop chase, and that Nate-Cassie bombshell, you may have forgotten one plot detail that kind of makes the whole situation even more terrible.

After viewing the episode, TikTok user @Trisa_3 posted a video questioning why Rue’s mom would immediately flush the drugs instead of ensuring that Rue wasn’t in deeper trouble outside of abusing narcotics. “If I found a large suitcase of drugs in my daughter’s room, I would not just throw them out,” she said. “I would assume the worst and I would assume she owes someone.”

Fair! But to make matters worse, Jeremy O. Harris, a playwright and consulting producer on Euphoria, thought it prudent to remind fans of something that happened in episode four that makes the entire first scene even more messed up. “[Rue] had told Elliot her whole plan,” he commented

Okay, let’s get into some inappropriate questions. Are you nervous? 

No. Should I be?

Maybe. What’s a relationship rule you think is B.S.? 

I don’t know, what are the rules?

For example, people might say you can’t text someone you’re interested in for at least a day after you meet. 

That’s pretty much bullshit. What the fuck would you be waiting for? I don’t text anybody anyways; I just call people on the phone. I call people whenever after I meet them. I don’t put a time on it.

Fill in the blank: I love when my partner_____

I love when my partner does something nice.

What’s the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you?

Maybe getting a flower or some shit.

Do you have a favorite flower?

Rose.  

You have a full day to binge-watch whatever you want—what are you watching?

It depends on my mood but, for me, the go-to is The Office. Come on, now. That’s old reliable, you feel me? It’s a classic!

What is the weirdest thing you do in your alone time?

Oh, you’re tryin’ to get real risqué. [Laughs.] Maybe, like, read a book? It seems pretty foreign to people nowadays. 

Screw, Marry, Kill: Weed, alcohol, pizza.

I would probably marry weed, kill alcohol, and eat pizza.

What’s the most surprising place you’ve hooked up with someone? 

On top of, like, a crane or an abandoned building. 

That’s an answer I’ve never heard before! What’s something that everyone loves but you don’t?

I’d rather eat a Big Mac than an In-N-Out Burger. Unpopular opinion, I don’t care. I’d rather eat a Big Mac than an In-N-Out Burger, and I’ll say that with my chest. 

You mentioned in an interview that you’d like to be in a project like Harry Potter. What’s your Hogwarts house?

“Seema is a great stand-in for Samantha, and I would love to see her more fleshed out in season two.” —B.C.

“Seema is great, and I hope we see more of her next season! I get the sense she is more of a Samantha-like ‘replacement,’ and I’m here for it. I wish we saw more of her this season!” —C.B.

“Seema is bold and confident and sexy—basically Samantha—but also very honest and vulnerable when it comes to the realities of being single and never married in your 50s. If there’s a season two, I hope we get to delve into her world more because she’s one of the best characters to come along in a long time.” —J.R.

Real estate

“This isn’t Selling Sunset! There are too many apartments on this show.” —N.P. 

“Carrie buying a new apartment about once an episode had me losing my mind. I know that this show is a fantasy, but watching this woman grumpily purchase homes the size of Grand Central Station had me googling ‘How to join Democratic Socialism.’” —J.S. 

Body diversity

“As a style lover well over the typical sample size, I was hopeful we would have a fashionable plus-size character who uses her clothing as a means to be as flamboyant and vibrant as the other women on the show. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I’m really hoping the writers introduce a wonderful plus-size character in the next season, but as in most mainstream media, I’m doubtful plus-size representation will be celebrated on the show.” —A.E.

Steve

“Everything Steve says about marriage is so heartbreakingly true, and let’s not be afraid to talk about it. Marriage is boring. You get up, you go to work, you come back to the same person, you talk about your kids, you eat shit in front of a TV show, but you have intimacy. That’s all he wants. He doesn’t need to meet anyone else. And that doesn’t make him pitiable—it’s what a lot of what people want. He’s like the truth teller of the hard parts of life in the show, and I love him for it.” —N.P.

“I am truly heartbroken for Steve, but I do think their splitting feels real in the sense that so many couples are divorcing post-lockdown. Do I wish it was more amicable and Steve wasn’t so heartbroken and surprised by it? Definitely.” —C.B.

Parenting

“It was cringe-worthy at first when Charlotte couldn’t accept that Rock (at the time, going by Rose) didn’t want to wear a dress. But as time wore on, Charlotte came to understand that Rock was nonbinary and their new name wasn’t a request; it was reality. Watching Charlotte—and Harry—learn how to grow as parents, while admitting that it’s still a difficult adjustment, was the show at its finest.” —J.R.  

“I was very moved by this storyline! I mean…I wish the writers hadn’t given so much unchallenged screen time to characters comparing a child who identifies as nonbinary to a child who identifies as a dog. But! By the time we arrived at Charlotte and Harry throwing their child a supportive, nonbinary they-mitzvah (which synagogues are actually calling ‘B-mitzvahs’ these days!), I was cheering. Every show should have a trans woman rabbi played by the spectacular Hari Nef emerge from a bathroom stall to dole out unsolicited life advice.” —J.S.  

Final thoughts

“What made the O.G. show so good is that each episode had a theme that tied each woman’s plot line together. It often feels like we are in three (or four or five depending on side characters) different shows. But I love anytime Carrie’s old clothes come out to play, and Hot Fellas Bread is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.” —B.C.

“I’m still curious about Aidan’s return. I would love to see if him and Carrie reconnect for the 100th time, because I love nostalgia.” —C.B.

“Okay, so And Just Like That… wasn’t perfect. And it was fun to criticize the parts that didn’t work. But overall I looked forward to watching it every week. It brought me joy and entertainment, and frankly, that’s all I can ask for. So maybe we can all stop bashing it next season (if there is one) and admit that we actually are having a good time again with some familiar faces and new ones.” —J.R.

Being alive continues to be…a challenge. Too much heartbreak, too much paperwork. We turn to comfort TV for a relatively safe way to cope. Good for us! This is healthier than doing drugs or crimes (probably.) 

Streaming services allow for a kind of self-administered mental morphine drip, through comfort shows. You know classic comfort TV: The Office. Friends. Gilmore Girls. Parks and Recreation. Maybe you rewatch critically-acclaimed comfort comedies like Fleabag, Insecure, 30 Rock, or Ted Lasso. Or maybe you stick to the classics: Seinfeld, The Nanny, Sex and the City, and Golden Girls. But at a certain point, rewatching shows you love is like trying to wring flavor out of the same piece of gum. (See instead: The recommendation below for Michaela Coel’s genius 2015 comedy, Chewing Gum.)

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I’m not here to lecture you about watching less comfort TV. I’m here to try to cajole you into enjoying the comfort TV you watch more. There are so many undiscovered, underrated delights just awaiting you. “You took me by the hand/Made me a man/That one night/You made everything alright.” If you just sang those lyrics from the “Dinner Party” episode of The Office to yourself, you need a change. (See instead: The recommendation below for The Other Two, one of the funniest and most underrated comedies on TV.) 

People can do hard things! Lady Gaga said that. And even though Gaga was speaking about how to exercise one’s moral compass through acts of kindness, I believe this can also be applied to watching a greater variety of TV comedies. Stretch yourself. Expand your horizons, without actually going outside or anything. You can still identify as a Samantha or Team Jess. But like a person who pries herself off the couch after 12 hours to change into a fresh pair of pajamas and get back on the couch, try switching one thing up, and see if it doesn’t feel good. 

Comfort TV comedies to watch if you have…HBO Max

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Starstruck. It’s hard to overstate how enjoyable Starstruck is. I sat down to watch 10 minutes of the first episode and I did not get up until I was almost done with the series. Hot celebrity men should fall for smart, funny, not-famous women more often—such is the plot of the charm-packed Starstruck, created by comedian Rose Matafeo, who also stars. It’s like Notting Hill, except in the 2020s, and Matafeo’s character compares her relationship with a movie star to “one of those weird animal friendship shows where you see a Labrador and a hedgehog who are friends.” It’s superb. 

At the risk of getting Too Real for an article about a Sex and the City reboot, I think many of us will find ourselves, at some point in our lives, watching the light go out of the eyes of a person we love. I imagine that the writers of the show focused on this moment rather than on the logistics of calling 911 because they wanted us to see Carrie’s anguish, the trauma rewiring her consciousness, right before our eyes.

Isn’t that the main theme of the first episodes of And Just Like That…—the way aging comes with so much grief and loss? Samantha is lost to her friends. Carrie has lost her sense of the zeitgeist and her foothold in her career. Miranda is losing her mind because she can no longer center feminism around her own experience. Charlotte is losing her connection with the children she wanted so badly. Steve actually loses his hearing. And the many losses of COVID-19 color every scene. 

I’m not trying to “all responses are valid” a heart attack or other emergency—go call 911! Right away! But extreme stress causes people to freeze. To me it felt highly realistic that any person watching their partner dying would have the instinct to hold them. 

Now, on a lighter note, here are some times characters in the first episode absolutely should have called 911 immediately:

-When Samantha moves to the United Kingdom and her best friends are all like, “Oh well! She’s gone, I guess!” Get on a plane and beg for her forgiveness, you absolute freaks.

-When all the women on the show keep making sad, weird, diet-culture jokes about sharing a single order of fries. 

-When Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte can’t stop using the word passing to describe looking younger. 

-When Lily, who was adopted, jokingly compares her adoption to her dog’s adoption, and then Charlotte says, “For the record, you rescued me.” What a very uncool way to frame the complexities of adoption! 

-When Charlotte forces a dress on her child that obviously compromises that child’s gender identity and sense of safety. 

-When Miranda blunders around her law class monologuing about the difficulties of being a white woman. (I thought this was a funny, cutting impression of the way a lot of white liberals talk, but oh my God, someone in the class should have called an ambulance.)

Jenny Singer is a staff writer for Glamour. You can follow her on Twitter. 

Get those ones ready, because Magic Mike is returning for a third installment starring the one and only Channing Tatum.

HBO Max and Tatum announced the news on November 29 that a new iteration of your second favorite stripper movie—behind Hustlers, of course—will be hitting the streaming service at least one more time. “Is there anybody on screen more charismatic and appealing than Magic Mike?” Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be back in business with Channing, Steven, and their creative team to bring back Magic Mike’s wonderful combination of dance, drama, romance, and humor.”

Tatum, for his part, is excited to expand the Magic Mike universe once more. The first two films, released in 2012 and 2015, inspired the Las Vegas and international live shows, Magic Mike Live, as well as an upcoming reality series, Finding Magic Mike.

“There are no words for how excited I am to blow the doors off of the world of Magic Mike with Steven, Greg, Reid, and the amazing people at HBO Max,” Tatum said in the press release. “The stripperverse will never be the same.”

Here’s everything we know about Magic Mike 3:

What’s it called? Magic Mike’s Last Dance. That sounds pretty final, but we’ll see. 

How can I watch it? Though we have no word yet on a release date, it’s safe to assume the film will drop on HBO Max. We’ll let you know as soon as we do if there will also be a theatrical run.

Who is returning? Channing Tatum is the only actor currently attached to the film, reprising his role as Mike Lane. Still, there will likely be riots on our hands if we don’t get to see more of Joe Manganiello as Richie. 

As for the creative team, Steven Soderbergh, who directed the first Magic Mike, is back with a script from Reid Carolin, who also wrote the first two films. Gregory Jacobs, who directed Magic Mike XXL, will also return as a producer. 

“As soon as I saw what Channing, Reid, and the Magic Mike choreographic team did with the live show, I said we have to make another movie,” Soderbergh said. “Mike Lane’s dream of connecting people through dance must be realized!”

Any new blood? As we said, Tatum is the only actor attached, but fans might want to start getting emotionally prepared for a cameo by Lenny Kravitz. In case you didn’t know, Tatum is reportedly dating the rockstar’s daughter, Zoë Kravitz, and Tatum has been spotted in the elder Kravitz’s Instagram comments.

“Good god man,” Tatum commented on a post from September, per Us Weekly. “What are you eating or what’s in the water or the genes. It’s not natural. Do you just do abs like all day?”

Kravitz replied, “Dude, I’m just trying to get in the next Magic Mike. Any connections?”

This post will be updated.

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