The devastating tragedy is explored in the new Netflix documentary. Where is Taylor Parker now? Inside the Maternal Instinct killer's life now The devastating tragedy is explored in the new Netflix documentary. By Brianna Zigler June 12, 2026 4:18 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ReaganHancockTaylorParker061226cc01f3a8cfb64398895071045a0eef96.jpg) Reagan SimmonsHancock; Taylor Parker. Credit: Facebook; Idabel Police Department New Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct puts the horrific 2020 murder of Reagan SimmonsHancock back in the spotlight.

The devastating tragedy is explored in the new Netflix documentary.

Where is Taylor Parker now? Inside the *Maternal Instinct *killer's life now

The devastating tragedy is explored in the new Netflix documentary.

By Brianna Zigler

June 12, 2026 4:18 p.m. ET

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Reagan Simmons-Hancock; Taylor Parker. Credit:

Facebook; Idabel Police Department

- New Netflix documentary *Maternal Instinct* puts the horrific 2020 murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock back in the spotlight.

- Taylor Parker had faked a pregnancy for 10 months before killing Simmons-Hancock to take her unborn child.

- Parker is currently awaiting a date of execution on death row.

In October 2020, Texas native Taylor Parker was 10 months late delivering her third child. Though the timeframe was concerning, she’d previously presented official documents verifying her pregnancy and even held a gender reveal party. Her plan was to have the child with her boyfriend, Wade Griffin, whom she’d only been dating for a short time. She wanted to settle down with her new family on a huge property using her vast inheritance.

This was all, unfortunately, a massive web of lies, and it ended in tragedy. Desperate to keep up the absurd ruse and prevent Griffin from leaving her, Parker faked her pregnancy and murdered her friend, Reagan Simmons-Hancock, in an attempt to remove her unborn baby from her womb and pass it off as her own.

How did a series of fibs turn into the murder of a 21-year-old woman and her unborn child? This is what the new Netflix documentary *Maternal Instinct* sets out to dissect. Instead of spending any time on Parker’s POV, the film focuses on the victims of her manipulation and the scars she left them with.

Jessica Dimmock’s documentary, which is now streaming on Netflix, returns to this devastating case through a patchwork of interviews, police body cam footage, and archival photos. Here’s everything we know about where Taylor Parker is today.

Who is Taylor Parker?

Taylor Parker in the hospital in 2020 after lying about giving birth.

According to public records, Taylor Parker was born on December 8, 1992, in Titus County, Tex. However, her early life remains vague.

Parker’s brother, Zachary Morton, did testify in court that they had a fraught childhood. He explained to the judge that their father, Mark Morton, once brought him to a “drug house,” that he exploited them in his divorce from their mother, Shonna Prior, and that he did not always prioritize them.

According to Morton, this pattern of poor parenting was passed on to Parker, who had two children, a son with ex-husband Tommy Wacasey and a daughter from a prior relationship. When she and Wacasey divorced in 2017, she gave up custody of their son willingly and did not pay any child support.

Morton said that while Parker was a good parent for the most part, she, like their father, would put her daughter on the back burner to chase after a romance, which he witnessed when she pursued Griffin.

Parker held jobs at a staffing agency and an OB-GYN clinic, though she would attempt to lie and claim that she had a big inheritance coming her way — that she was a “syrup heiress.” She also lied repeatedly to Wacasey about health issues during their marriage, and to her former friends and coworkers, claiming she had multiple sclerosis, cancer, and suffered a stroke.

In 2014, Parker underwent gastric bypass surgery for weight loss and a tubal ligation that same year, though a subsequent ectopic pregnancy resulted in a medically necessary hysterectomy in 2015, per *KTAL*. Thus, she was unable to bear children.

Though Parker’s aunt, Molly Glass, claimed in court that the gastric bypass surgery and hysterectomy seemed to mark a significant shift in Parker’s personality, her former stepmother told the court that as a young girl Parker had a bad habit of lying to get what she wanted.

What's the timeline of Parker's relationship with Wade Griffin?

Wade Griffin in Netflix's 'Maternal Instinct'.

Parker met hog-trapper Wade Griffin in 2019 at a rodeo, and the two began dating shortly after. Theirs was a whirlwind relationship, with Griffin’s mother, Connie, testifying in court that she took note of “red flags” despite Parker generally getting along with her family. This included the fact that Parker didn’t have custody of her son.

“She seemed to want a close relationship. I could not tell if [Griffin] wanted that or was standing back,” Connie said.

Before long, Parker was telling Griffin and his family that she was in the process of securing a $20 million real estate deal, a large ranch for the two of them to settle on. She had even put both her and Griffin’s names on the contract, referring to herself as “Taylor Parker-Griffin” despite the two not being married.

It seemed that she hoped this would change soon, however, when she began claiming that she was pregnant. Griffin knew that she had two children, but did not know about her hysterectomy. Parker began preparing as if they were really having a baby, purchasing clothes and toys, posting about her pregnancy on social media, and having a gender reveal party. Ultimately, she was wearing a pillow under her shirt and eventually purchased a fake silicone belly online for her maternity shoot.

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Connie was suspicious that Parker’s pregnancy was a lie, and as *Maternal Instinct* details, those close to Griffin eventually pieced together the trail of deception through dogged research and contact with Parker’s former friends. However, Griffin stuck by Parker, despite privately feeling some uncertainty himself.  He admits that he never loved her.

Though Griffin’s family were expecting a miscarriage announcement as Parker’s fake due date approached and then passed, Parker continued to hold fast to her lie instead of letting go. In the end, she’d go to increasingly desperate lengths to maintain the scheme.

What happened to Reagan Simmons-Hancock?

Jessica Brookes in 'Maternal Instinct'.

At one point, Parker worked as a wedding photographer. She was hired by Reagan Simmons-Hancock to take her engagement photos with longtime boyfriend Homer Hancock, and then went on to photograph their wedding in September 2019. Sometime after this, Parker befriended Simmons-Hancock.

Still holding onto her pregnancy lie, Parker murdered Simmons-Hancock on the morning of October 9, 2020. At the time, the 21-year-old was 35 weeks pregnant, and Parker had visited her house the night before, according to Homer. Simmons-Hancock was meant to be induced on October 6, but a bomb threat was called into the clinic. This call has since been linked to Parker.

When Homer went to work early the morning of October 9, his “I love you text” to Simmons-Hancock went unanswered, prompting concern. Homer called Simmons-Hancock’s mother, and she visited their home to find her daughter face-down in a pool of her own blood. When emergency responders arrived, they discovered a crude C-section had been performed, and Simmons-Hancock's unborn daughter, Braxlynn, had been removed from her uterus.

Simmons-Hancock had been stabbed 15 times by Parker, strangled, and left to die, while Simmons-Hancock’s three-year-old daughter hid in her bedroom nearby. Later on, state troopers pulled Parker over in her car for erratic driving, where she claimed she had just given birth on the side of the road.

When she and the baby were brought to a hospital, she initially refused to be examined by doctors, raising suspicion. Eventually, she was convinced to let a doctor look at her, and they quickly confirmed she had not given birth. DNA testing then confirmed that Braxlynn, who died shortly after arriving at the hospital, was not Parker’s.

Though she first insisted to authorities that the baby was hers, which you can see via body cam footage in *Maternal Instinct,* she goes on to admit that she’d never been pregnant and had abducted the baby. She was then arrested at the hospital.

A year later, she was indicted on charges of capital murder and kidnapping, to which she pleaded not guilty. During the trial, forensic psychologist Dr. Michael Arambula observed that Parker likely had a borderline personality, falling into the “Cluster B” personality disorders.

A "Cluster B" personality includes narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, and sociopathy.

Where is Taylor Parker now?

Emily Simmons in 'Maternal Instinct'.

In October 2022, Parker was found guilty of capital murder and kidnapping, and she was sentenced to death in November after less than two hours of jury deliberation, as reported by *TXK Today*.

"The circumstances in which Reagan died are horrible and there is no doubt it was torture," Bowie County Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said during her closing statements, as reported by the *Texarkana Gazette*. "But a mother died fighting for her child. That's how she left the world. A woman who died fighting."

“We are just glad justice has been served, not only for our family, our friends, the prosecution team, our community,” Simmons-Hancock's mother expressed after the verdict, per *KSLA**.* Meanwhile, her sister, Emily Simmons, said, “I’m overwhelmed with happiness it’s over because [Parker] has been such a burden in our life for so long now that I haven’t been able to think about my sister without thinking about her.”

Parker, now 33, remains on death row at the maximum security Patrick L. O’Daniel facility in Gatesville, Tex. She is the seventh woman in the state to ever receive the death penalty.

Parker will continue to exhaust all possible appeals of her conviction before a date is set for her execution. In November 2025, Parker appealed her kidnapping conviction, but was denied. In May of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a plea for Parker’s case.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

Where can I watch Maternal Instinct?

You can stream *Maternal Instinct* now on Netflix.

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Where is Taylor Parker now? Inside the Maternal Instinct killer's life now

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Texas woman injured by McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin ‘wholly unfit for human consumption’: suit

Texas woman injured by McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin ‘wholly unfit for human consumption’: suit Justin Rohrlich Fri, June 12, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC 238 A Texas woman is suing McDonald&x27;s after being leveled by a Sausage McMuffin with Egg she alleges was "wholly unfit for human consumption," according to a lawsuit reviewed by The Independent.

Texas woman injured by McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin ‘wholly unfit for human consumption’: suit

Justin Rohrlich Fri, June 12, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC

238

A Texas woman is suing McDonald's after being leveled by a Sausage McMuffin with Egg she alleges was "wholly unfit for human consumption," according to a lawsuit reviewed by The Independent.

In a civil complaint filed May 26 in Manhattan Supreme Court, Yvette Hinds describes the sandwich that took her out as having contained "contaminants, poisons, toxins, parasites, bacteria, germs and/or organisms which would and did cause various serious personal injuries."

Upon finishing the McMuffin, Hinds became "violently ill and nauseated," suffering "severe pains and distress throughout her body," the complaint goes on.

Her "physical, nervous and mental systems were seriously and permanently injured by such contaminated food," and Hinds was forced to endure "several operations, procedures and treatments" because of the tainted McMuffin, according to the complaint. It says she is no longer able to take care of her "customary duties" at home, and will "continue to be rendered unable" to do so from here on out.

"Solely as a direct consequence of the consumption of the food aforesaid, plaintiff Yvette Hinds was caused to incur great expense for medical care and treatment, and will continue to incur great expense for medical care and treatment in the future," the complaint states.

A Sausage McMuffin With Egg, like the one seen here, was allegedly responsible for putting one McDonald's customer completely out of commission (McDonald's)

In an email on Thursday, attorney Mark Shirian, who is representing Hinds, declined to comment or provide any further details about his client's physical injuries.

McDonald's and the franchisee in charge of the Midtown Manhattan location where Hinds purchased the McMuffin did not respond to requests for comment.

Hinds's lawsuit can be traced back to May 25, 2023, when she bought a Sausage McMuffin with Egg at McDonald's restaurant #18884, at 51st Street and Broadway in Manhattan, according to her complaint.

However, the complaint contends, the McMuffin was "not reasonably safe, good, sound, fit, proper, healthful, wholesome food, [and] free from contaminants," but rather, "contaminated, tainted, poisonous, injurious and wholly unfit for human consumption."

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She soon became "dangerously ill and sick, and her entire body became infected and poisoned" by the McMuffin, through no fault of her own, the complaint alleges.

By serving Hinds the McMuffin, the complaint says McDonald's "warranted and represented that same was reasonably safe, good, sound, fit, proper, healthful, wholesome food." Hinds "had no knowledge that… such food was not fit for use as intended, to be consumed and eaten," according to the complaint.

The McDonald's in Midtown Manhattan where Yvette Hinds claims she was severely sickened by a Sausage McMuffin with Egg (Google Maps)

It goes on to accuse McDonald's of "negligence and carelessness… in the preparation, service, furnishing, testing, handling, cleaning, inspecting, guarding, storage, warning, distribution, control and protecting said food."

Last year, Staten Island, New York resident Louis Spitalieri sued McDonald's after biting into a hamburger and allegedly coming away with a clump of hair and a shard of metal in his mouth.

Also last year, McDonald's was sued after an errant slice of cheese on a Big Mac sent Charles Olsen, a music producer with a severe milk allergy, into anaphylactic shock and put him on the brink of respiratory failure.

"We're just so grateful that Mr. Olsen is still with us," Olsen's attorney said at the time.

In February 2025, a Brooklyn pastor sued McDonald's after eating a "rotten" Chicken McCrispy sandwich that left him in serious gastric distress for some six weeks, he said.

"I do believe that my faith saved me," Irsaliev told The Independent. "As the Bible says, if you believe in God, not even poison is going to kill you."

As for Hinds, she is demanding money damages from the McDonald's Corporation and franchisee the 18884 Food Corporation, to be determined at trial, plus attorneys' fees and court costs.

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Texas woman injured by McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin ‘wholly unfit for human consumption’: suit Justin Rohrlich Fri, June 12, 202...

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FIFA blames empty World Cup seats on fans who left them to watch from the concourses

FIFA blames empty World Cup seats on fans who left them to watch from the concourses Tom ParfittSat, June 13, 2026 at 2:56 PM UTC 37 Empty seats were visible during South Korea's 21 win over the Czech Republic at the World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) FIFA pushed back Friday on viral images of swaths of empty seats at Thursday&x27;s World Cup match in Guadalajara, Mexico, saying the official attendance figure was accurate and that "several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than staying in their assigned seats throughout the match.

FIFA blames empty World Cup seats on fans who left them to watch from the concourses

Tom ParfittSat, June 13, 2026 at 2:56 PM UTC

37

Empty seats were visible during South Korea's 2-1 win over the Czech Republic at the World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

FIFA pushed back Friday on viral images of swaths of empty seats at Thursday's World Cup match in Guadalajara, Mexico, saying the official attendance figure was accurate and that "several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than staying in their assigned seats throughout the match."

"Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match," FIFA said in its statement.

Swaths of empty seats visible during Thursday's World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic have raised questions over FIFA's approach to record ticket prices for the tournament.

Many of the empty seats appeared to be located in VIP sections near the pitch, according to the Athletic, which said there seemed to be thousands of unoccupied places throughout the stadium.

Ticket prices in the hospitality section were priced at around $5,000, while general admission tickets in the lower tier cost $500, the publication added.

Soccer's governing body, FIFA, reported a crowd of 44,985 at Mexico's Guadalajara Stadium, which has a capacity of 46,000. It did not confirm whether the figure was based on ticket sales or the number of fans who entered the grounds.

The venue is the second smallest stadium at the World Cup, behind Canada's Toronto Stadium, which has a capacity of 45,000.

How much do tickets cost for the 2026 World Cup?

Ticket prices for the tournament have increased fivefold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to the fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which described the costs as "extortionate."

FIFA has used a dynamic pricing model that has pushed prices much higher for some matches, and some games have yet to sell out. The organization says it has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament.

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FIFA has defended the cost of tickets for this year's tournament. (Reuters / REUTERS)

When they went on sale last fall, the cheapest tickets for group-stage games were priced at $140, up from $69 at the 2022 World Cup. FSE noted that organizers had promised tickets priced as low as $21 in a 2018 bid document.

Regular seats for the final, which will take place in New Jersey on July 19, were initially listed at up to $8,680. The prices were later raised to $10,990 and then to $32,970. The most expensive ticket for the 2022 final was about $1,600.

Following criticism, FIFA offered a smaller number of $60 tickets to all 104 matches to national federations for their regular supporters. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said 130,000 tickets were offered in that category.

In May, the attorneys general of Texas, New York and New Jersey launched investigations into the ticket prices. The tournament is being held across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

What else has FIFA said?

Infantino defended the pricing strategy earlier in the week, saying the costs were comparable to those of other major sporting events. He added, "If we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong."

More tickets will become available closer to matches, Infantino said, including those reserved for teams that qualify for the knockout rounds.

How many tickets remain unsold?

On the eve of the tournament, 29 games were sold out, and 75 had tickets remaining, according to the .

Almost 180,000 tickets were still available on FIFA's official resale platform on Tuesday, the Financial Times said, with the median ticket price on there falling by 20 percent over the past month. Third-party resale sites such as StubHub and SeatGeek also have World Cup tickets for sale.

A capacity crowd of 80,824 attended the opening match between cohost Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City earlier on Thursday, the AP said.

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Tyra Banks sues Netflix, claims 'Next Top Model' doc created false narrative

Tyra Banks sues Netflix, claims &x27;Next Top Model&x27; doc created false narrative Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYSat, June 13, 2026 at 10:12 PM UTC 0 Tyra Banks is suing Netflix over her participation in its docuseries about "America&x27;s Next Top Model," alleging the creators misled her about the nature of the project and made defamatory claims about her through the editing.

Tyra Banks sues Netflix, claims 'Next Top Model' doc created false narrative

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYSat, June 13, 2026 at 10:12 PM UTC

0

Tyra Banks is suing Netflix over her participation in its docuseries about "America's Next Top Model," alleging the creators misled her about the nature of the project and made defamatory claims about her through the editing.

Netflix dropped three episodes of "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model" in February, delving into the modeling reality competition series Banks created in 2003 and highlighting allegations former contestants have since made against production, citing instances of alleged racism, exploitation, body shaming and sexual assault.

According to a legal complaint obtained by USA TODAY, the show's former host said the documentary was edited to support a false narrative and is asking for a jury to determine how much she should be paid in damages.

In the lawsuit, Banks said she participated in a 3.5-hour interview after being told the project was aiming to discuss the long-running reality show's legacy, including its successes and shortcomings. She said only 16 minutes of that interview were used by the docuseries creators, alleging her comments taking accountability for her actions were removed.

Tyra Banks attends The FanDuel Party Powered by Spotify 2026 on Feb. 6, 2026, in San Francisco.

Through "selective editing, deliberate omission and surgical manipulation of continuous footage," the lawsuit says directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan allegedly created a false narrative that Banks knowingly allowed a contestant to be sexually assaulted on the show and exploited the contestant's trauma for ratings.

"That narrative about Ms. Banks is a complete fabrication — one that Netflix streamed to a global audience of millions," the complaint reads. "The story that viewers heard was the deceptive story producers chose to tell."

USA TODAY has reached out to Netflix for comment.

Lawsuit says editing manufactured false response to question about contestant Shandi Sullivan

Among the many accusations made in the docuseries, Season 2 contestant Shandi Sullivan accused the production of allowing her to be sexually assaulted while intoxicated and on camera.

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Sullivan alleges that during a trip to Milan, a group of men who drove the models on Vespas invited them back to their accommodations for dinner and drinks, and one of them assaulted her in front of production staff, who she said should have helped her. She says part of that event was filmed, partially shown on TV and edited to appear as if she cheated on her boyfriend back home.

In the docuseries, Loushy asks Banks, "You remember the story with Shandi?" and Banks responds, "um," before the screen cuts to black. The lawsuit says the implication that Banks could not remember the assault on her show is "devastating and deliberate."

"But that was false," the lawsuit states. "The full footage of Ms. Banks' interview reveals two things that the producers cut out and did not show viewers in Episode 1: before the upward glance, Ms. Banks nods — affirmatively, unmistakably — and immediately says, 'I do remember her story.'"

The lawsuit continued: "By carving the nod out of the middle of the sequence and cutting off Ms. Banks' comment at the end, the producers ensured that viewers would see only the lie and not the truth."

Premiering in 2003, "America's Next Top Model" followed a batch of aspiring professional models competing in a cutthroat competition while being mentored and judged by Banks.

The show ran for 24 seasons before concluding in 2018. At its commercial height, the series amassed over 100 million viewers globally, according to Netflix. Banks briefly departed the series for its penultimate 2016-2017 season, when British pop singer Rita Ora hosted.

Contributing: Edward Seggara, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyra Banks says Netflix's 'Next Top Model' doc misled her in lawsuit

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EW is binging Community with the cast and creator Joel McHale reflects on Community season 1: 'I would've sawed off a pinkie to do it' EW is binging Community with the cast and creator By Chancellor Agard :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ZvF4pJa8400x40010a3bf9e86e7400cb1001c09106ef285.jpg) Chancellor Agard Chancellor Agard is a former staff writer at . He left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines May 8, 2020 11:00 a.m. ET To celebrate Community finally arriving on Netflix, EW is binging the beloved comedy with the cast and creator.

EW is binging Community with the cast and creator

Joel McHale reflects on Community season 1: 'I would've sawed off a pinkie to do it'

EW is binging Community with the cast and creator

By Chancellor Agard

Chancellor Agard

Chancellor Agard is a former staff writer at **. He left EW in 2022.

EW's editorial guidelines

May 8, 2020 11:00 a.m. ET

***To celebrate *****Community***** finally arriving on Netflix, EW is binging the beloved comedy with the cast and creator.***

Joel McHale wanted to be a part of *Community *from the moment he read the pilot script way back in 2009.

Written by Dan Harmon, the series premiere introduced the world to Jeff Winger (McHale), an ex-lawyer who was forced to enroll at Greendale Community College after his law firm found out he faked his college degree. Cynical and manipulative, Winger hoped to breeze threw the community college without developing any attachments; however, he ends up creating a study group comprised of (mostly) lovable misfits in order to sleep with his classmate Britta (Gillian Jacobs). Suit jacket and sweatpants notwithstanding, McHale related to the character when he read the pilot.

"I think I liked the character so much because he was someone who participates with their arm extended," he tells EW in the latest installment EW's *BINGE* of *Community*. "They're like, 'Yeah, yeah, I'll do it, but just let's just calm down.' [I liked] that he was always very reticent to do anything but was game to do it. And that is kind of how I am. I'm always skeptical to a fault and sarcastic and a cynic to a fault. And it was just such a well-written script and I would've sawed off a pinkie to do it. I didn't do that, but I would have."

He continues: "You'd read some scripts and you go, 'Well, this looks like it's going to be done in a year.' Like, 'How can they maintain this level of whatever they're doing?' And this one was a sandbox that you could like [say], 'Oh, Dan can do anything he wants here and he did.' The only sort of looming goal was graduation and Pierce [Chevy Chase] proved that you never had to leave."

*Community *definitely rewarded McHale's belief that the possibilities were endless in that first season, which grew bolder with almost each episode. By the end of season 1, the NBC sitcom had done a *Goodfellas* homage ("Contemporary American Poultry") and a paintball episode ("Modern Warfare") that was a send-up of action movies and directed by Justin Lin.

"To be honest here, I didn't feel a switch. It all seemed to make sense to me," says McHale. "I just never went, 'Oh well, this show's getting *crazy*.' I never did anything like that."

That being said, McHale does remember how excited he was to receive each script and go to work every day. "I was getting to do what I always wanted to do. I always wanted to be on a good television show and act. And so I was skipping to work every day," he says. "I couldn't believe how cool the show was and how I got to be on it and how blessed I was. So there wasn't anything where like, 'Oh man, how am I going to do this one? This is the greatest challenge.' It was more just like, 'I can't believe I get to do this and try this and hopefully I'll be good at it.'"

For more from McHale on season 1, including his thoughts on the surprising finale, watch the latest installment of EW's* BINGE *of* Community* above. And check back on Saturday for season 2's episode with Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong.

**Related content: **

- The 15 best episodes of *Community*

- EW is binging *Community* with the cast and creator: Watch the first episode now

- 10 years after it premiered, *Community* is the perfect show for our moment

by Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at **. He left EW in 2022.

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Joel McHale reflects on Community season 1: 'I would've sawed off a pinkie to do it'

EW is binging Community with the cast and creator Joel McHale reflects on Community season 1: 'I would've sawed off a pi...

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On EW's BINGE of Community, Jeong and Brown take us inside season 2's memorable episodes and the shocking ShirleyChang hookup. Ken Jeong and Yvette Nicole Brown talk Community season 2: 'Is every episode going to be like this?' On EW's BINGE of Community, Jeong and Brown take us inside season 2's memorable episodes and the shocking ShirleyChang hookup. By Derek Lawrence :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/derek160e1b72b3389c74b8ca03743731e346949.jpg) Derek Lawrence Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at . He left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines May 9, 2020 11:00 a.m.

On EW's BINGE of Community, Jeong and Brown take us inside season 2's memorable episodes and the shocking Shirley-Chang hookup.

Ken Jeong and Yvette Nicole Brown talk Community season 2: 'Is every episode going to be like this?'

On EW's BINGE of Community, Jeong and Brown take us inside season 2's memorable episodes and the shocking Shirley-Chang hookup.

By Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence

Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at **. He left EW in 2022.

EW's editorial guidelines

May 9, 2020 11:00 a.m. ET

***To celebrate *****Community***** finally arriving on Netflix, EW is binging the beloved comedy with the cast and creator.***

First seasons are notoriously tough, as the actors work to embody their characters and the writers try to nail down the exact show that they want to be making. This trial and error eventually leads to the right formula, paving way for a season 2 in which everyone is firing on all cylinders. In fact, the sophomore installments are often the peak of a show, whether it be *The Office*, *Sons of Anarchy*, and, arguably, *Community*.

"You could tell there was a confidence and excitement and stories to be told on *Community* that makes the second season so special and so genre-bending," says Ken Jeong on the latest episode of EW's *BINGE* of *Community*, which can be watched above. "I remember the first five or six episodes, they were all high-concept. They were all just on a paintball level. After the *Apollo 13* episode ("Basic Rocket Science"), I looked at Danny [Pudi], we were just walking back to set from the table read, and we were like, 'Is every episode going to be like this? This blows my mind.' I felt like every week the writers were trying to top themselves, in terms of concept, in terms of originality. We just looked at each other like, 'Wow. This is like Christmas every day.'"

On season 2's installment of *BINGE*, hosts Chancellor Agard and Derek Lawrence are joined together by Jeong and Yvette Nicole Brown, who played Ben Chang and Shirley Bennett, respectively. The duo were a natural pair on the episode considering one of the bigger season 2 story lines centers on Shirley and Chang's zombie-fueled hookup in the Halloween-set "Epidemiology" and the subsequent mystery over the paternity of Shirley's unborn son. "I found out in the table read," recalls Brown. "We were shocked." Adds Jeong: "You basically saw where anything and everything is possible on *Community*."

In the end, the baby would be named Ben, but the father turned out to be her ex-husband Andre, played by *Cosby Show* alum Malcom-Jamal Warner, who landed the role after some campaigning from Brown. "I had the hugest crush on Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and I set the stage for him to be Andre," she reveals. "In season one, I went to [creator] Dan Harmon and [producers Joe and Anthony] Russos, and I was like, 'Guys, listen. If we ever see Andre, it has to be Malcolm-Jamal Warner — if Shirley reconciles with him.' I was like, 'Only if it's going to be a pretty picture. If it's not going to be a pretty picture, pick whoever you want for Andre and make Malcolm her new boyfriend.' But I was planning to have my time with Malcolm-Jamal Warner."

While Brown was angling for Shirley's new old man, Jeong was waiting to see where Chang fit in the study group. Originally serving as their unstable Spanish teacher, Chang was fired at the end of season 1 and returned the next semester as a student who desperately wanted a seat at that famous table. "I think there was a push from the studio or network to make me more part of the study group, and then I think Dan liked me being the outsider," shares Jeong. "There was a back and forth, to be honest. I didn't know about any of these things until years later. And putting my own producer's hat, I understand that. There have been characters on my own shows where I'm trying to decide, 'where is that placement?' And I thought Dan did something very brilliant, and they're like, 'Let's let that play out in real time.'"

Chang's role would continue to shift throughout the series, as he'd go from teacher to student to security guard to evil dictator to the allegedly Changnesia-suffering Kevin. "*Community* really stretched me as an actor," says Jeong. "I got to play — in my head — a different character each season. By the time I had my own project, I went in there with an abundance of confidence, like, 'Oh, I can handle this.' And I felt like *Community* gave me [that] confidence...*Community* is where I really learned how to act. It was on the job training."

For more from these Greendale alums, including the "comedic gold" scene that Brown wishes she was in, watch the latest installment of EW's* BINGE *of *Community*. And check back Sunday for season 3's episode with Alison Brie.

**Related content:**

- Joel McHale reflects on *Community* season 1: 'I would've sawed off a pinkie to do it'

- EW is binging *Community* with the cast and creator: Watch the first episode now

- The 15 best episodes of *Community*

by Chancellor Agard

Chancellor Agard

Chancellor Agard is a former staff writer at **. He left EW in 2022.

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Comedy"

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Source: Comedy

Published: June 14, 2026 at 12:19AM on Source: RED MAG

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These short watches linger for a long time. The 25 best miniseries ready to bingewatch this weekend These short watches linger for a long time. By Ilana Gordon :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ILANAGORDONHEADSHOT80577598f8ed442cacff5de184ceb9f5.jpg) Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles. EW's editorial guidelines and Declan Gallagher on June 5, 2026 9:01 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/thegirlfriendadolescenceblackrabbit022526a82614090ef6417d9d15b694bbdd4a42.

These short watches linger for a long time.

The 25 best miniseries ready to binge-watch this weekend

These short watches linger for a long time.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and Declan Gallagher

on June 5, 2026 9:01 a.m. ET

Olivia Cooke as Cherry Laine in 'The Girlfriend'; Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in 'Adolescence'; Jason Bateman as Vince Friedken in 'Black Rabbit'. Credit:

Christopher Raphael/Amazon; Netflix (2)

For those who can’t commit to dozens of 20-plus-episode seasons, miniseries are a major solution. This month, the guide highlights women in law enforcement with the additions of *Mare of Easttown* and *Escape at Dannemora*. If it's a shootout you seek, the Western drama *Godless* pits an outlaw against his former mentor and sets them in a town occupied by almost all women.

Still to come in 2026: Apple TV premieres *Cape Fear* (psychological thriller) on June 5, and a new *Pride & Prejudice* adaptation (romance) is slated to hit Netflix at some point later in 2026. In these busy times, find a series as limited as your attention span. Read on as ** runs down the 25 best miniseries streaming options.

Adolescence (2025)

Mark Stanley as Paulie Barlow, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, and Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in 'Adolescence'.

Courtesy of Netflix

One of the most talked-about pieces of television to emerge in 2025 is *Adolescence**. *A British crime drama about a 13-year-old boy named Jamie Miller who is accused of murdering his classmate, the miniseries offers four episodes, all of which were shot in one continuous take. The technical execution of the project is thrilling, and so is the show’s depiction of how modern media affects the minds and actions of teenage boys.

Young actor Owen Cooper makes a brilliant Emmy-winning debut as Jamie, and the scenes between him and his therapist (Erin Doherty) in episode 3 are some of the most affecting examples of storytelling in recent history. A series that feels especially relevant as talk of incels and loneliness epidemics becomes more mainstream, *Adolescence *gets deep about what teenage boyhood really looks like today. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Adolescence*: Netflix

**Cast: **Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay

American Crime Story (2016–present)

Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson and Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran in 'The People v. O.J. Simpson: An American Crime Story'.

Ryan Murphy more or less does away with his signature campy trappings for this riveting fact-based anthology series profiling some of the most notorious crimes in American history. Each of the three seasons so far — concerning O.J. Simpson’s trial; the murder of Gianni Versace; and the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal — are accomplished pieces of television, but the first two installments are particularly well done.

Coming from Murphy’s stable, the miniseries are nothing if not soapy. However, *American Crime Story* takes a much more serious approach to its material, allowing a murderer’s row of talent to dramatize the most notorious period in the lives of those chronicled. *—Declan Gallagher*

Where to watch *American Crime Story*: Hulu

**EW grade:** A

**Cast: **Sarah Paulson, Sterling K. Brown, John Travolta, David Schwimmer, Courtney B. Vance

Angels in America (2003)

Meryl Streep as the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg in 'Angels in America'. HBO/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Tony Kushner adapted his own Pulitzer Prize-winning two-part play into a six-part HBO miniseries. For the uninitiated, *Angels in America* is a fever dream collision of historical figures and events (Republican lawyer Ray Cohn’s closeted homophobia, the AIDS crisis, the execution of Ethel Rosenberg) and everyday New Yorkers of Kushner’s own design. Director Mike Nichols' televised version breaks the story into six chapters and adds a dash more humor and coherence to appeal to HBO’s audience.

The finished product is an achievement in both acting and writing. EW’s review compliments “Kushner’s language, arias of desire and fury and lamentation,” and gives special praise to Al Pacino’s work as Ray Cohn, and Meryl Streep’s performances. (She plays multiple roles — blink and you’ll miss her as the Rabbi.) *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Angels in America*: HBO Max

**Cast:** Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Patrick Wilson, Mary-Louise Parker, Emma Thompson

Baby Reindeer (2024)

Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn in 'Baby Reindeer'.

This Netflix hit is as controversial as it is buzzy, but there’s no denying a terrific miniseries when you see it. Making splendid use of both the short-form medium and the tragi-comedy genre, Richard Gadd’s seven-episode, semi-autobiographical work follows a struggling comedian (Gadd) who can’t shake an increasingly deranged stalker (Jessica Gunning) who inserts herself into all aspects of his life.

*Baby Reindeer* is an excellent example of juggling tone and allegedly true events with dramatizations. That’s caused quite a stir, including a lawsuit, but the combination makes for one of the most daring and bingeable miniseries in recent memory. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Baby Reindeer*: Netflix

**Cast:** Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Nina Sosanya, Hugh Coles

Band of Brothers (2001)

Cast of 'Band of Brothers'. Everett Collection

HBO’s groundbreaking dramatization of WWII takes an ensemble approach to the mayhem, showing many different facets of the American men who served and their disparate experiences fighting abroad.

Created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who are well-heeled in authentic WWII productions, *Band of Brothers* positions itself as overtly emotional and realistic. This is an incredibly harrowing, at times hard-to-watch miniseries, but it’s one of the finest stories ever told about war. The heartbreaking moments feel authentic and well-earned, while the brilliant writing rarely relies on the easy way out. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Band of Brothers*: HBO Max

**Cast:** David Schwimmer, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Peter O’Meara, Matthew Settle

Beef (2023–present)

Ali Wong as Amy Lau and Steven Yeun as Danny Cho in 'Beef'.

Andrew Cooper/Netflix

The first season of Netflix’s astonishing anthology series stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun as Amy and Danny, two strangers who get into a fender bender and proceed to disrupt each other’s lives to the nth degree. To say any more would ruin *Beef*’s terrific surprises. This is both one of the funniest and most tragic shows in recent memory, one which conveys with unmistakable clarity the low-level anxiety, and perhaps anger, that many people harbor in the modern age. The second season (starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, and Cailee Spaeny) premiered on April 16. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Beef*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Cast:** Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, Young Mazino, David Choe, Ashley Park

Black Rabbit (2025)

Jude Law as Jake in 'Black Rabbit'.

Combine *The Bear'*s subject matter with the stress of *Uncut Gems* (2019), and you get *Black Rabbit*. Netflix’s thriller miniseries tells the story of the Friedken brothers, Jude Law's Jake and Jason Bateman's Vince, whose restaurant business is threatened by debt, accusations of sexual harassment, and other criminal activity. As their family, friends, and co-workers get pulled into the madness, Jake and Vince must confront their history and look for a way to save themselves and their restaurant, The Black Rabbit.

The series unfolds over eight fast-paced episodes — New York City culinary and scandal nerds may recognize elements of the story as being similar to those that precipitated the closing of the West Village’s beloved gastropub, The Spotted Pig. And while no one would describe this miniseries as uplifting, it does give Bateman a chance to reunite with former *Ozarks* costar Laura Linney, who directs two *Black Rabbit* episodes. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Black Rabbit: *Netflix

**Cast:** Jude Law, Jason Bateman, Cleopatra Coleman, Sope Dirisu, Amaka Okafor

Chernobyl (2019)

Jared Harris as Valery Legasov and Emily Watson as Ulana Khomyuk in 'Chernobyl'.

The 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine was a situation unlike anything ever experienced on planet Earth. Millions of Europeans were exposed to low levels of radiation, and doctors later linked thousands of cancer cases to the nuclear contamination. Even after four decades, the city of Chernobyl and the surrounding Exclusion Zone remain restricted.

History lovers will be pleased to learn the story of what occurred that April night is available to watch as a five-part miniseries on HBO Max. Craig Mazin (*The Last of Us*) focuses *Chernobyl* on the scientists and government officials tasked with cleaning up after the disaster, and the everyday people who lost their lives and loved ones. Jessie Buckley is a particular standout in her role as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, the wife of one of the first responders. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Chernobyl*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Cast: **Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Paul Ritter, Jessie Buckley, Adam Nagaitis

Death by Lightning (2025)

Michael Shannon as James A. Garfield in 'Death by Lightning'.

Larry Horricks/Netflix

President James A. Garfield is best known for how he was born and how he died: in a log cabin, and by assassination, only 120 days into his time in office. His truncated presidency meant Garfield was largely overshadowed in the history books, but the 20th President of the United States finally gets his time to shine in Netflix’s *Death by Lightning*.

The four-episode series stars Michael Shannon as Garfield, chronicling his election, civil rights advocacy, and eventual collision with Charles J. Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), the failed lawyer with a mental health condition, who was destined to end his life. Adapted from the 2011 book *Destiny of the Republic* by Candice Millard, *Death by Lightning *is a fascinating historical footnote. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Death by Lightning*: Netflix

**Cast:** Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford

Dopesick (2021)

Michael Keaton as Dr. Samuel Finnix in 'Dopesick'. Antony Platt/Hulu

Hulu’s distressing miniseries spotlights America’s opioid epidemic, from the Purdue Pharma headquarters to a small middle-American community ravaged by drug abuse. Michael Stuhlbarg stars as Richard Sackler, a modern-day villain if there ever was one, while Michael Keaton plays a well-intentioned GP who is suckered into prescribing OxyContin to a young coal miner (Kaitlyn Dever) with a back injury.

Charting the crisis from the early 1990s to the present day, *Dopesick* lays out in tragic and unambiguous detail how pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to prey upon hapless victims for decades. The series, created by writer Danny Strong, is one of the most compelling and credible modern dramas. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Dopesick*: Hulu

**EW grade:** A–

**Cast:** Michael Keaton, Michael Stuhlbarg, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Poulter, Phillipa Soo

Dr. Death (2021–2023)

Joshua Jackson as Dr. Christopher Duntsch on 'Dr. Death'. Scott McDermott/Peacock

The first season of NBC’s haunting true-crime procedural, based on the Wondery podcast of the same name, stars Joshua Jackson as real-life spinal surgeon Christopher Duntsch, who was eventually found guilty and sentenced to life in prison after maiming 31 of his patients and killing two.

*Dr. Death*’s terrifically satisfying structure pivots around Duntsch’s co-workers, Dr. Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin) and Dr. Randall Kirby (Christian Slater), slowly putting the pieces together which implicate the twisted surgeon in a series of increasingly botched procedures. The series is “part medical drama, part mystery, part *Catch Me If You Can* thriller,” EW's critic noted in a glowing review. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Dr. Death*: Peacock

**EW grade:** A–

**Cast:** Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, Alec Baldwin, Christian Slater, AnnaSophia Robb

The 24 best bingeable miniseries streaming on Netflix

The 50 best shows to watch on HBO Max

Dying for Sex (2025)

Jenny Slate as Nikki and Michelle Williams as Molly in 'Dying for Sex'.

One woman’s terminal cancer diagnosis prompts her to leave her husband of 15 years and prioritize pleasure in *Dying for Sex*. Based on a true story — which was first shared in a critically acclaimed podcast — this miniseries follows Molly Kochan (Michelle Williams) and her best buddy, Nikki Boyer (Jenny Slate), as Molly tries to find a partner she can have an orgasm with, and Nikki tries to support her sick friend through her sexual exploration.

A story about living and dying on one’s own terms, the series is thoughtfully created, beautifully performed, and uniquely empowering. As EW’s critic writes, “*Dying for Sex* is a heartbreaking (and at times, very horny) story about female friendship, self-actualization, and the realization that it’s never too late to heal.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Dying for Sex*: Hulu

**EW grade: **B+

**Cast: **Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, Rob Delaney, Jay Duplass

Escape at Dannemora (2018)

Patricia Arquette as Tilly in 'Escape at Dannemora'.

Christopher Saunders/Showtime

For fans of *The Shawshank Redemption *(1994), the limited series *Escape at Dannemora* scratches a similar itch. Based on the true story of two murderers who escaped from prison in 2015 with the help of an employee, the series offers eight episodes covering the relationship between Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell (Patricia Arquette) and inmates Richard Matt (Benicio Del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano).

Arquette gained and lost 40 pounds for the project, and her work was recognized with a Golden Globe, a SAG award, and a Critics’ Choice award. Ben Stiller directs, and while the pace is a bit slow at the beginning, the camerawork, performances, and plotting sucks the viewer in to the point where not bingeing is not an option. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Escape at Dannemora*: Paramount+

**Cast: **Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano, Bonnie Hunt, Eric Lange

Five Days at a Memorial (2022)

Vera Farmiga as Dr. Anna Pou in 'Five Days at Memorial'.

Russ Martin/Apple TV+

Among the best shows Apple TV has produced thus far, John Ridley and Carlton Cuse’s eight-episode miniseries is an adaptation of Sheri Fink’s non-fiction book, which chronicled a New Orleans hospital left devastated after Hurricane Katrina.

If “agonizing” and “deeply anxiety-inducing” are things you avoid in your entertainment, *Five Days at Memorial* is probably not for you. The title itself is almost a taunt — can you make it through another? However, despite the challenging material, the series is a compelling dissection of the U.S. government’s beyond-blundered response to the natural disaster and an inspiring ode to the first responders who attempted to fill the gaps. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Five Days at Memorial*: Apple TV

**EW grade:** B+

**Cast:** Vera Farmiga, Cherry Jones, Molly Hager, Julie Ann Emery, Cornelius Smith Jr.

Feud: Bette vs. Joan (2017)

Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford and Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis in 'Feud: Bette vs. Joan'.

The polar opposite of *American Crime Story*’s (relatively) austere presentation, this is likely the closest Ryan Murphy will ever come to producing an out-and-out WWE battle. Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange play the titular divas, respectively, in this dramatization of their infamous (though largely invented) feud.

Less baroque than its title suggests but just as campy as it needs to be,* Bette vs. Joan* relies less on extended sequences of Sarandon and Lange berating one another (though there are plenty) in favor of more nuanced stories about how hard it was, and still is, to be a woman in a man’s world. There are also fun Easter eggs for film buffs — like John Waters playing schlock-meister William Castle, and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Olivia de Havilland, doing her best *Lady in a Cage* impression. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Feud: Bette vs. Joan*: Hulu

**EW grade:** B

**Cast: **Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Jackie Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, Kathy Bates

The Girlfriend (2025)

Robin Wright as Laura Sanderson in 'The Girlfriend'.

Christopher Raphael/Amazon Content Services LLC

Yes, technically, *The Girlfriend* is a miniseries about two women fighting for a man’s attention, but not in the way that you think. This psychological thriller tells the story of Daniel (Laurie Davidson), who brings his girlfriend, Cherry (Olivia Cooke), home to meet his mother, Laura (Robin Wright), only for the two women to engage in a power struggle for the ages.

Set in London and Spain, the story unfolds across six episodes — Wright directed the first three — and cleverly heightens the tensions sometimes experienced in in-law relationships. The series skews soapy, and Cooke and Wright revel in putting each other through psychological hell. It’s all leading up to what Wright calls a “psychotic" ending, making *The Girlfriend* the perfect binge option. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Girlfriend*: Amazon Prime Video

**Cast:** Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke, Laurie Davidson, Waleed Zuaiter, Tanya Moodie

Godless (2017)

Michelle Dockery as Alice Fletcher in 'Godless'. Ursula Coyote/Netflix

La Belle, N.M. is practically a no man’s land: In 1882, the majority of the town’s male population was killed in a mining accident, and the women were left to pick up the pieces. Now it’s 1884, and injured outlaw Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell) rides into town, fleeing his former mentor, Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), who is terrorizing the area.

A traditional Western with a twist, *Godless’* seven-episode arc takes viewers through La Belle’s backstory and its current reality, as the surviving women navigate running the town and securing the mine’s future. *Godless* gives off notes of *Deadwood*, but is delivered in a more compact and female-focused package. Merritt Wever is a standout as Mary Agnes, widow of the late mayor, giving what EW’s critic describes as an “electric” performance. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Godless*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Cast: **Jack O'Connell, Michelle Dockery, Scoot McNairy, Merritt Wever, Thomas Brodie-Sangster

I May Destroy You (2020)

Michaela Coel as Arabella in 'I May Destroy You'. HBO

Writer-director-actor Michaela Coel’s devastating, terrifically smart miniseries follows a young writer (Coel) who attempts to remount her life after a sexual assault lingers as such a fleeting, dim memory she’s not entirely sure what happened.

Coel’s exceptional, largely autobiographical 12-part series upends the clichés about processing unspeakable trauma. *I May Destroy You* is a vicious satire of modern social mores and a deeply authentic, heartbreaking examination of a life undone just as it was taking flight. Coel has just lined up her next series with Max and the BBC, *First Day on Earth*, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *I May Destroy You*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** B

**Cast:** Michaela Coel, Paapa Essiedu, Weruche Opia, Marouane Zotti

Mare of Easttown (2021)

Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan in 'Mare of Easttown'.

Michele K. Short/HBO

There’s not a lot of lightness in *Mare of Easttown*, a miniseries whose thematic focuses include suicide, drug addiction, poverty, and missing teenagers. This seven-episode drama ushers viewers into the heart of a fictional working-class suburb of Philadelphia (though there is also a *real* Easttown, Pa.), where Detective Sergeant Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) lives with her mother (Jean Smart), daughter (Angourie Rice), and grandson. Mare’s life is complicated enough with four generations living under one roof and her ex-husband (David Denman) announcing his engagement. Then a teenage single mother ends up murdered.

Winslet nails everything about the role, from Mare’s regional accent to her physicality as a former basketball star turned frustrated cop. Julianne Nicholson offers a solid presence throughout as Mare’s best friend, Lori, but ends the series with a powerhouse performance. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mare of Easttown*: HBO Max

**Cast: **Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, David Denman

Midnight Mass (2021)

Hamish Linklater as Father Paul in 'Midnight Mass'.

Courtesy of Netflix

Mike Flanagan’s stunning Netflix miniseries stars Zach Gilford as a former finance bro who returns to his hometown following a tragedy. His arrival coincides with that of Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater), a charismatic priest who is to replace the church’s ailing monsignor. As you may have guessed, Father Hill isn’t exactly who (or what) he appears to be, and his presence has shocking ramifications throughout the close-knit community.

Flanagan is a clear-eyed auteur who rarely puts a foot wrong. With this darkly hilarious, genuinely quite frightening ode to Stephen King and ‘80s supernatural horror, *Midnight Mass** *is unabashedly an homage to the author, but it’s also blessedly and entirely its own beast. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Midnight Mass*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Cast:** Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan

Normal People (2020)

Daisy Edgar-Jones as Marianne and Paul Mescal as Connell in 'Normal People'. Enda Bowe/Element Pictures/Hulu

Sally Rooney writes novels “about what it feels like to be alive right now,” and the miniseries adaptation of her book *Normal People *is bursting with youthful romance and struggle. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal star as Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron, two Irish high school seniors transitioning into college life and young adulthood.

At school, Marianne is the rich outcast and Connell is the working-class jock whose single mother cleans Marianne’s family’s home. In spite of their differences, the two connect emotionally and begin a complicated relationship that continues through their time at Trinity College Dublin. The story is told over 12 episodes, and while binging is definitely an option, *Normal People* is best enjoyed slowly, so you have time to process the show’s vulnerability and nuance. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Normal People*: Hulu

**Cast:** Daisy Edgar-Jones, Paul Mescal, Sarah Greene

One Day (2024)

Ambika Mod as Emma and Leo Woodall as Dexter in 'One Day'.

This adaptation of David Nicholls’ 2009 novel gets the source material completely right, unlike the anemic 2011 film of the same name starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. The Netflix miniseries sees Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) meet at their university graduation and proceed to fall in and out of love throughout the next two decades.

*One Day* takes the *Normal People* recipe of sex and tragedy and manages to do the most authentic, interesting version of it since. Nicholls’ novel, and both of its screen adaptations, are upfront about their emotional manipulation. It’s a testament to Woodall and Mod’s undeniable chemistry and the sharp character writing that *One Day* makes those turns not only believable but deeply affecting. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *One Day*: Netflix

**Cast:** Ambika Mod, Leo Woodall, Essie Davis, Eleanor Tomlinson, Amber Grappy

One Hundred Years of Solitude (2024–present)

Claudio Cataño as Colonel Aureliano Buendía in 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'.

Considered one of the foremost literary achievements of the last century, Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism novel, *One Hundred Years of Solitude*, has finally been adapted for television. The series tells the story of the Buendía family over multiple generations and is set in the fictitious town of Macondo, Colombia, which the family founded.

Critics and fans have commended the adaptation for its acting, cinematography, and adherence to the original source material. A TV series with the spirit of the novel, Netflix released the show's first eight episodes in December 2024, with another eight to come this August. A must-watch for literary lovers and TV nerds alike, treat yourself to *One Hundred Years of Solitude*. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *One Hundred Years of Solitude*: Netflix

**Cast: **Claudio Cataño, Diego Vásquez, Marleyda Soto, Viña Machado, Loren Sofía

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon in 'The Queen's Gambit'.

Ken Woroner/Netflix

One of the cultural highlights of the pandemic, *The Queen’s Gambit* is a period drama about an orphan who becomes a chess prodigy in the 1950s and '60s. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Beth, a young woman who becomes addicted to tranquilizers during her time in an orphanage, and whose substance abuse and mental health issues threaten to undermine her rise through the competitive chess world.

Chess is an internalized and intellectual pursuit, but Taylor-Joy throws her body, face, and soul into it, and the result is a performance that makes a board game feel as exciting as an NBA championship. The show’s success generated a renewed interest in chess, and Taylor-Joy’s performance is almost universally acclaimed. EW’s reviewer highlights the show’s “luscious production design” and notes the “darkly fascinating lead performance duel against mawkish sentiment and a messy final act. It's always fun to watch, even when it's playing emotional checkers.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Queen's Gambit*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Cast: **Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram, Isla Johnston, Christiane Seidel

The White Lotus (2021–present)

Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett in season 3 of 'The White Lotus'.

The best way to travel these days is through HBO’s *The White Lotus*. The anthology series is set at The White Lotus Resort and Spa, a fictional hotel chain with luxurious locations in Hawaii, Italy, and Thailand (so far — France is next). The staff at The White Lotus is on hand to provide a special experience to the resort’s wealthy, if eccentric, guests, but the hotel is fast becoming known for the strange deaths that keep occurring.

Mike White has established himself as a character study artist, a keen observer of families, friend groups, and social dynamics. The characters on his show are fascinating, flawed people, and White knows exactly where to push to apply pressure and tension. The show is especially beloved for its ensemble casts, which are full of some of the best actors you forgot about. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The White Lotus*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** B+

**Cast: **Jon Gries,** **Jennifer Coolidge, Natasha Rothwell

- TV Reviews & Recommendations

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW TV"

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Source: TV

Published: June 13, 2026 at 03:19AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

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7:00 PM

The 25 best miniseries ready to binge-watch this weekend

These short watches linger for a long time. The 25 best miniseries ready to bingewatch this weekend These short watches linger for ...

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