Somebody’s dead, it looks like a murder, and everyone’s a suspect.

Whodunit?

That’s been the setup and the starting line for many a movie, and sure enough, that’s how this one begins. But this insanely clever, thoroughly original all-star caper is full of razor-sharp surprises, and not the least are its wily, witty twists on the murder-mystery format.

Knives Out
Starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson & Toni Collette
Directed by Rian Johnson
PG-13
In theaters Wed., Nov. 27, 2019

For starters, we find out the “who” in the whodunit pretty early on—but, as you might expect, almost nothing in Knives Out is what, or how, you think it is. And the “who” is only the beginning of an even bigger mystery.

Daniel Craig trades his dapper James Bond British cool for a big ol’ slice of Southern-fried country ham to play Benoit (Ben-wah) Blanc, a private detective hired (but by whom?) to investigate the mysterious death of a wealthy mystery novelist, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer, who reappears repeatedly in flashbacks). Thrombey was found one morning a week ago by his housekeeper (Edi Patterson), bled out in his bed, his throat slit with a blade in his hand.

Was it suicide…or was it murder?

“Everyone can lie,” says Blanc, often wrapping his loquacious drawl around puffs of a cigar. “Well, almost everyone.” He’s referring to Thrombey’s longtime caretaker and confidante, Marta (Ana de Armas), whom Blanc discovers has a “regurgitative reaction to mis-truthin’.” In other words, when Marta lies, she throws up.

Blanc and Marta—a puke-prone lie detector—become the movie’s central axis around which it spins the rest of its delightfully prickly tale, but to reveal much more would give far too much away. (It is nice to see Craig and de Armas working together in a preview of their next team-up, in April’s No Time to Die, the 25^th official James Bond film.)

This is the kind of movie where you need to pay close attention to everything—everything everyone says, everything that happens, and everything you see. Chances are, it will all come back around. Like the big coffee mug in the foreground of the opening shot—“My House, My Rules,” it reads. It may seem like just a cutesy coffee mug, but you’ll see it again, and it will mean something even…more.

You could call this a “family” film, in a way—because writer/director Rian Johnson (whose impressive resume includes the blockbuster Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the sci-fi mind-bender Looper and several TV episodes of Breaking Bad) has made everyone in Harlan Thrombey’s family a possible accomplice to his murder, naturally. Or at least they get drawn, in some way or another, into its tangled web, as Blanc and a pair of police detectives (Lakeith Stanfield and Noah Segan) spend days conducting probing interviews and combing through Thrombey’s maze-like country manor, full of hidden stairways, secret doors and promotional-oddity props—like a massive throne of blades—commemorating his murder-mystery novels. “Look around: This guy practically lived in a Clue board,” says one of the cops.

Everyone in the big, bright ensemble cast seems to be having a ball playing squabbling siblings, imploding in-laws and grousing grandkids. Jamie Lee Curtis is Thrombey’s real-estate mogul daughter, Linda, who remembers how fond her father used to be of writing cryptic notes and engaging her in games. Don Johnson is her husband, Richard, and the father of Ransom (Chris Evans), a slick, jaded playboy—and the only family member who skipped the funeral. Michael Shannon is Thrombey’s youngest son, Walt, steamed that his dad never gave him control of his $60 million publishing empire. Daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) is a hippy-dippy lifestyle guru; her daughter, Meg (Katherine Langford), was getting her substantial college’s expenses funded by Thrombey’s monthly checks. Everyone thinks grandson Jacob (Jaeden Martell) is a weirdo, if not a neo-Nazi internet troll.

Almost everyone, Blanc finds, seems to have some kind of axe to grind, a secret to hide, some sort of reason they might conceivably have for wanting a piece of Harlan Thrombey’s sizeable fortune.

And when they all come together with the family attorney (Frank Oz) for the reading of Harlan’s will, that’s when the knives really come out.

Blanc seems so close to solving the mystery, but something about it continually baffles him. All the pieces are there, but something is missing; something just doesn’t fit. “A strange case,” he tells Marta. “A case with a hole in the middle—a doughnut.” At one point, even the doughnut hole seems to have another doughnut, with another doughnut hole, inside it.

Knives Out is great, galloping, fast-paced fun, and it harkens back to classic murder-mystery tropes that stretch across the decades. But it also launches a timely, pointed contemporary message in Marta’s character and her immigrant family, which becomes an important subplot—and a running gag of scathing social commentary as the Thrombeys, who claim to love Marta as one of their own, can’t ever recall which South American country she’s from. Is it Uruguay? Or Paraguay, or Brazil?

One scene offers a telling glimpse of a rerun of Angela Lansbury in the 1980s TV series Murder: She Wrote, overdubbed in Spanish. This is a movie that has quite a bit more than just murder and mystery on its mind.

“The game is afoot,” says Blanc, clearly relishing the challenge of digging into the Thrombey puzzle. You’ll relish it, too. The most entertaining movie puzzle of the year, it’s also a film with some of the sharpest edges where you least expect them.

And like the coffee mug suggests, it plays by its own rules. Whodunit? Oh, you’ll find out. But you’ll have even more fun filling in the doughnut holes.

It’s time to slip into those dancing shoes and shine up the Mirrorball trophy because ABC’s Dancing With the Stars is back for its 28th season! After taking the spring off, the hit reality competition is back with an all-new cast of celebrities who are paired up with pro dancers to brave the dance floor and a live studio audience. Each week these celebrities will leave their comfort zones and endure hours of grueling rehearsals to master new dance styles and technical choreography to perform a dance, which will be judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts as well as voted upon by viewers. In the end, only one star will rise above the rest to be crowned champion.

Read on to find out everything we know so far about season 28, including who is in the cast, who has been eliminated, who got injured, the new rules and much more.

Who is in this season’s DWTS cast of celebrity dancers?

The 12 new celebrity dancers were announced on August 31 on Good Morning America. Here’s a list of every DWTS celebrity dancer:

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina‘s second-place finish on American Idol in season 10 paved the way for a platinum-selling country music career. Her critically-acclaimed sophomore album, Road Less Traveled, landed on multiple “Best of” lists, including Billboard, Rolling Stone and Amazon, and it became the top-streamed female country album release of 2017.

Related: Why Lauren Alaina Didn’t Want Her Father to Watch Her Movie Night Dance on Dancing With the Stars 

Christie Brinkley

It was reported that Christie Brinkley, 65, broke her arm during rehearsals and has been replaced by her daughter, Sailor Brinkley-Cook, 21. Supermodel, author and entrepreneur Christie Brinkley has appeared on more than 500 magazine covers worldwide across 45 years in the beauty industry. She has become the first model to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated for three consecutive years. Brinkley is also an actress and recently starred in the revival of Chicago as Roxie Hart. (And we can’t forget her guest appearance as Jerry Gergich’s shockingly gorgeous wife on Parks & Recreation!)

Related: Sailor Brinkley-Cook Opens Up About Stepping into Her Mom’s Dancing Shoes

Ally Brooke

Many first met Ally Brooke as a solo contestant on The X Factor, and then as a member of the assembled group Fifth Harmony. After the group announced its indefinite hiatus in 2018, she signed with Atlantic Records and is preparing to release her solo debut album.

Hannah Brown

Hannah Brown first appeared to America on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor. The 2018 Miss Alabama recently wrapped her memorable run as The Bachelorette in the show’s milestone 15th season on ABC, which soared to new ratings highs thanks to her genuine personality and dramatic season finale.

Karamo Brown

The current culture expert on Queer Eye made his TV debut in The Real World in 2004, becoming the first out gay black man on reality television. Karamo is also an activist for black and gay rights and was the recipient of the 2018 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

Kate Flannery

Kate Flannery is most well-known for her role as office lush Meredith on the critically-acclaimed comedy The Office. The actress currently is performing with Emmy-winner Jane Lynch in their anti-cabaret act “Two Lost Souls,” which has toured over 40 cities in the past four years.

Ray Lewis

Former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis is considered to be one of the best Baltimore Ravens players of all time. Winning a Super Bowl MVP Award, as well as the title of NFL Defensive Player of the Year multiple times, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 on the fifth anniversary of his final game. Sports stars have historically performed well on DWTS so we can’t wait to see him on the dance floor.

Kel Mitchell

The actor and comedian broke onto the scene on Nickelodeon shows All That and Kenan & Kel. His friendship with current SNL star Kenan Thompson made its way onto the big screen with the film Good Burger. He is currently the executive producer for a revival of All That that premiered in June.

Lamar Odom

The former L.A. Laker won multiple NBA championships and was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. He is also well-known for his marriage to Khloé Kardashian from 2009 to 2016, which was showcased on their reality series Khloé & Lamar. In 2015, Lamar Odom fell into a coma due to cocaine addiction and has since recovered and obtained drug treatment.

Sean Spicer

The former White House press secretary made his mark as one of the most recognized staffers early in the Trump administration. He’s worked for more than 20 years in various government positions, including serving as the communications director of the Republican National Committee. His tenure in 2017 sparked controversy and even spawned a recurring SNL skit featuring Melissa McCarthy as Spicer.

James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek is most well-known for his role in Varsity Blues and as the titular role in the six-season teen drama Dawson’s Creek. His most recent stints including parts in Pose, CSI: Cyber and as a fictionalized version of himself in the cult sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson is a founder and the longest-lasting member of the singing group The Supremes, the No. 1 female recording group of all time. Her work has earned her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The singer has kept busy since the group disbanded in 1977, penning several books and turning to activism. UPDATE: Mary Wilson has been eliminated.

Who are the professional dancers in season 28?

The professional partners for this season were announced alongside the celebrities.

Brandon Armstrong

Brandon is a relative newcomer to the DWTS scene, appearing for his second season. He made his debut in 2018 with singer-songwriter Tinashe.

Lindsay Arnold

Lindsay joined DWTS for season 16 after finishing in the top eight on her season of So You Think You Can Dance. In 2017, she won season 25 with a record-setting performance with actor and singer Jordan Fisher.

Alan Bersten

Alan started his DWTS career in the DWTS dance troupe, twice filling in for injured pros Mark Ballas (season 22) and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (season 24). He was rewarded for his efforts and in season 25, he moved up to pro status. He also served as a mentor for the spinoff Dancing with the Stars Junior.

Cheryl Burke

DWTS veteran Cheryl Burke has been on for nearly two dozen seasons. She not only is the first female pro to win, but the first pro overall to win two seasons in a row. She also replaced Abby Lee Miller on Dance Moms in 2017.

Witney Carson

Witney is yet another veteran of SYTYCD, a professional partner for the show since season 18. She has made finale night multiple times and took home the Mirrorball trophy with Alfonso Ribiero, which also earned her an Emmy nomination for her choreography.

Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Fourteen-time U.S. National Latin Dance champion Val Chmerkovskiy, 33, first appeared on season 2 as a student of his brother Maks Chmerkovskiy. After several performances through the seasons, he made his debut as a pro in season 13 and has made the finale seven times in fourteen seasons, winning with partners Rumer Willis and Laurie Hernandez.

Sasha Farber

This season marks Sasha’s seventh as a professional partner. He previously made the finale during the athletes season with Tonya Harding. He also saw success with Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and is married to fellow pro Emma Slater.

Jenna Johnson

Jenna is a SYTYCD all-star and relative newcomer to the professional partner route. She was able to clinch a win in her second season being partnered with figure skating legend Adam Rippon.

Peta Murgatroyd

Peta is an alum of the dance production Burn the Floor, appearing on Broadway. Murgatroyd has appeared on DWTS since season 13 and won twice with football player Donald Driver and deaf model Nyle DiMarco.

Pasha Pashkov

Pasha is the newest member of the professional team, alongside his wife Daniella Karagach. The two are seven-time United States 10-Dance Champions and Latin Champions and appeared on the second season of NBC’s World of Dance.

Gleb Savchenko

Russian-born Gleb has appeared in DWTS franchises in Russia, the U.K., Australia and the U.S. He has previously made the semifinals with actress and country singer Jana Kramer.

Emma Slater

Emma started her career as a principal dancer with numerous productions in the U.K., including Burn the Floor. She claimed victory alongside NFL running back Rashad Jennings, and is married to fellow pro Sasha Farber.

Who are the celebrities paired with this season?

In a unique twist, the pairings weren’t announced until the premiere of this season’s show. Here’s a look at the celebrities and their professional dance partners.

James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater
Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten
Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko
Sailor Brinkley-Cook and Val Chmerkovskiy
Karamo Brown and Jenna Johnson
Mary Wilson and Pasha Pashkov
Kel Mitchell and Witney Carson
Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber
Kate Flannery and Brandon Armstrong
Ray Lewis and Cheryl Burke
Sean Spicer and Lindsay Arnold
Lamar Odom and Peta Murgatroyd

What are the new DWTS rule changes for season 28?

For season 28, Dancing With the Stars is looking across the pond to its British predecessor Strictly Come Dancing for a few rule changes. For season 28, the dance troupe that has been a staple since season 12 will be absent. Instead, the cast will feature two extra pros in newbie Daniella Karagach and veteran Keo Motsepe. Though they will not have partners this season, Daniella and Keo will fill the roles the troupe occupied in previous seasons. Those include participating in group numbers, assisting in rehearsals, and filling in if another pro is injured or otherwise indisposed.

The alphabet network finally unveiled two new rules changes that may shift the voting format to weigh more heavily toward dance ability rather than popularity. Fans were in uproar when Bobby Bones, who had consistently low scores but high fan votes throughout the season, took home the Mirrorball trophy. Host Tom Bergeron tweeted in June that ABC had heard the complaints and could be reworking the format.

New DWTS viewer voting

In Week 2, viewers finally learned the two big new rule changes for season 28. Viewers can still vote on ABC.com but can also vote by texting the star’s first name to 21523—limited to 10 votes per couple per voting method per week. Voting will be open from the start of the broadcast in eastern and central time zones and will close shortly after the final dance of the night.

New DWTS judges’ save

“For the first time ever, the judges will be able to save one of the bottom two couples,” host Tom Bergeron revealed on the Week 2 broadcast.

In the most shocking new rules change, the judges will now be able to save one of the bottom couples from elimination. Here’s how it works: At the end of the night, the couples that are safe will be announced live. Then the two couples at the bottom (based on a combination of the judges’ scores and viewer votes) will be revealed. At this point, the judges must vote on which of the two lowest-scoring couples will be saved from elimination.

Will the DWTS judging panel be the same?

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman will be back with paddles in hand for the new season. Also returning are hosts Tom Bergeron, who has been with DWTS since season one, and Erin Andrews, who was also a contestant in season 10 before joining as co-host in season 18.

Where can I watch and stream DWTS for season 28?

Dancing With the Stars premiered September 16 at 8 p.m. ET. The show airs every Monday night with a two-hour live show on ABC. Fans can watch and stream the show online with ABC’s Go Watch Live and a cable login, or the next day on Hulu.

Bobby Bones Make His Pre-Season DWTS Winner Predictions

Last year’s mirrorball trophy champion Bobby Bones was on hand to check out the new crop of dancing hopefuls, but first he spoke to Parade.com about a few of his favorites, keeping in mind that he hasn’t seen them dance yet. See his full list of Season 28 DWTS winner predictions.

Is Christie Brinkley’s Injury Fake?

Just hours before the season 29 premiere, ABC announced that Christie Brinkley would not be able to compete after she injured her arm during rehearsals and her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook would step into her mom’s place. That’s when her “friend” Wendy Williams got involved. The talk show host asserted on her show that Brinkley faked her injury to promote her daughter’s modeling career. Brinkley checked Williams’s comments by sharing x-rays and her badly bruised arm on The Talk. She also offered a bit of friendly advice to Williams: “It’s so much more fun to be kind. Try it.” Unless this is a real-life version of The Prestige, we believe Christie!

Who Are the Guest Judges for DWTS?

Leah Remini, the star of the long-running sitcom The King of Queens and Scientology member-turned-critic, is returning to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom as a guest judge.

Remini competed on the popular dance reality series in 2013 during season 17. She and her pro partner was Tony Dovolani placed fifth.

Watch for Remini on Monday, October 7 when she joins Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli as a guest judge on Dancing With the Stars.

Sailor Brinkley Cook on Learning to Face Her Fears

You would think that someone who has walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana and Elie Tahari would be comfortable in front of an audience, but Sailor Brinkley-Cook says it is just the opposite because for runway, you only have to do one thing — walk and not fall down, but there is so much more to dancing.

When her mom Christie Brinkley had to drop out: “My first reaction was, “No!,  because I don’t know how to dance. I have dropped out of every performance that I signed up for, and I don’t have a good track record of being a performer, so it immediately terrified me.

And then I was like, “Damn, the reason why I should do this is because of how scary it is for me.” It has turned into this massive lesson of not letting the things that you’re afraid of stand in the way of doing that thing. This has been such an incredible opportunity and such an incredible experience, just being with everyone and going to the rehearsal studio every day, pushing out incredible energy of nerves and excitement, it’s great.

Read more from Parade.com’s 1:1 interview with Sailor Brinkley-Cook

How Christie Brinkley Deals With Haters

Christie Brinkley and daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook guest on The Kelly Clarkson show just hours before Sailor will take to the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars to perform for Disney Night.

As has been much written about, Christie Brinkley says that people have accused her of faking her broken arm so that she was able to leave DWTS and daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook was able to take her place.

Christie and Sailor appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show just hours before Sailor’s Week 5 Disney Night performance. Here’s what Christie had to say to her haters:

“It was so ridiculous. At first, I wasn’t going to respond, but like any mom out there, when it is your child, you get a little riled up. It is just indicative of what is going on right now in America. We just need to love each other more.”

Kate Flannery Dedicates Her Disney Night Performance to Her Late Sister

The Office alum Kate Flannery and her professional partner Pasha Pashkov danced a jazz number to “A Spoonful of Medicine” from Mary Poppins, which happened to be her sister Nancy‘s favorite movie. Nancy died in June of breast cancer, so it was doubly appropriate that Kate honor her sister during Breast Cancer Awareness month.

“It is one of my family’s favorite, favorite movies,” Flannery told Parade.com on the red carpet after her performance. “This movie meant so much to her, so I was really thinking about her spirit. I have to say, it is just an honor to get to represent that on such a crazy level on this show.”

Who has been eliminated from DWTS?

Check back in this section throughout the season as Parade.com updates you with who is the latest pair to leave the dance floor.

Week 1 Recap

The judge’s scores from the premiere episode will be combined with live votes during the second episode of the season. Week 2 will see the first elimination of the season.

The highest scores for Week 1 were James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater (21), Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten (20), Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko (19) and Sailor Brinkley-Cook and Val Savchenko (18). Find out who had the lowest scores in our DWTS Week 1 recap.

Week 2 DWTS Elimination

The glittery second night of Dancing With the Stars ended with the elimination of Motown music legend Mary Wilson and her pro partner Brandon Armstrong.

When Mary was told she was going home she said her Dancing With the Stars was experience was “fabulous.”

The dance team of Ray Lewis and Cheryl Burke also found itself at the bottom of the competition, but in a new twist, the judges had the opportunity to pick one duo—either Mary and Brandon or Ray and Cheryl—for a judges’ save.

Read our full Dancing With the Stars week 2 recap for more details on each of the remaining celebrity couple’s performances.

Week 3 DWTS Elimination

After a close call with elimination in Week 2, Ray Lewis and pro dancer Cheryl Burke shocked viewers they dropped out of the competition. Ray experienced torn tendons during practice which will require surgery. Ray is the second celebrity to be sidelined this season; Christie Brinkley injured her arm during rehearsals and her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook stepped in just a days before the season premiere.

While the live audience and viewers waited to see which couple was saved and which couple was going home, Head Judge Len Goodman dropped a bombshell: “Because Ray and Cheryl have withdrawn, I’m happy to announce no one is going home.”

The 10 couples returning for Week 4 and their Oct. 7 dances include:

Lauren Alaina and Gleb Savchenko: foxtrot
Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten: paso doble
Sailor Brinkley-Cook and Val Chmerkovskiy: cha-cha
Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber: jive
Kate Flannery and Pasha Pashkov: Argentine tango
Karamo Brown and Jenna Johnson: tango
Kel Mitchell and Witney Carson: cha-cha
Lamar Odom and Peta Murgatroyd: Viennese waltz
Sean Spicer and Lindsay Arnold: paso doble
James Van Der Beek and Emma Slater: quickstep

Week 4 DWTS Elimination

In a not-so-surprising Week 4, NBA champion Lamar Odum and pro partner Peta Murgatroyd were eliminated.

“Remembering the routines has been my worst enemy,” Lamar reflected on the previous few weeks of the show. “I want to show my kids I can put in the hard work.”

After the Week 4 elimination, there are nine remaining dance teams vying for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. Among the surprises on Monday night were King of Queens star and Season 17 favorite Leah Remini serving as a guest judge, and Tom gave her great praise for a job well done.

Week 5 DWTS No Elimination

Disney Night is one of the most magical nights in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom. And at the end of the night, host Tom Bergeron made the night even more special for the lowest-scoring couples when he announced, “No one goes home on Disney Night.”

Co-host Erin Andrews added, “How magical is that?”

Week 6 DWTS Elimination

In perhaps one of the most shocking and tear-filled eliminations in 28 season of Dancing With the Stars, bubbly Christie Brinkley clone Sailor Brinkley-Cook was eliminated.

Sailor broke down in tears and was too emotional to speak after the elimination was announced. Host Tom Bergeron told the live audience and the viewers, “this has been a complete shock; this is a hard one.”

Week 7 DWTS Elimination

Chills, thrills, creepy surprises and team dances were in store for the eight remaining competitors on Week 7 of Season 28 of Dancing With the Stars! Halloween night was especially frightful for Karamo Brown and pro partner Jenna Johnson and Kate Flannery and pro partner Pasha Pashkov—the two couples declared in jeopardy at the end of the show.

Again head judge Len Goodman was the tiebreaker who had to decide which contestant would stay and who would go! Carrie Ann Inaba voted to keep Karamo and Jenna. Bruno Tonioli wanted to save Kate and Pasha. Ultimately, Len chose to save Kate and Pasha! Our only question is how in the world is Sean Spicer still in the competition?

Week 8 DWTS Elimination

Despite kudos from the judges and dazzling jive steps to the steamy song “Heatwave,” The Office star Kate Flannery and her pro partner Pasha Pashkov were eliminated in Week 8 of Dancing with the Stars.

After individual dances and paired dance-offs, the judges had to decide between Kate and Pasha and Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber, the other couple that was in jeopardy.

As the tension mounted the judges weighed in. “It is confusing for me at this point why these are the bottom two,” Carrie Ann Inaba said before she voted for the elimination. “Absolutely confused and a little irritated, but I have to do my job. You both have been amazing. You both are wonderful…I am saving Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber.”

Week 9 DWTS Elimination

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and his fill-in pro dance partner Jenna Johnson were sent home during the Boy Band & Girl Group Elimination in the Week 9 quarterfinals. (His pro partner Lindsay Arnold was away due to a death in her family.)

“Thanks to everyone who supported me,” Sean said as the show was coming to a close. “Thanks to my family for everything they did. I’ve loved being on this show. Thank you for making me a part of it. God bless you all. Happy Veteran’s Day.”

Week 10 DWTS Elimination

The heat was on during the highly emotional semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars when Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek and his dance pro Emma Slater were eliminated from the competition.

Related: James Van Der Beek Opens Up About His Wife’s Life-Threatening Miscarriage

In fact, an emotional Ally Brooke asked if she could swap places with James, but was turned down.

Overall, it was a difficult night for James. Earlier in the night, a tearful James spoke emotionally about his wife’s recent miscarriage. “The little soul that we had expected to join our family took a short cut to whatever lies beyond.” He said it was difficult to tell his children, and it also brought his family (which includes five young children) closer together.

“It opens your heart, deepens your appreciation. Makes you more human.” His wife, Kimberly, from her hospital bed had told him, “I am not done watching you dance. When words fail you, you sing. When there are no words, you dance. And that’s what I’m going to do. Kimberly, I’m dancing for you.”

Week 11 DWTS Finale Winner

The Dancing with the Stars Season 28 winner of the coveted Mirrorball Trophy is…Hannah Brown and Alan Bersten.

“Thank you, everyone,” Hannah, the Season 28 champion, screamed after the announcement, while her partner, Alan, twirled her high into the air.

“Going into this week is just a celebration of how much I’ve grown,” explained Hannah after she and Alan were crowned the winners amid a clearly jubilant ballroom audience.

“We did 14 dances. It was such a roller coaster,” said Hannah, who is best known for The Bachelorette. “I learned a lot about myself. Being in the finale is just a win in and of itself.”

Host Tom Bergeron asked Alan for a comment, and Alan replied, “Oh, my God. I don’t even know what’s happening.”

“Let it go, let it go!” my son, Sam, sang into his Frozen microphone. Even though he’s a 6-year-old boy, he enthusiastically shouted “Yes!” and burst into song when I recently asked him if he wanted to go see the sequel, Frozen 2. And as he sung, I thought about how far we’ve come since we both first heard that tune.

Although Sam wears hearing aids, he loves to sing and is very musically inclined. But as a toddler, he was unruly, strong-willed, and for me as a parent, impossible to control. Kind of like Elsa.

“Elsa’s ability to make snow and ice makes her different from her parents, her sister Anna and everyone else around her. As a result, others treat her differently. Like Elsa, children with disabilities are often the only ones in their family who are disabled, and they may be similarly misunderstood, treated differently or segregated,” Susan Henderson, a disabled parent who is executive director and head of Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund‘s parent training information center, tells Parade.com. “This is, in part, why so many disabled kids identify with her. They know what it is like to feel isolated and alone, even at home.”

Sam was born in 2013, the same year the first Frozen film came out. Because he was just a newborn, I missed the initial flurry of excitement over the movie. It was just kind of a blip on my radar, something my older nieces were into but not something I knew much about. 

Related: The Best New Movies You Need to See in Fall 2019 

When I eventually saw it, one of my first thoughts was, Elsa’s parents handled her supernatural penchant for turning everything to ice terribly, even if it was well-intentioned. Obviously they don’t want her to be a danger to herself or others, particularly her sister. But making her hide away? Teaching her to “conceal, don’t feel” (worst parenting advice ever)? Isolating her and her sister from each other? Instead of giving Elsa the tools she needed to manage her ability—or disability, as they treated it—they tried to force her into something she wasn’t. No wonder why she was so messed up.

“I can see how Elsa’s experiences with her powers in Frozen may be interpreted as similar to experiences of disabled children,” Elizabeth Ellcessor, Ph.D, assistant professor in the department of Media Studies at the University of Virginia and co-editor of Disability Media Studies, tells Parade.com. “She has a notable difference in her capacities, and that difference affects her ability to interact with people and society around her,” she continues. “Because others aren’t prepared for her differences, she is isolated and takes on significant shame around her powers; this recalls what we call the ‘social model’ of disability, in which experiences of disability are caused not by individual bodies, but by a society that is based around a small range of ‘normal’ bodies and abilities, and thus excludes people who don’t fit within that range.”

Her parents “exacerbated” this, she says, by “choosing to hide Elsa’s differences and encourage her to act as ‘normal’ as possible. Her parents made a choice that may have seemed protective, but that actually isolated Elsa from others (like her Anna) and prevented her from learning to cope with her differences and take pride in who she actually was.”

In the meantime, I was working on my own parenting. Sam was a happy baby, but as he entered his second year, he started to speak in a language that was all his own. He also developed tendencies to throw his body around, scream when he wanted something and run away from us. Life with Sam was becoming difficult.

When I asked his pediatrician why Sam wasn’t really talking, she suggested we have him evaluated by our state’s Early Intervention program. They recommended we also have his hearing tested.

We found out when Sam was just over 2 years old that he has permanent hearing loss. This was the reason for the strange way he spoke: Because he could hear certain sounds and not others, he was repeating only the parts of words he could hear. The crying and yelling to get what he wanted were because he hadn’t developed any actual words we could understand. 

Related: 10 Important Life Lessons That I Learned From My Son With Autism 

Early Intervention also found that he had some sensory processing issues: He would climb up and jump off things and bump into others on purpose, because he was seeking sensory input. Was this connected to his missing sense, his hearing? They didn’t know. We started him in occupational, developmental and speech therapy and got him hearing aids. His therapists also used sign language.

Suddenly, I was faced with a situation I wasn’t prepared for. I didn’t know how to communicate with him. I didn’t know how to stop him from hurting himself or others. I wanted to figure out how to control him, to set him on the same course that most other toddlers were already on. But adopting this attitude toward him is exactly what Elsa’s parents did toward her.

Although parents today may consider ourselves more enlightened than those who used the authoritative, “do as I say or else” parenting tactics of the past, it almost seems like a natural instinct to want to control your children. Maybe this is partly because—let’s face it—children can be super annoying and try your patience when you’re trying to keep order in your house, or to get to where you need to go or to simply have a moment’s peace. But it’s also because you want to keep them safe: They shouldn’t run in the parking lot, or jump off the coffee table, or do whatever crazy activity they’re bent on doing that might hurt themselves. 

Then you take a child with disabilities. A child who can’t hear what’s going on around him, but doesn’t realize that he can’t hear because that’s all he’s ever known. Who can’t figure out how to get his caregivers to give him the care he needs, because he doesn’t have the language to ask for it. Whose every move helps him make sense of the world, but to his parents, just represents danger. 

That’s what I felt: Danger. I was scared for him and I wanted to protect him. It was a lot easier at home, because I could pad everything to make it acoustically easier for him to hear and to make his environment less dangerous if he jumped off or ran into something. I could make sure there was no background noise. I could make sure things were calm and quiet so that his sensory processing wouldn’t end up on overload. I could make sure he wouldn’t run into the street or a parking lot if we just stayed inside.

I closed the castle gates.

“As parents we are naturally protective of our children, whether our kids are disabled or not,” says Henderson. “When we believe our children are in need of extra protection because they have a disability, we may attempt to shape the environment around our child and control our child, which prevents children from understanding their disability and how to manage their own lives.”

Somewhere around this time, when he was about 3, Sam saw Frozen.

As I watched it with a fresh perspective, I saw that as much as I could relate to Elsa’s parents this time around, they were still making really poor decisions. And Elsa, for herself, hadn’t become any more secure in the world because of it. She was being governed by fear, the very thing that the troll at the beginning of the movie told her would be her enemy. But although the fear the troll implied was the fear others would have of her, the bigger danger was the fear she had of being herself. 

Anyone can relate to the message to “be yourself.” But as I watched, I actually came to see Elsa as having a disability, too. Many d/Deaf people, as well as other people with disabilities or differences, see themselves as having something unique and special that even though is not the typical way of life, has its own beauty. Elsa is just like this: She’s got this amazing gift, but she at first she only sees the negatives about it and the things she can’t do, the way life is made more difficult for her. Because this is what she’s been taught, she thinks she’s defective, that there’s something wrong with her, that she has to change in order to be accepted.

I realized I didn’t want that for Sam.

“For some parents of disabled children, perhaps especially those who do not share their child’s disability, this representation might be a useful way to think about tensions between protecting and preparing their child,” says Dr. Ellcessor. “While protection might be a first impulse, Frozen shows how it can be limiting and harmful. Instead, it’s only after Elsa is prepared, having learned to navigate society while using, controlling, and being proud of her difference, that she is able to form relationships and defeat the bad guys. For some parents, this message may be helpful in encouraging their children’s development and independence.”

Although it was scary to think about how his hearing will affect his future—Will it be more difficult for him to go to college, to get a job? Will kids make fun of him? What other unforeseen challenges will come his way?—I didn’t want it to define him. And I certainly didn’t want him to pick up on and internalize those worries himself. 

Sam’s sensory processing challenges were in some ways harder for me to figure out. I never knew when his behavior was him just being a “normal” kid, or when it was a sensory problem, or when it was a hearing problem. I felt like he was a ticking time bomb—I never knew when he would erupt with out-of-control behavior or a massive tantrum. And when he did, I struggled to handle it. 

But being on high alert myself made his reactions even worse, and yelling at him just escalated things. The more I tried to control it, the worse things got. I was fighting against the current instead of letting the waves roll over me. I had to change my approach, so I decided to take Elsa’s advice and “let it go.”

Related: So “Snowplow Parenting” Is a Thing and Here’s Everything You Need to Know About It 

At the end of the movie (spoiler alert, if you’re the one person in the world who hasn’t seen it), Elsa doesn’t learn to squash her powers. The only way she can regulate them is not by fighting against her snowy tendencies, but by embracing them. An act of true love from her sister paves the way for Elsa to do this. All the negativity about herself “melts” away, and she learns instead to use her powers in a positive way.

And his running, jumping and climbing? We took him to places where he could get out his energy and use his athletic talents in a productive, and relatively safe, way. I searched for playgrounds with the coolest jungle gyms. A huge rope climbing structure at a local park that terrifies other children is perfect for Sam. We took him rock-climbing. 

Related: In This Excerpt From Why Will No One Play With Me, Here Are 7 Ways to Encourage Independence During Playdates 

As Sam got older and became better able to communicate with us, I saw how this new approach paid off. He’s still strong-willed, but now I’m glad about that because it will allow him to persist against any challenges he might face in his life. He’s empathetic, because we’ve taught him that all people are different. He’s confident because we’ve let him lean into the adventurous parts of his personality instead of restricting him. 

“As the movie shows in the end, a better way forward [than what Elsa’s parents chose] is to be honest and up front about what the child faces in order to help disabled kids find their way in the real world–exactly as they are,” Henderson advises family members of disabled children.

With his parents’ help, Sam is learning how to channel his unique abilities, disabilities, whatever you want to call them, into something powerful. And I think everyone can learn from Elsa in that way, because we all have our own particular battles we’re fighting in life, whether they’re apparent or not. It’s not about hiding them, or concealing them, or trying to be what we aren’t—it’s about embracing our own power, learning from it and directing it for good. That’s the best message we can teach our children. 

Frozen‘s Kristen Bell can teach us all a thing or two about parenting. Just look at this genius parenting hack.

Most Christmas programming is either a movie or a musical special, but Netflix pulled a surprise out of its hat by making an eight-episode Christmas series, Merry Happy Whatever, starring Dennis Quaid, Ashley Tisdale and Bridgit Mendler as the Quinn family from Philadelphia.

Don (Quaid), a strong-willed patriarch who has very specific ideas about how Christmas should be celebrated, is doing his best to balance the stress of the holidays with the demands of his close-knit but eclectic family — and his family is doing its best to manage him.

Dennis Quaid on Finding Inspiration in the Faith Movie I Can Only Imagine

“I just felt like it was super unique as every comedy has a holiday episode, but to have a series was going to be so much fun,” says Tisdale, who plays Don’s daughter Kayla, who starts off the series with her husband asking for a divorce. “I also loved the writing and Tucker Cawley, who created the show. I really loved how grounded it was compared to a lot of Christmas movies that have a romantic Christmas and it’s always perfect. This show is a little bit different, because the family is a little dysfunctional, so it wasn’t something expected.”

Related: What Frozen Taught Me About Raising a Child With Disabilities

Tisdale and Mendler play sisters – Mendler plays younger sister Emmy, who comes home for the holiday with a new boyfriend, struggling musician Matt (Brent Morin) – and you wouldn’t know to watch, but the two women had never met prior to being cast.

“A girl’s night happened once the show was underway,” Mendler shares, explaining how they created that sisterly bond. “But we all as a cast really connected. Ashley’s been so great with being a big sister to me, so we’ve definitely had some great times to bond.”

Mendler says that while she was never the daughter who went off to L.A. and brought home an unexpected boyfriend, what she does relate to is Emmy’s love for her family and the man in her life.

“I think a lot of young women of our generation, in particular, are experiencing: How do you physically choose where to be? You want to be near your family, you want to be near whatever job opportunities you have, you want to be with your partner that you care about, and it’s hard to juggle all of those considerations,” she says. “So Emmy does have a lot of stressful, big-life questions going on in the series and it was great the way that she was able to lean on her family and her boyfriend throughout the episodes in different ways.”

Surprisingly, Tisdale originally went in to read for the part of Emmy, but Cawley definitely saw her as Kayla, and Tisdale relented and agreed to play Kayla.

Related: The Best New Movies You Need to See in Fall 2019 

“It worked out for the best for sure,” she says. “Bridgit’s so good at Emmy and, I obviously don’t want to spill anything, but the fact that Tucker saw in me that I could play Kayla is really interesting. Tucker didn’t really bring us into what our characters arcs were going to be, so I was just as shocked as I’m sure the viewers will be as shocked on what Kayla’s journey is going to be. Tucker knew where she was going to be going and he was like, ‘Yes this is the right girl for this character.’”

Merry Happy Whatever begins streaming on Nov. 28 on Netflix.

Frozen‘s Kristen Bell can teach us all a thing or two about parenting. Just look at this genius parenting hack.

Things don’t look like they are slowing down on this week’s all-new Treadstone. In “The Paradox Andropov” episode, premiering Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network, Bentley (Jeremy Irvine) crosses the point of no return as he and Young Petra (Emilia Schüle) try to seek refuge. The fiery chemistry between the two comes to a head as Bentley is unsure whether to he can trust her or not as Petra reunites with an old comrade.

Related: What Did You Miss in Episode 6?

Tara’s (Tracy Ifeachor) chase for Stiletto Six hits rock bottom and SoYun goes on a shopping spree as she continues to follow Shin.

New episodes of Treadstone premiere Tuesdays at 10 p.m.ET on USA Network. Take a look at TWO exclusive clips below!

Learn more about the key players on Treadstone here.

Learn more about Treadstone!

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The Grinch can’t steal our Christmas spirit, but he sure can deliver laughs. Jim Carrey brought Dr. Seuss’ beloved children’s storybook character to life in the 2000 live-action film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and along with it, all the Grinch quotes we’ve come to know and love, while adding a few new one-liners to the mix. Between attempting to rob the Whos down in Whoville of the holiday and his heart growing three sizes, The Grinch has some unforgettable—and sometimes unforgivable—thoughts along his way to learning, and teaching us all, the true meaning of the holidays. And with that, we give you the 30 Best Grinch Quotes:

1. “It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.” — The Grinch
2. “Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.” — The Grinch 
3. “No one should be alone on Christmas.” — Cindy Lou Who 
4. “Now you listen to me, young lady! Even if we’re horribly mangled, there’ll be no sad faces on Christmas.” — The Grinch
5. “It’s because I’m green isn’t it?” — The Grinch

6. “4:00, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again. 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing. I’m booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.” — The Grinch 
7. “Am I just eating because I’m bored?” — The Grinch 
8. “Cheer up, dude. It’s Christmas.” — The Grinch 
9. “Tomorrow is Christmas. It’s practically here!” — The Grinch 
10. “That is not a chew toy!” — The Grinch  
11. “Blast this Christmas music! It’s joyful and triumphant.” — The Grinch 
12. “Be it ever so heinous, there’s no place like home.” — The Grinch  
13. “I’m all toasty inside.” — The Grinch  
14. “Stupid. Ugly. Out of date. This is ridiculous. If I can’t find something nice to wear I’m not going.” — The Grinch  
15. “No matter how different a Who may appear, he will always be welcomed with holiday cheer.” — Cindy Lou Who
16. “What is that stench? It’s fantastic.” — The Grinch  
17. “One man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri.” — The Grinch  
18. “Kids today. So desensitized by movies and television.” — The Grinch 
19. “Bleeding hearts of the world unite.” — The Grinch
20. “Holiday who-be what-ee?” — The Grinch 
21. “I could use a little social interaction.” — The Grinch 
22. “Give me that! Don’t you know you’re not supposed to take things that don’t belong to you? What’s the matter with you? You some kind of wild animal?” — The Grinch 
23. “I’m an idiot. You’re an idiot!” — The Grinch  
24. “Saving you, is that what you think I was doing? Wrong-o. I merely noticed that you’re improperly packaged, my dear.” — The Grinch  

25. “HELP ME…I’m FEELING.” — The Grinch  
26. “You can’t hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor because it isn’t about the gifts or the contests or the fancy lights.” — Lou Lou Who
27. “If you utter so much as one syllable, I’LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH! If you’d like to fax me, press the star key.” — The Grinch  
28. “I don’t need anything more for Christmas than this right here. My family.” — Lou Lou Who
29. “That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? That’s what it’s always been about. Gifts, gifts… gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts! You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I’m saying? In your garbage. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice. The avarice never ends! ‘I want golf clubs. I want diamonds. I want a pony so I can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue.’ Look, I don’t wanna make waves, but this whole Christmas season is…” — The Grinch  
30. “And they’ll feast, feast, feast, feast. They’ll eat their Who-Pudding and rare Who-Roast Beast. But that’s something I just cannot stand in the least. Oh, no. I’M SPEAKING IN RHYME!” — The Grinch

Related: Here Are the 31 Most Iconic Quotes From Home Alone—Keep the Change, Ya Filthy Animal  

In the mood for the holidays? Watch these 12 Christmas movies on Netflix…now!

Related: Spread Holiday Cheer with These Quotes From Elf

The results of Monday night’s vote are in on The Voice, and host Carson Daly will reveal to the Top 11 — Hello Sunday, Jake Hoot, Joana Martinez, Kat Hammock, Katie Kadan, Marybeth Byrd, Myracle Holloway, Ricky Duran, Rose Short, Shane Q, and Will Breman – and to coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani who will make the Top 10 and who will go home.

First, eight artists will be revealed as safe by America’s votes. The bottom two artists will then compete for the Instant Save and one artist will move on and the other one will have come to the end of his/her Voice journey.

For the second week in a row, Carson announced that Jake was the most streamed artist on Apple Music from Monday night’s The Voice performances.

“I hope my fans saw a little bit of Chicago in me, a little bit of church in me,” Katie said when asked what she hoped her fans saw in her performance. “I come from a place of love. Thank you so much for giving me a ballad to sing, a song to sing, because if it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be here.”

“The support from Encinitas — and from San Diego as a whole — has been nothing short of incredible, honestly,” Kat said. “To see my church be so supportive and my high school come together because of The Voice, it is so amazing. I am so thankful.”

The Voice Season 17 Recap: Who Were The Two Eliminated From the Top 13?

The first name to be called as safe was Team Blake’s Ricky Duran. Next, from Team Legend was Katie Kadan.

Team Legend – John, Katie, Marybeth and Will — then took the stage for the first time this season, performing “How Deep Is Your Love.”

“This experience has really helped me to grow and develop as an artist,” Joana said. “It has pushed me to do some things I never would have done, which has helped me a lot. So, I am better for it. I really am so grateful to have had the opportunity to perform here and grow.”

“I enjoy [putting my own spin on things] because I find it to be fun,” Will said. “My philosophy as a musician and an artist is to keep innovating because that is how music is pushed forward.”

Carson continued the countdown with the next two artists going through: Team Gwen’s Rose Short and Team Kelly’s Jake Hoot.

Next, Gwen celebrated the fact that 15 years ago she released her first solo album, which earned six Grammy nominations, by taking the stage and performing songs from Love. Angel. Music. Baby., where she was joined by Eve.

“It meant a lot to me [singing ‘Everybody Hurts’], because I feel like I was the voice for the voiceless, for those who felt on giving up on life,” Myracle told Carson. “I felt I was a light and an inspiration, letting them know you don’t have to give up.”

Then it was back to the results with Carson informing Team Gwen’s Joana Martinez and Team Legend’s Will Breman that they had also made the Top 10.

Photos: Meet the Top 20 The Voice Artists for Season 17 Going into the Live Playoffs

Following those results, Team Blake – Blake, Kat and Ricky — performed “Taking Care of Business.”

“America picked a great song for me,” Shane Q told Carson about singing a Shawn Mendes song. “I was really comfortable with what I had. I was able to show off some stuff I had. Let’s see if it worked out.”

Carson then announced the final three artists making it through by America’s vote. They were Team Legend’s Marybeth Byrd, Team Blake’s Kat Hammock, and Team Kelly’s Hello Sunday.

That left Team Kelly’s Shane Q and Team Gwen’s Myracle Holloway to perform for the Instant Save.

Shane sang “Jealous” for his last chance to remain in the competition.

“It is a testament to how incredible the talent is this season that you are in this position because you are one of the best singers,” Blake told him. “The notes that you hit week after week. Once again, how can this guy go home? Great job.”

“I really hope America votes,” Kelly said. “You were a four-chair turn in the Blinds. You are a gifted singer. I really hope you go through, but I am honestly very happy because you pulled out some stuff that you don’t normally do in your performances. Maybe you needed that fire.”

“You Are So Beautiful” was Myracle’s choice for what could be her last song.

“It is incredible to watch you use your gift in front of everyone,” Gwen said. “So calm and so creative. I hope America can see that you deserve to be here.”

Then Carson opened the voting for the Instant Save. When the results were tallied, Shane was voted through by America.

The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

You think you’re eager to see the new season of the award-winning comedy series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? You’re not alone. “I truly can’t wait,” says 29-year-old actress Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Miriam “Midge” Maisel (née Weissman) on the Amazon Prime series that’s back December 6. “Season three has so many wonderful new characters. We go on the road; we see new places. It’s all so exciting!”

Viewers have been gaga over the comedy-drama series since it dropped in March 2017. Besides becoming a fan favorite, the show is an awards darling, winning Golden Globes and Emmys for best series and acting. The critics have been equally enamored, calling the show “charming,” “exuberant” and “entertaining.”

Part of its charm (besides the jokes and the lovable fast-talking characters) is the show’s late-’50s sets, costumes, hair and makeup. “We hired a bunch of geniuses,” says Amy Sherman-Palladino, 53, who created the series with her husband, Dan Palladino, 59. “Everyone we hired is a storyteller, and they tell the stories using their design skills.”

Who Came Up With the Idea for Mrs. Maisel?

The concept for the show came during a stroll in New York City, where Sherman-Palladino and her husband often take long walks to talk over story ideas. “One day Amy says, ‘I’m thinking of a show set in the 1950s about a really happy housewife whose husband leaves her, and she discovers she has this talent for stand-up comedy that she didn’t know she had,’” says Palladino. “I immediately knew it was a winner, especially in Amy’s hands, considering her background.” Sherman-Palladino grew up in an art-filled household near Los Angeles. Her mother, Maybin Hewes, was a ballet dancer, and her father, Don Sherman, was a well-known comic who, much like Midge, lived in New York City in the ’50s while cutting his teeth in Greenwich Village coffeehouses and comedy clubs similar to Midge’s home turf, the Gaslight.

Initially, Sherman-Palladino followed in her mother’s pointe shoes, studying dance, but soon discovered she also had her father’s wicked sense of humor. “Believe me, there is nothing funnier than a short Jewish girl trying to dance in a room full of shiksas,” she says, laughing. “In terms of learning comedy, my main influences came from my father and his comic friends and listening to Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks’ 2000 Year Old Man album. That record formed everything that I am, always, for the rest of my life.” Palladino, on the other hand, was an admitted TV junkie who also grew up near Los Angeles watching classics like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show and All in the Family. But the two series that truly formed who he is today as a writer are M.A.S.H., “the grandfather of all comedies,” he says, “and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. I’ve memorized everything they’ve done; they were huge influences on me.”

Related: The 20 Absolute Best TV Shows of All Time

When coming up with the character of Midge, Sherman-Palladino and Palladino knew they wanted her to have a positive attitude toward life. “There’s something about Midge and her optimism that is infectious and the driving force into why we think the show is relatable and enjoyable,” says Sherman-Palladino. “It’s part of her charm and appeal. No matter what hits her—her husband leaves her in the first episode!—you literally can’t knock this girl down.”

“Our show is so hopeful,” agrees Brosnahan, who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. “It’s colorful, it’s light and it makes people feel good.” It also makes people laugh, a lot, which is ironic for the actress since, she says, “I spent my whole life being told I wasn’t funny. And I lost a lot of jobs because [casting directors] agreed.” That clearly didn’t stop Sherman-Palladino from hiring her to fill Midge’s kitten-heeled shoes.

Who Plays Mrs. Maisel?

“Rachel [Brosnahan] was the only actress we saw who didn’t have a fear of stand-up,”Sherman-Palladino explains. “Stand-up is terrifying, and she came into the audition and knew to lean into the microphone. The moment she did that, we knew we’d found our girl.”

Related: What Is Rachel Brosnahan Really Like Behind the Scenes?

When Does Mrs. Maisel Take Place?

Part of the fun of Mrs. Maisel is getting to time-travel to late-’50s New York and Miami. It’s a valentine to days gone by, from the makeup counter in B. Altman’s cosmetic department to the red tabletop booth in the Stage Deli, where Midge Maisel talks business with her manager, Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein), to a giant dining hall in the Catskills and the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach.

“I had never done a show this light and colorful,” says production designer Bill Groom, who won four Emmys for his dark and gritty work on Boardwalk Empire. “It’s really about the spirit of the time period, but the details are important.” That makeup counter in B. Altman features vintage glass showcases discovered in a defunct department store in Connecticut. “That was a big jackpot for us,” says set designer Ellen Christiansen. For the “We’re Going to the Catskills!” episode, the team used the 150-year-old Scott’s Family Resort in the mountains of upstate New York to represent Steiner’s, the idyllic summer camp the Weissmans visit each year. To recreate the atmosphere as closely as possible to the time period, Christiansen says, “We talked to the family who still owns it, and they showed me pictures and old postcards of what it looked like in 1959.”

“We’re so proud of this season,” Sherman-Palladino says. “The actors really shake it up. I mean, they’re always good, but every single one of them kicks it up a notch this year. We’re really excited for everyone to see it.”

Tony Shalhoub’s Romper

There are literally hundreds of fashion highpoints in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but one particular wardrobe moment stands out: when Tony Shalhoub, who plays Midge’s long-suffering father, Abe Weissman, slips into his exercise jumper, drops the needle on Robert Preston’s popular workout song at the time, “Chicken Fat,” and does his calisthenics on the dock in the Catskills. “When I first put on what we now call the ‘Romper,’” recalls Shalhoub, who last year picked up a Tony for his lead role in the Broadway musical The Band’s Visit, “it catapulted me back to when I was a kid and watching The Jack LaLanne Show, which was on every TV in every household in America.”

The modest Shalhoub, 66, actually gives credit to two-time Emmy-winning costume designer Donna Zakowska’s hilarious costume for winning his recent Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor. “No one else in my category got to wear a romper,” he says. “If they had, I might not have walked away with the Emmy.” Marin Hinkle, 53, who plays his wife, Rose, thinks he’s being humble about the honor. “When Tony is jumping up and down doing that exercise routine, he has a childlike curiosity. Even as he ages, he still acts like a little kid,” she says. “I think it’s beautiful.”

Rachel Brosnahan’s Favorite Outfits from Mrs. Maisel

America was clearly feeling “in the pink” during the Mrs. Maisel era. In fact, the first lady at the time was so famous for wearing blush-toned clothing, she even had a hue named after her: Mamie Eisenhower Pink. “The first costume I designed for the show was Midge’s pink coat in the pilot episode,” says Zakowska. “It became her signature shade because, to me, it referred to the rose-colored glasses through which Midge sees the world.” Rachel Brosnahan shares some of her favorite pink-accented costumes:

“My favorite outfit was the black-and-white checked shorts suit with pink kitten heels that I wore on my ride back to New York with Benjamin.”

“It hardly gets any play in the episode, but I loved this navy silk sailor dress with a hot pink bow at the neck. And that insane, unbelievably shaped hat!”

“The late 1950s were a high point of women’s couture,” says Zakowska. Her designs were inspired by vintage Vogue magazines; the classic cinematic beauties of the time, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn; and the great designers who dressed them, like Dior.

Mrs. Maisel Inspires Its Own Line of Lipstick

The lipsticks are so popular on Mrs. Maisel that Revlon has introduced a line called the Marvelous Super Lustrous Collection in Take the Stage Reds. A swipe of the bold Fire & Ice or the slightly pinker Cherries in the Snow can mean the difference between a character feeling strong or more vulnerable in a scene. “Like everything else in this show, it’s all about the details,” says Hinkle.

Related: How to Throw the Perfect Mrs. Maisel-Inspired Party

Secrets & Spoilers for Season 3 of Mrs. Maisel

With season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel approaching, we offer secrets and spoilers to look out for come December 6. And if you were wondering if your favorite characters are based on real people, some of them are!

Midge & Joel Are NOT Back Together

The heart-stopping kiss between Midge and Joel (Rachel Brosnahan and Michael Zegen) in the final scene of season two doesn’t reunite the couple. While Midge goes on the road with singer Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain), hitting towns like Miami and Las Vegas, Joel decides to invest in his own dreams and open a club in Chinatown.

Abe Maisel Leaves His Job

After Midge’s father, Abe (Tony Shalhoub), leaves his position at Columbia University, he and Rose (Marin Hinkle) have to move out of their gorgeous Upper West Side apartment. Joel’s parents, Moishe and Shirley Maisel (Kevin Pollak and Caroline Aaron), are moving to Queens, New York.

Jane Lynch Returns!

Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) may or may not become the manager of Sophie Lennon (Jane Lynch), but we do know that Lynch is now a full-time player on the show, which means Sophie may cause tension between Midge and Susie. Lynch won an Emmy this year for her portrayal of Sophie.

Sterling K. Brown Joins the Cast

One of Rachel Brosnahan’s favorite actors, Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), has joined the cast, but his role is still a mystery. “We won’t reveal one word about his role except to say he’s delightful, he always showed up on time and he always knew all of his lines. We love Sterling very much,” says Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Mrs. Maisel Heads to South Beach

Look for Midge this season at Miami’s world-famous Fontainebleau hotel. “I looked at a dozen other hotels in the South Beach area,” says Bill Groom, “but the Fontainebleau was really the place to stay for Frank Sinatra and the other entertainers of that time. The owners had just done a $4 billion renovation, so it was nicely restored.” Still, the modern decor needed to be replaced with furniture similar to what was in the hotel lobby in 1960. Lucky for set designer Ellen Christiansen, she had plenty of research material to help replicate the decor. “Fontainebleau is so famous; there are many books about it, and the hotel itself has an archive of old photographs,” she says. “I had to find all the furniture and upholstery that was as close to the original as possible, plus the statues and the lamps. It was a very fun project!”

Midge Joins the USO

Like many stars of the era, from Ann-Margret to Bob Hope, Mrs. Maisel and a bevy of tap dancers join the USO this season.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Ninth Edition Joy of Cooking

Who’s the Real-Life Inspiration for the Characters in Mrs. Maisel?

Some of the Marvelous characters are based on real people, according to co-creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino:

Who Is Midge Maisel Based on?

“Midge is based on my dad, Don Sherman, who did stand-up in the ’50s and ’60s, along with Bob Newhart, Shecky Greene and Lenny Bruce,” says Amy. “He was a 6-foot-2 bald Bronx Jew, and now he’s Rachel Brosnahan.”

Who Is Susie Myerson Based on?

“We always saw Susie Myerson as a powerhouse in the waiting, so we had [Hollywood agent] Sue Mengers in mind, because she was the most formidable agent at one time,” says Palladino. “But we wrote this character with Alex Borstein in mind, so she’s the biggest inspiration for Susie.”

Who Is Lenny Bruce Based on?

“My dad was pushing through at the same time Lenny Bruce was,” says Sherman-Palladino. “I never met him; he died the year I was born—but it wasn’t my fault. I swear I had nothing to do with that!”

Who Is Shy Baldwin Based On?

“For Shy Baldwin’s character, we were inspired by a lot of African American crooners at the time, like Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole,” says Palladino.

Who Is Sophie Based On?

“Sophie is a mishmash of Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields and Minnie Pearl, because women back then couldn’t just be a woman onstage; they had to dress as a ‘character,’” says Sherman-Palladino. “A lot of these female comics were well educated and into the arts, not those crazy, strange caricatures.”

How Many Seasons of Mrs. Maisel Are on Amazon Prime?

There are three season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The first season premiered in March 2017. Season two premiered in December 2018 and season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premieres December 6, 2019.

Where Can You Watch Mrs. Maisel Online?

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is available exclusively on Amazon Prime. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can get a free, 30-day trial—plenty of time to binge all three seasons of the hilarious series!

Watch a  Sneak Peek of Season 3

Next, 19 of the Best Quotes from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel About Life, Love and Being a Woman

A beloved standby in American kitchens, Joy of Cooking has always been a family business. The book was self-published in 1931 by Irma S. Rombauer, and subsequent editions were revised and edited by her daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker, and grandson Ethan Becker. Now, Rombauer’s great-grandson, John Becker, 40, and his wife, Megan Scott, 30, have exhaustively researched, recipe-tested and edited the ninth edition for a new generation of American cooks. We caught up with Becker and Scott to find out what’s new in the latest edition.

Related: 6 New Cookbooks That Are Guaranteed to Make You a Better Cook

How Many Recipes Are In the New Joy of Cooking?

4,000 plus, including 600 all-new recipes and, of course, many beloved favorites. “I’d say that something like 300 were in the 1931 edition in some form,” says Becker.

What Are the New Recipes In the New Joy of Cooking?

More vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free recipes, as well as some for quick and make-ahead meals, and sous-vide and pressure cooking. There also are new sections on fermentation, with recipes for kimchi and kombucha joining previous editions’ classic sauerkraut; artisanal bread-making; and globally inspired dishes. And it’s the first edition to offer an e-book option.

Did You Bring Back Older Recipes?

Becker and Scott also revised and brought back recipes from earlier editions, such as a chocolate mousse from the 1960s, savory cabbage strudel—“We thought it would be a really nice vegetarian main dish,” says Becker—and a spiced fig Bundt cake that Scott updated with browned butter.

Are the Recipes Easy to Understand?

While Americans today may know a lot about food, thanks to the explosion of food media, many don’t know as much about cooking as their great-grandmothers did. “Part of our job was to standardize things in a way that’s informative without talking down to the reader or making recipes overly long,” says Scott. “We also wanted to make them friendlier to people who don’t know those basic things that Irma could assume her readership would.”

Related: Everything You Need to Know About the New Season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

What Did Becker and Scott Bring to the Table?

“We’re not afraid of garlic. We’re not afraid of chiles. We’re not afraid of fish sauce,” says Becker. Or big, bold flavors, adds Scott.

Why Are There No Pictures in Joy of Cooking?

Joy of Cooking is an all-text cookbook, which makes it an outlier in a food culture that’s increasingly visual. But, says Becker, no pictures also helps it stay timeless. “I think that’s one of the reasons people can take the book into their homes and basically think of it as their mother’s or grandmother’s book,” he notes. “I hope the Instagram generation rediscovers how convenient it is in the kitchen.” No doubt, readers will share images of their Joy of Cooking creations on social media.

What Must-Have Ingredients Do You Keep in Your Kitchen?

Urfa chile flakes from Turkey (for their rich, mellow heat), Red Boat fish sauce, anchovies, lemon, limes

What’s Your New Favorite Ingredient?

Fresh savory. Becker likes the herb for its combo of oregano and thyme flavors. “I really love it in yogurt.”

Must-Have Kitchen Tools

—Quarter-cup Oxo Mini Angled Measuring Cups ($5 each, oxo.com)
—Joule sous-vide wand ($205, amazon.com)
—a large balloon whisk
—ThermoWorks Thermapen Thermometer (from $79, thermoworks.com)

Try These Recipes from Joy of Cooking

Frozen Daiquiri Recipe

Curried Nuts Recipe

Thai-Spiced Peanuts Recipe

Cheddar Cheese Ball Recipe

Next, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Rachel Brosnahan Reveal the Scoop on Season 3

While most of us think of the iconic poet Emily Dickinson as a rather eccentric under-appreciated reclusive spinster, Hailee Steinfeld and Dickinson are turning many preconceived notions of this literary genius on their head.

Steinfeld, now 22, began her career with the movie True Grit at age 14, where she beat out 15,000 actresses and received an Academy Award nomination. This was followed by Bumblebee, The Homesmen, and Enders Game. Currently, she is making her mark in movies, music, and now as the leading lady and executive producer in Dickinson, now streaming on the new Apple TV +.

The fresh new half-hour dark comedy series audaciously explores the life of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson. Set in the 19^th century, this coming-of-age story portrays Emily as an unexpected hero for the Millennial generation.

While completely underestimated by her parents, played by Jane Krakowski and Toby Huss, she rejects the conventions of her society, sex, and family and instead fills volumes of notebooks with her poetry that details her vibrant fantasy life.

Steinfeld takes viewers into the world of the brilliant poet, whose irrepressible spirit, defiant attitude, bold vision, and daring love life resonate more than ever, especially at a time when many of us feel like outsiders in our generation. “I feel like we have come a very long way. But in the grand scheme of things, not much has changed,” Steinfeld exclusively told Parade.com. “Women are still very much fighting to be understood, considered equal, and respected. My big hope is that women feel that they are seen and heard.”

What attracted you to Dickinson? I’m sure you get choices and you’re not only acting in the series, but you are producing the show as well. 

I wanted to do this because this series felt so different than anything I had really ever come across. This show tackles so many conversations and so many themes that are somehow still relevant today as they are in the 1850s.  The minute I met writer-creator Alena Smith (Newsroom) her and I had a conversation, I knew I wanted to be involved in Dickinson.

Please talk about the acting part of the show and the producing aspect of it. 

As far as acting in it, I read this and felt like I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play this literary icon. And as far as producing, this is my first-time executive producing and I have always been interested in that, and of course, I wanted it to be something that I felt was truly special. So, this was that. It’s been really exciting to be a part of the conversation and certain decision-making processes that I’ve never been a part of in the past. So, to be a part of that on the project that I feel so connected to is extremely exciting.

Related: ‘True Grit’ Star Hailee Steinfeld on the Moment that Changed Her Life 

How long was the initial preparation?  How immersed did you get into Emily Dickinson’s poetry and her life and history, since there is a lot that we know about Emily?

I had a couple of months before we started filming and I had countless conversations with Alena about the sort of what research she chose to draw from and the facts that she did want to include, and maybe some of the ones that she didn’t necessarily feel were enough to expand on.

What else was involved?

One thing about this show is we do in fact take much of what we know about Emily Dickinson and expand on it. This is sort of our interpretation of what her mind might have looked like or sounded like or felt like and her poetry is the driving force behind it.

Talk about the fact that Emily’s life is relevant today, so many years later and about how women kind of see themselves in Emily and how that might help them today. 

It’s so crazy to watch this show that is a period piece, but you watch and forget that this takes place in the mid-1850s because it has a very modern feel to it. And I believe that is because of the relevance and the parallels that women specifically are still dealing with a lot of what my character went through in her time.

The music kind of takes the fantasy aspect of it to a new level. How does that excite you?

Well, music is such a huge part of my life, and anytime music plays a big role in any acting project that I do it is a dream come true for me. So, to have a sort of built-in soundtrack is always a luxury.

There’s an element of danger because this sort of contemporary urban music adds to the excitement of the show, and the cool factor; I think a lot of times, people in my generation might think a period piece is boring. You just instantly think black and white for old-time, or that it’s hard to sit down and watch and connect to a period show and feel like you’d much rather watch something that feels modern that you can instantly relate to. So, I think this music gives the show a modern and approachable feel.

What have been the biggest challenges for you with this show?

Switching directors as often as we did was something I have never experienced, and something I didn’t love in the beginning. I felt like every time I had a good thing going with one director, they would be gone and a new director would come in and it was just a very weird and strange thing to try and develop something with five different people over the course of not a very long period of time.

Which is a big difference from making movies?

Exactly.  Oftentimes, when I am making a movie I’ll think I don’t understand why we have to be there for so long for so many months because you can get this done in a shorter period of time. But then there is such a luxury in being able to take your time and work with one director and develop the character, and see it through with that person from beginning, middle and end.

With this show, it was like every two weeks, we had a new director with a new point of view and new ideas. And at first, I was confused by it and a little closed off to it.  But having a fresh, new outlook on each sort of chapter in this five-hour movie was really helpful in the end.

Related: Hailee Steinfeld Exclusive Photos 

Do you feel that through the episodes you came to know Emily better?

I always feel like the discoveries never stop, which is the beauty of what I think happens as an actor.  But the idea of something like this, going back to a Season 2, let alone from episode 1 to 10, you dig deeper and deeper.  And each episode has its own beginning, middle, and end.  So, within each one, you’re finding more and you’re digging deeper.

So, if there is a Season 2 you must feel excited about furthering the journey.

Yes. With each episode, I grew more with her and learned more about her, which is so exciting. The idea of going back and doing that again, and going even further is so cool. I’ve only ever known the process of making a movie and walking away, and it’s out of my hands and that’s it. So, the idea of having more of this adventure is truly exciting to me.

How does getting to know the other actors and actresses professionally and personally inform what we’re seeing in Dickinson?

I always think it’s interesting to see what kind of energy the other actors bring.  Some performers have a more cautious approach, and if the character they are playing isn’t super friendly or close or warm, they will take that similar approach off the set.

For this show, I feel like we have such a great group of people that happen to be equally as passionate about this one project and this one person’s story. And we all have connected in amazing ways off-screen and I think that that has brought a lot of love and humor, and timing to the work itself.  So, I think that this comes through in a  major way.

Since Emily is a major literary figure I have to ask what are you reading?

I  just went to a bookstore last week to get several books. One of them is Oprah’s book What I Know For Sure. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m so excited to devour it. The book is so beautiful.  I don’t want to throw it in my bag because I know it will just get ruined. I also got a book of poetry. I definitely have this newfound love of poetry that I didn’t really have before Dickinson. I’ve always appreciated it but not like I do now. There is so much to be said in four lines of a poem, let alone an entire book of it. And I got Meryl Streep’s new book. So, I am about to dig into some iconic women.  I can’t wait. I’ve got some plane flights coming up to read these.

Related: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Oprah’s Upcoming 2020 Vision Tour 

Why should our readers tune in to Dickinson?  Why do you want them to come to the party?

Wow. I would say because this show not only talks about and addresses so many things, that people are afraid to talk about, but it is so much fun, so interesting, shocking, heartbreaking, wild and rebellious. It makes you feel. It makes you question certain things. I think that it sparks up some really interesting conversations. Go watch this show and feel like you can embrace every part of you, because there’s nothing wrong with that.

Dickinson is currently streaming on Apple TV+.

The holidays are a very special time of year for Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka. The couple, who celebrated their 15-year anniversary in April with a touchingly personal Instagram post, seems focused on making family memories with their 9-year-old twins, Gideon and Harper.

“Every year, we host a holiday party where we catch up with all of our East Coast friends and cohorts,” says Harris. “David plans the culinary menu, which is always amazing, and I’m in charge of the drinks, usually some sort of punch.”

Related: Chef David Burtka’s A-List Party Hosting Tips + His Favorite Recipes

Their epic Christmas parties, complete with an over-the-top white elephant gift exchange, are more than memorable—they’ve become legendary.

“After many hours of bartering and stealing, all leave relatively pleased,” Harris says, noting they even award prizes for “most original gift” and “most amazing gift.” “Over the years, it’s become something we all look forward to.”

Related: How Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Make Everyday a Celebration

This year, the couple is sharing their real-life Christmas traditions—the good, the bad and the funny—with everyone as part of Walgreens’ new holiday campaign.

“We were flattered that Walgreens would look to us and our family to represent them and their brand,” Burtka says. “That level of inclusion, given how many Walgreens there are across America, was a positive thing to me.”

Parade.com sat down with Harris and Burtka to talk more about the epic gift they gave their twins, their holiday rituals and more.

What is one of your favorite gift giving memories together?

David Burtka: A few years ago, instead of multiple gifts, Santa gave Gideon and Harper a trip to Hawaii! A single box was waiting for them under the tree and inside were instructions to head downstairs and get into the waiting car. An elf had tipped Neil and I off already, so their bags were packed. Before Christmas Day was over, we were celebrating on a sandy beach with leis around our necks. The twins loved it—an adventure or experience is far more memorable than any tangible gift.

What are your favorite childhood holiday memories?

Neil Patrick Harris: We both grew up in smaller, suburban towns: me in New Mexico and David in Michigan. So I think we both looked forward to the occasional Christmas morning when we would wake up to snow having fallen overnight—a proper White Christmas.

DB: Agreed. The streets would be shut down and the family would just open gifts, listen to holiday music, eat home-cooked food, and relish the cozy alone time with the family. I loved it.

How have you solved a holiday entertaining or gift-giving problem?

DB: One year I had made nice gift bags for all of the kids coming to a holiday dinner party with their parents. At the last minute, I realized that there were two kids that I FORGOT! So instead of panicking..

NPH: Umm, you panicked a little…

DB: Fine. After a little panicking, I drove to a local Walgreens, actually, and quickly created two new baskets of toys, chocolates, and stuffed animals. To be honest, they might have turned out better than the ones I had planned for weeks.

NPH: An authentic plug for Walgreens. Well played.

What are your favorite holiday treats to splurge on?

NPH: Oh, this is easy. David makes the greatest holiday cookies and the family eagerly awaits them every year. One is chocolate and peppermint. It’s large, flat, and chewy with crushed peppermints interspersed. Heaven. The other is a peanut butter cookie with some sort of chocolate kiss on the top called Peanut Butter Blossoms. You can find the recipe in his cookbook, Life is A Party, in stores now. A great holiday gift, by the way.

DB: That cookie isn’t in the book, actually, but I appreciate the plug. Yeah, this year I’m doing that cookie a bit differently. Instead of a chocolate kiss on the top, I’m going to set a Reese’s Peanut Butter Thin on top of each cookie as it comes out of the oven. It’ll melt over the peanut butter cookie and almost act as a glaze.

NPH: Sweet Saint Nick, the holidays can’t come fast enough.

Related: David Burtka’s Ancho Chile and Mexican Chocolate Cookies

What keeps you living in New York City?

DB: I love the energy of the city, the culture and the access to so many things! Ice skating? The Nutcracker Ballet? Any shop you can imagine? All of it is right outside your door.

NPH: Agreed. I also just love the cold weather and the positive vibe everywhere. New York in December is filled with happy, bustling tourists and happier, bustling locals. There’s something magical about it. Wearing the coat, scarf, gloves, carrying bags of newly purchased gifts. It’s like something out of a Bing Crosby movie.

If you like your Christmas movies with a little bit of mystery, Lifetime’s A Very Vintage Christmas might be right up your alley with its search to find the rightful owner of a long-lost box containing romantic mementos.

The mystery begins when Dodie (Tia Mowry-Hardrict), the owner of the brand-new Very Vintage Antiques store, finds a hidden box containing letters and mementos of a past romance and makes it her mission to find the rightful owner and discover how the story ended.

“I have done several Christmas movies, and what was so special about this one, there was a mystery to it,” Mowry-Hardrict tells Parade.com in this one-on-one interview. “So, yes, there’s Christmas in the background — you see Santa, and there’s Christmas trees and lights, but in the forefront, is this mystery.”

It was also the idea of the vintage shop and all that it entailed for the character, who is a hopeless romantic who loves all things vintage, that also attracted Mowry-Hardrict to the project. And she shares a secret: When you see Dodie onscreen, she is always wearing vintage clothing and shoes.

“You probably wouldn’t see, but some of the clothes had holes under the arms, and they had to stitch them,” Mowry-Hardrict says. “There’s a specific name of the shoes that I wore – forgive me, I forgot it, and they actually went to a vintage store to get them. So, I thought that that was just a really cool component to the movie.”

Tia Mowry Shares Healthier Snacks for the New Year and Dishes on New Netflix Series, Family Reunion

And, of course, early on Dodie has a cute meet with the handsome Edward (Jesse Hutch), who volunteers to help her on her quest – and his carpentry skills come in handy, too, when there is a near disaster at her shop on the eve of its opening.

“The love story is, in my opinion, a very real love story, because she’s not so quick to find love because she’s desperate,” Mowry-Hardrict says. “Dodie is not desperate to find love at all. She wants what’s real, and, I think, that stems from her studying other people’s relationships. She’s very fascinated with old things, because she believes that there’s something new in it, and she’s fascinated with the what, the why, the how, and the when to the story behind these pieces. And so, there’s this authenticity to her, and I think that’s what’s so great about the love story, as well. She wants it to be real.”

It was also real for Mowry-Hardrict, too, because she comes from a mixed family. Her mother’s black and her father’s white, so she appreciated the opportunity to showcase that example from her life.

“We’re not living in the 1900s,” she points out. “There are beautiful, amazing families that are thriving because of love, and not because of the color of someone’s skin, and we don’t have to beat it over the head, that this is what’s happening. No, this is a story about two people who happen to work together and fall in love and realize that, yeah, there are some differences there, but there’s similarity there as well, and then, they come together.”

See Ya, Haters! Tia Mowry’s Post on Snapback Culture Is Everything

Why do people love these Christmas movies so much?

I can only talk from my personal experience. When I’m watching a Christmas movie, it just reminds you of all the things that are magical, right? I feel like Christmas is magical.

So, that’s one component. The other component is, when you’re watching a Christmas movie, it brings those nostalgic feelings. For me, when I’m watching a Christmas move, it reminds me of when I was growing up and on Christmas Eve, my family would watch all of the Christmas movies together. We would have Christmas brunch together. We would have Christmas dinner. So, it just makes you just remember all those wonderful memories that you had during Christmastime.

Another reason why I feel people love Christmas movies is because it’s that one time of year where you can forget about the noise that’s going on. Whether it’s what’s in the world or the stress that you’re having at work, you’re focusing on what matters. You’re focusing on the people that are right in front of you, right now, and those are the people that you love. Those are the people that you care about. Those are the people that you’re just spending quality time with, and, I think, that’s just such a warm, rewarding feeling. So, I think that’s why so many people love Christmas movies. Not only that, love is always involved, right? And there’s always a happy ending.

As we mentioned, A Very Vintage Christmas has a mixed relationship, but what’s great about it is it feels natural. 

That’s one thing that I will say that I admire about Lifetime is it really allows for the relatability factor, and what I mean by relatability is what’s going on in our world today. They are able to allow the stories to be real, grounded, and represented in a real and authentic way, and that’s what I loved about the characters having this mixed relationship.

What are some of your favorite Christmas movies?

It’s a Wonderful Life, which, of course, is a classic. I think that’s a beautiful story. Home Alone and Home Alone 2, those I grew up with. And Home Alone, I feel like it didn’t depict this perfect family, which is great. Home Alone was this chaotic, big, huge family. They weren’t paying attention to Kevin, so that they actually left him home, you know?

A Christmas Story, again, this was not a perfect family, and they added comedy to that. I thought that that was just so funny with the lamp and then the leg. He was so fascinated with that lamp. It’s like real, you know? And the wife’s like, “Okay, oh, my God. Let’s put it in the house.” It was just a funny, fun movie, and they’re all classics.

Lifetime Reveals Its It’s A Wonderful Lifetime Christmas Movie Premieres for 2019

Do you have a family holiday tradition you can share?

The family holiday tradition that we tend to do every holiday is decorate the Christmas tree together as a family. It’s something that I would do when I was a child growing up with my family, and after we’ve decorated the tree, my mother…she’s very spiritual…we would stand around, hold each other’s hands, and we would pray. We would pray about all the things that we’re thankful for and about each other. I’ve carried on that tradition with my family.

We always go to [the tree farm], where you get a real tree, because I love the smell of the pine, and we put lights on it, and then, we listen to Christmas music. I’m a huge fan of Celine Dion, her CD, Mariah Carey, and Boyz II Men. I sing songs at the top of my lungs, and then, drink hot cocoa.

You have another Christmas show coming up on Netflix on December 9. 

So, Family Reunion is this show that I’ve done for Netflix, and we ended up getting picked up for the second season. We shot 20 episodes. They put out the first 10. They’re going to put out the second 10 in January or February, I believe, but in December, they’re going to air our Christmas episode.

And when I say we have this magical moment in the show where, again, it’s almost like a part of my tradition where everybody gathers around and sings Christmas carols. I think we sing “Silent Night,” and to be standing next to Loretta Devine, who has the voice of an angel, singing along with you…it was just a moment for me.

A Very Vintage Christmas premieres Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime.

While the grass might seem greener on the other side—aka Instagram—there are a handful of celebrities who make it a point to show their #unfiltered selves on the popular social media platform. And we couldn’t “like” them any more for it.

Between Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, Instagram has the most negative impact on young people’s health and wellbeing, according to a 2017 analysis titled #StatusofMind. “The unrealistic expectations set by social media may leave young people with feelings of self- consciousness, low self-esteem and the pursuit of perfectionism which can manifest as anxiety disorders,” the report stated.

In a world where highly-curated, filtered and Facetuned posts can lead to FOMO, depression and body image issues, seeing even just a few relatable and unfiltered posts from A-listers like Jennifer Garner and Jameela Jamil is a breath of fresh air. So, if you’d like to add a dose of reality to your feed, check out these celebrities who, sure, show some glam, but also get real on the ‘gram.

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I would like to tell you this was an isolated incident, but…..

A post shared by Jennifer Garner (@jennifer.garner) on Nov 20, 2019 at 5:43pm PST

1. Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner might be the funniest and most relatable mom on Instagram. The 13 Going on 30 star isn’t embarrassed to admit that she lost her car in a parking garage…we’ve all been there…or post a snapshot of herself in a “classy” robe and slippers after taking her daughter to the school bus stop.

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5 weeks. Hospital underwear for life!

A post shared by @ amyschumer on Jun 8, 2019 at 11:24am PDT

2. Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer has never tried to be anything she isn’t on Instagram. But she’s taken that to a whole new level since welcoming her son Gene Fischer in 2019. Since then, Schumer has pulled back the curtain on the realities of motherhood. From finding out the moment she was pregnant on a toilet to modeling her hospital underwear, the comedienne isn’t afraid to get real.

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This. Shit. Is. Hard. and shout out if you are so fucking tired of having to protect yourself in a bubble while so many other people are able to just eat what they want, take drugs, stay out all night, drink a lot, take risks, do sports…. etc. But you make one less than perfect choice and your day/week is ruined. The envy is real… I see you. I hear you. I feel you. I’m with you.

A post shared by Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamilofficial) on Jul 5, 2019 at 12:20pm PDT

3. Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil is just like us, except she’s famous. The Good Place actress shares plenty of photos with friends, but every now and again she’ll post gems of herself that we can relate to on a totally personal level, whether she’s working out or bumming hard on a Sunday. But most importantly, she uses her Instagram to draw attention to important every day issues like mental health and body image issues.

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Last night, after hosting the @glamourmag #glamourwoty Awards, I wanted to do the most glamorous thing I could imagine; have a dirty martini and a cheeseburger. Thank God for my date @jengotch for not only making my dreams come true but also for taking what I thought was a picture but was actually this video that feels like a picture that's moving which is I GUESS what a video is. I'm sorry. I'm tired.

A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Nov 12, 2019 at 1:09pm PST

4. Busy Philipps

As with any other mom, Busy Philipps shares photos of her daughters Birdie and Cricket Silverstein, but she also isn’t shy about posting about attending personal and couple’s therapy. She isn’t afraid of a makeup-free selfie. Plus, we can’t get enough of her badass troll clapbacks and honest captions.

Related: 24 Times Jameela Jamil Took Down Diet Culture on Instagram  

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Sunday morning coffee and happy dance Can’t sit still to @earthwindandfire

A post shared by Goldie Hawn (@goldiehawn) on Sep 9, 2018 at 11:30am PDT

5. Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn is our spirit animal. Her page is one joyful post after another featuring photos with her family, including longtime partner Kurt Russell; and videos of herself cooking, singing and dancing around her house, glam-free. Hawn’s account makes us feel like we’re following our own fun relative.

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This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it’s CELLULIT!!!! I’m just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body, editing it (yes the other bikini pics were edited – and I hate that I did that but it’s the truth) so that others think I’m THEIR idea of what beautiful is, but it’s just not me. This is what I got. I want this new chapter in my life to be about being authentic to who I am rather than trying to meet someone else’s standards. So here’s me, unashamed, unafraid and proud to own a body that has fought through so much and will continue to amaze me when I hopefully give birth one day. It’s such a great feeling to be back in tv/film while not stressing myself with a strenuous workout schedule before 14 hour days, or depriving myself from a real birthday cake rather than opting for watermelon & whip cream with candles because I was terrified of REAL cake and was miserable on some crazy diet shit. Anyway, here’s me, RAW, REAL! And I love me. And you should love you too! Now back to the studio.. I’m working on an anthem.. ‍ also. Just so everyone’s clear.. I’m not stoked on my appearance BUT I am appreciative of it and sometimes that’s the best I can do. I hope to inspire someone to appreciate their body today too. #nationalcelulliteday #celluLIT

A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Sep 5, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT

6. Demi Lovato

Sure, Demi Lovato uses Instagram to promote her projects and post mirror selfies, but the singer also embraces her natural beauty by sharing unedited pictures of herself in swimsuits. Alongside one bikini picture, Lovato wrote, “I hope to inspire someone to appreciate their body today too.” You did, Demi!

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No one invited me to fashion week, but I found a hummus aisle that I really thrived in.

A post shared by Erin Foster (@erinfoster) on Sep 13, 2019 at 1:40pm PDT

7. Erin Foster

If you’re not following Erin Foster, daughter of David Foster, then what are you even doing on Instagram?! Foster and her stories are as real as they come, and did we mention funny? The Barely Famous alum’s at-times-sarcastic account gives followers a behind-the-scenes look at gatherings with her A-list pals, along with humorous commentary. And don’t even get us started on her influencer-like posts and satirical captions.

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That’s all folks! #beautyjunkieweek closes out with @sundayriley Juno oil and @nowfoodsofficial vitamin e which are beautiful oils to truly hydrate your skin! It’s been a great time and all@I can say is he good to yourself. Be kind. Be happy. I believe beauty is about to be way we feel. And if we have tools to feel good then that’s how we present ourselves. It’s not about the way it looks, the question is are we happy and confident and ready to laugh and listen! I am so into promoting positive messages in the beauty world! We are who we are and that is unique and beautiful in itself. Now go out there and kill it! And share tips with others along the way!

A post shared by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on Jul 31, 2019 at 4:51pm PDT

8. Drew Barrymore

There are few things we love more than seeing celebs going fresh-faced as we scroll through our feed at home. Drew Barrymore often posts pictures and videos of herself sans makeup. In 2019, Barrymore spoke to Jimmy Fallon about celebrating reality on Instagram. She said, “In the world of Instagram, I think the most disarming we can we be about how just ridiculously messy and normal life is and those extraordinary moments are celebratory and special and should be recognized as privileges, but real life is real life and it just doesn’t look and feel that way all the time.”

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I do not take this for granted.

A post shared by Selma Blair (@selmablair) on Nov 9, 2019 at 8:29pm PST

Related: Jennifer Garner Brings Her Instagram Followers to Her Mammogram: “I Know It’s Scary, Sisters, But Just Do It”  

9. Selma Blair

In 2018, Selma Blair revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and has documented her journey with fans every step of the way, including updates on her health and writing about her struggles of parenting with her disease. Following chemotherapy, the Cruel Intentions star shared a closeup look at her “salt and pepper” buzz cut writing, “I will leave it short and grey, something I have never before wanted to do. I equated it with giving up,” adding, “And maybe giving up long, brown hair, complete with time consuming and expensive highlights and lowlights isn’t necessarily a give up. Give in. Embrace. Sure. I’ll try it.”

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In the Heart zone… Rehearsing ideas for Halloween Do we like idea…? Don’t think @mr.ryderrobinson will let me borrow his guitar tho #FamilyMoment @misslivalittle @swimswammyslippyslappy @davidgardner

A post shared by Kate Hudson (@katehudson) on Oct 30, 2019 at 5:26pm PDT

10. Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson’s account isn’t just for Fabletics promos and red carpet glamour. She’s another celeb who shows fame isn’t always glamorous. Her Instagram is littered with makeup-free videos and photos. The Almost Famous actress also uses Instagram to post laidback pictures with her kids–who aren’t always the nicest to her, but what’s more real than that?

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It’s been a long day.

A post shared by Cameran Eubanks (@camwimberly1) on May 9, 2019 at 3:04pm PDT

11. Cameran Eubanks

One of our favorite Bravolebrities Cameran Eubanks, who stars on Southern Charm, previously told Parade.com that she thinks “motherhood is sometimes over-glamorized” on Instagram, which is why she makes it a point to be authentic. “I want women to know they’re not alone if they have postpartum depression, or if they don’t want to breastfeed, or if they’re feeling overwhelmed, or they’re feeling tired,” she said. “I want women to know that’s all normal and it’s just part of the experience of being a mother.” She’s also not afraid of admitting she’s not the best at yoga.

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Official @amas after party

A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) on Nov 24, 2019 at 8:18pm PST

12. Lizzo

Eating Cheetos in a red carpet dress? Yes, please! Lizzo’s instagram account is as stripped down as it gets, sometimes literally. The unofficial queen of self-love shares unedited pictures of her gorgeous body, thoughtful posts about learning to love herself and silly videos in which she’s makeup-free.

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I feel like the world needs to know what its like to be on @marcopoloapp with the Shepards. I was responding to the insanely talented @hartben about our new @hellobello photo shoot, When Dax's training took over and he "found the lens." Sesame street jammies- @smashtess Necklace: @kellybellodesign Toothbrush: bamboo! On Dax: pure sex appeal

A post shared by kristen bell (@kristenanniebell) on Nov 18, 2019 at 8:56pm PST

13. Kristen Bell

While brushing your teeth might not be something you would think to Instagram, Kristen Bell clearly thought otherwise…and we love her for that! The Frozen 2 star’s bubbly personality makes her approachable, but it’s her posts about mental health that have us double tapping. Bell has shared with her followers in the past messages about removing the stigma surrounding mental health and captions admitting that she doesn’t always feel great. “It’s okay to not feel ok. We’ll get through it together. Love you bbs,” she told her followers. Now this is what we like to see on our feed!

Need a pick-me-up today? These Lizzo lyrics will have you feeling, well, good as hell.

Need a little help in the kitchen this Thanksgiving? Well, you’re in luck. Ahead of the holiday, TODAY invited 52 chefs from around the country for their United Plates of Thanksgiving celebration to share their recipes, tricks and tips for Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 28.

Related: Hoda Kotb Reveals She’s Engaged on TODAY, Here’s What We Know About Her Wedding!  

From the West and East Coasts to the Midwest and the South, TODAY celebrated all the flavors of the U.S. with 52 dishes representing each of the states (plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico!). Check out the interactive map below and continue reading for some of our favorite tips from the NBC show’s chefs.

One helpful piece of advice came from North Dakota’s Kayla Robison, who said one of the easiest ways to “clean your potatoes is in a dishwasher on rinse cycle.” Who knew?! Robinson also suggested making mashed potatoes in a crockpot. And if sweet potatoes are on the menu, you can jazz them up by adding caramel chocolates. Um, yum!

Related: Watch Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb Sing “Jolene” with Dolly Parton on TODAY  

Struggling peeling garlic? Eric Gabrynowicz from Idaho’s “super easy” method for peeling involves nuking garlic cloves in the microwave for just 20-seconds.

Meanwhile, when it comes to roasting, Jordan Andino from Pennsylvania advised tossing your metal rack and instead, roasting on vegetables. To avoid tears while cutting onions, Mississippi’s Elizabeth Heiskell recommended rubbing salt on your hands first. “I have no idea why, I just know it works,” she said.

Another tasty suggestion came from Darnell Ferguson of Alabama, who shared his recipe for a Chinese barbecue turkey. “The key to making a turkey is you should marinate it, you baste it and you should flavor inject it,” Ferguson said. Basting and injecting gives the turkey flavor on the outside and inside, though he advised breaking down the turkey “because the breast doesn’t cook [at] the same time as the rest of the turkey.”

Related: Jenna Bush Hager Returns to TODAY: Watch Hoda Kotb’s Moving Speech and Their Scavenger Hunt!  

Want to add a little heat to your turkey? Phil “The Grill” Johnson from Arizona suggested kicking up the spice by adding jalapeño to your brine. You can also add chipotle to gravy.

For more Thanksgiving tips, head over to TODAY. Happy cooking!

All done whipping up and eating your Thanksgiving meal? Put on your comfiest (and stretchiest) pants and watch these 21 Thanksgiving movies.

Droughtlander is almost over! We have just a few more months to wait until Outlander returns for its fifth season Feb. 16 on Starz. But what’s to keep us Sassenachs entertained until then during the dark winter days ahead?

As diehard fans, we did a little digging and found some excellent placeholders to help fill that Jamie-sized void during this difficult period. Fortunately, time-traveling Outlander covers so much ground in time and genre—fantasy/sci-fi to historical romance to female-focused, character-driven drama, with settings in Scotland, England, France, the Caribbean and America in the 1700s, post-World War II and the swinging ’60s–that there are tons of shows that tap into at least part of what makes it so spectacular.

Check out our favorite shows like Outlander, and beware of some minor Outlander spoilers ahead.

Related: Outlander Stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe Tease Season Five’s Wedding at Fraser’s Ridge 

Poldark

British import Poldark just finished up its five-season run on PBS Masterpiece, with the first four seasons available on Amazon Prime. At the start of the series, British army captain Ross Poldark returns home from fighting those pesky colonial Americans to find his first love has married his cousin, but he finds solace in the arms of his new scullery maid, Demelza. With a talented (not to mention good looking) male lead, major chemistry among the onscreen lovers and a similar 18th century time period, this drama ranks high as an Outlander replacement.

Downton Abbey

On the heels of its big-screen movie, hit series Downton Abbey, about an aristocratic English family who inhabits the title manor, is ripe for revisiting on Amazon Prime. Although the early 20th century period isn’t one we’ve seen in Outlander, the vibe is similar, with strong female leads, tender love stories and a strong sense of time and place. Viewers are even taken to Scotland in a later season—and for scenery and costumes, Downton Abbey can’t be beat.

Timeless

For a lighter take on time travel, try this NBC show, which performed a little back-in-time magic of its own when fan outcry actually reversed its second season cancellation. (Although ultimately Timeless finally died after season 2, it scored a wrap-up TV movie, all now on Hulu.) A team of time-travelers uses an actual time machine to chase bad guys through different historical periods, meeting some real-life characters along the way. It’s missing the gravitas of Outlander but it’s a lot of fun, and the love story isn’t bad either.

The Crown

What’s amazing about Netflix’s character-driven historical drama is that the British royals it features are still on the throne today: The amazing 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth and 98-year-old Prince Philip. Although no one in the real royal family has copped to watching, The Crown purports to be fairly historically accurate. The initial two seasons featured a young Elizabeth and her dashing prince in post-World War II England; the third season, just released on Amazon Prime, features a new cast playing older versions in the 1960s—including Outlander’s own Tobias Menzies (Frank/Black Jack Randall) as Prince Philip.

Related: Outlander As You Have Never Seen It Before in Classic Stills

Carnival Row

If you like the magical aspect of Outlander’s witches and fairy stories, check out this Amazon Prime show about fairies and other mythical creatures in conflict with humans in a Victorian London-esque fantasy world. Carnival Row is kind of a weird mashup of steampunk and British folklore, but somehow it works. And there’s a steamy romance between the two star-crossed leads reminiscent of Outlander’s Claire and Jamie (Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan) that serves to spice things up. Plus, you’ll get to see Outlander’s Bonnie Prince Charlie (Andrew Gower) playing another off-kilter character here as well. 

The White Queen

If Outlander made you want to learn more about British history, check out fellow Starz series The White Queen, and its sequels The White Princess and The Spanish Princess. You’ll be able to name all the kings and queens of this pre-Outlander period after watching. (Fun fact: The Spanish Princess character Margaret Tudor’s marriage to Scottish King James IV gave descendent Bonnie Prince Charlie his claim to the British throne.) The history is a bit complicated, but the sex and intrigue makes it all worthwhile for Outlander fans.

Versailles

Speaking of sexy royals, if you’re partial to the opulent and indulgent Parisian court of Outlander season 2, head on over to the risqué (if historically inaccurate) Versailles, now on Netflix. The three-season show follows the exploits of the French “Sun King” Louis XIV, predecessor of Outlander’s devious King Louis XV. This racy melodrama doesn’t have quite the same depth as Outlander fans are used to; and the characters look a little too freshly scrubbed for a historical drama (even if they are aristocracy). But with gorgeous locations and lots of dangerous liaisons, it’s still a fun diversion.

A Discovery of Witches

With witches, vampires and other fantastic beasts, BBC import A Discovery of Witches, based on Deborah Harkness’s All Souls book trilogy, is heavy on the magic—but also on the chemistry between the two leads. Vampire Matthew Clairmont may be way more dark and mysterious—and dangerous?—than Jamie, but that only makes his forbidden love affair with witch/Oxford scholar Diana more pulse-pounding. There’s only been one season so far, currently available on AMC Premiere/Sundance Now; but rumor has it season 2 has the lovers taking an Outlander-worthy time-traveling trip to 16th century London.

Related: Caitriona Balfe Talks Outlander, Marriage, Her Role in Ford v Ferrari and More 

Victoria

Possibly the greatest royal love story of all time, a young Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are the focus of this lush period drama. Victoria is heavy on the romance. And even if you detest Claire’s romantic rival Laoghaire (pronounced “Leary,” but jokingly called “Leg hair” by fans based on the name’s Scottish spelling), you’ll find yourself charmed by actress Nell Hudson’s very different portrayal of sweet Buckingham Palace servant Nancy Skerrett. Its three seasons (so far) are available on Amazon Prime.

Black Sails

If you loved the Pirates of the Caribbean feeling of Jamie and Claire’s seafaring adventure in Outlander season 3—not to mention those below decks love scenes—check out swashbuckling series Black Sails, about pirates searching for treasure and battling the British Empire. It’s Starz, so you know it’s going to be a little cheesy and a lot sexy, but that’s part of its appeal. And if some of the sets look familiar, it’s because Outlander borrowed some of their ships for the season 3 voyage. 

His Dark Materials

HBO series His Dark Materials, based on Philip Pullman’s fantasy book series, is decidedly family-friendly, so in that way it couldn’t be more different from Outlander. But alternate worlds connected by one (or more) mysterious portals? Sounds surprisingly familiar. It features appearances by stage and screen champion Lin Manuel Miranda and Scottish heartthrob James McAvoy, sadly not using his native accent but instead a British one. For a thrilling fantasy epic, this show fits the bill.

Doctor Who

This time-traveling extraterrestrial who fights evil has been a staple of British pop culture since the 1960s. And one of the show’s early plotlines reportedly inspired Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels. The most recent incarnation of Doctor Who, available on Amazon Prime, began in 2005 and will soon be in its 12th season. Many actors have played the title role (a convenient plot device has the alien regenerating in different forms); currently, British actress Jodie Whittaker has the part, the first female Doctor Who in the show’s history. 

Related: Outlander EP Maril Davis Promises More Jamie and Claire Intimate Moments That People Are Looking For

Call the Midwife

Recalling Claire’s mid-20th century days as a nurse and doctor, female-centric British period drama Call the Midwife, on PBS and Netflix, follows a group of midwives in the poor East End of London post-World War II. The characters have Claire’s smarts and spunk even as they deal with heartbreaking medical situations and a society that wasn’t always so friendly to career-focused women—or women in general. Claire would be proud!

Westworld

This HBO fantasy series is another that explores different times and places, although to explain even the basic plot may give away spoilers if you haven’t seen it from the beginning. It’s fun to see what worlds the show will come up with next, but Westworld is also a thoroughly engrossing character drama with strong female leads. This puzzle box of a show where nothing is as it seems is brutal, complicated and just as stimulating as Outlander fans require.

The Last Kingdom

Go back to a much earlier period in British history with Netflix series The Last Kingdom, about the conflict between Saxons and Vikings. It has a similar wild and rugged feel as Outlander’s Scotland seasons. There are also lots of gory battles reminiscent of Culloden, just in case that’s your jam; and copious love scenes to boot. Plus, lead actor Alexander Dreymon is not a bad replacement for Jamie!

Related: Outlander EP Matthew B. Roberts Teases Season 5: Jamie Is Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Shetland

Shows set in Scotland are scarce (believe us, we checked), so although this mystery drama doesn’t have much in common with Outlander, it will fulfill your longing for sweeping Scottish vistas and lilting Scottish accents. Plus, the intriguing cases will definitely draw you in, especially if you’re also a fan of British crime drama. Shot all over Scotland, the show takes place in the Shetland Islands off the northern coast. Unfortunately, Shetland has left Netflix, but you can access it through BritBox. 

The Tudors

OK, we’ve got to go back for some more British kings and queens. The Tudors reigned right before the Stuarts (you know, “Bonnie Prince Charlie and all that lot,” as Frank would say), and famously included Henry VIII and his six wives. If this sounds like a dull history lesson, trust us, it’s not. Look for Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, portrayed by Maria Doyle Kennedy, a.k.a. Outlander’s Aunt Jocasta, in this Showtime series, also available on Netflix.

12 Monkeys

Can you actually change history? That’s the question Jamie and Claire are faced with in Outlander, as are the main couple in under-the-radar time-travel series 12 Monkeys, which aired for four seasons on Syfy (now available on Hulu). A visitor from the future and a present-day doctor try to stop a deadly virus—and in later seasons, other threats to humanity’s survival—while making stops in other time periods along the way. This show also scores points for its love story and character development.

Game of Thrones

Chances are you’ve probably already seen the biggest fantasy epic of the decade, but it might be worth a rewatch during Droughtlander. Although the HBO series doesn’t have that much in common with Outlander (except Tobias Menzies again, as Catelyn Stark’s younger brother Edmure Tully, the Red Wedding groom who returns for the final episode), Game of Thrones is prestige television at its finest—if you don’t count the misplaced Starbucks cup that made it into one of the final episodes. With an alternate universe; magic; battles; and badass female characters in Arya Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister and Sansa Stark, there’s plenty here to keep Outlander fans enthralled.

Related: Exclusive: Outlander Star Sam Heughan Teases Season 5, Talks Great Loves, and His New Movie Bloodshot 

Home Fires

We get glimpses of Claire’s World Ward II experiences in Outlander, and although the English countryside of Home Fires isn’t exactly on the frontlines, the show also focuses on British women’s experiences during the war. With well-fleshed out female characters and a dash of romance, the show was sadly cancelled amidst fan uproar after only two seasons—but you can still find it on Amazon Prime. But, warning: It ends in a cliffhanger.

Turn

Although many Outlander fans thought the U.S.-set fourth season was not among the series’ strongest, those drawn in by the colonial intrigue will appreciate AMC’s American Revolution spy series, now on Netflix. Although it plays fast and loose with facts, Turn is actually based on a real-life espionage ring. It follows a farmer who becomes sympathetic to the patriots’ cause and agrees to spy for General George Washington (who has also made an appearance in Outlander). Given Jamie’s similar covert actions in season 4, will he become a spy as well in season 5? We’ll have to wait until February 16 to find out.

Still can”t wait any longer for Outlander? These first looks photos of season 5 should help: First Look Photos and Outlander’s Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe Talk Making Love Without Making Love on Season 5

ABC/Freeform are dipping its toe in the Christmas movie pool with its own original holiday movie, Same Time, Next Christmas starring Lea Michele and Charles Michael Davis. The story follows childhood sweethearts, Olivia (Michele) and Jeff (Davis) who first met at a Hawaiian resort during Olivia’s annual family Christmas trip. Years later, the two reunite at the same Hawaiian resort—the chemistry is still there but situations keep popping up that conspire to keep the two apart.

Related: Lea Michele Opens Up About Christmas Movies, Music and Her Self-Care Routine 

The film, which also stars George Newbern, Nia Vardalos and Phil Morris, will premiere on ABC on Thursday, December 5 at 9 p.m. ET and then premiere on Freeform on Wednesday, December 11 at 8 p.m. ET.

Michele also released her first holiday album this year. Christmas in the City includes such classic tunes “Silent Night” and “White Christmas” and even a cover a Frozen‘s “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”

Related: The 60 Best Christmas Movies to Watch This Year

Michele recently sat down with Parade.com to answer a few Christmas-themed questions.

What type of holiday cookie would you definitely bake/buy every season?
I haven’t baked cookies in a while but now I’m inspired! I’m a classic girl and love chocolate chip!

Do you prefer white or colored lights?
White.

Would you rather have a real or artificial tree?
Real!!!!

What was a favorite present you received as a child?
My Easy Bake oven!

What was the worst present you ever received?
A bag of peanuts.

Is there a holiday movie you can watch over and over again?
The Family Stone.

What one thing are you most grateful for this holiday season?
My family.

What song is definitely on your holiday playlist?
Bruce Springsteen’s “Merry Christmas Baby”

Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
One on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day.

What are your family’s holiday traditions?
We love doing a cooking challenge on Christmas. Everyone has to cook one dish on Christmas and then we do a little cooking competition!

If you had to choose, would you rather drink hot chocolate, egg nog or mulled cider?
Cider!

What is your favorite holiday?
I love Christmas but I’m also really big on New Year’s!

Do you prefer a California Christmas (sun and sand) or a Canadian Christmas (snowy drifts and fire on the hearth)?
Neither. A New York Christmas!

Would you rather participate in a snowball fight or make snowmen/snow angels?
Make snowmen and snow angels.

Do you have a favorite ornament?
I have an ornament that Jonathan Groff gave me when we were in Spring Awakening together that is always on the Christmas tree every year.

Same Time, Next Christmas will premiere on ABC on Thursday, December 5 at 9 p.m. ET. It will then air on Freeform on Wednesday, December 11 at 8 p.m. ET. Check out Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas schedule here. Enjoy an exclusive clip from the movie below.

Next, the 23 best new-ish Christmas songs to add to your playlist.

It clearly warms the heart of Hallmark boss Michelle Vicary when she hears so many stories about how much her viewers appreciate the network’s Christmas movies.

In fact, since Christmas 2019 began, more than 44 million viewers have watched the movies and she is proud to say that the network trending to surpass 100 million viewers in 2019 who will sit down to watch the many dozens of holiday movies. Last year, 85 million people watched them.

Vicary, the executive vice president of programming and network publicity for Crown Media Family Networks, is in charge of production and original programs for the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama.

She admits that after watching the network all afternoon in her office, she comes home, and watches some more with her family, especially during the holidays.

Related: Hallmark’s Leading Ladies Reveal Their Favorite Way to Watch Hallmark Christmas Movies: “Cozy on the Couch with Their Favorite Snacks” 

“I go home and watch them on the weekend on the couch with my 15-year-old son and my puppy, who especially likes the couch and the blanket part,” Vicary exclusively told Parade.com.

“People need to feel good and they need comfort, so, it’s an honor to bring that to people,” she added. “We are a brand that provides that promise of emotional connections, family, celebrations and being kind.”

A lot of people see Hallmark and the Christmas movie like a warm hug or “comfort food TV.” In fact, my 13-year-old son sees people connecting, the puppies, and all the Christmas cheer and says “I really like when we watch this together.”

I work at a network that makes its living on emotional connections. I love that it’s the whole thing – the celebrations, the traditions, the animals, the holiday cheer and that it provides people with calm and comfort in a world that has a lot of that other stuff that makes us anxious and stressed.

Related: Hallmark Is Getting a Real Jump on Its 2019 Christmas Movies—in February! 

I think it’s why A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is being universally embraced because we need kindness in our world and Hallmark is doing just that.

I agree. There’s a huge spectrum of the human experience and we see a lot of that demonstrated in television on the dark and edgy side but the other side is life is good. And people are good and people want to be kind to each other and I think that’s where we have found our greatest success is in listening to what people want and giving it to them and what they want is kindness and emotional connectivity and community and feeling a little bit better about themselves and the world around them.

I know you have many devoted fans – can you share some fan stories?

Our actors will often be running their daily errands and with their impressive bodies of work, the fans will inadvertently express great enthusiasm for is what Hallmark Christmas movie they are doing this year. Then they recount in great detail their favorites of the past and what they liked about each one in prior years and how they can’t wait to see the next ones. And this includes both Lacy Chabert and Candace Cameron Bure, who this year have each made eight Hallmark movies.

Related: Hallmark Star Holly Robinson Peete Celebrates Family, Team Building and Changing the Face of Autism 

I have been told by Alison Sweeney, Holly Robinson Peete, Jodie Sweetin and Jen Lilly—several of your Hallmark leading ladies—that working on a Hallmark movie feels like being with beloved family members.

We make sure that it starts here in Kansas City where we walk the walk and we treat people as we would like to be treated. We make sure that we take great care of our stars when they’re on set. When they need to go home and visit family that’s an easy plane ticket that I don’t think happens all the time in this business. We try and take really good care of our people. I do think when cast and crew come together on a Hallmark set they set the tone and they know that it’s going to be a happy set.

What is your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie?

I get asked quite a bit if I can pick a favorite. I’ve never been able to say that I could honestly because they are like my children. It’s so much fun and it feels so good to make these movies that it really is difficult. It’s not possible for me to say that I have one particular favorite.

Please talk a little about some of the upcoming movies that you are excited about.

This year we have done more not only working with the family’s stars that you’ve spoken to but also working with exciting new talent. We have also been going to iconic locations that are celebratory at this time of year. So, Christmas at the Plaza is one of those three iconic institutions—The Plaza, Hallmark, and New York City at Christmas. We thought that would be terrific. We know that millions of people go to New York every year at the holiday season but for those who can’t, we’re going to bring a little bit of it into their homes.

Related: Hallmark Announces Glorious Holiday Production of Christmas at Dollywood Starring Danica McKellar and Dolly Parton and We’re Here for It 

What else are you excited about?

I’m thrilled with Christmas in Rome and Christmas at Dollywood is exciting. So we’ve got great locations and a lot of talent that we’re working with. Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf are in Our Christmas Love Song.  We have Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays, starring Adrian Grenier, Priscilla Presley, and Kaitlin Doubleday. We’re also excited to be in business again with Blake Shelton in Time For You to Come Home for Christmas, which stars Allison Sweeney.

And we have A Family Christmas Gift, starring Holly Robinson Peete and Patti Labelle, and both of them sing in the movie, which I can’t wait to see. We haven’t seen a cut yet because we’re still working on Christmas movies for this year in addition to being in development and in pre-production on our 2020 slate. In addition to these exciting locations at Christmas, in Winter Fest we have two great new locations and movies we are excited about, Love in Iceland and we also have Winter in Vale, starring Lacy Chabert.

Talk about the milestone, 10^th Annual Countdown to Christmas. You know these movies are like potato chips and cookies. They are highly addictive.

Yes, they are. I was just getting my hair done last weekend in Santa Monica with a young, hip hairstylist and she and her friends said they love us. One of the guys went and got his food and his bottle of wine to go home. He said he couldn’t wait to get home to watch Kelly Pickler in her new Christmas movie.

With all sincerity, I truly enjoy how many people love what we do. About 10 or so years ago we were making Christmas movies and we recognized our great rating success and to the extent that we thought this is a bigger place for us. And we really want to make it an environment and a destination and create an overall brand experience. So, we launched Countdown to Christmas. It isn’t just about one show, although each one of them is equally as important and addictive, as you said.

But it was really about creating an overall environment and an overall experience. That included increasing the number of movies that we made but also the quality every year. We push ourselves and our teams push themselves to continue to get better all the time, tell better stories, increase the production value, go to new and interesting places, find new talent to work with. We always aim to find great stories for our family of talent.

It’s gone beyond the movies, too.

Yes, it became an overall experience. We have on the Hallmark site wine glasses, hot cocoa mugs, blankets, pajamas, socks, and a Hallmark Monopoly game. We have our Hallmark checklist and we have the Sirius radio station for Hallmark Christmas songs. Bubbly Sesh, our podcast is a place where we are interviewing every single one of our talent for our Christmas movies.

So, it’s really is finding a way to give people more of what they want because they told us that one channel for a short period of time with a couple of Christmas movies was not near enough. Now we have four platforms, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mystery, Hallmark Drama, and Hallmark Movies Now, our streaming service with 24/7 Christmas movies and content.

Tell me about Project Christmas Joy?

Project Christmas Joy is our premiere on Hallmark Drama, which is particularly beautiful and just a great expression of what the Hallmark brand can do. Our teams have heard for years from towns saying they wanted to decorate their main street or community gathering place like a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, so which we, of course, say a resounding yes.

We just actually did that in David City, Nebraska, which was the birthplace of Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, and just a beautiful holiday decorating event. On Hallmark Drama, we are premiering Project Christmas Joy. It started out by us going out to find a town that we could decorate like a Hallmark Christmas movie. But what we found when we went out into the communities in Alabama was the town of Beauregard, Alabama that was devastated by hurricanes. There were people in need of something more. In the news when it happened it was on the top of everyone’s minds and everyone lent a hand to help. But after the next news cycle comes and it’s not on the top of everyone’s minds, there were still people in need. So, we’re particularly proud of the fact that we are helping three families still in need by building homes for them more than a year later.

Then we are also going to their community center, which is their church and decorating it with a Christmas tree and trimmings to create an event for families to come together. We created a special day for them in addition to helping the families. So that’s Project Christmas Joy, which is going to premiere on Hallmark Drama on December 10.

I notice that several of your movies have one or two sequels.

Yes, what’s happened is that people feel so strongly about wanting more from their favorite characters that we started doing sequels to the movies that people loved. For example, we did All of My Heart, and then for years we heard that the audience wanted a sequel, so we not only did that but we did two of them and finally in the third one we not only gave them the extra couple of minutes to linger over, we gave them a whole movie where Lacy and Brennan [Elliott’s] characters got married. So, it was really beautiful.

We have other sequels this year as well. We have Christmas in Evergreen, which is Tidings of Joy, our third installment starring Paul Green and Maggie Lawson. We took that as inspiration to create Evergreen, a town that we return to every year. That was born out of the work of Jeff Greenly, a beautiful Hallmark card artist, who does many different kinds of artwork. Jeff does absolutely beautiful landscapes and story-scapes in his artwork. So, we hear what our viewers want and try our best to give it to them.

Tell me about the Hallmark Checklist app.

We started the Hallmark Checklist app last year and we’ve had 1.5 million downloads for the app since October 2018. In the last two months leading up to Countdown to Christmas, we’ve added more than 400,000 new downloads. In addition, our fans have added 18 million reminders directly into their calendars for upcoming Hallmark Christmas movies and they have added 32 million Hallmark Christmas Movie reminders into their “Want to Watch” list within the app.

Some people love the fairy tale aspect, the love and the romance, and the family aspect. How do you see Hallmark Christmas movies?

It is aspirational and it is a little fantastical, but it is also a place where people can see themselves a little bit and they can relate to that.

What does it mean to you to be able to give this pleasure to people, to evoke kindness and give this gift of family viewing to people, especially during the holidays?

This is one of the most iconic brands in American history. In 2020, this iconic American brand that has been bringing joy and connection to people for 110 years. It’s an honor to be part of that and something that I take very seriously. I love making these movies and to know that I’m making people feel good. They don’t just say “I like your shows.” They thank us for what we do, which is so gratifying.

The success that this company enjoys is because we listen to our audience. When we’re going to hit 100 million viewers who will watch the channels at some point this holiday season it is our job to continue to feed that phenomenon and continue to be part of the public conversation around feeling good.

Okay, ready to schedule your watch list? Here’s a complete list of all 98 movies this season.

All eyes are on forthcoming No Time to Die, the first James Bond 007 big-screen adventure in a post-#MeToo world. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and opening April 8, 2020, Eon’s 25th Bond picture will be star Daniel Craig‘s swan song. Among the credited screenwriters is Fleabag‘s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, perhaps the hottest writer in the world right now (for damn good reason).

Not unlike several previous entries in the storied franchise, No Time to Die has endured some highly publicized drama behind the scenes. Some critics—or, at least some vocal social media users–have gone as far as to question if the series will go on much longer. Can a legacy like Bond can survive in a world that’s changing?

The safe/sure bet is: Yes. With two dozen blockbusters—released over nearly six full decades–under his belt, Ian Fleming‘s British spy is the most enduringly, consistently popular character in motion-picture history. One way or another, James Bond will return, again and again.

As we count down the days to the release of No Time to Die, we’ve ranked all 24 previous Bond films. The better Bond films are blissful escapism; some of the top-tier entries even pack formidable emotional punch.

For this list, we’re taking into account: overall quality of the films, how well they have aged, and replay value. Note: We’re only working with official Eon productions here. That means we won’t mention Never Say Never Again, 1967 bad-acid-trip Casino Royale, or the 1954 episode of TV’s Climax! with “Jimmy” Bond. Trust us, you can skip those.

In ascending order, here is our ranking of all 24 Bond films. Some spoilers ahead.

Related: Lashana Lynch Will Play Agent 007 in No Time to Die

24. Quantum of Solace (2008)

Film critic Roger Ebert said all that really needs to be said about Quantum of Solace in the first line of his 2008 review:

“I’ll say it. Never again. Don’t ever let this happen again to James Bond.”

Bond films have some action in them, but James Bond is not an action hero. His licence (or license, stateside) to kill means something because Bond is always the smartest, cleverest man in the room, and he knows when the trigger must be pulled. Following the invigorating, highly lucrative reboot Casino Royale, Quantum mistakes Bond for Bourne (quite popular at the time). What’s more, Quantum is badly executed on a technical level. The action is choppy and disorienting; it’s hard to tell what’s going on, much less care.

The best part: This cautionary tale of an entry only runs a merciful 107 minutes, short for a Bond picture.

23. Die Another Day (2002)

This is the one where James Bond windsurfs on a massive tsunami created by a massive laser in space. Some very good Bond movies are outlandish within reason, but Die Another Day is a farce. The action is weightless, and the CGI is funnier than the quips.

A textbook example of jumping the shark, Die Another Day rung in the franchise’s 40th anniversary, and it’s so preoccupied with winking at the series’ iconic past that it forgets to tell a worthwhile, engaging spy yarn of its own. Pretty much all of the innovations (an invisible car, the series’ first “Yo Mama” joke) are things nobody asked for.

The biggest bummer here is that Pierce Brosnan deserved a better sendoff. He’d shown time and time again that he had the Bond goods (physicality, humor, smarts and sex appeal) in spades. He was often better than what he had to work with.

The best part: Madonna‘s electroclash title track is a banger. You can dance to it for days.

Related: We Ranked the 100 Best Madonna Songs 

22. Spectre (2015)

Craig has been a tremendous Bond throughout his tenure—likely the best Bond actor of all. The era is an anomaly—with two of the series’ very best, virtually perfect entries—and two of the worst. Spectre is beautifully directed, but the core problem with it, as was the case with Quantum, is that it lacks the spark of genuine inspiration. That’s something more valuable than the finest production values in the world (which, admittedly, this series pretty much always has).

The climax is a confusing cluster that feels thrown together. Most painfully, it references and undercuts the dramatic heights of Casino Royale and Skyfall. Because of this, Spectre has little to no replay value, which can’t be said of nearly every other film in the franchise.

The best part: The pre-title sequence in Mexico City is a work of art, and Sam Smith sings beautifully on his Oscar-winning track “The Writing’s On the Wall.” After that, Spectre is filler.

21. A View To a Kill (1985)

Sir Roger Moore was, by all accounts, 100 percent a gentleman to everyone he encountered on and off set. The actor was always the first to note the uncomfortable age difference between himself and A View to a Kill co-star Tanya Roberts (she was precisely half his age). He also said A View to a Kill was his least favorite of his Bond appearances.

Sure, Moore was too old here, but the movie around him feels more age’d and creaky than he does. The best Bond films pack so much punch we’re worn out after watching them. A View to a Kill (the final Moore entry) itself feels exhausted, begrudgingly going through the motions, just at a much, much slower pace than usual. Moore would later voice displeasure with the film’s mean-spirited violence and excessive body count.

The best part: Christopher Walken‘s Max Zorin and Grace Jones‘s May Day are memorable (if way over-the-top) supervillains.

20. The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)

This is the one where Moore’s Bond strikes a woman. That is wrong for so, so many reasons. After a strong, memorable debut in Live and Let Die, Moore’s second outing is wan and inconsistent, by turns drab and cartoonish, underwhelming so severely at the box office it nearly sank the franchise. Team Bond went back to the drawing board for the follow-up, The Spy Who Loved Me. We’ll get to that one much, much later.

The best part: Christopher Lee is magnificent as Francisco Scaramanga, funny, chilling, methodical. Nobody in the history of movies is better at this kind of thing than he was.

19. The Living Daylights (1987)

The first Bond picture starring Timothy Dalton doesn’t take the time to really develop this new take on the character before thrusting him into a dense globe-trotting plot that’s low on humor and lacks any memorable baddies. The result is serviceable, fleetingly arresting—and that’s about it.

The best part: “Kara, we’re inside a Russian airbase in the middle of Afghanistan.” Dalton’s delivery of that line suggests he’s better with humor than the script allows him to be.

18. Diamonds are Forever (1971)

Following the commercial disappointment of the downbeat On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Team Bond convinced Connery to come back for a perkier adventure, the first entry to go full camp. Diamonds are Forever is a lively, pleasurable enough way kill two hours and change. But good luck remembering much of anything about it five minutes later.

The best part: Jill St. John is often extremely funny as Tiffany Case, the first American Bond girl, and maybe the sassiest person Bond ever met.

17. For Your Eyes Only (1981)

After mega-hit Moonraker shot Bond into outer space, Team Bond wisely brought 007 back down to Earth, with mixed results. For Your Eyes Only has some heart-stopping stunts, a great car chase that’s equal parts funny and exciting– and it’s got tone problems (gritty doesn’t mix well with celebrity cameos), and it looks curiously cheaper than nearly every other Bond picture.

The future face of Chanel, French stunner Carole Bouquet has terrific energy as avenging Bond girl Melina Havelock, and that crossbow is badass, but her romance with Bond feels obligatory.

The best part: Beautiful Scottish pop star (and Prince muse) Sheena Easton performs the title track on camera, a Bond first.

16. You Only Live Twice (1967)

For what was intended to be Connery’s final outing (before he was roped back in for Diamonds), the producers nearly doubled the budget of Thunderball. With a screenplay by Roald Dahl (yes, that Roald Dahl), You Only Live Twice is the first movie to mostly do away with the plot from the novel, save for the Japanese setting and some of the characters. The screen story lacks focus (the Little Nellie helicopter chase serves no purpose at all, for example), and it doesn’t help matters that Connery looks like he’s totally over this throughout.

Some of the racial stuff here has aged atrociously, and it’s hard to believe anyone ever bought Connery as Japanese. If you’re watching this picture for the first time, and have seen any of the Austin Powers films, you’ll recognize–well, you’ll recognize a lot.

Still, the scope of You Only Live Twice sets it apart, ambitious even by Bond standards.

The best part: The massive set built for Blofeld’s volcano lair, complete with operating helipad and monorail, is a relic a of a bygone cinematic era.

15. Thunderball (1965)

After three stellar outings, this is the first time the series stumbled. And Thunderball has not aged well.

Though this was Bond’s first outing in ultra-widescreen, the filmmaking is not as velvety and polished as in previous entry Goldfinger, and the characters are nowhere near as interesting. An early scene where Bond essentially blackmails a doctor so he can sleep with her is just cringy and gross.

The movie does get more exciting as it goes along, though, and Connery was still firing on all cylinders.

The best part: The groundbreaking underwater sequences, particularly the climactic fight between Navy SEALs and SPECTRE henchmen, still look really impressive today. Thunderball won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

14. Moonraker (1979) 

This is the one where James Bond goes to space, and does laser gun battles. That makes it the worst, right? Nope. Though it’s got virtually nothing except for a few names in common with the Fleming novel (one of the strongest books), and it’s probably the cheesiest of all the films, Moonraker has a lot going for it. A confident Moore is in on the joke, and the glossy visuals are often transporting (the special effects were Oscar-nominated, losing to Alien).

Sure, it’s pretty silly. But this is Three Days of the Condor compared to Die Another Day.

The best part: Veteran British-French actor Michael Lonsdale is terrific as villain Hugo Drax.

13. Octopussy (1983)

In Moore’s robust, India-set penultimate outing, a handful of woefully misjudged moments of over-the-top silliness (that Tarzan yell gets a face-palm every time) undermine what’s mostly a splashy, self-aware, sometimes even suspenseful good time.

The best part: Moore so enjoyed working with Maud Adams on Golden Gun that he personally asked for her to return here, as the titular heroine. She is many shades of glamorous, and they have a breezily enjoyable chemistry.

12. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Brosnan’s second outing had a rocky production, but that doesn’t really show at all in the finished product. The follow-up to Goldeneye checks all the boxes of what we want from a Bond adventure with style and enthusiasm. That’s all it does, really–but hey, the formula works.

Michelle Yeoh, one of modern world cinema’s great chameleons, kicks cosmic amounts of butt as Colonel Wai Lin. The movie would have worked better without the tacked-on romance, if the two agents had simply worked as equals. Yeoh has hardly aged at all since 1997, and she still does her own stunts. Maybe Wai Lin can return to the series?

The best part: Tony Award-winning Game of Thrones alum Jonathan Pryce rips apart and devours every scene he’s in as villainous Elliot Carver, a megalomaniacal newspaperman.

11. The World is Not Enough (1999) 

Handsome, exciting, hilarious–the second-best Brosnan outing doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The main target for criticism over the years has been Denise Richards as nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones. This is clear-eyed realism compared to many earlier Bond films, and even some of the elements of Fleming’s novels. Richards has a good time in the role, too: funny, likable and extremely good-looking. The Christmas criticisms just don’t add up in context.

Roger Ebert gave The World is Not Enough the highest rating of the Brosnan outings. He called it “a splendid comic thriller, exciting and graceful, endlessly inventive.”

The best part: This picture belongs to Sophie Marceau as oil heiress Elektra King, whose diabolical wickedness reveals itself layer by layer. Elektra is a maniac, the series’ only female big bad to date– and the only woman Bond has killed in cold blood.

Related: Michael Apted Talks About The World is Not Enough Nearly 20 Years Later 

1o. Live and Let Die (1973)

The first Moore outing was a major turning point for the series; the picture needed to stand on its own, out of the shadow of superstar Connery. The filmmakers wisely didn’t try to copy the previous era. Released when the popularity of Blaxploitation movies like Shaft and Coffy was surging, Live and Let Die spins a plot involving a drug lord, voodoo and the occult with style. Apart from having the dopiest villain demise imaginable (Yaphet Kotto explodes like a balloon full of helium), the picture is mostly just groovy. Watching it today, the ’70s touches of flair don’t so much date it as add to the charm.

No list of the most unforgettable Bond Girls is complete without fortune-teller Solitaire, played by a drop-dead gorgeous 22-year-old Jane Seymour. This was the role that shot her to international fame.

The best part: The roaring Paul and Linda McCartney-penned theme song might be series’ very best. It’s between that, “Goldfinger,” “Nobody Does It Better,” and Adele‘s Oscar-winning “Skyfall.”

9. Licence to Kill (1989)

This is the series’ black sheep, and single most underrated entry.

Stripped of his credentials, Bond goes rogue to take on a cocaine cartel in the franchise’s only pure red-blooded revenge tale. Carey Lowell is a delight as a shotgun-toting, smart-mouthed pilot and CIA informer who goes out of her way to emasculate Bond here and there.

Licence to Kill is flat-out fantastic Bond; it makes one wish Dalton–far more at ease here than he was in The Living Daylights— got to do this thing a few more times. This is the only picture in the series with graphic violence (initially trimmed to avoid an R-rating). Moviegoers weren’t ready for Bond to go this bleak, and Licence to Kill was a box-office dud. Bond disappeared from theaters for six years.

The best part: The prolonged final car-and-tanker-truck chase, a blood-soaked, explosion-filled behemoth, could stand its ground in the presence of The Road Warrior. This is really exciting stuff.

8. Goldeneye (1995)

A breath of fresh air delivered Bond to the ’90s. Directed with muscle and wit by Martin Campbell (who returned a decade later for Casino Royale), Goldeneye is a terrific action thriller, with the kind of set pieces that help define the Bond brand. Also, there’s lots of sex, jokes, and vibrantly performed characters. Our hero is thoughtfully deconstructed some here, too, like when Judi Dench‘s M labels him “a sexist, misogynist dinosaur, a relic of the Cold War.”

Goldeneye the movie is now synonymous with the video game that followed two years later. Widely considered one of the very best games ever, the first-person shooter left more of a cultural impact than the film.

The best part: Goldeneye has no less than four of Bond’s most memorable villains, including Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), General Ourumov (Gottfried John), and Boris Grishenko (Alan Cummings). Famke Janssen kind of upstages everyone, though–as Xenia Onatopp, a baddie who suffocates opponents with her thighs.

Related: The 20 Greatest Action Heroines, Ranked

7. Dr. No (1962)

Bond’s first theatrical appearance remains one of his very best: an engrossing, clever, well-paced and relatively grounded detective yarn.

If it took this series two or three outings to become truly iconic, the same can’t be said for Connery, a rock star from the get-go. Early in the film, he slays a baddie in cold blood, seated and without breaking a sweat. Then later in the picture, he’s just vulnerable enough to confess to a woman that he’s frightened. Ladies and gentlemen– James Bond!

The best part: The image of Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean is and will forever remain one of the sexiest moments in film. It’s been homaged and echoed relentlessly ever since… most effectively in Casino Royale.

Related: The Sexiest Movies on Netflix Right Now 

6. From Russia With Love (1963)

Bond’s second big-screen outing was an expansion and improvement upon the first; this is generally considered one of the finest pure espionage movies in history.

A key reason From Russia With Love is so strong is the chemistry and relationships. There’s a surprising amount of heart in Bond’s trusting bromance with Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendáriz), and Connery’s shirtless, innuendo-laden hotel-room introduction to Daniela Bianchi‘s Tatiana Romanova is a prime old-Hollywood example of how to generate sweltering erotic heat without explicit content.

The best part: The close-quarters, no-holds-barred fight to the death between Bond and Robert Shaw‘s Red Grant is a thing of savage, terrible beauty.

5. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Following the nearly franchise-ending disappointment of the lame The Man With the Golden Gun, the Bond producers emptied their wallets and pulled out all the stops, to deliriously entertaining effect.

Relentless, yet sunny and hilarious, The Spy Who Loved Me has it all: thrilling set pieces, a wicked baddie with an underwater lair, myriad quotable sex jokes, and a romance that drives the story instead of feeling tacked-on. Two years before she married Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach set the gold standard for kick-butt Bond allies, as Russian Agent XXX.

This picture opens with one of the most astonishing stunts ever recorded on film–a parachute jump off a mountain in the Arctic circle, in one breathless take–then it maintains that wild momentum for over two hours.

The best part: The theme tune is “Nobody Does It Better,” a piano ballad performed by  Carly Simon. Like so much else in this movie, it’s unexpected just plain wonderful.

Related: Ringo Starr Talks to Parade About Peace, Love and Sobriety 

4. Casino Royale (2006)

Like many of the greatest main characters who keep us tuning in to TV dramas for multiple seasons, a lot of what makes Bond so compelling comes from his flaws. The very best of these movies expose his shortcomings and frailties without losing sight of his undeniably heroic qualities. To change the character of James himself too much would be too jarring, and unnecessary. It’s the films around him that must evolve to reflect the times, and so far that’s pretty much exactly what this series has done.

Casino Royale was the first Bond film written after 9/11, and audiences needed the Bond movies to evolve considerably. Casino Royale rose to the occasion, hitting it out of the park farther than anyone could have anticipated. This is a stunning action picture with the weight of romantic tragedy. How often does that happen?

Often the best part of whatever she’s in, Eva Green has a singular magnetism that makes her the only actress for Vesper Lynd, the double agent who breaks Bond’s heart. The French actress, who looks like a young Elizabeth Taylor from some angles, landed the role after Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron turned it down. It’s hard to imagine anyone, even those A-listers, pulling it off quite like Green did.

The best part: Early in the film, the male gaze is flipped more explicitly than ever before in series history. The camera glorifies, practically drools over Craig’s physique and piercing features, with a wink to Dr. No.

3. Goldfinger (1964)

The third Bond outing is the moment a popular series became a global phenomenon like nothing ever before. One of Fleming’s better novels is mostly kept intact– as an outline– but scenes are for reworked for maximum dramatic impact. For example, in the book, Bond doesn’t discover poor Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton)’s shimmering corpse himself; he just hears about it.

Simply put, this is one of the most preposterously, viscerally entertaining movies of all time. For sheer giddiness, this is a match for the likes of North by Northwest and the original Star Wars.

The best part: It’s hard to single out one element in a picture where nearly every frame is iconic–but this is Connery’s finest hour. His Bond is vulnerable, imposing, sexy, comic, vengeful. Goldfinger is the stuff of cinematic legend, the place where pulpy fantasy and high art meet.

Related: The Ten Best Films of Alfred Hitchcock, Ranked 

2. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Australian model George Lazenby took over for Connery in the one where Bond falls in love, has a shot at being happy, then loses everything. It was a commercial and critical disappointment fifty years ago; today, it’s an essential cut.

Critics ripped George Lazenby ‘s performance apart at the time. The scathing reviews and the actor’s diva behavior on set ensured he’d be the only performer to play the role just once. Though he’s no match for the chops of co-stars Diana Rigg or Telly Savalas, Lazenby was really pretty good here, the most vulnerable, romantic Bond ever–delicate in a way that you’re scared for him when he’s in peril. Connery’s Bond might not have worked in this storyline, a love story.

Photographed by Michael Reed, ultra-widescreen On Her Majesty‘s Secret Service is visually elegant and dazzling in a way that all other Bond films, save for maybe Skyfall, simply are not.

The best part: Best of luck not weeping at the devastating, inevitable final moments. Yes, a James Bond movie can do that.

1. Skyfall (2012)

This is not how it’s supposed to work. Conventional wisdom tells us a movie franchise surely won’t be better–much less more intimate—than ever, a full half-century into its run. But that’s what happened with Bond in Skyfall.

In 2012, James Bond steps into our modern world, where enemies aren’t as easy to see, and the fight is in the shadows. Skyfall is frightening, fun, deeply funny at times, and touching. This is an entertainment that’s confident, sophisticated and wise enough to know that hearing Judi Dench recite Tennyson in a courtroom can be just as stirring as watching James rip open a train car with a Caterpillar digger. Sam Mendes‘s direction is crystalline; he knows he has us in the palm of his hand every step of the way.

The best part: Craig delivers the single most gripping take on this character ever. The script allows Bond to bleed all over the place, to have deep-rooted, critical flaws. Humanizing Bond struck a chord with audiences, and critical darling Skyfall is the highest-grossing Bond movie ever, even after taking inflation into account. Its success made it clear that so long as he’s handled with care, and the films around him evolve with the times, Bond will remain on the big screen for all the time in the world.

No Time to Die opens April 8, 2020.

What’s your favorite Bond film? Do you agree with this list? Let us know in the comments.

With Thanksgiving 2019 upon us, it’s time for the turkey, stuffing and Friends marathons. Let’s be honest, Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes are some of the most iconic holiday TV episodes of all time, and if it’s not a Thanksgiving tradition in your home, you may be missing out. From “The One With All the Thanksgivings” to “The One With the Rumor,” there’s no doubt these episodes will put you in the holiday spirit.

And because we’re feeling thankful for our Netflix accounts (which currently has Friends available for streaming before it moves over to HBO Max), we’ve ranked all 10 Friends Thanksgiving episodes from funny to kick-you-in-the-crotch-spit-on-your-neck-fantastic.

10. The One With the List: Season 2, Episode 8

This episode is a pivotable one for Ross and Rachel fans, but it’s coming in last on our list simply because it lacks a true Thanksgiving theme like the rest of the episodes. The only tie to the holiday is when Monica lands a job where she’s required to create a number of Thanksgiving treats using a disgusting synthetic chocolate substitute called “Mockolate,” but it doesn’t go over well. Though she successfully creates Mockolate chip cookies “just like the Indians served,” Phoebe’s reaction says it all: “This is what evil tastes like.”

Ranking: If you’re looking to get in the Thanksgiving spirit, you may want to skip this one. If you’re so over the holiday, this one should be on your list. 

9. The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs: Season 7, Episode 8

In this episode, fans are introduced to “Chandler’s Dumb States Game” where you have to write down all 50 states without cheating. Ross becomes so obsessed with naming all the states that he refuses to allow himself to eat Thanksgiving dinner until he completes the game—but unfortunately, he never ends up finishing after he deems it “impossible.” Joey, on the other hand, finishes after naming 56 states. Yes, you read that correctly. Also, Rachel invites her cute assistant Tag over for Thanksgiving dinner and debates whether or not she should make a move as he was just recently dumped that morning.

Ranking: Worth watching just to see Phoebe skip the states game and list the “kinds of celery” instead. Maybe sneak it in between greeting guests. 

Related: Why We’ll Never Stop Watching Friends

8. The One Where Underdog Gets Away: Season 1, Episode 9

The very first Thanksgiving episode ever created centered around the dinner at Monica’s apartment that no one wanted to attend. Rachel has plans to go to Vail to spend the holiday with her family after scrounging up every last penny to pay for the plane ticket. Joey also has plans to spend the day with his family but after seeing his photo on a poster for STD testing in the subway, he decides to skip it. We first learn of Chandler’s hatred for Thanksgiving during this episode, as it reminds him of the time his parents got divorced.

To appease everyone’s last minute Thanksgiving dinner requests, Monica makes three types of potatoes: lumpy mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with peas and onions and tater tots. When the group learns that the Underdog balloon escaped the Thanksgiving Day parade, they head to the roof to watch. Before leaving, Monica asks, “Got the keys?” but Rachel interprets that as a statement, rather than a question, and leaves the keys behind. They end up getting locked out of the apartment and Rachel misses her flight to Vail. When they finally get back in, the Thanksgiving dinner is ruined. Everyone starts fighting as Chandler looks on and smiles, “Now this feels like Thanksgiving.”

Ranking: Watch it just to remind yourself of where it all started. Now that’s something to be grateful for. 

7. The One With the Football: Season 3, Episode 9

The entire episode centers around the six friends playing a game of football on Thanksgiving day. Even though Ross and Monica “haven’t been allowed” to play the game since Monica broke Ross’ nose in the sixth annual Geller Cup, they split into teams and play anyway. Rachel is horrible at football and barely included in any of the plays, however with the final throw of the night, she catches the ball in an epic slow-motion scene. The episode is filled with a ton of hilarious one-liners, but compared to the rest of the Thanksgiving episodes, this one is a little less action-packed.

Ranking: Worth a watch for a reset while deciding whether to go for seconds.

6. The One With Chandler in a Box: Season 4, Episode 8

While making Thanksgiving dinner, Monica opens the freezer and gets hit in the eye with a piece of ice. She debates whether to call the eye doctor—her ex-boyfriend, Richard. Finally she calls and finds out Richard is out of town, so she goes in to see the on-call doctor—who happens to be Richard’s son, Timothy. Monica finds him cute and invites him over for Thanksgiving dinner, even though Rachel says it’s “sick, sick, sick, sick.”

Chandler spends the majority of this episode in a wooden box, as it’s his punishment for kissing Joey’s girlfriend, Kathy. Kathy shows up to the apartment to speak with Chandler, who doesn’t say a word while sitting in the box, but sticks his finger out of the peep hole to wave goodbye to her.

Ranking: Definitely put it on your watch list, but it’s fine if you’re in your food coma for it. 

Related: 25 Amazing TV Show Hangouts We Wish Were Real

5. The One With the Late Thanksgiving: Season 10, Episode 8

In the final Thanksgiving episode, Monica and Chandler reluctantly host Thanksgiving dinner. Phoebe and Rachel enter Rachel’s daughter Emma in a baby beauty contest after learning that there’s a $1,000 prize. The contest runs over and Phoebe and Rachel show up late to dinner, only to see that Joey and Ross are also late, as they went to a Rangers game.

By the end of the episode, we learn that Monica and Chandler are expecting a baby through the adoption agency.

Ranking: Joey covered in cranberry sauce is enough to make this one a Thanksgiving classic. Plus, Monica’s and Chandler’s good news will remind you of what to be thankful for. 

4. The One Where Ross Got High: Season 6, Episode 9

In this episode, Rachel’s in charge of the only Thanksgiving dessert, so she decides to make a “traditional” English Trifle. Only problem is, she reads the recipe wrong and makes half an English Trifle and half a Shepherd’s Pie, making “beef sautéed with peas and onions” as one of the layers in her dessert. Joey tells everyone to pretend they like the dessert regardless of the odd ingredients, in an effort to preserve Rachel’s cooking-confidence.

Monica hasn’t told her parents that she’s living with Chandler because they don’t like him. Back in college, to cover up the fact that he was smoking weed, Ross lied to his parents and blamed Chandler, and they’ve hated him ever since. Monica and Chandler beg Ross to tell his parents the truth about what happened so they can be open about their relationship.

“What is with everyone? It’s Thanksgiving! Not truth day,” Ross says.

Ranking: So much Thanksgiving fun in this one. A must watch!

3. The One With Rachel’s Other Sister: Season 9, Episode 8

Christina Applegate won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her work as Rachel Green’s sister Amy in this episode—and rightfully so, this episode is pure gold. After not seeing each other for a year, Amy shows up at Rachel’s door on Thanksgiving. They end up spending the day together after Amy gets dumped by her married boyfriend. “It’s almost not even worth dating married guys!” she whines. Throughout the episode, Amy insults just about every single character, but takes the cake with her interaction with Phoebe, who she keeps calling Emma. When Phoebe corrects her by saying her own name out loud, Amy quips, “Why does she keep making that noise?”

The dinner turns ugly when Amy learns that she isn’t at the top of Rachel’s list to take care of Emma if something were to happen to her and Ross. They end up physically fighting with arm swings and hair pulling, and knock Monica’s expensive china dishes off the table.

Ranking: Watch it while you’re still coherent, before the meal. Christina Applegate is a comedic genius–and we’re grateful for it. 

2. The One With All the Thanksgivings: Season 5, Episode 8

Also dubbed, “The One With The Thanksgiving Flashbacks,” this episode takes a look back at Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Ross, Chandler and Joey during their Thanksgivings from previous years. In one of the flashbacks, Rachel and Chandler join Monica, Ross and their family for Thanksgiving dinner back in 1987. Chandler, with his “Flock Of Seagulls” hairstyle, calls Monica fat. But the following year, she gets her revenge. In 1988, a slimmed-down Monica wants to make Chandler pay for insulting her, so she tries to seduce him but accidentally drops a kitchen knife on his toe. He gets rushed to the hospital but instead of putting his toe on ice, Monica grabs a baby carrot, so the toe is unable to be repaired.

In present day, Chandler, who has started dating Monica, is horrified to learn the true reason why he’s missing the tip of his toe. To make it up to him, Monica shows up at his apartment door with a turkey on her head. This is when he accidentally tells her he loves her for the first time.

Ranking: The flashbacks make this episode a must watch. Rachel’s nose, Chandler’s hair—we’re thankful for it all. 

Related: A Friends Reunion Special Is Reportedly Coming to HBO Max & We Couldn’t Be More Excited 

1. The One With the Rumor: Season 8, Episode 9

Brad Pitt, who was Jennifer Aniston‘s real-life husband at the time, played a hilarious, Emmy-nominated guest role in the greatest Thanksgiving episode that Friends ever made. In the episode, Monica invites Pitt’s character Will over for Thanksgiving as they used to be friends in high school. He shows up looking better than ever after losing 150 pounds. While he’s excited to see Monica and Ross, he becomes furious with the thought of seeing Rachel. Apparently, Rachel was mean to him in high school and he never got over it. He refers to his two greatest enemies in life as “Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates.”

Later in the episode, it comes to light that Will and Ross created an “I Hate Rachel Club” in high school and even started a rumor that she had both male and female reproductive parts. Rachel is horrified that not only did people think she had a “teeny weeny,” but that Ross, who she was expecting a baby with at the time, would be involved in a hate club about her.

Ranking: Better than the stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy combined.

Looking to buy holiday gifts for a Friends fan? Try this helpful gift guide.