A film buff has shared 10 lesser-known psychological thrillers including Fresh, No Exit and Strange Darling that are described as masterpieces that will mess with your mind for days
Woman in the Window (2021) features Amy Adams as Anna Fox(Image: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix)
We all adore films that have us gripping the sofa, pulse pounding, eyes glued to the screen. That’s why psychological thrillers are so popular!
The films excel at delivering these spine-tingling sensations – and there’s a wealth of brilliant examples you might have missed. TikTok user horror_hideout91 has compiled a selection of underrated thrillers perfect for your viewing queue.
Some are hailed as masterpieces that’ll haunt your thoughts for days afterwards – so why not give them a whirl:
First up is ‘No Exit’. The plot follows a university student who discovers a kidnapped girl at a remote motorway services during a snowstorm, with the abductor lurking close by.
Following that, there’s ‘Fresh’. This chilling tale revolves around a woman fed up with dating apps, who hands her digits to an apparently delightful bloke she meets whilst shopping. Yet appearances can be deceiving.
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The third recommendation is ‘Deep Water’. A husband who permits his spouse to conduct extramarital relationships to prevent divorce becomes the main suspect when one of her loversvanishes.
Alternatively, consider ‘The Lie’. This centres on a dad and daughter who encounter the girl’s closest mate beside the motorway. When they pull over to offer transport, they discover their kind gesture has triggered dreadful repercussions.
Alternatively, there’s ‘The Woman in the Window’, which follows an agoraphobic woman who observes her neighbours for entertainment – only to discover she’s witnessed a horrific crime.
The cinema enthusiast also suggested ‘Exam’, featuring eight job candidates competing for a corporate position. They’re placed in a room and must answer one straightforward question. The catch? Working out what the question actually is.
Next up is ‘Burn’, centring on a lonely and unstable petrol station worker constantly living in the shadow of her more charismatic colleague. When they’re robbed one evening, she seizes it as the ideal chance to forge a bond with the robber.
Alternatively, give ‘Take Shelter’ a go. It tracks a man tormented by apocalyptic visions who must determine whether to protect his family from an impending catastrophe – or shield them from himself.
The penultimate recommendation is ‘Strange Darling’, depicting a one-night stand that descends into darkness, spiralling into a serial killer’s brutal killing spree.
Finally, the list concludes with ‘Milk & Serial’, where a surprise prank sees a well-known social media pair forced to confront the ramifications of their behaviour.
So there you have it – 10 chilling recommendations guaranteed to keep you gripped throughout!
These are the key developments from day 1,433 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 27 Jan 202627 Jan 2026
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Here is where things stand on Tuesday, January 27:
Fighting
At least two people were injured after Russian forces launched a drone and missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. The attack also damaged apartment buildings, a school, and a kindergarten, he added.
Russian drones also hit a high-rise apartment building in Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown southeast of Kharkiv. The head of the city’s military administration, Oleksandr Vilkul, said the attack triggered a fire, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
A Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital damaged parts of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine’s most famous religious landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
In Russia, one person was killed following a Ukrainian drone attack in the border region of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine’s military said it struck the Slavyansk Eko oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight. The military said in a statement that parts of the primary oil processing facility were hit. There were no initial reports of casualties.
One person was injured, and two business enterprises caught fire in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban – also in Russia’s Krasnodar – after fragments fell from a destroyed drone, the regional emergencies centre said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 40 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 34 in the Krasnodar region.
Military aid
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Ukraine’s interception rate of Russian missiles and drones has decreased due to Kyiv having fewer weapons to protect it from incoming attacks. Rutte urged allies to dig into their stockpiles to help defend Ukraine.
Humanitarian aid
Czechs have collected more than $6m in just five days in a grassroots fundraising effort to buy generators, heaters and batteries to send to Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of people are freezing in sub-zero temperatures after Russian attacks on power plants, the online fundraising initiative Darek pro Putina (“Gift for Putin”) said.
Ceasefire talks
Talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are expected to resume on February 1, Zelenskyy said in his regular evening address. He urged Ukraine’s allies not to weaken their pressure on Moscow in advance of the expected talks.
In a separate post on X, Zelenskyy said military issues were the primary topic of discussion at trilateral talks with the US and Russia over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, but that political issues were also discussed. He added that preparations are under way for new trilateral meetings.
The US-brokered trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were held in a “constructive spirit”, but there was still “significant work ahead”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow. The talks should be viewed positively despite these differences, he added.
The Kremlin also said that the issue of territory remained fundamental to Russia when it came to getting a deal to end the fighting, the Russian state’s TASS news agency reported. Moscow has insisted that for the war to end, Russia must take over all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul denounced Russia’s “stubborn insistence on the crucial territorial issue” following the talks in Abu Dhabi.
Politics
European Union countries have approved a ban on Russian gas imports by late 2027, a move to cut ties with their former top energy supplier nearly four years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal welcomed the ban, saying in a statement that independence from Russian energy “is, above all, about a safe and strong Europe”.
Germany’s Wadephul said that Russia is testing European countries’ resilience with hybrid tactics, such as the damaging of undersea cables, the jamming of GPS signals and the deployment of a shadow fleet of vessels to break sanctions, as its deadly war in Ukraine continues.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Budapest would summon Ukraine’s ambassador over what Orban said were attempts by Kyiv to interfere in a Hungarian parliamentary election due on April 12. In recent weeks, Orban has intensified his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and sought to link opposition leader, Peter Magyar, with Brussels and Ukraine.
Pedestrians walk past a person with an amputated leg begging at a metro station during an air raid alert in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Monday [Sergei Gapon/AFP]
US President Donald Trump has announced he is raising tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% after accusing Seoul of “not living up” to a trade deal reached last year.
In a post on social media, Trump said he would increase levies on South Korea from 15% across a range of products including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and “all other Reciprocal TARIFFS”.
Trump said South Korean lawmakers have been slow to approve the deal while “we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to”.
South Korea says it had not been given official notice of the decision to raise tariffs on some of its goods, and wanted urgent talks with Washington over the issue.
It added that South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who is currently in Canada, will visit Washington as soon as possible to meet US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi stock index fell on Tuesday morning but was trading about 1.8% higher later in the day as shares in major exporters recovered.
Seoul and Washington reached a deal last October, which included a pledge from South Korea to invest $350bn (£256bn) in the US, some of which would go to shipbuilding.
The following month, the two countries agreed that the US would reduce tariffs on some products once South Korea started the process to approve the deal.
The agreement was submitted to South Korea’s National Assembly on 26 November and is currently being reviewed. It is likely to be passed in February, according to local media.
Tariffs are paid by companies who import products. In this case, US firms will pay a 25% tax on goods they buy from South Korea.
Trump has frequently used tariffs as leverage to enact foreign policy during his second term in the White House.
On Saturday, he threatened Canada with a 100% tariff if it struck a trade deal with China.
On Monday, Chinese officials said its “strategic partnership” agreement with Canada is not meant to undercut other countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his country was not pursuing a free trade deal with China and has “never” considered it.
He added that Canadian officials have made their position clear to their American counterparts.
Before that, Trump said he would impose import taxes on eight countries – including the UK – who opposed US plans to seize Greenland, an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark which is a member of Nato.
He later backed down from the tariff threat over Greenland citing progress towards a “future deal” over the island, but the episode strained US relations with Denmark and other Nato allies.
Well, they do say any attention is good attention.
Actor Sydney Sweeney was in the spotlight Monday after being captured on video recently scaling the H of the Hollywood sign under the cloak of darkness — to hang up some bras.
TMZ reported on the footage, which was part of a promotion for Sweeney’s upcoming lingerie line. But according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the alleged publicity stunt was not authorized.
The chamber owns the intellectual property rights to the sign, which is managed by the nonprofit Hollywood Sign Trust. Neither the chamber nor the trust knew about the apparent Sweeney stunt until they saw the video, officials told The Times.
“Anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so,” the chamber’s chief, Steve Nissen, said in a statement. “The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign, as reported by TMZ, was not authorized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce nor did we have prior knowledge of it.”
Nissen also said that the organization “did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production … nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.”
Footage obtained by TMZ shows Sweeney climbing up the Hollywood sign to help string up a clothesline of assorted bras across the familiar landmark. The “Christy” star is accompanied by a small crew that is filming her handiwork.
The team did obtain a general permit to film in the area from FilmLA.
But as is explained both on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood sign websites, filming the sign itself requires additional clearance and payment of a licensing fee. The chamber says a portion of the proceeds goes to a trust that assists in maintaining the Hollywood sign. Access to the Hollywood sign is generally restricted.
So far, a police report that could trigger a trespass investigation and review by prosecutors has not been filed, according to L.A. Police Officer Tony Im, a department spokesperson.
Built in 1923, the Hollywood sign was donated to the city 21 years later. Climbing or altering the sign are not permitted — and have happened over the decades. Famously, the letters were changed to “Hollyweed” by a local college student on New Year’s Day 1976 when California downgraded the possession of a small amount of pot from a possible felony to a misdemeanor. That stunt was repeated in 2017. In that case, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of trespass. In 1987, Caltech students changed the sign overnight to read “Caltech.”
Last February, a man was arrested after he climbed onto the letter D as part of a social media promotion and was taken into custody.
As for Sweeney, this is not the first time the actor has been scrutinized for promotional activity involving clothing. The “Euphoria” star previously faced backlash for the slogan of an ad campaign involving jeans. (Sweeney later addressed the controversy, telling the Hollywood Reporter that she was “surprised by the reaction” and that she “[doesn’t] support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”)
Representatives for Sweeney did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Jan. 26 (UPI) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday that the department canceled all contracts with consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton because of a data leak that included President Donald Trump‘s tax returns.
The department has 31 contracts with Booz Allen for a total of $4.8 million in annual spending and $21 million in total obligations, a press release said.
“President Trump has entrusted his cabinet to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and canceling these contracts is an essential step to increasing Americans’ trust in government,” Bessent said in a statement.
Between 2018 and 2020, a Booz Allen employee, Charles Edward Littlejohn, “stole and leaked the confidential tax returns and return information of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers.”
The breach affected about 406,000 taxpayers, including Trump, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“Booz Allen failed to implement adequate safeguards to protect sensitive data, including the confidential taxpayer information it had access to through its contracts with the Internal Revenue Service,” Bessent said.
Littlejohn pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one charge of disclosure of tax return information and was sentenced to five years in prison. He admitted to leaking Trump’s tax information to The New York Times and leaking other tax information to ProPublica.
Booz Allen’s stock price dipped by 8% on the news, CNBC reported.
Fallout following the decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in a forthcoming by-election has continued, with the Mail reporting a growing rebellion among government officials. It reports that 50 MPs have signed a letter protesting against the decision, noting that pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has “intensified”.
The Times says that senior Labour figures have “privately conceded” that they expect to lose the Gorton & Denton by-election as a result of the Burnham block. The paper says the fight for the seat is “likely to be deeply divisive”, with the Greens and Reform UK “set to pile pressure” on Sir Keir. The prime minister has defended his decision regarding Burnham, insisting that allowing him to run for the seat would “divert our resources” from “very important” campaigns in May’s elections.
Several papers picture former Man United footballer Sir David Beckham and his family at an award ceremony in Paris, after Lady Beckham became a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. Under the headline “Clan united”, the Sun calls it a “show of solidarity”, noting it is the first time that the family have been seen together following the row with Brooklyn, the eldest son, on Instagram last week. The couple were joined by their other three children – Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
“You are my everything” declares the Star, pairing the photo of the family in Paris with a quote from Lady Beckham’s Instagram post to mark her acceptance of the knighthood.
Though the Beckhams are also front and centre of the Guardian, the paper’s headline reads: “Tories face backlash after ‘mental health’ jibe over Braverman’s exit”. It reports that the Conservative Party had to correct the record after they initially said Suella Braverman had defected to Reform UK because of “mental health” issues. In a fresh statement, the party said the original had been a draft version sent out in error.
A beaming Braverman and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage are splashed across the Mirror, paired with the headline “Reform’s latest con”.
The i Paper says the statement regarding Braverman comes amid a growing Conservative party exodus. The front page also features Farage saying the Tories face a “cataclysm” in May’s elections.
“More January transfer deals!” declares the Metro, marking both the defection of Braverman and an updated cast for The Great British Bake Off. It confirms that Nigella Lawson with replace Prue Leith in the forthcoming series of the beloved television show.
The price of gold is leading the Tuesday edition of the Financial Times, after it hit $5,000 per troy ounce for the first time. The paper says Monday also saw the US dollar sink to a four-month low, amid fears of another government shutdown.
The Telegraph says China has been hacking the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street for “several years”, as part of an operation that the paper understands “compromised senior members of the government”. Previous claims of phone hacking were dismissed by China as “baseless”.
Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke, 80, has given an interview to the Express to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, telling the paper that she is still hopeful for a better future if people can stand up to prejudice and tackle rising antisemitism.
Sly, whose real name was Lowell Fillmore Dunbar, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
He started out playing on tin cans – getting inspiration from Lloyd Knibbs and the Skatalites on television.
The star previously said in a 1997 interview: “I saw [Knibbs] playing and I thought, ‘I want to be a drummer’ because he’s the hardest worker in the band.
“He’s my idol! In some ways, I’m self-taught but I got a lot of help from other drummers by watching them play.”
When he was a teenager, he founded the rhythm section of the band the Revolutionaries alongside bassist Robbie Shakespeare, who died in 2021.
They became one of the most renowned backing bands in Jamaican reggae in the 1970s.
Sly became known for his shuffling “rockers” drum pattern, which put more emphasis on syncopation and energy.
Throughout the decade they also worked with major reggae acts like Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and Barrington Levy.
The rhythm section also toured in the US with Peter Tosh.
In the hopes of saving enough cash to found their own production team, the pair lived on bread and water during this period, according to legend.
They founded Taxi Records in 1980, before helping a whole new generation of Jamaican artists such as Shaggy, Shabba Ranks, Skip Marley, Beenie Man and Red Dragon refine their art.
The pair also provided beats on Grace Jones’s hit 1981 album Nightclubbing.
This paved the way for them to work with some of rock and pop’s biggest stars – from Bob Dylan and Joe Cocker, to singers like Marianne Faithfull, Madonna and Sinead O’Connor.
Sly’s heartbroken wife told local media: “I went to wake him up and he wasn’t responding, I called the doctor and that was the news.
His exact cause of death is unknown, but he is understood to have been ill for an extended period of time.
“Yesterday was such a good day for him,” Thelma told Jamaica’s Gleaner newspaper.
“He had friends come over to visit him and we all had such a good time. He ate well yesterday… sometimes he’s not into food.”
She added: “I knew he was sick… but I didn’t know that he was this sick.”
Tributes poured in for the late musician, with British DJ David Rodigan, calling him a “true icon” and “one of the greatest drummers of all time”.
Portrait of famous reggae rhythm section and producing team Sly Dunbar and Robbie ShakespeareCredit: Getty
Laura Fernández Delgado, candidate of the ruling Partido Pueblo Soberano, is leading in polls one week out from Costa Rica’s elections. File Photo by Jeffrey Arguedas/EPA
Jan. 26 (UPI) — With one week to go before presidential elections scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 1, Costa Rica closed its campaign season amid a polarized political climate and with the ruling party leading most opinion polls.
In recent weeks, multiple surveys have shown Laura Fernández Delgado, candidate of the ruling Partido Pueblo Soberano, holding first place with support levels close to 40%. That figure would be enough for the former cabinet minister to secure a first-round victory.
However, polls also point to high voter indecision, estimated at around 45%, in a context marked by political fragmentation and an unusually large field of candidates, local newspaper El Observador reported.
A recent survey by the Centro de Investigación y Estudios Políticos (CIEP) of the Universidad de Costa Rica places Fernández at 30% support, still well ahead of the remaining 19 candidates competing for the presidency.
Second place is held by Álvaro Ramos of the Partido Liberación Nacional, who polls below 8%. Most other candidates register less than 2.3% support.
Fernández, 39, has campaigned on a continuity platform, seeking to capitalize on the popularity of President Rodrigo Chaves, who is expected to leave office with approval ratings near 60%. His support has been driven in part by a confrontational style and rhetoric against traditional politics and established elites.
Chaves, who is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election, has governed amid persistent political tension and frequent institutional clashes. His administration has been characterized by sharp rhetoric, public disputes with other branches of government and a governing style that emphasizes direct communication and political confrontation.
The elections follow a dispute with the Tribunal Supremo Electoral, which in October 2025 asked the Legislative Assembly to lift the president’s immunity to investigate alleged violations of electoral rules, including his participation in campaign activities.
Public security has emerged as one of the dominant themes throughout the campaign, reflecting growing concern among voters over rising violent crime and the expanding influence of organized crime in several regions of the country, according to daily La Nación.
During debates organized by media outlets and universities, candidates broadly agreed that addressing insecurity requires more than law enforcement alone. Proposals have emphasized criminal intelligence, increased police presence, improved coordination among state institutions and the recovery of territories affected by organized crime.
According to CIEP, two out of three Costa Ricans believe the country’s security situation is worse than a year ago. Long viewed as one of Central America’s safest nations, Costa Rica is facing an unprecedented security crisis.
Organized crime, fueled largely by drug trafficking, has expanded its presence in neighborhoods in southern San Jose, as well as in the provinces of Limón and Puntarenas. In 2024, Costa Rica recorded a homicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, ranking eighth highest in Latin America, surpassing Guatemala and approaching levels reported in Mexico.
A writer for a right-wing website asked the White House spokesperson a leading question about the killing of Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minnesota, prompting an attack on the “liberal biased media.”
There is a child abduction about to happen in Poplar and a new detective is tasked to solve the crime
Angie Quinn Screen Time Reporter
00:01, 27 Jan 2026
DI Holbrook is played by Martin Delaney in the forthcoming episode of Call the Midwife (Image: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Jonathan Browning)
Call the Midwife is set to welcome a new character to the BBC drama, and he is a familiar face.
The new season of the BBC drama returned on Sunday, 11 January, as the plot continued into 1971. The midwives of Nonnatus House have so far embraced the Women’s Liberation Movement while facing worrying changes as the National Health Service expands.
In a sneak peek into Sunday’s forthcoming episode of Call the Midwife (February 1), Cyril Robinson (Zephryn Taitte) enjoys a date with Nurse Clifford as the romance blossoms, but the midwife looks worried. The couple can be seen sitting on a bench in a woodland area by a lake, taking a break from their demanding jobs.
Meanwhile, Sister Catherine (Molly Vevers) is distraught when a newborn baby is snatched from the maternity home. But who has taken the baby and why? It appears police detectives, led by DI Holbrook (Martin Delaney), are on the hunt to track down the baby and the person responsible.
Who plays DI Holbrook in Call the Midwife?
Actor and producer Martin Delaney is taking the police detective role on the BBC period drama, and is no stranger to television shows, having launched an acting career as a child.
Now 43, Delaney played the role of Benjamin Oates in the popular show, Pie in the Sky, for one episode in 1997, before making appearances in Wycliffe (1998) and London’s Burning (2000).
However, fans of the popular Nickelodeon show Redford Rejects will know the star as Jason Summerbee. The teen sitcom followed a group of schoolboys who formed their own football team and aired from 1998 to 2001.
Martin then landed the part of Paul Webb in Family Affairs between 2001 and 2002, and has also starred in a long list of other television shows, including Outlander, Casualty, Doctors, Rock & Chips, and The Bill.
Most recently, the star played Rob Ryan in The Man Who Saved the Internet with a Sunflower, Bonded by Blood 2, and Barry in A Christmas Carol.
Call the Midwife airs Sunday at 8pm on ITV and ITVX
Brazil’s President Lula criticises US actions in Venezuela, calling the capture of Maduro an unacceptable line against regional stability.
Published On 26 Jan 202626 Jan 2026
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has held a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump and agreed to visit Washington soon, the Brazilian government said in a statement.
The two leaders on Monday discussed several issues during the 50-minute call, including the situation in Venezuela, Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza, and the fight against organised crime.
“Lula and Trump exchanged views on the situation in Venezuela, and the Brazilian president stressed the importance of preserving peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.
Regarding Venezuela, the Brazilian president stressed the importance of “preserving peace and stability in the region”, the statement said.
Lula has criticised the US abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was deposed earlier this month and taken to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. The Brazilian president had condemned the move as crossing “an unacceptable line”.
Lula emphasised to Trump on Monday the need to work for the welfare of the Venezuelan people.
The Brazilian government’s statement did not say whether Lula accepted Trump’s invitation to join the initiative.
Board of Peace
Lula also requested that Trump’s new proposal for a Board of Peace “be limited to the issue of Gaza and include a seat for Palestine”, as global powers worry the initiative launched last Thursday could assume a wider role and rival the United Nations.
Lula also urged the “comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the expansion of the permanent members of the Security Council”.
On Friday, Lula, 80, accused Trump, 79, of trying to create “a new UN where only he is the owner”, with his proposed “Board of Peace” following the October 10 ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war.
Although originally intended to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not appear to limit its role to the Palestinian territory and seems to aim to rival the United Nations.
Traditional US allies, including France and Britain, have also expressed doubts.
‘Unacceptable line’
Lula and Trump have been in contact several times since their first official meeting in October, which ushered in improved ties after months of animosity between Washington and Brasilia.
As a result, Trump’s administration has exempted key Brazilian exports from 40 percent tariffs that had been imposed on Brazil, and lifted sanctions on a top Brazilian judge.
Earlier this month, Lula said the US attack on Venezuela to abduct President Maduro crossed “an unacceptable line”.
The presidency said the visit would take place after Lula’s trips to India and South Korea in February, and that a date would be set “soon”.
The veteran leftist Lula has held phone calls in recent days with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Poster from the “Nuestra América” summit with a quote from Cuban independence hero José Martí. (Progressive International)
Mérida, January 26, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Delegates from governments, parliaments, and social movements across the globe gathered in Bogotá, Colombia, on January 25 for the inaugural “Nuestra América” summit.
Convened by the Progressive International at the San Carlos Palace, the emergency congress aimed to establish a unified strategy against what participants described as a “rapidly escalating assault” on Latin American sovereignty.
The high-level meeting, featuring 90 people from more than 20 countries, took place against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and the Trump administration’s express intent to impose its dictates in the Western hemisphere.
The summit was triggered by the events of January 3, when US forces launched “Operation Absolute Resolve,” involving targeted bombings in Caracas and surrounding areas. The attacks killed over 100 people and drew near-universal condemnation from progressive forces who blasted the operation as a flagrant violation of the UN Charter.
The military incursion saw special forces kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The pair will face trial in New York on charges including narco-trafficking conspiracy, to which both pleaded not guilty during the arraignment hearing on January 5. Venezuelan officials have repeatedly denounced the kidnapping and demanded Maduro and Flores’ release and return.
The “San Carlos Declaration,” adopted at the close of the Bogotá summit on Sunday, characterized the current moment as a “new age of colonial violence” driven by a “revived Monroe Doctrine and a new ‘Trump Corollary’”.
The text asserted that “the defense of sovereignty in the hemisphere is inseparable from the defense of international law at the global level,” calling for a “coordinated international solidarity” to halt US coercive actions.
“We, the delegates at the inaugural convening of Nuestra América in Bogotá, Colombia, affirm the shared horizon of: a hemisphere that governs itself, defends its peoples, and speaks in its own voice,” the document read. Delegates committed to a “common strategy” to “project Nuestra América as a force for sovereignty and solidarity.”
The gathering featured high-level bilateral exchanges, as well as working groups led by grassroots movements. The final statement emphasized the importance of popular power to defend working-class interests and build international solidarity.
In the coming weeks, the “Nuestra América” movement plans to intensify its diplomatic activity, with a second major meeting already scheduled to take place in Havana, Cuba.
Code Pink’s Latin America coordinator Michelle Ellner attended the Bogotá summit and told Venezuelanalysis that it is urgent to confront a US project of “hemispheric domination that combines military intervention, lawfare, and repression.”
“No country or movement alone can confront the US military and financial apparatus,” she argued. “But together, states, peoples and social movements can continue building an anti-imperialist movement that can sustain those who are currently fighting politically.”
Ellner noted that progressive movements have historically been fractured but that they need to go from “reaction to action.” The Venezuelan-US organizer explained that Code Pink and allied groups are coordinating legislative pressure and mobilizations within the US to challenge the “normalization of intervention.”
Acting government promotes “coexistence and peace”
According to Rodríguez, the initiative seeks to “heal the fractures” caused by political violence and “eradicate expressions of hate” that threaten national stability in the wake of the US’ recent attacks and threats.
The program is overseen by a diverse committee led by Minister of Culture Ernesto Villegas alongside several other cabinet members, former business leader Ricardo Cusanno, and various social activists.
The acting president emphasized the need for political dialogue among different Venezuelan political forces without meddling from Washington and other foreign actors. The government announced plans to present a new law to the National Assembly to institutionalize the initiative.
In recent weeks, Venezuelan judicial authorities have likewise released opposition agents, some of them having been accused of treason and terrorism, as well as people accused of involvement in the unrest that followed the July 2024 presidential elections. Caracas has reported 626 released and invited the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to accompany the process.
Take That reveal a new song hidden in their Netflix documentary which is launched on the streaming site today
Take That have shocked fans by unveiling a secret new song hidden in their Netflix documentary. The song called ‘You’re A Superstar’ appears in the closing credits of the third and final episode and sources close to the band confirmed it is the first track from a new Take That album coming out later in the year.
The source said: “The band thought it would be a great surprise and a treat for fans at the end of the Netflix series. It’s a great way to tease their new material and the full single will be coming soon.”
The band were originally made up of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams, but these days are a trio with Jason and Robbie not in the band. In May last year, songwriter and band member Gary, 55, had revealed that a tenth Take That album was on the cards. At the time he said: “We all came off tour at the end of [2024] and said, ‘Right, let’s get to work’. It’s been slated for next year. We just don’t want to stop, really.”
The new track an upbeat pop track and appears to be about being in love. It contains the lyrics: ‘My heart comes alive, all the stars turn bright, a million times in your arms, tonight. And I want to let you know, you’re a superstar, and I’m yours.” Whilst the end song is very upbeat, the Netflix documentary charts the highs of the band but also lots of lows, with each member of the band enjoying some surprising struggles which in some cases have not been fully expressed before.
The three part series features 35 years of rare archive material, never-before-seen footage, and personal material. There are also new interviews with Gary, Howard and Mark and archive interviews with Jason and Robbie to tell the story.
Gary admitted: “Some of it was hard to watch – especially that middle hour, which covers the period after the band broke up. It was just a hard, hard time. I am quite good at leaving things in the past. I’m not a regretful person, and I was happy to leave it behind. So, seeing those memories brought to life on screen again was strange.”
Take That have enjoyed staggering success since forming in 1990 with 12 Number 1 singles and nine Number 1 albums so far in the UK alone. They will begin The Circus tour in May based on their previous hit tour from 2009, but the trio of Gary, Mark and Howard have to look after their bodies these days.
In an interview at the weekend, Howard said: “We have to look after our bodies. We watch what food we eat, do Pilates, which I need for my core, so my back doesn’t go. I’ve got sorer knees than in the Nineties, but we try to do as much dancing on stage as possible. It’s the satisfaction of sweating your ass off. If we’re all sat on stools, it wouldn’t be Take That.”
Of the TT fans that keep coming back, Gary said: “These days, that gorgeous audience, I want to go around and kiss one by one, because they’ve loved us and they’ve made us part of their lives for years and years, and they still keep coming.”
* Three part series Take That is out now on Netflix. The Circus tour begins in Southampton on May 29 then touring until July 4. Tickets can be purchased from takethat.com
Jan. 26 (UPI) — Critical minerals startup USA Rare Earth announced Monday that the Department of Commerce will give the company a $1.3 billion loan and $277 million in federal funding.
USA Rare Earth will issue Commerce 16.1 million shares of common stock and 17.6 million in warrants. The federal government will have an 8% to 16% stake in the company, depending on whether it uses the warrants, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
USA Rare Earth shares rose more than 20% Monday after the announcement, CNBC reported.
The injection of funds will help the company build a magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Okla., and a mine at the Round Top mineral deposit in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
CEO Barbara Humpton said the government deal will turn USA Rare Earth into an industry leader.
“This is a watershed moment in our work to secure and grow a resilient and independent rare earth value chain based in this country,” CNBC reported that Humpton told analysts Monday.
“We have long said that meeting the urgent call to reassure the rare earth and critical minerals industry will require a multiplayer solution, and this establishes our company as one of the leaders,” she said.
Commerce will allocate the funding from 2026 through 2028 based on milestones in USA Rare Earth’s business plan, Chief Financial Officer Rob Steele told analysts.
The company needs about $4.1 billion for its plan, he said. It still needs to raise about $600 million more capital.
“We believe we can raise the remaining capital from attractive sources, and you should assume that’s equity capital but that can come from strategic investments as well as institutional investors,” Steele said.
China dominates the global supply chain of rare earth materials. During trade disputes with President Donald Trump, Beijing tried to cut off rare earth exports.
“USA Rare Earth’s heavy critical minerals project is essential to restoring U.S. critical mineral independence,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. “This investment ensures our supply chains are resilient and no longer reliant on foreign nations.”
“The Department of Energy is ending America’s reliance on foreign nations for the critical materials essential to our economy and national security,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a statement. “The DOE is partnering with USAR to rebuild the critical minerals supply chain. By expanding domestic mining, processing and manufacturing capabilities, we are creating good-paying American jobs and safeguarding our national security.”
“Accelerating the onshoring of rare earth minerals, metals, and magnets is paramount to national and economic security,” U.S. Investment Accelerator Executive Director Michael Grimes said in a statement. “With the Department of Commerce’s funding for USA Rare Earth’s vertically integrated mine-to-magnet operations, we will significantly increase the domestic supply of crucial components for semiconductors, defense and numerous other industries strategic to the United States.”
A 2024 simulation found US civil war could be triggered by clashes between state and federal law enforcement.
US federal immigration raids continue in Minnesota, and the operation has set the stage for a standoff between state officials and the federal government. Governor Tim Walz has readied Minnesota’s national guard, while the Pentagon has ordered troops to be on standby. A 2024 University of Pennsylvania simulation warned that similar state-federal standoffs could escalate into broader armed conflict.
In this episode:
Claire Finkelstein (@COFinkelstein), Center for Ethics and Rule of Law, University of Pennsylvania
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Melanie Marich, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.
The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.
Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the gruelling course in North Africa
22:00, 26 Jan 2026Updated 22:02, 26 Jan 2026
Stars celebrate unforgettable all-female win on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins(Image: Channel 4)
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins ended with a bang, as it celebrated an all-female line up of winners for the second time in the show’s history. Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the “horrendous” course, while finalists Ben Cohen and Mack Horton stood down.
Airing on 26 January, the final of eight episodes of Celebrity SAS saw the five finalists face one last test. Over the previous episodes, Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his Directing Staff, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver, put fourteen recruits from the UK and Australia through a condensed selection course designed that stripped them of sleep and tested their strength.
Some chose to withdraw and others were culled from the process, but Dani, Gabby, Emily, Ben and Mack all made it to the final test – interrogation. During the test, both Ben and Mack chose to quit, making the women the winners.
Chief Instructor Billy delivered the final verdict: “Eight days ago you came from both sides of the world. Fourteen arrived. Three stand before us. Just because you stand on the finish line doesn’t mean you’ve passed this course.” Not leaving the three in suspense, he then added: “It’s a rare moment to say — congratulations to all three of you. You’ve passed this course.”
Looking back on the achievement, Dani said it was “horrendous”. She said: “Every single moment was horrendous. But to hear that I’d passed — it’s the best feeling in the world. If I can do this, I can do anything.”
She added: “I definitely am a lot stronger than what I think I am…I can’t believe I’ve actually been able to do it. I’m really proud of myself.” When she realised all the winning recruits were women Dani continued: “I love it because we are strong women. We go through so much as women, mentally and physically.
“That final day with the interrogations and the noises, the animals in our ears, the pig noises, the scratching, it was awful. I thought I’d messed up. I thought I grassed everyone up. That was in my head. But we are strong women. We really are.”
Olympic swimmer Emily said she wasn’t surprised that three women won. ““I wasn’t surprised it was the three women, but I was surprised the two guys (Ben and Mack) didn’t make it because they were so strong. I was always trying to keep up with them during tasks, so to not see them at the end was shocking.”
Gabby said she thought they three of them were “boss b***hes” for getting through the ordeal. ““I can’t believe that out of fourteen people, it’s us. Well, I can — because we’re boss b***hes. Standing there with two women at the end meant everything to me. My whole brand is about empowering women from every walk of life. Men are strong, but women show time and time again that we can do just as much. We were lifting the same weights, trying just as hard. I wouldn’t have wanted to be there at the end with anyone else. We built a bond you could never replicate.”
Gabby and Dani both rose to fame on dating show Love Island, with Dani winning series four, and Gabby taking the crown in All Stars two. “The whole cast surprised me in different ways but Dani surprised me,” Gabby said.
“I felt protective of her, but she held her own and never gave up. Standing next to her at the end was incredible. Two girls from Love Island showing everyone what we can do.”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is available to stream on Channel 4.
Carney has been under pressure from the opposition to lower prices of food and other essentials for lower-income people.
Published On 26 Jan 202626 Jan 2026
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a multibillion-dollar package as part of a series of measures aimed at lowering the costs of food and other essentials for low-income families.
On Monday, Carney announced a five-year 25 percent boost to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit that starts this year.
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The GST credit, which is being renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, will provide additional, significant support for more than 12 million Canadians, Carney said in a statement.
The government will also provide a one-time top-up equivalent to a 50 percent increase this year to eligible residents.
“We’re bringing in new measures to lower costs and make sure Canadians have the support they need now,” Carney said.
The measures would cost the government 3.1 billion Canadian dollars ($2.26bn) in the first year and between 1.3 billion Canadian dollars ($950m) and 1.8 billion Canadian dollars ($1.3bn) in each of the following four years, he told reporters at a news conference, according to the Reuters news agency.
While overall consumer price inflation in Canada has eased and came in at 2.4 percent for December, “food price inflation remains high due to global and domestic factors, including supply chain disruptions, higher US tariffs from the trade war and climate change/extreme weather”, Tony Stillo, director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics, told Al Jazeera.
The government is also setting aside 500 million Canadian dollars ($365m) from the Strategic Response Fund to help businesses address the costs of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians, and will create a 150 million Canadian dollar ($110m) Food Security Fund under the existing Regional Tariff Response Initiative for small and medium enterprises and the organisations that support them.
Changing landscape
“The global landscape is rapidly changing, leaving economies, businesses, and workers under a cloud of uncertainty. In response, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control: building a stronger economy to make life more affordable for Canadians,” Carney said.
The new measures were unveiled on the day Parliament resumes after its winter break.
Opposition parties have urged Carney to reduce prices of daily goods, especially as sections of the economy have come under pressure from United States President Donald Trump, who has slapped 35 percent tariffs on the country as well as separate tariffs on steel, aluminium and lumber, leading to job losses in those sectors.
Over the weekend, Trump escalated his threats and said he would impose a 100 percent tariff on Canada if it makes a trade deal with China. Carney has been working on diversifying Canada’s exports away from the US, its biggest trading partner and to which nearly 80 percent of its exports went last year, including by increasing business with other markets like China.
Verified videos emerging from Iran show bodies piled up in a hospital, snipers stationed on buildings and CCTV cameras being destroyed, following the unprecedented crackdown on protests earlier this month.
BBC Verify has been tracking the spread of protests across Iran since they first erupted in late December, but the near total internet blackout imposed by the authorities has made it extremely difficult to document the scale of the state’s deadly crackdown on protesters.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has confirmed the killing of nearly 6,000 people, including 5,633 protesters, since the unrest began at the end of December. It says it is also currently investigating another 17,000 reported deaths received despite an internet shutdown after nearly three weeks.
Another group, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), has warned that the final toll could exceed 25,000.
Iranian authorities said last week that more than 3,100 people were killed, but that the majority were security personnel or bystanders attacked by “rioters”.
The latest videos to emerge from the country are understood to have been filmed on 8 and 9 January, when thousands of people took to the streets following a call for nationwide protests from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah.
They are thought to be the deadliest nights for protesters so far and these newly verified videos show how Iran’s security forces have been violently cracking down on protesters.
Multiple clips analysed by BBC Verify and BBC Persian show bodies piled up inside a mortuary at Tehranpars hospital in east Tehran. We verified the location of the hospital by matching its interior to other publicly available images and videos of the building, and counted at least 31 bodies in just one video. Another clip shows seven body bags laid on the ground outside the hospital’s entrance.
Hundreds of people are seen protesting on a highway in west Tehran in another video before multiple rounds of gunfire can be heard and people begin to scream.
Protesters have also been seen trying to evade Iran’s heavy surveillance infrastructure by disabling CCTV cameras. Footage we verified shows one person in the capital climbing up a post and hitting a surveillance camera several times in an attempt to disable it. A huge crowd of protesters can be seen on the ground and heard cheering as the camera is damaged.
We have tracked the spread of the anti-government protests across 71 towns and cities in Iran, though the true number of areas where demonstrations have taken place is likely far higher.
In the south-eastern city of Kerman a video taken from high up in a building shows several armed men in military uniform walking down a road firing their weapons continuously, though it is not clear who they are shooting at. A small fire burns in the middle of the road while the sound of protesters chanting can be heard in the background.
Snipers have also been recorded on the roofs of buildings. In the north-eastern city of Mashhad verified video shows two men dressed in black on a rooftop of a building in daylight. One man is standing next to a large rifle that is lent against a wall and speaking on the phone. The other man crouches on the floor while smoking.
For most people there has been an almost-total internet blackout since 8 January, but some have managed to briefly access the internet using methods such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet and virtual private networks (VPNs).
More videos are likely to emerge in the coming days as the country’s economy has struggled during the blackout.
The Testaments is a new TV series and a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, and it will be released in the UK soon
The Testaments stands as one of 2026’s most anticipated new series, serving as a follow-up to the award-winning dystopian thriller The Handmaid’s Tale featuring Elisabeth Moss.
Drawing from Margaret Atwood’s literary works, this long-awaited continuation takes inspiration from the 2019 novel bearing the same title, which emerged 34 years following the original masterpiece.
With Ann Dowd returning as Aunt Lydia, the programme boasts a fresh all-star ensemble including Chase Infiniti, the breakout talent from One Battle After Another, portraying Agnes Mackenzie, June Osborne’s (played by Moss) missing daughter.
Taking place five years beyond The Handmaid’s Tale’s concluding episode in a grim portrayal of America’s future, this coming-of-age narrative chronicles young women as they traverse their harsh new existence.
However, when might British audiences get to view the series? Here’s what we’ve gathered so far.
Disney+ revealed this week that the series will debut in the UK on Wednesday, 8th April exclusively via the streaming service.
Initially, three episodes will drop, with subsequent instalments arriving weekly.
The opening season comprises 10 episodes, positioning the concluding episode to broadcast on Wednesday, 27th May. Alongside lead performers Dowd and Infiniti, the cast will feature Lucy Halliday, Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya and Kira Guloien.
Showrunner and executive producer Bruce Miller is making his comeback, alongside The Handmaid’s Tale actress Moss, though her reprisal of June remains unconfirmed.
The official synopsis states: “The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders.
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“As they navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, a place where obedience is instilled brutally and always with divine justification, their bond becomes the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.”
Whether The Testaments will secure a second series remains unclear.
The Testaments launches Wednesday, 8th April on Disney+.
Visitors watch giant panda Xiao Xiao at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo in November. Xiao Xiao and his twin sister Lei Lei will return to China on Tuesday, leaving Japan with no pandas. File Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA
Jan. 26 (UPI) — People flocked to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to say goodbye to the last two giant pandas in Japan.
Twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will leave for China Tuesday, marking the first time Japan has had no pandas since 1972, which is when the two countries began diplomatic relations.
The relationship between the two neighboring countries has deteriorated lately after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would get involved if China attacked Taiwan.
China uses the giant panda as a tool of outreach and goodwill in what is called “panda diplomacy.” Host countries pay about $1 million per year to China.
Zoo visitors needed a reservation to see the pandas on Sunday, with 4,400 slots available, and 108,000 applying for them online, the Tokyo metropolitan government said. Some waited for up to 3 ½ hours to see the pair.
“I have been bringing my son here since he was a baby, so I hope it becomes a good memory for him. I’m glad we could come today to remember them,” Ai Shirakawa told the BBC.
The two were born in Japan in 2021 to their mother Shin Shin and father Ri Ri, who were on loan to Japan for breeding research. Ri Ri and Shin Shin went back to China in September 2024. The siblings’ older sister Xiang Xiang left in February 2023.
Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei became the last pandas in Japan after four others at the Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, left for China in June.
Seven of the 11 teams were running on Monday – Red Bull, Mercedes, Racing Bulls, Haas, Alpine and the new Audi and Cadillac teams.
McLaren said last week that they would not take their car on to the track until after day one as a result of trying to maximise design time. Ferrari, after an initial test at their factory last week, had also announced they would not run on Monday.
Aston Martin have said their new car will not be ready until Thursday, and Williams are missing the test entirely after delays to their design and production programme.
No times were issued, and all teams ran into at least some technical issues as they learned about their new cars.
Rival teams were impressed by the amount of mileage the two Red Bull teams managed considering it was the first full day of running with their new in-house engine, which has been developed in conjunction with new partner Ford.
Before the test started, McLaren and Red Bull revealed images of their 2026 cars for the first time.
McLaren, who won the drivers’ and constructors’ championship double last year for the first time since 1998, showed the car in the one-off testing livery it will run in this week.
Red Bull showed studio shots of their car, carefully chosen to disguise key design features.
Russell added: “We are pleased with our day, but I’ve also been impressed by several other teams.
“The Red Bull power unit has completed a lot of laps which, given that it’s their first engine they’ve built, means they’ve clearly done a good job.
“Haas also managed a similar amount of running to ourselves, so the Ferrari power unit has also put together plenty of mileage. It’s not quite how it was in 2014! The sport has evolved so much since then and the level, in every single aspect, is so high now.”
Audi have taken over the Sauber team for the German car company’s first entry into F1. They suffered a reliability issue that prevented Bortoleto driving in the afternoon.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley said: “We had a technical issue, spotted it and decided to switch the car off. Plenty of testing this year and wanted to really understand the problems, see what the weather conditions are and decide whether we run tomorrow.”
Rain is forecast for Tuesday’s second day of the test, during which teams are permitted to run on a maximum of three of the available days.
Bortoleto said: “The cars are very different. I feel these are going to be slower but it’s very cool to have the power unit being 50% electric – you go out of the corner and you have so much speed being deployed and you can see how strong the engine is.
“You need to adapt but it’s still a racing car.”
Racing Bulls’ Lawson said: “[The car is] very different to drive and I haven’t got my head around it fully yet. We will keep learning. It feels like there is a lot more we can do as drivers to make a difference, potentially, but right now it’s very early days, very hard to know where we are for now just trying to optimise the car.
“[The power unit] feels good. But it’s very hard to tell – the main thing is reliability at the moment.
“We have done a good amount of laps today and the only issues we had today were safety precautions, not actual issues. But hard to know where we’re at compared to everyone else.”
Don’t stop me if you’ve heard this one before, since I’m admittedly something of a broken record on the subject, but I very much prefer Marvel’s television series, which tend to be fleet, original and unpredictable, to its movies, which tend not to be. “Loki,”“Ms. Marvel,”“Moon Knight,”“Echo,”“WandaVision” and its spinoff “Agatha All Along” — all (among others) are worth watching, even the ones that are dumped after a season.
Developing longer stories with less money, the TV shows makers need to be inventive, creative with their resources, so they invest in characters and ideas rather than special effects and action. They focus on secondary or ensemble figures who would never be given a theatrical feature of their own to carry, are particular about culture and family and place, and are often less contingent on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with its phases and stages, its crossovers and cross-promotions and long-range marketing plans. At once higher concept and more grounded than the movies, they’re interesting on their own, to the point where, when they finally hitch on to the Marvel multi-mega-serial train, I find them disappointing.
“Wonder Man,” whose eight episodes premiere all at once Tuesday on Disney+, is perhaps the most grounded of these series. Created by Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) and Andrew Guest (who has written for “Community” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), the series is a (generally) sweet, disarming tale of actors in Hollywood, tricked up with picture-business details that you don’t need to be au fait with the MCU to appreciate. There are things it might be helpful to know, but you can work out everything that matters through context. (Locals will enjoy playing Spot the Locations.)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, who as a child became a fan of a B-movie superhero called Wonder Man — not a “real” superhero, in this reality, merely a fiction. Now in his 30s, he’s a struggling actor in Hollywood, good enough to land a small part in an “American Horror Story” episode, but not clever enough to keep from slowing down the production with questions and suggestions when all he needs to do is deliver a couple of lines before a monster bites his head off. He loses the part and a girlfriend directly afterward.
Taking in a revival house matinee of “Midnight Cowboy,” he meets Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who is back from having played the Mandarin — that is, he acted the part of a terrorist called the Mandarin, believing it was just a job — in “Iron Man 3” and providing appealing comedy relief in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” The character here is more fleshed out, something of a mess (but 13 years sober, he likes to point out), serious but not a joke. Before it all went wrong, Trevor played King Lear (in Croydon), appeared in “Coronation Street” and in a movie with Glenda Jackson, was off-off-off Broadway in “The Skin Our Teeth” and briefly had the lead in a hospital show with Joe Pantoliano, who’s very funny playing himself.
Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), left, and Simon Williams (Yahya Adbul-Mateen II) team up in “Wonder Man.”
(Suzanne Tenner / Marvel Television)
Slattery tells Simon that European art director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is rebooting Wonder Man, a role Simon feels born to play. He makes an end run around his unconvinced agent, Janelle (X Mayo), and wheedles an audition — where he again meets Trevor, auditioning for Barnaby, Wonder Man’s pal, or sidekick or something. There are wheels behind wheels in this setup, some of which could use a little grease, but for most of the series they do their squeaking off to the side. It’s a love story, above all — “Midnight Cowboy,” not an accidental choice, is more of a touchstone than any Marvel movie.
Simon does have powers — things shake, break or explode around him when he’s upset, and his strength can become super in a tight spot — which puts him in the sights of the Department of Damage Control, embodied by Arian Moayed as P. Cleary, who would like to contain him. But he struggles to keep them secret, especially in light of something called the Doorman Clause — its history established in a sidebar episode, a cautionary Hollywood fable with Josh Gad as himself — which prohibits anyone with super powers from working in film or television, all Simon lives for.
There is little in the way of action, and you won’t miss it. The fate of the world is never in question, but a callback for a second audition means everything. The only costumed characters are actors playing costumed characters; the only villains, apart from the bureaucracy that seeks to bring him in, are Simon’s own self-doubt and temper. As things progress, Trevor will become a mentor to Simon. As is common in stories of love and friendship, a betrayal will be revealed, but if you have seen even a few such stories, you know how that’s going to go, and will be glad it does.
Whether discussing acting techniques or the traffic they’re stuck in on Hollywood Boulevard (Trevor: “Probably the Hollywood Bowl.” Simon: “It’s too late for the Bowl.” Trevor: “It’s usually the Bowl. I remember seeing Cher there once — breathtaking. Chaka Khan, now there’s a woman”), Abdul-Mateen and Kingsley work well together; their energies are complementary, laid back and loose versus worked up and tight and, of course, each will have something to teach one another about who they are and who they could be. I was genuinely anxious for them, as friends, more so than just wondering how such and such a superhero (or team) might defeat such and such a supervillain (or team).
“Our ideas about heroes and gods, they only get in the way,” says Von Kovak, putting a room of hopeful actors through their paces, and essentially speaking for the series he’s in. “Too difficult to comprehend them. Let’s find the human underneath.”
