score

Emmerdale star Lewis Cope has scored the first 40 of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing after impressing all four judges with his Couple’s choice set to a Radiohead classic

Emmerdale star Lewis Cope has scored the first 40 of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. The actor, 30, took to the stage with professional partner Katya Jones in the latest round of the BBC Saturday night favourite to perform their Couple’s choice to Creep by Radiohead, and it all started with an emotional VT focusing on Lewis’ family.

The soap actor left his hometown of Hartlepool in the North East at the age of just 10 so he could star as Michael in the West End production of Billy Elliot: The Musical, and Lewis explained that he went in a completely different direction to his brothers, who chose to go in boxing. Speaking about his family, he said: “They believed in me more than I believed in myself to be honest. The first person I called when I found out I was doing Strictly was Nana Dot. She’s the queen of the family.”

His grandmother then made an appearance, where she noted how ‘proud’ she was of Lewis, and the whole family spoke of how important it was that they gathered around every week to watch him. Following the dance, the audience cheered. Craig simply clapped and said: “As it’s Halloween, darling, that was spooktacular!”

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing results spoiler reveals most shocking dance off of seriesREAD MORE: Strictly star speechless by message from Cheryl after breaking down in tears

Motsi said: “I’m so glad I had a few moments to calm down. This is one of those moments that we’re going to look at in five or ten yeas and say ‘Remember when Lewis Cope did that thing?!’

Shirley added: “I’m having an emotional moment so I’m just going to hold my skeleton. Leaving home at 10, my message isn’t for you, it’s for our Nana Dot, for your mum, siblings and for everybody for giving you to all of us so we could enjoy that brilliant, phenomenal work. Well done you!”

Anton said: “It is [the best] dance of this series, by about a million miles. But Craig and I have been here since the very, very beginning and that dance was as good as anything we’ve seen on any series. There was nothing you could have done to make that any better!” All four judges then awarded Lewis a 10, making him the first to receive a perfect score.

At home, viewers were equally as thrilled and flooded social media with their reactions. One said: “Been a long long time since I’ve seen a dance on #Strictly that I’ve wanted to watch again immediately! Lewis and Katya! Holy fucking s***!,” and another said: “Outstanding!!!!! Lewis & Katayka ! We have first perfect score! 40!”

A third said: “Lewis was always going to get the first 40!” With 13 siblings, life in the Cope household came at a frenetic pace, often centred around boxing. His brothers Adam, Danny and Peter all won the Northern area title as professional fighters. “I boxed and still train now, but back then it was more a social thing to be with my brothers – that’s what I enjoyed,” he says.

Instead dance became his passion which for some young boys could have led to derision. “Being from a working-class town 20 years ago, there was always that bit of pressure but my family were so supportive that I never felt it,” he says, before laughing: “Having so many brothers that did boxing also helped.”

In any case, the concept of particular sports being for specific genders is “outdated”, he says, adding: “I do think the world has changed from 20 years ago when it happened to me. We have come a long way.” Lewis has so far taken Strictly by storm, finishing second in the combined judges’ scoreboards of weeks one and two.

It’s even more impressive given he was a last minute replacement for Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn “I didn’t have time to really think….I just had to try and take it all in my stride,” he says.

“I have never done a TV show like this before. But it seems I’ve gone into the biggest one. There wasn’t even a warm-up. On a serious note, it’s been fine; everyone has been supportive and full of love.”

READ MORE: Man ‘transformed’ after losing nearly four stone despite trying ‘every fad diet’

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (9-0) vs. Mater Dei, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) at Loyola, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (9-1) def. Chaparral, 60-29; Southern Section playoffs

4. MISSION VIEJO (9-1) def. Los Alamitos, 76-49; Southern Section playoffs

5. SANTA MARGARITA (6-3) at JSerra, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

6. MATER DEI (7-2) at St. John Bosco, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

7. LOS ALAMITOS (8-2) lost to Mission Viejo, 76-49; Southern Section playoffs

8. SERVITE (5-4) vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

9. ORANGE LUTHERAN (2-7*) vs. Servite, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

10. CORONA DEL MAR (9-1) lost to Yorba Linda, 35-28; Southern Section playoffs

11. OXNARD PACIFICA (9-0) at Bishop Diego, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

12. LEUZINGER (8-1) def. Lawndale, 45-10; Southern Section playoffs

13. VISTA MURRIETA (7-3) lost to Norco, 17-7; Southern Section playoffs

14. MURRIETA VALLEY (7-3) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 48-13; Southern Section playoffs

15. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-2) def. Tesoro, 41-7; Southern Section playoffs

16. BEAUMONT (7-2) def. Redlands East Valley, 43-6; Southern Section playoffs

17. DOWNEY (8-1) at Dominguez, Thursday; Southern Section playoffs

18. CREAN LUTHERAN (10-0) def. Laguna Hills, 50-7; Southern Section playoffs

19. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (7-3) def. Chino Hills, 31-24; Southern Section playoffs

20. CHINO HILLS (7-3) lost to Rancho Cucamonga, 31-24; Southern Section playoffs

21. VALENCIA (8-1) at Castaic, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

22. DAMIEN (8-2) def. Ayala, 35-13; Southern Section playoffs

23. AQUINAS (8-1) vs. Village Christian, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

24. CHAPARRAL (5-5) lost to Corona Centennial, 60-29; Southern Section playoffs

25. CHAMINADE (5-4) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

*-two forfeit losses

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Central League

Bernstein 28, Roybal 20

Contreras 55, Mendez 17

Hollywood 48, Belmont 0

Coliseum League

Dorsey 37, Washington 12

Crenshaw 6, King/Drew 2

Eastern League

Garfield 37, L.A. Roosevelt 30

Exposition League

Santee 61, Angelou 0

Marine League

Carson 50, Narbonne 0

San Pedro 49, Gardena 14

Metro League

Hawkins 38, Locke 6

Northern League

Eagle Rock 49, L.A. Wilson 7

Lincoln 35, L.A. Marshall 28

Southern League

Diego Rivera 33, West Adams 18

Valley Mission League

Granada Hills Kennedy 21, San Fernando 12

Sylmar 42, Reseda 0

Van Nuys 43, Panorama 36

West Valley League

Birmingham 23, Granada Hills 16

El Camino Real 45, Chatsworth 6

Taft 21, Cleveland 13

Western League

Fairfax 21, L.A. University 20

Palisades 46, LA Hamilton 30

Venice 21, Westchester 8

Nonleague

Fremont 30, Maywood CES 15

Los Angeles d. L.A. Jordan, forfeit

SOUTHERN SECTION

Almont League

Bell Gardens 43, Keppel 6

San Gabriel 27, Alhambra 20

Schurr 42, Montebello 7

Alpha League

San Clemente 28, Los Alamitos 9

Mission Viejo 37, Edison 20

Angelus League

Cathedral 28, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 14

Paraclete 42, St. Francis 35

St. Paul 41, Alemany 7

Baseline League

Chino Hills 27, Damien 19

Rancho Cucamonga 41, Etiwanda 7

Upland 37, Ayala 0

Bay League

Culver City 48, Lawndale 0

Leuzinger 27, Mira Costa 14

Palos Verdes 31. Inglewood 12

Big West Lower League

Corona Santiago 37, Corona 21

Great Oak 36, Temecula Valley 13

Murrieta Mesa 51, Riverside King 24

Big West Upper League

Vista Murrieta 42, Murrieta Valley 35

Bravo League

Corona del Mar 47, Tesoro 8

San Juan Hills 28, Villa Park 10

Yorba Linda 41, Newport Harbor 14

Channel League

Buena 28, Oxnard 26

Moorpark 42, Royal 6

Citrus Belt League

Beaumont 56, Citrus Valley 3

Cajon 67, Redlands 0

Redlands East Valley 43, Yucaipa 41

Conejo Coast League

Calabasas 42, Rio Mesa 14

Thousand Oaks 17, Newbury Park 7

Westlake 33, Santa Barbara 14

Cottonwood League

Silver Valley 36, Riverside Prep 33

Salesian 40, St. Anthony 0

Del Rio League

California 28, Santa Fe 23

La Serna 42, Whittier 8

Delta League

Trabuco Hills 28, Cypress 7

Desert Empire League

Palm Desert 35, Palm Springs 28

Desert Valley League

Coachella Valley 28, Twentynine Palms 0

Yucca Valley d. Indio, forfeit

Epsilon League

Crean Lutheran 31, Huntington Beach 28

Foothill 31, El Dorado 13

Foothill League

Golden Valley 43, West Ranch 28

Valencia 38, Hart 7

Foxtrot League

Aliso Niguel 17, Orange 10

Laguna Beach 49, Dana Hills 40

Gano League

Chaffey 63, Don Lugo 14

Rowland 44, Montclair 7

Gateway League

Downey 40, Warren 0

La Mirada 37, Paramount 16

Mayfair 42, Dominguez 18

Golden League

Knight 26, Littlerock 14

Palmdale 48, Eastside 10

Quartz Hill 41, Antelope Valley 7

Hacienda League

Chino 29, South Hills 22

Los Altos 49, Diamond Bar 35

Inland Valley League

Heritage 35, Citrus Hill 34

Perris 33, Canyon Springs 7

Iota League

Troy 21, Irvine 20

Ironwood League

Aquinas 46, Capistrano Valley Christian 7

Cerritos Valley Christian 35, Heritage Christian 25

Village Christian 62, Ontario Christian 14

Ivy League

Liberty 21, Rancho Verde 19

Orange Vista 52, Riverside North 14

Vista del Lago 55, Paloma Valley 54

Kappa League

Esperanza 27, Westminster 21

Segerstrom 14, Brea Olinda 7

Marina 14, La Palma Kennedy 7

Manzanita League

Anza Hamilton 31, California Military Institute 14

Vasquez 64, Desert Chapel 14

Marmonte League

Bishop Diego 35, St. Bonaventure 27

Oaks Christian 42, Camarillo 6

Oxnard Pacifica 42, Simi Valley 20

Mission League

Chaminade 52, Loyola 0

Gardena Serra 35, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 16

Sierra Canyon 40, Bishop Amat 0

Mission Valley League

El Monte 38, South El Monte 21

Gabrielino 61, Pasadena Marshall 0

Rosemead 21, Arroyo 13

Mojave River League

Hesperia 33, Sultana 28

Mountain Pass League

San Jacinto 63, West Valley 0

Mountain Valley League

Miller 14, Pacific 13

West Torrance 35, Compton Centennial 6

Pacific League

Burbank d. Glendale, forfeit

Pasadena 49, Arcadia 14

Pioneer League

North Torrance 48, South Torrance 14

Redondo Union 40, Peninsula 21

Torrance 49, Santa Monica 14

Rio Hondo League

Monrovia 35, San Marino 7

South Pasadena 48, Temple City 6

San Andreas League

Colton 56, Rim of the World 49

Kaiser 28, San Gorgonio 21

Skyline League

Arroyo Valley 38, Fontana 19

Bloomington 50, Riverside Notre Dame 18

Rialto 7, Carter 6

Sun Valley League

Banning 37, Cathedral City 6

Desert Hot Springs 35, Desert Mirage 20

Sunbelt League

Rancho Christian 7, Hillcrest 0

Riverside Poly 28, Valley View 10

Tango League

Loara 28, Garden Grove Santiago 27

Tri-County League

Agoura 25, San Marcos 6

Fillmore 24, Dos Pueblos 17

Santa Paula 27, Hueneme 16

Trinity League

Mater Dei 40, JSerra 7

Santa Margarita 28, Orange Lutheran 7

St. John Bosco 42, Servite 0

Valle Vista League

Alta Loma 21, Northview 20

Zeta League

Saddleback 42, Century 6

Nonleague

El Segundo 35, El Rancho 18

Desert Christian Academy 30, Viewpoint 6

INTERSECTIONAL

Rancho Dominguez 42, Verbum Dei 20

St. Monica 55, Franklin 21

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Majestic League

Cornerstone Christian 43, Highland Entrepreneur 0

Tri-Valley League

Sage Hill 42, Cate 16

INTERSECTIONAL

Fresno Christian 84, Hesperia Christian 28

CSDR 70, Model School for the Deaf (Washington D.C.) 24

Matt Groening knows what a real theremin sounds like.

As a kid who grew up on the celluloid junk food of the 1950s and ’60s, “The Simpsons” creator heard the ghostly wail of that early electronic instrument in sci-fi film scores and in albums by his beloved Frank Zappa. Its cousin, the ondes martenot, was featured in one of Groening’s favorite classical pieces — the “Turangalîla-symphonie” by Olivier Messiaen — which would inspire the name for a lead character in “Futurama,” Turanga Leela.

So, when composer Alf Clausen was recruited in the sophomore season of Groening’s popular new show about a yellow nuclear family and answered a request to use theremin — a small lectern with two metal antennae sticking out, which a musician plays by moving their hand in the space between — in the inaugural “Treehouse of Horror” episode in October 1990, Groening immediately recognized it was a fake; it was bouncing around the scale in a way a real theremin can’t do.

“And [Clausen] admitted, yeah, it wasn’t a theremin; it was a keyboard,” Groening recalls. “And it took many years for us to get a real theremin. The downside of the theremin is that it can’t play all the notes — but it’s got a feel to it that is so great.”

Clausen quickly became a fixture of “The Simpsons,” scoring every episode from that first “Treehouse of Horror,” now an annual Halloween tradition, all the way through the end of the 28th season, which wrapped in 2017, as well as composing many unforgettably funny songs with the show’s writers. Groening often referred to Clausen as the show’s “secret weapon.”

A scene from “Treehouse of Horror XXXVI,” this year’s Halloween episode of “The Simpsons.”

(“The Simpsons” & 20th Television)

The show’s producers were always pushing to save money, Groening says, and to have the show scored with synthesizers and a drum machine — par for the course for TV music in the 1990s. But Groening felt differently. “I always thought that the music really helped the show in a way, because I thought the animation was kind of … primitive,” Groening punctuates the word with a laugh, “and I thought, man, though, if we have great orchestral music backing up these goofy drawings, it’ll mean: ‘Hey, we really meant it!’ And Alf got that right away.”

Groening was none too happy, then, when Clausen was fired by Fox in 2017. The official reason stated was the high cost of recording every episode with a live orchestra; but the veteran composer, who had previously scored TV series like “Moonlighting” and “ALF” (no relation), was 76 when he got the boot, later suing Disney and Fox over age discrimination. (Clausen died earlier this year at age 84.)

Enter Bleeding Fingers Music, a composer collective founded in 2014 by Hans Zimmer, Russell Emanuel and Steven Kofsky that has grown from its original six composers to a stable of 26. Zimmer had been a longtime go-to for “Simpsons” executive producer James L. Brooks, and he won over a skeptical Groening with his zany score for “The Simpsons Movie” in 2007.

With a composer void, Brooks approached Zimmer about taking over the series, and Zimmer proposed Bleeding Fingers — whose credits at that point included several entries in the “Planet Earth” series and various History Channel documentaries and reality shows.

Russell Emanuel of Bleeding Fingers.

(Kevin Shelburne)

“It took a long time for the decision to be made,” says Emanuel, a cheeky Brit who got his start making soundalike rock albums in the 1980s and co-formed Extreme Music in 1997, a music library company that produced EDM tracks for shows like “Top Gear.” Zimmer was an early contributor to Extreme Music, and in 2001 the company moved into his vast Remote Control Productions campus in Santa Monica.

“It was taken very seriously,” Emanuel adds. “The first I knew about it was Hans calling me into his room and going, ‘We’ve got “Simpsons.” Don’t f— it up.’”

It was an awkward arranged marriage for Groening — and a “baptism by fire” for Emanuel and his cohort. They had an ample three weeks to tackle their very first episode, a “Game of Thrones” parody titled “The Serfsons,” which featured some theremin solos. Groening asked if it was a live theremin. It was not, the new composers sheepishly replied.

“He could hear it immediately, and completely called us out on it,” says Emanuel. “We had to go back and redo that whole thing. There were two or three big issues for him — but, you know, that was part of us learning the language.”

On a recent Friday morning on the Fox scoring stage, just around the corner from Groening’s office of nearly four decades, the “Simpsons” creator was smiling as a live orchestra recorded the score for Sunday’s new “Treehouse of Horror” episode (streaming next day on Hulu). There was a woodwind virtuoso, Pedro Eustache, making wild and beautiful sounds in an isolated booth with his arsenal of flutes — and out on the stage there was a real, live theremin.

Running the session was Kara Talve, a young but dominant digit of Bleeding Fingers who has been the principal composer on “The Simpsons” since Season 30; this is her sixth “Treehouse of Horror” episode. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, she took an assistant job at Bleeding Fingers — mostly, she says, because she wanted to work on “The Simpsons.”

Kara Talve of Bleeding Fingers, who has been the principal composer of “The Simpsons” since Season 30.

(Sage Etters)

“But I had to convince Russell that I could do it,” Talve says, sitting in her studio next to her boss. “I don’t think he trusted me yet. But also: Why would he, because I was like 5 years old.”

It’s quickly apparent how self-deprecating and silly they both are — Emanuel recently got a tattoo of a Spotify code that, when scanned, triggers Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” — but also how seriously they take this job.

“The responsibility of working on a show like this, we don’t take it lightly,” Talve says. “And because I was so intrigued by the show, and I really, really wanted to work with Russell on ‘The Simpsons,’ I went back and I listened to those old episodes — because I want to honor the musical language that Alf left, and that Danny Elfman left.” (Elfman composed the iconic theme song, which Emanuel and Talve consider “the heart of the show.”)

“And it’s a very specific palette,” she adds. “Like, not to get too nerdy about it, but there really is this harmonic language that’s only in Springfield.”

There are other, subtle ingredients to a good “Simpsons” score: For instance, the music should (usually) duck out of the way for the verbal or visual punchline. And the show has always overflowed with pop culture references and spoofs, which requires an almost bottomless well of musical knowledge. That’s one area where having two dozen other composers working in the same building comes in handy.

“There’s this adaptability that you have to have on this show,” says Talve, “and it’s every genre under the sun, and you kind of just have to figure out how to do that. And Russ was a big part in teaching me, because he’s the king of production music.” She adds that the composers in the collective also play a variety of instruments, so “I can just ask them to come in and play this line, because we can’t sell it to the showrunners if it sounds too fake.”

The average “Simpsons” episode has between five and 10 minutes of score — which might sound like easy street.

“The amount of starts is very challenging,” Talve says. “And it is deceiving. People go, ‘Five minutes? Oh, you’re just doing a bunch of stings’ or whatever. But I want to debunk this because it’s actually way harder, for me personally, to do 30 short cues for one episode than to have one long cue that’s five minutes because the amount of emotional turns that the music has to have, and that you have to hit all this stuff within 10 seconds — it’s actually really frickin’ hard.”

(In 2014, Clausen told me he always joked that “I can make you feel five ways in 13 seconds.”)

The Simpson family in a segment from this year’s “Treehouse of Horror.”

(“The Simpsons” & 20th Television)

Most episodes are recorded with small ensembles at the Bleeding Fingers facility, but the “Treehouse of Horror” chapters are special; they tend to have wall-to-wall music, and the producers splurge on a full orchestral session at Fox — just like the old days.

This year’s anthology spoofs “Jaws,” “Late Night With the Devil” and “Furiosa.” Talve’s score bobs and weaves accordingly, from big brassy horror to eerie synths to world percussion and a custom-made plastic flute.

Groening, who was full of praise for Talve’s “Treehouse” score, has gradually warmed to the Bleeding Fingers team approach — viewing it less like a factory churning out product and more like the way animators work.

“The nature of animation, with maybe two or three exceptions in the history of the medium — it’s all a collaboration,” Groening says. “We’ve got a lot of ‘Simpsons’ writers, we have a lot of voice actors, a lot of animators, a lot of musicians. I mean, one of the great things about that particular session was that these are some of the greatest musicians in Los Angeles, playing amazing music.”

He even wishes people could witness it in person.

“There should be live concerts of this music because it is so much fun to listen to,” he says.” And it gets a little constrained, you know, when it’s supporting goofy animation — but as music, it’s really fantastic.”

Most people know that a higher credit score is better — but how much better? What does it really cost to fall just one tier below?

The average credit score in 2025 is 715, according to Motley Fool Money research. Yours might be above that, or below. And while a few points here or there may not change how lenders treat you, once the gap widens, the financial impact gets real. Especially when you’re moving between major credit tiers.

For example, a credit score of 680 sits at the lower end of the “good” range, while 740 breaks into “very good” territory. Both of these scores aren’t too far from the national average, but they unlock very different rates, terms, and perks.

1. Mortgage rates: A small score gap can cost tens of thousands

Let’s start with the biggest loan most people ever take on: a mortgage.

Suppose you’re applying for a $400,000, 30-year fixed mortgage. Here’s how your credit score might affect the interest rate you’re offered:

Data source: Author’s calculations.

Total difference: over $71,000

To be fair, a lot can change over a 30-year mortgage. If your credit score improves down the road, you may be able to refinance into a lower rate and save money over time. But this example shows just how much a lower score can impact your finances right now — especially if you’re locking in a loan with today’s rates. Even a small bump in your score before applying could lead to serious savings.

2. Auto loans: Higher monthly payments, even on smaller balances

Auto lenders are also score-sensitive. According to MyFICO, here’s the rate difference you could expect with different credit scores, based on a 60-month new car loan:

• 680 score (prime): ~9.963%
• 740 score (prime): ~6.695%

On a $35,000 car loan, that difference could cost you an extra $55 per month, and over $3,300 extra in interest over the life of the loan.

Even though both of these scores fall into the “prime” range for FICO® Scores, there’s quite a big difference in the rates that are offered.

3. Insurance premiums: A hidden cost many don’t realize

In many states, your credit score plays a role in how much you pay for car and home insurance. It doesn’t show up as an interest rate — just a higher premium.

According to Motley Fool Money research, drivers with poor credit often pay more than double what those with excellent credit are charged. Even a modest difference, like $50 more per month, can add up to over $6,000 in extra premiums over a decade.

Got good credit? You may qualify for better rates. See our top insurance carriers for people with strong credit scores.

4. Credit cards: Missed rewards and higher APRs

Most of the best credit cards (including travel cards, 0% intro APR cards, and big cash back cards) prefer applicants with higher credit scores.

That doesn’t mean you’ll be approved or denied strictly on your score (I’ve been denied for some cards even with an 800+ score). But when your score is lower your approval odds typically drop.

That also means missing out on premium rewards rates, long 0% intro APRs, or welcome bonuses worth $750 or more. These can be incredibly valuable perks. But you need the credit score to unlock them.

Raising your score is worth it

Here’s the bright side: moving from a 680 to a 740 (or higher) isn’t some impossible leap.

Many people can see a 40- to 60-point boost within a year or two by practicing good credit habits. Here are a few that make a huge difference:

• Paying down credit card balances (lowering your utilization)
• Setting autopay to never miss a due date
• Not opening or closing too many accounts at once (and keeping your oldest cards open to improve history length)
• Asking for a credit limit increases on existing cards slowly over time

By far the biggest factor is making sure your bills are paid on time, every time.

Even small tweaks can have a big payoff. The difference between “good” and “very good” credit could be tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

Want to put your credit score to work? Check out our favorite credit cards for good-to-excellent credit — including top rewards cards and 0% intro APR offers.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Marco Rossi scored in the fourth round of the shootout and the Minnesota Wild beat the Kings 4-3 on Monday night after giving up a three-goal lead in the third period.

Power-play goals by Jared Spurgeon, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead late in the first period.

The score remained until the third period when Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield scored early and Adrain Kempe late to send the game to overtime.

Fiala banked a rebound off the back of Jesper Wallstedt early in the third and Byfield added a power-play goal less than three minutes later to get the Kings to 3-2.

With an extra attacker, Kempe scored on a rebound with 44.4 seconds left in regulation for the Kings.

Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots for the Kings, who again struggled to stay out of the penalty box. Whistled for six infractions Monday, the Kings have been shorthanded 22 times in four games.

Making his season debut and first start since Dec. 21, 2024, Wallstedt made 31 saves for Minnesota. Vladimir Tarasenko had two assists.

Spurgeon scored 14:04 into the game with a shot from the right circle that went through a screen by Vinnie Hinostroza for a 1-0 Wild lead.

With a two-man advantage, Kaprizov scored from the slot just over two minutes later and Boldy skated in from below the right circle and his shot went off the glove of Kuemper at the post to make 3-0 at 16:33.

The Wild are converting on an NHL-best 47.1% of their power-play opportunities. Minnesota has scored eight times in 17 chances, including four goals in Saturday’s 7-4 loss to Columbus.

Kaprizov and Boldy each have a team-high three goals and seven points. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas have a league-best eight points apiece.

Fans of the creator’s hit Netflix series have their new favourite show of 2025

A new series being hailed as ‘one of the best shows of the year’ and a ‘ridiculously addictive’ thriller’ which has earned a perfect score is now streaming.

The Chair Company makes its debut via Sky Comedy as well as through the NOW platform for those with an entertainment pass.

It comes from former Saturday Night Live writers Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, who are also the comedic minds behind Netflix cult favourite sketch show I Think You Should Leave. This time, they are bringing to the screen what is being described as a labyrinthine mystery-comedy.

According to the show’s secretive synopsis, after an embarrassing incident at work, William Ronald “Ron” Trosper (Robinson) finds himself investigating a far-reaching conspiracy. The makers have remain tight lipped around the show’s plot, wanting fans to discover all the unexpected twists and turns for themselves.

Joining Robinson in the cast, who recently starred in Paul Rudd movie Friendship are The Practice star Lake Bell, IT Part One’s Sophia Lillis, Will Price and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Ahead of it making its debut in the US and UK, it has already managed to secure a perfect 100% rating on website Rotten Tomatoes. One critic simply claimed: “One of the best shows of the year, The Chair Company will have you sinking in your recliner.”

Another added: “The Chair Company is one of the most offbeat and outlandish shows you’ll see this year.” Meanwhile a different verdict suggested: “There is nothing quite like The Chair Company: a show that is emotionally potent while still delivering the perfect marriage between sketch comedy and conspiracy theory.”

The only issue fans may find is that the series is expected to release episodes on a weekly basis with the premiere made available from October 13. Based on information found on IMDB, new instalments will be added each Sunday in the US and Monday in the UK.

This will lead to the finale airing on November 30. It means fans will need to make a decision to watch as soon as episodes drop or wait to catch up as the show is a much more compelling binge watch. That is coming from a reporter who has watched screeners for the first seven episodes and found them ridiculously addictive.

It is a perfect replacement for any viewer who enjoyed any high paced thriller or offbeat comedy released in the last year. That includes Severance, Paradise, Slow Horses, Dept. Q, The Studio and The Rehearsal. The Chair Company dials up the stakes to absolute ridiculous levels and pokes fun at how even the best in the genre make the most unexpected of connections and leaps in their stories.

In doing this it also simultaneously continues the method of Tim Robinson’s expertly crafted sketch show premise of taking simple misunderstandings or social faux pas and blows them way out of proportion.

Imagine the conspiracy thrills of Severance paired with the awkward humour of Nathan Fielder or Larry David.

Everything becomes so bizarre and compelling you can’t help but remain tight in its grip, needing to know just where the eight-part series will end up. The show proves that Robinson et al can indeed stretch a sketch idea into a lengthy series, while somehow maintaining interest and filling it with memorable character moments they are known for.

The Chair Company is streaming on Sky Comedy and NOW

Gabriel Pec had a goal and an assist, Elijah Wynder also scored a goal and the Galaxy beat FC Dallas 2-1 on Saturday night.

Pec put away a shot from nearly the penalty spot to give the Galaxy (6-18-9) a 2-1 lead in the 87th minute.

Dallas (10-12-11) is eighth in the Western Conference with 41 points, three behind seventh-place Portland. Salt Lake and Colorado are tied with 40 points.

Logan Farrington was shown a straight red card in the 16th minute and Dallas played a man down the rest of the way.

Wynder slipped behind the defense and ran onto a long ball ahead played by Pec and then scored on a shot from the edge of the penalty area that deflected off goalkeeper Michael Collodi, who had charged off his line, to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute.

Anderson Julio put away a first-touch finish — off a cross played by Samuel Sarver — from the center of the area to make it 1-1 in the 52nd.

The Galaxy had 67% possession and outshot Dallas 13-9.

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 48-0; vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

2. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Chaminade, 45-14; vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, next Friday

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-1) def. Vista Murrieta, 63-14; at Murrieta Valley, next Friday

4. MATER DEI (5-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 7-6; vs. Servite at Santa Ana Stadium, Oct. 18

5. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) did not play; vs. San Clemente, next Friday

6. SANTA MARGARITA (5-2) def. Mater Dei, 7-6; vs. St. John Bosco at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) did not play; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Thursday

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-4) lost St. John Bosco, 48-0; vs. JSerra at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (6-0) vs. Newport Harbor, Saturday; at Villa Park, next Friday

10. SERVITE (5-2) def. JSerra, 43-26; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, next Friday

11. BEAUMONT (5-2) lost to Cajon, 25-23; vs. Yucaipa, next Friday

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (6-0) vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; at Camarillo, next Friday

13. MURRIETA VALLEY (6-1) def. Chaparral, 56-42; vs. Corona Centennial, next Friday

14. VISTA MURRIETA (5-2) lost to Corona Centennial, 63-14; at Eastvale Roosevelt, next Friday

15. DAMIEN (6-1) def. Etiwanda, 49-31; vs. Upland, Thursday

16. SAN JUAN HILLS (5-2) def. Yorba Linda, 41-17; at Newport Harbor, next Friday

17. JSERRA (3-4) lost to Servite, 43-26; vs. Orange Lutheran at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

18. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Loyola, 13-10; vs. Chaminade, next Friday

19. DOWNEY (6-1) def. La Mirada, 67-7; at Paramount, next Friday

20. YORBA LINDA (5-2) lost to San Juan Hills, 41-17; vs. Tesoro, next Friday

21. LEUZINGER (5-1) def. Palos Verdes, 40-14; vs. Culver City, next Friday

22. EDISON (5-2) did not play; vs. Los Alamitos at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16

23. PALOS VERDES (4-3) lost to Leuzinger, 40-14; at Lawndale, next Friday

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (7-0) def. El Dorado, 50-7; vs. La Habra, next Friday

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (4-3) lost to Bishop Amat, 36-29; at Sierra Canyon, next Friday