Stephen Graham featured in the critically acclaimed series (Image: SKY)
Fans might have said farewell to Cillian Murphy in his iconic Peaky Blinders role — and it could be a long wait until the sequel drops.
Whilst Cillian Murphy wrapped up Tommy’s story in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a new gangster drama will pick up where the movie left off. Last summer, Netflix confirmed a spinoff is on the way.
Set in the 1950s, the sequel will focus on the next generation of Peaky Blinders: Tommy Shelby’s sons Duke (Jamie Bell) and Charles (Charlie Heaton of Stranger Things). A release date hasn’t been confirmed, but Netflix has greenlit the show for 12 episodes split over two series.
“Once again it will be rooted in Birmingham and will tell the story of a city rising from the ashes of the Birmingham blitz,” said show creator Steven Knight. “The new generation of Shelbys have taken the wheel, and it will be a hell of a ride.”
Until then, a few shows come well recommended by Peaky Blinders fans.
House of Guinness
From the same creator of Peaky Blinders is another family saga: House of Guinness. The drama begins in Dublin in 1868 with the death of the Guinness family patriarch. His four children — “each with dark secrets to hide” — hold the fate of the family brewery empire in their hands. All eight episodes of the first series are free to binge on Netflix now.
Naturally, viewers have drawn comparisons to Peaky Blinders. One said: “It was a little slow to get into, but once you understand the characters it’s a solid 7/10 (if Peaky Blinders is 10/10).”
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Another wrote: “The whole vibe of the scenery is certainly familiar, especially the slowed down walks through the factories. This show (HoG) is less violent, had more of an ensemble cast balanced storyline than a single mastermind.”
A third said: “I binged the entire first season in a day and, while enjoyable and I’m looking forward to another season, it’s def no Peaky Blinders. But I guess that’s a ‘good’ thing? Because Wright can never top his Birmingham-based opus.”
House of Guinness is streaming on Netflix.
Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire, a gritty Prohibition-era show from HBO, is a highly rated show set in an overlapping time period.
The story kicks off on the day alcohol is outlawed in 1920. Over in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Steve Buscemi stars as “Nucky” Thompson, a corrupt senior politician and the biggest bootlegger in the city. Expect to see some historic figures like Al Capone along the way.
It’s got star power. From the late great Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Lovecraft Country) and Stephen Graham, to the director of the first episode — Martin Scorsese — there is a lot to like.
To some fans, it’s the better show of the two. One fan explained: “Peaky Blinders has some great scenes – and Cillian Murphy is a captivating leading man. And this might sound like blasphemy on a Peaky Blinders subreddit, but I think Boardwalk Empire is easily the better show overall.
“B. Empire also had a lot of exceptional actors (e.g., Buscemi, Michael Shannon, Jeffrey Wright, Stephen Graham etc.) and really satisfying story arcs in most seasons. Excellent cinematography and music, too.”
Boardwalk Empire requires an HBO Max subscription, now available in the UK.
MobLand
This British drama, currently in its second series, is about a crime family headed by their patriarch Conrad Harrigan (Pierce Brosnan). Peaky Blinders alum Tom Hardy plays Harry Da Souza, a street-smart fixer who cleans up the family’s messes.
The first series follows a bloody gang war between the Harrigans and a rival family — the Stevensons. As tensions rise, Harry must do what he can to prevent an all-out war and shield the Harrigans from police scrutiny.
“If you like Peaky Blinders, I think you should try MobLand,” wrote a fan of both shows.
“It’s set in modern day but other than that the tone, the intrigue, the scheming, the brutality, all of them remind me very much of what I love about Peaky Blinders.
“Plus it’s got Alfie in it (Tom Hardy technically) which is always a very good bonus. And without spoiling any plot points there is a very Polly-like character played by Helen Mirren. Anyway give it a try and see what you think!”
MobLand can be streamed on Paramount+ via Prime Video.
The three-part documentary series has already secured top spot in the top 10 charts
Natalee Holloway vanished on a graduation trip to Aruba (Image: Netflix)
True crime fans are being urged to stop what they are doing and binge watch a brand new release that is guaranteed to have your jaw on the floor.
There are plenty of choices at our disposal when it comes to deciding what to watch, but streaming giant Netflix has recently dropped a brand new true crime documentary that everyone needs to get on their watch list.
In what has been dubbed an emotional rollercoaster of a series, the brand new release is from the same producers as Maternal Instinct as it plunges viewers into a 20 year fight for answers.
Titled Taken: Natalee Holloway, the three-part documentary was released on November 4 and has already secured the top spot in the top 10 Series in the UK Today.
An official synopsis teases: “On May 30, 2005, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway vanished on a high school graduation trip to Aruba — and never came home. What followed was years of unanswered questions, a missing teenager, and a mother’s relentless fight for the truth.
“Now, over 20 years later, Natalee’s mother, Beth, is ready to tell the complete story. With exclusive, unprecedented access to Beth and those who were with Natalee when she vanished, this three-part documentary series from Story Syndicate (Maternal Instinct, Titan: The Oceangate Disaster) and directors Dani Sloane and Matthew Galkin is the definitive account of a case that gripped a nation and never let go.
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“It’s a story of a mother who refused to stop searching, an investigation that spanned continents, and a daughter whose memory endures. This is Natalee’s story, told at last in full.”
Spanning across three episodes, viewers are already hooked as one person admitted on TikTok: “I am disgusted by this documentary.” They later added: “This documentary takes you on a whirlwind of events, literally 20 years until they get answers.”
In a separate video, another true crime fan praised: “You need to stop whatever your doing, cancel all of your plans and forget about everything else on Netflix because this documentary is about to be number one trending.
“I’m telling you right now everybody is going to be talking about this documentary, my jaw was on the floor watching it.” Another replied: “I’ve just finished it can’t believe what I’ve watched.”
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Over on Facebook, one person penned: “I just watched Taken: The Natalee Holloway Story on Netflix, and I am absolutely disgusted and heartbroken.”
Another echoed: “No I have the full body chills right now. Cannot believe it took that long. And the WhatsApp literally had me screaming”, as a third added: “Natalee’s case has always haunted me.”
On IMDb, a reviewer echoed: “This is a shocking, disturbing and often sickening story, but an important one to tell… Ultimately, this is as much a story about a mother’s love and determination as it is about a horrific crime. A compelling documentary that stays with you long after the final episode.”
Taken: Natalee Holloway can be streamed on Netflix
This City is Ours fans are urged to watch a crime drama that has been praised by viewers as potentially “the greatest UK crime drama series of all time”.
Diana was in danger in season 2 of This City is Ours(Image: BBC)
A “gripping” crime drama with “sublime acting” could be the next stop for This City Is Ours fans.
Netflix’s London-set thriller has been hailed a must-watch for This City is Ours fans. The five-season series shares much of the twisty Liverpool drama’s appeal, from fraught loyalties and friendships to struggles for power in the criminal underworld. Praising Top Boy, the series in question, one fan wrote on IMDb: “S3 is hands down the best series of them all without a shadow of a doubt. If not, the greatest UK crime drama series of all time.”
The comparison has also struck a chord with viewers of This City Is Ours. One IMDb reviewer praised James Nelson-Joyce’s performance in the BBC drama before writing: “The series feels quite similar to Top Boy in some ways, but with a Liverpool setting.”
With BBC viewers gripped by This City Is Ours’ second run, those who have already watched it on iPlayer may be looking for another crime drama to get stuck into. Here are three shows exploring the tensions and power struggles that make gangland stories so compelling, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Top Boy
Top Boy originally aired on Channel 4 before Netflix revived it. Across five seasons, the British crime thriller follows drug dealers Dushane, played by Ashley Walters, and Sully, played by Kane Robinson, as they navigate drug dealing and gang violence in London.
The series earned critical acclaim for its writing, performances and authenticity, picking up numerous BAFTA awards and nominations. Like This City Is Ours, it examines loyalty, friendship and hierarchy, and the fallout when those bonds are tested.
The IMDb reviewer who praised its third season also wrote: “This show is literally breathtaking. Gripping throughout. Brutal. It catches you from the get-go and really makes you FEEL. You relate and feel what every character is feeling. The plot is thrilling. The acting is sublime.”
Gangs of London
Sky series Gangs of London, also available on Netflix, is an action crime drama based on the video game of the same name. It follows bitter power struggles between rival gangs and criminal organisations across the capital.
Much like the Phelans in This City Is Ours, the Wallaces are a powerful crime family. When their patriarch is killed, London’s criminal underworld is plunged into chaos.
One IMDb reviewer wrote: “Best gang-related TV series I’ve seen in years, the fight and gun scenes have been directed and filmed superbly, and it’s also extremely well written. My advice is, if you like this kinda thing, you’ll end up binge-watching Gangs of London.”
Kin
Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer, Kin is an Irish crime drama about a Dublin family embroiled in a brutal gangland war. Production on a third season began in July 2026. Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds play rival gang leaders Frank Kinsella and Eamon Cunningham respectively.
Like This City Is Ours, the show explores the battle for power and the extreme measures people will take to stay at the top. It quickly became one of Ireland’s most-watched series after its release.
One IMDb reviewer wrote: “Kin has to go down as one of the best series I’ve seen in this genre and sits alongside Top Boy for me. Character’s brilliant portrayed and expertly drags you into the murky world of the extended Kinsella family and Dublin’s underworld with a storyline that twists and turns.
“The actors combine in a fluent way which has you hating someone one moment and then thinking ‘maybe I was wrong about you’. Thankfully most of us will never experience a family life like it but you’ll love watching theirs.”
This City is Ours is streaming on BBC iPlayer, with episodes also airing weekly on BBC One on Sundays and Mondays
As voters cast their ballots in the much anticipated midterms on Tuesday, TV networks will give their viewers a closer look at how the election sausage is made.
As usual, anchors and analysts will be at their network news desks when votes are counted to determine whether the Democrats can take the House and the Senate from Republicans for the final two years of President Trump’s second term, along with gubernatorial races across the country.
But TV news organizations are rolling out additional tools and options for viewers who want a more granular look at how the vote is counted and winners are declared, responding to a heightened interest in national politics and a demand for greater transparency in an age of media distrust.
“In the last few years, as we’ve seen incredibly close elections with higher turnout and tight political divides, people are understandably looking for more transparent ways to understand how and why elections turn out the way they do,” said Jennifer Agiesta, CNN’s vice president of election and data reporting innovation.
Chuck Todd, the former NBC News political director and “Meet the Press” moderator who was among the first analysts to do deeper dives into voting data on TV, compared the increased appetite to how viewers watch sporting events. Tighter races pull in more eyeballs, especially at a time when the electorate is deeply divided over Trump’s actions and polices.
“Do people sit and watch and want more things when things are blowouts, or do people want more information when it’s decided by a nose hair?” Todd said. “You can’t discount that this is a generation of political competitiveness that feels existential.”
Todd noted that in the 21st century, the House, Senate or White House has changed hands in 11 out of 13 elections, while all but one of the seven presidential contests have been won by less than five percentage points.
While NBC News is delivering an unprecedented 13 hours of midterm coverage to its affiliates, data junkies can see analyst Steve Kornacki’s real-time number crunching at the county and precinct level on the “Kornacki Cam” stream, available on YouTube and and the network’s streaming platform. Kornacki drew millions of viewers online with his big board and trademark khakis throughout the primary season, when he streamed on nights the network was not on the air. This time around, the network will turn to him throughout the night for a broader look at the results, but he’ll be streaming continuously for those who need an immediate numbers fix.
“I’m hoping they will live stream on the phone and the broadcast on TV,” Kornacki said in a recent interview. “They can be complementary.”
Kornacki will have plenty of company in this election cycle. While CBS News chief political correspondent Ed O’Keefe has the assignment of breaking down the numbers on TV, the network is also serving up a live stream of “The Nerd Show,” with Anthony Salvanto, the network’s director of elections and surveys, and Caitlin Huey-Burns, a CBS News congressional correspondent. They will provide a continuous deep dive into the numbers as they come in.
Nexstar’s cable news channel NewsNation will have a camera fixed on the analysts from Decision Desk HQ, the upstart company that provides voting data to media outlets and corporations.
“You are going to hear my voice about the data, what we’re seeing, not seeing, why we think we can make a projection or why we need to hold off,” said Scott Tranter, Decision Desk HQ’s director of data science. “Sometimes we get data that may look good, but it may not be enough [to call a race]. So you kind of get that back and forth, that ebb and flow.”
Todd is among the growing number of independent journalists who have launched their own programs on streaming platforms. He will host a live stream on election night with veteran Washington pundit Chris Cillizza through their Noosphere platform, which will also have full access to Decision Desk HQ data. Todd and Cillizza are partners with Decision Desk HQ on the special, which will be developed into a daily program in 2027.
CNN is also offering its digital users more advanced voting analysis though a new tool called Sightline. Sightline will provide the data the network uses to determine the outcome of races, showing the outstanding vote total, geography, vote method and comparisons with past elections. Viewers can see the information before CNN chief national correspondent John King presents the results on the network’s Magic Wall.
Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer will deliver results and vote counts on an augmented reality set. But users of the Fox News app will have an AI-powered function that provides instant access to the network’s reporting on any contest.
“The idea is to really offer a personalized experience for the users of the national picture or their state or race that they want to look at specifically,” said Doug Rohrbeck, executive vice president of Washington News & Politics for Fox News Media. “The folks who log on can ask about specific races, voting trends, candidates, when polls close and a grid of the balance of power as it’s populating.”
The major networks each have their own decision desk where statisticians, political scientists and analysts pore over vote counts, historical trends and polling to determine a winner. They are typically insulated from the anchors and pundits during coverage, but occasionally show up on the air when necessary.
Showing the work carries its own risk. Early returns can swing sharply as mail-in and election day ballots are counted at different times, and those shifts have been seized on as evidence that something is amiss. Fox News had to put its decision desk chief Arnon Mishkin on camera in 2020 when the network’s viewers and the Trump White House were angered over its early but accurate projection that Joe Biden won Arizona in the presidential election.
NBC News is betting on openness. The network aired a lengthy segment on the Thursday’s edition of “Today” to explain how its decision desk operates and comes up with its election night projections.
“The audience wants to know the work behind the calls and they really want to understand it,” said Rebecca Blumenstein, president-editorial for NBC News. “By showing that work, we feel that it’s a really important part of building trust.”
Another element driving interest is online prediction markets, where users can wager on election results — and the betting companies are now paying for some of the coverage. Kalshi is a sponsor of CBS News’ coverage and of Todd’s election night stream. DraftKings is sponsoring election coverage on CBS’ owned television stations, including KCBS in Los Angeles.
It could take days to determine which party has the majority in the House and Senate. But Kornacki said there will be a strong indicator in the 7 p.m. Eastern hour when results come in from Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District, where both parties are competing for an open seat held by Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican who is running for Senate. Trump has won the district by 15 points or more in each of his three presidential runs.
“It’s an early test,” Kornacki said. “If the Democrats were able to win that or be really close, that’s a sign they’re having the kind of night that they’re kind of dreaming of.”
Democrats need a net gain of at least four seats in November’s midterm elections to take control of the United States Senate from Republicans, as voter discontent with President Donald Trump, the Iran war, and rising prices heighten the races in once-safe Republican states.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, and a Democratic takeover seemed highly unlikely at the start of the year – before the US launched its war on Iran.
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Here are the key races that could decide the control of the Senate:
Alaska
Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is seeking re-election against Democratic former US Representative Mary Peltola and an independent candidate who shares Sullivan’s name.
Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Four candidates are on the ballot, including Sullivan, Peltola and another Dan Sullivan, a candidate Republicans accuse Democrats of recruiting deliberately to confuse voters.
“It was a scheme. It was election fraud. Total election fraud,” Trump said. Peltola has rejected the accusations, saying the dispute is distracting from voters’ concerns.
“I feel like this is yet another diversion from the issue that Alaskans want to talk about, which is affordability,” she explained.
Peltola has raised $33m in October, compared with nearly $14m for Sullivan. Republicans have also spent more on the race, $42m compared with $38m by Democrats.
Trump won Alaska by 13 points in 2024, but recent opinion polls suggest Peltola narrowly leading over Sullivan.
Iowa
Iowa has been a Republican stronghold in recent elections, with Trump winning the state by 13 points in 2024. But his declining popularity, trade tariffs and the Iran war have put Republicans on the defence in Iowa.
The state’s agricultural economy has been hit hard by trade tariffs as well as rising fuel and fertiliser costs as a result of the strained oil supplies amid the Iran war.
Republican US Senator Joni Ernst’s decision not to seek re-election has left an open-seat contest between Republican US Representative Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Representative Josh Turek, a two-time Paralympic gold medallist.
Republican Hinson has called for an “immediate end” to the Iran war and said Iowans should not have to pay higher fuel or grocery prices as a result of it. However, according to Politifact, Hinson has voted against six resolutions seeking to end US involvement in the Iran war.
Turek has outraised Hinson $20m to $14m, but recent polls show Hinson with a narrow lead.
Iowa Democratic candidate for US Senate Josh Turek in Des Moines, and Iowa Republican Senate candidate, US Representative Ashley Hinson in West Des Moines [AFP]
Kansas
Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, but rising farming costs, opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown and discontent over the Iran war have made this year’s race unexpectedly competitive.
Trump won the state by 16 percentage points in 2024.
Republican Senator Roger Marshall is facing Democrat Adam Hamilton, the founding pastor of a Methodist megachurch.
The race has drawn attention from Republican leaders, with both Trump and Vice President JD Vance campaigning in the state.
Agriculture is central to Kansas’s economy, and farmers have struggled with rising diesel and fertiliser prices as a result of the Iran war. Many have also expressed frustration with Trump’s tariffs.
Republican Senator Roger Marshall, right, and Democratic nominee for US Senate Adam Hamilton participate in a debate at WDAF TV in Kansas City [Charlie Riedel/AP]
Immigration has become another major issue. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in southwest Kansas have disrupted businesses. Even Republican Marshall has criticised aspects of the agency’s operations in his state.
Democrat Hamilton has outraised Marshall, $14m to $6m. Democratic groups have also outspent Republicans in Kansas, $28m to $22m.
Recent polls show Hamilton narrowly ahead.
Maine
Maine is one of the Democrats’ biggest opportunities to gain a Senate seat, as Republican Senator Susan Collins faces a close re-election battle in a state which voted against Donald Trump in 2024.
Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate president who entered the race in July after the party’s original nominee, Graham Platner, withdrew following sexual assault allegations, which he denied.
Collins has sought to distance herself from Trump, acknowledging during a debate earlier this month that she was not the president’s favourite senator and that he would not be campaigning in Maine.
She was among the Republicans who voted to convict Trump following his impeachment over the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Democrats say Collins only votes against Trump when it doesn’t matter, however. Democrats also hope voters will hold her accountable for helping confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, which led to the overturning of a federal right to abortion.
This combination of photos shows Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, on September 24, 2026, in Washington, left, and her challenger for Maine’s Senate seat, Democratic candidate Troy Jackson on July 16, 2026 [Mariam Zuhaib, Robert F Bukaty/AP]
Jackson has faced criticism over his treatment of women, including his refusal to apologise for telling Collins to “shut up” during a debate.
Jackson has outraised Collins, bringing in about $26.9m compared with $25.2m through mid-October. Republican groups have also outspent Democrats, $76m to $40m.
Recent polls show a close race.
North Carolina
Republicans appear to have conceded North Carolina, where even Trump has suggested the Democrats will win. At a campaign rally last week in Greenville, Trump told supporters it was “crazy” that former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, was going to be their next senator.
Trump won North Carolina by 3 points in 2024, but Republican Senator Thom Tillis’ retirement made this year’s Senate race an open contest.
Trump recruited former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley to succeed Tillis, but he has been unable to compete with Cooper’s fundraising, and Republican allies who invested heavily in holding North Carolina have begun shifting their focus to other states.
Affordability has dominated the campaign as farmers struggle with rising diesel and energy costs amid the Iran war.
In eastern North Carolina, Kelly Spivey, who runs a community food pantry, told Al Jazeera that rising prices are forcing families to make difficult choices.
“They’re trying to decide if they’re going to pay for their medicine or they’re going to buy food or they’re going to pay for day care so they can actually go to work,” she said.
Whatley, meanwhile, has closely aligned himself with Trump, who told supporters at a campaign rally: “I just want you to go out and pretend I’m on the ticket because essentially I am.”
Cooper has raised $50m and has $9m in the bank. Whatley has raised $14m and has just $900,000 on hand through mid-October. Recent polls have Cooper leading by double digits.
At left, Michael Whatley speaks June 18, 2024, in Newtown, and at right, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, on October 5, 2024, in Charlotte [AP]
Ohio
Democrat Sherrod Brown, who has longstanding ties to labour unions and working-class communities, is seeking to win back voters in the industrial Rust Belt state.
Brown faces US Senator Jon Husted, who was appointed to the Senate to replace US Vice President JD Vance when Vance left the Senate for the White House.
The cost of living has become a major campaign issue.
This combination of pictures created on October 30, 2026 shows (L/R) Ohio Democratic candidate for US Senate Sherrod Brown in Warren, Ohio, on September 26, 2026 and US Senator Jon Husted, Republican from Ohio, in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 24, 2026 [AFP]
The winner of the special election will be on the ballot again in 2028 for a full six-year term.
Republican and Democratic outside groups have each spent nine figures on the race, with Republicans investing $232m and Democrats pouring in $118m.
Brown has more than tripled Husted’s fundraising through October 14, bringing in $68m to Husted’s nearly $20m. Recent polls show Brown leading by three to five points.
Texas
No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994.
James Talarico, a state representative, could break the streak.
Talarico faces Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Trump won Texas by nearly 14 points in 2024. Yet Republican outside groups have already spent $300m to hold the seat after run-off voters nominated the scandal-plagued Paxton over incumbent Republican US Senator John Cornyn.
Trump endorsed Paxton even though Cornyn was widely believed to have an easier path to victory.
Leaked audio has exposed daylight between Trump and Paxton, who privately told donors that the president’s midterm convention hurt his campaign.
Democratic groups have spent $76m on this race. But Talarico’s campaign has outraised Paxton’s by $110m and reported $9.6m more in its campaign coffers as of September 30.
Musk has given $158m to a Republican super PAC to invest in Paxton’s race. Recent polls show Talarico narrowly leading or tied.
Georgia
Georgia was initially seen as one of the Republicans’ main opportunities to gain a Senate seat after Trump won the state by 2 percentage points in 2024. But Republican US Representative Mike Collins has struggled to gain traction against Democratic US Senator Jon Ossoff, a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
Ossoff has outraised Collins by nearly $126m up to October 14 and began mid-October with $15.1m in his war chest, compared with Collins’ $1.1m.
Polls have consistently shown Ossoff leading, and Democrats narrowly lead Republicans in outside spending, $19m to $17.9m.
This combination of pictures created on October 30, 2026 shows (L/R) US Senator Jon Ossoff, Democrat from Georgia, in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 13, 2026 [AFP]
Michigan
Republicans are more hopeful about flipping an open seat in Michigan, especially after the Democratic establishment failed to get its pick nominated.
Progressive outsider Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated centrist US Representative Haley Stevens during the primary, putting him on a collision course with Republican Mike Rogers, a former US representative, in what could be the tightest race for a Democratic-held Senate seat this year.
Michigan, a key battleground state which Trump won in 2024, has been hit by tariffs affecting trade with neighbouring Canada and rising living costs, making the economy a central issue in the campaign.
The race has also attracted heavy spending from outside groups. A pro-Israel super PAC has spent at least $493,000 opposing El-Sayed, after spending $30m in an unsuccessful effort to prevent him from winning the Democratic nomination. The group could spend as much as $9m more during the general election.
El-Sayed raised $45m up to September, more than double Rogers’s nearly $21m.
Republican groups have spent $136m on the race, compared with about $70m by Democrats.
Most recent polls show El-Sayed narrowly ahead.
New Hampshire
Democrats are defending an open Senate seat in New Hampshire after Senator Jeanne Shaheen announced her retirement, giving Republicans an opportunity to compete in a state Kamala Harris won by nearly three percentage points in 2024.
Democratic US Representative Chris Pappas faces former Republican Senator John Sununu, who is seeking a return to Washington nearly two decades after losing his seat to Shaheen in 2008.
Sununu comes from one of New Hampshire’s best-known political families. His brother, Chris Sununu, served as governor until 2025.
Pappas has a substantial fundraising advantage, raising $24m compared with Sununu’s $6m.
Republican outside groups have also outspent Democrats, $37m to $20m, as both parties compete for the open seat.
Recent polls have consistently shown Pappas leading Sununu by five to eight percentage points.
Apple’s call will address Apple Intelligence adoption, supply constraints, memory costs, and the iPhone Duo. Options imply a 4.3% share-price move; Cirrus Logic, Skyworks, and Qorvo are also in focus because each gets more than half its revenue from Apple.
Big Brother 2024 winner returned to our screens and admitted some of the current series was ‘uncomfortable’
Ali Bromley appeared on Big Brother The Group Chat(Image: ITV)
One of Big Brother’s former winners has shared they hope one housemate is ‘OK’ after some ‘difficult to watch’ scenes this series. It comes as the latest edition of the ITV reality series approaches its final week.
The most recent episode set to air on Friday (October 30) will see a double eviction to mark the Halloween special. Ahead of that, companion show Big Brother The Group Chat welcomed ex-housemate and previous winner Ali Bromley to talk about the current series.
Ali was victorious during the 2024 series even though she later admitted she nearly quit the show part way through. She was joined by hosts GK Barry and Kate Lawler as the forensic psychologist was asked about her opinions on the current crop of housemates.
The conversation progressed through most of the contestants as Ali predicted Philip and Rhianna the next to go.
She also called the self professed Queen of Scottie Road from Liverpool as ‘the most relatable’ after he was spotted eating snacks in bed.
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Ali commented: “We’ve all been there with our chocolate bars, hoping for better days.” Later though, GK Barry turned their attention to Frankie.
She said: “Frankie has been coming out (as bisexual) slowly but surely. He told Catrin tonight. Which I think Catrin already knew.” Kate asked Ali what she thought of the matter, after recent scenes showed Frankie reveal he had hatred towards himself and felt ashamed regarding his sexuality.
Ali replied: “I think you can see it in the way he talks about bisexuality. I think, as a viewer, that’s been difficult to watch at times. Because if you are gay and you’ve been through the process of coming out and you have those feelings yourself and you’ve worked through those feelings yourself and you’ve worked through them, seeing somebody else still holding some of that hostility can feel a bit uncomfortable.”
She continued: “So I feel like that’s been a bit tricky to watch sometimes, and these moments where he’s been coming out have felt a bit raw and probably bring something up for people that are watching as well.
“I hope he’s OK. I’m not sure what he hopes to achieve by coming out in these dribs and drabs throughout the series.”
GK suggested he could be ‘getting used to’ coming out. Ali responded: “A real baptism of fire. If feel like if you’re not fully there in your self acceptance like wow, that’s like a hard, hard journey.”
Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
“Night Watch” has an easy hook, starting with its setting. The immersive monster show is staged inside an ominous white van.
Yes, a real van. It’s creepy, and pulls equal inspiration from immersive theater, video games, escape rooms and environmental design. At a little over 30 minutes or so, it’s refreshingly approachable, a bite-sized slice of interactive, participatory theater that lingered with me long after I saw it. And not just because there were moments that startled me. “Night Watch,” like any good monster story, has metaphors on its mind.
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“Night Watch” is the creation of Sara Biel and KJ Knies, a husband-and-wife creative team with day jobs working for a themed entertainment design firm. On their own, however, they go by Bee’s Knees. There’s buzz around “Night Watch.” Its initial October dates sold out nearly instantly, but the couple is extending the run at least into mid-November. Additional tickets will go on sale Wednesday at 9 p.m., and those interested are advised to join the waitlist.
The couple’s experience in theme park design is evident in “Night Watch,” as its small cargo van is ripe for exploration, with TVs, monitors, filing cabinets and more outfitted with vintage tech and lore-building corporate paraphernalia. Before the show properly began, I started frantically combing through folders and flipping through notebooks.
KJ Knies and Sara Biel are the creators of “Night Watch,” an immersive horror story set in a van.
(Bee’s Knees)
Yet I soon learned my goal here was not so much to find clues, like in a typical escape room, but to build a personality profile. Participants are assigned the role of an overnight security guard to monitor a mysterious tech firm. You’re unaware, at least at the start, of what kind of business the company is in, but “Night Watch” wants you to get to know the person who held the job before you. The van is outfitted with posters of national parks, hinting at someone who was longing for a life with more freedom and travel than a working-class career provides.
“Night Watch,” off the bat, wants us to grapple with how personal dreams can clash — or become lost — with the corporate world. It feels personal, and that’s no accident, says Biel, as the show was informed by the couple’s own talks about their future.
Throughout “Night Watch,” attendees are tasked with examining security footage.
(Bee’s Knees)
“I moved to L.A. to become a writer. KJ moved to L.A. to become a filmmaker,” Biel says. “Now we’re on this different corporate path. Is this the path that we should be on or should we have listened to our gut and went a more artistic direction? I feel like all of our friends are going through this. You move to this city to do one thing, and you fall into a different path. That’s not bad. I’m of the opinion that you follow the doors that open as you go, but that’s what we were grappling with and what we wanted to bring into this show.”
With monsters, of course.
I completed “Night Watch” solo, but the show can accommodate up to four people (tickets for two start at $90). You’ll interact with an actor who plays your co-worker during the production, primarily via a two-way radio. At times, you’ll monitor the action outside of the van. Other moments have you digging into the digital files of the previous security guard, who is said to have mysteriously left his job. But mostly you’ll just talk with your unseen co-worker, who might push you into philosophical discussions about your hopes for a better life. This creates an inherent tension in “Night Watch.” You might know on one level that this is a monster story, and yet like me, find yourself opening up about personal details, trying to manifest a better day for yourself.
Details inside the van.
(Bee’s Knees)
With “Night Watch’s” emphasis on security footage and old computer logs, Knies says he was influenced by full-motion video games, citing the work of Sam Barlow and his voyeuristic crime game “Her Story.” It isn’t hard to see the show as a thinly veiled statement about our current tech-obsessed era, with each day bringing with it seemingly fresh announcements about some new site, social media add-on, gadget or AI tool that promises to improve our lives (but rarely, if ever, does). There’s a moment when you start to wonder if the business you’re providing security for is actually one of the “good guys.”
The project’s story, says Knies, began with a simple sketch from Biel: “The first idea that Sara pitched me was a monster sucking souls and pooping gold.” It spiraled from there, and the last half of “Night Watch” comes quick as we unravel its multiple mysteries. And that’s where the frights, heightened by the intimacy of the van, come in.
“We really wanted to play with having a confined space that we could manipulate to our advantage,” Biel says. “We wanted to play with the effects of moving the van and shaking the van and closing off your viewpoint.”
The confined venue — a dimly lit storage van — helps participants narrow in on the mission.
(Bee’s Knees)
The van has other benefits, too, especially in L.A. where it’s hard to find a unique venue for a limited-run show. “The cheapest and easiest places you can get are white walls with tile floor, but then you’re going to spend so much money decking that out to make it feel like a lived-in space,” Knies says.
“Night Watch” is currently staged outside of Hatch Escapes, home to some of the city’s finest escape rooms, in Arlington Heights. Biel says the two are talking to Hatch about hosting the show there long-term, but there is one hitch. The van is a rental, and at some point it will need to be returned.
“Don’t tell Enterprise that we painted on their walls,” Knies says.
This week in SoCal theme parks
An audio-animatronic Indiana Jones figure hangs above guests on Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Indiana Jones is adventuring again. Disneyland’s popular Indiana Jones Adventure reopened after a six-week refurbishment on Friday with a number of changes. Most of them will be invisible to guests, but Disneyland engineers worked behind-the-scenes to make the attraction more reliable and found ways to increase its capacity. They also added some spiders. Read all the details here from my walk-through of the attraction last week.
A bookstore for us immersive, theme park geeks. Coming next year to Los Angeles, near the corner of Melrose and Fairfax avenues, is Genres Book Society, boasting a design led by former Walt Disney Imagineer Ann Morrow Johnson. Genres is part bookshop, part speakeasy and part immersive venue. There’s a dragon, a secret bar and a tree with glowing books. Read more about this bookshop dreamed up by Clare Grant and Karissa Marston here.
Nikki, meet Nikki. One of my highlights of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood was interacting with a scare actor playing the role of Nikki from the film “Obsession.” The other week, the actor who initiated the role in the movie, Inde Navarrette, visited the horror event and had her own dalliance with one of the park’s Nikki performers.
Still need Halloween plans? The doors of downtown’s Clifton’s, a venue some say inspired Walt Disney (although this isn’t really confirmed by any official sources), will be open for an immersive theater dinner show. Expect roving actors, multiple storylines to follow and an otherworldly wedding that may or may not involve monsters. The current operators of the historic space have big plans for programming similar such events throughout the holiday season. “The Dark Wedding” runs Friday through Sunday, and tickets start at $65.
A farewell to Halloween season (but mostly just to Cars Land’s zombie car)
A mostly deceased “zombie car” struggles to come to life at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The first Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure was held this year on Aug. 18, which means Halloween season is coming to a close after a 2½-month celebration. Our local theme parks will be wrapping up Halloween festivities this weekend, and it was a good one. Universal Studios Hollywood shined with a “Sinners”-inspired maze, but the star of the event was its dedication to Ozzy Osbourne. And Knott’s Berry Farm was wise to partner with the Magic Castle.
But in terms of pure decor, the Disneyland Resort has everyone beat, and I wanted to take a moment to salute my favorite Halloween adornment. I was initially nervous, as when the resort debuted its Halloween look in August the zombie automobile in Cars Land was missing. I make a beeline to it each season because it’s such a demented tale that I want to make sure it hasn’t left the park. This mostly dead skeleton car sits outside Radiator Springs Curios, owned by the character of Lizzie. Lizzie is a widow, lovesick at the loss of her husband Stanley.
The shop was under refurbishment earlier in the season, hence the reason for the zombie car’s late arrival, but I was relieved when it finally materialized a couple weeks ago, its body trying to emerge from the ground from under a tree. It’s a morbid story. Lizzie, see, has created a “ghoul-ant” (coolant, get it?) in the hopes of bringing dead cars back to life. She wants to use it on Stanley, but not until its perfected. It’s not. This mostly lifeless car struggles every few seconds to get its engine going. Occasionally, it musters enough strength to get the radio powered on. But it’s mostly just trapped in a near-dead state.
This zombie car is nothing more than the result of a failed experiment, and the implication is there will be more, as Lizzie will not stop until she’s reunited with Stanley. It’s more than a little sick, but also a statement about the way a lost love can forever haunt us. In that sense, it’s perfect, and I adore it. See you, hopefully, next year, zombie car.
The best thing I ate at the parks this week
The short rib lasagna from the Hearthstone Lounge.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
With the heat briefly lifting a little bit ago, it was time to revisit my favorite dish at the Disneyland Resort. It’s heavy, hence the reason I was eager to tackle it when things cooled down. I’ve ordered the short rib lasagna from the Grand Californian’s Hearthstone Lounge three or four times over the past year, and I’m now convinced it’s among the best items on the menu at any restaurant at the resort, including the high-end fine dining establishment Napa Rose. It’s that good. And yes, it’s pricey at $42, but it’s a large portion and could easily be split. In fact, I wish I had done the latter, but I was at the park solo and had to immediately end my night after feasting on this decadent dish because I was simply too full to continue exploring. The tender short rib easily peels apart with a fork, and it’s plentiful. A trio of cheeses, and a heavily creamy Bechamel sauce, coupled with a buttery Mascarpone, make this the perfect winter dish. I’ll be at Disneyland on Thanksgiving, and am half thinking of making this my holiday meal rather than turkey.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
Morning crowds at Disneyland just after park opening, known as “rope drop.”
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Late breaking theme park news arrived Tuesday morning courtesy of trade group the Themed Entertainment Assn., which released its 2025 global attendance report. The news for the theme park sector is … mixed? Here in SoCal, attendance at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure increased ever-so-slightly, at 0.4% each. Disneyland drew 17.4 million in 2025, making it once again the second most-visited park in the world, behind only Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Just over 10 million visitors took in California Adventure.
Universal Studios Hollywood fared less great, suffering an attendance dip of 8%. The report attributes the downtown to our devastating wildfires early in the year, as well as a decline in international tourism to the region. It’s worth noting that the park in 2023 opened Super Nintendo World, and it’s newness may have worn off a bit for local visits last year. Overall, the park drew 8 million guests.
Also suffering declines in attendance were Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags’ Magic Mountain, each dipping about 4%. Knott’s drew 4.3 million attendees while the Valencia park brought in 3.2 million visitors.
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Watching a film on Netflix can take you a few hours, but this movie is so good – people will happily watch it over and over again in one day. So have you seen it?
The film is now available to watch on Netflix UK(Image: Quantrell Colbert/Perry Well Films 2/Netflix)
Scrolling through your Netflix can take ages to find something that’ll have you glued to your seats until 6am. Landing on a new series to watch is one thing, but what if you only have time for a film?
The streaming platform has a variety of genres to pick from – like comedy and horror. Sometimes people manage to watch one film, then decide to blitz through its sequels. But lately people can’t stop raving on about a movie which is about two hours long, so much so, they’re watching it multiple times in one day. So have you seen it?
Kim shared a snippet of the Tyler Perry film Doing Life which she rated a 10 out of 10. She captioned the clip: “I cried so much from beginning to end.”
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And it seems she’s not the only one to have glowing reviews of the 2026 film as one wrote in the comments: “I wish it was longer, a TV show or something. It was so good, I watched it TWICE today.”
Another admitted: “Try up to 4 times, I loved it. I can recite lines now.”
What is Doing Life about?
Starring Naomi Baker, Jay Reeves and Tamberla Perry, this Tyler Perry movie follows a single mum and prisoner forge an unlikely bond through heartfelt letters.
The romantic drama deals with real-life issues, like the cycle of poverty, absentee fathers, single mothers and incarceration. It was released on Netflix on October 2 and has already proven to be a hit.
Directed and written by Tyler Perry, along with Angi Bones and Tony L. Strickland as producers, this film is Perry’s seventh from his creative partnership with the streaming giant.
Speaking about the film, Perry said: “I was inspired by… the idea that sometimes the people we least expect can understand each other in ways no one else can.
“I wanted to tell a story about two people who, on the surface, seem like complete opposites, but who discover a deep commonality in the struggles they’re facing.”
Since its release at the start of the month, the American drama holds a 6.6 out of 10 score on IMDb, with a 69% approval rating based on general audience and social media reviews.
Meanwhile it pulled 9.3 million views in its first three days on Netflix, debuting at no.3 on the global English-language movie chart and reaching no.1 in the US.
You can watch Doing Life on Netflix UK now with a runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes. So will you be watching it more than once in day?
Six weeks into the NFL season and Chargers versus the Kansas City Chiefs pits a winless team against an unbeaten one. Last season, when the Chargers swept the Chiefs, feels like a lifetime ago.
This game might not be as lopsided as it appears, considering these teams know each other so well. But these are rough times for the Chargers, who are still missing their two starting tackles and All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. What’s more, it has been a terrible start for Justin Herbert, who has five touchdowns, seven interceptions, an anemic passer rating of 70.2 and has been sacked 17 times.
Conversely, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on a roll despite returning from last season’s devastating knee injury. He has nine touchdowns, two interceptions, a 106.2 rating and six sacks — almost two-thirds fewer than Herbert.
A big battle for Los Angeles will be on defense, as the Chargers have done a good job against the run and are facing Kansas City’s Kenneth Walker III, who has rushed for 537 yards at an average of 6.2 yards per carry.
Netflix subscribers have been urged to check out a ‘heartbreaking’ true story that has been compared to Green Mile – but be warned as it’s said to be ‘one of the saddest films to ever exist’
Netflix viewers have been urged to check out the movie(Image: NETFLIX)
Netflix viewers have been left in floods of tears after watching a ‘hidden gem’ tucked away on the video streaming platform. Luke Eccleston, who reviews movies and television shows on social media, is urging Netflix subscribers to check out a ‘heartbreaking’ true story that’s perfect for Green Mile fans.
Luke, who posts under the username Eccy Reviews, said on TikTok: “I’m not saying this lightly, but you need to run to Netflix immediately because I’ve just discovered the biggest hidden gem. I’ll be very surprised if you’ve seen this film, and once you have, you will never, ever forget about it. The film that I’m talking about is called Miracle in Cell No 7. Now, if you’re someone who’s seen this film, you’ll know that this is one of the saddest films to ever exist.”
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‘This is one of the saddest films to ever exist’
Based on the the Korean movie Miracle in Cell No 7, it tells a story of love between a mentally-ill father who was wrongly accused of murder and his lovely six-year-old daughter.
Luke added: “It is actually based on a true story. This follows this man with special needs who has this younger daughter.
“After an incident where another little girl is killed, he is framed and sent to prison. He is sentenced to death. The people in the prison believe that he did the things.
“What he is accused of and the things they do to him is honestly awful. After time, they begin to realise who and what he is.
“The story, what comes out of it is genuinely incredible. I was shocked so many times watching this film. I was in so many tears.
“I’ve recommended this to so many friends, and every single person who’s watched it has said that they cried.”
‘I loved this movie, cried and cried’
Starring Aras Bulut Iynemli, Nisa Sofiya Aksongur, and Deniz Baysal, the movie has won 12 awards alongside its 13 nominations.
Commenting on Luke’s video, one user said: “Just put it on, I’ve got my tissues ready.”
Another user added: “Similar to Green Mile.”
A third user said: “I loved this movie, cried and cried. Amazing!”
There are just weeks to go until the US midterm elections that will decide control of Congress, with campaigning in full swing around the country and voters weighing who to back at the ballot box.
The elections will have a potentially major impact on the remainder of President Donald Trump’s time in office. He is facing challenging political headwinds with concerns over rising costs and the war in Iran high on the minds of voters.
Ahead of the elections, the BBC’s Sarah Smith travelled across Iowa to speak to voters in the predominately Republican state.
Produced by Cai Pigliucci, filmed by John Landy and edited by Blanca Estrada
Fans reported audience members walked out of cinemas when it was first released
The Substance teaser clip
Film fans say it is one of the best thrillers ever, so long as you can stomach it.
Ahead of Halloween, a number of horror movies have been added to BBCiPlayer for fans to enjoy at no extra cost. That includes The Substance, which was originally released in cinemas to great acclaim back in 2024.
It later landed on premium subscription services following its theatrical run. This includes the likes of Paramount+, where it can still be found, but the broadcaster’s platform states it can be watched at no extra cost on iPlayer for the next three months.
According to its synopsis, the film’s story follows fading actress Elisabeth Sparkle who becomes distressed when her chauvinistic boss fires her from her aerobics show. She soon injects herself with a new and mysterious serum that promises a younger, better version of herself. As you might expect, it’s not long before things go horribly wrong.
Despite being a relatively low-budget production at under $20 million, the title boasted an impressive cast list. This includes Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, and Margaret Qualley.
It would go on to earn more than $80 million at the box office globally and even earned plenty of awards buzz both for the film and its stars. The Substance was also one of the highest-rated movie releases of the year it came out, boasting an 89% score on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
When it first arrived in cinemas, some reports claimed that moviegoers struggled to actually sit through the entire thing. There were claims on social media that people walked out, unable to stomach it all, while others stated that audiences applauded at the end.
A number of reviews backed this up, such as one which claimed: “The Substance is an incredibly difficult watch, even for the most hardened horror fan. “This film is exemplary, there’s no doubt about that, but it pushed me to my absolute limit – perhaps even just beyond it. Don’t be fooled by the big names in the cast, this does not operate in the boundaries of mainstream cinema, it shatters them completely and you’ll feel like you’re fighting for your life. Bravo.”
Another critic agreed and added: “It’s the kind of film that requires courage from everybody involved, including the caterers who were presumably tasked with preparing a menu that wouldn’t end up on the shooting floor every day.”
Despite this, many fans still recommend it, as one posted online: “What a spectacular film, out of the ordinary, what an incredible social critique, the ending was just a bit exaggerated, but that’s also part of the criticism, I thought it would be just another generic horror film, no, far from it…”
But some still urge caution: “Warning! This movie is insanely gruesome and bloody. So much so that if you can’t handle excessive gore, you might just find yourself gagging. But if you can stomach it, The Substance is an absolutely wild ride, delivering one of the best horror-thriller experiences in years.”
Someone else called it “bonkers” and added: “The last 45 minutes were one of the greatest cinema experiences of my life, listening to a group of humans howl with laughter and scream and cover their eyes and ears in equal measure.”
The Substance is streaming on BBC iPlayer and Paramount+
![At left, Michael Whatley speaks June 18, 2024, in Newtown, and at right, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, on October 5, 2024, in Charlotte [AP]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AP26188598377399-1793432492.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
