Lies, treachery and surprises -- in space! Photo: Apple TV+
The first season of Apple TV+’s epic space opera Foundation winds down this week with a drama-packed final episode.
Terminus has a big shiny weapon to use against the Empire, which is renewed in its conviction that all rebellion must be dealt with. Between a rock and a hard place is a human coffin that spouts wisdom like Yoda. Read on to find out what I mean by that.
This action/sci-fi stunner looks unstoppable! Photo: Apple TV+
In this week’s episode of Dr. Brain, neuroscientist Sewon Koh discovers a powerful ally as he chases new leads while searching for his son and his wife’s killer. Reality and the imaginary begin to blend in a way that suggest he soon may not be able to tell them apart.
Oh, and Sewon’s new ally? It’s in his brain! Apple TV+’s trippy new South Korean sci-fi/mystery series just keeps getting wilder.
Young poet Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steinfeld) gets some good news this week. Photo: Apple TV+
It’s an old-fashioned family sing-along on this week’s Dickinson, Apple TV+’s show about the Belle of Amherst and the tempestuous times in which she lived.
Lots of talk about legacy and darkness cloud an evening’s celebration during the episode, titled “Sang from the Heart, Sire.” Can Mr. Dickinson’s birthday party (or his reputation) survive?
Ike (played by Paul Rudd, left) can't stop taking advantage of his patient, Marty (Will Ferrell).
Apple TV+ comedy The Shrink Next Door takes a step toward chaos and a step away from reconciliation this week. Marty and his psychiatrist, Ike, start a business together, which means they’re financially tied to each other. Marty has finally stopped giving in to everyone’s demands, but Ike is there to step in and replace every demanding person in Marty’s life.
Everybody's anxious for a reminder of the early days of COVID-19, right? Photo: Apple TV+
In The Morning Show season two finale, COVID-19 finally arrives, in case you missed that news cycle so much you needed to see it covered again on Apple TV+’s show about a news show.
If you were secretly hankering for such a thing, you’re in luck. Alex comes down with COVID-19, and Cory doesn’t want to cancel the launch of the network’s streaming app. Our interest has waned, so whatever, right? Let them do whatever they want. Just put down this sick dog of a show already.
The Jim Henson Company and Apple TV+ teamed up to resurrect Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh’s teen sleuth who’s out to help her friends and neighbors.
Can new animated series Harriet the Spy, which premieres today, secure itself the fanbase other Apple TV+ kids shows have yet to accrue? And is there any way this show could be as big as the books that spawned the series?
Cover your new AirPods in a sweet-looking Ice Cream case. Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac
Whether you have a sweet tooth or just like to be different, the new Elago Ice Cream AirPods 3 Case definitely stands out. The nicely detailed silicone case looks like a tiny ice cream bar, right down to the colorful 3D sprinkles scattered on it. (A wooden stick at the bottom finishes off the look.)
It comes in two vibrant colors — mint and lavender — and for me, this case only has positives.
The High Six features USB-C, USB-A and Lightning connectors. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
If you want to be a helpful elf after the holidays — always ready to help charge up people’s devices and open their bottled beverages — you can be. Just carry the nifty little Vonmählen High Six 6-in-1 keychain charging cable in your pocket, with or without keys.
The review sample I received didn’t look flawless or work exactly as advertised, but the company said it will address some issues before it commences shipping the High Six in January 2022, as described below.
iPhone gaming is better with a hardware game controller like the RiotPwr Rotor Riot RR1852. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Playing serious games on an iPhone touchscreen can be crazy frustrating. Don’t throw your iPhone across the room — get a game controller like RiotPwr’s Rotor Riot RR1852. This mimics the design of Microsoft’s Xbox controller but with a Lightning cable and an iPhone mount.
I fully tested this updated version of the Rotor Riot Lightning-enabled game controller. And I like it a lot. And apparently so does Apple because you can find it in the Apple Store, both online and brick-and-mortar locations.
With AirPods 3, Apple proves it can create a magical experience, even in a tiny package. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
AirPods are arguably one of Apple’s most popular products. Over the last five years, the wireless earbuds have become so common that it’s hard to go anywhere without seeing someone wearing them.
And now, with the third-generation AirPods, Apple has improved them in almost every way. That makes the latest AirPods one of the best, if not the best, all-around earbuds you can get.
Director Kim Jee-woon takes us on a wild ride in the hot new Apple TV+ series. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s exciting new sci-fi series Dr. Brain continues to unfurl its mysteries this week. Brilliant neuroscientist Sewon draws closer to ascertaining the full shape of the crimes that claimed the lives of his family, thanks to “brain syncs” with both his wife and an unexpected source.
Meanwhile a number of questions hang in the air. Just who is this private detective helping Sewon find answers? Who is the man in Jaeyi’s memories? And who’s still alive — and who’s really dead?
Humanist poet Walt Whitman (played by Billy Eichner) witnesses the Civil War's toll. Photo: Apple TV+
Emily wonders about her place in the world during the Civil War, and the poet gets a little help from some colleagues — while the Dickinsons get fleas and Henry gets a new job.
It’s an eventful week on Dickinson, Apple TV+’s feminist fantasia. And, as usual, the simplest answer is often the right one.
The sci-fi show seethes with big reveals and epic betrayals. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s ambitious space opera is getting ready for its final reveal. Foundation‘s epic first season flew by in the blink of an eye, all breathless action and rug pulls. Can all that excitement work its magic and attract a hungry audience for its richly deserved second season?
The sci-fi series based on Isaac Asimov’s fiction had a lot of groundwork to do this season, and somehow found time for several shows’ worth of action and world-building. As the first season winds down, plenty of unanswered questions remain. However, the writers have done a more than adequate job getting viewers excited about what’s to come.
Aneesha (played by Golshifteh Farahani) and her family face multiple monsters this week. Photo: Apple TV+
Invasion, the sprawling alien-invasion show on Apple TV+, thrusts all of its characters into a brand-new reality this week. There is no denying now that there are aliens on Earth … but what does that mean for everyone? What do the creatures want? And is all hope lost?
This week’s episode puts the focus on the Malik family — and gets us up close and personal with the dreadful threats the Maliks face.
Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) and Jace (Isaiah Hill) deal with some rough stuff this week. Photo: Apple TV+
This week on Swagger, Jace and Crystal come clean — but now what? She’s rent with guilt and pain. He wants to do something, but answers won’t come to him. Meanwhile, family troubles abound for Meg and Phil. And violence seems to be unavoidable in the game and on the streets.
Can Ike save this team and the community around it from itself? Money tends to speak louder than loyalty but Ike’s playing the long game and it might not pay off. The Apple TV+ drama about a Baltimore junior basketball league’s misfit team scores high this week.
Alex Levy drops another bombshell this week. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s show about a news network is experiencing the calm before the storm as its second season nears its conclusion.
The whole staff of The Morning Show is still reeling from Mitch Kessler’s death and everyone’s putting up a brave front. But with a tell-all book about the show’s sleazy inner workings on the way, the mood is panicked and stricken.
Mujjo’s iPhone 13 leather wallet case is slim and saves the hassle of carrying a separate wallet. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case for iPhone 13 shields your valuable handset while also giving you an easy way to carry your credit cards and driver’s license. Plus, it looks gorgeous while doing so.
Here’s why I love this case. Despite a notable drawback.
You don’t have to splash out on an Apple TV to enjoy Apple TV+ and Apple Music alongside all your other favorite streaming services. They’re now available on a whole host of brilliant third-party devices — many of which are on sale now.
Unlike Apple, the likes of Amazon and Roku are offering big Black Friday discounts that are already live. Here are our picks of the best Apple TV alternatives that you can buy today from just $19.99.
The Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Stand looks good on a desk but is ready for on the go, including as part of a video setup. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Stand offers 10,000 mAh — enough to come close to recharging an iPhone 13 twice. It uses MagSafe so handset and charger cling together. And it has a kickstand, making it useful even when your handset is fully charged. If all that wasn’t enough, a tripod socket lets you make this power bank part of your video setup.
I tested all the features of the external battery to be sure there’re ready for real-world use. Here’s how this accessory stood up.
Paul Rudd is The Shrink Next Door and Will Ferrell is his patient Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s newest (true crime) comedy The Shrink Next Door is here to deliver laughter with a side of psychoanalysis. Georgia Pritchett, a writer for Veep and Succession, created this show about the trials and tribulations of a panic attack-stricken New Yorker and the psychiatrist (based on a real guy) who tries to help him out of his troubles.
With Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell leading the cast, the eight-episode series tracks the two Jewish men’s relationship as they weave in and out, sometimes overzealously, of each other’s lives. It’s a period piece set in the 1980s — and the show itself is a little bit of a head case.
Lee Pace lets it all hang out in his portrayal of Brother Day this week. Photo: Apple TV+
This week on Foundation, the Apple TV+ space opera walks a long and lonesome mile toward reconciliation and the end to chaos. But who will survive, and what will be left of them (to quote rather a different odyssey)?
Foundation makes the case for the simplest actions and ideas being the most complex and compelling in this week’s episode, titled “The Missing Piece.” It also gives TV a new worthy obsession object. There are spiritual betrayals aplenty for everyone, no matter what corner of the galaxy they occupy.
What is it like to have AirPods 3 be your first Apple wireless headphones? Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
What I’m about to write is so shocking you might want to sit down: AirPods 3 are the first Apple wireless headphones I’ve ever owned. I never saw a need to pay the Apple Tax when I had cheap wireless earbuds that were good enough.
But I changed my mind for the newest model. Here are all the reasons I’m happy about the purchase. And the one reason I’m not.
The Civil War makes a mark on young poet Emily Dickinson. Photo: Apple TV+
Dickinson, Apple TV+’s feminist fable, returns for a qualified victory lap Friday. The first three episodes of the show’s third and final season arrived today, not even a full year after the last one concluded.
It will be a shame once we no longer can enjoy fresh episodes featuring the show’s antic poetry and remixed pastoralism.
And, while Dickinson still hasn’t worked out precisely what its identity is, the comforting oddness of its milieu was a tonic in trying times, even if the show had a ways to go before it could meaningfully grapple with the present. All the same, the final season hints at what Dickinson could have done exceedingly well — if its showrunners were given a little more room.
When The Morning Show gets down to the business of journalism, it's a lot less annoying. Photo: Apple TV+
Mitch is dead — long live Mitch. This week on The Morning Show, everyone must deal with the death of their network’s former sex pest lead anchor — and things could go much better than they do. Alex is missing. Chip is throwing up. Cory is elated. And Mia’s beside herself. Can they clean themselves up in time to break the news?
It’s borderline impossible to take the Apple TV+ drama about a morning news show seriously now. But there are still three episodes of plot left this season. Can The Morning Show manage anything worthwhile before the curtain falls?
Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) hits a rough patch in this week's episode. Photo: Apple TV+
This week on Swagger, Apple TV+’s new drama based on NBA star Kevin Durant’s youth, teen basketball stars Jace and Crystal find themselves between a rock and a hard place. He’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders in a good way, she in the worst way, and they need each other at a time when they can’t hear each other.
The episode, titled “We Good,” is all about learning to listen and to trust the people around you who actually have your best interests at heart. But it’s also about learning that your own problems need to be able to be put on ice when other people are in need.