News
We're in a slightly weird place in the streaming world this week (August 18-24). As summer and winter start to wind down in the northern and southern hemispheres, the world's best streaming services appear to be withholding their biggest releases for the final few months of the year.
That's not to say there aren't some new movies and TV shows to catch over the next few days. From a popular HBO Max show making its long overdue return, to three interesting offerings from Netflix, you're sure to find something worth watching with our help. So, read on to see what's new. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Peacemaker season 2 (HBO Max)Everyone's favorite DC comic book anti-hero is back. Peacemaker – real name Chris Smith – is back on our screens after three and a half years for his sophomore outing on Warner Bros Discovery's recently rebranded streamer. This time, the titular character stumbles on a parallel world where life is everything he wishes he could be. Oh, and he's being hunted by Rick Flag Sr, the newly-installed head of ARGUS and father of the man Peacemaker killed in 2021's The Suicide Squad.
Episode 1 is out now – read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see where you can stream it outside of the US and when new entries will air. Before you watch it, check out my Peacemaker season 2 guide for more details on its cast and plot among other things, and my Peacemaker season 2 review to see what I thought of its first five chapters. – TP
Hostage (Netflix)Suranne Jones as UK Prime Minister? If I woke up tomorrow and that was real life, I'd be made up. Instead, she's playing fictional leader Abigail Dalton in new Netflix series Hostage, where she's faced with putting her country first while dealing with the sudden abduction of her medic husband in French Guiana. To top it all off, her scheduled visit with French president Toussaint (Julie Delpy) doesn't go swimmingly... especially when she starts being blackmailed, too.
I can't think of a time we've seen two female world leaders coexist like this, let alone work together to overthrow the tests a patriarchal system consistently subjects them to. I've no doubt in my mind that Jones was going to knock this out of the park and I hope this is the start of her rise to global stardom, much like Sarah Lancashire experienced in Happy Valley. – Jasmine Valentine, entertainment writer
Eenie Meanie (Hulu/Disney+)Ready or Not star Samara Weaving leads the cast of this new Hulu and Disney+ offering, which sees her play the role of a troubled getaway driver.Indeed, we follow her as she's dragged back into a life of crime when a former employer reveals they’ve got an opportunity to save her “chronically unreliable” ex-boyfriend.
This heist movie sounds perfect if you’re after an action flick this weekend, but we'll have to wait and see what critics think of it first before we can recommend it ourselves. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
- Watch Eenie Meanie on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally)
While most people were watching Squid Game: The Challenge with baited breath (and to be fair, so was I), I was watching Brian Cox do his best 'M' impression on Prime Video's underrated reality TV show 007: Road to a Million. That said, considering how expensive it was to make, I'm surprised a second season was greenlit.
Nevertheless, I'm yet to see a competition series on par with this. We've all wanted to take a stab at being James Bond. Thankfully, we get to experience that from the safety of our sofa while James from Wigan screams his head off trying to win some money. This Amazon TV Original only gets more unhinged from there, so strap in. – JV
Long Story Short (Netflix)BoJack Horseman is one of the best Netflix shows and a personal favorite of mine, so you can imagine how excited I am about co-creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg's new show Long Story Short. The adult animation series centers on a middle-class Jewish family and, more specifically, three siblings as they experience everyday events while looking back on their very religious childhood.
Given BoJack was equal parts hilarious and devastating, I’ve already stocked up on tissues for the weekend. It's already been renewed for a second season, too, so there'll be plenty more to enjoy in th future. – LB
Out of the five new Apple TV+ shows releasing in August, Invasion season 3 is the most underrated. But, that doesn't mean I'm not excited for its arrival – not least because we're set to learn the true intentions of the hostile aliens that have invaded Earth.
There have been theories about the extraterrestrials' constant attacks throughout the Apple TV+ sci-fi saga, but this season promises to finally give us answers. Creator Simon Kingberg has confirmed we'll see the main characters unite in a "low-key Avengers" storyline, so I'm expecting a climatic showdown.
So far, Invasion has seen mixed responses due to its slow-burn pacing, but many agree that last season greatly improved on the first, putting the Apple TV Original's third season in good stead to be a world-saving (or -ending) spectacle. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Netflix)Before 2019, Jussie Smollett was known for his roles in shows like Empire and movies like The Mighty Ducks, but has since made headlines after being accused of staging a hate crime hoax.
The real-life case has more twists and turns than a Spanish soap opera, but that hasn't stopped Netflix from going ahead with a 90-minute documentary about the case. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? will bring us interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators, and Jussie himself to get the story straight, making this the best way to get the (hopefully) true story on the alleged fake story. – AS
You might also like- Peacemaker season 2 episode 1 solves a big mystery about the HBO Max show's first season – and it's all thanks to James Gunn's Superman
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day casts Severance star in mystery role – and another Marvel hero could also appear in the MCU film
- Fallout season 2 trailer reveals who's playing Mr. House, a Deathclaw, and an official release date for the hit Prime Video show's return
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #803).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #804) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…
- SMARTWATCH
- BOWL
- OIL
- CHICANERY
- COOLANT
- PODCAST
- HIPPODROME
- VAPE
- LEGERDEMAIN
- CRYPTO
- DECEIT
- FUEL
- COLISEUM
- SUBTERFUGE
- BRAKE FLUID
- STADIUM
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Open up the hood to add
- GREEN: Large venues
- BLUE: Shenanigans
- PURPLE: 21st century stuff
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #804) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS
- GREEN: ARENA
- BLUE: SKULDUGGERY
- PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #804) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #804, are…
- YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS BRAKE FLUID, COOLANT, FUEL, OIL
- GREEN: ARENA BOWL, COLISEUM, HIPPODROME, STADIUM
- BLUE: SKULDUGGERY CHICANERY, DECEIT, LEGERDEMAIN, SUBTERFUGE
- PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS CRYPTO, PODCAST, SMARTWATCH, VAPE
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
I imagine the category MODERN INVENTIONS will get some heat.
It’s a vague link, as there are countless modern inventions and other than them being "modern" there is nothing else that connects them.
Also, the word modern is subjective – the beginnings of CRYPTO, VAPE and PODCAST were around 20 years ago, while there were types of SMARTWATCH in the 1990s.
This quibble aside, the purple group was easy to get, as they are indeed all current preoccupations and distinct from the other 12 tiles.
Noticeably, this was a day without SUBTERFUGE or CHICANERY, which has me thinking that there are two possible reasons for this. Either Connections is going easy on us because it’s a Saturday, or they have something terrible planned for us tomorrow. I predict the latter.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, August 22, game #803)- YELLOW: U.S. PRESIDENTS ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTON
- GREEN: ACTORS WHOSE LAST NAMES ARE ALSO VERBS CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISE
- BLUE: KINDS OF POKER DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUD
- PURPLE: PROPER NOUNS AFTER GERUNDS IN '90S MOVIE TITLES AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYAN
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #537).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rub it in, why don't you?
NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- CLEAR
- SLUM
- VEST
- MULE
- STREAM
- RIVET
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 5th row
Last side: right, 7th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #538) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #538, are…
- LOTION
- BALM
- CREAM
- BUTTER
- JELLY
- SERUM
- SALVE
- SPANGRAM: MOISTURIZERS
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
I didn’t really think about it until this edition of Strands, but it’s interesting how many of the things we rub on our faces sound like food – CREAM, BUTTER, JELLY, milk. Or maybe it should be that it's incredible how many foods sound like things we rub on our faces?
Anyway, I digress, today was a search for the many different formats of MOISTURIZERS – a spangram I got after initially spotting the word “moist” and realizing there was more to it.
I got LOTION first and from there went round the board in an anti-clockwise direction without a struggle or snag, unlike when i rub BALM into my beard; that’s a whole load of struggle and snag.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 22, game #537)- DETECTIVE
- STRANGER
- LOVER
- RIVAL
- SPOUSE
- HEIR
- SPANGRAM: ITS A MYSTERY
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #1306).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.
Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.
Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.
If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:
Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• D
• G
• F
• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1307) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1307, are…
- DEMON
- GRATE
- FLYER
- SHEEP
I returned to my three-starter-word game plan today, and while it speeded up the play I still fell foul of some bad luck, guessing great instead of GRATE.
I can’t be too peeved, though, as my other quick guesses came good – including FLYER, which I could have taken a punt at, guessing plyer earlier in the game.
Daily Sequence today (game #1307) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1307, are…
- BRUSH
- CAIRN
- COUCH
- SALVE
- Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
- Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
- Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
- Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
- Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
- Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
- Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
- Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
- Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
- Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
- Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
- Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
- Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
- Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
- Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
- Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
- Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
- Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
- Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
- Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
- Noah Urban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty in April 2025
- He is believed to be a key member of Scattered Spider
- Urban was sentenced to 120 months in prison
For the first time, a member of the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang was sentenced to prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and more.
Noah Michael Urban will be spending the next 10 years behind bars, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has said.
Urban, known in the cybercriminal underworld as King Bob, Sosa, Elijah, or Gustavo Fring, will also have to forfeit roughly $4.8 million in assets such as cryptocurrency and other property, and pay $13 million in restitution to victims.
More Scattered Spider attacksUrban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty on April 4, 2025. As per court documents, between August 2022 and March 2023 he stole cryptocurrency from at least 59 victims across the States employing, among other things, SIM-swap attacks to obtain personal information. He then used that information to access his victims’ wallets and transfer out the funds.
Urban is believed to be a “key figure” in the infamous Scattered Spider organization, CyberInsider reports.
His sentencing, the publication argues, is just one of many moves law enforcement has made against the group in recent times, including charging four other members for similar crimes: Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy (TX), Evans Onyeaka Osiebo (TX), Joel Martin Evans (NC), and Tyler Robert Buchanan (UK).
Unlike most hacking collectives, which are tightly knit and well-organized, Scattered Spider is a rather “loose” organization, researchers are saying. Still, the group managed to even draw the attention of the FBI, after wreaking havoc among different industries, from retail, to airline, to critical infrastructure.
Less than a month ago (while the five suspects were already in custody), the FBI issued a warning that Scattered Spider was only getting warmed up with its cyberattacks, urging businesses to be on their guard.
Together with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and a handful of other security agencies in Canada, the UK, and Australia, the FBI warned Scattered Spider evolved to use more advanced social engineering - mostly impersonating employees to trick IT help desks into resetting passwords and transferring MFA tokens to attacker-controlled devices.
The hackers have also added new malware such as RattyRAT for stealthy access and DragonForce ransomware to encrypt systems and demand payment - especially targeting VMware ESXi servers.
Via BleepingComputer
You might also like- FBI, CISA warn of more Scattered Spider attacks to come
- Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
- We've rounded up the best password managers
- Date and time: Premiered at 9pm BST on Tuesday, August 19 (UK)
- Watch free: BBC iPlayer (UK)
- Use Nord VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer (try risk-free)
He has millions in the bank from Love Island and the endless brand partnerships the show unlocked, the stratospheric success of his half-brother Tyson, and the interminable stream of aspirational reality content he features in with Molly-Mae Hague, but watching Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury, it's impossible not to wonder if he'd rather be a jobbing boxer striving to make it off his own back.
You can watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury online from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free.
The six-part fly-on-the-wall series begins with Tommy at rock-bottom. In January 2023 he and Molly-Mae – of fast-fashion, shady online prize draws, deeply questionable advertizing practices and “we all have the same 24 hours in a day” fame – had their first daughter. In July they got engaged. In August 2024 they split up. In January 2025 Tommy had surgery on a hand injury. By May they were back together.
We know all of this because Tommy and Molly-Mae monetize every inch of their lives. In one episode of Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury, a trailer for Molly-Mae’s new series drops. Molly-Mae: Behind it All was concocted to further publicize the breakup, but then becomes an opportunity for Tommy to publicize his alcohol dependency struggles.
And all the while he wonders why his boxing career isn't going as planned. Two of Tommy's last three opponents were Jake Paul and KSI, and he had a scheduled bout with MMA fighter Darren Till before it descended into farce. At this moment in time, Tommy's story feels like a cautionary tale.
Read on as we explain how to watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury online from anywhere.
How to watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury for free in the UK(Image credit: Future)Viewers in the UK can watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury FREE on BBC Three and via the BBC iPlayer streaming service.
Episodes air at 9pm and 9.30pm BST every Tuesday, starting August 19, but all six are now available as a boxset on iPlayer.
All you need is an account, a TV license and a UK postcode (e.g.HA9 0WS). Sign up here!
What if you're abroad? Grab this VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch your usual free stream from anywhere.
How to watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury streams with a VPNAway from home at the moment and blocked from watching Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury on your usual subscription?
You can still watch the series thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business wanting to watch their usual services.
Nord VPN is our favorite:
Editors ChoiceNordVPN – get the world's best VPN
We regularly review all the biggest and best VPN providers and NordVPN is our #1 choice. It unblocked every streaming service in testing and it's very straightforward to use. Speed, security and 24/7 support available if you need – it's got it all.
The best value plan is the two-year deal which sets the price at $3.39 per month, and includes an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. There's also an all-important 30-day no-quibble refund if you decide it's not for you.
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How to watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury around the worldCan I watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury in the US?Any plans to make Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury available to watch in the US are yet to be announced.
Brits currently away from home can use a VPN to watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury on BBC iPlayer from abroad.
Can I watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury in Canada?(Image credit: Other)Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury is yet to find a home in Canada.
For now, UK nationals currently traveling in Canada can use a VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch the show from anywhere in the world. We recommend Norton.
Can I watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury in Australia?Any plans to make Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury available to watch in Australia are yet to be announced.
If you're a Brit traveling Down Under, a VPN will help you tune in. Nord is our recommended provider.
Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury Q+A(Image credit: BBC)Can I watch Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury for free?Yes. BBC One is home to Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury in the UK, with all episodes available to stream for free on the BBC iPlayer platform. Abroad? Unblock iPlayer and watch free with Nord VPN.
How many episodes of Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury are there?Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury comprises six episodes. A pair of episodes air back-to-back on BBC Three from 9pm BST each Tuesday, starting August 19, but the entire series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer from launch.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.