The creators of Galavant were so pleasantly surprised to be given a second season they titled its first episode “A New Season ... AKA Suck It Cancellation Bear.” Unfortunately, season two, which wraps up Sunday, hasn’t made much of a case for season three. But it could have, and should have, done just that. Instead, it all went wrong.

The biggest problem is that most of the characters spent the entire season feeling completely frustrated. Galavant, desperate to get back with Isabella, was saddled with the well-meaning but clueless Richard as his traveling companion. Isabella was held prisoner first by her own parents, then by her wedding planner’s mind-control scheme. She also spent most of the season thinking Galavant had dumped her. Gareth struggled with his budding feelings for Madalena, unsure of how to express himself. Sid flailed trying to fit in, like, anywhere. And so on.

Traditionally, fairy tales—which the show both embraces and makes fun of—are about overcoming incredible obstacles, impossible quests, etc. But when everyone is annoyed all the time, there’s precious little room for anything other than jokey asides—especially when you have to squeeze a few song-and-dance numbers, and a guest star or two, into each 30-minute show.

Which was its own issue. Just like season one, ABC aired two Galavant episodes back-to-back each Sunday. Why not structure the show as full hour instead? Season two’s final episodes take place during a climactic battle that finally unites all of the characters. (Yes, there’s a joke about how the storylines barely converged all season.) The episodes flow together almost seamlessly. This really highlights how the show could benefit from pacing that doesn’t feel so frantic. And while Galavant is a parody, it’s at its best when being propelled forward by a plot we actually care about. Richard realizing on the battlefield that he has what it takes to be a good king ties season one to season two, and gives us a much better reason to care about his character than, say, the fact that he’s only recently lost his virginity. Or his pet dragon, though the (obvious) twist with that subplot was actually pretty great.

Finally, why did the show wait until the end of the season to embrace the scarier side of fairy tales? Wormwood’s tempting of Madalena to the “dark, dark evil way” was fantastic, especially after it seemed like she might be softening with Gareth in her corner. She’s always been evil... but now she’s dark, dark evil. If by some miracle the cancelation bear is beaten down again, and Galavant returns, it should skew spookier. Way spookier. Galavant’s zombie army proved that the show can still have great fun while being ghoulish, and that it doesn’t need to rely on the promise of a happy ending to drive its plot forward.

Images: Stills from Galavant episode 209, “Battle of the Three Armies” (ABC/Nick Ray)

Thirty years ago, the space shuttle Challenger exploded. The tragedy shocked a nation caught in launch fever, and reshaped how NASA thought about risk.

The Challenger space shuttle had a lot of good missions before the disaster. Image credit: NASA

Challenger was the first space-worthy shuttle built, the second shuttle manufactured after the test-only Enterprise. It carried the first spacewalker of the space shuttle program, the first American woman astronaut, and the first duo of women astronauts. Later, it was the first space shuttle to launch at night.

Challenger was also the first space shuttle to explode, killing all of its crew.

Explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Image credit: NASA

The morning of January 28, 1986 was cold, with icicles forming below the pad. As the temperature dropped below the certified tolerance of the rubber “O” ring seals in the shuttle, the engineering team warned against launching on such a cold day.

Ice on the pad on launch day. Image credit: NASA

It happened so quickly, just 58 seconds after the launch. First, a tiny flicker of flame was visible on the right solid rocket motor. At 68 seconds, the external tanks were emitting a bright, sustained glow.

Challenger entirely engulfed in the glow of burning propellent escaped from a tank rupture. Image credit: NASA

The only record of the crew realizing they had a problem was pilot Mike Smith saying, “Uh-oh.” It might have been in response to a sudden sideways shove in the shuttle, or from instruments displaying spiking engine temperatures. By 73 seconds, all engines were approaching redline temperature limits, automatically shutting down.

76 seconds: Fragments of the orbiter tumbling against the fire. The reddish color is from burning nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer propellant from the control system. Image credit: NASA

The spinning tower of exhaust trail exploded into fire, smoke, and vaporized propellent at 78 seconds. The explosion hurled fragments of the orbiter away, shredding the left wing, forward fuselage (with crew cabin), and main engines (still burning propellant) in different directions.

Tape grids on the floors allowed crews to reconstruct the wreckage. Image credit: NASA

The entire space shuttle program went on hiatus for 32 months after the disaster, as teams recovered debris and investigated the cause of the accident. They reconstructed the debris as best as they could.

The airlock from Challenger, recovered from the Atlantic Ocean. Image credit: NASA

The Presidential Commission investigating the accident included the first American woman astronaut Sally Ride, the first human on the moon Neil Armstrong, and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. They all pored over the available evidence and finally identified the single tiny flaw that triggered the catastrophe, a rubber seal made brittle by the cold.

When the usually-pliable O-ring ruptured in the right solid rocket boosters, hot exhaust started streaming out. The flaw had been known since 1977, but was ignored. During the disaster, this hot exhaust cut through the steel booster casing like a welder’s torch, then started cutting into the external tank. This, too, was a known flaw, with post-mission evaluations finding evidence of a milder form of erosion during a flight of the space shuttle Columbia.

Finally, the tank ruptured in several locations, a chain reaction running in less than a second to total destruction.

The crew during emergency egress training. Image credit: NASA

The tank explosion flung the orbiter free, but flying out of control. Askew in supersonic air flow, the aerodynamic stress was too much and shattered the orbiter.

The crew cabin in the forward fuselage was more solidly built than the rest of the shuttle, and initially stayed intact. The crew probably survived the initial explosion, and the G-forces of being hurled away. Switches on the dashboard were flipped, indicating that pilot Smith made a futile effort to restore power to the crew cabin. The cabin didn’t buckle, so investigators suspect it maintained pressure and the crew stayed conscious. But they couldn’t have survived hitting the ocean below at a force of 200 times the normal force of gravity.

All seven crew members died. Their remains were retrieved from the ocean ten weeks later. Astronaut Robert Crippen rented a fishing boat to continue recovery efforts after Gregory Jarvis’s body drifted and sank away from the main crew compartment, ultimately succeeding in recovering the body.

The remains of the Challenger crew being transported to a plane at Kennedy Space Center. Image credit: NASA

The Challenger disaster led to a full redesign of the shuttle’s boosters. It also led to a change in NASA’s reporting structure and decision-making processes for dealing with risk, although some of the same institutional problems later resurfaced.

Today, the date of the Challenger explosion is also NASA’s Day of Remembrance commemorating all of those who have died in the pursuit of spaceflight.

Do you remember the Challenger disaster? Share your memories with us!

[NASA]

Top image: The crew of space shuttle Challenger during training on January 9, 1986: Sharon Christa McAuliffe [left], Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Francis “Dick” Scobee, Ronald McNair, Mike Smith, and Ellison S. Onizuka. Credit: NASA

Contact the author at mika.mckinnon@io9.com or follow her at @MikaMcKinnon.

Tremors felt by residents of New Jersey Shore and Long Island today prompted speculation that an earthquake had occurred—but the US Geological Survey confirmed that the rumbling sensations were caused by a sonic boom.

A sonic boom is a shock wave felt when something travels faster than the speed of sound. When asked what had caused the sonic boom, a USGS representative told Gizmodo, “We don’t know that for sure.”

Meanwhile, a local ABC affiliate is reporting that a military aircraft from the McGuire Air Force Base broke the sound barrier, causing the tremors. However, a spokesperson from New Jersey’s McGuire Air Force Base told Gizmodo that the base does not house aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier.

While the North American Aerospace Defense Command conducted a military drill in Florida yesterday, it denies involvement in today’s sonic boom. A NORAD spokesperson told Gizmodo that NORAD is not conducting any activity in the region today.

The Department of Defense denied involvement as well, and suggested I call the FAA.

“The FAA is referring calls to the military,” an FAA spokesperson told me via email.

What the fuck!

Contrary to reports on Twitter, the New Jersey State Police denies that it informed troopers of military activity causing the boom. “That didn’t come from us,” a spokesperson told Gizmodo.

This isn’t the first time residents of New Jersey have experienced a sonic boom. In 2012, South Jersey experienced a sonic boom after a military exercise.

If it was a military exercise and not a very poorly executed Cloverfield marketing campaign, it wouldn’t be the first time the military blasted US residents with sonic booms. Poor Oklahoma City experienced sonic booms eight times a day for six months in 1964 during an FAA test.

Update 7:10pm: Tyler Rogoway from Jalopnik’s Foxtrot Alpha is reporting that this was likely a Navy F-35C. From Rogoway:

The U.S. Navy has said the sonic boom was very likely caused by the F-35C, the Navy’s version of the Joint Strike Fighter, that was executing test maneuvers in the area today. The F-35C is currently flying test flights out of Navy’s premier test base, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, located in Maryland.

If that’s the case, I don’t know why the Department of Defense told me it wasn’t involved. Rude.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/mystery-sonic-...

Image: Wikipedia

Kotaku Leave The Division’s Poor Dog Alone | Deadspin And Now, Your Absolute Worst Poop Mishaps | Jezebel Girl Believes She’s a Cat Trapped in a Human’s Body and I Believe Her | Gizmodo A Mysterious Sonic Boom Caused Tremors in New Jersey |

Typhoon Haiyan was one of the most devastating tropical cyclones in history. The Category 5 typhoon killed thousands and ravaged the Philippines with billions in damages that it’s still recovering from. Here’s a brief glimpse of what it was like to be inside the typhoon. It’s absolutely frightening.

Jim Edds captured the footage in the video below showing winds hitting 112 mph. Typhoon Haiyan eventually reached wind speeds of 195 mph which is just unimaginable.

SPLOID is delicious brain candy. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Winter coats, Skechers shoes, and new version of a favorite dash mount lead off today’s best deals. Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more.

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Assuming you don’t live in California, on the moon, or somewhere equally dry, this intelligent Rachio irrigation controller can keep your lawn green with practically zero work on your part.

The Rachio IRO can control sixteen different zones in your yard, and automatically adjusts watering schedules based on the weather. If you want to keep tabs on it, its iOS and Android app will show you how much water you’re using (and saving), and allow you to make any adjustments necessary, no matter where you are in the world. All of these smarts mean that the IRO can save you 30% on your outdoor water use, so it should pay for itself over time. It’s also EPA WaterSense Certified, meaning your local water company might offer you a rebate for purchasing it.

Today’s $200 deal is reserved for Prime members, but it matches an all-time low, and is well below its usual $300 asking price. [Rachio IRO Smart Irrigation Controller, $200 for Prime members]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

$3 is basically the price floor for Lightning cables, so stock up while you can. [Omars 4' Lightning Cable, $3]

http://www.amazon.com/Omars-3217553-...

So, chances are your tap water is full of dangerous amounts of lead and copper. That sucks! Luckily, you can filter it yourself with Brita products, and we’ve found a few on sale today.

http://gizmodo.com/report-every-m...

The weird thing about Brita filters is that the ones that attach to your faucet will filter out lead, and the pitchers will filter out copper, but neither will do both. So if you’re really paranoid, you’ll want to fill your Brita pitcher with water that’s already been filtered through a Brita tap attachment. With that in mind, this Brita On Tap system is marked down to just $22 on Amazon, and these Brita Grand pitchers all have a $2 off coupon right now. We occasionally see them cheaper, but if you’re worried about the safety of your tap water, it’s a pretty small investment for your peace of mind.

https://www.brita.com/why-brita/what...

http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Faucet-F...

Life’s too short to vacuum every other day, but luckily, you can pawn that tedious chore off to your very own robot, and three of the best are on sale today.

The iRobot Roomba 650, 770, and 880 are $70-$105 off their normal prices today, with the 650 checking in at just $330. All three models have great reviews, so your decision will come down to the included features. Here’s a chart to help you decide:

Note: This isn’t in the chart, but the 770 includes HEPA filters and two virtual walls, while the 650 has standard filters and just one virtual wall.

Whenever we post a Roomba deal, we see plenty of effusive praise in the comments, so let us know if you think they’re worth it.

iRobot Roomba 650 ($330) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-...

iRobot Roomba 770 ($425) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-...

iRobot Roomba 880 ($595) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-...

Apple’s expansive (and expensive) iPad Pro has been mostly immune from discounts so far, but today, you can save $80 on the 128GB Wi-Fi model. Plus, most buyers won’t have to pay any sales tax. [Apple iPad Pro 128GB, $870]

http://gizmodo.com/what-its-like-...

This would have been helpful before the snowpocalypse, but still, winter’s not done with us yet, and Amazon’s here to help with great deals on dozens of coats and jackets for men, women, and kids.

Inside, you’ll find great looking styles from Kenneth Cole, London Fog, Perry Ellis, Tommy Hilfiger, and more. Just remember that this is a Gold Box deal, meaning these prices will go back to normal at the end of the day. Stay warm out there. [Amazon Coat Sale]

Today only, Amazon’s offering big discounts on a wide array of Skechers shoes, running the gamut from athletic sneakers to leather oxfords. Prices start at just $27, so run, don’t walk, over to Amazon and make your selections before they start selling out. [Skechers Gold Box]

iOttie’s original One Touch smartphone dash mount won a Kinja Co-Op way back when, and the One Touch 2 was also immensely popular whenever we posted a deal. This week, iOttie released the brand new One Touch 3, and you can save 30% during a limited time introductory sale.

http://co-op.kinja.com/the-best-smart...

http://bestsellers.kinja.com/bestsellers-io...

The One Touch 3 features an enhanced telescoping arm to bring the phone closer to you while you drive, and is equally suited to mounting on your dashboard or your windshield. And naturally, the cradle has expanded to accommodate 2016's ever-expanding phones. [iOttie One Touch 3, $17 with code EOT3UPGD]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0197549HS

I don’t know how many of you sew, or are interested in learning, but this Singer sewing machine is marked down to $90 as part of an Amazon Gold Box deal today.

The Singer 5400 includes 60 built in stitches, a fully automatic buttonhole mode, and typically sells for around $120. Today’s price is the lowest Amazon’s ever posted, so be sure to grab yours before this deal bursts at the seams. [SINGER 5400 Sew Mate Sewing Machine, $90]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0180UVGZE/...

You can get cheap Lightning and MicroUSB cables just about anywhere, but if only the best will do, you should give Anker’s PowerLine models a look.

These cables are built with kevlar fiber and feature reinforced stress points, which means they can last 5-10x longer than typical cables. I own a couple of these, and while I can’t yet speak to how long long they actually last, I can say that they just feel nice. Weighty, solid, premium.

Anker 3-Pack PowerLine MicroUSB Cables ($7) | Amazon | Promo code D6SWG2EN

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015MJLEUS

Anker PowerLine 6ft Apple MFi Certified Lightning to USB Cable ($10) | Amazon | Promo code Y4QNX8RS

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011KPE8FG

Update: Still available, but on the green and blue models.

We see great deals on Bluetooth headphones almost every day, but even I did a double take when I saw this pair of Aukeys for $11. [Aukey V4.1 Bluetooth Sports Headphones with Noise Canceling Wireless Stereo, $11 with code 5FOD8D3G]

http://www.amazon.com/Aukey-Bluetoot...

All I can say is wow, this might legitimately be the best Xbox One deal I’ve ever seen, including Black Friday. $349 gets you the Gears of War console bundle, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Forza Horizon 2, and a $30 Amazon gift card. Those games are actually good! If you’ve got a tax refund on the way, I can think of worse ways to blow it. [Xbox One Gears of War Bundle + Assassin’s Creed Syndicate + Forza Horizon 2 + $30 Amazon Gift Card, $349]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

If your Xbox Live Gold membership is running low, you can re-up for another year for just $38 today. That’s $22 less than renewing through Microsoft. [Microsoft Xbox Live 12 Month Gold Membership, $38]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1720791514...

Just because your house or apartment doesn’t have a doorbell doesn’t mean you’ll have to rely on knocking like a caveman. This $14 kit has everything you need to install one, no wiring required. You can even choose from 52 different chimes! [iClever Smart Wireless Doorbell - 600 Feet Operating Rang with 52 Optinal Chimes, $14 with code P5RIFW4D]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SGKJD7W/

This highly-rated apple corer looks great, is made of durable stainless steel, and will only set you back $6 right now. It’ll barely take up any room in a drawer, so at this price, there’s really no reason not to try it out. [X-Chef Stainless Steel Apple Corer, $6]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013UQJSU8

If you own a phone that supports Quick Charge 2.0, and you haven’t already replaced all of your charging adapters, there’s really no excuse anymore. Each of these only have one Quick Charge port, but the prices are right in line with what we’d expect to see on standard chargers.

Omaker Quick Charge 2.0 Dual USB Ports Portable Wall Charger ($7) | Amazon | Use code 8DHVRYA6

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013OTHT1Q

Tronsmart 3-Port Quick Charge 2.0 USB Car Charger ($8) | Amazon | Use code 3USBCHAR

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

I don’t think we’ve ever posted a deal on an aquarium, but this one has a 4.5 star review average, a built in filtration system, white and blue LEDs, and an all-time low price. I would totally get this if I didn’t have a poorly behaved cat. [Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon, $42]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...

While it’s been replaced by a new model with a real app store, the third generation Apple TV is still a great little streaming device in its own right, particularly if you own other Apple devices. This deal from Walmart is the best price we’ve ever seen, and a solid bet if you don’t want to spend $150 on the new one. [Apple TV Third Generation, $49]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-TV-wi...

Want Bluetooth audio and handsfree calling in your older car? This tiny dongle takes the Bluetooth signal from your phone, and retransmits over a 3.5mm AUX connection, or to one of three preset FM radio stations. If you go the FM route, the sound quality will take a hit, but it’ll be a truly wireless experience, and probably your best option short of buying an entirely new stereo. We’ve seen deals on similar products before, but never for under $10. [DBPOWER Bluetooth Music Receiver/FM Transmitter, $9 with code ZRLOYN99]

http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-DBPO...

This deal is currently backordered, but still, 30 (mostly-great) sports documentaries for $15 is worth the wait for any sports fan. [ESPN 30 for 30 Collector’s Set, $15]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JTTYBI?...

If Skechers aren’t your thing, you can also find big savings in TOMS’ surprise sale. Inside, you’ll find shoes, sunglasses, bags, and more for up to 75% off, and as always, every purchase helps support those in need. [TOMS Surprise Sale]

http://deals.kinja.com/treat-yourself...

If you need to upgrade your sound system in time for the Super Bowl, one of your favorite sound bars is down to an all-time low price today on Amazon for Prime members only. And while the “bar” itself is great, what really makes this system special is its included wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers. That means you can experience true 5.1 surround sound at an incredibly cheap price, with no A/V receiver required.

http://co-op.kinja.com/five-best-soun...

The secret sauce here is the wireless subwoofer, which sits in the back of the room, and acts as a hub to plug in your rear channel satellite speakers. The upshot here is that you don’t need to run any wires from your TV across the room, and you don’t even need an AV receiver. I own the 2014 model of this system, and I can’t believe how great it sounds, or how easy it was to set up. [VIZIO SB3851-C0 38-Inch 5.1 Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Satellite Speakers, $198 for Prime members. Discount shown at checkout.]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

Update: The older model of this setup is now marked down to $120 at Walmart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/VIZIO-38-5....

If you don’t have a good cooking thermometer in your kitchen, this one has a 4.5 star average on over 3500 reviews, and you can pick one up for just $8. [Chef Remi Cooking Thermometer, $8 with code 8W6BY59J]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

It wasn’t that long ago that $100 was a good price for a 1TB hard drive. Now, that gets you four times the space. [Samsung D3 Station 4TB Hard Drive, $100]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAMSUNG-D3...

My dog burped in my face yesterday, and I nearly threw up on his, so I’ll probably be buying some of these. And while at-home oral care probably won’t totally replace professional dental work, it can at least mean fewer expensive appointments at the vet. Just note that you won’t see the discount until checkout. [Extra 15% off Greenies Dental Pet Treats, Discount Shown At Checkout]

While the 1366x768 display is nothing to write home about, this workhorse Lenovo Thinkpad packs 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a fingerprint reader, and an all-important TrackPoint cursor nub. Its most important spec though is its price; it’s a total steal at $450. [Lenovo L450 14" ThinkPad, $450]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1218062643...

My momma always taught me, whenever you see a 20,000mAh battery pack on sale for under $20, you buy it. [Aukey 20000mAh Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank with AiPower Tech, $19 with code OKQ4JHJT]

http://www.amazon.com/Aukey-20000mAh...

For just $6 today, you can sip your drinks in style with a four pack stainless steel drinking straws. I own a set of these, and use one every day in my drinking glass, but they’re also great when you’re entertaining and want to class up the drinks you serve your guests. [X-Chef Stainless Steel Bend Replacement Metal Straws with Cleaner Brush, Set of 4, $6]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146HSJ5A

Tech

Storage

• SAMSUNG D3 Station 4TB USB 3.0 3.5" Desktop External Hard Drive ($100) | eBay
• Silicon Power 64GB MicroSDXC UHS-1 Class10 Memory Card with Adaptor ($15) | Amazon
• Silicon Power 128GB MicroSDXC UHS-1 Class10 Memory Card with Adaptor ($33) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T9QONOU/...

Power

• Anypro 5 Pack Micro USB 2.0 Cables Fast Charge Cables ($7) | Amazon | Use code V6H4OP9T
• Omaker Quick Charge 2.0 Dual USB Ports Portable Wall Charger ($7) | Amazon | Use code 8DHVRYA6
• Tronsmart 3-Port Quick Charge 2.0 USB Car Charger ($8) | Amazon | Use code 3USBCHAR

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154O4HR8/

Audio

• Sony SRSX5/BLK Portable Bluetooth Speaker ($80) | Walmart
• SoundLogic Bluetooth Shower Speaker with FM Radio ($5) | Home Depot
• Mpow Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sports Headphones ($18) | Amazon | Use code YWJXK5DF

Home Theater

• Samsung 40-Inch LED 2160p Smart 4K Ultra HDTV ($450) | Best Buy
• VIZIO 50-Inch 1080p 120Hz Full-Array LED Smart HDTV ($498) | Walmart
• RCA 48-Inch 1080p 60Hz Class LED HDTV ($280) | Walmart
• LG 49-Inch 1080p 60Hz Class LED HDTV ($300) | Walmart
• Native 1280 x 768 LCD/LED Multimedia HDMI VGA Projector ($175) | Walmart
• VIZIO 38-Inch 5.1-Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Satellite ($120) | Walmart

Computers & Accessories

• Canon PIXMA MG2920 Wireless All-In-One Printer ($25) | Best Buy

Mobile Devices

• LG Google Nexus 5X Unlocked 16GB Smartphone & $20 Visa Gift Card ($300) | eBay
• LG Watch Urbane Android Smartwatch (Gold) ($200) | Buydig | Use code ONTIME
• LG Watch Urbane Smartwatch (Silver) ($200) | Buydig | Use code ONTIME

Photography

• Sony HDRAZ1VR/W Action Camera Mini Kit with Live View Remote ($248) | Amazon
• DBPOWER Waterproof Action Camera 12MP 1080P HD with 2 Batteries and Free Accessories Kit ($37) | Amazon | Use code ZLYZY8HJ
• AmazonBasics Large DSLR Gadget Bag ($22) | Amazon
• Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED VR II Lens ($115) | eBay

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PAH9AJA/...

Home

• D-Link DCS-960L HD 180-Degree Wi-Fi Camera ($140) | Amazon
• Shark Navigator Deluxe ($100) | Amazon
• Philips 60W Equivalent Daylight A19 LED Light Bulb (4-Pack) ($11) | Home Depot
• Epson LabelWorks LW-400 Label Maker ($23) | Amazon
• 2-Pack of 200 Lumens In-ground Solar Lights ($30) | Amazon
• Cricut Explore One Cutting Machine ($137) | Amazon
• SINGER 5400 Sew Mate Sewing Machine ($90) | Amazon
• Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon ($42) | Amazon
• Anypro 200ML Quieter Ultrasonic Aroma diffuser ($20) | Amazon | Use code 4WOSZUYO
• iClever Smart Wireless Doorbell - 600 Feet Operating Rang with 52 Optinal Chimes ($14) | Amazon | Use code P5RIFW4D

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...

Beauty & Grooming

• Magicfly Hair Straightener Brush ($23) | Amazon | Use code 79RTOIP6

Kitchen

• Great Northern Popcorn Machine Pop Pup 2-1/2oz Retro Style Popcorn Popper ($33) | Amazon
• Farberware 6pc Classic Color Series Non-Stick Resin Knife Set ($18) | eBay
• Mr. Coffee Black 1-Cup Coffee Maker ($10) | Lowes
• Grohe Concetto Single Handle Pull-Down Spray Kitchen Faucet ($146) | Amazon
• X-Chef Stainless Steel Apple Corer ($6) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00815EQEC/...

Fitness

• Confidence GTR Power Pro Motorized Electric Treadmill with Adjustable Incline ($300) | Sears
• [4-piece] Ohuhu® LED Badminton Shuttlecocks ($10) | Amazon | Use code 7NBFHMWM
• Ohuhu 21 Rung Agility Ladder with Black Carry Case ($20) | Amazon | Use code U3IYE78N

Apparel

• High Sierra Tank Messenger Bag ($14) | Amazon
• Black Diamond Access Hybrid Hoodie - Men’s ($99) | REI
• 70% Off Coats for Women, Men, Kids, Baby | Amazon
• 50% Off Skechers Men’s & Women’s Shoes at Amazon
• Uniclife Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Necklace ($14) | Amazon | Use code E2VSSPTW

Camping & Outdoors

• Rubbermaid 20 qt. Modern Blue Cooler ($10) | Home Depot
• Ozark Trail 22 piece Camping Combo Set ($110) | Walmart
• LOFTEK® Smart Rechargeable LED Flashlight/Lantern ($13) | Amazon | Use code BSM9QKYW

Tools & Auto

• Aukey 12000mah Portable Car Auto Jump Starter ($40) | eBay
• DBPOWER Bluetooth Music Receiver/FM Transmitter ($9) | Amazon | Use code ZRLOYN99
• CompuStar Remote Start Kit with Interface and Geek Squad Installation ($190) | Best Buy
  
• DEWALT DWA2T40IR IMPACT READY FlexTorq Screw Driving Set, 40-Piece ($20) | Amazon

Media

Movies & TV

• ESPN 30 for 30 Collector’s Set ($15) | Amazon
• Princess Mononoke ($18) | Amazon
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind ($18) | Amazon
• Naruto Shippuden - The Movie: The Will Of Fire ($8) | Walmart
• Dallas Buyers Club ($6) | Amazon
• Riddick ($7) | Amazon
• Good the Bad & The Ugly ($5) | Amazon
• The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition) ($29) | Amazon
• Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI ($35) | Amazon
• Star Wars Trilogy Episodes I-III ($35) | Amazon
• 007: The Roger Moore Collection (Volume 2) ($10) | Amazon

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Peripherals

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PC

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• Preorder Odin Sphere Leifthrasir - Storybook Edition ($80) | Best Buy
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The American Psycho team is reuniting in the service of true crime. Director Mary Harron and writer Guinevere Turner are making Charles Manson tale The Family, which will focus on the three young women who participated in the infamous 1969 cult murders.

Deadline reports:

Initially given the death penalty for their involvement in the crimes, during which nine people were murdered including actress Sharon Tate, their sentences were ultimately commuted to life imprisonment. The film is a procedural that will focus on [graduate student Karlene Faith’s] time attempting to teach the three women, and on their personal transformations as they slowly grasp the reality of their crimes. The script by Turner is based on Faith’s nonfiction book The Long Prison Journey of Leslie van Houten: Life Beyond the Cult, and on Ed Sanders’ controversial 1971 novel about the Manson Family murders, The Family, from which the film gets its title.

Casting is underway (presumably, actors must be willing to shave their heads), with filming to begin this summer in Los Angeles.

Top image: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, left to right, are shown en route to court in Los Angeles, Ca., Aug. 1970. The three women, displaying the symbol X on their foreheads as followers of the Manson cult family, are on trial for killings that included actress Sharon Tate. (AP Photo)

Curiosity is busy poking and prodding the Bagnold Dunes, learning some new tricks in the first-ever interplanetary fieldwork on a sand dune. And of course it looks absolutely stunning while doing it in this latest sand dune selfie.

The long-awaited dune scoop. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Curiosity crept up on Namib Dune, a large dune within the Bagnold Dunes on Mars, for a science pit stop on its way to the foothills of Mount Sharp. It’s currently performing the first up-close investigation of an active sand dune not on Earth.

The robotic explorer was supposed to bump and scuff the sand on Sol 1217 (the 1,217th day of its mission on Mars), exposing fresh material for analysis. But something happened to trigger failsafes, delaying activity. While its human scientists back on Earth puzzled over what happened, Curiosity focused on opportunistic science by analyzing the chemical composition of the grains.

Curiosity’s current location. Between sol 1216 and 1221, the rover has driven 16.51 feet (5.03 meters). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Over the next few days, while it was stuck at the bottom of the dune, Curiosity took photographs. These will be analyzed to detect any changes in the sand dunes. We know from satellite observations that the Bagnold Dunes are very active, migrating up to 3 feet during an Earth year. The robot also measured wind speeds, to link wind and dune migration. Hopefully it can catch a sand slide (a miniature landslide down the face of the dune) in progress.

The robot is also photographing its own surfaces to check for sand buildup.

Scuffing in Curiosity’s work area, seen on Sol 1229. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The scuff finally happened on Sol 1221, exposing fresh grains while confirming that the sand was deep enough to scoop a sample without banging into hard rock.

Sand in dunes is naturally sorted by density, with wind blowing the finest, lightest grains farther than larger and heavier grains. So mission scientists need to deliberately collect samples of different grain sizes.

Sand! Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On Sol 1224, a scoop of sand was run through a fine sieve to get just the tiniest grains (under 0.006 inches diameter), then fed into a chemical analysis suite on the rover. After running a full workup, the pile was dumped and the rover scooped up a second sample. This time, it ran it through the fine sieve as usual. Then, Curiosity used its coarse sieve. The robot dumped the rejected larger particles into the second sieve, sorting out anything larger than 0.04 inches. The largest material was dumped, but the remaining sample of grains were routed into the analysis kit. Instead of just dumping it through the portioner, the team vibrated the scoop, gently tilting it until the material flowed in a tiny stream into the collection area.

Unfortunately, the collection arm behaved unusually while processing a third sample from the dune, leaving terrestrial scientists once again troubleshooting from afar.

An earlier self-portrait of Curiosity approachingthe dune on Sol 1197 is wheel-meltingly surreal from the distortion of turning a 360 degree panorama into a flat image. Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Top image: Curiosity on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Have Google Cardboard? Check out the scene here.

[AGU’s The Martian Chronicles | NASA]

Contact the author at mika.mckinnon@io9.com or follow her at @MikaMcKinnon.

Kevin Williamson is one of the most famous, influential film and TV writers of the past several decades. From Scream and Dawson’s Creek, to The Faculty and Vampire Diaries, he’s got a knack for playing with genre conventions, and that’s exactly what he’ll attempt to do with his latest pilot.

The pilot is called Time After Time, based on the 1979 Kari Alexander book which also became a movie starring Malcolm McDowell. The story centers on Time Machine and War of the Worlds writer H.G. Wells, who in this world not only writes about a time machine, he’s invented one. Most of his friends are skeptical, save for one, who ends up actually being Jack the Ripper. The murderer steals the machine and ends up in modern times, setting up an adventurous, time-travel detective story.

Variety reports that ABC has given a pilot order to the show, which “uses that story as a starting point, chronicling the epic adventures of young H.G. Wells and his Time Machine.” I can totally see the book being the basis for season one and then taking the idea of H.G. Wells traveling all through time to different places in subsequent seasons. A very cool idea.

[Variety]

Contact the author at germain@io9.com.

As months come and go, so does the selection of titles on Netflix. This month, Netflix is bringing on originals like the reincarnation of Full House and the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As new titles come, others go, so watch The Terminator and The Hurt Locker while you can.

The Highlights

As far critical acclaim is concerned, you’ll want to make sure to catch The Hurt Locker (Rotten Tomatoes: 98%), Terminator (RT: 100%), Rain Man (RT: 90%), and Ray (RT: 81%) before they disappear on February 1st. Other top titles on the way out include United 93 (RT: 91%, leaves Feb. 11) and Jesus Camp (RT: 87%, leaves Feb. 21).

When it comes to arrivals this month, Full Metal Jacket (RT: 95%), Sin City (RT: 78%), the first season of Better Call Saul (RT: 100%), Atonement (RT: 83%), and Dope (RT: 88%) are a few of the top picks. But if you don’t want to miss a thing, you’ll be stoked to hear that Armageddon (RT: 39%) arrives this month as well.

Netflix is also introducing a few originals: Judd Apatow’s Love Season 1 (Feb. 19), Fuller House (Feb. 26), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (Feb. 26).

Leaving Netflix this Month

Feb. 1

• Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
• Asylum
• Bad Santa
• Benny and Joon
• Big Fish
• Blue Crush
• Classic Doctor Who: Collections 1-18
• Crocodile Dundee 2
• The Dancer Upstairs
• Daylight
• Doctor Who: Seasons One-Eight
• The Firm
• Fletch
• Gifted Hands
• Gothika
• The Hurt Locker
• The Naked Gun
• Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
• Rain Man
• Ray
• Secrets and Lies: Season One
• Sorority Row
• The Terminator
• Terms of Endearment

Feb. 2

• Pokémon: Black & White: Seasons One-Two
• Pokémon the Movie: Black & White: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond
• Pokémon the Movie: Black: Victini and Reshiram
• Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened
• Pokémon: Indigo League: Season Two
• Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice
• Pokémon the Movie: White: Victini and Zekrom

Feb. 3

• Bottle Shock

Feb. 7

• Compliance

Feb. 10

• Bunk
• Forecast : Disaster
• Inside Secret America
• Lords of War

Feb. 11

• Bridezillas: Season Ten
• Stephen King’s Bag of Bones
• United 93
• Were the World Mine

Feb. 13

• The Fourth Kind

Feb. 15

• Kitten Party
• My Animal Friends

Feb. 16

• The Pitch – AMC

Feb. 17

• Violet & Daisy

Feb. 19

• North Sea Texas
• Problem Child: Leslie Jones
• Side by Side

Feb. 21

• Jesus Camp
• Marriage Boot Camp Bridezillas: Season One
• Nobody Walks
• Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning

Feb. 24

• Chicagoland: Season One
• Death Row Stories: Season One

Feb. 25

• The Guild: Season One

Feb. 27

• Crooked Arrows
• Halloween: Resurrection

Feb. 28

• Sabrina, The Animated Series: Seasons One-Two
• The Sea Inside
• Sonic the Hedgehog: The Complete Series

Arriving On Netflix this Month

Feb. 1

• Armageddon
  
• Better Call Saul, Season 1
  
• Charlie’s Angels
  
• Collateral Damage
  
• Cruel Intentions
  
• Johnny English
  
• The Little Engine that Could
  
• The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, season 1
  
• Masha’s Tales, Season 1
  
• Open Season
  
• Para Elisa
  
• Pokemon: XY, Season 1
  
• Scooby-Doo
  
• Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
  
• Sin City
  
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
  
• Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
  
• Teen Witch
  

Feb. 3

• I Love You Phillip Morris
  

Feb. 4

• Love
  

Feb. 5

• Care Bears & Cousins, Season 2
  
• Hannibal Buress: Comedy Camisado
  
• Mad Men, Season 7 Part 2
  
• Turbo FAST, Season 3
  

Feb.6

• Lila & Eve
  

Feb. 10

• Dope
  

Feb. 16

• Atonement
  

Feb. 17

• The Returned, Season 2
  

Feb. 19

• Cooked, Season 1
  
• Love, Season 1
  

Feb. 22

• Fuerzas Especiales 2
  

Feb. 24

• Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!
  

Feb. 26

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
  
• Fuller House, Season 1
  
• Theo Von: No Offense

Without a doubt Rebecca Ferguson was one of 2015's breakout stars. Now, she’s breaking out of the atmosphere. The star of Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation has been cast in a scifi movie called Life, written by the guys who did Deadpool.

Life, which will be directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House), follows a group of astronauts on the International Space Station who bring back a sample from Mars. They then realize it’s much more dangerous than they originally thought. It sounds a little like Alien, but closer to home.

Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, who wrote Zombieland and the upcoming Deadpool, came up with the story and wrote the script.

After her star-making performance in Mission: Impossible, Ferguson has been a very sought-after actor. Along with Life, rumor has it she’ll be the rare female lead returning to the M:I franchise when filming starts later this year.

[Variety]

There’s a long-standing urban legend that part of Princess Mononoke is really about leprosy. Now, the film’s creator, Hayao Miyazaki, confirmed that this was no legend. It’s a fact.

The thematic element in Princess Mononoke that is most commonly discussed is nature, but there are other subtextual themes running through the work.

[Image via rshijima | Studio Ghibli]

In Japan, this urban legend appears to be more common. A Japanese Studio Ghibli urban legend site recounted the Princess Mononoke leprosy interpretation in English, pointing out that the characters who are covered with bandages at the Tatara factory are believed to actually have leprosy (Hansen’s Disease).

The original Japanese version doesn’t use the word “leprosy,” and instead uses the Japanese word “gyobyo” (incurable disease). The previously mentioned Ghibli urban site adds that the word “gyobyo” (incurable disease) also means “suffering the consequences,” but that this is the same as the leprosy patients who have dealt with discrimination. Via the same site:

There was a scene where one of patients said, [Eboshi was the only one who saved us, and let us stay here when we didn’t have anywhere else to go]- This references that they have incurable disease and are discriminated against by others anywhere they go.

Urban Legend Magazine, likewise, mentions this urban legend.

[Image via rshijima | Studio Ghibli]

January 31 is World Leprosy Day, and the All Nippon News Network is reporting that in light of that upcoming event, which is designed to raise awareness for leprosy, the famed animator has confirmed that the disease and how people with it are treated was the inspiration. This is apparently the first time he’s discussed this publicly.

[Image via All Nippon News Network]

“While making Princess Mononoke, I thought I had to depict people who are ill with what’s clearly called an incurable disease, but who are living as best they can,” Miyazaki recently said. While making the film, Miyazaki visited a sanatorium for Hansen’s Disease in Tokyo and met with former patients that had been cured, drawing upon his experiences for the film.

Top image: Itaishinja | Studio Ghibli

To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter@Brian_Ashcraft.

Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

LISA Pathfinder, a major effort to search for gravitational waves beyond Earth, launched on December 3rd, 2015. But those few minutes of space inferno actually takes much, much longer to prepare.

Thankfully, the European Space Agency lets us see the three-week process boiled down to about three minutes with crews busily prepping Lisa for its early December launch. The timelapse starts all the way back on November 12, as ESA begins the laborious process of spaceflight. Here’s the tick-tock breakdown of what you’re seeing up above via ESA.

Over this period, the spacecraft was attached to the payload adaptor of the Vega launcher, encapsulated within the half-shells of the rocket fairing, transferred to the launcher assembly area, and installed on top of Vega inside the mobile gantry, which was withdrawn shortly before liftoff.

Oh, did we mention that the timelapse is in 4K? 😎

SPLOID is delicious brain candy. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

If you haven’t seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens yet, why bother? Just troll the entire world by saying you were too busy or that Star Wars is just okay or that you’re totally fine with missing out on whatever silly pop culture thing takes over the world for a few minutes every year. Just watch this hilarious speedrun drawing of the movie by 1A4 Studio instead. It’s basically all you need. Who needs the special effects?

Spoilers, duh, below.

SPLOID is delicious brain candy. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

There’s an unwritten rule in the wake of a DC superhero movie trailer coming out that someone, somewhere, will inevitably make a mash-up using the audio track of the trailer with footage from the beloved DC animated universe, and it will be fantastic. Suicide Squad is certainly no different.

http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-new-suicid...

This newest iteration comes from Reuven White, who takes bits of Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Justice League: Unlimited) to make his mash-up. There’s a few swap-outs simply due to the restrictions of what the shows did or didn’t do—Firefly replaces El Diablo, for example, and there’s a random shot of Green Lantern and Hawkgirl smooching in there for some reason—but it’s still a good recreation of the new live-action trailer.

We’re pretty excited for Suicide Squad, but this definitely makes us wonder what the film would have looked like with these more traditional versions of DC’s villains. Classic Harley was, is, and always will be the best.

At last summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, Mattel announced that it would be making a special line of Barbie figures featuring characters from the upcoming Batman v Superman film. And since the movie’s premiere is just over a month away, the Batman version has just appeared on Amazon.

Last week it was also revealed that after 57 years Barbie would finally be available in three new body types, but now it’s come to light that Mattel apparently doesn’t want muscular crime-fighting billionaires to feel under-represented either. Ken has always been pretty fit, but never to the degree of Batman’s physical prowess.

The Batman v Superman Wonder Woman version of Barbie was already revealed last summer, but both her and the new Batman Barbie are finally available via Amazon for $90, with Superman presumably not far behind.

[Amazon via Toy News International]

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“People always say, ‘When did you decide to be a writer?’ And I never wanted to be a writer. I just wrote.” That’s Ursula K. Le Guin, speaking in a clip from Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin, an in-progress documentary about the award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. Filmmaker Arwen Curry’s been working on the project for seven years, and is now turning to crowdfunding to help complete it.

Check out the Kickstarter page and video here, which features Michael Chabon and Margaret Atwood singing the praises of the 86-year-old author of The Lathe of Heaven, the Earthsea series, and many more. Here’s what Curry writes about her project:

In the film, we’ll accompany Le Guin on an intimate journey of self-discovery as she comes into her own as a major feminist author, inspiring generations of women and other marginalized writers along the way. To tell this story, the film reaches into the past as well as the future – to a childhood steeped in the myths and stories of disappeared Native peoples Le Guin absorbed as the daughter of prominent California anthropologist Alfred Kroeber and author Theodora Kroeber.

Le Guin’s story allows audiences to reflect on science fiction’s unique role in American culture, as a conduit for our utopian dreams, apocalyptic fears, and tempestuous romance with technology. More than ever, we need to perform the kinds of thought experiments that Le Guin pioneered, to ask how we should behave as our technologies transform us beyond the wildest dreams of our grandparents.

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin, which will run about an hour long, is currently trying to raise funds to unlock a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The campaign just began today and runs through March 4. The donor perks are pretty sweet, too—everything from signed books to a covetable tote bag decorated with Le Guin’s hand-drawn map of the world of Earthsea.

Both images courtesy of Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin

It’s been 17 years since the original release of Pokémon: The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. Since then, there’s been 19 other Pokémon movies. For veteran Pokémon players, I’m guessing that none of the newer movies match up to the original one, though.

The First Pokémon Movie, for those that don’t know, is actually Mewtwo’s origin story. If you’ve played Pokémon Red and Blue, you’re probably already familiar with it: Mewtwo is the result of a scientific cloning experiment that used the DNA of an ancient Pokémon, Mew. As such, Mewtwo holds the distinction of being one of the few man-made Pokémon, ever. The games don’t really dig into that remarkable fact. Instead, the games are happy to turn Mewtwo into just another rare Pokémon you can capture, if you’re patient enough.

In the movie, you get to hear Mewtwo’s voice. You get to hear his anguish, his anger, his rage. He doesn’t understand why humans created him, or why humans treat him as if he were just a test subject—and not a sentient being. Unsurprisingly, Mewtwo doesn’t really want to dedicate his life to fighting mindless Pokémon battles for the amusement of humans, either. Instead, Mewtwo has dreams of flying. He still has memories of being a Mew, of taking to the skies and soaring.

Looking back now, I’m shocked that the movie went there at all. Think about it: the central fantasy at the heart of Pokémon is that there’s nothing wrong with humans forming a society around what is essentially cockfighting. Mewtwo’s existence, and his moral dilemma, actively grapples with the issue of humans owning Pokémon. You can’t watch the movie without questioning everything about Pokémon’s structure and premise.

Now, I’m not trying to suggest that the first Pokémon movie is an intentionally deep meditation on Pokémon. It’s a silly kids movie. Why in the world would Ash Ketchum get an invitation to meet the most powerful trainer alive? If owning Pokémon is so awful, why is the first thing Mewtwo does clone Pokémon to do his bidding? Shouldn’t Mewtwo know first-hand how existentially terrifying being a clone is? And why does Ash think he can one v one motherfucking Mewtwo? Are you serious, bro?

Let’s get one thing straight here. The first Pokémon movie is not good. It’s cheesy. The central message is about as subtle as a pack of Wailords. And the music—god, the music. This is an actual song that plays during the first Pokémon movie:

It’s garbage. The whole thing is just trash.

And yet! None of this matters. Maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, but there’s a part near the end of the movie...you probably know what I’m talking about, right?

The Pokémon become exhausted trying to fight one another:

But Mew and Mewtwo don’t care. They’re still fighting at this point, still trying to take each other down. Meanwhile, all the Pokémon around them tear each other to pieces.

Ash, heartbroken at what he’s seeing, tries to put a stop to the madness. By which I mean that Ash, the eternal genius, decides to run into the attacks of two of the most powerful Pokémon ever:

Ash then turns into stone. Pikachu, bless its tiny little rodent heart, tries to bring Ash back to life:

He can’t.

Touched by Ash’s courage, every single Pokémon in the room starts crying. And that’s when Pokémongets all DBZ on us: through the collected power of everyone’s tears, Ash somehow comes back to life. It’s like a Spirit Bomb, except it’s made out of tears instead of energy:

I know, it’s silly deus ex machina. I don’t care. Seventeen years later, after I have become a grown-ass adult, Pokémon can still make me cry. It doesn’t help that the Pikachu, with all its cuteness and sassiness, reminds me of my real-life cat. Though I’m sure my cat wouldn’t shed a single tear if I died right in front of her. She’d probably just try to eat me instead, the heartless monster. It’s no wonder the fantasy of Pokémon is so potent!

I was ready to hate rewatching the first Pokémon movie. I was ready to detail every single flaw I could find, to rip it apart. Instead, the movie reminded me of everything sweet and absurd that I love about Pokémon, and why, after twenty years of games and movies, I keep coming back for more.

You can watch the first Pokémon movie on YouTube here.

“There’s an evil in the wood.” Uh, no kidding. We haven’t even seen The Witch yet and the horror film’s ever-scarier trailers are already giving us nightmares. Which is to say, we’re very excited to finally see what’s probably going to be the scariest movie of the year. The Witch comes out February 19.

Gotham, a hellish form of torture dreamt up solely to punish Rob Bricken that occasionally moonlights as a Fox TV show, is heading to comics. Well, the story is actually heading back to comics, given its increasingly loose roots in Batman fiction.

Regardless, the cast of Gotham now has its own motion comic, and you can watch the first episode right now.

Gotham Stories was originally meant to air on Fox during episodes of The X-Files beginning tonight, but those clips will only be 30 seconds of the cast of Gotham breathlessly reading the dialogue of a comic book made by Tony Bedard and Matt Haleyout as it flashes on screen. The network has now revealed that uncut, 60-second versions of each episode will now appear earlier in the day on IGN, presumably so fans eager for more Gotham don’t have to struggle through the effort of watching The X-Files, which doesn’t even have loose approximations of DC comics characters in it!

The five-part motion comic is set in between the two halves of the show’s midseason break, setting up the appearance of Nathan Darrow’s Mr. Freeze when the show returns at the end of the month. Not even an ice pun in his first appearance, Gotham Stories? Such restraint.

If you much prefer your Gotham sans motion, DC Comics will gather the whole thing into a print edition for fans to purchase after all the episodes have aired. That’s right, an honest-to-god Gotham comic book on store shelves.

What a world.

[IGN]