For 2021, LG isn’t overhauling its popular line of OLED TVs. Instead, it’s addressing one of the most common complaints with the technology: peak brightness.
With its more expensive G-series of OLED TVs, announced during CES 2021, LG is promising better overall brightness levels with what it’s calling OLED Evo. This should, in theory, make picture quality better in brightly lit rooms, where the lower brightness levels of OLED vs. LCD struggled.
LG isn’t including this with its new C-series line, the follow-up to arguably one of the most popular TVs series around the launch of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The new C1 comes in various sizes, including 48″, 55″, and 65″, and features a refreshed panel, LG’s new 6.0 webOS, and a more powerful a9 internal processor to help power this year’s iteration of AI picture enhancements.
The ninth Fast & Furious movie was one of the first films to be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, and it still won’t be with us until late May. We did however get to see the F9 trailer before the delay was announced, and it revealed that fan favorite character Han will be making his return to the series. Now star and producer Vin Diesel has spoken about Han’s return and what fans can expect from the next movie.
Han, played by Sung Kang, was seemingly killed off in 2006’s Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift and shown again in Fast & Furious 6–which takes place before Tokyo Drift–leading to a fan campaign termed “Justice for Han.” But as last year’s F9 trailer revealed, he’s very much alive. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Diesel explained that the character is a vital part of the series.
“Han is an integral character in this franchise,” he said. “If you remember, he’s kind of responsible for the away years of [Diesel’s character] Dom Toretto. He’s the one doing jobs with him in Mexico, he’s the only one who knows where Dom is, and in many ways is the bridge for Dom when Dom comes back in Tokyo Drift. So there’s something very special and magical about the Han character. When you see the movie you’ll feel it, but I believe at the core it’s another testament to, not only don’t turn your back on family, but don’t give up on family.”
This is not exactly the busiest week ever for new shows and movies hitting Netflix, but what will be on offer is thankfully pretty solid. With just a handful of new content coming to the streaming service, there still is somehow something for pretty much everyone.
Easily one of the big standouts among the upcoming days is Season 3 of Disenchantment–landing on the streaming service January 15. Where creator Matt Groening’s The Simpsons is a satire of modern life, and Futurama was a send-up of sci-fi, Netflix’s Disenchantment is an animated sitcom both celebrating and skewering fantasy tropes. While the offbeat show has not exactly blown up since debuting in 2018, fans of Simpsons sensibilities and animation style have a lot to love in this show that follows the story of Bean, a rebellious and alcoholic princess. (It’s funnier than that sounds.) This season will be the show’s true test, as it will now be up for renewal after getting the greenlight for an impressive three seasons when first getting picked up.
Also that day, Steven Spielberg’s Hook surfaces on Netflix. It really says a lot about the 1991 film (and the actor, for that matter) that Robin Williams as Peter Pan is one of the actor’s more grounded performances, and his chemistry with Dustin Hoffman as the arch Captain Hook is likely more nuanced than most people remember. (Julia Roberts is also excellent as the digitally shrunken Tinkerbell.) The film is flat-out fun, which is just what these winter months call for.
TCL is rolling out a new 6-Series of TVs and while you might think it’s yet another batch of budget TVs, the entire TCL 2021 lineup will only feature 8K TVs.
With this bump in resolution, the new TCL 6-Series will pack four times the resolution of today’s 4K TVs. These sets will also feature an improved AiPQ Engine to power 8K image upscaling.
Unfortunately, those are all the details TCL is serving up on its 8K TVs for now, so there’s no word on further specs, pricing, or availability. At the very least though TLC pledges that this move will make 8K more accessible.
85 inch 4-Series TCL Roku TV (85R435)
XL Collection
On top of raising the resolution of its flagship TVs, TCL also announced a new XL collection of 85-inch screens. This is the first time TCL has put out sets this big, and the XL collection so far consists of an 85 inch 4-Series TCL Roku TV (85R435), 85-inch 4K HDR TCL QLED TCL Roku TV (85R745), and 85 inch 8K mini-LED TCL TV.
The 85 inch 4-Series TCL Roku TV aims to be the most affordable big screen TV at $1,599 when it arrives within the first quarter of this year.
85-inch 4K HDR TCL QLED TCL Roku TV (85R745)
For those looking for a higher-quality HDR experience, the 85-inch 4K HDR TCL QLED TCL Roku TV (85R745) adds Quantum Dot (QLED) color technology to deliver better brightness and wider color volume. Lastly, the 85-inch 8K TV is powered by a mini-LED backlighting system.
The 85 inch QLED TCL Roku TV (85R745) and 85 inch mini-LED powered 8K TV are both set to arrive later within the next few months.
OD Zero mini-LED
TCL also took this time to tease its 3rd generation mini-LED backlight called OD Zero mini-LED technology that will be launching later this year.
TCL was one of the first TV makers to put mini-LED technology into its TVs last year. OD Zero kicks things up a notch by packing tens of thousands of mini-LEDs to create thousands of Contrast Control Zones.
OD Zero also reduces the distance between the mini-LED backlight layer and the LCD display layer to 0mm, so you get an unbelievably high brightness and deep contrast from an ultra-slim display.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 has unveiled the cast line-up for The Sparrow Academy, and it includes a telekinetic cube named Christopher.
Netflix announced that Justin Cornwell, Britne Oldford, Jake Epstein, Genesis Rodriguez, and Cazzie David will be appearing as the alternate crew in the next season of The Umbrella Academy, together with Justin H. Min who is set to return as Ben but not the one that we know. They will star alongside Christopher, a mysterious cube that serves as a loyal oracle of the Sparrows.
Meet the cast of The Sparrow Academy in our slideshow below:
Cornwell will portray Marcus, aka Sparrow No. 1, who is described as being “charming, chiseled and colossus,” as well as “honest, virtuous and demanding.” According to Netflix, he will play an important role in the family dynamic as he will ultimately help to keep them all together. “Graceful but lethal, calculated but compassionate, he is as smart as he is strong,” says the streamer. “Marcus is disciplined, rational, and in control. He oozes confidence and leadership without ever having to raise his voice.”
Min will return as Ben, Sparrow No. 2 in Season 3, but it’s “not the sweet Ben we know and love.” In his alternate role, Ben is said to be “a Machiavellian tactician, wrapped up in a pretty boy body with a rumbling inner-squid.” He is described as being “vicious, pragmatic, and hyper-vigilant” as he focuses on gaining his status as the leader, whatever the cost.
Oldford will play Fei, Sparrow No. 3, a character that “sees the world in a special way” and “comes across as a misanthrope who would rather be alone than spend even a second with you,” however, beneath that tough exterior, Fei wishes she had a friend. Rather than socialising with pals, she spends most of the time being “the smartest person in the room.” Netflix says she is a sedulous individual who is “willing to work things out” and “won’t stop until the job is done.”
Epstein’s Alphonso is Sparrow No. 4, a person whose face and body are scarred with “countless visual reminders of his battles” from his years of crime-fighting. Externally, he may be bruised but internally he is “armed with a caustic and biting sense of humor.” According to the streamer, “the only thing he likes better than verbally battering anyone foolish enough to get in his face, is a good pizza and a six-pack of beer.”
Rodriguez will star as Sloane, Sparrow No. 5, “a romantic and a dreamer who feels a higher cosmic calling leaving her eager to see the world and experience a life beyond her upbringing.” Yet her obligations to her family keep her tethered to the Academy, as does her fear of crossing the family line. “But Sloane has plans,” Netflix reveals. “And one day she might just be brave enough to act on them.”
David’s Jayme, aka Sparrow No. 6, is described as being “a loner hidden under a hoodie,” though she does have a friend in Alphonso who she enjoys spending time with when she isn’t busy giving out her “fear-inducing snarls.” Apparently, if you catch a glimpse of it, you would want to “run across the street to avoid what follows.”
Finally, an existential dread-inducing psykronium cube will join the motley crew as Sparrow No. 7. “Christopher is a telekinetic cube of unknown origin,” per Netflix. “He can turn the room freezing cold and induce paralyzing fear. He acts as the Sparrows’ consulted oracle who hands out incredible advice and serves as the family mediator. Trustworthy, loyal, and is treated by the Sparrows like any other sibling, Christopher is a force to be reckoned with.”
FX has ordered a limited series about the famous and infamous punk band the Sex Pistols. The show, Pistol, is a six-episode arc based on guitarist Steve Jones’ 2018 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol. The series is set to begin production on March 7.
Academy Award winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) will direct and executive produce the series, which comes from writers and fellow executive producers Craig Pearce (Romeo + Juliet) and Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Doctor Who). Pearce is the show’s creator.
“Imagine breaking into the world of The Crown and Downton Abbey with your mates and screaming your songs and your fury at all they represent,” said Boyle in a release. “This is the moment that British society and culture changed forever… At its center was a young charming illiterate kelptomaniac–a hero for the times–Steve Jones, who became in his own words, the 94th greatest guitarist of all time. This is how he got there.”
Fans of Hearthstone‘s Edwin VanCleef will have to start adjusting their strategy, as Blizzard has announced that the Rogue class card will finally be getting a nerf in the upcoming 19.2.1 patch. While Edwin is still on the chopping block for Standard games in a few months, Blizzard is increasing its mana cost by one point so that Edwin players won’t be able to end games early with the card’s +2/+2 ability that activated with every card played that turn.
Shaman’s Boggspine Knuckles weapon will also see its attack lowered so that it has decreased fluidity and increased investment for playing a 5-mana weapon without a free Dread Corsair, according to the Hearthstone team. This will reduce the overall damage output the deck is capable of over multiple weapon charges and lowers the number of explosive plays available to Evolve Shaman overall.
Elisa the Immortal is also receiving a big downgrade in Battlegrounds, as her health and attack has been reduced from 7 to 4. This will likely result in Elisa no longer being a wrecking machine against minions or a strong magnet for absorbing attacks.
Sunday afternoon’s Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints NFL Wild Card playoff game was broadcast on the children’s TV network Nickelodeon–and it was weird.
The broadcast featured a variety of special graphics, including the network’s trademark slime pouring down on the field (virtually) after touchdowns, while slime was also used to project the first-down marker on the field. During field goal attempts, meanwhile, SpongeBob’s face was projected between the goal posts.
There was also a Minecraft-y segment where the Bears and Saints players became block-y athletes in what was one of the stranger sequences during the evening.
