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30500 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
But until the late 20th century, subtext is where those messages stayed buried: charged little winks to audiences that may have led to genre success, but could never actually be stated out loud by any character on the page.
It would take until the 1970s for those themes to finally take center stage. Not coincidentally, it would take a woman to do it. When Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire reached bookshelves in 1976, it was a watershed moment for vampire novels — the first time a mainstream book had prominently featured vampires that were gay, campy, and unapologetically fabulous.
For that alone, you might mistake Rice for a classic vampire-infected propagandist for the cause, but the case is a little muddier than that. Rice had a famously ambivalent relationship with the Catholicism of her youth, first turning away from it in favor of sexy gothic monster books, then embracing it in the early 2000s to pen a series of Christ-themed religious fiction, then finally rejecting the Church once more over its conservative social positions (“It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group,” she wrote on her Facebook page at the time). |
30501 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
When Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire reached bookshelves in 1976, it was a watershed moment for vampire novels — the first time a mainstream book had prominently featured vampires that were gay, campy, and unapologetically fabulous.
For that alone, you might mistake Rice for a classic vampire-infected propagandist for the cause, but the case is a little muddier than that. Rice had a famously ambivalent relationship with the Catholicism of her youth, first turning away from it in favor of sexy gothic monster books, then embracing it in the early 2000s to pen a series of Christ-themed religious fiction, then finally rejecting the Church once more over its conservative social positions (“It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group,” she wrote on her Facebook page at the time). Even so, religious flirtation is canonically one of the few things a vampire can’t tolerate even in small doses, so this is one case in which the jury is no longer out. |
30502 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
For that alone, you might mistake Rice for a classic vampire-infected propagandist for the cause, but the case is a little muddier than that. Rice had a famously ambivalent relationship with the Catholicism of her youth, first turning away from it in favor of sexy gothic monster books, then embracing it in the early 2000s to pen a series of Christ-themed religious fiction, then finally rejecting the Church once more over its conservative social positions (“It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group,” she wrote on her Facebook page at the time). Even so, religious flirtation is canonically one of the few things a vampire can’t tolerate even in small doses, so this is one case in which the jury is no longer out.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Laurell K. Hamilton
Best-known vampire books: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series (1993-present)
Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire novels are like the final evolution of an undead Pokémon. |
30503 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Rice had a famously ambivalent relationship with the Catholicism of her youth, first turning away from it in favor of sexy gothic monster books, then embracing it in the early 2000s to pen a series of Christ-themed religious fiction, then finally rejecting the Church once more over its conservative social positions (“It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group,” she wrote on her Facebook page at the time). Even so, religious flirtation is canonically one of the few things a vampire can’t tolerate even in small doses, so this is one case in which the jury is no longer out.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Laurell K. Hamilton
Best-known vampire books: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series (1993-present)
Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire novels are like the final evolution of an undead Pokémon. Where Anne Rice made vampires sexy but still took pains to remind readers that they were fundamentally the stuff of nightmares, Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is more like the merrily obscene aesthetic of a 1970s grindhouse flick. |
30504 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Even so, religious flirtation is canonically one of the few things a vampire can’t tolerate even in small doses, so this is one case in which the jury is no longer out.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Laurell K. Hamilton
Best-known vampire books: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series (1993-present)
Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire novels are like the final evolution of an undead Pokémon. Where Anne Rice made vampires sexy but still took pains to remind readers that they were fundamentally the stuff of nightmares, Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is more like the merrily obscene aesthetic of a 1970s grindhouse flick. Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. |
30505 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Verdict: Not a vampire
Laurell K. Hamilton
Best-known vampire books: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series (1993-present)
Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire novels are like the final evolution of an undead Pokémon. Where Anne Rice made vampires sexy but still took pains to remind readers that they were fundamentally the stuff of nightmares, Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is more like the merrily obscene aesthetic of a 1970s grindhouse flick. Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. |
30506 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Verdict: Not a vampire
Laurell K. Hamilton
Best-known vampire books: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series (1993-present)
Laurell K. Hamilton’s vampire novels are like the final evolution of an undead Pokémon. Where Anne Rice made vampires sexy but still took pains to remind readers that they were fundamentally the stuff of nightmares, Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is more like the merrily obscene aesthetic of a 1970s grindhouse flick. Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. Vlad the Impaler worked for that nickname, dammit, and the last thing they need is for an airport novel to make a stake through the heart look fun. |
30507 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Where Anne Rice made vampires sexy but still took pains to remind readers that they were fundamentally the stuff of nightmares, Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is more like the merrily obscene aesthetic of a 1970s grindhouse flick. Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. Vlad the Impaler worked for that nickname, dammit, and the last thing they need is for an airport novel to make a stake through the heart look fun. No, Laurell K. Hamilton isn’t among the denizens of the undead. |
30508 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. Vlad the Impaler worked for that nickname, dammit, and the last thing they need is for an airport novel to make a stake through the heart look fun. No, Laurell K. Hamilton isn’t among the denizens of the undead. She’s the one thing they’ve come to fear this millennium: a good punchline. |
30509 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Her characters bash, slaughter, and jump one another’s bones (animated or otherwise), but it’s all in good fun. With her books, the sexy and violent vampire has reached a Looney Tunes stage of madcap romp, and audiences can’t get enough of it.
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. Vlad the Impaler worked for that nickname, dammit, and the last thing they need is for an airport novel to make a stake through the heart look fun. No, Laurell K. Hamilton isn’t among the denizens of the undead. She’s the one thing they’ve come to fear this millennium: a good punchline.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Taika Waititi
Best-known vampire work: What We Do in the Shadows (2014, 2019-present)
While What We Do in the Shadows isn’t actually a work of prose fiction, and Waititi isn’t actually an author, who is to say what constitutes true literature, anyway? |
30510 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
But does that make Hamilton herself a vampire? I’d argue to the contrary. Nothing serves the vampire cause less than undermining the air of looming menace that they’ve been cultivating since the 15th century. Vlad the Impaler worked for that nickname, dammit, and the last thing they need is for an airport novel to make a stake through the heart look fun. No, Laurell K. Hamilton isn’t among the denizens of the undead. She’s the one thing they’ve come to fear this millennium: a good punchline.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Taika Waititi
Best-known vampire work: What We Do in the Shadows (2014, 2019-present)
While What We Do in the Shadows isn’t actually a work of prose fiction, and Waititi isn’t actually an author, who is to say what constitutes true literature, anyway? Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. |
30511 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
No, Laurell K. Hamilton isn’t among the denizens of the undead. She’s the one thing they’ve come to fear this millennium: a good punchline.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Taika Waititi
Best-known vampire work: What We Do in the Shadows (2014, 2019-present)
While What We Do in the Shadows isn’t actually a work of prose fiction, and Waititi isn’t actually an author, who is to say what constitutes true literature, anyway? Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. |
30512 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
She’s the one thing they’ve come to fear this millennium: a good punchline.
Verdict: Not a vampire
Taika Waititi
Best-known vampire work: What We Do in the Shadows (2014, 2019-present)
While What We Do in the Shadows isn’t actually a work of prose fiction, and Waititi isn’t actually an author, who is to say what constitutes true literature, anyway? Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. |
30513 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Verdict: Not a vampire
Taika Waititi
Best-known vampire work: What We Do in the Shadows (2014, 2019-present)
While What We Do in the Shadows isn’t actually a work of prose fiction, and Waititi isn’t actually an author, who is to say what constitutes true literature, anyway? Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement. |
30514 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement.
And what can we say about Taika Waititi? |
30515 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Regardless, What We Do in the Shadows, which Waititi co-created along with his fellow New Zealander Jemaine Clement (the two wrote and directed the original 2014 movie) is surely the most culturally pervasive piece of vampire-themed fiction to reach mass audiences over the past few years. Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement.
And what can we say about Taika Waititi? Here is a director and writer who started out charmingly likable, beloved by both audiences and critics; he was happily invited into our homes; rapidly wore out his welcome; and, almost before we knew what had happened, he has curdled into an odorous pestilence we couldn’t seem to be rid of (when you lose the Chris Hemsworth demographic, you know you’re in trouble). |
30516 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Just as importantly, it marks the necessary next step in the inexorable movement of vampiric lore from creeping terror to sexy camp to outright comedy with only the faintest twist of terror to remind us of its origins. Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement.
And what can we say about Taika Waititi? Here is a director and writer who started out charmingly likable, beloved by both audiences and critics; he was happily invited into our homes; rapidly wore out his welcome; and, almost before we knew what had happened, he has curdled into an odorous pestilence we couldn’t seem to be rid of (when you lose the Chris Hemsworth demographic, you know you’re in trouble). And yet, here we are, coming back for more, year after year, drawn to him by a force we are powerless to explain — when it comes to Our Flag Means Death, we are all Renfields. |
30517 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
Two centuries after its English-language birth, the vampire genre has at last been metaphorically defanged. We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement.
And what can we say about Taika Waititi? Here is a director and writer who started out charmingly likable, beloved by both audiences and critics; he was happily invited into our homes; rapidly wore out his welcome; and, almost before we knew what had happened, he has curdled into an odorous pestilence we couldn’t seem to be rid of (when you lose the Chris Hemsworth demographic, you know you’re in trouble). And yet, here we are, coming back for more, year after year, drawn to him by a force we are powerless to explain — when it comes to Our Flag Means Death, we are all Renfields. And what, after all, could serve the vampire cause better than to trick us into thinking the threat had passed? My friends, we haven’t just found a vampire. We have found their king. |
30518 | A field guide to the vampire authors who were probably vampires
We humans have taken its blood and sucked it dry for our amusement.
And what can we say about Taika Waititi? Here is a director and writer who started out charmingly likable, beloved by both audiences and critics; he was happily invited into our homes; rapidly wore out his welcome; and, almost before we knew what had happened, he has curdled into an odorous pestilence we couldn’t seem to be rid of (when you lose the Chris Hemsworth demographic, you know you’re in trouble). And yet, here we are, coming back for more, year after year, drawn to him by a force we are powerless to explain — when it comes to Our Flag Means Death, we are all Renfields. And what, after all, could serve the vampire cause better than to trick us into thinking the threat had passed? My friends, we haven’t just found a vampire. We have found their king.
Verdict: Dracula |
30519 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
We're spending a week diving deep into the stories behind your favorite vampires. Who says we only get to celebrate vampires at Halloween?
You know what’s cooler than a vampire story? A story that’s not a vampire story, but surprise — it has vampires.
The surprise vampire is a rich tradition, unfolding across many different media intended for all kinds of audiences. Sometimes it is a prominent part of a story that’s made richer for the unexpected presence of a bloodsucker.
Sometimes it is subtle, an easily missable detail that rewards only the most observant. In the best version, the vampires are always there, in the background, waiting for you to discover them — just like in real life.
Here are some of our favorite examples.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion
If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your introduction to the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons, you might be shocked to find out about a lot of stuff that’s tucked away in the world’s most famous tabletop role-playing game. |
30520 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Who says we only get to celebrate vampires at Halloween?
You know what’s cooler than a vampire story? A story that’s not a vampire story, but surprise — it has vampires.
The surprise vampire is a rich tradition, unfolding across many different media intended for all kinds of audiences. Sometimes it is a prominent part of a story that’s made richer for the unexpected presence of a bloodsucker.
Sometimes it is subtle, an easily missable detail that rewards only the most observant. In the best version, the vampires are always there, in the background, waiting for you to discover them — just like in real life.
Here are some of our favorite examples.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion
If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your introduction to the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons, you might be shocked to find out about a lot of stuff that’s tucked away in the world’s most famous tabletop role-playing game. The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? |
30521 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Sometimes it is a prominent part of a story that’s made richer for the unexpected presence of a bloodsucker.
Sometimes it is subtle, an easily missable detail that rewards only the most observant. In the best version, the vampires are always there, in the background, waiting for you to discover them — just like in real life.
Here are some of our favorite examples.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion
If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your introduction to the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons, you might be shocked to find out about a lot of stuff that’s tucked away in the world’s most famous tabletop role-playing game. The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do. |
30522 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Sometimes it is subtle, an easily missable detail that rewards only the most observant. In the best version, the vampires are always there, in the background, waiting for you to discover them — just like in real life.
Here are some of our favorite examples.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion
If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your introduction to the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons, you might be shocked to find out about a lot of stuff that’s tucked away in the world’s most famous tabletop role-playing game. The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do.
The Matrix Reloaded: The Merovingian’s Henchmen
Like a lot of ideas in the Matrix movies, a seemingly throwaway line leads to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene with wild implications for everything you’re looking at. |
30523 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Here are some of our favorite examples.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion
If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your introduction to the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons, you might be shocked to find out about a lot of stuff that’s tucked away in the world’s most famous tabletop role-playing game. The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do.
The Matrix Reloaded: The Merovingian’s Henchmen
Like a lot of ideas in the Matrix movies, a seemingly throwaway line leads to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene with wild implications for everything you’re looking at. In The Matrix, The Oracle tells Neo that things that go bump in the night are in fact real, the result of a program misbehaving, an error in the virtual world of The Matrix. |
30524 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do.
The Matrix Reloaded: The Merovingian’s Henchmen
Like a lot of ideas in the Matrix movies, a seemingly throwaway line leads to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene with wild implications for everything you’re looking at. In The Matrix, The Oracle tells Neo that things that go bump in the night are in fact real, the result of a program misbehaving, an error in the virtual world of The Matrix. In The Matrix Reloaded, we meet some of those misbehaving programs in the form of the Merovingian’s henchmen. |
30525 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
The great thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it centers all that weird stuff — like Astarion, a haughty elf that you can either play as or recruit to your party very early on, and guess what? He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do.
The Matrix Reloaded: The Merovingian’s Henchmen
Like a lot of ideas in the Matrix movies, a seemingly throwaway line leads to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene with wild implications for everything you’re looking at. In The Matrix, The Oracle tells Neo that things that go bump in the night are in fact real, the result of a program misbehaving, an error in the virtual world of The Matrix. In The Matrix Reloaded, we meet some of those misbehaving programs in the form of the Merovingian’s henchmen. The Merovingian’s wife, Persephone, notes that they are very hard to kill — before she kills one of them with silver bullets. |
30526 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
He’s a vampire! And dealing with his vampirism is a huge part of the game, should that be something you want to do.
The Matrix Reloaded: The Merovingian’s Henchmen
Like a lot of ideas in the Matrix movies, a seemingly throwaway line leads to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene with wild implications for everything you’re looking at. In The Matrix, The Oracle tells Neo that things that go bump in the night are in fact real, the result of a program misbehaving, an error in the virtual world of The Matrix. In The Matrix Reloaded, we meet some of those misbehaving programs in the form of the Merovingian’s henchmen. The Merovingian’s wife, Persephone, notes that they are very hard to kill — before she kills one of them with silver bullets. While the twin ghosts get significantly more screen time in Reloaded, the world of the films gets much more interesting when you realize that they are just two members of a whole assortment of ghoulies, and a superhuman kung fu god isn’t the only cool thing a character can be in these movies. |
30527 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
In The Matrix, The Oracle tells Neo that things that go bump in the night are in fact real, the result of a program misbehaving, an error in the virtual world of The Matrix. In The Matrix Reloaded, we meet some of those misbehaving programs in the form of the Merovingian’s henchmen. The Merovingian’s wife, Persephone, notes that they are very hard to kill — before she kills one of them with silver bullets. While the twin ghosts get significantly more screen time in Reloaded, the world of the films gets much more interesting when you realize that they are just two members of a whole assortment of ghoulies, and a superhuman kung fu god isn’t the only cool thing a character can be in these movies.
The Elder Scrolls: Everywhere
The fantasy of the Elder Scrolls games often presents as very straightforward. With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. |
30528 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
In The Matrix Reloaded, we meet some of those misbehaving programs in the form of the Merovingian’s henchmen. The Merovingian’s wife, Persephone, notes that they are very hard to kill — before she kills one of them with silver bullets. While the twin ghosts get significantly more screen time in Reloaded, the world of the films gets much more interesting when you realize that they are just two members of a whole assortment of ghoulies, and a superhuman kung fu god isn’t the only cool thing a character can be in these movies.
The Elder Scrolls: Everywhere
The fantasy of the Elder Scrolls games often presents as very straightforward. With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! |
30529 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
The Merovingian’s wife, Persephone, notes that they are very hard to kill — before she kills one of them with silver bullets. While the twin ghosts get significantly more screen time in Reloaded, the world of the films gets much more interesting when you realize that they are just two members of a whole assortment of ghoulies, and a superhuman kung fu god isn’t the only cool thing a character can be in these movies.
The Elder Scrolls: Everywhere
The fantasy of the Elder Scrolls games often presents as very straightforward. With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! And in keeping with the open-ended role-playing philosophy the series espouses, you can also become a vampire — it kicks ass. |
30530 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
While the twin ghosts get significantly more screen time in Reloaded, the world of the films gets much more interesting when you realize that they are just two members of a whole assortment of ghoulies, and a superhuman kung fu god isn’t the only cool thing a character can be in these movies.
The Elder Scrolls: Everywhere
The fantasy of the Elder Scrolls games often presents as very straightforward. With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! And in keeping with the open-ended role-playing philosophy the series espouses, you can also become a vampire — it kicks ass.
Preacher: Cassidy
Preacher, the comic book by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon — and its subsequent TV adaptation from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen — starts with the basic assumption that God is real, and has walked out on the job. |
30531 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
The Elder Scrolls: Everywhere
The fantasy of the Elder Scrolls games often presents as very straightforward. With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! And in keeping with the open-ended role-playing philosophy the series espouses, you can also become a vampire — it kicks ass.
Preacher: Cassidy
Preacher, the comic book by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon — and its subsequent TV adaptation from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen — starts with the basic assumption that God is real, and has walked out on the job. A lot of things are fair game at that point, namely angels, demons, and the like, but it’s still a shock when you meet Cassidy. |
30532 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
With the exception of Morrowind, each of the games starts out as a pretty up-the-middle fantasy setting, with nary a twist of any kind. But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! And in keeping with the open-ended role-playing philosophy the series espouses, you can also become a vampire — it kicks ass.
Preacher: Cassidy
Preacher, the comic book by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon — and its subsequent TV adaptation from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen — starts with the basic assumption that God is real, and has walked out on the job. A lot of things are fair game at that point, namely angels, demons, and the like, but it’s still a shock when you meet Cassidy. A brawling, hard-drinking Irishman that’s already a load of fun when you meet him, Cassidy shoots up the power rankings when he sinks his teeth into a poor sap, because he’s a vampire. |
30533 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
But a big reason Elder Scrolls games have an enduring fan base is down to the fact that beneath the surface, there is always weird shit to find. Like vampires! And in keeping with the open-ended role-playing philosophy the series espouses, you can also become a vampire — it kicks ass.
Preacher: Cassidy
Preacher, the comic book by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon — and its subsequent TV adaptation from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen — starts with the basic assumption that God is real, and has walked out on the job. A lot of things are fair game at that point, namely angels, demons, and the like, but it’s still a shock when you meet Cassidy. A brawling, hard-drinking Irishman that’s already a load of fun when you meet him, Cassidy shoots up the power rankings when he sinks his teeth into a poor sap, because he’s a vampire.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series: Morbius
Hands down the ballsiest Spidey villain to adapt in a cartoon for children that censors wouldn’t even let use the words “sinister” or “kill,” Morbius — the Living Vampire — frankly had no business being in a Saturday morning lineup. |
30534 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Preacher: Cassidy
Preacher, the comic book by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon — and its subsequent TV adaptation from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen — starts with the basic assumption that God is real, and has walked out on the job. A lot of things are fair game at that point, namely angels, demons, and the like, but it’s still a shock when you meet Cassidy. A brawling, hard-drinking Irishman that’s already a load of fun when you meet him, Cassidy shoots up the power rankings when he sinks his teeth into a poor sap, because he’s a vampire.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series: Morbius
Hands down the ballsiest Spidey villain to adapt in a cartoon for children that censors wouldn’t even let use the words “sinister” or “kill,” Morbius — the Living Vampire — frankly had no business being in a Saturday morning lineup. The clever folks behind Spider-Man got around the strict content standards of their network with a loophole that might be even creepier than how vampires normally feed: by giving him little suckers on the palms of his hands that drain victims of “plasma.”
Hilariously, a creative application of vampirism would be how the show would later adapt another villain normally too violent for kids TV: Carnage, a serial killing symbiote who now “drained” his victims’ “life force” instead of cutting them to bits. |
30535 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Spider-Man: The Animated Series: Morbius
Hands down the ballsiest Spidey villain to adapt in a cartoon for children that censors wouldn’t even let use the words “sinister” or “kill,” Morbius — the Living Vampire — frankly had no business being in a Saturday morning lineup. The clever folks behind Spider-Man got around the strict content standards of their network with a loophole that might be even creepier than how vampires normally feed: by giving him little suckers on the palms of his hands that drain victims of “plasma.”
Hilariously, a creative application of vampirism would be how the show would later adapt another villain normally too violent for kids TV: Carnage, a serial killing symbiote who now “drained” his victims’ “life force” instead of cutting them to bits.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Miguel O’Hara
Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is one of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s big enigmas. |
30536 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
The clever folks behind Spider-Man got around the strict content standards of their network with a loophole that might be even creepier than how vampires normally feed: by giving him little suckers on the palms of his hands that drain victims of “plasma.”
Hilariously, a creative application of vampirism would be how the show would later adapt another villain normally too violent for kids TV: Carnage, a serial killing symbiote who now “drained” his victims’ “life force” instead of cutting them to bits.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Miguel O’Hara
Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is one of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s big enigmas. Comics readers will know plenty about his whole deal, but the movie doesn’t really explain much — except for a brief scene where he’s shown to have fangs, and an offhand reference that he is kind of a vampire? |
30537 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Miguel O’Hara
Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is one of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s big enigmas. Comics readers will know plenty about his whole deal, but the movie doesn’t really explain much — except for a brief scene where he’s shown to have fangs, and an offhand reference that he is kind of a vampire? Sure, he’s a jerk, but he’s still kind of cool. It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. |
30538 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Miguel O’Hara
Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is one of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s big enigmas. Comics readers will know plenty about his whole deal, but the movie doesn’t really explain much — except for a brief scene where he’s shown to have fangs, and an offhand reference that he is kind of a vampire? Sure, he’s a jerk, but he’s still kind of cool. It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. |
30539 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Comics readers will know plenty about his whole deal, but the movie doesn’t really explain much — except for a brief scene where he’s shown to have fangs, and an offhand reference that he is kind of a vampire? Sure, he’s a jerk, but he’s still kind of cool. It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. Now with vampires! |
30540 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Comics readers will know plenty about his whole deal, but the movie doesn’t really explain much — except for a brief scene where he’s shown to have fangs, and an offhand reference that he is kind of a vampire? Sure, he’s a jerk, but he’s still kind of cool. It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. Now with vampires!
Sesame Street: The Count
I don’t really know why there’s a vampire on Sesame Street. |
30541 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Sure, he’s a jerk, but he’s still kind of cool. It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. Now with vampires!
Sesame Street: The Count
I don’t really know why there’s a vampire on Sesame Street. I love him, though.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Vamp
The Metal Gear Solid games are kings of the nonchalant narrative curveball. |
30542 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
It’s kind of hard not to be cool when you’re a vampire. That’s kind of the whole quandary with vampires as a metaphor.
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. Now with vampires!
Sesame Street: The Count
I don’t really know why there’s a vampire on Sesame Street. I love him, though.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Vamp
The Metal Gear Solid games are kings of the nonchalant narrative curveball. It’s a series that takes great care to ground itself in near-future militaristic realism and hard sci-fi, only to suddenly introduce a man made of bees and a cyborg ninja. |
30543 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Adventure Time: Marceline the Vampire Queen
For 11 episodes, Adventure Time was a show with lots of weird shit, but no vampires. Then “Evicted!” introduced Marceline the Vampire Queen, and the show changed forever. Marceline was key to what the show would go on to do so well: use its goofy sensibilities to tackle existentially dark and frightening things quite seriously without losing its edge, and play with familiar tropes to create a fantasy like no other. Now with vampires!
Sesame Street: The Count
I don’t really know why there’s a vampire on Sesame Street. I love him, though.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Vamp
The Metal Gear Solid games are kings of the nonchalant narrative curveball. It’s a series that takes great care to ground itself in near-future militaristic realism and hard sci-fi, only to suddenly introduce a man made of bees and a cyborg ninja. Vamp is one of those curveballs, the member of a rogue special forces unit with a superhuman resistance to injury, the ability to run on water, and a taste for blood — with an eerie origin story for that hunger, to boot. |
30544 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Now with vampires!
Sesame Street: The Count
I don’t really know why there’s a vampire on Sesame Street. I love him, though.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Vamp
The Metal Gear Solid games are kings of the nonchalant narrative curveball. It’s a series that takes great care to ground itself in near-future militaristic realism and hard sci-fi, only to suddenly introduce a man made of bees and a cyborg ninja. Vamp is one of those curveballs, the member of a rogue special forces unit with a superhuman resistance to injury, the ability to run on water, and a taste for blood — with an eerie origin story for that hunger, to boot.
The Bone Clocks: The Anchorites
David Mitchell loves to write books that start as one thing then end up as another. But he writes them knowing that people know he’s famous for this, so he often turns these books into other things still. It’s a real trip. |
30545 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
I love him, though.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Vamp
The Metal Gear Solid games are kings of the nonchalant narrative curveball. It’s a series that takes great care to ground itself in near-future militaristic realism and hard sci-fi, only to suddenly introduce a man made of bees and a cyborg ninja. Vamp is one of those curveballs, the member of a rogue special forces unit with a superhuman resistance to injury, the ability to run on water, and a taste for blood — with an eerie origin story for that hunger, to boot.
The Bone Clocks: The Anchorites
David Mitchell loves to write books that start as one thing then end up as another. But he writes them knowing that people know he’s famous for this, so he often turns these books into other things still. It’s a real trip. The Bone Clocks, then, is a book about a psychic girl who gets into a bit of a pickle, only to learn about vampiric ghosts called Anchorites, who achieve immortality by murdering others. |
30546 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
It’s a series that takes great care to ground itself in near-future militaristic realism and hard sci-fi, only to suddenly introduce a man made of bees and a cyborg ninja. Vamp is one of those curveballs, the member of a rogue special forces unit with a superhuman resistance to injury, the ability to run on water, and a taste for blood — with an eerie origin story for that hunger, to boot.
The Bone Clocks: The Anchorites
David Mitchell loves to write books that start as one thing then end up as another. But he writes them knowing that people know he’s famous for this, so he often turns these books into other things still. It’s a real trip. The Bone Clocks, then, is a book about a psychic girl who gets into a bit of a pickle, only to learn about vampiric ghosts called Anchorites, who achieve immortality by murdering others. Don’t worry, I didn’t spoil the book for you. |
30547 | The best surprise vampires in things you did not expect to see vampires
Vamp is one of those curveballs, the member of a rogue special forces unit with a superhuman resistance to injury, the ability to run on water, and a taste for blood — with an eerie origin story for that hunger, to boot.
The Bone Clocks: The Anchorites
David Mitchell loves to write books that start as one thing then end up as another. But he writes them knowing that people know he’s famous for this, so he often turns these books into other things still. It’s a real trip. The Bone Clocks, then, is a book about a psychic girl who gets into a bit of a pickle, only to learn about vampiric ghosts called Anchorites, who achieve immortality by murdering others. Don’t worry, I didn’t spoil the book for you. I just thought you should know about the vampires. |
30548 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement .
The call of the couch gets stronger every year as new gadgets, movies, TV shows, and streaming services launch. As such, you may find yourself considering how to curate a space to watch coveted new (and old) releases that doesn’t involve leaving the house, or paying for tickets and reserved seating. You’ll still have to spend money on snacks, but not nearly as much.
A high-quality home cinema setup summons the most compelling parts of the silver screen into your own living room. Whatever it is you want to watch, upgrading your home theater hardware and related accessories can enhance your viewing experience.
LG C3 OLED TV
A TV is the beating heart of the home theater experience, and the LG C3 is a compelling sell for cinephiles who want the best possible video quality. |
30549 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement .
The call of the couch gets stronger every year as new gadgets, movies, TV shows, and streaming services launch. As such, you may find yourself considering how to curate a space to watch coveted new (and old) releases that doesn’t involve leaving the house, or paying for tickets and reserved seating. You’ll still have to spend money on snacks, but not nearly as much.
A high-quality home cinema setup summons the most compelling parts of the silver screen into your own living room. Whatever it is you want to watch, upgrading your home theater hardware and related accessories can enhance your viewing experience.
LG C3 OLED TV
A TV is the beating heart of the home theater experience, and the LG C3 is a compelling sell for cinephiles who want the best possible video quality. The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen. |
30550 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
You’ll still have to spend money on snacks, but not nearly as much.
A high-quality home cinema setup summons the most compelling parts of the silver screen into your own living room. Whatever it is you want to watch, upgrading your home theater hardware and related accessories can enhance your viewing experience.
LG C3 OLED TV
A TV is the beating heart of the home theater experience, and the LG C3 is a compelling sell for cinephiles who want the best possible video quality. The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen.
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. |
30551 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
A high-quality home cinema setup summons the most compelling parts of the silver screen into your own living room. Whatever it is you want to watch, upgrading your home theater hardware and related accessories can enhance your viewing experience.
LG C3 OLED TV
A TV is the beating heart of the home theater experience, and the LG C3 is a compelling sell for cinephiles who want the best possible video quality. The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen.
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. |
30552 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Whatever it is you want to watch, upgrading your home theater hardware and related accessories can enhance your viewing experience.
LG C3 OLED TV
A TV is the beating heart of the home theater experience, and the LG C3 is a compelling sell for cinephiles who want the best possible video quality. The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen.
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. |
30553 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen.
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. The SC9 soundbar and wireless subwoofer bolster the C3’s phenomenal picture quality with amazing audio, including Dolby Atmos support. |
30554 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The C2’s 65-inch OLED screen provides unparalleled contrast, and it has a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for making the most of gaming at a high frame rate via the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Like other high-end TVs, the C3 features Filmmaker Mode, which adjusts the picture and motion settings to display your favorite flicks as their director intended them to be seen.
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. The SC9 soundbar and wireless subwoofer bolster the C3’s phenomenal picture quality with amazing audio, including Dolby Atmos support. When purchased through LG’s website, you’ll get a mounting bracket to fasten the soundbar to your wall — perfect if you’ve mounted your television, too. |
30555 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
LG Sound Bar C (SC9)
Finding the right soundbar to pair with your fancy TV can be a bit of a challenge. First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. The SC9 soundbar and wireless subwoofer bolster the C3’s phenomenal picture quality with amazing audio, including Dolby Atmos support. When purchased through LG’s website, you’ll get a mounting bracket to fasten the soundbar to your wall — perfect if you’ve mounted your television, too.
Disney Bundle Trio
The chances are good that you’ve already found yourself aboard the streaming service carousel, juggling options such as Paramount Plus, Netflix, Max, and maybe more. If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. |
30556 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
First, you need to decide what kind of features you want, then land on one that has a design that you like. Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. The SC9 soundbar and wireless subwoofer bolster the C3’s phenomenal picture quality with amazing audio, including Dolby Atmos support. When purchased through LG’s website, you’ll get a mounting bracket to fasten the soundbar to your wall — perfect if you’ve mounted your television, too.
Disney Bundle Trio
The chances are good that you’ve already found yourself aboard the streaming service carousel, juggling options such as Paramount Plus, Netflix, Max, and maybe more. If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. Disney Plus’ impressive catalog includes plenty of original content (and a bucketload of Marvel and Star Wars), but this deal gives you all that along with Hulu and ESPN, providing hours of sitcoms and sports. |
30557 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Well, if you opted for the LG C3 OLED, you might as well get the soundbar that LG made to be the perfect companion in both regards. The SC9 soundbar and wireless subwoofer bolster the C3’s phenomenal picture quality with amazing audio, including Dolby Atmos support. When purchased through LG’s website, you’ll get a mounting bracket to fasten the soundbar to your wall — perfect if you’ve mounted your television, too.
Disney Bundle Trio
The chances are good that you’ve already found yourself aboard the streaming service carousel, juggling options such as Paramount Plus, Netflix, Max, and maybe more. If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. Disney Plus’ impressive catalog includes plenty of original content (and a bucketload of Marvel and Star Wars), but this deal gives you all that along with Hulu and ESPN, providing hours of sitcoms and sports.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for anime lovers or newcomers, with classics like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure appearing alongside modern behemoths such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Spy x Family. |
30558 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
When purchased through LG’s website, you’ll get a mounting bracket to fasten the soundbar to your wall — perfect if you’ve mounted your television, too.
Disney Bundle Trio
The chances are good that you’ve already found yourself aboard the streaming service carousel, juggling options such as Paramount Plus, Netflix, Max, and maybe more. If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. Disney Plus’ impressive catalog includes plenty of original content (and a bucketload of Marvel and Star Wars), but this deal gives you all that along with Hulu and ESPN, providing hours of sitcoms and sports.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for anime lovers or newcomers, with classics like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure appearing alongside modern behemoths such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Spy x Family. You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale. |
30559 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. Disney Plus’ impressive catalog includes plenty of original content (and a bucketload of Marvel and Star Wars), but this deal gives you all that along with Hulu and ESPN, providing hours of sitcoms and sports.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for anime lovers or newcomers, with classics like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure appearing alongside modern behemoths such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Spy x Family. You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale.
Crunchyroll Premium gift card $80 Prices taken at time of publishing. |
30560 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you want to slim down without losing out on great content, you can’t do much better than the Disney Bundle Trio. Disney Plus’ impressive catalog includes plenty of original content (and a bucketload of Marvel and Star Wars), but this deal gives you all that along with Hulu and ESPN, providing hours of sitcoms and sports.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for anime lovers or newcomers, with classics like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure appearing alongside modern behemoths such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Spy x Family. You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale.
Crunchyroll Premium gift card $80 Prices taken at time of publishing. Give the gift of action, romance, and just about every other kind of anime genre for a year $80 at Crunchyroll
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
Smart TVs tend to come with a range of downloadable apps built in, but performance is often middling at best — even in high-end models. |
30561 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for anime lovers or newcomers, with classics like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure appearing alongside modern behemoths such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Spy x Family. You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale.
Crunchyroll Premium gift card $80 Prices taken at time of publishing. Give the gift of action, romance, and just about every other kind of anime genre for a year $80 at Crunchyroll
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
Smart TVs tend to come with a range of downloadable apps built in, but performance is often middling at best — even in high-end models. If you’re looking for a compact and easy-to-use streaming device, it won’t cost you much. |
30562 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale.
Crunchyroll Premium gift card $80 Prices taken at time of publishing. Give the gift of action, romance, and just about every other kind of anime genre for a year $80 at Crunchyroll
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
Smart TVs tend to come with a range of downloadable apps built in, but performance is often middling at best — even in high-end models. If you’re looking for a compact and easy-to-use streaming device, it won’t cost you much. The latest Chromecast is a great choice that provides 4K HDR playback and comes with a voice-enabled remote, which can help you get to your favorite movies and shows faster than fiddling with on-screen keyboards. |
30563 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
You’ll not only have access to an impressive catalog of quality anime with Crunchyroll — you’ll also be privy to premieres shortly after their debut in Japan, such as the highly anticipated Attack on Titan finale.
Crunchyroll Premium gift card $80 Prices taken at time of publishing. Give the gift of action, romance, and just about every other kind of anime genre for a year $80 at Crunchyroll
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
Smart TVs tend to come with a range of downloadable apps built in, but performance is often middling at best — even in high-end models. If you’re looking for a compact and easy-to-use streaming device, it won’t cost you much. The latest Chromecast is a great choice that provides 4K HDR playback and comes with a voice-enabled remote, which can help you get to your favorite movies and shows faster than fiddling with on-screen keyboards.
Vudu gift cards for watching movies at home
Vudu is like a digital Blockbuster, a storefront with a huge catalog of films that you can rent or buy, ranging from new releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem to beloved classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas. |
30564 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Give the gift of action, romance, and just about every other kind of anime genre for a year $80 at Crunchyroll
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
Smart TVs tend to come with a range of downloadable apps built in, but performance is often middling at best — even in high-end models. If you’re looking for a compact and easy-to-use streaming device, it won’t cost you much. The latest Chromecast is a great choice that provides 4K HDR playback and comes with a voice-enabled remote, which can help you get to your favorite movies and shows faster than fiddling with on-screen keyboards.
Vudu gift cards for watching movies at home
Vudu is like a digital Blockbuster, a storefront with a huge catalog of films that you can rent or buy, ranging from new releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem to beloved classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unlike some other gift cards on the market, Vudu’s don’t expire, so you can take your time and save them for a rainy day. |
30565 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you’re looking for a compact and easy-to-use streaming device, it won’t cost you much. The latest Chromecast is a great choice that provides 4K HDR playback and comes with a voice-enabled remote, which can help you get to your favorite movies and shows faster than fiddling with on-screen keyboards.
Vudu gift cards for watching movies at home
Vudu is like a digital Blockbuster, a storefront with a huge catalog of films that you can rent or buy, ranging from new releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem to beloved classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unlike some other gift cards on the market, Vudu’s don’t expire, so you can take your time and save them for a rainy day. They also double as compelling gifts for the cinephile in your life.
Panasonic DP-UB420
Streaming has become the de facto way to watch your favorite movies, but sometimes you want the reliability and quality of a physical disc. |
30566 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The latest Chromecast is a great choice that provides 4K HDR playback and comes with a voice-enabled remote, which can help you get to your favorite movies and shows faster than fiddling with on-screen keyboards.
Vudu gift cards for watching movies at home
Vudu is like a digital Blockbuster, a storefront with a huge catalog of films that you can rent or buy, ranging from new releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem to beloved classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unlike some other gift cards on the market, Vudu’s don’t expire, so you can take your time and save them for a rainy day. They also double as compelling gifts for the cinephile in your life.
Panasonic DP-UB420
Streaming has become the de facto way to watch your favorite movies, but sometimes you want the reliability and quality of a physical disc. And what better way to enjoy them than with a dedicated 4K Blu-ray player? There is no better way, dear reader. |
30567 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Vudu gift cards for watching movies at home
Vudu is like a digital Blockbuster, a storefront with a huge catalog of films that you can rent or buy, ranging from new releases like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem to beloved classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unlike some other gift cards on the market, Vudu’s don’t expire, so you can take your time and save them for a rainy day. They also double as compelling gifts for the cinephile in your life.
Panasonic DP-UB420
Streaming has become the de facto way to watch your favorite movies, but sometimes you want the reliability and quality of a physical disc. And what better way to enjoy them than with a dedicated 4K Blu-ray player? There is no better way, dear reader. The Panasonic DP-UB420 is a model that won’t break the bank, yet it can handle everything from CDs and DVDs to 3D Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray Discs, so it should cover your entire physical media collection. |
30568 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Unlike some other gift cards on the market, Vudu’s don’t expire, so you can take your time and save them for a rainy day. They also double as compelling gifts for the cinephile in your life.
Panasonic DP-UB420
Streaming has become the de facto way to watch your favorite movies, but sometimes you want the reliability and quality of a physical disc. And what better way to enjoy them than with a dedicated 4K Blu-ray player? There is no better way, dear reader. The Panasonic DP-UB420 is a model that won’t break the bank, yet it can handle everything from CDs and DVDs to 3D Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray Discs, so it should cover your entire physical media collection.
One of the DP-UB420-K’s most compelling features is its HDR Optimizer, which, once set up, tweaks your content to look its best on your TV, no matter if it’s a high-end OLED screen or a run-of-the-mill LCD panel. |
30569 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
They also double as compelling gifts for the cinephile in your life.
Panasonic DP-UB420
Streaming has become the de facto way to watch your favorite movies, but sometimes you want the reliability and quality of a physical disc. And what better way to enjoy them than with a dedicated 4K Blu-ray player? There is no better way, dear reader. The Panasonic DP-UB420 is a model that won’t break the bank, yet it can handle everything from CDs and DVDs to 3D Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray Discs, so it should cover your entire physical media collection.
One of the DP-UB420-K’s most compelling features is its HDR Optimizer, which, once set up, tweaks your content to look its best on your TV, no matter if it’s a high-end OLED screen or a run-of-the-mill LCD panel.
Roku Streambar Pro
If you’re in the market for both a streaming device and a soundbar, there’s precisely one product we can recommend that can do both: the Roku Streambar Pro. |
30570 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
And what better way to enjoy them than with a dedicated 4K Blu-ray player? There is no better way, dear reader. The Panasonic DP-UB420 is a model that won’t break the bank, yet it can handle everything from CDs and DVDs to 3D Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray Discs, so it should cover your entire physical media collection.
One of the DP-UB420-K’s most compelling features is its HDR Optimizer, which, once set up, tweaks your content to look its best on your TV, no matter if it’s a high-end OLED screen or a run-of-the-mill LCD panel.
Roku Streambar Pro
If you’re in the market for both a streaming device and a soundbar, there’s precisely one product we can recommend that can do both: the Roku Streambar Pro. By plugging it into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll get great sound quality that defies its petite size, and its streaming capabilities are up there with the best of them, providing 4K HDR so all of your movies and TV shows will look their best. |
30571 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
One of the DP-UB420-K’s most compelling features is its HDR Optimizer, which, once set up, tweaks your content to look its best on your TV, no matter if it’s a high-end OLED screen or a run-of-the-mill LCD panel.
Roku Streambar Pro
If you’re in the market for both a streaming device and a soundbar, there’s precisely one product we can recommend that can do both: the Roku Streambar Pro. By plugging it into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll get great sound quality that defies its petite size, and its streaming capabilities are up there with the best of them, providing 4K HDR so all of your movies and TV shows will look their best. The setup also comes with a universal remote that features voice controls.
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. |
30572 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Roku Streambar Pro
If you’re in the market for both a streaming device and a soundbar, there’s precisely one product we can recommend that can do both: the Roku Streambar Pro. By plugging it into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll get great sound quality that defies its petite size, and its streaming capabilities are up there with the best of them, providing 4K HDR so all of your movies and TV shows will look their best. The setup also comes with a universal remote that features voice controls.
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. The Vizio M512a-H6, a 5.1.2-channel soundbar setup, attempts to replicate that feeling (and succeeds) at a much smaller scale in your home with a highly configurable package. |
30573 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Roku Streambar Pro
If you’re in the market for both a streaming device and a soundbar, there’s precisely one product we can recommend that can do both: the Roku Streambar Pro. By plugging it into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll get great sound quality that defies its petite size, and its streaming capabilities are up there with the best of them, providing 4K HDR so all of your movies and TV shows will look their best. The setup also comes with a universal remote that features voice controls.
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. The Vizio M512a-H6, a 5.1.2-channel soundbar setup, attempts to replicate that feeling (and succeeds) at a much smaller scale in your home with a highly configurable package. While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. |
30574 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
By plugging it into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll get great sound quality that defies its petite size, and its streaming capabilities are up there with the best of them, providing 4K HDR so all of your movies and TV shows will look their best. The setup also comes with a universal remote that features voice controls.
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. The Vizio M512a-H6, a 5.1.2-channel soundbar setup, attempts to replicate that feeling (and succeeds) at a much smaller scale in your home with a highly configurable package. While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. |
30575 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The setup also comes with a universal remote that features voice controls.
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. The Vizio M512a-H6, a 5.1.2-channel soundbar setup, attempts to replicate that feeling (and succeeds) at a much smaller scale in your home with a highly configurable package. While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. Plus, these speakers look great, with a sleek, low-profile design.
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. |
30576 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
One of the highlights of going to the cinema is the booming surround sound that envelops the theater. The Vizio M512a-H6, a 5.1.2-channel soundbar setup, attempts to replicate that feeling (and succeeds) at a much smaller scale in your home with a highly configurable package. While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. Plus, these speakers look great, with a sleek, low-profile design.
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited. |
30577 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. Plus, these speakers look great, with a sleek, low-profile design.
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited.
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends. |
30578 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
While the soundbar unit looks like most others out there, it comes with built-in speakers that are aimed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, simulating the effect you get in theaters. This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. Plus, these speakers look great, with a sleek, low-profile design.
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited.
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. |
30579 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
This, plus its two included satellite speakers, allows Dolby Atmos-ready content to sing. Plus, these speakers look great, with a sleek, low-profile design.
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited.
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this. |
30580 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
CouchConsole
Crumb-covered seats and missing controllers can cause frustration when you want to relax, which is why we recommend the CouchConsole, an organizational caddy to keep around your sofa. This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited.
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
The Netgear Powerline helps to mitigate these issues by creating a power plug-based tether between your router and your devices. |
30581 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
This snack- (and controller)-protecting companion has a modular design that can be tweaked to fit your needs, and it includes a convenient self-balancing cup holder to avoid dreaded beverage spills when you get a bit too excited.
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
The Netgear Powerline helps to mitigate these issues by creating a power plug-based tether between your router and your devices. Each Powerline adapter features an ethernet port, letting you use your home’s electrical lines as an internet pathway. Clever! |
30582 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
The Netgear Powerline helps to mitigate these issues by creating a power plug-based tether between your router and your devices. Each Powerline adapter features an ethernet port, letting you use your home’s electrical lines as an internet pathway. Clever! Just plug one in near your router and connect an ethernet cable, then use another adapter near the device that you want to hard-wire. |
30583 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
The CouchConsole also features a charging port, so phones, remotes, and controllers can stay juiced regardless of the marathon movie session you plan on undertaking with your friends.
Netgear Powerline 2000
There is nothing more infuriating than slow download speeds on your console, or getting hit with a severely pixelated image during the emotional climax of a film. If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
The Netgear Powerline helps to mitigate these issues by creating a power plug-based tether between your router and your devices. Each Powerline adapter features an ethernet port, letting you use your home’s electrical lines as an internet pathway. Clever! Just plug one in near your router and connect an ethernet cable, then use another adapter near the device that you want to hard-wire.
Govee Envisual TV backlight kit
If you want to add drama and atmosphere to your nightly viewings, consider the Govee Envisual TV backlight kit, which uses a mountable camera to track what’s on your screen to then project a matching light show behind the TV — almost as if the colors were bleeding off the screen. |
30584 | The best gifts to level up a home theater
If you primarily use Wi-Fi for your home theater devices, I might be describing your everyday reality, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
The Netgear Powerline helps to mitigate these issues by creating a power plug-based tether between your router and your devices. Each Powerline adapter features an ethernet port, letting you use your home’s electrical lines as an internet pathway. Clever! Just plug one in near your router and connect an ethernet cable, then use another adapter near the device that you want to hard-wire.
Govee Envisual TV backlight kit
If you want to add drama and atmosphere to your nightly viewings, consider the Govee Envisual TV backlight kit, which uses a mountable camera to track what’s on your screen to then project a matching light show behind the TV — almost as if the colors were bleeding off the screen.
Once you’ve got it set up by attaching the camera to either the top or bottom of your TV, you can manage the LED lights with the Govee Home app, or trigger them via voice commands, thanks to Alexa and Google Assistant support. |
30585 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
MBW Reacts is a series of analytical commentaries from Music Business Worldwide written in response to major recent entertainment events or news stories. MBW Reacts is supported by JKBX , a technology platform that offers consumers access to music royalties as an asset class.
In recent months, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl has been keeping a close eye on AI in the music industry – not surprising, given that he came to the music biz from ‘Big Tech’, namely YouTube, where he was Chief Business Officer.
Nor is it surprising, given his current role, that he has been pushing for price hikes at music streaming services.
Both of these topics came up during Kyncl’s Q&A session at the Code Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, on Tuesday (September 26). |
30586 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
MBW Reacts is a series of analytical commentaries from Music Business Worldwide written in response to major recent entertainment events or news stories. MBW Reacts is supported by JKBX , a technology platform that offers consumers access to music royalties as an asset class.
In recent months, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl has been keeping a close eye on AI in the music industry – not surprising, given that he came to the music biz from ‘Big Tech’, namely YouTube, where he was Chief Business Officer.
Nor is it surprising, given his current role, that he has been pushing for price hikes at music streaming services.
Both of these topics came up during Kyncl’s Q&A session at the Code Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, on Tuesday (September 26).
But what was maybe more surprising – for a techie like Kyncl, anyway – was his rational, level-headed explanation for why traditional music labels continue to be relevant, and continue to thrive, in the current music ecosystem. |
30587 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
MBW Reacts is supported by JKBX , a technology platform that offers consumers access to music royalties as an asset class.
In recent months, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl has been keeping a close eye on AI in the music industry – not surprising, given that he came to the music biz from ‘Big Tech’, namely YouTube, where he was Chief Business Officer.
Nor is it surprising, given his current role, that he has been pushing for price hikes at music streaming services.
Both of these topics came up during Kyncl’s Q&A session at the Code Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, on Tuesday (September 26).
But what was maybe more surprising – for a techie like Kyncl, anyway – was his rational, level-headed explanation for why traditional music labels continue to be relevant, and continue to thrive, in the current music ecosystem.
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance. |
30588 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
Nor is it surprising, given his current role, that he has been pushing for price hikes at music streaming services.
Both of these topics came up during Kyncl’s Q&A session at the Code Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, on Tuesday (September 26).
But what was maybe more surprising – for a techie like Kyncl, anyway – was his rational, level-headed explanation for why traditional music labels continue to be relevant, and continue to thrive, in the current music ecosystem.
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance.
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes. |
30589 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
Both of these topics came up during Kyncl’s Q&A session at the Code Conference in Laguna Niguel, California, on Tuesday (September 26).
But what was maybe more surprising – for a techie like Kyncl, anyway – was his rational, level-headed explanation for why traditional music labels continue to be relevant, and continue to thrive, in the current music ecosystem.
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance.
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago. |
30590 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
But what was maybe more surprising – for a techie like Kyncl, anyway – was his rational, level-headed explanation for why traditional music labels continue to be relevant, and continue to thrive, in the current music ecosystem.
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance.
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services. |
30591 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance.
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. |
30592 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
With the arrival of digital platforms, including open ones like YouTube and SoundCloud – and with the proliferation of indie music distribution platforms like DistroKid and TikTok’s SoundOn – it’s inevitable that music biz observers from the world of tech like to speculating about the possibility that music labels could, in the long-term, be headed for irrelevance.
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference. |
30593 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. |
30594 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
In a world where anyone can record music using a desktop audio workstation (DAW) and upload it direct to YouTube, or to Spotify via a distribution platform, labels have little left to do, the argument goes.
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value. |
30595 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value.
“And I see a very close analogy [between that and] our business. |
30596 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
Kyncl offered strong a counterpoint to this argument at Code Media, drawing a parallel between music labels today and the advertising industry a decade or two ago.
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value.
“And I see a very close analogy [between that and] our business. Music is incredibly broadly distributed. |
30597 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value.
“And I see a very close analogy [between that and] our business. Music is incredibly broadly distributed. Everybody on earth listens to music. We’re on every platform. And the complexity is high. |
30598 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
At that time, he said, many predicted ad agencies were headed for the scrap-heap thanks to the arrival of Google’s AdWords, which allowed any business to set up a customized ad campaign on Google services.
Yet ad agencies didn’t go extinct. Today, “they’re the largest customers of companies like Google,” Kyncl told the audience at the Code Conference.
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value.
“And I see a very close analogy [between that and] our business. Music is incredibly broadly distributed. Everybody on earth listens to music. We’re on every platform. And the complexity is high. And the more people can upload content, and the more people can be heard, the greater the noise, which means it’s harder to cut through the noise and sustain a career.”
But a label’s value is not just about building an artist’s career – it’s about sustaining it once that career is established as well, Kyncl explained. |
30599 | Warner Music Group boss Robert Kyncl on AI, why labels still exist, and 2 other things we learned from his Q&A at the Code Conference
“In the year 2000, when AdWords came out, everybody was predicting their deaths because all the brands [could] just go direct to AdWords and buy ads… However, what happened was lots of different platforms emerged. Lots of ad tech emerged, complexity increased exponentially, and brands needed help with that, and the agencies provided that value.
“And I see a very close analogy [between that and] our business. Music is incredibly broadly distributed. Everybody on earth listens to music. We’re on every platform. And the complexity is high. And the more people can upload content, and the more people can be heard, the greater the noise, which means it’s harder to cut through the noise and sustain a career.”
But a label’s value is not just about building an artist’s career – it’s about sustaining it once that career is established as well, Kyncl explained.
“When they become established, it is also hard to remain at the top,” Kyncl said. |
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