Chocolate is precious. Heres how to keep its flavors tasting fresh.

MacworldIts been nearly three weeks since Apple released iOS 18.3 and we still dont have the much-anticipated iOS 18.4 beta, which has long been expected to include the first look at the new and improved Siri. Well, according to a new report, were going to have to wait a bit longer to see any Siri-related progress.Bloombergs Mark Gurman dropped a bombshell on Friday: the Siri overhaul that Apple is working on has faced engineering problems and bugs, threatening Apples plans to issue a Siri overhaul this April with iOS 18.4. Hence, the new Siri may not arrive until May or later with the iOS 18.5 update.The major Siri overhaul involves a heavy dose of Apple Intelligence, which brings the ability to read whats on your screen and plug into third-party apps. Apple is testing the new Siri internally and has found inconsistent performance and with the iOS 18.4 beta expected next week, Apple has to make decisions on its ability to deliver. Besides delaying Siri, another option, Gurman says, is to include the enhanced Siri in iOS 18.4 but have it turned off by default until 18.5.The Siri setback is a major one for Apple. The company is already paying catch-up with its AI implementation, and Siri will be at the core of the rumored smart home push, which will reportedly include a new iPad-like home hub, a new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, and other accessories. So a Siri delay could cause a domino effect that delays those products as well.From a user standpoint, however, weve already been waiting for years for Siri to improve and be useful. Whats a few more months of waiting so that Apple gets it right?

In case you haven't checked outArchinect's Pinterestboards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various ArchinectFirmandPeopleprofiles.Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the boardEating & Drinking Spaces.Tip:use the handyFOLLOW featureto easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles! Yunomi inLos Angeles, CA byDesign Opera Architects;Photo:Taiyo Watanabe Fergie-Whistler Cabin inWhistler, Canada byStudio AR&D Architects Ju+ Coffee inNanjing, China bymodum atelier; Photo: Howie Wildflower inWinthrop, WA byPrentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects; Photo:Andrew Pogue CY Country Houses inMrida, Mexico byYoshimi Gallardo Seraf Vadi Restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey byYeim Kozanl Architecture; Photo:Ibrahim Ozbunar - 645 Studio Lake Hayes Home in Queenstown, New Zealand byBen Hudson Architects; Photo:John Williams MAKAN inMexico City,Mexico byLOCUS; Photo:Ra...

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It can be surprisingly daunting to follow up on a great pair of earbuds. The objective is to make improvements wherever possible without sacrificing anything that people loved about the previous set. Thats where Technics found itself with the $299.99 EAH-AZ100 earbuds, which it announced at CES 2025. I was rather taken with the companys last flagship set, the AZ80, because of their rich sound and unique ability to pair with three devices at the same time. The new buds look to augment those strengths with even more dynamic audio, longer battery life, and more capable active noise cancellation.Technics even rethought the core sound. Inside the A100s are new magnetic fluid drivers and yes, theres actually liquid in there. Technics puts an oily substance (mixed with magnetic particles) between the driver magnet and voice coil and says this approach, derived from its $1,200 in-ear monitors, helps lower distortion and increase clarity beyond what the AZ80s were capable of. The same goes for bass response, with the AZ100s able to dig down even deeper for a more impactful thump. Despite the new approach, theres not a world of difference between the AZ80s and AZ100s: both offer fantastic detail and presence across music genres, though the newer buds have more depth and bass to my ears. I wouldnt upgrade just for that, though.8Verge ScoreTechnics EAH-AZ100$300$300The GoodFantastic audio qualityThree-way multipointMore comfortable designThe BadApp options can get overwhelmingANC isnt top-tierDesign is more bland$300 at Amazon$300 at Best BuyHow we rate and review productsThankfully the refinements also extend to the outward design. The AZ100s arent quite as bulbous as their predecessors. You lose the visible mic inlet that added a touch of Technics style, which means these come off a bit more dull and nondescript. But Ill take the smaller enclosure every time. These sit more comfortably in my ears than the AZ80s. The very pocketable carrying case is slightly smaller than before, but its only noticeable if you eyeball them side by side. As for durability, the earbuds water resistance remains unchanged at IPX4.Should anything about the sound signature prove underwhelming, you can choose between several different EQ presets or save three custom modes. Im not someone who consults frequency charts when reviewing earbuds, but Ive listened to enough pairs to separate the wheat from the chaff. These rank up there with my sound quality favorites like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4. And I think they surpass the AirPods Pro 2 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which are plenty good in their own right. Supported Bluetooth codecs include LDAC and the newer LC3 / LE Audio protocol, so AZ100s should eventually work with Auracast.The AZ100s (right) look more conventional than the AZ80s, but theyre better for it.Technics is also hopping aboard the spatial audio train. The earbuds companion app now has a Dolby Vision toggle (with optional head tracking) that can make your tunes sound more expansive and immersive if you prefer it. Ive learned that some people really enjoy this type of effect on certain songs even if its faked/virtualized whereas others like myself are happy to ignore it. But if youre a fan, its there now on the AZ100s and you can use it with any kind of media on your phone.That Technics app remains filled to the brim with other settings, and they go far beyond customizing the controls or adjusting how much noise comes through in the (very crisp and natural) transparency mode. You can optimize the noise cancellation for your specific environment with a slider in the app. Want the multipoint connection to switch automatically whenever you play music on any of your devices? Thats in there. You can also test how the mic sounds by recording snippets of your own voice. Its a lot and can be overwhelming for non-techies, but I appreciate just how much Technics crams in.ANC performance is respectable choosing the right ear tips for the best seal is paramount here though it doesnt approach the reigning champion, Boses QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Those have superior ANC and cost less, but cant match up on sound. Call quality is also very solid; Technics Voice Focus AI does an admirable job isolating your voice from any background ruckus. Callers told me I sounded a tad robotic in the loudest outdoor tests, but they could still make out what I was saying.The in-ear fit is comfortable, even if the buds protrude a bit.Technics three-way multipoint remains a standout trick of the AZ100s. Im not a wizard multitasker and rarely find myself juggling more than two devices. But if youve often got a third at hand, it works as advertised. (Just be aware you cant use LDAC when in this mode, presumably since youre pushing up against the limits of Bluetooth.) And youll be listening for longer: the AZ100s can keep playing for up to 10 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled. The case provides another 28 hours.Just like their predecessors, Technics AZ100 earbuds prioritize audio performance while also managing to offer one unique capability that AirPods and Galaxy Buds lack despite the respective ecosystem advantages of those two competitors. But now theyre smaller, more comfortable, and last longer. If you dont need the unconventional three-way multipoint, that $300 sticker price might seem awfully steep. But its increasingly rare to be able to say these earbuds do something most cant, and at least for now, thats still true of Technics flagship buds.Photography by Chris Welch / The VergeSee More:

Boredom is something of a dying concept. Our phones, filled with games and videos and social feeds, allow us to fill every moment with something, whether were on a long flight or in line for 30 seconds waiting for coffee. But the silly and playful While Waiting is a good reminder that that can be a good thing an opportunity for our minds to wander in unexpected directions.Possibly the best way to describe While Waiting is that its what would happen if WarioWare also tried to tell the story of a human life. Which means that its a collection of extremely short, often weird minigames that all fit together to follow the story of a singular character through moments of waiting. It starts right from the beginning: the first thing youre asked to do is wait to be born.From there, you jump through time via idle moments. You have to wait for the commercials to end while watching a show with your parents, or wait to fall asleep while lying in bed, or wait for the water to heat up to take a shower. In each instance, you can simply wait and do nothing, and eventually, time will pass and whatever youre waiting for will happen. But this is a game, after all, so you can also mess about.There are a handful of stickers to collect in each level that hint at what you can do. While you wait to get your grade on an exam, for instance, you can sneak around the classroom and spy on your friends grades. It plays out like a stealth game, as you have to avoid your teachers gaze, lest you be forced back to your desk.The tricky part is figuring out what youre able to do, and how to do it, in a very limited timeframe. And since almost every level is different, that challenge repeats itself over the 100 or so minigames. This is eased by the incredibly simple controls. You use one stick to move around and one button to interact with things. Thats it, aside from another button that does nothing but let you play with a fidget toy.For the most part, the minigames are very silly. You have to make sure you remembered to pack underwear for a flight or push through crowds to get a better view of fireworks. One of my favorite stages involved making up constellations to impress a date. Its all very charming and goofy, often using wonky physics to add some slapstick comedy. Some of the stages can be melancholy as well; one involves simply waiting to grow up.But each one shows that, in those brief moments of idling around that were so eager to fill with distractions, something surprising can happen if only youre bored enough to pay attention.While Waiting is available now on the Nintendo Switch and PC.See More:

Warning: This piece contains full spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.Gear up Marvel fans, because Captain America: Brave New World is now in theaters. The fourth entry in the Cap series and the first installment starring Anthony Mackies Sam Wilson as the title character has a lot going on, from finally tying off all of the loose threads from The Incredible Hulk to laying the groundwork for the next incarnation of the Avengers. Unfortunately, Brave New World stumbles both as an enjoyable action film and as a story with a coherent political philosophy. IGN reviewer Tom Jorgensen said that Brave New World feels neither brave, nor all that new, and a large part of that comes down to the film not committing to the kind of dramatic meat a movie about Sam Wilsons Captain America would need to feel fresh and vital.In fact, compared to many of the MCUs previous efforts, Brave New World feels timid and spineless, retreating to the safety of easy both-sides platitudes and romanticizing the U.S. military. Lets take a look at why Captain Americas latest adventure sadly misses the mark.Captain America: Brave New World GalleryThe President Ross ProblemIf you thought Thaddeus Ross, here played by Harrison Ford taking up the role from the late William Hurt, was only going to be a glorified cameo, you would be wrong. Not only does Ross become the Red Hulk as shown in the marketing, hes essentially the films second lead. Having now ascended to the Oval Office, Ross is the axis on which the film pivots, because the core dramatic question in play is whether or not he can become a better man after his years as the Hulk Hunter general who has plagued superhumans in the past. Multiple conversations between characters where Ross isnt even present hinge on whether or not they believe he is capable of moral change, with Sam Wilson being one of the voices mostly in the affirmative, and the films villain, Tim Blake Nelsons Samuel Sterns, being in the negative.Sam spending so much time defending Ross despite the latter clearly being morally compromised raises the question of why he has so much faith in a man who once imprisoned him. That a movie supposedly about Sam Wilson inheriting one of the most prominent superhero legacies in the MCU is so preoccupied with the humanity of what has up to this point in the franchise been a tertiary character is more than a little strange. Sam spending so much time defending Ross despite the latter clearly being morally compromised raises the question of why Sam has so much faith in a man who once imprisoned him. The idea that Sam might be playing softball with Ross is only paid lip service in dialogue with Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), but the thread never goes anywhere. This becomes worse when Ross asks Sam to help him rebuild the Avengers, and Sam asks what would happen if they disagree on how to handle a situation, something that literally does not happen at any point in the movie. Its a dramatic trigger the movie sets up and never actually pulls.Brave New World refusing to make a proper distinction between Sam and Ross doesnt just rob the movie of potential drama; it warps the films political philosophy to the point that Sam cant stand for anything besides vague we should all see the best in each other grade school moralizing. It also means that Ross, in no small part due to Fords committed performance, becomes the most interesting person in the movie (which is funny when comic Red Hulk wasnt that great to begin with) because his barely contained rage and struggle to be the man he wants his daughter to see him as makes him into a well-defined character. Sam, on the other hand, is mostly coasting on Mackies charm and easygoing chemistry with Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon. When Ross sternly tells Sam that hes not Steve Rogers, I couldnt help but think the reason why is because Steves worldview was something the audience could understand. Sams? Not so much.Enlist or DesistSpending so much time on litigating the Presidents redeeming qualities is also indicative of a wider problem of the MCUs fealty to the United States government, in particular the Armed Forces. Its not a unique observation to say that the MCU has slipped into military fetishism in the past, but it reaches a new level in Brave New World, to the point of damaging the films narrative credibility. Virtually every major character in the movie is either a current or past member of the US military, Secret Service, or associated with warfare in some other capacity, such as the Serpent Society. The argument could be made that this makes sense in the context of a Captain America story or political thriller, but that idea falls apart when you look at the history of these characters in the comics.In the MCU, Sam Wilson was an Air Force pararescueman before he met Steve Rogers. But in the comics, he was a social worker in Harlem who worked with the underprivileged in his community. Joaquin Torres? He was a young man who provided food and essential supplies for Mexican immigrants crossing the border. Leila Taylor (Xosha Roquemore), Sams Secret Service friend in the film? She was a Black rights activist who was heavily skeptical of the US government. Taking so many characters of color who were in some way adversarial to the people in power in the source material and making them unquestioning members of the government apparatus is an alarming choice. It highlights not just a lack of creativity, but also a lack of conviction on Marvel Studios part to give its characters genuine political dimension.PlayThats not to say you cant have good or insightful stories with military-themed superheroes. Some characters simply have military service in their bones. Steve Rogers will always be a World War II veteran who fought the Third Reich. Carol Danvers history as an Air Force pilot is an essential part of her backstory. James Rhodes would feel incomplete without his time in the Armed Forces. But the MCU has added military stylization to many characters who dont need it, raising the question of why they feel the urge to turn so many vigilantes into agents of the state. Its hard to take Tony Starks insistence in The Avengers that we are not soldiers seriously when it seems Marvel Studios doesnt agree.More From Avengers HQLoyal to the DreamWhat makes Brave New Worlds military fetish feel especially sour is that the MCU is capable of making films that dont worship the army. The franchise taking so much inspiration from the original Ultimate universe (which had darker/edgier takes on many characters and a lot more military or government service going around) and changing the Avengers from an independent group of superheroes who united to serve a higher cause into a paramilitary strike force assembled by government agency SHIELD may have been the genesis of this problem, but the series managed to transcend that in various films during the Infinity Saga.Iron Man 3 is a staunch critique of the US military-industrial complex and the ways government propaganda can create minority villains to demonize so they can justify invading foreign countries. Captain America: The Winter Soldier showed why a spy agency like SHIELD would be the perfect place for Nazis to fester with official positions within the government. Thor: Ragnarok made the case that nations built on bloodshed like Asgard cannot and should not be saved. But the time when Marvel was willing to make movies with political nuance are far behind it, instead focusing squarely on the morality of individual characters actions instead of the macro consequences. Thats how you wind up with a film starring a Black Captain America that feels far more concerned with a white President Ross.This tendency is also just a complete misunderstanding of Captain America as a character. People who havent read the comics or who automatically associate Cap with his government because of the name and costume dont get that hes not and never has been a political stooge. Steve Rogers has physically fought both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in comics canon. He has gone on the run from the government several times, abandoning the name and shield for identities like Nomad or the Captain when he felt he couldnt support the current regime. Captain America, both Steve and Sam, are representations of a greater ideal, symbolizing what America should be, not what it is. But while watching Captain America: Brave New World, none of that spirit has made the translation into the MCUs milquetoast take on Sam Wilsons Cap.Daredevil #233Theres a famous panel in Daredevil #233 by Frank Miller where in conversation with an army general, Steve Rogers says Im loyal to nothing, General except the dream. Its probably the most perfect summation of Captain America ever written. Alas, its also something the MCU sorely needs to remember.Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Bluesky.

When talking about RPGs, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a medieval-inspired fantasy setting full of dragons, magic, and armor-clad warriors. Thats not the exclusive definition of fantasy in fiction of course, but its a pretty good starting point. But which fantasy RPGs are the best? There are literally hundreds out there, with all sorts of different takes on this broad idea, and numerous different gameplay styles. But ultimately, we narrowed it down to these 15 best fantasy RPGs of all time.15. Dragons Dogma 2A lot of gamers have expressed disappointment with Dragons Dogma 2. The biggest complaint is that it doesnt do all that much different from the original game, even though there are 12 years between the two titles, and thats actually kind of a fair point. In many ways, Dragons Dogma 2 feels like a remake of the first game.But there are very good reasons why the first game is so beloved. A sequel didnt need to reinvent the wheel. Dragons Dogma 2 brings back the Pawn system, smooths out the combat, and puts you in an even larger world you can explore however you see fit. Its one of the most immersive fantasy RPGs around even if it didnt change a whole lot from the original.14. The Lord of the Rings: The Third AgeWhen it was released in 2004, The Third Age received quite a bit of criticism for its similarities to Final Fantasy X. Yes, the combat system is virtually identical, and its a very linear game. But Final Fantasy X is still widely hailed as one of the best games in the series, so why all the hate for The Third Age?Lord of the Rings practically invented every single trope of the fantasy genre. The franchise certainly deserves to have a classic turn-based RPG, and The Third Age is an excellent one thats aged better than most titles from the early 2000s. Maybe it would get a little more respect with a proper HD re-release.13. Pillars of EternityThe 2010s saw something of a resurgence in the long-ignored CRPG subgenre. Pillars of Eternity began as a Kickstarter project with the goal of making a spiritual successor to classics of the 90s like Baldurs Gate and Planescape: Torment. And Obsidian absolutely nailed it.Pillars of Eternity features deep and highly customizable combat in the vein of those games, but what really won players over was the strong writing. Every single character you meet has their own lengthy backstory and motivations. Playing through the game can almost feel like reading a lengthy fantasy series.12. Fable IIIts easy to knock the Fable franchise for what it isnt. The early promises of series creator Peter Molyneux were of course ridiculously ambitious, and many probably couldnt even be accomplished with modern hardware. But what we ultimately got with Fable II was a charming action RPG with a slightly off-kilter yet cozy aesthetic thats still unlike anything else in the genre.Admittedly, Fable II isnt necessarily for everyone. The humor is unapologetically British, and the world vacillates between the melancholy and absurd in ways that can be disconcerting at times, but if it clicks for you, its a wholly unique fantasy RPG from a bygone era of gaming.Its always tricky to put a newer game on a list like this because you dont want to recognize another flavor of the week that will soon be forgotten. As of this writing, Metaphor: ReFantazio has only been out for a few months, but already it looks to be a game that will be replayed and analyzed for years to come.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!At first, it might be easy to write it off as Persona in a fantasy skin, but the game is so much more than that. Metaphor: ReFantazio has one of the best stories in any RPG in recent years. Essentially, its about your role in choosing the successor to an assassinated king, but it weaves through so many more topics, such as racism, inequality, and extremism, yet never comes across as heavy handed or preachy.10. Final Fantasy IXFinal Fantasy had to be somewhere on this list. Its right there in the name of the series. But deciding which Final Fantasy is actually the best fantasy RPG was a bit difficult. The settings of several games like Final Fantasy VI and VII arent really traditional fantasy worlds, so that automatically disqualified them. Final Fantasy XVI is a technically impressive return to the series traditional fantasy roots, but the story and combat are far from the series best.In the end, the best true fantasy game in the Final Fantasy series is Final Fantasy IX. It captured the spirit of the earlier games with a beautiful medieval setting and some of the best characters in any RPG ever. It also features some of the better traditional turn-based combat in the franchise before later games started straying from the series roots.9. Dragon Quest XIWhile Final Fantasy has explored all sorts of different ideas and settings over the years, the Dragon Quest series has been a reliable fantasy RPG franchise since its inception. Theyre all really great JRPGs to be honest, but its pretty well agreed upon by fans of the series that the most recent title, Dragon Quest XI is the best to date.In terms of gameplay, this is about as traditional of a JRPG as youre going to find. The turn-based combat and item management has barely changed since the first game. But this is also one beautifully crafted anime world, with a great cast of characters, and a lengthy story that manages to stay interesting to the end.8. Suikoden IILargely ignored by critics and gamers alike when it was first released due to graphics that looked dated even by the standards of the late 90s, Suikoden II has been rightfully reappraised as one of the greatest fantasy RPGs of all time. This is a game that thrives at telling both large- and small-scale tales. The story beautifully weaves an intimate story of friendship in a continent-spanning epic about war and political strife.This philosophy extends to its gameplay as well. While most combat takes place among small parties in traditional turn-based battles, there are also one-on-one duels, and large-scale battles between armies. Suikoden II took a lot of risks that paid off, and the ideas here still havent shown up in many other titles.7. Divinity: Original Sin IIUpon its release in 2017, many outlets hailed Divinity: Original Sin II as an almost perfect CRPG for its deep customization, freedom of choice, and morally gray writing. Looking back at it now, Original Sin II maybe isnt quite that good. Its complexity can sometimes lead to unfortunate and unpredictable outcomes both in storytelling and combat, and it can often be difficult to keep track of the games many quests. But its still a top tier fantasy RPG.There are a wealth of ways to build your character and resolve situations, and dozens of hours of content here. If anything, its just that Larian Studios improved on the successor of Original Sin II so much that its made it easier to see some of this games cracks in hindsight.6. Elden RingWe may never know exactly how much fantasy author George R.R. Martin contributed to the final Elden Ring product. It certainly doesnt bear many similarities to A Song of Ice and Fire. Still, The Lands Between is still a unique and engrossing fantasy world full of both beauty and desolation. Theres so much to do and see, and the game gives you so much freedom from the start. It really is the pinnacle of everything FromSoftware has been working towards since Demons Souls.Elden Ring is arguably the most accessible of any Soulsborne game to date. Sure, its difficult, but the games open nature means there are plenty of opportunities to level up fast and get some really strong gear early on, making it a much more manageable experience for most players than any previous FromSoftware RPG.5. Dragon Age: OriginsThe Dragon Age series is apparently on hiatus after Veilguard failed to meet sales expectations. Thats not entirely surprising, though. The series spent years trying to chase the brilliance of the first game, but could never quite get there (even if Inquisition came close).Origins will always be well regarded for the complexity of its writing. Ferelden is an intricately designed world full of rival factions with deep histories. Every major character you meet has a compelling story, and then theres the six very different origin stories you can choose from at the start of the game. Dragon Age: Origins was BioWare at the absolute peak of the studios creativity.4. World of WarcraftOften imitated but never duplicated, World of Warcraft has reigned atop the MMORPG world for more than two decades now, fending off dozens of challengers to its crown by constantly reinventing itself. The current iteration of World of Warcraft now has 10 expansions worth of content, and has been retooled to be highly accessible to groups and solo players alike.RPGs always like to tout how large their worlds are and how much there is to do, but given the sheer scale of what the game has become, with 13 classes, eight professions, and tens of thousands of quests, theres almost too much content here for any single person to play through in a lifetime. And the game just keeps growing.Its still surprising that we havent had a new single player Elder Scrolls game in more than a decade, but Skyrim is so damn good that people still keep returning to it after all these years. The appeal of Skyrim is that its more of a fully featured fantasy world than just another RPG with a long to-do list. Sure, theres a main story, and plenty of other quests to complete, but after the initial opening, you can ignore all of it. And most players do just that, exploring all of Skyrims wonders off the beaten path.When discussing Skyrim, the thing that tends to stand out to most players are the emergent experiences, things like climbing a snowy mountaintop and suddenly encountering a dragon or an angry giant. Skyrim doesnt feel like just another game, so much as an entirely different world that youre visiting for hours at a time.2. Baldurs Gate 3Its going to be a long time before we see another fantasy RPG with the depth of Baldurs Gate 3. It may sound like an exaggeration if you havent yet played it, but its absolutely true: Larian Studios managed to make the closest video game approximation to a tabletop Dungeons & Dragons campaign ever seen. A year after release, gamers are still finding new ways to essentially break the game with the spells and abilities at your disposal.But whats really impressive about Baldurs Gate 3 is the incredible replay factor. Each class and subclass opens up brand new ways to complete the campaign, and several choices can completely change how the story plays out. And thats without playing as The Dark Urge character, which gives an entirely new perspective on the tale.1. The Witcher 3: Wild HuntThe Witcher 3 doesnt necessarily do much different from a lot of the other games on this list, it just does all of those things so much better. Theres the obligatory massive fantasy world that takes many hours to fully explore, the fantastic story with dynamic choices and multiple endings, and a highly customizable real-time combat system to take on the games numerous enemies.All of this is delivered in one of the most impressive triple-A presentations of all time. The Witcher 3 has some of the best voice acting in any game to date, and even though it looked great when it was released in 2015, it looks even better now with the most recent next-gen update. There really is no better fantasy RPG to get lost in for hundreds of hours.

If you go down certain internet rabbit holes, youll find that there was once something called The Season 2 Curse on television. A quick Google search will reveal several popular (even now considered classic) TV series in various listicles that give legs to this strange yet true theory that held for years in television. I mean, who could forget the divisive season 2 of The Walking Dead that often resembled Little House on the Prairie more than the merciless survival zombie-drama that it was meant to be? Hell, if you were a teenager in the mid-aughts, you must remember a little show called Heroes, whose second season was practically an 11-hour-long teaser in 2008.Well, let me tell you, that curse has never really disappeared but transformed into another version one that, at times, lasted longer than a single season. Today, Im here to talk about five recent/semi-recent shows that kicked off with a banger debut season but were followed up, sadly, with nothing but disappointment. These shows shouldve been one-season wonders we could recall with pure joy and enthusiasm instead of the bitter taste they left in our mouths because they didnt know when to stop.BloodlineAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)Although Bloodline wasnt as ground-breaking as Netflixs principal shows before it (like House of Cards or Orange Is the New Black), it still began in the era when the streaming giant actually preferred quality over quantity. The series shared a DNA with the best for being engrossing entertainment. Its first season was bold and innovative immersed in a wondrous setting replete with the sticky heat and beaming sunshine of Florida and featured a cast that stole your attention right away. Ben Mendelsohn was ripe for a showcase as the shady prodigal son Danny Rayburn, and Kyle Chandler needed a notably different lead role (as Dannys cop brother, John) to go back to TV after playing the good-hearted and charismatic Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights for five years prior. Not to mention movie legends Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard in the supporting roles.But Bloodlines web of gloomy, traumatic family secrets and intricate lies was meant to last a single season for a reason. Once you get to that heart-shattering, phenomenally delivered twist that gave the entire core of the show, theres almost nothing left to explore. The extremely underwhelming follow-up with season 2 confirmed that, and the third and final one spiraled straight into a full-blown disaster. Nobody can rob us of those sublime first 13 episodes, but many of us wish to be able to erase what came after.13 Reasons WhyAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)Its still dumbfounding to think that 13 Reasons Why went on for four (!) seasons. We all know the why at this point, but that doesnt make it hurt any less. Season 1s premise was a clever and impressive concept with an execution that dared to painstakingly portray the delicate topics of teen suicide, peer pressure, sexual assault, and bullying. It was an ugly and triggering mental health trip in High Schooler Country, which was precisely the point. The show held a defiant willingness to explore uncomfortable areas where few (or none) had been before. But perhaps the attention that boldness has drawn is what killed the series afterward altogether.Every subsequent season jeopardized that vital messaging the one delivered originally without censoring out the sensitive bits and gradually stripped away every crucial quality that made it outstanding. It was as if the writers kept apologizing for telling (and showing) their truth to ease the outrageous, concerning media and viewer response they were bombarded with. But even from a narrative standpoint, the show completely lost its aim and confident voice, having nothing intriguing or thought-provoking to say besides piling bad clichs on top of bad clichs. The result is a troubled legacy stained with scandals, poor reviews, and disappointed viewers.Big Little LiesAvailable on: Max (U.S.) and Now (U.K.)David E. Kelleys HBO show is the odd one out on this list. Itd be unreasonable to call Big Little Lies season 2 awful by any means. Unnecessary and redundant, on the other hand? Oh, yes. Its the miniseries that refused to stay a miniseries just because it could. Most of the original actors from the first season returned to Monterey to extend upon the initial murder case and its repercussions but had a lot less interesting things to say and do. That goes for the writers, too. All the essential themes (trauma, guilt, abuse, etc.) the series had poignantly examined previously are watered down a notch, depriving their initial potency and the element of surprise. Overall, the follow-up just wasnt needed and weakened the impact of the show.Available on: Apple TV+ (U.S. and U.K.)Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Apple TV+s Bad Sisters came out of nowhere. The first season of the series is rambunctious Irish-flavored whodunnit, every bit as funny as it is intense, that slowly wins us over with its sharp-tongued protagonists, spectacular views of Ireland, and the impenetrable bond of sisterhood. From the start, the show had the feel of a miniseries with a well-thought-out narrative and an ending that brought closure to nearly every subplot and character arc. We learned who killed the insufferable husband (Claes Bang) and how they got away with it, minimizing the consequences.But given its popularity and success, the creators just couldnt leave it alone and Apple TV+ was more than willing to keep the series alive. Its too bad there was almost nothing to go on. For season 2, the writers fabricated a contrived plot out of thin air to mirror the murder mystery structure of season 1 but lost nearly everything else that made the show unique in the process. The witty writing turned stale and illogical, the characters we loved became obnoxious and unbearable, and the delicious black humor that was a sort of trademark diminished exponentially. Bad Sisters is simply bad now, and according to co-creator Sharon Horgan, things are far from over.Squid GameAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)I wish Netflixs South Korean sensation wasnt on this list. But lets be honest, we all felt a sense of trepidation as we arrived at that final cliffhanger in season 1. We were worried (if also excited) because it didnt make much sense to continue a story that was so spectacularly told and wrapped up leaving nothing but one, somewhat forced, loose end for a potential follow-up. How could they repeat or extend upon a story that crackled with suspense, unpredictably brutal twists, and complex characters (most of which have been killed) for a second time without losing any of that frenetic impact?They couldnt. Season 2 of Squid Game is a shallow rehash of what weve seen before (filled with repetition) and half as captivating as the first time around. To put it bluntly: its a cash grab. It adds almost nothing to the original premise and even less to its central theme of social commentary on class, inequality, and capitalism. The only positive is that its creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, likely got what he deserved in terms of financial compensation for how much he suffered during the making of the first season, which didnt exactly make him rich. Initially, he didnt even want to continue the show. Thats undoubtedly palpable in season 2, and its hard to imagine the third and final season would be any different whatsoever.