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Peacock Apologizes For Saved by the Bell’s Selena Gomez Jokes

The Saved by the Bell revival series, which premiered last week on Peacock, has been generating controversy over the extended holiday weekend. Episode 6, “Teen-Line,” has a running gag about actor-singer Selena Gomez’s 2017 kidney transplant, which you can see in the embedded tweet below and decide for yourself about what was intended.

Peacock and NBCUniversal issued a joint statement (via Variety) expressing their shared regrets over this saying, “We apologize. It was never our intention to make light of Selena’s health. We have been in touch with her team and will be making a donation to her charity, The Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research at USC.”

Gomez has not issued a comment in response.

The revival is a reimagining of the original popular ’90s high school comedy. This new version mixes members of the original cast with new actors–aside from Dustin Diamond (Screech) and Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding), many familiar faces have returned including Mario Lopez (Slater), Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack), and Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly). The new cast includes Belmont Cameli as Slater and Jessie’s son and Velazquez as Daisy.

Saved by the Bell originally ran for four seasons from 1989 to 1993. It was followed by two spin-off series, Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class, plus two TV movies, Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas.

Doctor Who Holiday Special Full Trailer And Release Date Revealed

The first teaser for the Doctor Who holiday special was revealed last week, and now the full trailer and release date are with us. The episode, which is titled “Revolution of the Daleks,” will air on BBC America on January 1.

The trailer focuses on Captain Jack Harkness, the fan-favorite adventurer played by John Barrowman, teaming up with the Doctor’s assistants Yaz Khan (Mandip Gill), Graham O’Brien (Bradley Walsh), and Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole) to fight the Daleks. Fans will remember that the previous twelfth season ended with the Doctor (Jodie Whittker) locked up in an alien prison, and her brief appearance in this trailer shows she’s still there. Check the trailer out below.

Revolution of the Daleks also stars Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfts) and Harriet Walter (Killing Eve), plus Chris Noth (Sex and the City), who will reprise his villainous Season 11 role as Jack Robertson.

Whittaker took over as the Doctor from Peter Capaldi in 2017, and has so far starred in two seasons. Production on Season 13 started earlier this month. However, due to the safety precautions in place, showrunner Chris Chibnall stated the next season will only have eight episodes instead of the usual 11.

In related news, it was reported in August that Christopher Eccleston, who played the Doctor in the first reboot season back in 2005, will return to the role for a new series of audio adventures. The first volume of Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released in May next year.

This $100 Poke Ball Replica Definitely Shouldn’t Be Thrown At Your Pets

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise, and arriving just in time for Pokemon Day on February 27 is a $100 replica of the franchise’s iconic Poke Ball.

The collectible from The Wand Company features a detailed metal shell and a high-gloss paint job, as well as interactive features such as a glowing button and animated, multicolor case illumination that lights up when the proximity sensors detect your presence.

You can even click the button on the replica to create your own Pokémon-catching sequence; two clicks change the light color from white to red and then green to indicate a successful capture. Each Poke Ball will be individually numbered and can be mounted on a stainless steel display ring.

Do NOT throw this at your cat.
Do NOT throw this at your cat.

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Despite looking like a hefty device to trap pokemon with, the Poke Ball weighs less than a pound. The Wand Company does recommend avoiding the urge to throw it at animals or people, as doing so could damage the collector’s display piece and “injure” someone.

This is just the first of many Poke Ball replicas that The Wand Company plans to produce, with Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and Premier Balls also scheduled for release in 2021. If you’re keen to get your hands on your very own Poke Ball, preorders begin today.

For more deals, check out our best Cyber Monday gaming deals.

Doom Eternal Finally Launches On Nintendo Switch This December

Doom Eternal is finally launching for Nintendo Switch on December 8, after originally launching on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Google Stadia earlier this year.

Confirming earlier rumors too, Doom Eternal will not be launching with a physical edition as previously planned, with retailers now only supplying customers with an eShop download code. According to Bethesda, the game will require just over 18GB of space on the Nintendo Switch.

Doom Eternal launches with the original single-player campaign and Battlemode multiplayer on Nintendo’s console, but the first part of its Ancient Gods story DLC will only be coming sometime in 2021. Bethesda says it will communicate a firm date when it has one.

If you’ve ordered Doom Eternal through a retailer, Bethesda says you will have until December 23 to redeem your game code to be eligible for any preorder bonuses originally tied to some physical versions of the game. This includes the in-game items included with the Rip and Tear bundle as well as a copy of Doom 64. If you purchase Eternal directly from the eShop before the same date, these extras will be automatically redeemed.

Doom Eternal maintained the high bar of excellent first-person action established with the 2016 reboot but faltered a bit by overstuffing the story with confusing and uninteresting lore. In GameSpot’s Doom Eternal review, critic Phil Hornshaw wrote, “Its combat is just as quick and chaotic, but requires you to constantly analyze everything that’s happening in order to come out victorious. Once you get the hang of the rhythm of Doom Eternal, it’ll make you feel like a demon-slaying savant.”

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The Mandalorian’s Jeans Guy Has Been Removed From Disney+

While much of the discussion of the latest season of The Mandalorian has centered on the live-action debut of animated Star Wars characters or Baby Yoda’s food, there has also been focus on Jeans Guy. This is the name that fans have given to a casually dressed crew member who was spotted briefly in the background of last week’s episode. Sadly, this mistake has now been edited from the episode.

Jeans Guy–whose real identity is unknown–could originally be seen in Episode 4 of The Mandalorian Season 2, standing partially obscured while Mando, Cara, and Greef blast their way through the Imperial base on Nevarro. However, viewers have now spotted that he’s been digitally removed from the episode on Disney+. Jeans Guy will now sadly only live on in our memories (plus thousands of screenshots on the internet):

While Jeans Guy is no longer part of Star Wars canon, he has inevitably inspired a variety of memes and jokes online, including a fake action figure and a T-shirt.

Prior to this gaffe, the biggest recent TV mistake was the notorious coffee cup that appeared on a table in the final season of Game of Thrones. Last month, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss spoke about the moment they realised that the cup hadn’t been spotted during production or post-production. As with The Mandalorian’s rogue crew member, the cup was digitally removed by HBO for subsequent digital and home entertainment versions of the episode.

The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 5 hit Disney+ last week. Check out GameSpot’s guide to all the references and Easter Eggs we spotted in the episode. And in related news, an episode of the never-screened animated Star Wars show Detours has leaked online.

Super Nintendo World Opening In Japan In February, Mario Kart AR Ride Detailed

Super Nintendo World will open in Japan on February 4, and reporters given access to the theme park have shared some first impressions about the sights, sounds, and rides. One of the main attractions is a Mario Kart ride, which will use AR to keep you feeling like you’re racing while remaining on the tracks.

Bloomberg reporter Kurumi Mori shared her impressions on Twitter. The Mario Kart ride, called Koopa’s Challenge, is located inside Bowser’s Castle. The castle itself is decked out with royal decor, including a giant statue of Bowser himself, and Mario Kart trophies. Karts have four seats, each with their own steering wheel and AR helmet.

With the AR tech, you can collect items and throw shells at other karts. The ride includes two sets of tracks side-by-side, so you should be able to race another kart. You’ll start in Bowser’s castle and then go through a lava section, underwater, a haunted area, and finally, Rainbow Road.

To deal with COVID, Universal says the headsets will be sanitized. Mori noted that the castle itself seems pretty compact, which may present a challenge for crowd management.

Nintendo and Universal are also planning to open similar attractions in Singapore, Orlando, and Hollywood Universal Parks. Each will have its own unique rides, but details haven’t been shared on them and construction hasn’t yet begun at most locations.

In addition, Nintendo released plenty of images from inside the Mario Kart ride and one from the Mushroom Kingdom, which feels like you stepped right into the game.

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In a press release, Mario Kart’s sr. director of innovation and global executive producer Thomas Geraghty said, “At the heart of the castle lies the world’s first ever Mario Kart theme park ride based on the Mario Kart series of games, which have sold over 150 Million units. Universal Creative has partnered with Nintendo to bring a real-life racing adventure to Universal Studios Japan with Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge! Guests will put on their headset which takes them through the Mario Kart universe to experience never-ending excitement and thrills.”

Now Playing: PS5: Everything You Need To Know! | Generation Next

Genshin Impact’s Zhongli Is Available As A Playable Character This Week

With the Unreconciled Stars event finished and Tartaglia’s event banner drawing to a close, Genshin Impact is about to drop the remainder of the new content that was patched in with Update 1.1–including a new quest and two new characters. Zhongli, a five-star character who players will know as a big part of the game’s major storyline in Chapter 1, will now get his own featured event banner called “Gentry of Hermitage”.

The new banner features Zhongli as its main 5-star character, meaning players will have an increased chance to add him to their rosters. Unlucky players will have to make at least 180 wishes before they’re guaranteed to pull Zhongli, however. Like other 5-star banners, players could spend hundreds of dollars trying to obtain the character through Genshin Impact’s gacha system.

The banner also adds 4-star Pyro character Xinyan, a Liyue rock star who wields a claymore. As well as the new characters, players will also have an increased chance to pull Razor and Chongyun.

The new update will also add Zhongli’s story quest, the Historia Antiqua chapter. The quest will be unlockable with a story key for players over AR 40 who have completed the Chapter 1: Act 3 main questline. The new banner event will also add a new daily login event for added rewards, as well as character trial challenges for each of the featured characters.

Zhongli has been a highly anticipated addition to the character roster, as the game’s first 5-star Geo user, and the second polearm-wielding character to be added after Xiangling. His attacks include a unique “petrification” ability that freezes enemies in stone, making them vulnerable to additional damage.

The new event wish will begin on December 1 and run until December 22, the day before Genshin Impact’s Update 1.2 is set to add additional content and the mountainous Dragonspine area.

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The Goonies Cast Are Holding Another Virtual Reunion For Charity This Year

Back in April this year, Josh Gad held a reunion for a number of the cast and crew of 80s classic The Goonies, in order to raise money for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Now, the cast is coming together again, this time to benefit charity No Kid Hungry.

The new reunion was announced by Goonies director Richard Donner, and will include cast members Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Martha Plimpton, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Jonathan Ke Quan, and Joe Pantoliano. Taking place this Saturday, December 5 at 8 PM ET, the cast will be taking part in a live script reading on the charity stream.

“The same spirit of bravery, sacrifice, and camaraderie that the Goonies showed in our movie is what families all over the world are experiencing as we all face this pandemic,” Donner said in a statement promoting the stream, as reported by THR.

Keep an eye on No Kid Hungry‘s social channels for more details on how to watch the reunion. While the event will be streamed for free, No Kid Hungry has set a donation goal of $100,000 on its fundraising page for the event.

In the meantime, you can catch up on what happened last time the Goonies reunited with Josh Gad’s Reunited Apart special from April.

Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition Bundle Available Now For Cyber Monday

In October, Nintendo released a special Fortnite-themed Nintendo Switch called the Fortnite Wildcat Bundle, but US fans could only import it from Europe. As a Cyber Monday surprise, Nintendo has brought the cool Fortnite console stateside. It’s available to purchase at select retailers for $299–right now, we’re seeing the Fortnite Switch bundle in stock at Walmart and GameStop. This seems to be a limited-time restock, as Nintendo’s website says “available while supplies last,” and like other Switch bundles, we expect it’ll sell out fairly fast. If you have a Fortnite fan on your holiday shopping list who wants a Nintendo Switch, this might very well be the perfect gift.

$299

Similar to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons special-edition Switch console, the Fortnite model has a design that stands out. The bundle comes with a unique Joy-Con color scheme as well as imagery from the game on both the back of the console and the dock.

In addition to the sweet design, the bundle also comes with Fortnite goodies. You’ll get three outfits and a trio of Back Blings as well as 2,000 V-Bucks to spend in the in-game store. Fortnite is also pre-installed on the console, though it’s free-to-play anyway.

For more deals, check out our roundup of the best Cyber Monday gaming deals. And if you’re looking for games to pair with the Fortnite-themed Switch, we’ve compiled a list of the best Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch game deals, too.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

The Best Cyber Monday Deals from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Dell, and More

For many vendors, Cyber Monday actually starts on Sunday. Many of the deals you’ll find on Cyber Monday are the same deals you saw on Black Friday. That’s not a bad thing; the best Black Friday deals went out of stock quickly on Black Friday, and you might get a second chance to score on those deals on Cyber Monday. In addition to the returning deals, though, there are several deals that were not available at all on Black Friday. Typically these deals are reserved for online shoppers only and they are often even better than the prices you saw on Black Friday. We’ll keep this page updated with all the latest Cyber Monday content today and tomorrow.

Newest Updated Cyber Monday Deals:

  • Nintendo Switch Fortnite Wildcat Bundle (here)
  • 85″ Hisense 4K Android TV for $999.99 (here)
  • Luigi’s Mansion 3 for Switch for $30 (here)
  • 60″onn  4K Roku TV for $288 (here)
  • Proform SR 10.9 Power Tower for $99 (here)
  • Lenovo Legion i7 RTX 2060 Laptop for $949 (here)
  • Gateway i5 RTX 2060 Laptop for $699 (here)
  • Samsung Odyssey Gaming Monitors (here)
  • iBUYPOWER RTX 2070 Gaming PC for $1199 (here)
  • New Samsung 82″ 4K Smart TV for $1199.99 (here)

Cyber Monday Categories

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Amazon Cyber Monday Deals

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Best Buy Cyber Monday Deals

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Walmart Cyber Monday Deals

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Dell Cyber Monday Deals

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Cyber Monday Video Games Deals

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Cyber Monday Gaming Monitor Deals

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Cyber Monday Deals on MacBook and Mac Mini w Apple M1 Chip

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Cyber Monday TV Deals

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Best Memory Cards, Hard Drives, and SSDs Deals

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Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out his latest Daily Deals Article and subscribe to his IGN Deals Newsletter.