Though Lucasfilm teased some of the main characters that will be featured in the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative when it was revealed in February, now they’ve fully pulled back the curtain on five brand new Jedi heroes on StarWars.com.

The High Republic is an era of peace and prosperity when the Jedi were in their prime some 200 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice,” Obi-Wan Kenobi told a young Luke Skywalker once upon a time. And now, through a series of novels, young adult books, junior novels, and comics we’re going to explore it for the first time. There is no single main protagonist in The High Republic, but rather a whole cast of characters who will pop up in the various stories. These five are only some of the new faces we’ll be meeting for the first time.

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Though this is a time of relative peace before the Galactic Civil War that ignited during the Prequels, that doesn’t mean there aren’t dangers. The villainous Nihil are space vikings who pose a threat to the entire galaxy thanks to their unique ability to disrupt hyperspace travel. These are the Jedi Knights and Masters who will stand against them in the High Republic era.

“Readers will see a very wide variety of Jedi in this era,” said Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain on StarWars.com. “This is a hopeful, optimistic time, when the Jedi are good and noble, and we want to reflect that in their characters while still giving them enough depth and dimension so that their individual personalities and idiosyncrasies shine through. The Jedi Knights of the High Republic are both aspirational and inspirational. In short, they’re the good guys.”

Though the Jedi are mighty, all of these news characters were crafted to be flawed and “human” just like anyone else.

“We’ve put a lot of time and effort into making our Jedi feel like real, rounded individuals,” explained Cavan Scott, writer of the Star Wars: The High Republic comic series for Marvel Comics. “They are all different, approaching the Force in individual and unique ways and yet are united with a common goal. They serve not out of unwavering dogma, but a deep passion to protect light and life. And they’re all at different stages in their individual journeys. Some have experience on their side, some have the exuberance of youth. Some are still finding their place in the Order while others step naturally into leadership roles. Some may not have chosen to work with the Jedi they’ve been posted alongside, but all are dedicated to be a guiding light for the galaxy. Individually they are strong, together they are invincible, but like the best heroes they each have lessons to learn and challenges to overcome. Exciting times lie ahead.”

With that in mind, let’s meet these new Jedi.

You can check out the new Jedi by flipping through the slideshow below or keep scrolling for the article.

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Avar Kriss

Avar Kriss wields a green lightsaber and is described as the brightest and most noble example of what it means to be a Jedi. If there were a Captain America among these new Jedi, she’d be it. She’s optimistic, self-sacrificing, and an inspiration to those around her. She goes by her sense of compassion rather than the dogma of the Jedi. She’s enthusiastic about living on the frontier of unexplored space and the new adventures it brings. (That’s right, the galaxy isn’t as well-explored during this time, so locations familiar to fans might not have been discovered yet.) She is literally described as “the best of the best.” And it looks like the Nihil are about to put that to the test.

Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic – Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule

Loden Greatstorm

Loden Greatstorm may have a glum look on his face but don’t let that fool you, he’s described as having a good sense of humor. This Twi-lek Jedi Master uses a beautiful yellow blade and is renowned as one of the best teachers in the Jedi Order who is always looking for ways to improve himself and the Padawans under his tutelage. Think of him as Yoda, but taller!

Where to Find Him: Star Wars: The High Republic – Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule

Keeve Trennis

Keeve Trennis is the new kid on the block and comes armed with a green double-bladed lightsaber. Only a Jedi Knight for a matter of weeks, she’s described as a quick-witted and impulsive with a promising future, if only she can trust in herself as much as she trusts in the Force. Keeve finds herself starstruck working alongside living legends like Avar Kriss and wants nothing more than to prove herself. To keep the Marvel metaphor going, she sounds a lot like Peter Parker when he first met his idol Tony Stark. She’s stationed on the Starlight Beacon, a space station that acts as a galactic hub and a main setting in the High Republic era, and she’s immediately tossed into the deep end when the Nihil bring about the Great Disaster — a catastrophic, inciting event that throws the galaxy into chaos.

Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic comic by Cavan Scott

Speaking of all these new lightsabers, check out our video breaking down why they look a little different than you might expect:

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Stellan Gios

Stellan Gios is not unlike Avar Kriss in that he’s a Jedi Master described as optimistic and well-respected. Stellan and Avar came up through the Jedi Order together, and while they don’t always wind up on the same assignment, when they do pair together they make one heck of a powerhouse team. But it sounds like we might have to wait to see the duo in action together, as the description on StarWars.com says Stellan is currently stationed at a Jedi Temple on the distant planet of Caragon-Viner. We hope that’s at least a place where he can put that cool Excalibur-esque, metal crossguard lightsaber to good use.

Where to Find Him: Currently unknown

Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh

Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh was Padawan to Stellan Gios but is now a freshly minted Jedi Knight. In fact, at age 16 she’s one of the youngest Knights in a generation. She’s described as someone who works harder than most people her age, and she struggles to fit in with adults while also trying to be a role model for younger Jedi. So pretty much Hermione Granger with a violet lightsaber.

Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic – A Test of Courage junior novel by Justina Ireland

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Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

The Roccait Kain 200 AIMO looks much like its siblings in the Kain family of mice, but Roccat has gone wireless for this model, making for its only new wireless gaming mouse in the latest batch of products. At $99, it costs a considerable amount for a gaming mouse, but actually manages to stay below the asking price for many of the best wireless gaming mice, like the Logitech G502 Lightspeed or Razer Basilisk Ultimate, both of which cost more than 50% more. Let’s see how it stands up against its pricier rivals.

Design and Features

The Roccat Kain 200 AIMO has many of the features demanded of a premium wireless gaming mouse. It connects using a diminutive 2.4GHz wireless dongle for lag-free gaming. The Owl-Eye optical sensor offers a max sensitivity of 16,000 DPI, which is more than enough in our book. It also has exceptional tolerances for accelerations up to 40G and speeds up to 400 IPS (inches per second). I don’t think I’ve ever had to move my hand that fast to land a flick shot. The sensor also has lift-off detection, allowing a “low” and “very low” option.

The sensor was designed by Roccat with PixArt to use minimal power. This has allowed the Kain 200 to boast 50 hours of play time on a single charge of its 1,000mAh battery, or 35 hours if the RGB lighting is enabled. In my testing, the battery seemed to live up to those claims with the lights on. I tracked hours on the last 40% of battery life, and got 12 hours of play time. Since the Roccat Swarm software annoyingly only shows the battery charge in increments of 20%, it’s likely that test began when the charge was actually below 40%.

Omron switches feel as good as ever in the Kain 200. The main mouse buttons have a consistent click. The thumb buttons strike a good balance between easy to press and too easy to press, while their placement also makes them easily accessible. The middle mouse button is considerably stiffer than the others, making it tougher to press in a split second.

The build of the mouse is robust and simple. Beyond the customizable, two-zone RGB lighting, a metallic strip between the mouse buttons is the most embellishment it gets. No striking angles or gaudy grip material here.

The Kain 200 isn’t massive at 4.88” x 2.56” x 1.69”, but the smooth arch feels comfortable for a claw or palm grip. The width is mostly consistent with very little taper at either end, making it a cozy fit for big hands. The material used for most of the mouse is also subtly grippy, offering a good hold. And at 105 grams, it’s almost as heavy as the Razer Basilisk Ultimate – making it feel quite substantial.

The wireless dongle has a base station it can plug into to get better reception. The base station connects with a micro USB cable that also doubles as the charging cable for the mouse. The cable is cleverly built, slotting securely into the mouse and allowing it to switch to wired mode without feeling like a flimsy connection. It feels just like a normal wired mouse would. This is much like the cabling used for the Razer X Basilisk Ultimate and the SteelSeries Rival 650.

Software

The Kain 200 uses Roccat’s Swarm software. Through Swarm, a lot can be customized, from button reassignment and illumination to various battery saving settings. You can set five DPI settings per profile, from 100 to 1,600DPI with 50 DPI increments. And there’s room on the mouse for 5 profiles in its 512kB of onboard storage. Swarm also has a detailed Macro editor, complete with simple, pre-made macros for various popular games from Apex Legends to Counter Strike 1.6 and software like Photoshop and Office.

Gaming

Thanks to the fit and finish, I found gaming on the Kain 200 a great experience. The comfortable fit made it easy to confidently move around, and all of the buttons are dependable. While it has one fewer thumb button than the Rival 650, I found the buttons it does have to be more appealing and easier to use. Having said that, the middle mouse button was a bit hard to press, but it makes up for that firmness by not scrolling when I’d only meant for a middle click.

I played a few rounds of Overwatch with the Kain 200 to see if it could hold up in the sorts of flick shooting situations found there. Sure enough, I was able to quickly flick between opponents and fire off mostly accurate shots. The thumb buttons were also reliable for triggering abilities in the game.

Most of the time, I used the Kain 200 in Rainbow Six Siege. I spent over 20 hours between ranked, unranked, and a special event, and all through it the mouse kept up.

In my matches, I was able to line up my angles comfortably, manage my recoil, and snap to targets that showed up in unexpected places. In one round, I was holding an angle on a door when I spotted an enemy far to my right through a hole blown in the wall. I was able to whip around, get them in my sights, and kill them in a split second. That was just one of the occasions where the accuracy and reliable tracking of the Roccat Kain 200 AIMO showed it was up to snuff.

Having just switched from Razer Basilisk X Ultimate and having used the Rival 650 for a long time prior, I can confidently say the Roccat Kain 200 AIMO performs just as well as either of those more expensive wireless gaming mice. But, it may have some competition in the lower end of the market from the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless, which is similarly featured, costs about half as much, and adds in Bluetooth support to up the ante on versatility.

Purchasing Guide

The Roccat Kain 200 AIMO is available on Amazon and Best Buy with an MSRP of $99.

@Lin_Manuel We were supposed to see Hamilton in Jacksonville tonight—DD’s 9th bday present (seeing Hamilton has been her dream since she saw her 1st Broadway show last year), but we’re home watching Mary Poppins Returns instead. At least we’re safe & healthy.

— MAB (@mabauman) March 21, 2020

The Year of the Phoenix is about to begin on April 7 in NA (April 8 in ANZ) in Hearthstone, ushering in a new expansion – Ashes of Outland, and a whole new class – Demon Hunter. The Hearthstone team is giving everyone 30 Demon Hunter cards to get them started, while new and returning players also get to choose a free deck in the class of their choice. Not only that, but card packs will no longer contain duplicates at any rarity – until you have a complete collection for that expansion at that rarity, of course.

It will be a great time to play Hearthstone, in other words, and to help you get up to speed, we asked Senior Game Designer on the Hearthstone team, Chadd Nervig, to give us a handful of decks for people to try on day one. These aren’t meant to be tier 1 decks, but reasonably competitive options to get you started. Let’s run through them.

Demon Hunter – Glaives of Fury

Chadd Nervig, Senior Game Designer: “It focuses on attacking synergies… such as early game plays like Battlefiend and Furious Felfin. Umberwing is also a really strong card, letting you get an attack in on two turns.

“Since this is a pretty aggressive deck, it uses Kayn Sunfury as a finisher a lot of the time, and/or Maiev to get around a big taunt. Glaivebound Adept is just really strong for all-round stats and damage, for both going over taunts and just being a big body. You’d probably think of Imprisoned Antaen as a ‘Big Demon’ card, but it has a pretty significant ability to close out a game with its damage… Metamorphosis is also an ‘over two turns Pyroblast’ so you can close out games.

“Skull of Gul’dan is one of our few sources of card draw in this deck. It’s a pretty strong card draw tool, and the Outcast effect of it is pretty reliably castable in this deck… everything is pretty cheap. And because we’re attacking a bunch, [we include] Warglaives of Azzinoth.”

Deck code:

AAECAea5AwTMugPDvAPtvgPaxgMN+a4Di7oDyboDo7sD17sDxLwD4LwDjb0DusYD2cYD98gD/sgD/8gDAA==

(Copy this code to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone.)

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Demon Hunter – Illidari Souls

Chadd Nervig, Senior Game Designer: “We’ve called this Illidari Souls because the primary token it’s using is Illidari Initiates that are summoned by Coordinated Strike or Command the Illidari. The main theme here is using tokens to generate power when they die, through things like Feast of Souls or Wrathscale Naga. Because we’re going to be summoning a bunch of tokens, we’ve also got Knife Jugglers in there.

“There’s a bunch of recurring themes here like Warglaives of Azzinoth, [which] is just a pretty good board clear, Metamorphosis can help close out games and Glaivebound Adept is pretty strong. But then Nethrandamus comes in to help be a big elbow drop sort of card…

“Illidari Souls is more of a combo deck – these big swing turns where you play a Coordinated Strike or even a Command the Illidari and use those to kill something off while you’ve got a Knife Juggler out and then Feast of Souls afterwards.”

Deck code:

AAECAea5AwbMugPDvAPEvAPtvgO8xgPaxgMMsQjKqwOLugOjuwPYuwOJvAOpvAPgvAO6xgP5yAP+yAO+0gMA

(Copy this code to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone.)

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Demon Hunter – Demon Crushers

Chadd Nervig, Senior Game Designer: “This is the deck if you like big demons. The early game mostly revolves around stuff like AOE, discover, the lifesteal weapon, Eye Beam – ways to hold on, play defensively until we can start cranking out our big bombs. [The mid-range minions also help] get through to that period – defensively statted, with lifesteal and taunt, and explicitly not demons, because we want our demon synergies to be saved up for the stuff at the bottom [of the deck list]. Not all of our big things are demons – Coilfang Warlord’s not. You’ll just play him on curve. Take something big out with it and end up with a threatening taunt on the board.

“You’ve got Chaos Nova and Immolation Aura in here to act as AOE, Warglaives [of Azzinoth] is kind of a pseudo AOE. The big demons start coming in with the Raging Felscreamer – you can play that on four and then a Priestess of Fury on five, that’s a great combo. Then Fel Summoner on six. It’s only got three health so you can probably find some way to make it die the next turn. And then having that pull out hopefully a Pit Commander or a Hulking Overfiend or a Priestess of Fury – get some big bombs going. You effectively have eight biggish demons in the deck – the Priestesses of Fury, the Hulking Overfiends, the Pit Commanders and whatever you discover off of Netherwalker.”

Deck code:

AAECAea5AwTDvAPEvAPtvgPUyAMNh7oDvbsDnLwDmb0D5r4D98MDx8YDg8cDhMcD18gD2NMD3dMD+NYDAA==

(Copy this code to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone.)

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Mage – Spells are SO Fun!

Chadd Nervig, Senior Game Designer: “This is a deck that uses all spells. There are a couple of power cards in here that are specifically tied to that archetype – Font of Power to get you some minions: one mana to get three random Mage minions is pretty good. Apexis Blast is also quite good for this. It’s kind of like an old Firelands Portal, but for two less mana… and because our deck is all spells, Incanter’s Flow is of great value to us.

“We’ve got a couple of secrets in here, just Flame Ward and Netherwind Portal, so we’re running Ancient Mysteries as a way to draw those and make them free. We’ve got mostly mid-range-y cost spells here other than a couple of our freeze tools to hold onto the board.

“We’ve got the sidequest to get some big minions off all our spells, and whenever we don’t have a good play, or whenever we run out of steam, Evocation will fill us back up. Evocation’s pretty interesting in that – assuming you have a reasonable amount of space in your hand –  you can kind of use it as a ‘I want to go off and do a ton of things all at once’ or you can use it as ‘I don’t have a good play, it’s turn seven, he’s got a board and I don’t have any good play, I’ll just Evocation, get six cards to look at and one or two of them will probably be a pretty reasonable use of my mana,’ so it can sort of fill in any hole.”

Deck code:

AAECAf0EAr+kA8W4Aw67AskDqwTLBJYFn5sD/50D9KsD8a8DwbgDwrgDjLkDgb8D3sQDAA==

(Copy this code to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone.)

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Priest – Buff ‘em Up!

Chadd Nervig, Senior Game Designer: “This is a Priest deck using some of the new cards in Ashes of Outland, and also some of the new Basic and Classic Priest cards… we’ve got Kul Tiran Chaplain, just reasonable stats [with a bonus]. We want Priest to be able to hold the board with high health minions and then heal them back up. We’ve also got some improved removal tools for control for Priest, such as Holy Smite and Shadow Word: Ruin – that’s the new AOE to destroy all the big things on the board – we like Priest being good at conditional removal.

“In terms of Ashes of Outland-specific cards, there’s a theme going on for Priest in Ashes for buffs, so we’ve got some cards like Sethekk Veilweaver – this is just a good tool in a buff deck. After you cast a spell on a minion – probably a buff, but it also works on removal cards like Holy Smite, we get to refill with more spells… this can chain quite a bit. Apotheosis is just a great buff – makes something bigger, gives it lifesteal. And Psyche Split is a really big buff, or rather, a small buff and then a copy. If you can have something stick… and then Apotheosis it and Psyche Split it on turn eight… that’s pretty reasonable. Dragonmaw Overseer is another good example of them fighting for board – good stats on the board… and then there’s a little resurrect in here – a lot of these cards work well with Psychopomp.”

Deck code:

AAECAa0GBKmlA5mpA86+A6bVAw2XAvYH1QivpQPSpQOEqAOTugOWugObugOvugOwugPpugOk1QMA

(Copy this code to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone.)

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Want to see the full Ashes of Outland set?

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How about going behind behind the scenes on Demon Hunter?

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[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/26/how-the-hearthstone-team-designed-demon-hunter-behind-the-scenes”]

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Cam Shea is Editor in Chief for IGN’s Australian content team and is getting Japan withdrawals. He’s on Twitter.

Developer DICE is extending its free currency offering for Battlefield V, now allowing you to collect a full 6,000 Company Coin for simply logging into the game over the next week.

Everyone who logs in on April 6-7, 8-9, and 10, as well as April 13-14, will get an allotment of 1,500 Company Coin. You can claim 1,500 for each day/period, for a total of 6,000.

DICE is giving away the microtransaction currency as part of the global “Stay and Play” campaign that is calling on people to stay home and play video games to help flatten the COVID-19 curve.

DICE previously gave away free Battlefield V currency earlier in April, and the company is now extending that offer significantly.

Company Coin is the main in-game currency for Battlefield V that players can spend on various cosmetics, so this is a nice perk that everyone can enjoy.

Battlefield V is not the only game that is encouraging people to stay inside. Games like Dirt Rally 2.0, Sniper Elite 4, Strange Brigade, Candy Crush Saga, and Farm Heroes Saga have all been updated to include in-game messaging encouraging people to stay home.

New streaming platform Quibi has officially launched, rolling out dozens of scripted shows (or, in Quibi terms, “movies in chapters”), unscripted series, and documentaries that are designed to be consumed in “quick bites” of 10 minutes or less. Each show has launched with three episodes so you can get a taste of the series, with new installments rolling out every weekday – but are any of them worth your time?

Here are our reactions to the 24 scripted, unscripted, and documentary series you can watch on Quibi right now, from Sophie Turner’s thriller Survive to Chrissy Teigen’s courtroom comedy Chrissy’s Court. Critics were shown the first three or four episodes of each series in advance, and we’ve given each series a traditional verdict and score out of 10, along with our recommendation whether it’s worth watching or skipping – with the acknowledgment that some shows around the 6-7 range could go either way, depending on your tastes.

Quibi is currently available for a free 90-day trial if you sign up before the end of April (it’s available via Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store); after the trial, Quibi will cost $4.99 with ads and $7.99 without ads. Other series, including Sam Raimi’s 50 States of Fright and Idris Elba’s reality series Elba v. Block, will roll out in the coming weeks, so we’ll be updating this review roundup as they premiere.

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Quibi’s Scripted Shows:

Most Dangerous Game

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Official Synopsis: Desperate to take care of his pregnant wife before a terminal illness can take his life, Dodge Tynes (Liam Hemsworth) accepts an offer to participate in a deadly game where he’s the prey. This dystopian action-thriller explores the limits of how far someone would go to fight for their life and their family. Let the games begin.

Verdict: The first four episodes are decidedly action-free and trope-heavy while also barely advancing the plot beyond what one or two episodes could have established. So far this formulaic spin on the classic humans-hunting-humans story plays like a standard direct-to-video genre flick – Jim Vejvoda

Score: 5

Watch or Skip: Skip

When the Streetlights Go On

Official Synopsis: After the murder of a beautiful young girl rocks a suburban community, the victim’s sister and her high school peers must struggle to find a sense of normalcy while coming of age in the midst of the murder investigation.

Verdict: This atmospheric murder-mystery has shades of Twin Peaks and Veronica Mars, as we follow a high school newspaper reporter (Chosen Jacobs) dealing with a double murder that’s rocked his small hometown. The slow-burn unfolding mystery is intriguing but the voiceover from the protagonist’s older self has yet to prove why it’s necessary beyond exposition. – Jim Vejvoda

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch

Survive

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Official Synopsis: Jane (Sophie Turner) wants to end it all. Then a plane crash almost ends it for her. Now she’s crawling from the wreckage with the only other survivor (Corey Hawkins) and a new drive to stay alive. Together they embark on a harrowing journey out of the wilderness, battling brutal conditions and personal traumas in this thrilling drama based on the critically acclaimed novel, Survive, by Alex Morel.

Verdict: The most depressing of the Quibi shows, Survive takes a sharp left turn after its first two morose episodes when the two main protagonists survive a mountaintop plane crash. While the premise is definitely intriguing — a suicidal person forced to stay alive because someone else’s life depends on it — Survive showcases some very melodramatic moments of acting that often feels like a drama class exercise. Still, having only seen the first four chapters, it’s possible Survive improves in future chapters now that all the emotional set-up is out of the way. – Jim Vejvoda

Score: 6

Watch or Skip: Watch (with reservations)

Flipped

Official Synopsis:  Cricket (Kaitlin Olson) and Jann (Will Forte) think they have what it takes to become TV’s newest house-flipping couple. Unfortunately, a Mexican drug cartel thinks so too. Now the delusional duo has to survive their newest project — renovating the cartel’s mansions.

Verdict: Will Forte and Kaitlin Olson are hilarious in this absurd depiction of two people oblivious to their own mediocrity who nevertheless luck their way into a more successful position. Flipped transcends a premise that could have easily been just an SNL skit thanks to the charm of its two leads and the show’s sharp, witty writing. – Jim Vejvoda

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

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Quibi’s Unscripted Shows and Documentaries

Thanks a Million

Official Synopsis: Executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, this emotional and inspiring series features grateful public figures who kickstart a chain of kindness by gifting $100,000 to an unsuspecting individual who must pay it forward.

Verdict: Watching celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kevin Hart give tens of thousands of dollars to individuals who have inspired them is heartwarming. And what makes Thanks a Million even more endearing is that the recipients of the money must split their respective earnings in half and share it with someone else. The series is effectively able to show people from all walks of life being generous and the transformative effect it can have on them.  – David Griffin

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Punk’d

Official Synopsis: Hosted and Executive Produced by Chance the Rapper, Punk’d dares to go where no show has gone before. Now that technology can really augment reality, we’re back to pull the boldest pranks on the biggest stars in Hollywood. No one is safe.

Verdict: Chance the Rapper attempts to breathe new life into the series that Ashton Kutcher helped create back in 2003 with a new batch of pranks involving celebrities. While some of the hijinks are awkwardly funny at times, Punk’d ultimately feels uninspired and doesn’t bring anything new to the genre. – David Griffin

Score: 5

Watch or Skip: Skip

You Ain’t Got These

Official Synopsis: This is not a show about sneakers. It’s a show about sneaker culture. Fitting in. And belonging to something bigger than yourself. Best of all? Lena Waithe is in it.

Verdict: Executive producer and host Lena Waithe takes an engaging dive into the history of sneakers in America and how it has impacted the culture. Waithe, being a “sneakerhead” herself, is an excellent choice to guide newcomers and sneaker aficionados alike with her informative interviews with NBA stars, comedians, musicians, and historians. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about what makes brands like Jordan and Yeezy so desirable, give You Ain’t Got These a try. – David Griffin

Score: 9

Watch or Skip: Watch

Run This City

Official Synopsis: Run This City is a series that follows Jasiel Correia II as he navigates his role as the youngest mayor of Fall River, MA ever elected to office. When the FBI indicts him for his former company, Correia vows to fight the charges and be vindicated.

Verdict: While not quite as outlandish and “meme worthy” as Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries, Run This City has enough provocative moments to keep you engaged. The story of Fall River’s youngest mayor isn’t just about day-to-day politics, but also sex, drugs, and the criminal underground. Jasiel Correia II’s ambitious quest to become the king of a small American city makes for a compelling character study. – David Griffin

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Chrissy’s Court

Official Synopsis: Real people. Real cases. And real, legally binding decisions. If you thought Chrissy Teigen couldn’t become an actual courtroom judge, you’ve been overruled. In each episode of Chrissy’s Court, Chrissy Teigen reigns supreme as the “judge” over one small claims case. Chrissy’s mom turned “bailiff,” Pepper Thai, maintains order in the courtroom.

Verdict: Chrissy Teigen channels her inner Judge Judy for this lighthearted reality series which sees the model and host presiding over a variety of absurd (but apparently real) small claims cases – one per each six-minute episode. Teigen keeps things lively with celebrity guests and banter with her “bailiff” mom, but your mileage for this show may vary based on your appreciation of the host – the cases are decidedly frivolous, and some are more interesting than others. – Laura Prudom

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch (but you’ll know after one episode whether this is for you).

The Shape of Pasta

Official Synopsis: Chef Evan Funke. Italy. And the pursuit of pasta perfection. He’s uncovering the craft and culture behind some rare and forgotten pasta shapes. We dare you not to drool. Follow Chef Evan Funke’s passion-filled quest to find the last remaining masters of the world’s most beloved food… pasta. Join his whirlwind tour of Italy to keep these traditions alive.

Verdict: Chef Evan Funke’s exploration of rare pasta shapes is an enlightening experience for any foodie. Echoing the late Anthony Bourdain, the LA-based chef’s travels uncover fascinating details about not only the food found in these remote Italian villages, but also the culture and history that shapes them (pun intended). However, unlike Bourdain’s Parts Unknown or No Reservations, which gave viewers close to an hour of content, The Shape of Pasta’s “10-minute or less” runtime feels insufficient. – David Griffin

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch

The Sauce

Official Synopsis: The Sauce follows dance sensations Ayo & Teo as they explore the unique dance cultures in cities across the U.S., finding the freshest online talent to compete head-to-head for a cash prize… Usher will serve as judge for this fresh dance competition series.

Verdict: Ayo & Teo’s quest to find the best dancers throughout America is an entertaining glimpse into the world of dance. The Sauce does a solid job of breaking down each dance move that’s used during a particular routine, however, there is very little time spent on the cultural impact and importance of dance as a whole. For someone who knows very little about dance, The Sauce doesn’t provide enough context for the uninitiated. – David Griffin

Number Score: 6

Watch or Skip: Skip

Memory Hole

Official Synopsis: Memory Hole is a smart, biting, and hilarious ride exploring the archives of the most cringe-worthy events in pop culture. The first season aims its laser-focused comedy on Canada. Hosted by one of Canada’s esteemed exports, Will Arnett takes viewers on a comedic journey skewering a myriad of topics most of us forgot or never even knew existed. Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Memory Hole is here to help.

Verdict: With a talented funnyman like Will Arnett as a host, you’d think Memory Hole would use his comedic savvy to its full potential. Sadly, this historical pop culture series relegates Arnett to simply reading off of a teleprompter as he recounts cringe-worthy moments from Canada’s past, like the opening ceremony for Toronto’s Skydome and the Calgary Hockey team’s atrocious theme song. And while it can be amusing to watch some of these embarrassing moments in Canada’s history, it feels like Arnett’s talents are wasted here. – David Griffin

Score: 5

Watch Or Skip: Skip

Singled Out

Official Synopsis: Hosted by Keke Palmer and Joel Kim Booster, Singled Out will hook up a new generation of singles, of all genders and sexual preferences, seeking love in 20 bite-sized episodes. Reflective of today’s dating landscape, where everyone is connected, the series will bring online dating to life with a twist — the main dater is linked to the pool of diverse singles through social media.

Verdict: Singled Out doesn’t give viewers an ample amount of time to get to know each contestant like ABC’s The Bachelor or Netflix’s Love Is Blind, but that’s kind of the point. The frenetic pace of the speed-dating rounds, which uses clever games and playful questions to narrow the dating pool, make Singled Out an enjoyable watch from start to finish, even if many of the guests are pretty forgettable. – David Griffin

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch

Skrrt with Offset

Official Synopsis: Offset is a big fan of cars. His garage has over 30 sports and luxury cars. This series follows him as he joins his celebrity and rapper friends — like Quavo, Lil Yachty and T-Pain — exploring all things cars.

Verdict: With no shortage of car enthusiast programs on traditional cable channels and digital streaming platforms like YouTube, Skrrt with Offset enters a crowded marketplace. Thankfully, Offset is a compelling host, mixing his passion for cars with a bit of his personal life that really draws the viewer in. In one episode, Offset treats a group of young children battling cancer with a high-end electric car race. It’s a heartwarming episode elevated by Offset’s personal story about his grandmother’s battle with cancer. – David Griffin

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Gone Mental with Lior

Official Synopsis: Lior Suchard is the world’s best mentalist — he literally can read your mind. He teams with a featured celebrity and runs him or her through a string of mindblowing mental stunts.

Verdict: Renowned mentalist Lior Suchard takes celebrities on a mind-bending journey that defies belief. Like any good magician, each episode of Gone Mental with Lior will (probably) leave you asking, “How did he do it?” Suchard is definitely the draw here with his charm and quick thinking – so while it’s nice to see Ben Stiller and Ludacris with baffled looks on their faces, the participants could have easily been any random person off the street. It’s Suchard’s mind games that are the most memorable part of the show. – David Griffin

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch

I Promise

Official Synopsis: Executive produced by LeBron James, I Promise is an original documentary series featuring an in-depth look at the first academic year inside the groundbreaking I Promise School that opened its doors in 2018. I Promise tells the story of LeBron James’ efforts to close the achievement gap in his hometown of Akron, Ohio through the eyes of the inspiring students who are resetting expectations of their futures. The series will explore the day-to-day trials, triumphs, and life-changing impact of the school staff, students and families working together in a unique, family-first educational environment that embraces the trauma and challenges many face in Akron.

Verdict: I Promise is a heartfelt look at NBA star LeBron James’ ambitious dream of helping at-risk youths in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The docuseries does an admirable job of not solely focusing on James’ star power, but also taking into account the powerful stories of the kids attending the school and the hardships they face both at school and at home. This emotionally stirring journey into the public school system, and how it might be changed for the better, should not be missed. – David Griffin

Score: 9

Watch or Skip: Watch

Dishmantled

Official Synopsis: From the Creator and Executive Producer of Chopped comes Dishmantled, a high-octane cooking competition that will literally blow your socks off. Hosted by Tituss Burgess, each episode starts with the cannon-blasting of a mystery food dish into the faces of two blindfolded chefs. They’ll use their culinary prowess to identify the exploded dish and then race against the clock to recreate it. Whichever chef comes closest to the original dish wins a cash prize.

Verdict: This is, by far, the stupidest concept for a show I’ve ever heard, but there’s just something so delightfully insane about shooting contestants in the face with a cannon full of mashed up ingredients and expecting them to detective their way into a fully-formed meal, I can’t get enough of it. I’m not proud of it, but just trying to explain Dishmantled to someone made me cry with laughter, so sometimes you’ve just got to trust your gut. – Laura Prudom

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Murder House Flip

Official Synopsis: From the Executive Producer of CSI, Murder House Flip is an unconventional new home renovation show that takes on the country’s most infamous homes: the ones known for mysterious murders committed behind their walls. Homeowners turn to high-end renovation experts, Mikel Welch and Joelle Uzyel, to remove the stains of the past and take these homes from morbid to marvelous.

Verdict: An ingenious combination of two addictive genres – true crime and home renovation – Murder House Flip is one of those ideas that seems so obviously interesting, it’s surprising it took someone this long to invent it. Judging by the screeners sent to critics, each renovation will take place over the span of three six-minute episodes, but by combining the grisly history of the home with the makeover, the actual renovation gets short shrift. This is one format that seems like it would benefit from a traditional hourlong presentation; it leaves you with the sense that a lot was probably left on the cutting room floor. – Laura Prudom

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Fierce Queens

Official Synopsis: Presented by Reese Witherspoon, this nature series explores the fabulous females of the animal kingdom. From ant queens to speedy cheetahs, they call the shots in their world and sit at the top of the social hierarchy earning them the title “fierce queens”. From the multi-award-winning BBC Studios Natural History Unit, this documentary series will bring you the most dramatic natural history stories from a fresh female perspective.

Verdict: Bookended by unnecessary exposition from Reese Witherspoon, who also narrates, these beautifully-shot mini nature docs dig into some fascinating stories of female animal behavior – from cheetahs to hyenas to ants – but the impact is somewhat blunted by an awkward insistence on framing these stories with clunky feminist jargon, which ends up feeling more distracting than empowering.  – Laura Prudom

Score: 6

Watch or Skip: Skip

Prodigy

Official Synopsis: Hosted by Megan Rapinoe, each episode highlights one Prodigy’s unprecedented athletic accomplishments, while also diving deep into their origin stories to introduce the Prodigies to the world in a powerful, unique way. Each episode will inspire not only sports fans, but fans of the human experience, all while honoring the villages that helped them earn the numerous National, World and Olympic Championships they have obtained early in their young careers.

Verdict: Prodigy is an engaging bite-sized sports docuseries that highlights some of the best athletes in the world. Each episode is able to not only shine a light on what makes each athlete so dynamic in their respective sport, but also gives the viewer a glimpse into the everyday lives of these prodigies with compelling interviews with family and friends. If you like ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 series, then Prodigy will definitely scratch that sports documentary itch. – David Griffin

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Gayme Show!

Official Synopsis: Hosted by comedians Matt Rogers and Dave Mizzoni, Gayme Show! is a comedic competition show that uplifts and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. In each episode, two straight contestants are paired with a celebrity “life partner” as they battle head to head in physical, mental and even emotional challenges for the title of “Queen of the Straights.” Some of the celebrity “life partners” include: Ilana Glazer, D’Arcy Carden, Trixie Mattel, Jon Lovett, Nicole Byer, Rachel Bloom, Guy Branum and more.

Verdict: There’s something delightfully chintzy about this unabashedly ridiculous game show, in which straight guys participate in a number of random challenges to determine who is honorarily “gay as f–k.” It’s silly and digestible and ultimately disposable, and doesn’t really require much deeper examination than that. – Laura Prudom

Score: 7

Watch or Skip: Watch

&Music

Official Synopsis: &Music shines the spotlight on the unsung artists and surprising elements behind the world’s biggest music stars. Each episode will reveal an unprecedented look at a vital behind-the-scenes collaborator that transforms the performance of an iconic musical artist into a cultural phenomenon.

Verdict: &Music feels like an Apple show, in that it’s very slick, somewhat overproduced, and a little clinical. It’s ostensibly designed to showcase under-appreciated roles in the music industry, but the finished product doesn’t make much of a case for the show’s existence, making a vibrant industry feel kind of dull. – Laura Prudom

Score: 5

Watch or Skip: Skip

NightGowns

Official Synopsis: Full of heart, humor, and a hell of a lot of glitter, NightGowns follows Sasha over the course of eight episodes as she adapts her critically-acclaimed Brooklyn drag revue into a full-on stage production—and the biggest drag showcase of her life. Part performance documentary, part portrait of the artist, we’ll watch Velour work with each member of her uniquely inclusive ensemble to craft the lip-sync performances of their wildest dreams. Each installment draws us to one performer in particular and pulls back the curtain on their life out of drag, their process, and their story, culminating in a made-for-mobile visual expression of their live number, directed by legendary music video director Sophie Muller. The result will be something totally new: live drag, designed for the screen. Eight iconic, shareable, must-watch performances that redefine what drag can be.

Verdict: Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will find plenty to love in this colorful dive into the making of Sasha Velour’s iconic drag revue, offering welcome insight into the hard work and creativity that goes into each performance, and spotlighting the drag queens and kings behind the show. But those hoping for deeper insight into Velour as a person and not just a mentor to other queens may be left wanting more. – Laura Prudom

Score: 8

Watch or Skip: Watch

Nikki Fre$h

Official Synopsis: Starring and executive produced by Nicole Richie, ‘Nikki Fre$h’ unites her passions for Mother Earth and hip hop into her eponymous alter ego, Nikki Fre$h. Nikki brings a new voice to wellness with a totally fresh style of music – dropping socially conscious and educational rhymes on the world. Nikki Fre$h will interact with real life seekers and consciousness experts to learn ways to better serve our bodies and our planet — while comedically exaggerating those solutions to the edge of sanity.

Verdict: Perhaps unexpectedly the most fully-formed of Quibi’s launch titles, this semi-scripted comedy utilizes Nicole Ritchie’s self-aware comedic timing to poke fun at her public persona, recasting herself as a wannabe trap music and wellness star. She’s happy to accost unsuspecting members of the public (and celebrities) to hawk her “healthy” products, and take advantage of her husband Joel Madden’s record label to create some infuriatingly catchy and well-produced songs about saving the bees and appreciating ugly vegetables, resulting in an oddly charming and easily bingeable show that knows it’s 100 percent ridiculous and embraces it. – Laura Prudom

Score: 9

Watch or Skip: Watch

Have you tried Quibi yet? Share your reactions to the first wave of shows in the comments below.

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently being battled across multiple fronts, and one of the most effective ways of stopping the flow of new cases is self-isolating, avoiding gatherings of any size, and staying home so that the disease cannot spread among the population. Now, an initiative started by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the UK is making sure that this message is being spread through games, too.

According to Eurogamer, Dirt Rally 2.0 has been updated with banners that encourage players to “stay home, save lives.” The game, which is free on PlayStation Plus this month and is also available on Xbox Game Pass, is using these banners, which usually carry ads, to spread the message.

Other games receiving updates to in-game messages include Sniper Elite 4 and, according to BBC, Strange Brigade, Candy Crush Saga and Farm Heroes Saga. Sniper Elite and Strange Brigade will display a message for gamers when they first load the game up, while the free-to-play Saga games will get the message in front of a lot of eyes.

Eurogamer has a quote from UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden, who is “delighted to see the UK’s brilliant video games industry stepping up to strongly reinforce this message to gamers across the UK.” It’s a good idea, with video game use on platforms like Xbox Live and Game Pass going way up right now.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact everywhere, including in games–not only was E3 2020 cancelled, but several games have been delayed. More important, of course, is the cost of human lives–infection and death tolls are also increasing, so remember to practice self-isolation, wash your hands, and be safe.