Have some free time and wondering what to watch, play, listen to, etc.? Well we have some suggestions for you!

Ben’s Anime Pick: My Hero Academia – My Hero Academia is a heartfelt love letter to comic book heroes that features some of the best storytelling, action, and animation that the anime medium has seen in years. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, as he trains under the world’s most powerful superhuman, All Might, and other pro heroes alongside his superpowered classmates at a school for up-and-coming superheroes. This is a series that started strong and has yet to falter even once as it begins its fourth season. Many anime have arcs that feel lacking or unnecessary, but My Hero Academia uses its biggest strength – a tremendous roster of charming, quirky heroes and interesting villains – to ensure that even the (very few) slower episodes are full of hilarious and touching moments throughout.

Ben’s Movie Pick: The Grudge – 2004’s The Grudge will alway hold a special place in my heart because it scared the bejeezus out of my older brother, and though this isn’t necessarily a testament to how scary it is in itself, the fact that it still managed to freak me out a couple of days ago certainly is. Even now, on my third or fourth time watching it, The Grudge still managed to unsettle me to some degree almost every time the ghosts were on screen. The way the angered spirits move creates a deep dive into the uncanny valley, the sounds they make are just plain creepy, and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s solid lead performance helps sell the terror they instill even more. It’s no masterpiece, but The Grudge is still a worthwhile watch for any horror fan. Hopefully the 2020 reboot lives up to it.

Lauren’s TV Pick: Nancy Drew – Usually I wait until I’ve watched a full season of a show before suggesting it on here, but with my upcoming Halloween Horror Prep writeup taking ownership of most of the entertainment I’m consuming this month, I had to think of something to accompany Ben’s picks and provide the third part of the feature image. So here goes. Of the three new fall shows I’m really enjoying, the surprise standout for me has been the CW’s Nancy Drew, a detective show with a supernatural twist. In other words, Veronica Mars with ghosts! Nancy might not have the same unmatched snark and enviable relationship with her father that my fellow marshmallows and I have come to love, but she definitely has the same drive and determination that’ll help solve the current murder case that she just so happens to be a suspect of, as well as the decades old murder of the young Sea Queen that has decided to haunt the shadows around Nancy. Only two episodes have aired so far, but I already love the cast of characters that make up the rest of the suspects who were working with Nancy the night the murder victim was discovered in the parking lot. And again, GHOSTS. (For those who’re curious, the other two new shows I’ve been keeping up with are Prodigal Son and Stumptown.)

So what do you think about these picks? What content did we miss over the past two weeks while we were spending time with these? Be sure to leave a comment below letting us know about everything (both current and simply new to you) you’ve been consuming lately!

While you’re here, be sure to check out Ben and Lauren’s co-review of Borderlands 3, Evan’s write-up of Anoyo, Ben’s list of his favorite horror films of the year so far, and our podcast episode flashing back to 2009’s District 9.