Entertainment
Raunchy Henry Cavill Drama Leaves You Cheering For One Of History's Most Notorious Figures
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Before Netflix introduced viewers to the royal court of King George and Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton, Showtime brought the world of King Henry VIII to life. The Tudors debuted in 2007, and at the time, there had never been a period drama that put so much emphasis on sex, from the politics surrounding it to the English nobles’ never-ending pursuit of more.
Henry the VIII went so far in his pursuit of a male heir and the right to marry whomever he wanted that he created his own religion and forever altered the course of the Catholic Church in the process, which could make for a very dry and boring history lesson, but this is a Showtime production, which makes it the perfect binge for those who want to explore an era so scandalous, it hasn’t been topped in nearly 500 years.
The Affair That Created The Church Of England
The Tudors starts off with a young King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) following his mandated marriage to Katherine of Aragorn (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and her inability to produce a male heir. Henry spends his days running around with his friends, Charles the Duke of Suffolk (Henry Cavill in his last pre-Superman role) and Sir Knivert (an underutilized Dead Like Me’s Callum Blue), or spending time with his mistress. It’s not long before a faction of his own court seeks to undermine his authority by deploying Mary Boleyn to win Henry’s attention and pull him into scandal. Mary’s unable to hold his interest, so her father sends in Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer), and the result is the most catastrophic affair in history.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Natalie Dormer’s chemistry absolutely sizzles on screen throughout Season 1. If you’ve only ever seen Dormer as Margery Tyrell in Game of Thrones, you saw a small glimpse of what she can do when she sinks her teeth into a meaty role. Anne Boleyn may be doomed from the very start of her relationship with Henry, but that doesn’t stop Dormer from playing her as the one in control up until the very last tragic moment, where she realizes how far Henry will go to get what he wants.
Real history forms the basis for The Tudors but the show plays fast and loose with timelines, personalities, and even mashes together real people, in the case of Burn Notice’s Gabrielle Anwar as Henry’s sister, when in reality he had two sisters. The historical conflict between Henry and the Catholic Church drives the political drama, bolstered in Season 1 by Sam Neill as Cardinal Wolsey, and then Thomas Cromwell, played to absolute slimy perfection by James Frain. If you can’t tell, this telling of English history is brought to life by a never-ending stream of famous faces you’ll recognize, including Henry’s later wives, played by singer Joss Stone and Nip/Tuck’s Joely Richardson.
The Tudors Launched Careers But Not The One You’d Expect
Throughout all four seasons, The Tudors consistently cuts the big historical picture down to Henry’s immediate perspective. You’ll hear about major conflicts taking place with the French, but it’s mainly offscreen and takes a backseat to Henry’s pursuit of his next romantic conquest. The result is a show that starts out fun and breezy, but as his mental health falls apart, it becomes darker, more grim, and what was fun when he was in his 20s becomes more pathetic later in life.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers does an amazing job in capturing the rise and fall of Henry VIII, which is why the show has remarkably consistent critics’ ratings across different websites. Staying within 60 percent on both Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, though audience ratings tend to be higher, approaching the 90s, because everyone loves courtly romance wether it’s from the female perspectives of Bridgerton or the male perspective of The Tudors.
Tragically, it’s also the height of Jonathan Rhys Meyers acting career. The talented star has been battling alcohol addiction for years amid personal family tragedies, leaving the breakout stars of The Tudors to become Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill. When you watch the show, you’ll see why each was tapped for major franchises the moment production wrapped.
The Tudors helped set the tone for later historical dramas by tossing aside real-world historical details when they interfered with the story, giving the first seasons the feel of medieval Entourage. Available to stream on Paramount+ and anywhere else that includes a Showtime add-on, it’s a fairly quick binge with under 40 episodes, and it moves fast enough that, unlike Henry, you won’t get bored.
Entertainment
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Casely reannounced a power bank recall this April after a fire linked to the device fatally injured a user. This is the tenth power bank recall in the United States in the last 12 months, and Anker recalled 1.5 million power banks in 2025.
The recall affects an estimated 429,200 Casely 5,000-mAh MagSafe Power Pods (Model E33A), which were originally recalled in 2025. The MagSafe power banks need to be completely replaced.
Back of Casely power banks.
Credit: CPSC
Affected customers should stop using the portable power banks immediately. They can also contact Casely to receive a free replacement.
“The recalled lithium-ion battery in the power banks can overheat and ignite, posing risk of serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards to consumers,” the CPSC stated on its recall website.
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The Brooklyn-based company is reannouncing the recall after receiving 51 reports of the lithium-ion battery overheating, expanding, and/or catching fire while charging smartphones, “resulting in six minor burn injuries.”
However, in the past year, the CPSC says 28 more reports have been made, including explosions that caused a serious accident on an airplane and one death.
In August 2024, a 75-year-old woman from New Jersey, was charging her cell phone with the power bank on her lap when it caught on fire and exploded. The victim suffered second and third degree burns and later passed away from complications from her injuries. In February 2026, a 47-year-old woman was charging her cell phone with the power bank on an airplane when it caught on fire and exploded, resulting in the victim suffering first degree burns.
How to check your Casely Power Pod
Worried you may own one of the 429,000 recalled power banks? It’s easy to check if your device is included in the recall.
On the back of the device, look for the device’s model number, as show in a picture provided by the CPSC. If the model number reads “E33A,” then stop using the device immediately.
Look for the model number.
Credit: CPSC
More information on requesting a replacement power bank is available on the CPSC and Casely recall websites.
Entertainment
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
Table of Contents
Nearly three years ago, I asked if the (then) $429 Dyson Supersonic was still worth the price of entry.
These days, with the Supersonic line having expanded, the standard model having increased in price to $449.99, and the most expensive version of the hair dryer topping out at $549.99, it’s a question that feels even more apt.
The good news? If you’re not super into the idea of spending about $500 for a hair dryer, Dyson just announced the Dyson Supersonic Travel, a $299.99 model of its famous hair tool. In addition to its lower price point, it comes with more travel-friendly proportions and features.
As someone who’s personally tested Supersonics (and their many dupes), I took a closer look at the latest Dyson beauty launch to gather everything you need to know.
The design differences of the Dyson Supersonic Travel
In short, the Supersonic Travel is the standard Supersonic but smaller. According to Dyson, that comes out to exactly 32 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the OG Supersonic. In other words, it’s 0.7 pounds to the standard Supersonic’s 1.8 pounds, and 8.7 inches tall to the larger model’s 10 inches.
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This model also comes with one attachment, the styling concentrator, a la the now-discontinued Dyson Supersonic Origin (which ran for $399.99). For comparison, the $449.99 Supersonic comes with three attachments: a styling concentrator, diffuser, and wide-tooth comb. For all five attachments, you’ll have to shell out $549.99.
The Supersonic Travel is compatible with all original and Supersonic Nural attachments.
Credit: Dyson
The same attachments can be used between the Travel, original, and Supersonic Nural dryers. This means opting for the Travel could technically save you some money — individual attachments range from $19.99 to $44.99. If you only use a styling concentrator and diffuser, for instance, the total cost of a Travel dryer with the extra attachment purchase would come out to $344.98, making it still over $100 cheaper than the three-attachment original Supersonic.
The Supersonic Travel is more versatile in some ways, and less so in others
Functionality-wise, the Supersonic Travel is a slightly different product from the other Supersonics in the line. It has anywhere from 1,000 to 1,220 watts of power and an airflow speed of 11.6 liters per second, compared to the 1,600 watts and 13.3 liters per second of the standard Supersonic. In other words, the bigger dryer is slightly more powerful, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect longer dry times.
The standard Supersonic and Supersonic Nural also feature four heats and three air speeds, where the Supersonic Travel features three heats and two air speeds.
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That said, the Supersonic Travel has universal voltage compatibility, so it can be used from 100 to 240 volts, whereas the other Supersonics are locked into 120 volt compatibility.
In terms of its portability, it’s also worth noting the Supersonic Travel weighs the same as the Supersonic r, a professional grade hair dryer (priced as such at $549.99) that’s become more popular due in part to being lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Where to buy the Dyson Supersonic Travel
The Dyson Supersonic Travel is available for $299.99 at Dyson’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy. If you buy at the former, you will receive a complimentary $59.99 travel bag along with the hair dryer.
Entertainment
The gorgeous yet budget-friendly Samsung QN70F Neo QLED TV is the cheapest its ever been
SAVE $300: As of April 21, you can get the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV for only $597.99 instead of $897.99 at Amazon. That’s 33% in savings and the lowest price on record.
$597.99
at Amazon
$897.99
Save $300
We’re in peak sports season, y’all. Besides the action of the Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs, there’s a fresh MLB season taking shape. If your TV is looking dull or lagging, it’s a prime time to upgrade — especially since you can find some epic deals on 2025 models.
As of April 21, the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for only $597.99. That’s 33% or $300 off its current list price, as well as its lowest price to date.
As Mashable’s TV expert Leah Stodart explains, “Neo QLED is really just Samsung’s proprietary term for QLED paired with Mini LED.” So, the QN70F features a panel of quantum dots over a bunch of tiny LED bulbs instead of a basic LED panel. The result? A stunning display with impressive color accuracy, deep blacks, and spectacular contrast. All the little details will look good no matter the lighting conditions in your room.
This TV uses an NQ4 AI Gen2 processor to upscale content and enhance the quality of anything you’re watching. So even those old episodes of Friends will look more impressive on the QN70F. And thanks to a 144Hz variable refresh rate, gaming and sports will look noticeably smoother and less laggy than your old set.
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If an upgrade is in order, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money, the Samsung QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is an excellent value at full price. At $300 off, it’s a steal.
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
