Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Movies and Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

On July 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This is actually my second Top Ten List of this week, as I also looked at my favourite books from the first half of 2026. However, I also wanted to take the time to highlight some of the other awesome entertainment that came out in the first half of the year, and so with this second list I’m going to look at some of my favourite movies and television shows so far released in 2026.

2026 has so far been an interesting year for both films and television (a general term that also includes shows and miniseries released by streaming services), with some great new content coming out in both mediums. I’ve had the pleasure of watching various films and shows that have been released this year, and there are some real interesting gems. I must admit that my viewing habits for 2026 fiction has a been a little mainstream, but there are still some interesting and weird entries to thrown in as well.

I ended up deciding to highlight five films and five television series is this single list, with a couple of other honourable mentions thrown in. This was primarily done because I haven’t watched as much 2026 televisions series yet this year (I’ve been caught up with some older long-running shows). Still this breakdown between films and television series does a good job of showcasing some of the interesting stuff I’ve been watching this year, and I’m happy with how the list turned out. So let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (Film)

After many years, Star Wars fans finally got another film with the very entertaining The Mandalorian and Grogu. A well-made continuation of The Mandalorian television show, The Mandalorian and Grogu was a very fun watch, that brought some light-hearted adventure back into the franchise.

Young Sherlock (Television Series)

An excellent and thrilling series that showcased a young Sherlock Holmes getting involved in his first mystery and conspiracy. Filled with some great twists and surprise villains, Young Sherlock is a fine watch that you can power through very quickly.

Pizza Movie (Film)

One of the more unique movies of 2026 was the stoner comedy Pizza Movie, which saw several college outcasts attempt to obtain pizza to modify the effects of a crazy experimental drugs they’ve taken. A very ridiculous movie with some beautifully insane moments, Pizza Movie was one of the funniest things I watched all year and I had to give it an honourable mention here.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! (Television Series – Season 2)

While a fan of regularly Jeopardy!, I must admit there was something particularly fun about the easier Pop Culture Jeopardy!, the recently released second season of which I binge watched on Netflix. A very entertaining show that still engaged my brain, I had so much fun with this second season that I also went back and watched the original first season produced by Amazon.

Top Five List – Favourite Films from the First Half of 2026

Project Hail Mary

The first film entry on this list might be one of the best with the gripping science fiction epic, Project Hail Mary. An adaptation of the book of the same name, Project Hail Mary was an outstanding adventure in space, complete with great acting, an amazing alien sidekick and some deeply impressive special effects. Not only does this film hit all the right emotional notes, but it also is a faithful adaptation of the original book, which I personally really appreciated. An incredible watch that is best enjoyed on the biggest screen you can find.

Send Help

The next entry on this list, Send Help, is pretty darn bonkers, but it honestly was one of the best things I watched all year. A new Sam Raimi classic, Send Help has some great role reversals when a seemingly meek office worker played by an unhinged Rachel McAdams, is trapped on a deserted island with her abusive, yet hapless boss, fantastically portrayed by Dylan O’Brien. The resulting mind games, abuse and insane decisions adds so much tension to the mix, and you honestly don’t know which terrible person to root for as the film progresses. Throw in some over-the-top Raimi gore and some truly unsettling moments, and Send Help was a brutal watch you won’t be able to escape from.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Another outstanding cinematic smash from the first half of the year was the new 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple. A twisted sequel to the first 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple sees returning protagonist Spike caught up in the machinations of Jimmy Savile-styled cultists, who are somehow more dangerous than the zombies infesting the country. With outstanding performances from Jack O’Connell (who is killing it with villain roles at the moment) and especially Ralph Fiennes, The Bone Temple was in many ways better than the first film. It definitely had one of the coolest scenes of all time thanks to a dance number played to Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast, which was so cinematically awesome. A truly wonderful film, although it’s a shame, we might not get a third entry in the series after some disappointing box officer returns here.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Another outstanding sequel from the first half of 2026 is the second Ready or Not film, Here I Come. Bringing back Samara Weaving for another comedic slasher hunt, Ready or Not 2 was an over-the-top follow-up to the first film, with some excellent action sequences, humour and general carnage. Featuring some great supporting performances from an amazing cast, including Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy and Elijah Wood, Ready or Not 2 was relentlessly entertaining, and a fun continuation of the series.

Toy Story 5

The final film I need to feature on this list is the latest entry in the iconic Toy Story series, Toy Story 5. An emotionally charged animated triumph, Toy Story 5 takes the franchise back to the lofty heights of the first few films, with a heartwarming story about friendship, personal struggles and the impact technology is having on our children. I loved everything about this film, especially how it finally gave the viewers closure from some heartbreaking moments in Toy Story 2, and you’ll come away with all the feelings we have come to expect from classic Pixar animation.

Top Five List – Favourite Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Topping my list of fantasy shows is the carefully crafted A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms televisions adaptation and prequel to A Game of Thrones. Set roughly 100 years before the events of the show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees a simple hedge knight dragged into the machinations of the Targaryen family. Short and brutal yet bringing back all the magic and political intrigue of the original show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms made excellent use of its relatively unknown, yet highly talented, cast, and produced a particularly gripping watch that could save the entire franchise.

One Piece – Season 2

I’ve long been a fan of the One Piece anime and I ended up really enjoying the epic live-action adaptation Netflix first released a couple of years ago (one of the only good live-action anime adaptations). However, I honestly felt that this second season was even better than the first as they cover some of the original manga/anime’s best early episodes in dramatic fashion. Perfectly leaning into the silliness and heart that made the original productions so iconic, this second season brought back even more of the franchise’s magic, while also providing its own unique take. Clearly made with love, and featuring impressive performances from a dedicated cast, including some great new inclusions, this second season of One Piece was one of the best things about 2026, and I cannot wait for the third season to come out.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord

In addition to a new movie, Star Wars fans also got some incredible animated content this year with Maul – Shadow Lord. Another brilliant sequel to Dave Fillion’s iconic The Clone Wars, Maul – Shadow Lord follows the former Darth Maul as he attempts to rebuild his criminal network, while also embarking on far more sinister plans. However, the greater evil shadow of the Empire hangs over the entire cast, and soon Maul will come face-to-face with a true embodiment of the Dark Side, in a particularly epic final episode. Beautifully animated and featuring a dark story with so much cool action, Maul – Shadow Lord is Star Wars television at it’s very best, and I still cannot believe just how cool some of the final confrontations were. The second season of this show can frankly not come soon enough, and I just have to know what happens next.

Spider-Noir

Nick Cage steals the small screen with his appearance in the whacky and fantastic live-action Spider-Noir. A clever alternate reality story, featuring Nick Cage as failing private eye Ben Reilly, a former vigilante known as The Spider, in a 1930’s inspired New York, Spider-Noir was an excellent watch, that combined some serious comic moments with the over-the-top insanity of a Nick Cage performance. Throw in some great supporting performances, including Brendan Gleeson as the main antagonist, and the fun option to either watch the show in black-or-white or a unique colour style, and this was an outstanding watch that catches the imagination.

The Pitt – Season 2

The final entry on this list is a series that many people are going to have on their best-show lists, with the second season of The Pitt. A brilliant medical drama that captures a chaotic holiday shift at a busy emergency room, this second season of The Pitt had just as much drama as the first, with multiple tragic deaths and highly detailed depictions of medical emergencies. Also bringing in some great recurring characters and examining the personal dramas associated with the high-pressure lives of medical professionals, this second season of The Pitt hit the same high standard as its initial season, and you just keep coming back for more. Highly recommended, especially as a binge watch.

Well, that’s the end of my second Top Ten list for the week. I think combined these lists do a great job of showcasing what I’ve been up to so far this year and 2026 is really proving to be an outstanding time for fiction. Let us know what your favourite movies and television shows released so far in 2026 are in the comments below and keep up all the great viewing.

Throwback Thursday – Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber

On April 23, 2021May 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Thriller, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel15 Comments

Publisher: Random House Audio (Audiobook – 28 January 2014)

Series: Star Wars

Length: 12 hours and 20 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

This is part of my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read.

2021 has so far been a fantastic year for Star Wars novels with excellent releases such as the two Star Wars: The High Republic novels, Light of the Jedi and Into the Dark, and the final entry in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy, Victory’s Price. I have been really enjoying these new Star Wars novels but I recently got a hankering for something a little different and decided to go back and check out some of the older Star Wars tie-in novels. While there were several intriguing options (I was strongly eyeing off A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller, Darth Plagueis by James Luceno and Razor’s Edge by Martha Wells), I eventually settled for the one of the last entries in the Star Wars: Legends range of books, Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber, an intensely exciting and dark novel with an amazing story to it.

Welcome to the space station Cog Hive Seven, the most dangerous prison in the entire galaxy. Here inmates are forced to fight to the death in matches broadcast to millions of gamblers across the Republic determined to make a profit off the blood of the galaxy’s worst killers and criminals. No one escapes from Cog Hive Seven, and every one of its deadly and evil inhabitants know that they will eventually die there. However, not even these deranged inmates are prepared for the new evil that has been thrown into their midst, the lethal dark-side assassin, Darth Maul.

Sent by Darth Sidious to contact a secretive weapons merchant, Iram Radique, Maul has disguised himself as a notorious mercenary and killer. Determined to complete the mission his master has given him, Maul begins to upend the prison to find the elusive Radique, quickly establishing himself as a destructive force of chaos. However, his notoriety also sees him forced into progressively more dangerous matches against some of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy.

Bereft of his lightsaber, forbidden from using the force and with bombs injected into both his hearts, Maul must rely on his brutal combat abilities and own inner strength to succeed. But the closer he gets to finding Radique, the more he realises that not everything is as it seems aboard Cog Hive Seven and that his target will do everything is his power to avoid meeting with Maul. Worse, dangerous factions have taken notice of the prison and its deranged warden and soon Maul must contend with a death cult, the followers of Jabba the Hutt and a horrifying monster living within the walls of the prison. Can even Darth Maul overcome the odds in front of him, or will the creatures of Cog Hive Seven swallow him whole?

I think readers of this blog will not be too surprised to hear that the moment I found out that there was a book that followed Darth Maul participating in death matches aboard a space prison, I knew I would have to read it, and boy am I glad I did. Maul: Lockdown is an impressive and fantastic novel that I found to be instantly captivating and which I powered through in a short amount of time. Author Joe Schreiber, whose previous novel, Death Troopers, featured an outstanding story about key Star Wars characters encountering a zombie horde (it is as awesome as it sounds) came up with a pretty epic narrative for this Star Wars novel, and I really enjoyed this cool, Darth Maul-centric book.

I have to say that I was really surprised about how complex and impressive Maul: Lockdown’s narrative turned out to be. Based on the plot description, I would have expected a simple, action-orientated story, but instead Schreiber crafted together a dark and powerful Star Wars tale with some compelling mystery elements. This book reads a lot like a prison thriller, with Maul thrust into the middle of a dangerous jail which he must navigate to find his target. While there is a natural focus on the fights between Maul and the other dangerous inmates, which results in some exceptional action sequences, the author also works in some great mystery and crime fiction elements that combine perfectly with the Star Wars backdrop. The author utilises a bunch of multiple perspectives to show the chaotic nature of the prison, and there are several great storylines based around supporting characters which twist their way around Maul’s central story of surviving and attempting to find the secretive arms dealer.

As the story progresses, more and more dangerous elements and antagonists are thrown into the narrative, including monsters, deranged cultists and even Jabba the Hutt, intensifying the obstacles facing Maul and raising the thrilling stakes of the narrative. I really enjoyed the main storyline of the hunt for Radique, and there were plenty of false leads and twists around who he was and where he was hiding. I did think the eventual reveal of the character (spoiler ahead!!!) was a tad weak, mainly as it ended up being a character we hadn’t seen before (spoiler end), but it was still an interesting and exciting centre to the narrative. Schreiber also weaves some excellent horror elements into the story, especially surrounding one unique creature in the prison. The author makes this creature particularly horrifying to behold, both because of its appearance and its unsettling abilities, and there are some real terrifying sequences surrounding it. All these great elements come together perfectly into one fantastic and captivating tale that proves to be extremely addictive and very clever.

This is an exciting Star Wars novel that fans of the franchise are really going to enjoy. Maul: Lockdown was one of the later entries in the previous Star Wars extended universe which is now known as the Star Wars: Legends range. Despite no longer being considered canon, the Star Wars: Legends books still have some great stories, such as the impressive heist novel Scoundrels, and this was a pretty cool entry. Set a year before The Phantom Menace, this book is loaded with a ton of references to other pieces of Star Wars media, including several previous Star Wars: Legends novels and comics, Schreiber’s previous book Death Troopers (featuring a clever cameo), and even an old Star Wars video game, Bounty Hunter. There are lots of interesting pieces of Star Wars lore in here, and the author features a couple of major figures from the prequel films, as well as a few obscure characters from some of the older Star Wars novels, including a corrupted Padawan of Count Dooku I had not heard of before (she is not in the new canon). I really enjoyed the author’s inclusion of a battle of intrigue between Darth Sidious and his master Darth Plagueis, and the story in Maul: Lockdown has some great connections to certain events in the Darth Plagueis novel. While Schreiber has included a lot of high-level lore, I felt that this was quite an accessible Star Wars novel and anyone who saw Darth Maul emerge in The Phantom Menace will definitely enjoy this darker and captivating piece of Star Wars fiction.

One of the most intriguing things about this novel is the way in which the author attempts to dive into the mindset of fan-favourite character Darth Maul. Ever since he whipped out his dual-bladed lightsaber in The Phantom Menace, Maul has been a much beloved figure in the Star Wars franchise, but you do not often get to see much of his inner thoughts. While I would probably be happy reading a simple hack-and-slash adventure featuring Maul, I really appreciated the way in which Schreiber takes the time to examine Maul’s inner psyche, and you get an intriguing glimpse into his thoughts about his mission, his purpose in life and his loyalty to his master. I found it quite fascinating to see the way in which Schreiber portrays Maul’s complex feelings about Sidious, as he is both simultaneous absolutely loyal to him while also being deeply suspicious about his intentions. Maul spends most of the book believing that everything he is experiencing is a test or deception levelled at him by his Master and he also hints at his suspicions that he will eventually be betrayed. While this examination of Maul’s more complex thoughts and feelings is quite interesting, it is also perfectly counterbalanced by a huge number of scenes that examine just how much of a badass Maul is. Schreiber has loaded this book up with awesome and brutal fight sequences pitting Maul up against a range of deadly opponents, which are made even more awesome by the fact that Maul is unable to use either his lightsaber or force abilities. Instead, Maul shows off his impressive unarmed fighting skills and his natural cunning, as he overwhelms his opponents in some brutal and clever ways. The author also fits in some compelling hints and depictions of Maul’s training and early life, which I found to be very interesting, particularly as some of these events slightly differ from the current canon. All of this makes for an exceptionally cool Darth Maul novel, and I loved seeing this great character in all his deadly glory.

I ended up checking out Maul: Lockdown on audiobook, which is easily the best way to enjoy a Star Wars book. The Maul: Lockdown audiobook has a reasonable run time of 12 hours and 20 minutes, which dedicated listeners can get through in a couple of sittings. I absolutely powered through this audiobook myself, especially once I got caught up in the cool story, and I had a great time experiencing all the features of this format. Like most Star Wars audiobooks, Maul: Lockdown makes excellent use of the iconic sound effects and musical scores from the Star Wars films and television series to enhance its story. The sound effects are particularly impactful in Maul: Lockdown, and I liked the way they made the many fight sequences pop with the sounds of violence and weapons blasting. They also made one horrifying creature even more terrible to listen to thanks to the slithering and sucking sounds that played when it appeared. This audiobook also made great use of John Williams’ amazing scores. I always love hearing the inspirational and moving Star Wars music during these audiobooks, and while it was more restrained in this audiobook than some others I have enjoyed, it still helped to make several emotional or exciting scenes just a little more epic.

In addition to the cool sound effects and awesome music, Maul: Lockdown’s audiobook also made great use of exceptional narrator Jonathan Davies. Davies is a veteran narrator who has lent his voice to several Star Wars novels in the past, such as Doctor Aphra, Dooku: Jedi Lost, Master and Apprentice and Lords of the Sith. He does a fantastic job bringing the various characters in Maul: Lockdown to life, and I really enjoyed the unique tones that each character received. I really liked the voices that he used for established Star Wars characters, which were close, if not spot on, to how they appeared in the films or television series. This includes the menacing tones he came up with for Maul, which contained all the character’s barely supressed anger and hatred, and he did a rather good Darth Sidious which was reminiscent of Tim Curry’s take on him in The Clone Wars animated series. Davis also did a perfect Jabba the Hutt (not exactly sure that is a compliment, but please take it as such), and I loved hearing him do Jabba’s iconic laugh. Overall, his narration was pretty damn awesome and, when combined with the fantastic sound effects and great musical inclusions, helped to really enhance Maul: Lockdown’s narrative and continued the trend of outstanding Star Wars audiobooks.

Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber is an outstanding and awesome novel that sees one of the best characters in the Star Wars canon fighting for his life in a dangerous setting. Featuring a powerful and addictive narrative, loaded with intrigue, betrayal, and a whole lot of violence, this is a rich, clever, and dark Star Wars novel that comes highly recommended. I had an incredible time reading this cool and captivating book and I really need to check out some of the other amazing sounding novels in the Star Wars: Legends range.

Amazon

WWW Wednesday – 21 April 2021

On April 21, 2021April 21, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

A Prince and a Spy by Rory Clements (Trade Paperback)

I finally got the chance to start reading A Prince and a Spy, the latest historical thriller from awesome author Rory Clements. A Prince and a Spy is the fifth book in the fantastic Tom Wilde series, which follow the titular protagonist as he finds himself embroiled in a series of thrilling espionage missions before and during World War II. The last several novels, including Nucleus, Nemesis and Hitler’s Secret have all been excellent reads, and I have been quite keen to check out this latest book for a while. A Prince and a Spy has an intriguing story, based around the death of the King’s brother, the Duke of Kent, in an air accident during the war. Clements has come up with a really cool thriller story here and I am deeply enjoying this awesome and clever read.

Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber (Audiobook)

I was in the mood to check out an older Star Wars novel and I eventually settled on the awesome Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber. Lockdown, which is part of the Star Wars: Legends range, is the second Star Wars book from Schreiber I have read after the insanely fun, zombie filled Death Troopers. This book follows the iconic Darth Maul before the events of The Phantom Menace as he finds himself trapped in a deadly prison, forced to compete in a series of pit fights. This is an extremely fun and captivating read that I should hopefully finish off in the next day or so. I am really enjoying this great book and interested readers are in for a fantastic time if they decide to check it out.