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The holidays can be a source of joy or be stressful. No matter what your actual plans are, many of us find ourselves with a little bit more downtime to actually relax and watch some of the peak TV we’ve been missing. So, I’m here with the shows that you can binge-watch easily and that are worth your time, mainly because they’re incredible and I wish others would watch them and talk to me about them.

Have some time to hunker down with the Roy family? Well then, HBO’s Succession is the show for you.

Following the corrupt life of Logan Roy and his kids, Succession is a mess of characters we probably shouldn’t love and big business ideas that are almost impossible to follow, and yet week after week, I watched, rapt, as the legacy of the Roy family unfurled before their very eyes. Also, maybe I should question my love of Kendall Roy, but … after you watch, can you blame me?

Not your speed? Well, there’s plenty of shows streaming on Netflix that may strike your fancy, like The End of the F***ing World.

The first season focused on James and his desire to kill, but quickly the show changed from a strange murderous teen searching for blood to a show about companionship and the desire to feel connected with another human being. Season 2, which features Star Wars actress Naomi Ackie, is just as breathtaking, and it is truly one of the best shows out there.

But if James isn’t the British teen for you, then maybe Otis, of Netflix’s Sex Education, is.

A show that was basically sold to us all as “Gillian Anderson as a sex therapist,” Sex Education focuses primarily on Otis, his friend Eric, and his crush/work partner Maeve. When Maeve needs some money and Otis wants to finally experience sexual attraction to someone, the two decide to work together to give sex advice to their school for money. Teen angst ensues, but also, I just want Otis and Eric to have all the happiness in the world.

Teens struggling are fun and cute, but have you ever watched rich people struggle? Specifically the Rose family, and their quest for riches once more on Schitt’s Creek?

Didn’t take our suggestion last year? Well, here it is again! Schitt’s Creek uses the fictional Rose family to highlight both the warped nature of the uber rich as well as finding humanity in the most unlikely of situations. From David and Alexis fighting with their parents to the people of Schitt’s Creek, the show is a beautiful little reminder of what’s important in life and the joy we can all find within ourselves and one another.

The show is wrapping up with its upcoming sixth season, but you can find the first four seasons on Netflix, with various options to complete the series up to its current point.

Caught up on all your modern-era shows? Why not go back and revisit a classic like Ally McBeal on Hulu?

If you’re like me, you probably had a mother who loved Ally McBeal. I remember my Robert Downey Jr. phase starting when Larry Paul was on the show, but I don’t remember many of the plot points because I was just but a humble preteen. Now though, it’s a fun show to go back and watch to see how much the world has changed and how, in many ways, we’re still dealing with the same themes that Ally McBeal presented for us at the beginning.

An honorable mention goes out to Barry, because I’ve already written a piece asking you to watch it, so I feel like that sums up my feelings on the show, but you can catch up with it on HBO’s streaming services.

Have some other suggestions of shows to binge? Let us know what you’re watching in the comments below!

(featured image: HBO)

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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has successfully completed clinical trials of the world’s first injectable male contraceptive, according to researchers involved in the project, reports BET. 

“The product is ready, with only regulatory approvals pending with the Drugs Controller. The trials are over, including extended, phase 3 clinical trials for which 303 candidates were recruited with a 97.3% success rate and no reported side-effects. The product can safely be called the world’s first male contraceptive,” said Dr. RS Sharma, senior scientist with ICMR, according to The Hindustan Times.

The ICMR, a government-funded biomedical research agency, has created this first-of-its-kind male contraceptive as a replacement for surgical vasectomies. Currently, this is the only method for male sterilization that exists today. It could be made available in seven months if approved and will reportedly last around 13 years.

“It’s the first in the world from India so we have to be extra careful about approval. We are looking at all aspects, especially the good manufacturing practice (GMP) certification that won’t raise any questions about its quality,” said VG Somani, the drug controller general of India.

“I’d say it will still take about six to seven months for all the approvals to be granted before the product can be manufactured,” said Somani. The manufacture, sale, and distribution of new medical innovation in India requires approval from DCGI, which conducts its own checks before clearing it.

The contraceptive is called reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance (RISUG) and is made up of a polymer that is injected into the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles known as the vas deferens.

“Two things are needed from the government for it to work; one is to make use of the trial subjects for awareness generation among masses about the product, and second is to offer higher incentives for people opting for male contraceptives,” says AR Nanda, former family welfare secretary, Government of India.

The Hindustan Times announced it on their Twitter account, “The contraceptive is designed as a replacement for surgical vasectomy, which is the only male sterilization method available in the world.

Amazon's pre-Black Friday ad features many deals on Alexa devices, Fire tablets, and more electronics. (Photo Credit: Amazon)

Black Friday is only a few days away and Amazon is getting an early start on the shopping holiday. If you or someone else on your list needs a new Fire TV Stick, a tablet, or smart doorbell system, Amazon is offering discounts on a lot of tech products.

The best part? You can make all your purchases online. No lines, crowds, or limited parking are involved. And, our sister site BestBlackFriday.com says Amazon is dropping some promotions before Nov. 29. Of course, you can also wait until Black Friday to enjoy sales on all your favorite electronics.

Below are the best tech deals from Amazon’s pre-Black Friday ad. If you want a general scope of Black Friday 2019, check out our brief forecast, or if you want to explore some great Black Friday gift options, read our roundup here.

Tech Deals

Photo Credit: Amazon

All-New Fire HD 10 Tablet for $99.99 (Save $50)

Fire Stick 4K With Alexa Voice Remote for $24.99 (Save $25)

Echo Show 5 for $49.99 (Save $40)

All-New Fire 7 Tablet for $29.99 (Save $20)

Photo Credit: Amazon

Ring Video Doorbell Pro with Echo Show 5 for $189 (Save $139.99)

Amazon Smart Plug (w/Bundle Purchase) for $4.99 (Save $20)

Fire HD 8 Tablet for $49.99 (Save $30)

Photo Credit: Amazon

New Kindle Paperwhite for $84.99 (Save $45)

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $22 (Save $37.99)

Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Security Camera for $184.99 (Save $65)

For more deals, including all of the latest Black Friday announcements, check out our sister site, BestBlackFriday.com.

More on Geek.com:

• Here’s When All the Major Black Friday 2019 Sales Start
• GameStop Reveals Full Black Friday 2019 Gaming Deals
• Walmart Black Friday Ad: Best Deals for Gaming and Tech Devices

After the explosive popularity of The Mandalorian‘s “The Child,” aka Baby Yoda, aka New God of the Internet, we wondered how best to express our devotion. Under late capitalism, this usually takes the form of buying overpriced things and displaying them prominently on our desks and bodies. Unfortunately for our hearts and wallets, the first official offerings from Star Wars’ Disney overlords reek of a rush job.

Disney was clearly caught off-guard by the demand to own a piece of Baby Yoda all our own. The character was kept top-secret, which means that toys were not planned in advance, presumably to prevent leaks (which can often come in toy form). This is understandable. However, it seems clear from the merch finally put on offer today via an announcement on StarWars.com that Disney really just had no idea Baby Yoda was going to take off the way it did. They seem to have had no toy or merchandise design plans waiting in the wings.

Hasbro confirmed to Vanity Fair that there will be no Baby Yoda toys come Christmastime, and toys will not appear until sometime in 2020. Considering how many Baby Yoda toys they could sell at the moment for the holiday season, this seems like a huge oversight. You have to strike while the Baby Yoda is still hot. Will we even remember who Baby Yoda is by, say, March? Questions abound.

What has now been put forward is a single concept art image from series concept supervisor Christian Alzmann (the image itself is perfectly cool and adorable, but they have offered just the one), and then they just kind of …. slapped it on a bunch of generic stuff. T-shirts, stickers, mugs, totes, phone cases, popsockets, etc.

The line looks like items I’d expect to see for sale by fan artists on sale at a Redbubble account, only most fan artists I know would have done much more thoughtful and nuanced work. StarWars.com promises more merch to come, of which I have little doubt, but this put a bad taste in my mouth.

I understand a rush to capitalize, but maybe the giant megacorporation that employs some of the finest artists and graphic artists in the business could maybe pause a minute and make some merch we’d more happily splash out on?

(via StarWars.com, images: Disney)

• A Grease spin-off series has been ordered by HBO, because God is dead. (Not you, Baby Yoda! Never you.) (via Deadline)
• Imelda Staunton could possibly replace Olivia Colman in The Crown‘s later seasons, which is a glorious idea even if I will hate Dolores Umbridge forever. (via Hollywood Reporter)

• Never in my life have I read an opinion column, gasped and repeatedly shouted, “OH SHIT!” @michaelharriot is one helluva writer, but this one about Mayor Pete will go down in history as one of his best. Every mofo ain’t able. https://t.co/kudDFuXMME

  — Harriet Tubman’s Burner Account (@goldietaylor) November 26, 2019

• A capybaras-only coloring book may be a better use of your money than a bad Baby Yoda t-shirt. (via BoingBoing)
• Is the release of a Snyder Justice League cut only a pipe dream? (via Comicbook)
• Meanwhile, DC seems to be plotting far into its future, and the best bit of intel is that Michael B. Jordan took a meeting with them to talk Superman. Unfortunately, we’d probably not see Jordan’s Superman, if it were to happen, for many years. (via Variety)
• The President is an idiot, exhibit #8,9062.

What did you see today?

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