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‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Tech-news

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO:

‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.


Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO:

Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."


Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics
Netflix
Stranger Things

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#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

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Off-side: Indian sport needs institutions, not just teams <div id="content-body-70895850" itemprop="articleBody"><p>In my last column, I wrote that the soaring valuations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals were less a triumph of Indian sport and more a triumph of one sport. But perhaps, the larger question lies beyond valuation: what comes after the franchise boom?</p><p>Because while India has spent the last decade trying to replicate the IPL, many of the world’s mature sporting cultures have spent the last century building something more durable.</p><p>A franchise can win titles, sell sponsorships and command television ratings. But sporting institutions shape a city, develop generations of athletes and survive cycles of victory and defeat. India has many of the former, but it needs more of the latter.</p><p>If you are ever in Barcelona, you will quickly understand that FC Barcelona is not merely a football club. It is a cultural identity. The same crest lives across basketball, women’s football, handball, futsal and youth sport. Real Madrid, for all its global glamour, follows a similar pattern. Olympiacos in Greece, Fenerbahce in Turkey and Sporting CP in Portugal are not simply clubs but social organisms of their cities.</p><p>They live by a simple maxim: one badge, many sports; one fan base, many emotional entry points.</p><p>The model compounds powerfully. A child may enter through basketball and stay for football. A sponsor may buy one property and inherit five. A city remains engaged across the calendar, not merely during a single league window.</p><p>Despite the astronomical success of the IPL, and the more modest gains made by the Pro Kabaddi League, Women’s Premier League, Hockey India League and the Indian Super League, much of Indian sport remains event-led rather than institution-driven.</p><p>Every year, IPL teams appear, compete, market themselves for a few months and then recede from public consciousness. Fan engagement is intense but episodic. Sponsorship is sold season by season. Youth pathways remain peripheral, and cities host teams without fully owning them.</p><p>If the first wave of sports investment in India was about buying a franchise and entering a league, the next wave should focus on building permanent sporting institutions that are deeply integrated into cities.</p><p>Imagine a Bengaluru sporting institution operating cricket, football, women’s cricket, volleyball and academies under one umbrella. Imagine Kolkata reviving its historic club culture into a modern multi-sport platform. Imagine Chennai, Ahmedabad or Lucknow building year-round city brands rather than seasonal, cricket-centric assets.</p><p>Sponsors would buy into annual ecosystems. Fans would engage for 12 months. Academies would become both a pipeline and a business, while merchandise, memberships and content would generate recurring revenue.</p><p>This future is not theoretical. JSW already owns teams across cricket, football and kabaddi while investing in Olympic sports. Reliance has built beyond teams into pathways and infrastructure. RPSG spans cricket and football. But many such investments remain scattered rather than rooted in one geography.</p><p>Seven IPL franchise owners have already expanded overseas, buying teams in South Africa, the UAE, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Profits generated in India are being exported to acquire cricketing assets abroad. But when one sport already commands more than 80 per cent of the domestic sports economy, there is a legitimate question: should some of that capital instead be reinvested into the underfunded Indian sports ecosystem? Should governments remain passive, or design smart incentives through tax rebates, infrastructure credits, co-investment schemes and grassroots grants as cross-sport ownership benefits for franchise groups that invest meaningfully in city-based multi-sport development?</p><p>The opportunity now is to build across sports within India: an RCB football team in Bengaluru, a CSK women’s cricket team in Chennai, an LSG hockey team in Lucknow, a Gujarat Titans volleyball team in Ahmedabad, all tied to a city crest.</p><p>To make these teams not just tenants of the city, but part of its psyche and consciousness.</p><p>The next phase of Indian sport should not be global acquisition but local permanence. Franchises must become sporting institutions embedded in the heartbeat of their cities.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 23, 2026</p></div> #Offside #Indian #sport #institutions #teams

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Deadspin | Minnesota United hold off FC Dallas attack in narrow win <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788176.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788176.jpg" alt="MLS: Minnesota United at FC Dallas" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; Minnesota United FC defender Anthony Markanich (13) celebrates after he scores a goal against FC Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi (30) during the first half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Anthony Markanich scored in the 32nd minute Wednesday night and visiting Minnesota United shut down FC Dallas for a 1-0 victory to extend its winning streak to four matches.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Minnesota (5-2-2, 17 points) maintained a tight defensive shell against one of the best offenses in MLS. While Dallas (3-2-4, 13 points) owned a 16-5 advantage in shots, it got just three shots on target.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Meanwhile, Minnesota compensated with a slight edge in possession and took advantage of one of its few quality chances. Markanich collected the ball off Owen Gene’s crossing pass and tried a shot that Michael Collodi denied. But the rebound bounced right back to Markanich and he poked it between Collodi and the left post.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Dallas’ attack intensified down the stretch, even with MLS goal-scoring leader Petar Musa departing in the 70th minute after appearing to come down with leg cramps. Musa scored nine goals in the first eight fixtures but was limited to two shots, none on net, as Minnesota marked him tightly.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-5"> <p>Drake Callender logged a clean sheet for Minnesota. He came up with two first-half stops when he deflected Sebastian Ibeagha’s header just over the crossbar in the 6th minute, then tipped Shaq Moore’s lefty shot off the post and back towards the right flank in the 25th minute.</p> </section> <section id="section-6"> <p>Logan Farrington created a couple of dangerous chances after entering the pitch in the 62nd minute for Dallas. His bid for an equalizer in the 79th minute was stopped by Callender and his 88th-minute attempt was flagged for offside.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Near the end of stoppage time in the second half, Dallas created a corner kick and ran Collodi into the middle of the field to help tilt the odds in its favor. But Callender came off his line aggressively and gloved the ball just before time expired.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The result improved Minnesota to 4-0-1 in its last matches and ended Dallas’ five-match unbeaten streak. It was also Dallas’ first loss at home, where it’s now 2-1-4.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Minnesota #United #hold #Dallas #attack #narrow #win

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The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’ The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.” Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’ The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.” Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy BearsA TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at . As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over 0 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.The winner was pissed. “I just paid 7 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about . “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy Bears

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

SAVE $300: As of June 16, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That’s a 55% discount on the list price.

$249.96 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $300.03

 

Prime Day kicks off next week, but there are some early deals already starting to pop up. You can already find deals on things like portable power stations and robot vacuums, and if you’re looking for the latter, there’s a great deal on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra live right now.

As of June 16, this vacuum is down to $249.99, a savings of $300. That’s more than half off the list price and the lowest-ever price for this model.

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This vacuum uses Matrix Clean Navigation to follow a precise grid pattern when vacuuming. This means it makes multiple passes over areas and dirt, making sure nothing is missed. This model also benefits from a self-emptying and bagless design. This is managed at the docking station where it can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris.

360° LiDAR mapping helps it to navigate around your home, and it can even detect and avoid obstacles like shoes or furniture legs. And if you have pets at home, this vacuum is more than capable of dealing with the excess hair and fluff. It has a self-cleaning brushroll and strong suction to handle pet hair, dust, and dander. 

It can also be controlled hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it supports scheduled cleans, so you can set it to run when you’re out of the house.

Pick up this robot vacuum deal from Amazon now.

#robot #vacuum #deal #Save #Shark #AV2501S #Ultra">Best robot vacuum deal: Save 0 on Shark AV2501S AI Ultra SAVE 0: As of June 16, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for 9.99 at Amazon. That’s a 55% discount on the list price. 9.96 at Amazon 9.99 Save 0.03   Prime Day kicks off next week, but there are some early deals already starting to pop up. You can already find deals on things like portable power stations and robot vacuums, and if you’re looking for the latter, there’s a great deal on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra live right now. As of June 16, this vacuum is down to 9.99, a savings of 0. That’s more than half off the list price and the lowest-ever price for this model. Mashable Deals By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. This vacuum uses Matrix Clean Navigation to follow a precise grid pattern when vacuuming. This means it makes multiple passes over areas and dirt, making sure nothing is missed. This model also benefits from a self-emptying and bagless design. This is managed at the docking station where it can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris.360° LiDAR mapping helps it to navigate around your home, and it can even detect and avoid obstacles like shoes or furniture legs. And if you have pets at home, this vacuum is more than capable of dealing with the excess hair and fluff. It has a self-cleaning brushroll and strong suction to handle pet hair, dust, and dander.  Mashable Deals By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. It can also be controlled hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it supports scheduled cleans, so you can set it to run when you’re out of the house.Pick up this robot vacuum deal from Amazon now. #robot #vacuum #deal #Save #Shark #AV2501S #Ultra

Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That’s a 55% discount on the list price.

$249.96 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $300.03

 

Prime Day kicks off next week, but there are some early deals already starting to pop up. You can already find deals on things like portable power stations and robot vacuums, and if you’re looking for the latter, there’s a great deal on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra live right now.

As of June 16, this vacuum is down to $249.99, a savings of $300. That’s more than half off the list price and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

This vacuum uses Matrix Clean Navigation to follow a precise grid pattern when vacuuming. This means it makes multiple passes over areas and dirt, making sure nothing is missed. This model also benefits from a self-emptying and bagless design. This is managed at the docking station where it can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris.

360° LiDAR mapping helps it to navigate around your home, and it can even detect and avoid obstacles like shoes or furniture legs. And if you have pets at home, this vacuum is more than capable of dealing with the excess hair and fluff. It has a self-cleaning brushroll and strong suction to handle pet hair, dust, and dander. 

It can also be controlled hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it supports scheduled cleans, so you can set it to run when you’re out of the house.

Pick up this robot vacuum deal from Amazon now.

#robot #vacuum #deal #Save #Shark #AV2501S #Ultra">Best robot vacuum deal: Save $300 on Shark AV2501S AI Ultra

SAVE $300: As of June 16, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That’s a 55% discount on the list price.

$249.96 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $300.03

 

Prime Day kicks off next week, but there are some early deals already starting to pop up. You can already find deals on things like portable power stations and robot vacuums, and if you’re looking for the latter, there’s a great deal on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra live right now.

As of June 16, this vacuum is down to $249.99, a savings of $300. That’s more than half off the list price and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

This vacuum uses Matrix Clean Navigation to follow a precise grid pattern when vacuuming. This means it makes multiple passes over areas and dirt, making sure nothing is missed. This model also benefits from a self-emptying and bagless design. This is managed at the docking station where it can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris.

360° LiDAR mapping helps it to navigate around your home, and it can even detect and avoid obstacles like shoes or furniture legs. And if you have pets at home, this vacuum is more than capable of dealing with the excess hair and fluff. It has a self-cleaning brushroll and strong suction to handle pet hair, dust, and dander. 

It can also be controlled hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it supports scheduled cleans, so you can set it to run when you’re out of the house.

Pick up this robot vacuum deal from Amazon now.

#robot #vacuum #deal #Save #Shark #AV2501S #Ultra

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