Video games are an extraordinary artform, more immersive and emotionally affecting than any other storytelling medium imo. So of course I want more people to know this. But when I saw the announcement that a Baldur’s Gate 3 live-action tv show was in the works courtesy of Craig Mazin, I couldn’t help but have a severe allergic reaction to it.
My Steam profile will tell you I’ve poured 372 hours of my mortal life into this game. I’ve played through it from beginning to end twice, gotten halfway through a handful of others, reloaded countless saves because I hurt a companion’s feelings, started a whole new campaign to spend three hours in the character creator, and always end up romancing Gale (I love a hot nerd, so sue me). This is all to say I am deeply invested in the sprawling world Larian cultivated with such Passion and Care, while standing on the shoulders of BioWare in the universe that Wizards of the Sword Coast created.
Don’t get me wrong, I respect Mazin. While the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation of Naughty Dog’s magnum opus left a bit to be desired, the first season was truly spectacular television, as was his work with Chernobyl. And, I will admit that I’m cautiously optimistic for Prime Video’s God of War series with Outlander’s Ronald D Moore at the helm. Now in pre-production, the show just cast its Aetraeus (Callum Vinson) and Kratos (Sons of Anarchy’s Ryan Hurst).
But I have found that video game adaptations work best when the story is tightly linear and BG3 is anything but. The will show apparently be set after the events of the 2023 game, so which ending — out of the 17,000+ possible variations — will be regarded as canon? Will the game’s actors, some of whom are BAFTA-nominated !!, make a live-action return, or will their legacy be pissed on by celebrities who don’t appreciate or understand the exceptionally large shoes they’re stepping into? The true power and beauty of BG3 isn’t just in the story, either; it’s in the player’s relationships with their companions, and narrative choices — the consequences for which aren’t often fully realised until hours of gameplay later. That level of emotional depth simply cannot be replicated through passive storytelling, and woe betide anyone who tries.
I’ve been asking myself why I feel so protective of video game IP, and I think it’s because gaming was not a pastime that made you particularly popular 10+ years ago, even five, and still kinda now. Gamers have, for the longest time, been ridiculed, misunderstood, and had our heads dunked in the toilet (proverbial or otherwise). We’ve been called losers, geeks, and weirdos, but thank fuck the internet created a space for us to let our freak flags fly. So it does feel … a little invasive? when “cool” people say they want a piece of it.
Will I watch the BG3 series when it comes out? Honestly, it depends greatly on the cast. But I’ll be watching with the wariness of someone who’s seen too many adaptations flatten the very thing that made their source material special. Video games don’t need Hollywood’s stamp of approval to be legitimised as art. They already are.
— Soph.
some things on our radar this week:
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Not to be a boomer complaining that it’s only February and there’s already Easter Eggs on the shelves but when I was bombarded with the inevitable slew of articles detailing the hunt in Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music vid with a fine-tooth comb, I yawned. I miss feeling like a genius – picking up what miss Taylor was putting down, connecting the dots and being genuinely moved by the symbolism that she wove into her visual narratives. But I fear it’s… kinda not fun anymore. I read this sick piece by Alim Kheraj for The Independent about the fatigue of the Easter Egg hunt. Alim put into words why Taylor’s more recent albums have felt like such unrelatable experiences and it really comes down to becoming safely self-referential, completely disconnecting her from any wider cultural conversations. I loved The Life of a Showgirl but I definitely felt like a spectator this time. And maybe that’s the whole point. — Talecia.
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This time next week we’ll be shedding tears of joy as Stephen Demarco is served his just deserts. Or at least we can hope and pray for it. The season finale of Tell Me Lies is expected to have (even more) twists – that prove exactly why we love this toxic show. When asked about the future of the series, showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer said she “wanted to satisfy everyone” with this third season, but didn’t close the door for a fourth instalment. There’s a lot of fan speculation that Lucy’s story doesn’t end here, especially as the girls have one year left of college, but that all depends on what chapters close in the finale. If it really is the last ep we ever get, I’ll need to start mentally, physically and emotionally preparing for whatever moves Lucy and her wild friends are about to make. — Abbey.
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Benito Bowl is the biggest (positive) thing that happened this week, and no one is changing my mind. Based on his halftime show ad, we knew this was going to be a performance like no other, but he somehow managed to outdo anything I could’ve ever imagined. I can’t express enough how incredible it was, especially considering Benito’s history when it comes to using his artistry for impactful political statements e.g. his prev. Met Gala looks (he’s the People’s Princess fr). A few highlights: naming ALL of the American countries off the top of his head, that ft. of miss Gaga (they KNEW this whole time ??) AND his performers on the electrical poles + him climbing one himself, considering the energy crisis that’s going on in Cuba and it somehow being made out to be the workers’ fault. That was really *chef’s kiss*. No one is doing it like him. Benito, ILYSM <33 (and shoutout to Kendrick last year — he really walked so Bad Bunny could run). — Nish.
songs to add to your playlist rn:
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VV-Ace – EH LE LE LE
Still striding off the back of his strongest year yet, the Melbourne artist continues his run of singles 💪 Some of the best vocals in aus rap btw. -
Chanel Loren – Growing Pains
A song for those random times you check Facebook and someone new from your hometown is married and having kids. An elegant and carefree new favourite from Chanel Loren, what more could you ask for? -
Kareen Lomax – somewhere in the world
Gorgeous closer to the latest project from Kareen Lomax. She said she wrote most of this in 2021 but clearly great music has no expiration date! — Frank.
(Save this playlist btw, updating every week!!)
Singles Inferno Season 5 (2026) | mina sue redemption arc loading
The final two episodes of my favourite, overly dramatic, somewhat torturous South Korean dating reality series aired last night and what a journey this season has been. The undisputed drama queen of Season 5 is undoubtedly Sydney-born Korean American Choi Mina Sue. Things started out rough for this diva, with her flighty indecisiveness and heart on her sleeve becoming a lightning rod for audience criticism. In the end, her biggest crime was being a little bit annoying, insensitive at times, but ultimately acting true to her heart. And I can’t fault her for that.
Wuthering Heights (2026) | a symphony for the eyes and ears that didn’t quite reach the heart
While I can definitely understand the appeal of Emerald Fennell’s torrid adaptation of this literary classic, it didn’t quite land for me. Beautiful and atmospheric as it was, what I thought would be a sweeping, multilayered, harrowing romance between two tragic lovers ended up feeling more like a messy situationship with two emotionally immature hotheads. An absolute delight for the eyes, with gorgeous cinematography and stunning (and perhaps divisive) costumes, but my heart just wasn’t in it.
The Artful Dodger Season 2 (2026) | a dusty hidden gem of a historical drama set in 1850s australia
After recently finishing up Breaking Bad and still deep in The Pitt, I’ve been yearning for something a little more upbeat and refreshing. The second season of Artful Dodger was not only a delightfully charming palate cleanser, but also kind of a perfect blend of the aforementioned cortisol spikers. Set in 1850s Australia as a loosely inspired sequel to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the former pickpocket known as the Artful Dodger back in London now goes by Jack Dawkins, a respected young surgeon. His history of crime, however, comes back to haunt him and various heists, shenanigans, and a romance with the governor’s daughter Lady Belle ensue. It may not be the high stakes crime of Breaking Bad or the hyper-realistic ER setting of The Pitt, but the compelling mix of historical romance, medical drama, and charming leads had me hooked. I’m also a sucker for good costuming, and this new season did not disappoint. — Lia.
Junkee Media acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where this newsletter was produced, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.
