As 2021 comes to a close, we look back at all the television shows that have kept us entertained and binge-watching through the night.
From a record-breaking dystopian South Korean drama to Kate Winslet’s turn as a small-town detective, the year proved to be another strong one in television, thanks to brilliant acting and great storylines as well as creative original content.
‘Mare of Easttown’
The crime drama limited series focuses on Easttown detective sergeant Mare Sheehan (Winslet), who is investigating the murder of a young girl and the disappearance of another in a small Pennsylvanian town. The show also delves into how she’s trying to keep her personal life together after the death of her son, her divorce and a custody battle with her former daughter-in-law.
‘The White Lotus’
The American satirical comedy-drama takes place at the luxurious White Lotus resort in Maui. It follows the exploits of various employees and guests at an exclusive Hawaiian resort over the span of one highly transformative week. The first episode opens up with the reveal that someone staying at the hotel has died and then flashes back to a week earlier to find out how and who it is.
‘Squid Game’
The first Netflix original from South Korea follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a divorced father and gambling addict who lives with his mother and struggles to financially support his young daughter. He takes part in Squid Game with a group of other debt-ridden contestants – 456 of them to be precise. They are placed in an arena where they must compete in a series of challenges adapted from popular children’s games, until one emerges as the sole winner of a $38.5 million prize.
‘WandaVision’
The first television series from the Marvel Cinematic Universe has Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany returning as Avengers superheroes Wanda Maximoff and Vision and takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Using different sitcom styles to move through the decades, the series focuses predominantly on Wanda and the ways she’s learnt to deal with her heartache and grief following the events of Endgame.
‘Hellbound’
The South Korean drama from Yeon Sang-ho is set in an alternative universe in the near future where people can be summoned to hell by an apparition that randomly appears to pronounce the impending death date of people who've purportedly committed some form of crime. The sentence is then carried out on a specific date and time by three smokey Hulk-like beings who appear out of nowhere, literally tearing apart the damned and torching them to a crisp, sending them to "hell". However, things get complicated when a newborn baby gets condemned.
‘Ted Lasso’
The second season of the comedy-drama returned, picking up where the first season ended, with football team AFC Richmond relegated from the English Premier League. The show was once again met with critical acclaim despite a focus on heavier themes including the mental health of various characters, including titular Ted Lasso, thanks to a new sports psychologist brought on to help the team.
‘Money Heist’
The Spanish series reached cult status once it began showing on Netflix in 2017. Although it was initially supposed to be a limited series, after massive success on the streaming platform, Netflix decided to renew the show with an increased budget. This year marked the beginning of the end, as the fifth and final season shown, with the last five episodes out in December. After wondering for more than two years how the group would escape their second heist at the Royal Mint of Spain, all was revealed with a satisfying end to the beloved show.
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’
This American mini-series is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty. It’s about nine strangers who gather for 10-day retreat at a mysterious health and wellness resort and, one by one, spill their secrets. Featuring a strong cast, including Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans and Regina Hall, Nine Perfect Strangers has you guessing throughout – mostly about what genre it falls under. Is it a drama? A thriller? Science fiction? The answer to this is not particularly clear by the end, and it leaves you with plenty more questions about love, life and happiness – in a good way.
‘Succession’
The American satirical comedy show explores the themes of power, politics and family through the eyes of an ageing, ultra-wealthy media mogul and his four grown children. In its third season, the series centres on the Roy family, who are dysfunctional owners of Waystar Royco and fight for control of the company amid uncertainty over the health of the family’s patriarch, Logan Roy.
‘Clickbait’
The eight-episode limited series tells the story of Nick Brewer, a family man who gets kidnapped and held hostage as a video of him surfaces online saying he will die if it gets five million views. As the view count climbs and the video goes viral, his sister and wife try to piece together how to save him. Every episode focuses on a new character and the show keeps you on your toes until the very end.
‘Only Murders in the Building’
This comedy crime drama boasts a fantastic star cast – Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short – and keeps you hooked right until the end. The show is about three neighbours in New York who are obsessed with true crime. After a suspicious death takes place in their affluential apartment building, they decide to investigate and record a podcast of their own to document it. The whodunnit has hilarious quips, quirky characters, chemistry between the protagonists and guest appearances.
‘Midnight Mass’
Netflix horror fans will be familiar with Mike Flanagan thanks to his previous works The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. This year, he returned to the streaming platform with Midnight Mass. The limited series centres around the return of Riley Flynn to Crockett Island to live with his family after serving time in jail. At the same time, a mysterious new priest appears in town to replace the old one after he disappears, and mysterious occurrences start to happen. The show deals with many themes, such as religion and immortality.
'The Great'
Brutal and beautiful, the "occasionally true" drama-comedy The Great centres around Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) and returned for its second season. The show picks up four months since the coup against her husband Peter the Great (Nicholas Hoult) and both sides are at a standstill. In the first season, viewers watched as Catherine adapted and adjusted her views to the ways of Russia and now we see that she is more determined than ever to rule, having been unable to convince Peter to abdicate.
Read more
A year in pop culture: 20 of the biggest viral and celebrity moments of 2021
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
RESULTS
ATP China Open
G Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt R Bautista Agut (ESP x5)
7-6, 4-6, 6-2
R Nadal (ESP x1) bt J Isner (USA x6)
6-4, 7-6
WTA China Open
S Halep (ROU x2) bt D Kasatkina (RUS)
6-2, 6-1
J Ostapenko (LAT x9) bt S Cirstea (ROU)
6-4, 6-4
ATP Japan Open
D Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt S Johnson (USA)
6-0, 7-5
D Goffin (BEL x4) bt R Gasquet (FRA)
7-5, 6-2
M Cilic (CRO x1) bt R Harrison (USA)
6-2, 6-0
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
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Teenage%20Mutant%20Ninja%20Turtles%3A%20Shredder's%20Revenge
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What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Company%20Profile
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