Mental Floss

POP CULTURE

Courtesy of HBO

In 2006, Michelle McNamara began amateur-sleuthing cold cases. One of those cases was that of The Golden State Killer, a cold case she helped to crack, and which formed the basis of her 2018 book 'I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,' which is now an HBO docuseries.

Scarlett Harris






Matthew Peyton/Getty Images

Pro wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was known for his Scottish kilt and bagpipes, but he was also a serious martial artist and even recorded a pop song.

Jake Rossen


L to R: Beastie Boys Ad-Rock (Adam Horowitz), MCA (Adam Yauch), and Mike D (Michael Diamond) pose in Portugal 1998.

Though Beastie Boys effectively disbanded following the 2012 death of Adam "MCA" Yauch, the band has been collecting fans for more than 40 years with its uniquely intoxicating, and ever-evolving, sound.

Todd Gilchrist


Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal in Hulu's Normal People.

'Normal People'—author Sally Rooney's novel-to-Hulu hit series—follows the love story of Irish teenagers Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal), who begin a secret tryst that evolves into a four-year love affair.

Kinsey Gidick


Peter Tea via Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0

When famed composer Ennio Morricone passed away on July 6, 2020, he left behind a body of work that eclipses the idea of “productivity” itself. In addition to composing thousands of hours of music for hundreds of movies, he created several indelible momen

Todd Gilchrist


Zach Tyler in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The mature-for-kids action cartoon 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' has become the hit of the summer, thanks to Netflix. But we have Nickelodeon to thank for its creation ... a full 15 years ago.

Scott Beggs


Phoebe Waller-Bridge stars in Fleabag.

In just two short seasons, British sitcom 'Fleabag'—created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge—has made a lasting mark on television.

Escher Walcott


Issa Rae stars in Insecure.

The critically acclaimed HBO series 'Insecure,' which stars and is written by its co-creator Issa Rae, kicks off its fifth and final season on October 24, 2021.

Faridah Gbadamosi






Some Blu-ray discs can increase in value.

If you have a very specific version of 2013's Sandra Bullock space thriller 'Gravity,' you might be able to get a premium for it.

Jake Rossen