Sunday, 25 January 2026
Welcome back to The Ephemeric's 2026 Hot List. This week we will have a look at the most exciting new literature and novels you'll be reading in the coming year.
You know the spiel by now: I love to read. Reading is one of the few pursuits that reliably repays the time you give it. A great book can challenge, comfort, and expand your view of the world in ways little else can. The problem, of course, is time. Even the most enthusiastic reader has limits, and the pile of new releases never stops growing. With 2026 set to bring an especially rich crop of novels and ideas, this list is my attempt to cut through the noise and highlight the books most deserving of a place in an already crowded reading life.
So here it is: your reading list for 2026, our list of the top 10 upcoming releases from the world of literature to keep an eye on this year, starting, as always, with number 10:
10. "The Astral Library" by Kate Quinn
9. "Hooked" by Asako Yuzuki
8. "Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter" by Heather Fawcett
7. "So Old, So Young" by Grant Ginder
6. "The Radiant Dark" by Alexandra Oliva
5. "A Far Flung Life" by M.L. Stedman
4. "A World Appears" by Michael Pollan
3. "Villa Coco" by Andrew Sean Greer
2. "The Ending Writes Itself" by Evelyn Clarke
1. "Exit Party" by Emily St John Mandel
So there you have it folks: 2026 in literature. Tune in soon for our next instalment of the Hot List, covering the essential new theatre coming up in 2026!
10. "The Astral Library" by Kate Quinn
We begin with The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. Billed as one of the most anticipated titles of early 2026, The Astral Library weaves historical depth with speculative imagination, inviting readers into a secret trove of books that may literally transport them to other worlds.
Alexandria Watson, shaped by a lonely childhood in foster care, has learned to trust books more than people. Juggling dead-end jobs and with college out of reach, she finds solace each night in the Boston Public Library, until she discovers a hidden door leading to a secret library overseen by an ageless, sharp-tongued Librarian, a refuge where the desperate can step directly into the worlds of their favorite books and claim entirely new lives.
Drawing on Quinn’s strength in blending richly drawn settings and immersive plotlines, the novel is poised to merge literary fantasy with layered narratives about the power and peril of stories themselves. Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? The Astral Library releases in February.
9. "Hooked" by Asako Yuzuki
The latest from celebrated Japanese author Asako Yuzuki, best known for 2017's Butter. Hooked is a razor-sharp psychological novel that dissects obsession, desire, and the quiet violence of emotional dependency.
This novel follows a young woman whose carefully ordered life begins to unravel as she falls into a relationship that is intoxicating, destabilising, and ultimately dangerous.
With cool precision and mounting unease, Yuzuki charts how intimacy can blur into control, and how longing can become a trap of one’s own making. Elegant, unsettling, and unflinchingly perceptive, this is a slow-burn exploration of vulnerability and power that lingers long after its final page. Hooked releases in March.
8. "Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter" by Heather Fawcett
Taking a turn for the warm and whimsical, we have Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. This enchanting, and quietly profound novel centres on a reclusive woman who runs a peculiar shelter for cats.
Set in 1920s Montreal, this cozy fantasy follows Agnes Aubert, a fiercely organized, type-A woman who has devoted her life to running a cat rescue charity and prefers her world tidy, practical, and free of nonsense. Her carefully managed existence is upended when a forced relocation reveals that her new landlord, a grouchy, disarmingly charming magician and former would-be Dark Lord, is using the shelter as a front for his notorious and illicit magic shop.
As magic, danger, and unexpected feelings collide, Agnes must decide whether she can protect her life’s work without compromising her principles, or her heart. this releases in February.
7. "So Old, So Young" by Grant Ginder
So Old, So Young follows six college friends whose lives weave together across five milestone gatherings over twenty years, from a Lower East Side New Year’s Eve party in 2007 to suburban barbecues, destination weddings, and ultimately a funeral, revealing how time reshapes love, ambition, jealousy, and the bonds that once seemed unbreakable.
Told through multiple perspectives with sharp wit and poignant insight, the novel captures the messy, bittersweet realities of millennial adulthood: friends moving through new cities, spouses, children, and shifting identities while clinging to memories of who they once were.
This generation-spanning, character-driven story comes from Grant Ginder, the American novelist best known for The People We Hate at the Wedding (now a major motion picture) and other acclaimed works that blend humor with emotional depth, who brings his signature voice to a tender, reflective exploration of lifelong friendship and change. This releases in February.
6. "The Radiant Dark" by Alexandra Oliva
Set in March 1980 in a small Adirondacks town, The Radiant Dark is a sweeping, emotionally rich novel that blends intimate family drama with speculative wonder.
Carol Girard and her husband are settling into new parenthood when an unexplained flickering light in the night sky turns out to be communication from intelligent life eleven light-years away, sparking a decades-long exchange that forever alters humanity’s sense of itself and its place in the universe. Against this backdrop of first contact and cosmic mystery, Oliva follows the lives of the Girard family over fifty years: from Carol’s spiritual quest to understand the implications of what they’ve discovered, to her son Michael’s grounded perspective and daughter Ro’s growing fascination with interstellar communication
The novel bold fusion of speculative elements with thoughtful family portraiture comes from Alexandra Oliva, the author of The Last One and Forget Me Not, known for her atmospheric storytelling and emotionally resonant characters. Scheduled to hit the shelves in April.
5. "A Far Flung Life" by M.L. Stedman
From M.L. Stedman, author of the global bestseller The Light Between Oceans, A Far-Flung Life is a sweeping, emotionally resonant family saga set in the vast outback of Western Australia in 1958.
On an ordinary day under an unending sky, a sudden accident on a lonely road shatters the lives of the MacBride family, claiming one sibling’s life and forcing the youngest, Matt, into a moral and emotional journey without map or guide.
As tragedy and its ripple effects unfold over decades, Stedman explores the weight of love, duty, fate, and belonging against an unforgiving landscape, asking how people endure loss, seek redemption, and find shelter from life’s storms. A Far-Flung Life is both intimate and epic, a luminous meditation on resilience and the ties that bind us. Stedman, born and raised in Western Australia and now based in London, brings the same lyricism and moral depth that made her debut a global phenomenon. Due out in March.
4. "A World Appears" by Michael Pollan
Another Feburary book. In A World Appears, Michael Pollan embarks on an expansive, deeply researched exploration of one of science’s greatest mysteries: how and why subjective experience arises in the brain.
Tracing what he calls the “unmapped continent” of consciousness, Pollan brings together scientific, philosophical, spiritual, literary, and psychedelic perspectives to investigate how feeling, thought, and a sense of self emerge from neural processes. Along the way, he meets neuroscientists probing cutting-edge theories, biologists considering sentience in unexpected forms, and AI researchers attempting to model feeling.
Pollan’s inquiry illuminates not only what we know about consciousness, but also how understanding it reshapes our relationship to the world and ourselves. Pollan is the author of several New York Times bestselling works of nonfiction, including How to Change Your Mind, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and In Defense of Food, and is widely celebrated for combining meticulous reportage with philosophical depth and cultural insight.
3. "Villa Coco" by Andrew Sean Greer
From Pulitzer Prize-winning author Andrew Sean Greer comes Villa Coco, a sun-soaked, witty coming-of-age tale set in the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Broke, directionless, and freshly arrived from America, the unnamed young narrator takes a job as assistant to Lisabetta, known affectionately as Coco, a charismatic, fiercely independent baronessa living in a crumbling villa. Though he expects to catalogue her eclectic art and artifact collection, his real duties range from battling a marten and navigating an ancient septic system to entertaining a parade of eccentric guests and aiding Coco in her last-ditch quest to reunite with the lost love of her life.
Told with Greer’s signature warmth, insight, and humor, Villa Coco blends lighthearted farce with a deeper meditation on friendship, youth, age, and the messy, unpredictable path to becoming who you hoped you’d be. A nice summer read to be released in June.
2. "The Ending Writes Itself" by Evelyn Clarke
In The Ending Writes Itself, six struggling authors are invited to a secluded Scottish island with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: finish the final, unfinished manuscript of reclusive bestselling novelist Arthur Fletch and walk away with a life-changing publishing deal and prize money.
Upon arrival they discover that Fletch is already dead and must compete over 72 intense hours to craft an ending worthy of literary immortality, in this clever locked-room mystery that doubles as a witty satire of the publishing world.
Written under the joint pen name Evelyn Clarke, a collaboration between bestselling authors V.E. Schwab (known for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) and Cat Clarke, the novel blends cozy whodunit energy with sharp industry insight and twisty intrigue, making it ideal for fans of classic mysteries and contemporary meta-thrillers alike when it releases in April.
1. "Exit Party" by Emily St John Mandel
Our top pick for 2026: the latest from Emily St John Mandel, the bestselling author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility. Exit Party is a mind-bending literary epic set in 2031 that blends speculative fiction with mystery, art, and survival.
In a future America fractured by conflict and the emergence of the Republic of California, peacekeepers withdraw from Los Angeles and a lifted curfew prompts a massive party. Aseemingly ordinary night explodes into a mystery involving shadow selves, disappearances, and fractured realities.
From war-torn cities and seaside resorts to Paris and beyond, the novel probes the price of safety, the perils of surveillance, and the resilience of the human spirit in a broken world. This one is out in September, and it is the hype standout from the year's upcoming novels.
So there you have it folks: 2026 in literature. Tune in soon for our next instalment of the Hot List, covering the essential new theatre coming up in 2026!
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Hello and welcome back to the Hot List. This week we will turn our attention to the videogame industry, previewing for you loyal readers the most exciting videogames set for release in 2026.
Looking back at our 2025 preview, it stands out just how many of the more prominent expected releases ended up being pushed to 2026. The fact that 2025 still ended up being a genuinely exceptional year for gaming in spite of these delays speaks to the quality and depth of talent in the industry today. GTA VI may have been pushed, but we still had Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Avowed, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Of course, we all wish that top level games could be developed in 1-2 years as in the old days, rather than a decade or more, but it's hard to get too upset about it when there is such abundance of content available.
For this year’s list, I’ve tried to cut through the noise and settle on the 15 games that look most likely to matter in 2026. The focus this time has been on titles that genuinely seem on track for a 2026 release, even if a handful are still open to question. With that in mind, here are the 15 videogames to watch in the year ahead, starting with number 15 (trailers linked in the titles where available):
15. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies (PC)
We start things off with a juicy one. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is the new game from ZA/UM, developers of Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium is generally viewed as one of the greatest games of all time, a landmark in writing and storytelling, and arguably the best of the 2010s. So you may be wondering, why so low on this list? Well how much time have you got?
We start things off with a juicy one. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is the new game from ZA/UM, developers of Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium is generally viewed as one of the greatest games of all time, a landmark in writing and storytelling, and arguably the best of the 2010s. So you may be wondering, why so low on this list? Well how much time have you got?Long story short (and you can find the details of the long version in this Reddit post), shortly after the release of Disco Elysium, ZA/UM splintered into an effective civil war between the creatives and executives of the company, the result of which is that most of the people responsible for that game's success have now left the company, the IP remains in limbo, and there's a good half dozen or so companies vying to create the "true successor" to Disco Elysium.
Of these potential successors, first out the gate is Zero Parades, developed by what remains of ZA/UM. This title leans very much into the legacy of Disco Elysium, clearing aiming for a similar visual style, tone and text-heavy design. The plot is still mostly under wraps, but we do know that this is a tale of espionage, promising the same kinds of philosophical and political ruminations that characterised the narrative of its predecessor.
It's a somewhat controversial pick as you can imagine. Such is the animosity regarding the ZA/UM fracture that many fans of Disco Elysium are calling for boycotts of Zero Parades, a move that personally I find unfair on the remaining developers at the company who, of course, had nothing to do with all the drama. At the end of the day, can they craft a good game without so many of the key personnel behind Disco Elysium? We shall soon find out.
Release Date: Late 2026
14. Mixtape (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
I have a great soft spot for Annapurna Interactive. In my view one of the most artistically interesting publishers out there with an array of highly talented development studios under their belt. This latest game Mixtape is the new title from Beethoven & Dinosaur, developers of the excellent The Artful Escape.
Ostensibly a narrative adventure in the mould of a Dontnod or Telltale title, Mixtape invites players into a nostalgic coming-of-age story set on the last night of high school. Players follow three friends as they embark on one final adventure together before parting ways, reliving key moments of their youth through a series of dreamlike, gameplay vignettes, all tied together by a generational soundtrack of legendary music that shapes the tone and atmosphere of the experience.
The game blends heartfelt storytelling with a rich, evocative soundtrack and promises a deeply personal journey through memory, friendship, and the bittersweet end of an era, with a planned release in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Release Date: TBD 2026
One of the more delightful unexpected surprises of the past year's gaming reveals. Once upon a time, Bryan wrote a pretty good graphic novel series, which then became a pretty good movie, and more recently a pretty good anime.
At the time of the film's release, a tie-in videogame was released, Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game. A side-scrolling beat-em up with a nostalgic pixel art style and chiptune music from some of the most iconic musicians in the genre. It was surprisingly awesome for what appeared, at first, to just be a simple movie tie-in. It developed a bit of a cult following and is remembered fondly, but I don't think anyone expected a sequel after all these years.
That sequel is Scott Pilgrim EX, a brand new story in this world with these characters. It looks like more of the same game that we all loved, but bigger, with more scope, more playable characters, multiplayer, etc. For gamers of a certain age, or fans of the source material, this looks to be a highlight of 2026 in games.
Release Date: Spring 2026
The Deliver Us series began as something of a novelty. The first title, Deliver Us the Moon was a clever, but simple puzzle game in a realistic space setting. The sequel, Deliver Us Mars dialled things up a notch with more ambitious storytelling and presentation, and more complex gameplay. Now, the final chapter to the trilogy, Deliver Us Home is coming, and it looks to be a culmination of everything that has come before.
For this third title, developer KeokeN took to crowdfunding in lieu of a traditional publisher. But if that gives you pause as to the potential scope and ambition of this title, you can put those thoughts aside. This one is going bigger. Big, open environments for exploration, vehicles to drive, and survival/crafting gameplay.
With the Kickstarter successful, this title is now expected to release some time in 2026.
Release Date: TBD 2026
11. Control: Resonant (PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox)
The latest title in the Remedyverse of horror games that includes the Alan Wake and Control series (and kinda Max Payne), Control: Resonant is the follow up to Remedy Entertainment's excellent 2019 title, Control.
The latest title in the Remedyverse of horror games that includes the Alan Wake and Control series (and kinda Max Payne), Control: Resonant is the follow up to Remedy Entertainment's excellent 2019 title, Control.Control: Resonant expands the enigmatic world of the Federal Bureau of Control with a new standalone story that blends mind-bending mystery, telekinetic combat, and the series’ trademark supernatural intrigue. Players once again step into a fractured reality where the ordinary bends to the uncanny, exploring shifting environments, unearthing cryptic artifacts, and confronting echoes of the Bureau’s deepest anomalies while unraveling a narrative that bridges familiar faces and fresh threats.
With refined gunplay and psychic abilities, richly atmospheric locations that pulse with both danger and discovery, and a deeper dive into the metaphysical forces that define the Oldest House, Control: Resonant promises to deliver an immersive fusion of action and narrative depth when it arrives in 2026.
Release Date: Summer 2026
10. Fable (PC, Xbox)
The Fable franchise returns in a highly anticipated reboot from Playground Games, reimagining the iconic series with modern storytelling and cutting-edge visuals.
The Fable series takes place in the whimsical yet dangerous world of Albion, a high fantasy world which draws heavily on European folklore, and the fantastical stylings of authors like Terry Pratchett and JK Rowling. Combine this with a distinctly British sense of humour, and you get some idea of what has made the setting so enduring.
Players can expect a mix of open-world exploration, dynamic combat, and moral decision-making that will shape the fate of their character and the world around them.
A formal release date has yet to be set, but is said to be targeting the Q4 2026 window.
Release Date: TBD 2026
The lower budget, lower risk of indie game development provides ideal opportunity for creative risks. As far as artistically ambitious indie games go, 2021's Genesis Noir is one of the more memorable.
A heady blend of metaphysics, bauhaus illustrations and jazz music, that first game left an indelible impression. The sequel, Nirvana Noir is a narrative detective experience in the same vein that blends atmospheric storytelling with surreal mystery, placing players in the shoes of a hard-boiled investigator navigating a city steeped in retro-inspired visuals, jazz-tinged soundscapes, and existential intrigue.
As you unravel a tangled web of secrets, missing persons, and hidden agendas, the game challenges you to interpret cryptic clues, solve puzzles, and make choices that reshape both the case and the world around you, all while questioning what’s real and what’s illusion in a world where truth is ever elusive. With its moody art direction, rich character interactions, and an emphasis on mood and deduction over brute force, Nirvana Noir aims to deliver a compelling fusion of classic noir sensibilities and modern narrative design when it arrives in 2026.
Release Date: Summer 2026
I like to imagine that the conceptual process for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn started with "well if EA won't make a new Mass Effect game, we'll do it ourselves." The comparisons between Owlcat's ambitious new title and the celebrated RPG series are unavoidable, and that is no bad thing.
But Owlcat's upcoming third person sci-fi action RPG has more going for it than just nostalgia. The Expanse IP is an exciting enough hook in its own right, and the promise of a title that can bring the rich political and hard-science universe of The Expanse to life, is a very tantalising prospect indeed.
Set amid the fraught tensions between Earth, Mars, and the Belt, you’ll assemble and command your own crew and the most advanced frigate in the system, tackling real-time tactical combat, branching choices, and squad-driven encounters across iconic locations like Ganymede, Ceres, Luna, and Mars, with player origins (Earther, Martian, or Belter) shaping how the world reacts to you. Inspired in part by cinematic RPGs like Mass Effect yet grounded in the gritty realism fans expect, Osiris Reborn promises a narrative-rich journey of survival, loyalty, and political intrigue.
Release Date: TBD 2026
7. Witchbrook (PC, Xbox, Switch)
Now here's a blast from the past. First announced almost a decade ago, Witchbook (previously "Spellbound") has been on our watch list for an awful long time. But after a prolonged development cycle, the game is finally set for release in 2026.
Now here's a blast from the past. First announced almost a decade ago, Witchbook (previously "Spellbound") has been on our watch list for an awful long time. But after a prolonged development cycle, the game is finally set for release in 2026.Developed by Chucklefish, developers of the flawed but ambitious Starbound and original publisher of Stardew Valley, the hook of Witchbrook is an alluring one: a cosy pixel art life-sim RPG set in a Harry Potter-esque magical school. Unfortunately, for the longest time that hook was all they had, and the extended development time is apparently due to their efforts to try and figure out how to actually turn that hook into a compelling game.
That's totally fine of course, I am all in favour of game developers taking the time they need to get it right, and one way or another, they seem to have managed it. Blending life-sim staples like seasonal progression, character relationships, and world exploration with a rich fantasy twist, the game lets you customize your character, attend classes, cultivate friendships (and perhaps romance), take on tasks around town, and even play with up to four friends in online co-op as you work toward graduation and beyond.
Release Date: Spring 2026
6. Planet of Lana II (PC, Playstation, Xbox, Switch)
Alright, now we're talking. Initially, Planet of Lana looked just like the latest in a long line of artistic indie platformers. But what we got was a surprisingly compelling cinematic narrative experience, with characters, intriguing world-building, and excellent audio and visual presentation. The announcement of a full sequel, Planet of Lana II, is thus a reason for excitement.
Planet of Lana II continues the heart-felt journey that captivated players in the original Planet of Lana, blending emotional storytelling with lush, hand-painted worlds and puzzle-driven exploration. Players once again step into a beautifully crafted alien landscape, accompanied by loyal companions, as they uncover the mysteries of a planet under threat and confront challenges that test their bond, courage, and wits.
Building on its predecessor’s strengths: evocative atmosphere, minimal text design, evocative music, and clever environmental puzzles, Planet of Lana II is expected to expand the scope of adventure with new biomes to explore, deeper narrative resonance, and heightened environmental interaction, all while preserving the serene yet poignant tone that made the first game memorable. With a planned release in 2026, the sequel aims to deliver an even more immersive and emotionally rich experience for fans of cinematic exploration games.
Release Date: Late 2026
Ion Lands' debut title Cloudpunk placed them as one of the new darlings in indie gaming. But while the cyberpunk taxi simulator was blessed with tight driving mechanics and surprisingly adept storytelling, what really elevated the game to prominence was its setting, a stunning voxel cyberpunk dystopia oozing with atmosphere. Follow up project Nivalis builds on that strength. A slice of life sim set in that same immersive setting.
In Nivalis, players control a new character aiming to build a life in this city. The game will feature business management, social simulation and home decorating. Like a cyberpunk version of Stardew Valley, with more life-sim features. Ion Lands recognise that the biggest asset of Cloudpunk was its world, and Nivalis aims to capitalise on that asset by turning it into a fully immersive experience in which players can live and explore, and really feel a part of the setting.
This is another one for the list of seemingly perennial Hot List entrants, having featured some three times with no release. But after many years of development, Nivalis has been confirmed for a spring 2026 release.
Release Date: Spring 2026
4. Aphelion (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
Now here's a tasty prospect. Dontnod are a developer known for delivering cinematic, character-driven stories, most notably with the Life is Strange series, but also in last year's Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. While their stories typically do feature some supernatural element, one thing they all otherwise have in common is a relatable, real-world modern-day setting. In that respect, Aphelion marks something of a departure.
Set against a richly detailed sci-fi backdrop, you’ll follow a group of compelling characters whose personal journeys intertwine with a larger enigma. It looks oddly reminiscent of another series featured on this list, the Deliver Us series. Frankly, the prospect of a hard sci-fi adventure in that vein, mixed with Dontnod's trademark storytelling pedigree, seems like a win to me.
Aphelion promises deep, choice-driven narrative paths, emotionally charged character relationships, and moral complexity that asks players not just what they will do, but why. Wrapped in a cinematic presentation and informed by themes of identity, consequence, and the human cost of progress, the game aims to deliver a resonant story experience when it arrives in 2026.
Release Date: TBD 2026
3. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (Switch)
The history of Nintendo's signature tactical RPG series has been a turbulent one. Historically seeing minimal success in the west, with a number of Japan-only releases, Fire Emblem finally started to achieve greater mainstream success with the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening back in 2012 and, in particular, the wildly successful Fire Emblem: Three Houses, our runner up game of the year back in 2019.
But even then it hasn't been plain sailing. For every Awakening, there's a Fates, for every Three Houses, there's an Engage. Fire Emblem as a franchise suffers from a bit of an identity crisis, with Nintendo struggling to appease all the different fan groups, from the hardcore tactical nerds, to the anime fans, to the multitudes with more mainstream sensibilities that have been brought in by Awakening and Three Houses.
With Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, the hope will certainly be to keep everyone happy. But make no mistake, this is a game very decidedly taking its cues from Three Houses, both narratively and in terms of design. The game expands on classic Fire Emblem combat with refined mechanics, deeper character progression, and intricate weapon affinities, all supported by a lush visual style and a sweeping musical score tailored to its thematic threads of fortune and destiny.
Release Date: Summer 2026
2. Grand Theft Auto VI (PC - eventually, Playstation, Xbox)
Delayed yet again and down from top spot to runner up. Grand Theft Auto VI is the long, long, long awaited sequel to one of the biggest videogames of all time, in one of the most celebrated and well known franchises in gaming.
Delayed yet again and down from top spot to runner up. Grand Theft Auto VI is the long, long, long awaited sequel to one of the biggest videogames of all time, in one of the most celebrated and well known franchises in gaming.More than a decade in the making, GTA VI sees players return to Vice City in the present day, the GTA universe's version of Florida. Taking a page from its predecessor, this title will feature an expansive world, including its main city as well as the surrounding countryside and wilderness, offering the largest and most immersive evolution of the series to date.
The narrative follows a criminal duo, Lucia and her partner (ostensibly a play on Bonnie and Clyde), as they navigate the underworld of this expansive open world. Players can expect enhanced graphics, increased interactivity with the environment, and next-gen destruction physics, with reports suggesting that approximately 40% of buildings will be enterable. While specific gameplay details remain under wraps, Rockstar aims to push the boundaries of immersive, story-driven open-world experiences, building upon the success of its predecessors.
Release Date: November 2026
1. 007 First Light (PC, Playstation, Xbox, Switch)
And new in at number 1 is 007 First Light, and boy does it look good. This is a new fully original James Bond title, developed by IO Interactive, creators of the Hitman franchise.
And new in at number 1 is 007 First Light, and boy does it look good. This is a new fully original James Bond title, developed by IO Interactive, creators of the Hitman franchise.You could see it coming in the recent Hitman instalments. This looks like a match made in heaven, IO's penchant for environmental design, stealth and creative immersion at its very best, combined with James Bond's world of espionage and glamour.
Set early in Bond’s career, the game reportedly emphasizes intelligence work, infiltration, and consequence-driven decision-making over sheer firepower, drawing clear inspiration from grounded entries like Casino Royale. If it delivers on its promise of making players feel like Bond: cool under pressure, dangerously perceptive, and always one step ahead, First Light could mark the most authentic and mature interactive take on 007 yet.
Release Date: May 2026
So there you have it folks: 2026 in videogames. Tune in next week for the most exciting new novels and literature coming this year!
Tuesday, 6 January 2026
Happy New Year to all and welcome back to The Ephemeric. No rest for the weary blogger. It seems like just days ago I finished writing up the Debbie Awards and already it's straight back to the grind with the first installment of The Hot List, this week focusing on the most exciting new TV series set to drop in 2026.
So here it is, your ultimate guide to the year ahead, The Ephemeric's 2026 Hot List. In this first entry we will be looking at the most exciting things happening in the world of television over the next 12 months, with a particular eye cast over the brand new shows hitting your screens in 2026.
Start Date: TBD 2026
Start Date: February 2026
Start Date: February 2026
Start Date: March 2026
11. The Boys - Amazon
Start Date: April 2026
10. Untitled Larry David Historical Sketch Show - HBO (New TV Show)
Start Date: TBD 2026
9. Spider-Noir - MGM+/Amazon (New TV Show)
Start Date: Early 2026
Start Date: TBD 2026
7. Rooster - HBO (New TV Show)
Start Date: March 2026
6. The Boroughs - Netflix (New TV Show)
Start Date: Late 2026
5. Ted Lasso - AppleTV
Start Date: TBD 2026
Start Date: Summer 2026
2. The Boys From Brazil - Netflix (New TV Show)
Start Date: Late 2026
1. Pluribus - AppleTV
Start Date: TBD 2026
So there you have it folks: 2026 in television. Tune in next week for the essential new videogames of the year!
There is objectively too much TV on these days. We are truly spoilt for choice, and 2025 was another year with an abundance of quality, from returning favourites to exciting new series. 2026 looks to be more of the same, and it is notable that most of the entries on this list are, in fact, new shows. What's more, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There's much more to come that couldn't be fit into this list, and the result is what looks to be another great year of content for us all to consume.
At the same time, however, it is worth recognising a darker side of TV in the streaming era. Increased expectations, competition, and budgets has resulted in bloated mega-sized productions more akin to a Hollywood blockbuster than the TV of old. This is why we increasingly see TV series taking multi-year gaps between seasons (which are themselves typically of a truncated 8-10 episode length), something which would have been unheard of in the broadcast era. You take the good with the bad, I suppose. And while I hope creators manage to strike a better balance in future, it is difficult to complain too much when you have a ready overabundance of replacement content ready to step into the gap. So onwards and upwards, then.
So without further ado here are the top 15 essential television shows, both new and returning, that will hit the airwaves and their web-equivalent in 2026:
Stranger Things may be done and dusted, but that doesn't mean we've seen the last of Hawkins. Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is an animated spin-off that dives headfirst into the weird, pulpy heart of Hawkins at the height of the town’s supernatural troubles, telling standalone stories set between the events of the live-action seasons.
Styled like a lost Saturday-morning cartoon crossed with vintage horror comics, the series leans into neon colors, synth-soaked atmosphere, and creature-feature thrills as familiar faces and new kids on the block encounter Upside Down oddities that never quite made it into the main timeline.
More playful but still unsettling, Tales from ’85 expands the mythology with small-scale mysteries, government experiments gone wrong, and eerie suburban legends, offering fans a nostalgic, bite-sized return to a year when walkie-talkies ruled, bikes were freedom, and Hawkins was never as normal as it pretended to be.
Start Date: TBD 2026
14. American Love Story: - FX (New TV Show)
Next up, we have the latest from a very well known name in television, Mr. Ryan Murphy. American Love Story is the newest addition to a pantheon of TV series that includes American Horror Story, American Crime Story and American Sport story, focused on, you guessed it, famous love stories.
This first season turns its lens on the whirlwind courtship and marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bassette-Kennedy, with Sarah Pidgeon to star alongside Paul Kelly.
Murphy's work is not for everyone, but his signature blend of energetic filmmaking, high stylisation and ensemble casts generally makes for an entertaining watch, if nothing else. As with the other "Story" series, this will air on FX, and is expected to drop in time for Valentine's day.
Start Date: February 2026
It has finally happened. After years of speculation and rumour, the beloved medical comedy Scrubs returns to Sacred Heart with a new generation of interns navigating the same chaotic mix of medicine, friendship, and absurdity.
This is very much a revival rather than a reboot, with the core cast all returning as the same characters for what essentially amounts to a season 10 of the classic series, some 15 years after its ill-fated ninth.
What have these beloved characters been up to for the past 15 years? Are JD and Elliot still together? We will soon find out. The revival will air on the series' latter-day home of ABC, come February 2026.
Start Date: February 2026
Perhaps the most critically acclaimed adult animation series of the 2020s, Invincible's three seasons to-date have been brilliant, earning widespread praise and awards. Now, the series returns for its fourth season on Amazon.
Season 4 raises the stakes again as Mark Grayson faces the long-term consequences of the choices that saved Earth, but fractured his sense of right and wrong. With the Viltrumite threat evolving and alliances growing more uneasy, the season leans harder into moral ambiguity, asking what it truly means to protect humanity when every victory carries a brutal cost.
Fans can anticipate a deeper exploration of complex themes and high-stakes challenges that push Mark to confront his past and future, all while striving to protect those he loves. Season 4 begins in March.
11. The Boys - Amazon
The final season of The Boys barrels toward an explosive endgame as the line between superheroes and tyrants finally collapses.
With Vought’s grip tightening, Homelander more untethered than ever, and the Boys fractured by compromises they swore they’d never make, the season leans into its bleakest question yet: whether absolute power can be stopped without becoming monstrous yourself.
Darkly funny, viciously political, and unflinching in its violence, the closing chapter promises no clean victories, only reckonings, as the series dismantles its own mythology and asks who, if anyone, deserves to survive the war it started.
Start Date: April 2026
10. Untitled Larry David Historical Sketch Show - HBO (New TV Show)
This unlikely match up sees Barack Obama and Larry David join forces on a new HBO sketch comedy series that takes aim at American history in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The untitled half-hour project is produced by Higher Ground, the company Obama founded with Michelle Obama after leaving office in 2017. David will co-write the sketches with his longtime Curb Your Enthusiasm collaborator Jeff Schaffer, with reports suggesting appearances from former Curb cast members alongside other high-profile guest stars.
A precise release date is yet to be confirmed, but it is thought that this could air in the latter half of the year.
Start Date: TBD 2026
9. Spider-Noir - MGM+/Amazon (New TV Show)
Ever since the first Spiderverse movie swept the industry, there have been talks of various spin-offs, most commonly in the form of a Spider-Gwen spin-off. However, while that project continues its over-long gestation, it has been beaten to the punch by MGM+'s upcoming Spider-Noir.
The upcoming Spider-Noir promises a bold, genre-bending twist on the Spider-Man mythos when it premieres on MGM+ in 2026 before rolling out globally on Amazon. Set in a gritty, stylised 1930s New York, the eight-episode live-action series stars Nicolas Cage as an aging, down-on-his-luck private investigator who must reckon with his past and the shadows of his old life swinging above the streets.
Drawing on classic comic-book noir and detective drama, Spider-Noir blends superhero action with hard-boiled mystery and visual flair, including black-and-white and colour versions that underscore its period aesthetic.
Start Date: Early 2026
8. Blade Runner 2099 - Amazon (New TV Show)
Amazon bringing a cinematic classic to the small screan in 2026. Blade Runner 2099 is an ambitious new live-action limited series continuing the iconic sci-fi saga roughly 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049.
Anchored in the gritty, rain-soaked dystopian future that has defined the franchise, the show sees Michelle Yeoh among its leads and promises to explore the evolving tensions between humans and replicants amid a society still haunted by questions of identity, autonomy, and what it means to be alive.
With Ridley Scott attached as an executive producer and a fresh ensemble cast, Blade Runner 2099 aims to honor the philosophical depth and stylistic legacy of its predecessors while opening the world to new mysteries, characters, and moral dilemmas in a future where the line between the organic and artificial has never been thinner.
7. Rooster - HBO (New TV Show)
Rooster is the latest comedy series from creator Bill Lawrence, best known for Scrubs, Ted Lasso and Shrinking. Lawrence is on a bit of a roll right now with the latter two series achieving a good amount of success on Apple, Ted Lasso in particular, making any new release of his an immediate fixture among the upcoming releases.
This latest, Lawrence's first with HBO, stars Steve Carell as Greg Russo, a celebrated author who winds up deeply entangled in college life after visiting a university campus for a reading. At its heart is a complicated but heartfelt father-daughter relationship with his daughter.
Joining Carrell on the cast list are a number of frequent Lawrence collaborators, including John C. McGinley and Phil Dunster. This is expected to release in March.
Start Date: March 2026
6. The Boroughs - Netflix (New TV Show)
Those Duffer Brothers are busy in the wake of the Stranger Things finale. In addition to not one, but two spin-offs (see number 15 of this list for more on one of these) in development, the brothers have also been hard at work on their next fully original project, The Boroughs.
This new series trades Hawkins for an unlikely battlefield: a seemingly idyllic retirement community in the New Mexico desert. In the series, a diverse group of older residents, played by an ensemble including Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman and others, must band together to confront an otherworldly threat that aims to steal the one thing they don’t have… time.
Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews with the Duffers producing under their Upside Down Pictures banner, the show mixes supernatural peril, humour, heart and a bit of nostalgia for genre fans, with themes of misfits and community resilience that echo (but don’t directly connect to) Stranger Things.
Start Date: Late 2026
5. Ted Lasso - AppleTV
Yes, it is officially coming back. Ted Lasso is inarguably one of the biggest series of the 2020s, combining a feel-good comedy and winning characters with a beloved pastime. Originally intended for a three-season run, the strong reception was such that the powers that be were ultimately convinced to extend the run further with a highly anticipated fourth season.
Quite what form this continuation will take, and who from the cast will return, is not currently known. Reports indicate that the new story arc will follow the establishment of the AFC Richmond women's team, something vaguely alluded to during the original run.
Production is underway with many original cast members, including Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift said to be returning alongside some new faces. The story promises the same blend of humour, heart and life lessons fans adore. While plot details and an exact release date are still under wraps, the return to Richmond and this new coaching adventure make season 4 a much-anticipated continuation of the Lasso legacy.
Start Date: TBD 2026
4. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast - Netflix (New TV Show)
An exciting one for fans of the excellent Derry Girls, a new series from writer Lisa McGee.
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is an upcoming Netflix comedy-thriller series created by Lisa McGee. The show follows three lifelong friends: Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara, who reunite after the death of an old classmate turns a wake into a dark mystery. They embark on a thrilling adventure across Ireland, piecing together enigmatic truths amid complicated lives.
The series stars RoÃsÃn Gallagher as Saoirse, Sinéad Keenan as Robyn, and Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara. Filming began in Belfast in July 2024, with Michael Lennox directing. The eight-part series is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2026.
Start Date: TBD 2026
3. The Bear - Hulu
One of the best series on television right now, The Bear is returning for a fifth season in 2026.
Season 5 promises to pick up the story at a pivotal crossroads for Chicago’s most intense kitchen crew. After Carmy’s stunning decision to step away from The Bear and transfer leadership to Sydney and the rest of the team, the next chapter is likely to explore how the restaurant survives and evolves without its head chef.
With much of the ensemble expected to return and the question of whether Carmy will stay in the drama at all still open, season 5 looks poised to be both a changing of the guard and potentially a culinary reckoning for everyone in and around the restaurant’s chaotic world.
Start Date: Summer 2026
2. The Boys From Brazil - Netflix (New TV Show)
The Boys from Brazil is a new adaptation of the 1976 novel from Peter Morgan. One of the great screenwriters of today, Morgan's work in film, television and theatre has been laden with such awards and critical acclaim that when he delivers a new project, it immediately becomes a must watch.
This historical thriller reimagines Ira Levin’s novel for the small screen. The story spans from the aftermath of World War II into the tumultuous 1970s, centering on Yakov Liebermann, a Holocaust survivor and relentless Nazi hunter, played by Succession’s Jeremy Strong, who uncovers a chilling conspiracy by a supposedly dead Nazi scientist to orchestrate the rise of a Fourth Reich.
As Liebermann races against time to expose and stop this plot, the series weaves personal obsession, vengeance, and the haunting persistence of hatred into a tense, morally charged narrative bolstered by a cast including Gillian Anderson, Daniel Brühl, and Lizzy Caplan. Filming is set to take place across Europe, with no release date announced yet but anticipation building.
Start Date: Late 2026
1. Pluribus - AppleTV
And finally, our top pick for 2026 goes to the second season of last year's winner, Pluribus.
Season 2 will pick up the story after the first chapter ended with major twists and unanswered questions about humanity’s fate under the alien “Joining.” With creator Vince Gilligan and star Rhea Seehorn returning, the next season is expected to expand beyond Carol Sturka’s isolated resistance to the hive mind as she teams up with fellow immune survivor Manousos and grapples with the fallout from last season’s cliffhangers.
Frankly, I'm not so sure this will release in 2026, but production is under way and I, for one, am holding out hope that we will see it this year.
Start Date: TBD 2026
So there you have it folks: 2026 in television. Tune in next week for the essential new videogames of the year!
Monday, 29 December 2025
It’s that time again. Bottles are chilled, finery is pressed, and the mood is unmistakably festive. Pull on your sharpest outfit, practice your best toast, and get ready for a night designed to delight. Welcome to the Debbie Awards, the grand finale of the year that honors the highs, the lows, and the truly unforgettable moments of the past twelve months.
The year 2025 has been a year of contrasts. Progress and regression, lost loved ones and new life. There's no shortage of global challenges, but at the same time there is much to celebrate. Technologies that once seemed experimental are now quietly improving daily life, global health is steadier and more resilient than it was a few years ago, and conversations about climate, equity, and cooperation have moved from abstract ideals to practical action. Progress no longer depends on grand breakthroughs alone, but on millions of small, thoughtful improvements; evidence that the world, imperfect as it is, is learning how to take care of itself a little better each year.
Without further ado, let the curtain fall upon 2025 as we begin our definitive review of the past 12 months:
2025 Debbie Awards
Cinema & TV
1. The Debbie for TV Show of the Year
Winner: Pluribus (AppleTV)
Runner Up: Severance (AppleTV)
It has been another excellent year for television, resulting in a very competitive category for this year's Debbies. There is objectively too much TV on at the moment, but hey let's enjoy the excess cultural output while it lasts. It doesn't happen often, but this year's winner is an entirely new series. Pluribus is the latest from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, and once again he has brought us some highly addictive TV. Ostensibly a satire of generative AI, Pluribus imagines a world overcome by a virus that turns humanity into a hive mind, albeit a seemingly friendly and content one. A few immune persons survive and contemplate what to do next. In equal parts funny and thought provoking, this is some highly original, genuinely entracing television, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.
Continuing the theme of thought-provoking satire, our runner up prize goes to the second season of Apple's excellent Severance. Season 2 deepens everything that made the first season so gripping, expanding its eerie corporate mythology while staying laser-focused on character and theme. Every bit as funny as the first season, with more twists and turns and, finally, some answers. The finale cliffhanger leaves us chomping at the bit for a season 3. We can only hope there is less of a break in between seasons this time.
2. The Debbie for New TV Show of the Year
Winner: Pluribus (AppleTV)
Runner Up: Alien: Earth (FX/Hulu)
2. The Debbie for New TV Show of the Year
Winner: Pluribus (AppleTV)
Runner Up: Alien: Earth (FX/Hulu)
Unsurprisingly, this year's best TV series is also the best new TV series. Pluribus faced some very strong contenders for both of these prizes, but this is a series that grabs you right from the first moment and doesn't let go. This really is the best thing on television at the moment, and it's just the beginning.
Runner up goes to a series that really might have won in another year. Alien: Earth is the latest addition to the Alien franchise and does a really remarkable job of maintaining the tone and the scares for which the series is known, complete with its trademark retro-futuristic aesthetic and production. By bringing the terror home, the series sharpens the franchise’s core themes: corporate hubris, exploitation, and the fragility of human control, while introducing fresh characters who feel fully lived-in rather than disposable. Add to that a wicked sense of ironic humour and some timely plotlines about AI and longevity science, and the result is some truly gripping television.
3. The Debbie for Film of the Year
Winner: Sinners
Runner Up: Ocean
Runner up goes to a series that really might have won in another year. Alien: Earth is the latest addition to the Alien franchise and does a really remarkable job of maintaining the tone and the scares for which the series is known, complete with its trademark retro-futuristic aesthetic and production. By bringing the terror home, the series sharpens the franchise’s core themes: corporate hubris, exploitation, and the fragility of human control, while introducing fresh characters who feel fully lived-in rather than disposable. Add to that a wicked sense of ironic humour and some timely plotlines about AI and longevity science, and the result is some truly gripping television.
3. The Debbie for Film of the Year
Winner: Sinners
Runner Up: Ocean
The career trajectory of director Ryan Coogler has been fascinating to watch. First making a name for himself through intimate, high quality filmmaking in projects such as Fruitvale Station, Coogler's talents quickly saw him poached up the big studios and put to work on bigger mass media properties like Creed and Black Panther, both of which, to be fair, were met with high critical acclaim and awards. Sinners marks his first original project in a decade, albeit still with a blockbuster-sized budget, and it reminds us exactly why Coogler is still considered to be such a talented filmmaker. An immaculately produced film that feels in equal parts lavish period piece and schlocky horror, with an unexpected dash of musicality. It's really hard to find fault here. It's a film that looks great, sounds great, with a strong thematic undercurrent, and is just a ton of fun to boot.
Coming in second this year is Ocean, the new film from David Attenborough. A breathtaking testament to both the majesty of the world’s oceans and the unmatched storytelling of Sir David Attenborough, delivering an immersive journey beneath the waves that is as enlightening as it is visually stunning. Through awe-inspiring cinematography and Attenborough’s calm, evocative narration, the series showcases the astonishing diversity of marine life while grounding its beauty in urgent environmental context.
4. The Debbie for Variety Show Host of the Year
Winner: Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart
As the rest of the world watches in horror at what is happening in America right now, there is little more we can do than pay our respects to those brave enough to still speak truth to power. This year, I award this prize to Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, the late night talk show comedians who this year made headlines for being the target of government censorship. It is a dark time where those in power can direct the media to silence voices solely because they say things of which our leaders do not approve, but that is the state of America right now. While Jon Stewart has not (yet) been targeted that we know of, I add him to this list for producing perhaps one of the greatest and most timely commentaries on the authoritarian direction of the nation, as a direct response to the cancellations of Colbert and Kimmel. This really can't be said strongly enough, but that segment is absolutely essential watching for anyone trying to make sense of what's going on.
5. The Debbie for Rising Star of the Year
Winner: Miles Caton
5. The Debbie for Rising Star of the Year
Winner: Miles Caton
This year's pick for tomorrow's star of the future is Miles Caton fresh from his breakthrough performance in Sinners. In a film chock-full of strong performances, somehow the most memorable of all is that of the debutant. The 20 year old is a musician of some prospect, having featured alongside artists such as Jay-Z and H.E.R., but no one would have expected his acting debut to feature such confidence and emotional nuance. That he found a role which also complements his musical talent is fortuitous, but following this much hyped, and potentially award winning debut, the world's eyes will be on him going forward.
6. The Debbie for Web-Show of the Year
Winner: noclip
6. The Debbie for Web-Show of the Year
Winner: noclip
Gaming documentarian noclip continued to solidify its reputation in 2025 as one of the most thoughtful and valuable voices in games journalism, producing in-depth documentaries that treat game development as a cultural, artistic, and human endeavor rather than just a commercial one. While the crowdfunded endeavour has been operating since 2016, 2025 saw the group really step up their productions with a number of high quality longform series including an essential series on the development of Disco Elysium, featuring original interviews with its elusive creatives, and on the history and impact of cult classic Dwarf Fortress. By focusing on context, history, and the people behind the work, Noclip not only preserves important stories from an evolving medium but also helped audiences better understand how games are actually made, and why that process matters.
Music, Art & Theatre
7. The Debbie for Theatrical Production of the Year
Winner: Stranger Things: The Invention of Love (Hampstead Theatre)
I'll be honest, personal circumstance and baby-related commitments have made my experience of this year in theatre a little on the truncated side. This, of course, is terrific news for any plays I happened to see in the first half of 2025. So congratulations to The Hampstead Theatre’s production of The Invention of Love! This new offers a lucid, engaging take on one of Tom Stoppard’s most intellectually rich works, balancing its dense classical allusions with emotional clarity and warmth. The staging smartly embraces the play’s fluid movement between memory, scholarship, and mortality, allowing the ideas to breathe without ever feeling academic or remote. Strong performances, most notably that of the legendary stage actor Simon Russell Beale, ground Stoppard’s language in lived experience, giving weight to the play’s reflections on ambition, repression, and the cost of a life devoted to thought over intimacy.
8. The Debbie for Album of the Year
Winner: SABLE, fABLE - Bon Iver
Runners Up: Sinister Grift - Panda Bear, For Melancholy Brunettes - Japanese Breakfast
Bon Iver is no stranger to the Debbie Awards and a darling of the indie folk music landscape. His latest album SABLE, fABLE finds songwriter Justin Vernon leaning further into mood and texture, crafting a record that feels both intimate and elusive in equal measure. The album drifts between warmth and abstraction, pairing Justin Vernon’s fragile, expressive vocals with arrangements that feel weathered, patient, and quietly experimental. Great examples being the tracks Speyside and Everything is Peaceful Love. It’s a reflective, understated work that reinforces Bon Iver’s strength at turning uncertainty and vulnerability into something gently immersive and deeply human.
Fans of the indie genre will be well versed with Panda Bear, stage name of songwriter Noah Lennox, and his work with Animal Collective. Those that aren't will likely recognise his voice from well-played collaborations with artists like Daft Punk and Braxe + Falcon. Panda Bear's is one of the most distinctive voices in music, and his latest solo release, Sinister Grift, refines his sun-bleached psychedelia into something both more focused and subtly darker. The album’s looping rhythms and hazy harmonies feel deceptively gentle, masking a restless undercurrent that gives the songs emotional tension and depth. Noah Lennox’s gift for melody remains front and center, case and point tracks like Ends Meet and Defense, but here it’s framed with a sharper sense of intention, as if the warmth is being tested rather than simply basked in.
And in third place, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) finds Japanese Breakfast striking a graceful balance between lush pop craftsmanship and emotional restraint. Michelle Zauner’s songwriting feels more measured and reflective here, allowing longing, doubt, and quiet resilience to coexist without tipping into melodrama, best exemplified by Picture Window. The arrangements are rich but uncluttered, giving the songs space to breathe and letting melodies unfold with a gentle confidence, a great example of this being Mega Circuit. Rather than chasing big cathartic moments, the album lingers in subtler moods, rewarding close attention with warmth and depth, and reaffirming Japanese Breakfast’s knack for turning introspection into something beautifully accessible.
9. The Debbie for Debut Album of the Year
Winner: Blue Sky Mentality - Good Neighbours
Runner Up: Till the Morning - Brian D'Addario
And in third place, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) finds Japanese Breakfast striking a graceful balance between lush pop craftsmanship and emotional restraint. Michelle Zauner’s songwriting feels more measured and reflective here, allowing longing, doubt, and quiet resilience to coexist without tipping into melodrama, best exemplified by Picture Window. The arrangements are rich but uncluttered, giving the songs space to breathe and letting melodies unfold with a gentle confidence, a great example of this being Mega Circuit. Rather than chasing big cathartic moments, the album lingers in subtler moods, rewarding close attention with warmth and depth, and reaffirming Japanese Breakfast’s knack for turning introspection into something beautifully accessible.
9. The Debbie for Debut Album of the Year
Winner: Blue Sky Mentality - Good Neighbours
Runner Up: Till the Morning - Brian D'Addario
There were a few good contenders for this prize in 2025, but ultimately the Debbie goes to Blue Sky Mentality, a confident, upbeat debut that announces Good Neighbours as a band with a clear sense of identity and an instinct for emotionally resonant pop. The record leans into warmth and openness, pairing bright melodies with lyrics that acknowledge anxiety and uncertainty without being weighed down by them. Songs like Home have already gone on to become massive hits on streaming. There’s a natural charm to the songwriting, balancing earnestness with polish, and the album’s cohesion gives it the feel of a band already comfortable in its own skin. Blue Sky Mentality succeeds by being sincere, melodic, and quietly uplifting, making it an inviting and promising first statement. I expect that this band will go on to achieve big things.
As runner up, we have the debut from Brian D'Addario, better known as one half of the excellent retro-tinged rock band The Lemon Twigs. The debut record, Till the Morning, is a warmly crafted, introspective album that highlights D'Addario's gift for classic songwriting and melodic grace. Stripped of excess and rich in feeling, the album leans on timeless chord progressions, tender vocals, and arrangements that feel intimate without being slight. The result is often mesmeric, most so with lead single Only to Ease my Mind, a track so good it almost made it into the best song top three. Till the Morning succeeds not by reinventing the form, but by embracing it with sincerity and care.
As runner up, we have the debut from Brian D'Addario, better known as one half of the excellent retro-tinged rock band The Lemon Twigs. The debut record, Till the Morning, is a warmly crafted, introspective album that highlights D'Addario's gift for classic songwriting and melodic grace. Stripped of excess and rich in feeling, the album leans on timeless chord progressions, tender vocals, and arrangements that feel intimate without being slight. The result is often mesmeric, most so with lead single Only to Ease my Mind, a track so good it almost made it into the best song top three. Till the Morning succeeds not by reinventing the form, but by embracing it with sincerity and care.
10. The Debbie for Song of the Year
Winner: safeandsound - Parcels
Runners Up: Childhood - Barry Can't Swim, Kid - Great Grandpa
Picking a best song from a year's worth of music is always an impossible task, but this year's pick of the bunch is the lead single from the new Parcels album. Safeandsound is a smooth, effortlessly reassuring slice of modern funk-pop, capturing the band at their most relaxed and emotionally open. Built on warm basslines, crisp grooves, and featherlight harmonies, the song feels intimate without being slight. There’s a timelessness to the arrangement, retro in texture but contemporary in feel, that makes it instantly familiar while still distinctive.
Next up is a track from an album that very nearly made the top albums list from Edinburgh-based DJ Barry Can't Swim. On album full of creative flourishes, Childhood is a gently evocative track built on soft, rolling rhythms and warm melodic touches. The song's restrained progression gives it an almost dreamlike quality, inviting the listener to linger in memory rather than rush toward a drop. Childhood works beautifully as both a headphone listen and a late-night dancefloor moment, underlining Barry Can’t Swim’s talent for making electronic music that feels personal, humane, and quietly transportive.
Finally, third place, we have Kid, the lead single of the new album from Seattle-based rock band Great Grandpa. A sprawling, eclectic track that blends everything from vocoded acoustics to tender strings and anthemic, soaring harmonies, yet somehow manages to form a cohesive and brutally haunting whole. Intimate, bold, yet irresistibly dreamy. An absolutely top track that lingers with you for weeks on end.
11. The Debbie for Exhibition of the Year
Winner: Amsterdam Eet! - Allard Pierson, Amsterdam
Winner: Amsterdam Eet! - Allard Pierson, Amsterdam
For this year, we're going with something a little bit different for this prize. Amsterdam is a beautiful cultural melting pot of a city that blends cultural influences from all through out the rich history of the Netherlands and Europe, as well as the old colonial influences from Indonesia and East Asia. Amsterdam Eet!, the vibrant exhibition at Allard Pierson, offers a deliciously immersive celebration of the city’s diverse food culture through history, blending historical artifacts, striking visuals, and thoughtful curation to celebrate the way Amsterdam eats, socialises, and evolves. By juxtaposing everyday objects with compelling stories, the exhibition manages to be both heartwarmingly familiar and richly informative, inviting visitors to consider how food shapes identity, community, and urban life.
12. The Debbie for Book of the Year
Winner: This Way Up - Jay Foreman & Mark Cooper-Jones
Boy, I had a tough time with this one. As you will see from this blog's annual book review, published last week, there were a couple of strong releases this year that stood out. I certainly know that there were other books that would have made for a more popular winner, but ultimately I have gone for the This Way Up, the delightfully irreverent, yet educational, exploration of the weird and wonderful world of cartography (which is actually way more interesting than it sounds), brought to life with the same dry humour and infectious enthusiasm that made the author's Map Men YouTube series a hit.
Even if the subject matter seems dry or uninteresting to you, it's the wit and humour with which it is delivered that makes this such an excellent read (as indeed is the case with the YouTube channel). Foreman is a truly impressive talent who deserves a wider audience, and perhaps this is the first step. Whether you’re a seasoned map geek or just “map-curious,” there’s a surprising amount to learn and enjoy in each chapter.
Business & Technology
13. The Debbie for Scientific/Technological Breakthrough of the Year
Winner: The First Ever Successful Treatment of Huntington's Disease
In 2025, neurologists Edward Wild and Sarah Tabrizi played leading roles in a landmark breakthrough for Huntington’s disease, a hereditary neurodegenerative condition that has long been fatal and untreatable.
Their work on the experimental gene therapy AMT-130, developed with uniQure and delivered in a single surgical dose to lower the production of the mutant huntingtin protein, produced the first robust clinical evidence that the course of the disease can be significantly slowed in humans, with participants showing about a 75 % reduction in progression over three years compared with untreated cohorts. This represents the first time a treatment has been shown to modify the underlying disease process rather than only managing symptoms, offering unprecedented hope to patients and families affected by Huntington’s and marking a major step toward future disease-modifying therapies for neurodegeneration.
14. The Debbie for Videogame Platform of the Year
Winner: Steam Deck
If there is one thing I have learned to appreciate this year, it is technology that allows for more flexible and more portable gaming experiences. The kind of gaming that, should one need to quickly exit and attend to a little human, one can do so. Accordingly, the Steam Deck has emerged as an ideal platform for gaming because it blends portability, power, and ecosystem flexibility in a way few other devices do.
Its custom AMD hardware runs a wide library of PC games natively or through Proton compatibility, letting players access their existing Steam libraries without sacrificing performance. The integrated controls and touchscreen make the experience intuitive on the go, while the open Linux-based system supports customization, emulation, and even non-Steam titles. With a robust UI designed for handheld play and the ability to dock to a TV or monitor, the Steam Deck bridges the gap between home and portable gaming, giving users a true “play anywhere” PC experience without the compromises of traditional handheld consoles. The only downside is a battery life that can quickly dwindle during an intensive gaming session. This is par for the course with any high powered mobile gaming platform, but I look forward to future models improving in this regard.
15. The Debbie for Videogame of the Year
Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC, Playstation, Xbox)
Runners Up: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PC, Playstation, Xbox), Dispatch (PC, Playstation, Switch)
Let's first give credit to 2025, which was an absolutely smashing year for gaming, one of the finest. Whittling the list down to just a top three was an extraordinary task, and I feel a shout out is in order to the brilliant games of 2025 that, in any other year, may well have been a contender, but did not break into this year's awards solely because of how absurdly competitive the field was this year. Games like The Alters, Citizen Sleeper 2, Octopath Traveler 0, Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, Keep Driving and Skate Story. Phenomenal all, but alas we can only have three games in a top three.
I had a difficult time with this year's winner. Right up until the day of publication I had been going back and forth in my mind about who should get this. As anyone who is at all switched into the world of gaming knows, in 2025 there has been one game above all others that has been hyped by everyone as the clear winner, and not just the best of the year, but one of the best of the decade. That game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and I can see why it attracts such praise. This western spin on a classic turn-based JRPG demonstrates absolutely stunning storytelling and artistry, from the unique belle époque aesthetic to the unforgettable visuals, music, writing and voice acting. Yet something that I feel has been overlooked by most reviewers is the fact that, underneath all the presentational brilliance lies a distinctly creaky and flawed base of gameplay mechanics and design, from questionable minigames to cumbersome UI design, and a side quest system that is not very well implemented. None of it is "bad" per se, but there are other games in this competition that demonstrate more accomplished design and execution. This left me with the question, should the "best" game not be the one that is the best made, or is it possible for a flawed masterpiece to have so profound an emotional impact so as to compensate for being more rough around the edges? Clair Obscur is a great example of a piece of work that, through the mystifying alchemy of artistic expression, manages to deliver so much more than the sum of its parts and leaves an indelible mark on the player. Ultimately I can't think of any better way to evaluate the success of a piece of art.
By contrast, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a game with which I can find very few flaws. This is a sequel to Warhorse's 2018 RPG, which was quite famously built on a crowdfunded budget, with minimal studio support. The success of that game has allowed for the development of a much more lavish and polished sequel, and it really shows. This is a game which just oozes quality, from the excellent storytelling, voice acting and writing, to the intricately detailed and interactive open world. Everything has been refined and polished, from the notoriously detailed combat system, to the alchemy, bartering and crafting. The stat-based RPG elements are excellent and remarkably diegetic. It's an excellently made RPG that in any other year would be a worthy winner, if not for that one other, arguably more flawed game and its je ne sais quoi.
Just as it was with first and second, third place also came down to an absolutely brutal death match between Dispatch and The Alters. While I ended up going for the former, if you haven't played The Alters please do so. It's a delightful twist on the base/squad management genre that manages to be funny, thought-provoking, and surprisingly sweet. As for Dispatch, this game is fantastic. A Telltale-style narrative adventure that, at times, feels more like an interactive TV series than a game. Essentially a superhero workplace comedy, this game is blessed with phenomenal animation, genuinely hilarious writing, and an allstar voice cast that includes the likes of Aaron Paul, Jeffrey Wright, and Laura Bailey. The storytelling is absolutely on point and delivered with a surprising amount of style and emotional heft. Frankly, if this was a TV series, it would be one of the best of the year.
16. The Debbie for Company of the Year
Winner: Baboodle
Any parent knows the pain of making sure you have all the baby equipment you need, especially when traveling. strollers and cribs are expensive, take up a lot of space, and don't even last that long before the child becomes too big for use. Baboodle offers a flexible rental subscription model that allows families to access high quality strollers, cribs, carriers (some of which is brand new) for just the period of time you need it, without the full expense or clutter of ownership. The flexibility and service of the business is key, delivering to your door and collecting, with minimal hassle. At the same time, the company’s circular approach also reduces waste and extends product lifecycles, helping parents reduce their environmental footprint. By tackling both economic and ecological challenges with a simple, elegant solution, Baboodle exemplifies a business built for the needs and values of 2025.
Sports
17. The Debbie for Footballer of the Year
Winner: Ousmane Dembélé - Paris Saint-Germain
Sports
17. The Debbie for Footballer of the Year
Winner: Ousmane Dembélé - Paris Saint-Germain
It has been an excellent year for the man at the centre of arguably the best team in the world right now. Ousmane Dembélé's comeback has been remarkable. Historic injury issues had seen Dembélé dismissed as just another failed prospect who never lived up to his potential. Now he is a genuine world superstar. 2025 saw the forward instrumental to Paris Saint-Germain's success as the French side secured a historic treble, including Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Champions League. His performances earned him the Ballon d’Or and The Best Fifa Men’s Player awards for 2025, affirming both peer and fan recognition of his influence on the pitch and his evolution into a complete, world-class forward who defined the season for club and country.
18. The Debbie for Young Footballer of the Year
Winner: Lamine Yamal - Barcelona
There are a few players in world football today who would be contenders for this prize. Some people may see that I have picked Lamine Yamal and think "oh him again?". It feels like he has been around for years, yet somehow the kid is still only 18. It is this which sets Yamal apart from the likes of Estêvão, Max Downman and Désiré Doué. Yamal is not just an exciting prospect with potential, he is already a world class footballer who can play at the highest level in the world with consistency even at his age. That is unusual, that is rare. In a year when youth often struggles to translate hype into impact, Yamal’s consistency, adaptability, and moments of genuine brilliance marked him as the most compelling young talent in world football.
19. The Debbie for Football Manager of the Year
Winner: Sarina Wiegman - England Women's Team
Choosing a winner from the women's game may raise eyebrows from some people, but this is no political statement. Sarina Wiegman is the real deal. Wiegman's three European Championship titles in a row (one with Netherlands, two with England) may never be matched. It's mind boggling to even think about it. Add to this that she has also been back to back World Cup runner up, which makes her the first manager in either the men's or women's game to reach five major international cup finals in a row, and it's clear. Truly there is no manager anywhere in the sport with this incredible level of consistency and excellence.
20. The Debbie for Football Club of the Year
Winner: Paris Saint-Germain
With a squad brimming with world-class stars who excelled both individually and as a unit, Paris Saint-Germain delivered a season to remember, defined by attacking flair, defensive solidity, and mental resilience in big moments. Their success speaks for itself, a historic treble in the bag including a first ever Champions League victory. Really the only black mark on PSG's 2025 is their failure to claim the inaugural Fifa Club World Cup at the hands of a resurgent (if ephemeral) Chelsea, but in spite of this there are few in the world who would argue against PSG being the team of the moment.
Current Events
21. The Debbie for Politician of the Year
Winner: Mark Carney
Current Events
21. The Debbie for Politician of the Year
Winner: Mark Carney
So there are a few people in the running for this award, but ultimately my pick for 2025 goes to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney took leadership of the Liberal party at possibly the worst imaginable moment. In the run up to an election where his party trailed in the polls by double digits, in a nation weary after a full decade of Liberal leadership, with a newly hostile American President across the border talking of violent annexation. But anyone who has followed Carney's career knows that this is a man who can handle immense pressure and grave circumstances with grace and skill. That he managed the most unlikely of electoral turnarounds and managed to more or less calm border tensions to the south speaks to this. Carney may not be the flashiest, but he is a steady hand at a time when it is most needed.
22. The Debbie for Scandal of the Year
Winner: The Epstein Files
I mean it really can't be anything other than this can it? This is hardly a new story, but in 2025 the Epstein Files finally, and belatedly, started to reach fever pitch. This refers to all the Government files relating to Jeffrey Epstein and his ring of child abuse and sex-trafficking, which is said to include a number of highly prominent clients. One person very much embroiled in this affair is, of course, the current President of the United States, Donald Trump. Donald Trump has been long known to have been a very close associate and friend of Epstein and a frequent attendee at his events and visitor to his island, but the revelations we have seen in the past year have at last started to shed a light on just how close he may have been. Allegations of rape, lewd, sexually explicit conversations and communications, references to secrets and "love of nubile young women", not to mention what appears to be a blatant unlawful cover up of those documents. It's no longer rumour and speculation. What happens next will be a massive test of America's moral character. Do they finally address this situation, or continue to shrug at the apparent perpetration and cover up of some of the darkest crimes imaginable.
23. The Debbie for Cause of the Year
Winner: Combatting toxicity and misinformation on social media
This is certainly not a new story, but 2025 has been a year to really cast a spotlight on the dangers of social media, from election-interfering misinformation, to bullying, toxicity and violent crime. There exists a fundamental tension in the world today between liberal western society's desire for openness and free speech, and the damage that can be done when those freedoms are abused, and for whatever reason, no one has yet come up with a satisfactory answer. Censorship is decidedly not the answer, as the UK Government is starting to learn. It is going to require better education, better transparency, and light-handed but essential moderation. I don't have all the answers, but this is the area that most sorely requires action from the powers that be, but sensible, empirically tested actions, rather than performative and reactionary actions.
24. The Debbie for Person of the Year
Winner: Demis Hassabis
There has been a lot of talk in 2025 of AI and the significance of their creators on the world today. Of these creators, Demis Hassabis stands out as The Ephemeric's Person of the Year because he exemplifies how advanced technology can be harnessed in service of human progress rather than disruption alone. Through his leadership in AI research, most notably its application to biology, medicine, and scientific discovery, Hassabis helped shift the narrative around artificial intelligence from fear and speculation to practical benefit, accelerating breakthroughs that would have taken decades by traditional means. His work has shown that AI can deepen our understanding of life itself, opening new paths toward treating disease and solving complex global problems, while his emphasis on responsibility and long-term thinking offers a hopeful model for how powerful tools should be developed.
Social & Lifestyle
25. The Debbie for Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Klein Breda
There are lots of restaurants that can offer elaborate tasting menus with creative and aesthetically pleasing dishes, but there is an art to running a restaurant that can do so whilst maintaining a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Klein Breda in Amsterdam manages to thread this needle, and it does so through a number of methods. From the cosy, casual ambience, to the friendly and flexible service. The menu is accommodating to dietary restrictions and offers flexibility as to the number of dishes. Most surprisingly, the prices are quite reasonable, providing value for money that you rarely see with this type of restaurant. And of course, most importantly, the food is delectable.
26. The Debbie for New Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Casi Casa
Our pick of the year's new restaurants goes to Casi Casa in Zurich. From the entrepreneurs behind celebrated Zurich establishments such as Weisses Rössli, Casi Casa is a stylish Latin America influenced restaurant, bar and event space. It works for brunch, lunch and dinner, with great food, drinks, and even family-friendly support. The event space opens up for live music, dancing and DJ nights, as well as films and sporting events. An excellent and versatile addition to your Zurich rotation.
27. The Debbie for Bar of the Year
Winner: The Pulitzer Bar
A returning champion of Debbie Awards past. This year this highly coveted award goes to The Pulitzer Bar of Amsterdam, a stylish and cosy cocktail venue from the hotel of the same name. Adorned with books, classic velvety armchairs, and rotating themed cocktail lists, there is certainly no more whimsical a setting to enjoy a good snifter in 2019. But this is no mere novelty bar, far from it. It is the high quality of the setting, and the creativity of the drinks that makes Pulitzer a standout establishment, and somewhere that everyone should visit in Amsterdam.
28. The Debbie for Destination of the Year
Winner: Stockholm
28. The Debbie for Destination of the Year
Winner: Stockholm
Offering a uniquely rich blend of historic charm, cultural depth, and natural beauty, Stockholm invites exploration from its atmospheric cobblestone streets in Gamla Stan and grand royal palaces to world-class museums easily paired with scenic waterfront strolls or visits to the vast nearby archipelago of over 30,000 islands. The city’s distinctive "Scandi" crafts and design makes for an excellent shopping destination, while the food scene encompasses so much more than one might expect.
29. The Debbie for Wine of the Year
Winner: Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2021
29. The Debbie for Wine of the Year
Winner: Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2021
This year's recipient of the wine Debbie comes from a pairing option we had at dinner. Suffice it to say, it was good enough that top ups were ordered. From the cool, maritime-influenced slopes of Stellenbosch, the Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2021 invites with aromas of lime and peach, with a lush yet textured mouthfeel. The citrus notes are balanced by a fresh mineral-tinged finish. This is a beautifully crafted Chardonnay that rewards both immediate enjoyment and careful cellaring.
30. The Debbie for Tipple of the Year
Winner: The Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company, Lyserød
30. The Debbie for Tipple of the Year
Winner: The Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company, Lyserød
A first for this blog as we award this prestigious prize to a non-alcoholic beverage. Non-alcoholic options for those looking to engage in some convivial beveraging are all the trend right now, and every year we see more and more offerings that are good enough to become, not just an option for those who can't drink, but a worthwhile choice for anybody. This year the prize goes to The Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company's Lyserød, a delightful and refined non-alcoholic sparkling beverage that elevates what might once have been a simple soft drink into a sophisticated alternative to rosé wine. Crafted from a carefully curated blend of organic teas including oolong, hibiscus, and Silver Needle white tea, Lyserød offers intense fruity complexity while remaining comfortably dry and smooth on the palate. As part of a broader trend toward elevated non-alcoholic drinks, Lyserød stands out for its nuanced taste, thoughtful craftsmanship, and versatility with a wide range of foods.
Well there you have it, another year signed, sealed and delivered. Here's to 2026 being a year of peace, good health, and progress. See you there!
Well there you have it, another year signed, sealed and delivered. Here's to 2026 being a year of peace, good health, and progress. See you there!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
