Weather apps are usually one of the most boring things on your phone. You open one, glance at the temperature, maybe check if it is going to rain, and close it without a second thought. SkyDex tries to fix that by turning the whole thing into a Pokémon-style collecting game. And honestly, I can see the appeal.
After trying out the free version on an iPhone 15, i came away thinking it is genuinely fun wrapped in an app that still feels a little rough around the edges. It is a weather app with a layer of Pokémon experience, which has you fill out a Kanto-style Pokédex while still getting your usual weather info.
How SkyDex works
SkyDex is still primarily a weather app. You get the usual stuff like temperature, hourly forecasts, 10-day forecasts, humidity, wind, precipitation chances, and more. The twist is that changing conditions can trigger different Pokémon encounters, which then get added to your in-app Dex.
Vikhyaat Vivek / Digital Trends
The app can drop different Pokémon based on weather, temperature shifts, time of day, and location changes, with rarity levels ranging from common to legendary. The free version also keeps the core experience intact, only limiting saved locations and adding ads.
The fun bit is that it makes a boring utility app feel alive
This is the best part of my time with it. SkyDex made checking the weather feel more interactive than it has any right to. Rather than opening an app and seeing a forecast, I found myself curious about what weather conditions might unlock something new. That little Pokémon hook does exactly what it is supposed to do: it turns routine into a small game.
Vikhyaat Vivek / Digital Trends
And that matters more than it sounds. A weather app is not supposed to be exciting, but SkyDex makes it feel like there is at least a tiny reward for opening it again.
But it’s still a little undercooked
The catch is that the app does not feel polished enough yet. The free version is absolutely usable, but you have to deal with ads. This is something I can live with but what bothered me more was the UI. In portrait mode, some text and images felt cut off or poorly sized, while landscape orientation looked much better and more stable.
Vikhyaat Vivek / Digital Trends
That doesn’t kill the app’s charm, but it does stop it from feeling as slick as the concept deserves. SkyDex is fun, and I can see why people are into it. Though it does need a cleaner interface before it becomes the kind of weather app I would recommend without hesitation.
Serials have become the backbone of the streaming era, especially on Netflix. Serialized television is when a show’s plot unfolds in sequential order over the course of a season. It’s long-form storytelling that typically works best with dramas—Stranger Things, The Crown, etc. Watching the episodes in release order matters. Often, these shows are binged because the complex character arcs and cliffhangers encourage streaming multiple episodes at once.
Serial shows can feel like homework, especially when you fall behind on an episode and need to catch up. That always happens to me, and it leads to anxiety I didn’t want. Thankfully, Netflix offers shows where viewers can jump at any time and not feel lost. These episodic series are perfect for jumping around and picking the episodes you want to watch. One of the most famous comedies ever fits the criteria of an episodic sitcom. Anthology shows, including a Netflix sci-fi classic, are also ideal for watching episodes out of order.
Black Mirror
Welcome to your worst nightmare
Black Mirrorwants to scare you. Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series has been warning humanity about the dangers of technology since 2011. It seems like ages ago that Rory Kinnear had sexual intercourse with a pig in the first episode. Apologies for the spoiler, but the media’s role in the spread of misinformation has never been more relevant.
Black Mirror features self-contained episodes with a beginning, middle, and an end. There has only been one direct sequel: USS Callister: Into Infinity, a season 7 episode that continues the events of season 4’s USS Callister. Otherwise, feel free to jump around and check out the best episodes of each season. Since most episodes feature bleak endings, I’ll leave you with one that ends on an upbeat note: San Junipero.
Seinfeld
Greatest comedy ever?
Comedies are the perfect vehicle for episodic storytelling. While having an overarching plot throughout a season helps attract viewers, many comedy fans are just looking for a few laughs. Write a self-contained story with numerous jokes over 20 to 30 minutes, and you’re ready to go. Seinfeld, aka the show about nothing, is the ideal escape from serialized dramas.
Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself as he navigates the comedic scene in New York City. The show revolves around Jerry’s interactions with his friends George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Kramer (Michael Richards). The gang faces a problem, hilarity ensues, and the episode ends. That’s really all you need to know. Enjoy the laughs.
I hate referring to episodes of television as “mini-movies.” However, that’s how I would describe the eight episodes of Cabinet of Curiosities. Each director puts their own signature style on a story and brings audiences into their terrifying creation. Del Toro wrote two of the episodes, including one about a demon being summoned. Some are scarier than others, but horror fans will feel right at home with this series.
Beat Bobby Flay
Bobby brings the heat
As I’ve gotten older, the Food Network has become one of my favorite channels. I mean, who doesn’t love food? I love eating my (average) home-cooked meal while watching contestants duke it out in the kitchen onmy favorite show, Beat Bobby Flay. The competition breaks down into two rounds. In the first round, two chefs have 20 minutes to construct a meal using a secret ingredient. The winner advances to the main event, where they face off against Bobby Flay.
The challenger gets to pick the dish for the final round, so Bobby has a disadvantage. However, Bobby is an award-winning chef with a few tricks up his sleeves. He can handle making a version of your grandmother’s lasagna. With episodes available on Netflix, be prepared to learn why Bobby always throws chiles into his dishes.
S.W.A.T.
Broadcast TV still knows how to make entertaining programs
The procedural is a genre best produced on broadcast television. Name a cop, doctor, or law drama—chances are it’s a procedural on broadcast TV. While the way we watch television has changed, people still love these types of shows on CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC. Law & Order, NCIS, and Criminal Minds are procedurals that gained a bigger following thanks to streaming.
S.W.A.T. is cut from the same cloth as Chicago P.D. and CSI. Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) is tasked with leading a new S.W.A.T. unit in the LAPD. This action-packed show utilizes a “case of the week” formula in which the team must solve a dangerous situation, such as active shooters and hostage situations. You’re in and out in 44 minutes. What’s better than that?
Netflix has more content coming your way
After you’re done watching these shows, stay on Netflix for more top-notch content. Netflix has an entire section dedicated to thrillers, and this week, The Guilty and El Camino are two of the section’s best. Keep an eye out for new movies, like Alan Ritchson’s War Machine, which is currently in the streamer’s top 10.
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