The Brunch round-up for October 17: The week and how it made us feel

This week, we’re killing it in Candy Crush, skipping our manis, waiting for Dunesday and asking Wikipedia to act right

Going to prom. A fifth adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie (the first TV series) is here. It’s blood-splashingly good. The bullying plays out on Insta, Carrie gets a homeschool backstory to make high-school life seem tougher. Just one complaint: Why does Carrie get skinnier and prettier in every adap? King wrote her as fat and acne-ridden. Even telekinesis can’t fix that.

Vogue Beauty’s nail trends are worrying. Why are you asking us to smudge our nail polish? (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Laying a base coat. Someone check on Vogue Beauty. Their manicure trends are worrying. One article is advising us to wear nail polish that doesn’t look like we’re wearing any nail polish at all. Another suggests deliberately smudging the colour because the messy look is in. Prank? Trolling? Or is an intern at the wheel?

What’s funnier than lady driver jokes? The fact that women are killing it in the fastest motorsport on Earth. (INSTAGRAM/@SUSSANECALLINRACING)

In the fast lane. What was that joke about lady drivers again? Actually, save it, because women are killing it in the fastest sport on Earth. Top Fuel drag racing lasts four seconds, and cars go as fast as 483kmph. That’s faster than F1. Women have won seven out of the past nine European Championships. Another stereotype got run over.

We’re obsessed with Alexander Skarsgård’s sheer lace shoes at the Wicker premiere. (INSTAGRAM/@WICKERMOVIE)

Dressing up. Zendaya walked the red carpet so Alexander Skarsgård could run. The actor is promoting Wicker, in which he plays a sexy straw man, and his press-tour wardrobe is bomb. He kicked things off in a gold suit and sheer lace shoes. In the past, he’s also given us glittery sleeveless tops, thigh-high boots and teeny-tiny shorts. What’s next, Alexander?

Wikipedia just got called out for its inaccurate illustration of Meghalaya’s women. (INSTAGRAM/@WIKIPEDIA)

Wrapping it right. Wikipedia posted a cutesy illustration on Insta of Meghalaya women on the state’s living root bridges – and got called out immediately. Locals asked why the women’s saris were not in the tribal Khasi or Jaintia drapes. Wiki essentially said “My bad”, and is updating the visual. We’re still waiting on those fits.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and Percy Jackson and the Olympians are out in December.

Splitting up. Two blockbuster clashes are headed our way next month – The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. And Dunesday is coming for us all on December 18, with Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 releasing on the same day. The combo-costume ideas will be insane. We’re watching.

Bihar’s 19-year-old Shubham Kumar has reached level 22,222 on Candy Crush. (INSTAGRAM/@INTERNATIONALBOOKOFRECORDS)

Sugar-dusting. Put your high score away. Bihar’s 19-year-old Shubham Kumar has entered the International Book of Records for reaching level 22,222 on Candy Crush. He’s ventured into parts of the game unknown to mankind. He’s seen more candy than Willy Wonka. He’s our hero.

Kids today deserve their own version of High School Musical.

Feeling our age. High School Musical is 20 years old now. So, it’s roughly as old to Gen Zs as Grease was to their parents in 1998. Both smash-hit musicals. Both more camp than Christmas. It’s hard to make high-school movies with a goofy, unserious vibe today. So, there won’t be a similar movie that kids will worship 20 years on. Filmmakers, you better shape up, up, up…

From HT Brunch, October 17, 2026

Follow us on www.instagram.com/htbrunch