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Finding a movie that the whole family wants to watch isn't easy. Luckily, HBO Max has a treasure trove of family-friendly films to choose from, including classics likeThe Wizard of Oz(1939) andTime Bandits(1981), and modern animated favorites likeThe LEGO Batman Movie(2017) and the Oscar-winnerFlow(2024).

The streamer also carries several works from the beloved Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli, whose films provide a refreshing alternative to Disney and DreamWorks fare. Ahead, find our guide to the 13 best family movies streaming now on HBO Max.

Blue Beetle(2023)

Warner Bros.

The first superhero movie with a Latino protagonist,Blue Beetlestars Xolo Maridueña as Jaime, a recent college grad who accidentally ends up bonding with an ancient alien relic that turns him into a high-flying vigilante. But Jaime isn't alone in fighting against evil corporate androids: When he needs help, his Mexican American family works together to rescue him.Entertainment Weekly's writer appreciates how"Blue Beetleis one of the rare opportunities to celebrate a specific part of the Latin community, and it revels in that specificity, only adding more heart to Jaime's journey to becoming a hero."—Danny Horn

Where to watchBlue Beetle: HBO Max

EW grade:B+

Director:Ángel Manuel Soto

Cast:Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillén

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie(2024)

Ketchup Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection

This hysterical sci-fi comedy had the honor of being the first original all-animatedLooney Tunesfilm released in theaters.The Day the Earth Blew Upfinds Daffy Duck and Porky Pig trying to ward off an alien invasion. After learning of a clever chewing gum-related mind control scheme devised by the mysterious Invader (Peter MacNicol), Daffy and Porky desperately try to warn the skeptical public. Packed with meta humor (our heroes are well aware they're in a movie) and fun references to cult classic B-movies of the '50s, the film skillfully rides that classic Looney Tunes line of appealing to kids and adults alike. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watchThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie: HBO Max

Director:Pete Browngardt

Cast:Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol

Flow(2024)

Courtesy of Sideshow and Janus Films

This dialogue-free Latvian animated film speaks to the power of visuals to tell a universal story. The film centers on a cat that tries to survive a devastating flood alongside a diverse group of animals, including a capybara, a lemur, and a Labrador Retriever. With no humans in sight, the animals must rely on their own instincts to find safe ground as the water continues to rise. Even if you're not a cat person, it's nearly impossible not to be by the film's end;Flowalso made history in 2025 as the first independent film towin the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. —K.J.

Where to watchFlow: HBO Max

Director:Gints Zilbalodis

Kiki's Delivery Service(1989)

A warm-hearted anime fromStudio Ghibli,Kiki's Delivery Servicefollows the titular 13-year-old witch (Minami Takayama;Kirsten Dunstin the English dub) as she leaves home with her black cat, Jiji (Rei Sakuma; Phil Hartman in the English dub), and embarks on a year-long journey of self-discovery in another village. Using her magic broom, Kiki opens a flying courier service and begins to experience both the satisfaction and the difficulties of independence and self-reliance. Kiki's struggles with self-consciousness and doubt will be familiar to any kid who's had to adjust to a new situation, and the exquisitely rendered character animation makes the film an enchanting trip.—D.H.

Where to watchKiki's Delivery Service: HBO Max

Director:Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, Debbie Reynolds

The LEGO Batman Movie(2017)

A buzzy sugar rush of villains, explosions, and bat-guitar solos,The LEGO Batman Moviesets out to be the ultimate kid-friendly superhero comedy, deftly skewering every pretentious, bloated summer blockbuster. The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is crushed when Batman (Will Arnett) refuses to admit that he's the hero's "greatest enemy," so the offended clown prince of crime recruits every baddie in the multiverse, including velociraptors and Voldemort.

EW's critic writes, "Seventy-five percent of the film's carpet-­bomb campaign of pop culture meta punchlines will ricochet over the target audience's head, but parents dragged along for the ride will no doubt be grateful for Arnett's rat-a-tat send-ups of Adam West and superhero clichés."—D.H.

Where to watchThe LEGO Batman Movie: HBO Max

EW grade:B+

Director:Chris McKay

Cast:Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes

My Neighbor Totoro(1988)

Tokuma Enterprises/Kobal Collection

My Neighbor Totoroisn't the only Studio Ghibli film on this list, but it's arguably the sweetest. Two young girls move with their father to a house in the country while their mother is recovering in the hospital, and they discover a giant, furry wood spirit in the nearby forest. Totoro doesn't speak, but he's a gentle and reassuring presence who creates magical, dream-like experiences for the girls. It's not a fast-moving film, but the whimsical and even sometimes scary elements make for a fun, imagination-inspiring watch.—D.H.

Where to watchMy Neighbor Totoro: HBO Max

Director:Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:Tim Daly, Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Lea Salonga

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Ponyo(2008)

In another stunning Studio Ghibli anime, a little boy and a magical goldfish princess form an unlikely friendship. Ponyo's desire to become a human girl and join Sosuke on land is so strong that it overpowers her wizard father's enchantments, leading to an explosion of aquatic energy that endangers Sosuke's seaside village. As the waters rise, the two children set out on a quest to save the town and restore the balance of nature. DirectorHayao Miyazaki's lush, colorful backgrounds give the film a hand-crafted feel, blurring the distinction between land and sea.—D.H.

Where to watchPonyo: HBO Max

Director:Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas

Porco Rosso(1992)

Porco Rosso has all the markings of a cynical World War I veteran...except for the fact that he's been mysteriously cursed with a pig's head. As such, the Italian fighter pilot now spends most of his time as a bounty hunter hired to attack air pirates. He eventually meets his match when the pirates hire an American pilot, Donald Curtis, to take him down. Animation legend Hayao Miyazaki crafts a clever historical fiction story that appeals to both kids and adults, with eye-popping aerial battles and potent themes of war and political resistance. And let's never forget Porco Rosso's timeless words: "I'd rather be a pig than a fascist." —K.J.

Where to watchPorco Rosso: HBO Max

Director:Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:Michael Keaton, Cary Elwes, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers

Shaun the Sheep Movie(2015)

Alamy Stock Photo

This delightful stop-motion comedy from the world ofWallace & Gromitbrilliantly tells its story without a word of dialogue. The film centers on the titular farm sheep as he devises a plan to make the farmer fall asleep so he and his flock can finally have a day off from work, though the scheme quickly goes awry. When the farmer is accidentally driven away in a van and bumps his head, he loses his memory, prompting his flock to try to find him and make him remember who he is. Packed with cleverly devised gags that entertain audiences of all ages,EW's critic callsShaun the Sheep Movie"contagiously cute." —K.J.

Where to watchShaun the Sheep Movie: HBO Max

Directors:Mark Burton, Richard Starzak

Cast:Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Omid Djalili

Spirited Away(2001)

Walt Disney Pictures/Everett Collection

If you've ever wondered why it's a bad idea to visit an abandoned roadside amusement park, Studio Ghibli has the answer: Your parents will turn into giant pigs, and you'll be left on your own to deal with the resident ghosts, witches, and river sprites.Spirited Awaycreates a new, fascinating mythology with its own mysterious rules and customs, pitting 10-year-old Chihiro against dragons and demons with only her strength of will to guide her. The film can get a little scary at times for younger viewers, but both parents and kids will be captivated by its haunting beauty.—D.H.

Where to watchSpirited Away: HBO Max

Director:Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Michael Chiklis

Time Bandits(1981)

Twentieth Century Fox/Everett Collection

A young boy is swept into a wild adventure when six squabbling dwarves appear, looking for a magical portal on the other side of his bedroom wall. The intruders have swiped a map from the Supreme Being, which they're using to travel through space and time, stealing the treasures of history. Together, Kevin and the Bandits meet Napoleon Bonaparte and Robin Hood, and visit ancient Greece and the sinking of the Titanic. Directed byMonty PythonalumTerry Gilliam,Time Banditsincludes cameos from fellow Pythons John Cleese and Michael Palin, as well asSean Conneryas King Agamemnon.—D.H.

Where to watchTime Bandits: HBO Max

Director:Terry Gilliam

Cast:Craig Warnock, John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Katherine Helmond

The Wizard of Oz(1939)

One of the most beloved films of all time,The Wizard of Ozdelivers visual spectacle, winning characters, and an emotional sincerity that still retains its charm decades later.Judy Garlandsparkles as a girl from Kansas who drops out of the sky into the magical land of Oz, where she teams up with a scarecrow, a tin man, and a cowardly lion to fight a witch and find her way home. With unforgettable songs like "Over the Rainbow" and "If I Only Had a Brain," the film has delighted generations with its imagination and wit.—D.H.

Where to watchThe Wizard of Oz: HBO Max

EW grade:B+

Director:Victor Fleming

Cast:Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Margaret Hamilton, Jack Haley

Wonka(2023)

Warner Bros./Everett

A sparklingTimothée Chalametheadlines this prequel toWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, embodying the whimsical candy maker at the start of his ambitious (and delicious) career. He's opposed by the establishment Chocolate Cartel and tricked by his devious landlady into indentured servitude, but you can't keep a born dreamer down. "In many ways,Wonkais far more delightful than it has any right to be,"EW's critic writeswhile also praising Chalamet: "He's a warm and winning Wonka, infusing the character with a fanciful sense of humor and a guileless enthusiasm."—D.H.

Where to watchWonka: HBO Max

Director:Paul King

Cast:Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman, Keegan-Michael Key

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

"Some of the jokes are based on wordplay and do not carry any religious, philosophical, or ideological assertion," it says, acknowledging that comedy can be arisky business in Russia, where some have been jailed for jokes, particularly if they are thought to be critical of thewar in Ukraine.

"Maybe there's problems in the country," one of the comedians said, a nod to the fact that addressing the country's issues head-on could be dangerous. "There's a lot of cameras here," another replied, to laughter from the crowd, because the words for camera and jail cell are the same in Russian.

While there have been no repercussions for the group, others including Artemy Ostanin are not so lucky. The 29-year-old was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison by a Moscow court earlier this month after he was found guilty of inciting hatred for a joke about being tripped up by a disabled person. A second joke about Jesus Christ led to a conviction for offending religious believers.

They were brought to the attention of authorities in March by pro-government activists from a group called Zov Naroda, or Call of the People, which accused him of mocking a fighter who lost his legs in the war in Ukraine — a claim he denied, insisting the joke had been misinterpreted.

Aware that he could be in trouble, Ostanin fled toBelarus, only to be arrested and deported back to Russia. He told the Moscow courtroom that he was severely beaten in a forest and his hair was cut off by Belarusian security services, an independent Russian media outlet, Sota Vision, reported in its trial coverage.

Eva Merkacheva, a member of Russia's Human Rights Council, also posted a picture on Telegram of Ostanin with heavy bruising and blood on his back.

Belarus' interior ministry issued a statement on Telegram denying he'd been beaten.

Fellow stand-up Nikolai said his friend was "a convenient target" and the severe sentence was meant to scare other comedians into toeing the line. "It's easier to harshly punish one person so the others live with the knowledge that it's best not to take risks," he told NBC News in an interview earlier this month.

NBC News agreed not to use the last names of the people interviewed inside Russia, over fears for their security.

A relatively new thing in Russia, stand-up comedy took off in the last decade after it was aired on TV, turning relative unknowns into huge stars.

Even today, "it's hard to find a bar in Moscow that doesn't host a stand-up gig at least once a week," Nikolai said.

But "the state isn't well-versed in humor," according to Yevgeny Smirnov, a lawyer with the rights group First Division, which specializes in defending people accused of political crimes and espionage. He added that authorities take "everything seriously and literally," and Russia has introduced more laws that punish people for speech.

Among the more draconian was legislation introduced shortly afterPresident Vladimir Putinlaunched what the Kremlin refers to as its "special military operation" in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Those found guilty of "discrediting" the Russian army could face up to 15 years in prison.

Previously, few topics were off-limits, including issues like the #MeToo movement, according to Anastasia, a 35-year-old artist from Moscow who regularly attended comedy gigs before the crackdown. She added that people took pride in how free and vicious Russian humor could be.

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That changed dramatically after the war started almost four years ago, she said, adding that in the current climate, comedians "play it safe." Before delivering their jokes, she said, some comedians will tell their audiences that they don't want to offend them, while others will tell the crowd that they have a joke "but I won't say it."

As a result, she said, she was going to fewer gigs because a lot of the material became repetitive.

"Every time, we stoop to a whole new low. And there's no end to it. We live in some kind of frightening mirror world," said Anastasia, adding that although she wasn't a fan of jokes about disabled people, she was frustrated by Ostanin's prison sentence.

After 2022, Nikolai said, he removed material about the army because he had been heckled and told to stop joking aboutthe war, and he'd heard others had been beaten up for doing so.

Some comedians who wanted to joke about those things have left Russia, among them Denis Chuzhoy, who performs in English using the name "Dan the Stranger," a literal translation of his name in Russian.

Once popular in his homeland, he said his fortunes changed after he spoke out against the war. During a show in the northwestern city of Vologda, he recalled, two men stood up and handed him a funeral wreath with a ribbon that read "to Russia's traitor," one of the reasons he decided to relocate to Spain.

Today, comedians in Russia are "retelling wife jokes," Chuzhoy, who now performs in both Europe and the U.S., said in an interview earlier this month. While he mostly jokes about death and depression, some of his posts on social media reference Putin and the Russian state.

The bravest comedian he'd seen recently on a video filmed in Russia did a routine "about the right way to eat pizza," he said. As the comic held a pizza with two slices missing from the bottom, it eventually became clear that it "looks like a peace sign," he said.

On the first day of the Ukraine invasion, he added, it was made clear to comedians performing on TV that joking about this was off-limits. "We're making a comedy show, not a revolution," they were told by show producers in group chats.

Those who defied the ban were threatened with "dismissal or criminal charges," he said.

Even those who don't appear to have criticized the war are not immune, like Nurlan Saburov, a popular comedian from Kazakhstan who earlier this month was banned from Russia for 50 years for "criticism of the special military operation, as well as violations of immigration and tax legislation," according to the state-run TASS news agency.

In a statement on Instagram, Saburov said he did not want to comment on the situation and his lawyers were handling the matter.

Nonetheless, Nikolai said some political stand-up did still exist in Russia at a grassroots level. Comedians perform in front of loyal audiences of around 20 people "whom they basically know personally," he said. "No one will even consider doing it on TV. No one's suicidal," he added.

Comparing stand-up in Russia to an electric fence, he said it was "easy to get through, but God forbid you brush the side — you're dead."

Back in Moscow, a soldier who lost his leg in the war in Ukraine stood on the stage of a show broadcast on Russian social media channel VK.

"I'm the only comedian who's actually fought for every audience member," he said, to cheers from the crowd.

NEED TO KNOW

• Train's song "Drops of Jupiter" came out in January 2001, and is still beloved 25 years later

• Monahan's mother died in 1998, but he says she "delivered" him all the "lyrics and melodies" while he was asleep

• "I felt like my mom wrote that song with me," he told PEOPLE in 2025

Pat Monahan, the lead singer of Train, got inspiration for "Drops of Jupiter" from someone very special: his late mother.

The Grammy-winning musician recently joined Lynn Hoffman on theMusic Saved Mepodcast to talk about his decades-long career and how the hit 2001 song came to be. He explained that, after the band first gained traction with their 1998 hit "Meet Virginia" from their self-titled debut album, they were looking to piggyback off its success.

"We recorded an album calledSomething Moreand delivered it to Columbia Records. And they didn't think we had a first single," the 56-year-old explained. "I was emotionally not in the mood because I lost my mother just recently. And now I don't have a single for this record company."

Monahan's mother, Patricia Ann Monahan, died in December 1998 from lung cancer while the band was on tour.

Jeremy Chan/Getty

"One night, I went to sleep and probably was asleep for 10 minutes and woke up with all the lyrics and melodies in my head, as though my mother had delivered me the message, 'This is what it's like when you go to the other side. You can swim through the planets and come back with drops of Jupiter in your hair, and don't worry about me,'" he recalled.

"Drops of Jupiter" was officially released as the lead single off the album of the same name on Jan. 29, 2001.

However, he noted that there was one particular part of the song that he didn't get from his mom.

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"So then with the [lyric] 'looking for yourself out there,' that was the emotional part of it for me, that was like... it somehow had to translate into a love story, and so that was, that was the little bit of something I gave to the song that maybe my mother didn't deliver," Monahan added.

Scott Legato/Getty

Monahan admitted he was surprised the track did so well, saying that "there was no reason for that song to become a hit."

"It's the same thing as any other song that was big for us. Like, even 'Meet Virginia' was a quirky little song, and then a song with a ukulele," he said of his popular songs, referring to "Hey, Soul Sister."

"'Drops of Jupiter' was like four minutes and 20 seconds or something at a time when there were, you know, two-and-a-half-minute songs on the radio," Monahan added. "So it was pretty interesting that it happened."

When talking toPEOPLEin 2025, Monahan said he "felt like my mom wrote that song with me."

"We were kind of talking back and forth about [it]," he said.

Read the original article onPeople

WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Secret Service and local police shot and killed a man armed with a shotgun early on Sunday after he breached a secure perimeter at ‌President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, law enforcement officials said.

Trump, who is ‌currently in Washington, was not at the social club at the time. The incident occurred at a time when the United States is ​facing a spike in political violence. In 2024, a gunman's bullet grazed Trump's ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, and a man later convicted of attempted assassination was spotted hiding in the bushes of a Florida golf course with a semi-automatic rifle while Trump was on the course.

The man in Sunday's incident, who appeared to be ‌in his early 20s, was carrying ⁠a shotgun and a fuel can, the U.S. Secret Service said, adding that he was observed at the resort's north gate around 1:30 a.m. EST (0630 GMT).

Two U.S. Secret Service ⁠agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy confronted the man and ordered him to drop the two items, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a press conference on Sunday morning.

The man put down the gas canister ​and ​raised the shotgun "to a shooting position," prompting law enforcement to ​open fire, Bradshaw said.

The man was declared ‌dead at the scene. No law enforcement officers were injured.

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White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the Secret Service "acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump's home."

Law enforcement officials did not reveal any information about the motive for the incident. The FBI has taken over the investigation and is collecting evidence from the scene, officials said.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a ‌social media post that the agency is "dedicating all necessary resources" to ​the investigation.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he spoke with Trump after ​the incident. Bessent thanked the Secret Service for ​protecting the president and his family.

"We don't know whether this person was a mastermind, ‌unhinged or what," Bessent said on the Fox ​News program "Sunday Morning Futures with ​Maria Bartiromo."

In 2024, Trump faced two assassination attempts, including one at his golf course in West Palm Beach. The perpetrator of that incident was sentenced to life in prison this month.

Melissa Hortman, a ​Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota, was ‌shot and killed in June 2025 along with her husband. Months later, conservative activist Charlie Kirk ​was also assassinated.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; writing by ​Andrew Goudsward; editing by Michelle Nichols and Chizu Nomiyama)

The submarine broke from its mission and surfaced about eight miles from Nuuk, Greenland, an extraordinary step for a vessel designed to remain hidden beneath the sea in secrecy.

The sailor was airlifted by a Danish Defense Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the Vædderen, a Danish military patrol ship.

It's unclear what the nature of the medical emergency was, but it was not combat-related, according to the U.S. official.

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The sailor is being treated at a hospital in Nuuk, Greenland's capital.

Trump considering initial limited strike against Iran, source says

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of the Navy's typically strict secrecy surrounding the movements and missions of its submarine fleet. Even acknowledging a sub's general location is highly unusual, underscoring the gravity of a situation that required assistance.

The waters surrounding Greenland have been among the most strategically consequential terrain for military planners.

It includes passageways and choke points between Russia, Europe, and North America, particularly as ice continues to melt and the area becomes easier to navigate. China is also aiming to expand its footprint in the Arctic.

After building up amassive military forcein the Middle East over the last few weeks, President Donald Trump said Friday that he was considering strikes against Iran to pressure its leaders into accepting a deal on its nuclear program.

Trump has ratcheted up threats of action against the country's leadership in recent months alongside a steady buildup of military forces. Two aircraft carriers are currently deployed, and one more—the USS Gerald Ford—is expected to arrive imminently.When questioned by reporters on Friday whether he was weighing limited strikes against the country's leadership in order to get it to accept a deal over its nuclear program, Trump replied: "I guess I can say I am considering that."

Read More:Leavitt Says Iran Would Be 'Wise to Make a Deal' as Trump Escalates Military Buildup in RegionOn Thursday, Trump gave Tehran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to finalize a deal to solve the nuclear dispute or face "really bad things."

The United States joined an Israeli-led military operation against Iran in June last year that struckthree of the country'snuclear sites. After that operation, Trump claimed Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated."

Trump raised the prospect of further military action against Iran following a brutal crackdown on protests therethat killed thousands.

That prospect has drawn harsh criticism from inside and outside of the President's own party.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Rep. Ro Khanna said they would table a War Powers resolution to prohibit the president from ordering military action in Iran without congressional approval.

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"Congress must vote on war according to our Constitution. Rep. Ro Khanna and I will be forcing that vote to happen in the House as soon as possible,"Massiewrote on X on Feb. 18. "I will vote to put America first which means voting against more war in the Middle East."David Janovsky is the Acting Director of The Constitution Project at theProject on Government Oversight, and researches and develops policy reforms on separation of powers issues. He answered TIME's questions about the legality of potential strikes on Iran.

If Trump orders strikes on Iran tomorrow, however limited in scope, could that be legally justified?

DJ: The short answer is no. There's no indication that there's any sort of circumstance that would give the President the unilateral authority to order military action. It's true that presidents have some inherent authority to deploy the military as Commander in Chief, but that's really limited to true emergency circumstances where there is an attack underway that needs to be repelled, or maybe an extremely clear imminent attack. But there's no suggestion that that's the case today—that would make the strikes illegal.

What steps would the White House need to take for this military action to be legally above board?

DJ: Most simply, the administration would need to go to Congress. This is a contemplated attack against a sovereign state, and that, in simplest terms, is an act of war. And the Constitution gives the exclusive power to declare war to Congress, not the president. So this is something that would need a vote and congressional approval.

How would this operation be different from the strikes on Iran's nuclear sites in June 2025, legally speaking?

DJ: My position is that those strikes in 2025 were not legally justifiable and also that strikes now would likewise not be justifiable. In 2025, the administration put out a very brief explanation that relied on both the President's inherent authority and a notion of collective self-defense with Israel. But again, self-defense is properly understood to involve a threat that is much more immediate than anything that's at play now.

What would be the legal and political implications if Congress passed a formal War Powers resolution restricting the President's ability to strike Iran?

DJ: It's important to keep in mind that if Congress didnothing, that would be a sign that Congress didn't approve an act of war, and so it would be illegal.

So, congressional action isn't necessary, legally speaking, to prevent a strike against Iran. But, if Congress were to take the preemptive step of saying, "You cannot do this," I think it would do two things. First, it would change the legal calculus, because the executive branch, for decades— this is not a new phenomenon—has resorted to creative lawyering to come up with excuses for using the military abroad. A clear statement from Congress should at least make those executive branch lawyers a lot less willing to push the envelope. It could also change the calculus for the military lawyers who would need to reviewany actual strike order.

And, politically, I think it would send a powerful message. We have seen, especially recently, that the administration is sensitive to losing support, particularly from its allies in Congress, and a clear congressional statement that there is not the buy-in for military action in this case would also be a limiting factor.

Why has the reaction from Congress to this military buildup been so muted?

DJ: I think there are probably both long-term structural reasons and sort of short-term political reasons, hand in hand with the executive branch's decades-long effort to push the envelope of what it can do has been Congress's acquiescence in the face of those expansions. In some ways, this is part of a constitutionally very dangerous but long-running trend.

Back in 2025, there was an effort after the strikes to pass a war powers resolution. But the most charitable explanation for why Congress didn't act then was that there was a suggestion that the strikes were over and done. It was a one-off, and there was no need for Congress to prevent anything else. The fact that we're back here suggests that was not the correct assessment, and certainly underscores the need for Congress to act urgently now.

Contact usatletters@time.com.

The show follows CIA agent Stan Smith and his family, who live in Langley Falls, Virginia, as they navigate familial issues and growing up. And in the case of the alien who lives in their attic, taking on new personas while snarking on those around them.

Created by Seth MacFarlane, who voices the family's patriarch and Roger the alien, the show has gained popularity partly for its musical numbers performed by the Smith family's pubescent son and Roger.

The show originally debuted on Fox in 2005 and remained part of the network until 2014, when it moved to TBS. Inspring 2025, Fox announced the show would return to the network for at least four seasons.

Other animated sitcoms:'South Park' escalates war with Donald Trump in brutal new episode

The show is part of Fox's"Animation domination"block, where the network airs hours of adult, animated sitcoms such as "The Simpsons," "Universal Basic Guys," "Family Guy" and "Bob's Burgers" on Sundays.

Here's how to watch this upcoming season and what's to come.

Looking for something good to watch? Amid the deluge of television in 2025, here are the very best, starting with number 20: "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" (Paramount+)

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"The Gold" (PBS)

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"High Potential" (ABC)

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"IT: Welcome to Derry" (HBO)

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"The White Lotus" (HBO)

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"Sirens" (Netflix)

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"Severance" (Apple TV)

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"Matlock" (CBS)

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"Apple Cider Vinegar" (Netflix)

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"Overcompensating" (Prime Video)

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"Task" (HBO)

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"North of North" (Netflix)

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"Taskmaster" (YouTube)

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"Boots" (Netflix)

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"Death by Lightning" (Netflix)

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"The American Revolution" (PBS)

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"Adolescence" (Netflix)

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"Andor" (Disney+)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Pitt" (HBO Max)

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The 20 best TV shows of 2025

Looking for something good to watch? Amid the deluge of television in 2025, here are the very best, starting with number 20: "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" (Paramount+)

Where to watch this season of 'American Dad'

The season premieres at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, Feb. 22, according to Fox. Episodes will air Sundays and can be streamed viaHulu the following day.

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During the upcoming season, the family throws a pool party and finds what appears to be a rat in the pool, Fox revealed online. During another episode, Francine and Stan feud after Stan fails to show interest in flume rides, which Francine loves.

"American Dad" Executive Producer and Showrunner Matt Weitzman said in a statement to USA TODAY on Feb. 18 that the creative team is grateful they can keep producing the show.

"To work on something you love, with so many outstanding creative voices for so long is a joy," he said. "It could have been canceled more than a few times, but this silly beast just refuses to die. Um, did I jinx it?"

Once fans saw promo for the show in December, they took to social media to share their excitement.

"Just aired on Fox during the new Simpsons tonight,"wrote a Redditoron Dec. 7, sharing a clip of Stan twerking to New Orleans bounce music while Roger looked on, impressed.

A camera man stood behind Stan, capturing each ebb and flow of the CIA agent's"thunder butt"(as the ladies at work call him).

"The show's been off (FOX) for over a decade, and this is the first footage we get," the Redditor wrote. "We've never been more back."

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'American Dad!' season 20 premieres this weekend. Where to watch.