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Call off the sniffer dogs: I've found the best Labor Day weekend headphone deal (some might say, the only such discount worth considering), so you can stop hunting around for good bargains.

I'll cut to the good bit: the Sony WH-1000XM5 are now just $198 (was $399.99) at Amazon — a whopping 50% off!

The Sony WH-1000XM5, which we gave a perfect score to in our review, are back down to their lowest-ever price. Banish the thought of these $399 cans, they're now down to $198 (which is actually just over half off) at Amazon.

All four color options are down to this low price too; we've seen the headphones dip to this price before, but only once, in June of this year. There are some other discounted cans, but nothing like the Sonys; let's call off the search and I'll see you again next year.

Despite being a few years old, these are still stellar headphones, especially at the cost; the newer Sony WH-100XM6 headphones are reduced in the Labor Day sales, but only down to $398, so these 5th-gen models are the true bargain.

If you want something even cheaper, the entry-level Sony WH-CH520 are now just $38, down from $69.99, again over at Amazon.

These are more affordable Sony models, with balanced sound but some missing features and a less-premium design. The XM5s are the real bargain of the day, thanks to all the extra features they offer.

Today's best Sony WH-1000XM5 deal

WH-1000XM5: was $399.99 now $198
Sony's previous-generation flagship headphones are back down to their lowest-ever price, saving you over $200 on cans which received a perfect, 5-star score in our review. There are four color models to choose from, and each is discounted to this same price.View Deal

Any flies in the ointment? Sonically, no. Even at full price these headphones are the real deal. The only minor issue, if I'm being really picky, is that this model doesn't fold up for easy and compact transportation — although you do get a lovely case, in which the cups will lie flat.

Other than that, this is the easiest deal recommendation I've ever made, days ahead of Labor Day. I'll go ahead and clock off early eds, if that's all?

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

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I shouldn't still be on the fence about a show's existence as it enters its second season, but here we are. The Paper season 2 returns to Peacock on September 9 — but out of its 10 new episodes, I'd say that only half are worth watching.

Why? Because The Office spinoff is still suffering from the same overarching issue as it did in season 1: everything is just that little bit underwhelming. Exactly a year after we left the writers of the Toledo Truth Teller, not much has changed in terms of the big picture.

Editor-in-Chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) is still desperately searching for the stories that will take his team to the next level, while Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) rarely thinks about anybody's reputation but her own. Nicole (Ramona Young) is still giving Kelly Kapoor vibes in a majorly inferior way, while Mare (Chelsea Frei)... well, she's just trying her best.

Without giving anything away, there are enough major dramatic plot points to steer the drama away from journalists despairing in an office. However, some of these are short-lived, and worse, give off trying-too-hard energy.

In Mean Girls, Regina George tells Gretchen Wieners to "stop making fetch happen. It's not going to happen," and I almost want to shake Peacock by the shoulders and explain that the same thing is happening here. The Paper season is being forced into existence, rather than having having a natural evolution.

Still, you can grab laughs where you can in some places, but for Brits, there's a lot more reason to be smiling. Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo are easily the strongest players in this wayward cast, and they alone would be enough reason for me to keep watching if season 3 is given the green light.

The Paper season 2 is trying (and mostly failing) to make fetch happen

I think we can all agree that The Paper is far more similar to Parks and Recreation than it ever has been to The Office. This awkward resemblance only becomes more noticeable in season 2, as Ned's eagerness to become a pillar of the community (which incidentally seems to hate him) only increases.

I think the key difference here is how easy and natural the camaraderie, and sense of community, comes in Parks and Rec. None of that is genuine in The Paper, to the point where I'm almost rooting for Ned to fail. With the exception of Esmeralda, everyone is better off spending their time elsewhere — something that is directly explored as season 2 continues.

Some fans have critiqued The Paper's 10-episode bursts, arguing that seasons should rival the 25 episodes a piece we used to get for such shows back in the glory days of the early 2000s. However, I'd argue that the season already struggles to fill those 10 episodes, with some feeling like stagnant filler content in between the more intriguing storylines.

I can also see how Esmeralda was so divisive in season 1, and in bad news for critics, I think creators have doubled down on her grating personality traits this year. From the moment episode 1 kicks off, her extroverted vanity is on display in full force, and it hits pantomime levels of performance.

While there are points in season 2 where I enjoy this, her temperament does risk overshadowing the rest of the ensemble cast... and I've come away wishing that I felt a more invested in their stories as a result.

Tim Key Supremacy

(Image credit: Peacock)

But never fear! There are two heroes in our midst in the form of Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Where Esmeralda is spiralling into chaos, Key's character Ken is the only one able to use this to his advantage. Esmeralda becomes the sidekick in their compelling (and genuinely hilarious) double act, which hits its peak between episodes 2 and 3.

A sharp, witty British man who is always armed with thinly-veiled criticism is exactly what this show needs, and Key plays his part to perfection. In fact, his scenes made me feel ashamed that I'd forgotten how good a comedic actor he is — since The Ballad of Wallis Island, I'd filed him in the director directory part of my brain.

Then there's Ikumelo. I couldn't believe that this quietly sassy and genius American accountant was the same woman who found Diane Morgan's fake farts on Last One Laughing UK season 2 so funny that she screamed her tears out. Metamorphosis is an incredible (and incredibly rare) skill to have as an actor, meaning she should never be underestimated. Now she just needs more bookings on UK comedy shows, please.

I know I may have made it sound like it's the case, but The Paper season 2 is far from the worst TV show, or comedy series, in 2026. But don't think it will be gracing my 'best of the year' lists, either.

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