While some football fans are incredibly excited to see the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 2026, others were dancing to Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show for Super Bowl LX. But it’s also one of the only times of the year when people actually want to watch commercials.

This time around, Super Bowl ads feature stars like Kendall Jenner, 50 Cent, George Clooney, Sabrina Carpenter, Adrien Brody, Marcello Hernández and Benson Boone. While staples like the Budweiser Clydesdales also return.

These are some of the best and worst Super Bowl ads to watch this year:

GRADE A: DoorDash — Beef 101 with 50 Cent

The way that 50 Cent laughs at the end of this DoorDash commercial was my reaction as well. You have to love the references to his most famous feuds with Sean “Diddy” Combs, Ja Rule and Floyd Mayweather.

GRADE A: Dunkin’ — Good Will Dunkin’

Maybe a little unfair to compare this to more traditional ads, because this is basically a mini TV episode, but there’s so much nostalgia for this commercial, you have to love it. The setup is that Ben Affleck is starring in a “better version” of Good Will Hunting that was a ’90s sitcom, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander, Ted Danson, Alfonso Ribiero, Jasmine Guy and Jaleel White.

GRADE A: TurboTax — The Expert ft. Adrien Brody

Adrien Brody’s TurboTax ad, directed by Craig Gillespie, can actually sustain its extended cut, which is incredibly rare. And if you’re Canadian, it’s a great commercial to support, with Toronto actor Ruth Goodwin equally as fantastic as Brody.

GRADE A: e.l.f. — Presenta: MELISA ft. Melissa McCarthy, Itatí Cantoral and Nicholas Gonzalez

Melissa McCarthy’s humour hasn’t always translated in Super Bowl ads, but it worked this year for the e.l.f. ad with Itatí Cantoral and Nicholas Gonzalez, with McCarthy stepping into a telenovela. Also, a fun nod to Gonzalez’s character from The Good Doctor.

GRADE A: Instacart — Bananas ft. Ben Stiller and Benson Boone

Ben Stiller and Benson Boone are a duo we didn’t know we needed until this Instacart commercial. Directed by Spike Jonze, it’s the last gag that makes this ad work.

GRADE A: Lays — Last Harvest

While so many Super Bowl ads rely on star power, sometimes there’s a commercial that tugs at your heartstrings and maybe even makes you shed a tear. The Lays commercial is about a father-daughter relationship and potato farming passed down through generations, for a sweet story that lands.

GRADE B: Fanatics Sportsbook — Bet On Kendall

Kendall Jenner pokes fun at herself for this Fanatics Sportsbook ad, leaning into what she’s been criticized for, specifically her past relationships with professional athletes. The acting in this ad leaves something to be desired, but it kind of makes everything better. Jenner really is at her best when she can take a joke about herself.

GRADE B: Amazon Alexa — Alexaaaa+ ft. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky

There’s always a couple who star in a Super Bowl ad together, and this year it’s Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky, as Hemsworth takes on an Alexa+, powered by generative AI, that he’s convinced is out to get him. Maybe an odd choice for an Alexa d to lean into AI fears, but Hemsworth carried it well.

GRADE B: Bosch — The More You Bosch ft. Guy Fieri

It’s Guy Fieri as you’ve never seen him before, he’s trading his signature look for khakis, a button-up shirt, brown hair and a clean-shaven face for this Bosch ad. It’s a fun concept, but admittedly, a little jarring to see the VFX for Fieri’s new look.

GRADE B: Hellmann’s ft. Andy Samberg and Elle Fanning

Andy Samberg channelling Neil Diamond, as “Meal Diamond,” is entertaining enough for a Super Bowl ad, with a mayonnaise-inspired take on “Sweet Caroline.” Not the best ad we’ve gotten from Hellmann’s, but a generally clever idea.

GRADE B: Michelob ULTRA — The ULTRA Instructor ft. Kurt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Chloe Kim & TJ Oshie

Director Joseph Kosinski and actor Lewis Pullman have reunited after their Top Gun: Maverick days for this year’s Michelob ULTRA commercial. Featuring a fun nod to the Olympics and an always endearing Kurt Russell, it’s a fun mix.

GRADE C: Budweiser — American Icons

A staple of the Super Bowl, the Clydesdales commercial returns for Budweiser, this time featuring the song “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, chronicling a relationship between a horse and a bald eagle. I’d put this ad in the category of “old faithfuls,” nothing spectacular about them, but it’s comforting that they’re still around.

GRADE C: Kinder Bueno — Yes Bueno ft. Paige DeSorbo and William Fichtner

Great snack, not a particularly fantastic commercial. A little unfocused with too many elements, with stars William Fichtner and Paige DeSorbo not adding much to benefit this ad.

GRADE C: Wells Fargo — Celebrating Every Win ft. Marcello Hernández

Marcello Hernández is the hottest comedian right now, so it’s an obvious choice that he’d be a great asset for a Super Bowl ad. Teaming up with Wells Fargo, his charisma really carries the commercial, but we’ve certainly seen Hernández be much funnier.

GRADE C: Pringles — Pringleleo ft. Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter is a star, whether she’s singing or acting, but that’s also why we wanted more from this Pringles ad. We just know she’s so much funnier than this commercial allowed.

GRADE D: Grubhub — The Feest ft. George Clooney

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, you do feel like you stepped into one of Lanthimos’ films with this Grubhub ad, with the added bonus of George Clooney. Another example of underused talent, there was just so much more potential here.

GRADE D: Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters ft. Andy Cohen

The giant Nerds gummy is back for a Super Bowl ad, this time with Andy Cohen, but it still fails to entertain. Not a great use of Cohen; it’s just boring.

GRADE D: Ritz — Ritz Island ft. Scarlett Johannsson, Jon Hamm and Bowen Yang

It’s actually impressive that an ad with so much star power can make so little impact. There’s no story, there are no jokes, and I’ve never been less enticed to eat a Ritz cracker.

GRADE F: Svedka — Shake Your Bots Off

A commercial that will just make you say, “Why?” I don’t know who at Svedka needed to see robots dancing to the Rick James tube “Super Freak,” but it’s certainly not something we all needed to see.

GRADE F: Ro — Healthier on Ro ft. Serena Williams

With Serena Williams sharing her weight loss journey on a GLP-1, ads for these brands are certainly controversial. You can’t help but think that millions of people are watching this ad, many with varying degrees of body insecurity, and spreading this messaging far and wide is a questionable choice, particularly when it’s positioned as a “quick fix.”