Television

"Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television." —Woody Allen

You Can Always Get What You Want: On “The Big Chill” and American Politics
Henry M. J. Tonks explains how Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Big Chill” gets generational politics all wrong—and why we still need to watch it.
Henry M. J. TonksSep 7, 2023
Propaganda, Outrage, and Entertainment
Kathryn Cramer Brownell on the electoral transformations wrought by cable news and the evolving media landscape.
Kathryn Cramer BrownellAug 23, 2023
- Politics
- Television
All the Television We’ll Lose: On Fantagraphics’ “Ernie in Kovacsland”
Harry Waksberg reviews a new book from Fantagraphics about television pioneer Ernie Kovacs, “Ernie in Kovacsland.”
Harry WaksbergAug 17, 2023
- Literary Criticism
- Television
Family No Longer Sustains: On Michael Szalay’s “Second Lives”
Olivia Stowell reviews Michael Szalay’s “Second Lives: Black-Market Melodramas & the Reinvention of Television.”
Olivia StowellJul 29, 2023
- Cultural Studies
- Television
The Culture Is Lit and I Had a Ball: On HBO’s “The Idol”
Sophie Frances Kemp reviews HBO’s “The Idol.”
Sophie KempJul 25, 2023
- Television
Things Will Get Shittier: AI and the Dial of Business Basiness
J. D. Connor ponders how AI is transforming the media landscape, the law, and our lives.
J. D. ConnorJul 22, 2023
Heady Politics in the Ton: On Shondaland’s “Queen Charlotte”
Leigh-Michil George reviews Shondaland’s “Queen Charlotte,” and asks about the nature of the game being played.
Leigh-Michil GeorgeJul 17, 2023
- Television
In the Mouth of Sadness: On the Erotic Bummer
Sean T. Collins and Julia Gfrörer lay out the generic terms of the erotic thriller’s morose relation, the erotic bummer.
Julia Gfrörer, Sean T. CollinsJul 7, 2023
Hereditary Venom: On Nicholas Britell’s “Succession: Season 4” Soundtrack
Ali Royals reviews Nicholas Britell’s “Succession: Season 4” soundtrack.
Ali RoyalsJul 2, 2023
- Music
- Television
Spectacles of Repression: On Netflix’s “Beef”
Amanda Walujono reviews Netflix’s new dramedy “Beef.”
Amanda WalujonoJun 30, 2023
- Television
Intentionally Hyperfocused: On Amazon Prime’s “Swarm”
Brienne Adams examines stan culture and its relationship to Black and queer love in Amazon Prime’s “Swarm.”
Brienne AdamsJun 9, 2023
- Television
The Algorithmic Hustle: Surplus Comedy and Hollywood Specwork
J. D. Connor discusses Netflix’s business model, specwork in comedy, and the extraction of surplus value from Black labor.
J. D. ConnorApr 27, 2023
- Television