Pop-Culture News And Analysis From NPR

Reaction Saturation And Sunday Night Television

by Linda Holmes

May 20, 2013 8:57 AM

On Sundays, it can seem like we're a nation of critics. But we're not.

Working Women On Television: A Mixed Bag At Best

by Neda Ulaby

May 18, 2013 5:13 AM

Research shows that prime-time television isn't a bad place to find portrayals of working women. Working moms and working women over 40 are another story.

Geena Davis played the president in the 2005 ABC series Commander in Chief. Now, she works on issues involving women in media.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Cancellation Blues And Cultural Etiquette

by Linda Holmes

May 17, 201310:24 AM

On this week's show, we talk about grieving and fighting when shows are canceled, we come up with some rules of engagement when it comes to good manners and culture, and we talk about what's making us happy this week.

A drawing of two clinking martini glasses.

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Television

Notes On A 'Scandal': Fitz Is The Most Dumpable Man On Television

by Linda Holmes

May 17, 2013 8:32 AM

Viewers of Scandal know that Fitz is the worst. But do they know why? We do.

Music

While The Audience Turned Away, 'American Idol' Found Some Great Singers

by Linda Holmes

May 16, 2013 2:11 PM

This may have been a lousy year for ratings on our most-watched talent show, but not for talent.

Candice Glover competes Thursday night for the American Idol win.

Television

A Farewell To 'The Office': The 10 Best Episodes

by Linda Holmes

May 16, 201312:39 PM

As The Office reaches its end, we look at 10 favorite episodes.

Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski in The Office.

Television

What's On TV This Fall? The Networks Roll Out Their New Shows

by Linda Holmes

May 15, 201311:31 AM

This fall, Michael J. Fox returns to network comedy and Joss Whedon brings the Avengers universe to television.

Betsy Brandt and Michael J. Fox star in NBC's The Michael J. Fox Show, coming this fall.

Culture And Criticism

Why Angelina Jolie's Op-Ed Matters

by Linda Holmes

May 14, 201312:21 PM

Angelina Jolie's surgery perhaps shouldn't matter, but it will to someone.

Angelina Jolie, seen here in April, wrote in The New York Times about her double mastectomy.

Miscellany

'Space Oddity' In Space: Yes, Astronauts Are Still The Coolest Humans

by Linda Holmes

May 13, 2013 8:28 AM

If you were an astronaut, isn't a David Bowie cover what you'd be doing?

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield sits in front of a mock-up of a Soyuz TMA space craft during his pre-flight preparation at the Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, outside Moscow, in November 2012.

Television

Watch The First Trailer For ABC's 'Avengers' Follow-Up

by Linda Holmes

May 13, 2013 8:05 AM

ABC has released the trailer for its fall series picking up the Avengers saga.

Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson in Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Television

Christopher Guest Comes To HBO With A 'Family' Comedy That's Serious

by Linda Holmes

May 11, 2013 5:29 AM

Christopher Guest talks to Scott Simon about improvisation, style, and finding a ventriloquist in the family.

Chris O'Dowd (left) stars in Family Tree, a new HBO show from Christopher Guest (right) and Jim Piddock.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Iron Man' And Giving Up

by Linda Holmes

May 10, 201310:44 AM

This week's show brings us back to the Marvel universe and into our own surrenders, and as always, we'll talk about what's making us happy this week.

Movies

Loving 'Gatsby' Too Much And Not Enough

by Linda Holmes

May 10, 2013 9:41 AM

Baz Luhrmann's extravagant adaptation of The Great Gatsby makes two fatal and contradictory errors of adaptation.

Carey Mulligan and Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

Television

PBS Continues The March Into Streaming Programming

by Linda Holmes

May 09, 201311:14 AM

PBS introduced a nifty new channel this week serving streaming content to users with Roku boxes attached to their TVs. Is the shift to streaming inevitable?