Accessibility links
Pop Culture Happy Hour Get obsessed with us. Five days a week, Pop Culture Happy Hour serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. Join arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture aficionados. The Happy Hour team leaves room at the table for exploring a range of reactions and opinions on every bit of the pop universe. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, they take it all with a shot of cheer.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour
Pop Culture Happy Hour

Podcast Directory
PCHH
NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

From NPR

Get obsessed with us. Five days a week, Pop Culture Happy Hour serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. Join arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture aficionados. The Happy Hour team leaves room at the table for exploring a range of reactions and opinions on every bit of the pop universe. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, they take it all with a shot of cheer.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour

Most Recent Episodes

'Lisa Frankenstein' takes a totally rad approach to a familiar tale

Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton in Lisa Frankenstein. Michele K. Short/Focus Features hide caption

toggle caption
Michele K. Short/Focus Features

'Lisa Frankenstein' takes a totally rad approach to a familiar tale

In the new '80s horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein, an introverted teen (Kathryn Newton) finds comfort in visiting the grave of a young Victorian bachelor (Cole Sprouse). When his corpse comes to life, he becomes her confidante as they embark on a murderous spree. Written by Diablo Cody (Jennifer's Body) and directed by Zelda Williams, the movie is an over-the-top mix of romance, jealousy, self-realization, horniness and murder.

'Lisa Frankenstein' takes a totally rad approach to a familiar tale

Listen · 24:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961692/1230018388" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' is a stylish take on spy marriage

Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. David Lee/Prime Video hide caption

toggle caption
David Lee/Prime Video

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' is a stylish take on spy marriage

On Prime Video's fun new spy show Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play spies going undercover as a married couple. The show is part tense thriller and part romantic comedy. But it's also a character study, of two people who have made their way into the spy life and aren't sure how they feel about being in it together.

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' is a stylish take on spy marriage

Listen · 24:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961672/1229482289" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Can Nicole Kidman's 'Expats' live up to its pedigree?

Nicole Kidman in Expats. Glen Wilson/Glen Wilson/Prime Video hide caption

toggle caption
Glen Wilson/Glen Wilson/Prime Video

Can Nicole Kidman's 'Expats' live up to its pedigree?

The new Prime Video series Expats fits quite neatly into the recent work done by its star, Nicole Kidman. She plays a rich woman who is one of three American so-called expats living in 2014 Hong Kong whose stories intersect. The series was created by Lulu Wang (The Farewell) and looks at the lives of these three women, who are all affected by one catastrophic event and its aftermath.

Can Nicole Kidman's 'Expats' live up to its pedigree?

Listen · 20:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961646/1229204292" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Taylor Swift accepts the best pop vocal album award for Midnights onstage during the 66th Grammy Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy hide caption

toggle caption
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Every night is a big night for Taylor Swift. But this year's Grammy night proved especially big: Swift won album of the year for Midnights and announced her next album, titled The Tortured Poets Department. It may be time to pose the question: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Other major winners included Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and SZA. In fact, women swept all nine categories presented during Sunday night's telecast.

Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Listen · 28:35
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961572/1229162040" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

Bryce Dallas Howard stars in Argylle. Universal Pictures hide caption

toggle caption
Universal Pictures

'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

In the comedic spy thriller Argylle, a reclusive author (Bryce Dallas Howard) gets sucked into a web of danger and intrigue when her books mirror the inner workings of a rogue spy agency. Argylle is full of globe-trotting action, with more twists than you can count. It's directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, the Kingsman movies) with a cast that includes Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Dua Lipa.

'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

Listen · 23:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961520/1228465221" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
The pop culture hill I'll die on

Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

toggle caption
Warner Bros. Pictures

The pop culture hill I'll die on

Maybe you think you shouldn't read a book before seeing the movie adaptation, or you're convinced season two is the best season of The Wire. We've all got that one argument we're always making: that non-negotiable stance, that immutable truth we're sticking to no matter what. Today, we're talking about the pop culture hills we'll die on.

The pop culture hill I'll die on

Listen · 24:55
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961509/1228124375" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Diamond White voices Lunella in Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Disney hide caption

toggle caption
Disney

Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is an all-ages animated series that's got style and energy – and original songs – for days. It's the story of a 13-year-old Black girl genius who accidentally transports a T-Rex from the prehistoric past to present day. She then launches into a side-hustle fighting crime. The Disney+ show is about to return for a second season, so today we are revisiting our conversation about the series.

Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Listen · 15:32
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961493/1227869674" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Highlights from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun. The Outrun Film Ltd - Roy Imer./Sundance Institute hide caption

toggle caption
The Outrun Film Ltd - Roy Imer./Sundance Institute

Highlights from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

Over 75 feature films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, including a deeply personal coming-of-age story, a film starring Saoirse Ronan, and Steven Soderbergh's highly immersive ghost tale. It was impossible to catch them all, but today, we're highlighting some of the standouts we think are worth keeping on your radar.

Highlights from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

Listen · 21:44
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961451/1227748965" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix in Vanderpump Rules. Bravo/Nicole Weingart/Bravo hide caption

toggle caption
Bravo/Nicole Weingart/Bravo

'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

For more than a decade, Vanderpump Rules has been a hit reality show on the Bravo network. The show reached new heights of tabloid infamy last season due to a much-discussed affair between two members of its cast. The whole thing was nicknamed "Scandoval" and led to record-breaking ratings and countless memes. Vanderpump Rules is about to return for its 11th season, and if you want to catch up on all the drama from last year, we've got you covered.

'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

Listen · 27:20
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961374/1227127241" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Jacqueline Novak's 'Get On Your Knees' will blow you away

Jacqueline Novak in her new comedy special, Get on Your Knees. Emily V. Aragones/Netflix hide caption

toggle caption
Emily V. Aragones/Netflix

Jacqueline Novak's 'Get On Your Knees' will blow you away

In her smart and funny comedy special Get On Your Knees, performer Jacqueline Novak delivers a kind of Ted Talk on the subject of oral sex. It's also a passionate and thoughtful coming-of-age tale delivered in language that's been finely honed to accomplish its very funny purpose. Directed by Natasha Lyonne, the Netflix special began as an off-Broadway show.

Jacqueline Novak's 'Get On Your Knees' will blow you away

Listen · 26:20
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961328/1226820118" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Pop Culture Happy Hour

Podcast Directory
or search npr.org