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Is there tea left in the kettle for 'Downton Abbey: A New Era'?

Harry Hadden-Paton, Laura Carmichael, Tuppence Middleton and Allen Leech star in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Focus Features hide caption

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Focus Features

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is there tea left in the kettle for 'Downton Abbey: A New Era'?

Downton Abbey is back again. Three years after the 2019 movie that extended the popular TV series, the Crawleys are once again dealing with the clash of the old ways and the new ways. This time, the interloper is early Hollywood. While a director, a crew, and a bunch of actors descend upon the estate for filming, the story also travels to the south of France for a story that might reveal secrets from the Dowager Countess' past.

Is there tea left in the kettle for 'Downton Abbey: A New Era'?

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Presenting 'Pop Culture Happy Hour': Beauty & pain of 'Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel'
HBO

Review

It's Been a Minute

Presenting 'Pop Culture Happy Hour': Beauty & pain of 'Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel'

In this special episode from our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour, guest host Aisha Harris talks with journalists Tre'vell Anderson and Jarrett Hill about stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael's new HBO special Rothaniel where Carmichael comes out publicly as gay for the first time and talks about secrets that have haunted his family for multiple generations.

Presenting 'Pop Culture Happy Hour': Beauty & pain of 'Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel'

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Kendrick Lamar looks inward on 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'

Kendrick Lamar returns with his latest album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Kendrick Lamar looks inward on 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'

It's been five years since Kendrick Lamar released his last album, DAMN. Since then, he's won a Pulitzer Prize, been nominated for an Oscar, and become a parent. His new double-length album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, is anything but a breezy victory lap. Lamar examines generational trauma, sexual politics, and his own attempts to grow amid high expectations and heavy introspection.

Kendrick Lamar looks inward on 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'

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Bart Simpson's American Dream
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The Indicator from Planet Money

Bart Simpson's American Dream

Last year, we analyzed whether or not the Simpson family's lifestyle was attainable for the middle class. A writer on the show listened to that Indicator, and decided to answer that question with an episode of their own. Today, we bring you a sneak preview of their take on America's shrinking middle class.

Bart Simpson's American dream

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Secrets and lies and 'Conversations with Friends'

Alison Oliver and Joe Alwyn play Frances and Nick in Conversations with Friends. Hulu hide caption

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Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Secrets and lies and 'Conversations with Friends'

Irish writer Sally Rooney's book Normal People was adapted into a Hulu series in 2020. Now, her first novel Conversations with Friends gets its own Hulu adaptation. It tells the story of two college friends and exes (Alison Oliver and Sasha Lane) who meet a married couple (Joe Alwyn and Jemima Kirke) and get very deeply entangled with them, which makes everything very complicated.

Secrets and lies and 'Conversations with Friends'

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In South Korea, K-pop fans have something to cheer (and chant) about again

Kayla Balba at the Stray Kids concert at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul. Kayla Balba hide caption

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Kayla Balba

In South Korea, K-pop fans have something to cheer (and chant) about again

While concerts have been back in South Korea since the beginning of the year, cheering was prohibited. With COVID restrictions lifting, fans are finally allowed to cheer again.

In South Korea, K-pop fans have something to cheer (and chant) about again

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'The Flight Attendant' takes off once again

Kaley Cuoco in the first season of The Flight Attendant. HBO Max hide caption

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HBO Max

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Flight Attendant' takes off once again

A woman wakes up after a night of partying and realizes something is very, very wrong. That's the premise of the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant. It's a taut, darkly funny thriller starring Kaley Cuoco of The Big Bang Theory as a woman in search of some answers about the present that also might shed light on the past. In this encore episode, we're revisiting our conversation about The Flight Attendant, which recently returned for a second season.

'The Flight Attendant' takes off once again

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Eurovision serves up lavish spectacle — and a big win for Ukraine

Members of the band Kalush Orchestra perform on behalf of Ukraine during the final of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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AFP via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Eurovision serves up lavish spectacle — and a big win for Ukraine

The 66th Eurovision Song Contest took place in Italy over the weekend. Every year, dozens of countries face off in a competition full of pageantry, strobe lights, and sparkles. But Eurovision isn't just a talent search. It's also a lavish spectacle that attempts to unify the world in song. This year's winner was Kalush Orchestra, from Ukraine.

Eurovision serves up lavish spectacle — and a big win for Ukraine

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'Heartstopper' is bursting with young queer love, cartoon hearts and fireworks

Kit Connor plays Nick in Netflix's Heartstopper. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Heartstopper' is bursting with young queer love, cartoon hearts and fireworks

The Netflix series Heartstopper is a new romcom for soft hearts everywhere. Based on Alice Oseman's graphic novels, the show follows Charlie and Nick, who are young and navigating the hallways of high school. When the two meet, they instantly take a shine to each other and go from rugby teammates to good friends to something more.

'Heartstopper' is bursting with young queer love, cartoon hearts and fireworks

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