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The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

Dominique Fishback stars as Dre in Swarm. Warrick Page/Prime Video/Prime Video hide caption

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Warrick Page/Prime Video/Prime Video

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

In the new Amazon Prime series Swarm, Dominique Fishback plays Dre, a socially awkward young woman who is obsessed with the mega pop star Ni'Jah, a thinly veiled analog for Beyoncé. When a life-changing event occurs, Dre's obsession with Ni'Jah takes on a more sinister tone. Donald Glover co-created the show with Janine Nabers, and it definitely shares an off-kilter vibe with his previous hit Atlanta.

The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

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Gwyneth Paltrow appears in a Utah court for a trial over a 2016 ski crash

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow looks on before leaving the courtroom on Tuesday in Park City, Utah, where she is accused in a lawsuit of crashing into a skier in 2016 and leaving him with brain damage and four broken ribs. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

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Rick Bowmer/AP

Law

Gwyneth Paltrow appears in a Utah court for a trial over a 2016 ski crash

The trial has been seven years in the making, and on Tuesday, the Oscar-winning actress appeared in Park City for a jury trial that will determine who was at fault in the 2016 crash.

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

Echo Kellum plays Noah on Grand Crew. Elizabeth Morris/NBC hide caption

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Elizabeth Morris/NBC

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

The very funny, bingeable NBC sitcom Grand Crew has a dependable sitcom setup: Six friends hang out together to decompress and commiserate about their careers and their love lives. They're Black, their hangout is a Silver Lake wine bar, and the show – like the vino they're always guzzling – has gotten better with age.

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

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The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

A screenshot from the game Never Yield. Neil Jones hide caption

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Neil Jones

Culture

The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

We talk to five people who are forging their own path in the industry, and bringing their unique experience to the world of video games.

The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

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Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler accepts Mark Twain prize on March 19. Scott Suchman/Kennedy Center hide caption

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Scott Suchman/Kennedy Center

Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston and Chris Rock were also among those in Washington, D.C. this weekend to celebrate Sandler, who worked on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s and moved on to films.

Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

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We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

Jessie Mei Li plays Alina Starkov and Ben Barnes plays General Kirigan and in the Netflix series Shadow and Bone. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

Shadow and Bone is a fantasy series based on a successful set of novels. There's a lot to take in — at least six main characters, people who can wield wind and shadow and light, and a Chosen One. That all sounds familiar, but there's enough here to make this series worth your consideration. Shadow and Bone recently returned for a second season, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit our conversation recorded back in 2021 about its first season, featuring panelists Mallory Yu and Petra Mayer. Petra died unexpectedly later that year, and we always loved having her on the show. Even though we will always miss her terribly, we hope you'll agree how great it is to hear her voice, and her passion, in your podcast feed once again.

We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

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Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York

On this week's episode, guest host Karen Chee talks with legendary actor Sam Waterston about Law & Order, how to look good in a stovepipe hat, and where to see raccoons doing Shakespeare.

Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York

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Let's celebrate the mistakes the Oscars didn't make

Directors Daniel Kwan (left) and Daniel Scheinert pose with their best director trophies for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Let's celebrate the mistakes the Oscars didn't make

Just one last word about the 2023 Academy Awards, which wrapped Sunday in a manner largely free of catastrophic embarrassment: Here's an unsexy-but-crucial rundown of the mistakes that were avoided.

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

"Forget Pat's, forget Geno's. Jim's. Jim's in the best cheesesteak in Philly." Shazam (Zachary Levi) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) have a sit-down. Warner Bros. hide caption

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Warner Bros.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

The sequel to the 2019 film that starred Zachary Levi as the adult superhero persona of a lonely teen goes bigger. And goofier. But the fuel mixture's off and Levi's one-note performance grates.

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

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'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' has lost some magic

Zachary Levi, with (l-r) Adam Brody, Meagan Good, and D.J. Cotrona in Shazam! Fury Of The Gods. Warner Bros. hide caption

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Warner Bros.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' has lost some magic

Four years ago, Shazam! was a surprise hit and a lighthearted entry in the DC Extended Universe. It follows teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who's bestowed with magical powers and turns in an adult superhero, played by Zachary Levi. In the new sequel Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, Levi returns with a big cast that includes newcomers Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler.

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' has lost some magic

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Do we, in fact, all scream for 'Scream 6'?

Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter and Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter in Scream 6. Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures hide caption

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Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Do we, in fact, all scream for 'Scream 6'?

The Ghostface killer is taking yet another stab at the box office as Scream 6 has arrived in theatres. It's a sequel to last year's reboot – or requel – of everyone's favorite deeply meta slasher franchise. Starring Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barerra, Scream 6 takes the characters who managed to survive the last Scream movie out of bucolic Woodsboro and into the urban jungle of New York City.

Do we, in fact, all scream for 'Scream 6'?

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'You' is back and Joe is still chaotic evil

Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg in the fourth season of You. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'You' is back and Joe is still chaotic evil

When the thriller series You premiered five years ago, it started a lot of conversations. The show was told largely from the point of view of a charismatic serial killer named Joe (Penn Badgley), and he hasn't changed much as a person, even though his circumstances have. The Netflix series recently returned for a fourth season, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit our conversation about the third season.

'You' is back and Joe is still chaotic evil

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Michelle Yeoh called out sexism in Hollywood. Will it help close the gender gap?

Michelle Yeoh, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress on Sunday, delivered a rallying cry for Hollywood's older actresses during her acceptance speech. Evan Agostini/AP hide caption

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Evan Agostini/AP

Movies

Michelle Yeoh called out sexism in Hollywood. Will it help close the gender gap?

The 60-year-old best actress winner addressed the timing of her historic win, which comes decades into her spectacular career. But is the industry ready for more complicated, older female characters?

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

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

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Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is 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 Black girl genius Lunella (voiced by Diamond White) who accidentally transports a T-Rex with the personality of a golden retriever from the prehistoric past to present day. She then launches into a side hustle fighting crime. The show is now streaming on Disney+.

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

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The Oscar for 'Naatu Naatu' fans the impossible dreams of India's musicians

Art school students in Mumbai finish up a painting of Indian actors N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (left) and Ram Charan of the movie RRR, whose dance song "Naatu Naatu" became the first song from an Indian film to win an Oscar. Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

The Oscar for 'Naatu Naatu' fans the impossible dreams of India's musicians

A song from the blockbuster Indian film RRR won the Oscar for best song and is now the talk of India's music biz. But will it lift other musicians to — well, not fame but at least financial security?

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