Criticism Is Dead

An announcement

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0000

We’re sorry for the wait! The fate of Criticism Is Dead has been decided. We hope you will listen to this update. Thank you. <3

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Where to find us:

Pelin: Twitter / Letterboxd / Instagram Jenny: Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Letterboxd If you need to get in touch, still: criticismisdead@gmail.com

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF: "With Open Eyes"

Mon, 29 May 2023 12:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 10 “With Open Eyes,” the board decides.

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes — including links that we reference, plus more — subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Barry, Yellowjackets, and mini grab bag

Tue, 23 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Barry and Yellowjackets, two series about human darkness.

05:17 Barry season 4, streaming on HBO Max, is reaching new, uncanny, glorious heights.

29:51 Yellowjackets season 2, streaming on Showtime, doesn’t quite live up to all its promises, instead faltering and stalling to an unfortunate degree.

45:02 Plus, mini grab bag time! A collection of TV and films we’ve been watching recently, including You Hurt My Feelings, Mrs. Davis, Somebody Somewhere, The Eight Mountains, and more.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF: "Church and State"

Mon, 22 May 2023 12:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 9 “Church and State,” a funeral becomes a battleground.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 8: "America Decides"

Mon, 15 May 2023 12:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 8 “America Decides,” THIS IS WHAT AMERICA LOOKS LIKE etc.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Diplomat, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, and writers strike

Tue, 09 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Diplomat and How to Blow Up a Pipeline, a series and a film about political maneuvering — whether from the backroom or from on the ground.

02:59 Netflix’s The Diplomat, a soapy and snappy political and marital thriller, is tailor-made for fans of The West Wing and Keri Russell.

22:54 How to Blow Up a Pipeline, available in theaters/VOD, could use a touch more texture in its too-neat package, but is nevertheless affecting — almost radical, even.

40:37 Plus, shout out to the striking writers!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 7: "Tailgate Party"

Mon, 08 May 2023 04:38:39 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 7 "Tailgate Party," a long-stewing showdown finally brings the naked truth to light.

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For extended show notes — including links that we reference, plus more — subscribe to our Substack.

Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 6: "Living+" feat. Andrew Liu

Mon, 01 May 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season. In episode 6 “Living Plus,” the kids are in LA for Investor Day. ... Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes — including links that we reference, plus more — subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com. Music: REEKAH Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 5: "Kill List" feat. Alison Herman

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Show Notes

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season. This week we're joined by Variety's TV critic, Alison Herman. In episode five, "Kill List", the Waystar-Royco squadron meet their GoJo counterparts in Norway to try and finish the deal, but negotiations get inevitably trickier than they anticipated. ...

Beef, Showing Up, and Kylothée who???

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Beef and Showing Up, a series and a film about characters who orbit around each other as frenemies — or straight-up enemies.

02:14 Beef, streaming on Netflix, is a darkly funny, often surprising, genuinely invigorating thrill of a TV show.

28:55 Showing Up, playing in theaters, is a deceptively unassuming portrait of an artist that — much like its protagonist — really grows on you.

47:23 Plus, the world reacts to rumors of Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 4: "Honeymoon States"

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 4 “Honeymoon States,” the Coronation Demolition Derby kicks off, garbed in black.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Perry Mason, The Big Door Prize, and Love Is Blind s4

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Perry Mason and The Big Door Prize, two shows about people reluctantly grappling with their life potential.

03:22 Perry Mason, streaming on HBO Max, returns for a second season that is vibe-ier and better crafted than the first.

18:56 The Big Door Prize, streaming on Apple TV+, is the right blend of lighthearted quirk, existential questions, and plain intrigue.

34:04 Plus, a little chat about the jaw-dropping mess (complimentary) that is Love Is Blind season 4.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 3: "Connor's Wedding"

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 3 “Connor’s Wedding,” the unthinkable — and the inevitable — happens.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Return to Seoul, Rye Lane, and the trial of Gwyneth Paltrow

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Return to Seoul and Rye Lane, two films with a strong sense of place.

02:22 At times discomfiting, at times revelatory, the film Return to Seoul — playing in select theaters — is a distinctive spin on the journey of an adoptee.

26:19 The pleasant rom-com Rye Lane, streaming on Hulu, does a better job highlighting the charm of a city than any chemistry between its leads.

39:29 Plus, culture notes about how Gwyneth Paltrow litigated her way into stans’ hearts.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 2: "Rehearsal"

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our special series following along Succession’s fourth and final season.

In episode 2 “Rehearsal,” business and personal issues became entangled (again).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Top Chef, Next in Fashion, and the latest nepo baby

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Top Chef and Next in Fashion, two reality competition shows that demonstrate the importance of skill.

04:06 We have a soft spot for Top Chef because we love to witness CRAFT, and season 20 — streaming on Hulu, Peacock, etc. — is no exception.

23:26 Netflix revived its promising fashion design competition reality show Next in Fashion only to completely butcher season 2.

37:23 Plus, new Coppola just dropped.

ALSO, don't forget to check out our bonus SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 1 in the feed!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

SUCCESSION SENDOFF episode 1: "The Munsters"

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0000

This is SUCCESSION SENDOFF, our new weekly special following along Succession’s fourth and final season!

Featuring a review of what happened in episode 1, our thoughts, and three new recurring segments: Daddy’s Best Boy, The Disgusting Boy, and Death Watch.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The best movies of all time (in our opinion)

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We have a very special one for you this week. In honor of our 100th episode — yes, that’s right, this is the big 1-0-0! — we’re doing our own highly personal version of the AFI greatest films list. Presenting: our top seven films, respectively.

(Obligatory disclaimers: We haven’t watched everything, these are not really in any particular order, these are just our opinions, etc.)

05:39 After Life (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1998)

07:54 Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)

10:36 Close-Up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990)

13:09 Little Miss Sunshine (dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, writ. Michael Arndt, 2006)

15:12 Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013)

17:33 Call Me By Your Name (dir. Luca Guadagnino, writ. James Ivory, 2017)

20:27 The Matrix (Lana and Lilly Wachowski, 1999)

23:49 Wolf Children (dir. Mamoru Hosoda, writ. Satoko Okudera and Mamoru Hosoda, 2012)

26:20 Michael Clayton (Tony Gilroy, 2007)

28:50 Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho, writ. Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, 2019)

33:01 Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)

35:35 Nomadland (Chloé Zhao, 2020)

39:53 Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, 2009)

42:08 Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki, 1997)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Top Gun: Maverick, The Reluctant Traveler, and Oscar predictions

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Top Gun: Maverick and The Reluctant Traveler, a film and a series about older men discovering that they have plenty left to live for.

02:41 Don’t overthink Top Gun: Maverick — the film, streaming on Paramount+ and MGM+, is the epitome of “turn your brain off and rock on.”

21:59 The Reluctant Traveler, streaming on Apple TV+, is a sometimes relatable, sometimes frustrating, always gorgeous travel show.

36:42 Plus, 2023 Oscar predictions: what we want to win versus what we think will win.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Last of Us, Hello Tomorrow!, and Succession countdown

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Last of Us and Hello Tomorrow!, two vastly different visions of the past, present, and future.

03:00 The Last of Us, streaming on HBO Max, is faithful yet fresh enough to appeal to both pre-existing fans and new viewers.

27:00 Hello Tomorrow!, streaming on Apple TV+, is a gorgeous but underbaked series about a grifter salesman in a retrofuturistic world.

40:58 Plus, culture notes about the upcoming fourth and final season of Succession (and Jeremy Strong being babygirl).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Shrinking, Sharper, and congrats to these celeb couples

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Shrinking and Sharper, a series and a film that work best if you’re willing to turn your brain off and enjoy the ride.

02:39 Shrinking, streaming on Apple TV+, is far from graceful at striking the balance between profound and lighthearted, but it boasts a likable cast with chemistry and laughs.

20:54 Sharper, streaming on Apple TV+, doesn’t quite stand up to close scrutiny, but it is both fun and visually striking.

33:37 Plus, happy belated Valentine’s to some famous people: Emily Ratajkowski, Eric Andre, Florence Pugh, and Charlie Gooch.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Lockwood & Co, Somebody I Used to Know, and big red boots

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Lockwood & Co and Somebody I Used to Know, a TV series and a film about owning your agency, whether you’re a teen ghost killer or a documentary filmmaker.

02:54 Lockwood & Co, streaming on Netflix, takes a good idea (teen detective supernatural thriller) and builds out an appealing world with it.

18:50 Somebody I Used to Know, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is a pleasant and self-aware surprise of a rom-com.

30:50 Plus, culture notes about the Astro Boy boots that have taken over the fashion influencer world.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

To Leslie, Paul T. Goldman, and Pedro Pascal

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss To Leslie and Paul T. Goldman, a film and a series about people trapped by their own demons.

03:37 To Leslie, available VOD, is a familiar narrative that’s elevated by an Oscar-worthy performance.

19:38 Paul T. Goldman, streaming on Peacock, is as painstakingly and skillfully crafted as it is completely wild.

38:35 Plus, culture notes about Pedro Pascal, an official boyfriend of the pod.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Aftersun, Poker Face, and Andrea Riseborough

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Aftersun and Poker Face, a film and a series that use perspective to conceal and reveal pieces of the puzzle.

04:44 The father-daughter drama Aftersun, available VOD, is a feat of subtle, naturalistic acting.

20:38 Poker Face, streaming on Peacock, is an utterly fun “howcatchem” procedural.

33:31 Plus, culture notes about Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar nomination and what does (and does not) set it apart from other awards campaigns.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Elvis, The Makanai, and Sundance

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Elvis and The Makanai, a film and a series about the people behind the performer.

03:37 Elvis, streaming on HBO Max, is a gaudy, flawed, stirring love letter to the King of Rock and Roll.

17:43 The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, streaming on Netflix, is a comforting series about friendship, life choices, and following one’s dreams.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Grab bag: The Traitors, Babylon, Fleishman Is in Trouble, and more

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0000

This is a grab bag episode, a.k.a. one of our occasional watchlist dumps. We’ve been getting through plenty of TV and film, not all of which can make it into our main episodes, so this is where it’s going!

02:39 His Dark Materials s3 (HBO Max)

05:47 Emily in Paris s3 (Netflix)

07:59 The English (Amazon Prime Video)

11:26 Slow Horses s2 (Apple TV+)

14:18 Gossip Girl s2 (HBO Max)

18:06 Babylon (theaters)

21:23 Single’s Inferno s2 (Netflix)

25:17 The Traitors (U.S.) (Peacock)

28:22 SAS Rogue Heroes (Epix/MGM+)

32:02 Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (Peacock)

36:03 The Stranger (Netflix)

39:04 Old Enough s2 (Netflix)

41:59 Fleishman Is in Trouble (Hulu)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Glass Onion, Triangle of Sadness, and good for M3GAN

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Triangle of Sadness, two films that beat us over the head with cynicism about money and power.

02:01 Glass Onion, streaming on Netflix, is neither outstanding nor terrible, but basically akin to a fine or even fun Scooby-Doo mystery.

20:06 Triangle of Sadness, available VOD, is blunt, vulgar, and chaotic — and very good.

37:33 Plus, culture notes about M3GAN the doll and M3GAN the film’s viral fame.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The best movies and TV shows of 2022 (in our opinion)

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0000

It's our year-end special! To close out 2022, we each present our top 5 picks for film and TV, respectively, from this year.

01:45 Movies!

15:26 TV!

(For honorable mentions, check out criticismisdead.substack.com.)

Thank you so much for tuning in this year. See you in 2023!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Emily the Criminal, Decision to Leave, and The White Lotus s2 finale

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Emily the Criminal and Decision to Leave, two films about crimes of passion.

02:05 Emily the Criminal, streaming on Netflix, is an impressive feature film debut that hits all the right notes, and then some.

18:27 Decision to Leave, streaming on Mubi, is stylish, unbridled, and utterly, unexpectedly romantic.

35:34 Plus, The White Lotus SEASON 2 FINALE!!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Wednesday, The Big Brunch, and Sight & Sound's greatest films of all time

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Wednesday and The Big Brunch, two shows that highlight how nice it is to be a part of a community.

02:14 Wednesday, streaming on Netflix, is a surprisingly great mix of supernatural hijinks, murder mystery antics, and teen boarding school escapades.

16:24 The Big Brunch is HBO Max’s answer to The Great British Bake Off: a cooking competition series where good vibes are paramount.

29:47 Plus, culture notes about the controversy surrounding this decade’s newly crowned Sight & Sound “Greatest Films of All Times,” and why it’s good to shake up our notion of the “canon” every once in a while.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The White Lotus, The Menu, and Andor and political praxis

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The White Lotus season 2 and The Menu, two works highlighting the relationship between those who serve and those who take from the silver platter.

02:39 The White Lotus’s second season, streaming on HBO Max, is even better than the first, poking with a sharper, slyer stick at sex, power, and gender dynamics.

23:01 The Menu, currently in theaters, sufficiently skewers foodie culture and fine-dining fetishism, but fails to cut as deeply elsewhere.

37:58 Plus, culture notes about Andor, which has found itself in the middle of a squabble on the left about mass-culture art and revolutionary politics.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Banshees of Inisherin, See How They Run, and more Twitter thoughts

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Banshees of Inisherin and See How They Run, two films that raise the question of the importance of art over lives lived.

03:28 The Banshees of Inisherin, playing in theaters, finds equal parts comedy, tragedy, and emotional resonance in the dissolution of a friendship.

24:49 See How They Run, streaming on HBO Max, is a tight parcel of a self-aware whodunit that’s carried by its cast.

39:24 Plus, culture notes about Twitter, part 2 (please kill us). (#GetJennyto10kBeforeTwitterDies)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Andor, Paterson, and the Twitter question

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Andor and Paterson, a series and a film that hone in on the details of ordinary people’s lives.

06:20 Andor, streaming on Disney+, is not just great Star Wars television — it’s great television, period.

22:46 In Paterson, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, characters and viewers alike find art and beauty in everyday circumstances.

35:53 Plus, culture notes about what comes after Twitter (if anything).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Derry Girls, The Mole, and Corden vs. McNally

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Derry Girls and The Mole, two shows about groups of people trying to get what they want, episode after episode.

02:28 Derry Girls, streaming on Netflix in the U.S., strikes a sweet balance between teenage self-obsession and adulthood.

21:11 The Mole — Netflix’s revival of the early-aughts reality competition show — has some flaws, but is ultimately a fun ride for anyone who likes puzzles, heists, and gameplay.

42:04 Plus, culture notes about James Corden getting banned (possibly twice?) from Balthazar.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Tár, Los Espookys, and Richard Brody

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Tár and Los Espookys, a film and a series about what lies beneath the surface of a performance.

01:46 Tár, playing in theaters, is an ambitious, relentless, engrossing film about art — and the great and terrible artist.

26:48 Los Espookys, available on HBO, is a gem of a surreal, absurdist, magical realist comedy series.

39:31 Plus, culture notes about our favorite curmudgeon/New Yorker critic Richard Brody’s very strange week.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

House of the Dragon vs. The Rings of Power

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power, two IP-franchise fantasy shows striving to become part of TV history for their respective networks.

03:55 HBO’s House of the Dragon may be smaller in scale, but its soapiness and focus on two women makes for an intriguing, at times delightful, watch.

26:07 Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power starts off slow, but it builds a world so lush, so rich, so grand in its scale and mythology, that it’s worth tuning in.

42:54 So, ultimately, which series is better?

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Grab bag: Industry, Bad Sisters, Selling the OC, and more

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Grab bag episode! This is our first ~expanded~ version of our occasional watchlist dumps. We’ve been watching a lot of stuff, not all of which can make it into our main episodes, so why not put it all here?

03:19 Industry s2 on HBO Max

10:48 Selling the OC on Netflix

16:30 The Resort finale on Peacock

18:45 Black Bird on Apple TV+

22:02 What We Do in the Shadows s4 on Hulu

24:12 Only Murders in the Building s2 on Hulu

26:48 Bad Sisters on Apple TV+

31:08 Never Have I Ever s3 on Netflix

33:46 This Is Going to Hurt on AMC+

36:47 This Fool on Hulu

38:48 Mo on Netflix

43:15 Junior Bake Off on Netflix

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Rap Sh!t, Yi Yi, and worrying about Don't Worry Darling

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Rap Sh!t and Yi Yi, a series and a film about life’s choices and how they shape you as a person.

02:34 Rap Sh!t, streaming on HBO Max, is a solid sophomore series from Issa Rae that portrays the tireless hustle that go into pursuing one’s dream.

20:02 Yi Yi, available on Criterion, is a meditative, bittersweet, stunning work of cinema about the currents of life.

38:12 Plus, culture notes about the trials and tribulations of Don’t Worry Darling, which — reminder — won’t be out for another three weeks!!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Sandman, The Resort, and that 'Bodies Bodies Bodies' tussle

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Sandman and The Resort, two shows that straddle the line between reality and fantasy.

02:20 The Sandman, streaming on Netflix, is dark yet whimsical, fantastical yet human.

26:07 The Resort, streaming on Peacock, is a colorful mystery romp with a heart of magical realism strangeness.

42:14 Plus, culture notes about the Lena Wilson/Amandla Stenberg thing lol.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Rehearsal, Love Island, and late summer/early fall preview

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0000

On this extra-long episode, we discuss The Rehearsal and Love Island, two shows that put into question how reality is depicted onscreen.

04:15 The Rehearsal, streaming on HBO Max, is a docuseries of breathtaking scale and intricacy that toys with the genre’s inextricable question of manipulation.

32:57 The U.K.’s premier reality dating competition show Love Island, streaming on Hulu in the U.S., says the quiet part about relationships out loud.

55:07 Plus, a few things we’re looking forward to watching in the upcoming weeks/months.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Nope, Belle, and HBO DiscoveryMax+?

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Nope and Belle, two films that are better suited for the big screen.

01:47 Nope, currently playing in theaters, ensnares you in a spectacle that is so grand, so fun, it’s hard to resist.

19:56 Belle, streaming on HBO Max (unfortunately dubbed), is a visually impressive, tech-inflected take on Beauty and the Beast.

40:02 Plus, a week of chaos in the news for HBO Max.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Mid-year top TV shows of 2022 feat. Alison Herman

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0000

This week's episode of Criticism Is Dead is a mid-year special: our respective top 5 picks for TV from 2022 so far.

02:59 TV!

We're joined by a special guest: Alison Herman, a writer for The Ringer, friend of the pod, and one of our favorite critics. Follow her on Twitter (@aherman2006) and check out her work for The Ringer, including a recent interview with FBoy Island's Nikki Glaser.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Irma Vep, Persuasion, and Funny Girl

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Irma Vep and Persuasion, two adaptations whose necessity some have called into question.

02:23 Irma Vep, streaming on HBO Max, is a strange, fascinating creature, half intertextual wink and half showbiz dramedy.

19:01 Netflix’s adaptation of Persuasion may have kept Jane Austen’s plot intact, but little of the source material’s spirit remains.

37:29 Plus, culture notes breaking down the ultimate theatre kid drama that is the Beanie Feldstein/Lea Michele/Funny Girl mess.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Old Man, Loot, and gentle minions

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Old Man and Loot, two shows about people who have to believe that what they’re doing is righteous.

01:54 The Old Man, streaming on FX on Hulu, is an expertly directed show for all the spy thriller fans out there.

22:27 Loot, streaming on Apple TV+, tries to have its cake and eat it too in its portrayal of a clueless-but-nice billionaire.

36:08 Plus, culture notes about how Minions: The Rise of Gru became one giant Gen Z inside joke.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Bear, American Girl, and abortion films

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Bear and American Girl, a TV series and a film about making the best of the family that you’ve got, for better or worse.

02:52 The Bear, streaming on Hulu, is one of those rare shows that nails the behind-the-scenes intensity and urgency of a restaurant on the verge of catastrophe.

27:11 American Girl, streaming on Netflix, is a melancholy, moving, deeply felt film for the diaspora kids.

40:18 Plus, three films about abortion.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Cha Cha Real Smooth, I Love That for You, and Ken himself

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Cha Cha Real Smooth and I Love That for You, a film and a TV show about adults still trying to figure out adulthood.

04:24 Cha Cha Real Smooth, streaming on Apple TV+, is an imperfect but endearing snapshot of what it’s like to be young, selfish, and unsure of where to go next in life.

21:59 I Love That for You, streaming on Showtime, polishes a conventional plot and archetypal characters into a charming series with humor and heart.

34:39 Plus, the mysterious Barbie keeps the crowd buzzing with a Ryan Gosling-as-Ken tease.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Fire Island, The Essex Serpent, and RIP Made for Love

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Fire Island and The Essex Serpent, two seaside romps with old-fashioned sensibilities.

01:32 Hulu’s Fire Island may not reach new heights (or depths), but it’s perfectly sweet and funny in its take on Pride and Prejudice.

22:42 The Essex Serpent, streaming on Apple TV+, toes the line between gothic eeriness and conventional romance, to highly watchable effect.

40:22 Plus, we’re weeping over the cancellation of Made for Love.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Barry, The Northman, and Ray Liotta

Tue, 31 May 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Barry and The Northman, a TV series and a film about the perils of vengeance.

02:47 HBO’s Barry is a darkly funny exploration of the duality of comedy and violence.

21:43 The Northman, available in theaters and VOD, is primordial, strange, and fastidiously amoral in its bloody telling of a revenge story with a twist.

43:24 Plus, raise a glass to Ray Liotta.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Conversations With Friends, The Staircase, and Netflix woes

Tue, 24 May 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Conversations With Friends and The Staircase, two adaptations about secrets and pretense.

01:35 Hulu’s Conversations With Friends initially suffers from the difficult task of adapting its source material, but ultimately reaches satisfying heights.

20:34 The Staircase, streaming on HBO Max, builds upon a true crime and its accompanying documentary with the addition of one more layer of meta-narrative.

40:06 Plus, breaking down the Netflix crisis.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Outer Range, Slow Horses, and grab bag/catching up

Tue, 17 May 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Outer Range and Slow Horses, two shows about families (one blood, one not) working through their flop eras.

02:08 Outer Range, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, puts a wonderfully dissonant, bizarre-o twist on the stoic contemporary Western.

19:28 Slow Horses, streaming on Apple TV+, is a satisfyingly competent, classically British, genuinely fun spy thriller series.

32:50 Plus, an unfiltered look at what we’ve been watching under no obligations during this three-week break.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Mad Men and 30 Rock

Tue, 03 May 2022 09:00:00 -0000

This week’s episode is a one-off special, as we are still on our brief break. We discuss two of our (respective) favorite TV shows ever: Mad Men and 30 Rock, both workplace series with complicated protagonists.

02:03 Mad Men, streaming on AMC+ and IMDb TV, is perfect television, from its incredible character work to its brilliant exploration of weighty themes.

24:57 30 Rock, streaming on Peacock, Netflix, and Hulu, remains one of the most sharply written, joke-dense, affectionately acerbic sitcoms ever on TV.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Pachinko, Winning Time, and stacked casts

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Pachinko and Winning Time, two different approaches to retelling history.

02:32 Pachinko, streaming on Apple TV+, is an eminently watchable drama, but much of its spirit has been lost in the translation from book to screen.

26:00 HBO's Winning Time is a self-assured, stylish delight of a show, if you can make it through the scene-setting first few episodes.

43:05 Plus, culture notes about the Barbie and Oppenheimer casts, which are real who's whos of notable names.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Atlanta, Severance finale, and Bennifer engagement 2.0

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Atlanta and the Severance season 1 finale, two displays of some of the best television playing right now.

04:03 Atlanta, streaming on FX on Hulu, is an extraordinary, self-assured chameleon of a show, and we’re so glad it’s back for its third season.

20:47 We’re doing something a little different this week and going deep on one single episode: the perfect Severance season 1 finale, streaming on Apple TV+.

40:09 Plus, culture notes about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez getting engaged (again!).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Life & Beth, Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel, and Bruce Willis

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Life & Beth _and Jerrod Carmichael’s _Rothaniel, a series and a comedy special that explore the effects of things kept hidden and left unsaid within families.

02:31 Life & Beth, streaming on Hulu, is uneven and frustrating at times, but there are real flashes of emotion and thoughtfulness at its core.

19:28 Jerrod Carmichael’s comedy special Rothaniel, streaming on HBO Max, is an intimate, vulnerable, personal piece of storytelling.

34:24 Plus, culture notes about some of the roles Bruce Willis has played in our lives.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Deep Water, Standing Up, and grab bag

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Deep Water _and _Standing Up, two works that both involve finding the humor in less-than-ideal circumstances (whether intentionally or not).

04:21 Deep Water, streaming on Hulu, is not an especially good film, but it is a good time.

23:55 Standing Up, streaming on Netflix, is a highly capable ensemble dramedy that makes fully realized characters out of what could have been basic tropes.

39:57 Plus, grab bag! We briefly touch on other things we’re watching: Fresh, Good Girls, This Way Up, Billions, Benedetta, and Bridgerton s2.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Turning Red, The Tourist, and TikTok cinema

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Turning Red and The Tourist, a film and a show about whether you can change who others say you are.

03:02 The new Pixar film Turning Red, streaming on Disney+, is a vivid, moving story for both kids and adults coming to terms with their childhood.

25:44 HBO Max series The Tourist starts off strong, but eventually falls into the predictable pitfalls of the amnesia thriller.

37:56 Plus, culture notes about the Cannes Film Festival’s partnership with TikTok.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Severance, After Yang, and gay cowboys

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Severance and After Yang, two futuristic works about what it means to be a person.

02:36 The sci-fi workplace psychological thriller Severance, streaming on Apple TV+, is one of the best shows on television right now.

23:33 After Yang, available on Showtime, is a contemplative film that excels at the aesthetic, but its touch is so light that it's rendered more gestural than deeply felt.

37:45 Plus, culture notes about everyone on The Power of the Dog being forced to defend it against Sam Elliott.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Love Is Blind: Japan, Drive My Car, and Zoë/Rob

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss tk

04:15 Love Is Blind: Japan, streaming on Netflix, is a more thoughtful and illuminating window into dating norms and challenges than its U.S. counterpart.

23:51 Drive My Car, available on HBO Max, is a long reflection on grief, love, and art, but it ultimately falls a little flat for us.

40:40 Plus, culture notes about Zoë Kravitz and Robert Pattinson's smolder-heavy press tour.

This episode is brought to you by MUBI, a curated streaming service showing exceptional films from around the globe. Try MUBI for free for 30 days at MUBI.com/criticismisdead.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Worst Person in the World, The Afterparty, and grab bag

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Worst Person in the World and The Afterparty, a film and a series about looking back and moving forward.

01:35 The Worst Person in the World, currently playing in theaters, explores existential questions through the small dramas of everyday life.

23:41 The Afterparty, streaming on Apple TV+, is the latest star-packed entry in the "millennial whodunnit" genre.

37:28 Plus, culture grab bag! Very brief thoughts on Annihilation, Somebody, Somewhere, Inventing Anna, The Gilded Age, Single Drunk Female, and The Righteous Gemstones.

This episode is brought to you by MUBI, a curated streaming service showing exceptional films from around the globe. Try MUBI for free for 30 days at MUBI.com/criticismisdead.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Nightmare Alley, Flee, and Oscar noms

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Nightmare Alley and Flee, two films about men grappling with haunting pasts.

03:02 Nightmare Alley, available on HBO Max and Hulu, is a visually sumptuous lesson in the genre of film noir.

21:29 The animated docudrama Flee, streaming on Hulu, is a tender, bittersweet account of witnessing the terrors of humanity at a young age.

39:41 Plus, culture notes about this year's Oscar nominations, including who we want to win and who got shut out in the cold.

This episode is brought to you by MUBI. Justin Chon's GOOK and Mati Diop's short film ATLANTICS are streaming on MUBI in Canada and many other countries. Get MUBI for free for 30 days: MUBI.com/criticismisdead.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Euphoria, As We See It, and Rosamund Pike

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Euphoria and As We See It, two shows about the pains of growing up.

02:53 HBO teen drama Euphoria is inarguably a huge cultural force, especially among younger generations — but is it any good?

21:52 As We See It, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is one of the few genuinely terrific shows about people with autism and the loved ones in their orbit.

39:00 Plus, culture notes about Rosamund Pike's running streak of strange taste in projects. (We reference this article by Olivia Craighead.)

This episode is brought to you by MUBI, a curated streaming service showing exceptional films from around the globe. Catch some of our recommendations in this episode, and try MUBI for free for 30 days at MUBI.com/criticismisdead.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Abbott Elementary, A Hero, and Sundance dispatch

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Abbott Elementary and A Hero, a sitcom and a film about people trying to do good in a complicated world.

03:42 Abbott Elementary, streaming on Hulu, is a solid new workplace sitcom to add to your weekly rotation.

18:00 A Hero, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is a profound film about morality, honesty, and honor.

36:58 Plus, culture notes about Pelin’s virtual Sundance Film Festival experience.

This episode is brought to you by MUBI, a curated streaming service showing exceptional films from around the globe. Try MUBI for free for 30 days at MUBI.com/criticismisdead.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

And Just Like That, The Last Duel, and Netflix's price hike

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss And Just Like That... and The Last Duel, two works about the lives of women.

04:03 HBO Max's And Just Like That... interestingly picks up the thread of cynicism that ran through Sex and the City, but it loses some of the magic of the original.

30:22 The Last Duel, streaming on HBO Max, makes good use of the Rashomon effect to depict the horrendous truth of a woman's experience at the hands of men.

39:47 Plus, culture notes about Netflix's latest price increase and how it's trying to adapt in a world flush with streaming competitors.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Lost Daughter, Landscapers, and when Kanye met Julia

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Lost Daughter and Landscapers, two works that explore the complexities of codependency, whether in motherhood or in marriage.

02:53 The Lost Daughter, streaming on Netflix, is a brutal, intimate, unforgettable film about what it means to be a mother.

22:03 Landscapers, a limited series on HBO, is a love story — dressed as a true crime drama — underpinned by questions of fantasy, delusion, and reality.

37:28 Plus, culture notes about Julia Fox and Kanye West at Carbone: a celebrity date to remember (in the pages of Interview Magazine).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Station Eleven, Don't Look Up, and grab bag

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Station Eleven and Don't Look Up, two visions of the end of the world.

03:33 Station Eleven, streaming on HBO Max, is a compelling miniseries about what it means to not just survive, but to live and rebuild.

23:22 Netflix's star-studded Don't Look Up is a perfectly okay Movie With a Message that has attracted far more discourse than anyone needs.

43:17 Plus, instead of our normal culture notes, we do a little grab bag on things we've watched recently but haven't had a chance to mention: Pen15, Insecure, The Matrix Resurrections, Emily in Paris season 2, Selling Tampa, and Queer Eye season 6.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The best movies and TV shows of 2021 (in our opinion)

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0000

It's our year-end special! To close out 2021, we each present our top 5 picks for film and TV, respectively, from this year.

03:10 Movies!

16:39 TV!

31:11 Bonus: Books!

(For film and TV honorable mentions, check out criticismisdead.substack.com.)

Thank you very much for tuning in this year. We will see you next year!!!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Yellowjackets, The Great, and that Jeremy Strong profile

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Yellowjackets and The Great, two shows about female savagery as a matter of survival, whether that's in the Canadian wilderness or the 18th-century Russian court.

02:43 Yellowjackets, airing on Showtime, is compelling in its depiction of the violence and trauma that a high school girls' soccer team inflict on each other.

20:08 The Great, in its second season on Hulu, is an ahistorical romp that relishes in wicked absurdity as well as some genuinely tender moments.

31:38 Plus, culture notes about New Yorker writer Michael Schulman's profile of Jeremy Strong — and all the weird reactions it has sparked in both readers and celebrities.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Succession feat. Judy Berman

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0000

In this special episode, we discuss Succession, a show that needs no introduction.

(Note: Spoilers up through S3E7; at the time of recording, we had NOT watched the last two episodes of season 3.)

We're joined by a special guest: Judy Berman, one of our favorite critics, who writes about TV for Time.

04:24 HBO series Succession is among the all-time greats — and here's why.

Follow Judy on Twitter (@judyberman) and check out her writing for Time:

Also, read about us on _Time_'s list of the 10 best podcasts of 2021!!!!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The French Dispatch, Selling Sunset, and GBBO finale

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The French Dispatch and Selling Sunset, two artifices of reality.

04:38 The French Dispatch, playing in theaters, is very “Wes Anderson” (to borrow a phrase), and we like that.

22:30 Netflix reality show Selling Sunset needs to dial back on the tepid interpersonal drama and bring back more opulent, ostentatious houses to look at.

40:15 Plus, a short debrief on the Great British Bake Off finale and our favorites from this season.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Scenes From a Marriage, The Harder They Fall, and Taylor's version

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Scenes From a Marriage and The Harder They Fall, two recent works with mixed reception worth exploring (we love gray areas).

02:44 Scenes From a Marriage, streaming on HBO Max, is hard to watch, but emotionally rich and raw with superb performances.

28:09 Despite its fun flourishes and the seed of a great concept, Netflix’s The Harder They Fall is ultimately more style over substance.

41:46 Plus, culture notes about Taylor vs. Jake.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Morning Show, Love Life, and Eternals backlash

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Morning Show and Love Life, two very different shows exploring complicated relationships.

02:40 The Morning Show, streaming on Apple TV+, surprisingly stuck the landing in season 1, but it remains to be seen whether the mess of storylines in season 2 can congeal into a coherent, intelligent whole.

22:42 Love Life, streaming on HBO Max, is pulling off a really good season 2, thanks to quality writing, direction, performances, and more.

37:51 Plus, culture notes about why critics seem to be sour on Eternals (and why fans are sour on critics being sour on Eternals).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Dune, Space Sweepers, and spoiler panic

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Dune and Space Sweepers, two space operas set against the backdrop of the powerful elite exploiting people and planets.

03:50 Dune, playing in theaters and on HBO Max, is a masterful adaptation of a complex story long considered unfilmable. (P.S. Here are the two pieces about Dune Pelin wants you to read.)

32:27 Space Sweepers, streaming on Netflix, has some good elements, but ultimately squanders its potential as the first Korean space blockbuster.

41:59 Plus, culture notes about fans and studios/networks becoming increasingly fussy about spoilers.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Maid, The Premise, and culture grab bag

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Maid and The Premise, two shows about the fabric of American society, both socioeconomic and cultural.

03:00 Maid, a Netflix limited series, is a stark, compelling, uncomfortably realistic depiction of what poverty looks like.

28:47 The satirical anthology series The Premise, streaming on Hulu, is wildly uneven but redeemed by one standout episode.

38:45 Plus, culture notes served quibi (“quick bites”)-style this week: some mea culpas, updates, and excitement about works we may have passed judgment on earlier. ...

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Squid Game, Foundation, and the next James Bond

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Squid Game and Foundation, two shows about the follies of human nature.

NOTE: Sorry for the audio quality on Jenny's end, it was a freak accident, the cause of which is still unknown (but could very well be human error, I'm sorry).

03:20 Korean survival drama Squid Game, streaming on Netflix, is a word-of-mouth sensation, an international hit, and thrilling as fuck.

24:13 Sci-fi epic Foundation, new on Apple TV+, faces an uphill battle in adapting Isaac Asimov's sprawling galactic saga for the small screen.

38:13 Plus, culture notes about who could be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig giddily leaves this franchise in the dust?

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Sex Education, Columbus, and getting Pratted

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Sex Education and Columbus, a series and a film about coming of age, in a sense.

04:51 Sex Education, on Netflix, is not only delightfully raunchy and silly, but it also may be the healthiest depiction of sexual identity and exploration on TV.

24:18 Columbus, available VOD or on Topic on Amazon Video, is a quiet portrait of how two lives can intersect and prompt change in each other — helped along here by modernist architecture.

41:44 Plus, culture notes about "which normal guy celeb will get 'Pratted' next?" And a shout out to the workers of IATSE.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Riders of Justice, Pig, and Emmys

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Riders of Justice and Pig, two films about men dealing with grief.

04:13 Riders of Justice, streaming on Hulu, picks apart the tropes of the “middle-aged man revenge action thriller” in such an elegant, intelligent, and darkly hilarious way.

23:33 Pig, a hero’s journey of porcine proportions available VOD, sketches out a character portrait of a chef-turned-recluse.

39:35 Plus, culture notes about the Emmys, which have already happened by now, but not when we recorded this.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Only Murders in the Building, The Guilty, and Met Gala gossip

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Only Murders in the Building _and _The Guilty, a show and a movie about trying to solve a case from the periphery.

03:53 Only Murders in the Building, streaming on Hulu, is neither particularly ambitious nor rigorous, but it's a winning combination of famous actors, whimsy, and New York charm. (Note: Our discussion only covers eps 1–4; also, sorry, the episodes drop on Tuesdays not Mondays!)

19:16 The Guilty, available on Hulu, is an absolutely riveting crime thriller made all the more impressive by a tight concept and even tighter quarters.

32:36 Plus, culture notes about Met Gala gossip (ALLEGEDLY, CAN NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Reservation Dogs, Rutherford Falls, and Ted Lasso discourse

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls, two recent shows that present very different contemporary Native stories.

04:07 Reservation Dogs, streaming on FX on Hulu, is about a ragtag group of Native teens striving to escape their rural Oklahoma hometown.

28:26 Rutherford Falls, streaming on Peacock, is about a white man and a Native woman whose friendship is tested by a conflict going back centuries.

40:46 Plus, culture notes about what it is about Ted Lasso season 2 that has struck a nerve in broader culture. Here is a smart piece about the whole thing by Alison Herman of the Ringer:

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Chair, Making the Cut, and new celeb coupling dropped

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Chair _and _Making the Cut, two shows about making it work within an ultimately capitalist institution.

02:35 The Chair, a new Netflix miniseries, does a good job showcasing — on both a micro and macro level — how an institution like a university cannot easily be changed, but rather changes the individual. (Also: Sandra Oh!!!)

22:38 Making the Cut is Amazon's high-budget answer to Project Runway, only even more rooted in the naked goal of commercial profit.

41:26 Plus, just some light culture notes about Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum :)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Together Together, Dead Pigs, and peak anthology

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Together Together _and _Dead Pigs, two films about what money can or cannot buy.

04:25 Together Together, streaming on Hulu, is a gentle exploration of how an intimate process like pregnancy can sit awkwardly as a transactional affair.

19:19 Dead Pigs, available VOD or on Mubi, puts a wry slant on familiar themes in modern Chinese cinema: urbanization, globalization, and ultimately money.

36:51 Plus, culture notes about this abundance of anthology series we’re seeing.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Green Knight, The White Lotus, and Aubrey Grande

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Green Knight and The White Lotus, two quality works about how things go awry far from home.

04:50 The Green Knight, playing in theaters now, is an out-of-this-world adaptation of the chivalric tale that asks one ultimate question: Are you going to step up or pussy out?

27:13 The White Lotus, a miniseries on HBO Max, is an intriguing character/relationship study that is both satirical yet sincere, cynical yet sympathetic.

45:19 Plus, culture notes about Drake's sweater.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Gossip Girl, The Pursuit of Love, and ScarJo vs. Disney

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Gossip Girl, the loose sequel to the 2007 series, and The Pursuit of Love, the TV adaptation of the 1945 novel.

05:32 Gossip Girl, streaming on HBO Max, was maybe always going to be a doomed attempt to cash in on nostalgia.

23:56 The Pursuit of Love, streaming on Amazon Video, is a period drama with modern sensibilities.

37:47 Plus, culture notes about the lawsuit that sent shockwaves throughout the industry and made us begrudgingly say, “Good for you, ScarJo.”

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Never Have I Ever, Thoroughbreds, and the Olympics

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Never Have I Ever, a teen romcom drama about an Indian American girl, and Thoroughbreds, a dark comedy thriller about two white teen girls up to no good.

05:05 Never Have I Ever, streaming on Netflix, is strongest when it goes beyond the silly high school tropes to touch on issues of grief, family, and mental health.

22:48 Thoroughbreds, available on Hulu + Live TV or on VOD, is an unexpectedly clever portrait of privilege and sociopathy.

37:49 Plus, culture notes about the Olympics that we're not watching except through Olympic Village TikTok. (We'll link some examples in our newsletter!)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Starstruck, Enlightened, and Emmy noms

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Starstruck, a romcom for the modern age, and Enlightened, a short-lived series about trying to do good in a world that's not necessarily made for that.

03:39 Starstruck, streaming on HBO Max, is a perfectly short, simple, and sweet take on a romcom.

19:45 Enlightened, also on HBO Max, holds up remarkably well as an exploration of the human condition, empathy, and whether people can change.

35:53 Plus, culture notes about this year's Emmy nominations and some snubs.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Zola, No Sudden Move, and Succession trailer bitch!!!!

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Zola and No Sudden Move, two films about getting sucked into very criminal goings-on.

03:08 Zola, now out in theaters(!), has a hard job of hitting the right balance between dark and larger-than-life wild, and it veers a little more toward dark.

23:24 Crime caper No Sudden Move, streaming on HBO Max, is akin to a fast car: you don't know all the parts and how they work together, but it's definitely moving!

38:56 Plus, culture notes at length about the Succession trailer. ...

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Physical, Evil, and Britney

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We're back from a quick break with a nice, long episode! We discuss Physical and Evil, two shows about battling demons (both inner and outer).

03:29 Physical, a polarizing dark comedy on Apple TV+, is an incredibly thorny, often exhausting show, but one that so far is worth the watch.

21:22 Evil, streaming on Netflix (season 1) and Paramount+ (season 2), is a supernatural procedural that questions the gray area between skepticism and faith.

37:58 Plus, culture notes about Britney Spears and the cruelty of a system designed to entrap and abuse.

NOTE: We are off again next week for the holiday. Stay cool and see you the week after!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

We Are Lady Parts, Bo Burnham: Inside, and 15 minutes or less

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss We Are Lady Parts, about an all-girl Muslim punk rock band, and Bo Burnham: Inside, the comedian's quarantine musical solo endeavor.

02:41 The new UK series We Are Lady Parts, available on Peacock stateside, is a bright, bombastic, witty effort to subvert Muslim stereotypes.

24:13 Bo Burnham's new special Inside, streaming on Netflix, is a visual and sonic feast made all the more impressive by the labors of creation.

44:02 Plus, culture notes about characters who had 15 minutes or fewer in a film.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Underground Railroad, Couples Therapy, and Taika/Rita/Tessa

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 09:00:00 -0000

It's a long — but good, if we may say so ourselves — one this week! We discuss The Underground Railroad, an alt-history epic about the rotten foundation of this country, and Couples Therapy, a docuseries about excavating the past to address troubles of the present.

02:50 The Underground Railroad, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is one of the best works of television/cinema in recent memory.

28:55 Couples Therapy, available on Showtime (and with some episodes on YouTube), is so voyeuristically fascinating and revealing, it's hard to stop watching.

52:32 Plus, culture notes about that threesome — celeb culture isn't dead!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Girls5eva, Hacks, and Olivia Rodrigo nostalgia

Tue, 25 May 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Girls5eva and Hacks, two comedy series about grasping for new life in an industry that's all about the young and the fresh.

07:04 Girls5eva — _the latest in the Tina Fey/Robert Carlock universe, streaming on Peacock — is the closest to _30 Rock we're going to get (although it doesn't quite go all the way).

22:333 Hacks, airing weekly on HBO Max, is a Jean Smart vehicle about generational differences and conflict.

37:34 Plus, culture notes about why people our age are going gaga over a teen pop star's teen angst oeuvre.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Mare of Easttown, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and crumbs of excitement

Tue, 11 May 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss the limited series Mare of Easttown and the film The Mitchells vs. the Machines, two works that are basically as far apart as you can get in color palette, among other things!!!

03:53 On Mare of Easttown — streaming weekly on HBO Max — the drama of community entanglements is as compelling as its murder mystery.

23:12 The Mitchells vs. the Machines, new to Netflix, is a family film with enough action, jokes, and texture to hold adults’ attention, too.

35:41 Plus, culture notes about a couple previews we’re hyped about: the currently in-production seasons of Succession _and _Selling Sunset.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Shadow and Bone, The Mosquito Coast, and Bennifer??!?

Tue, 04 May 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Shadow and Bone, about a Chosen One coming to terms with her deeply held secret, and The Mosquito Coast, about a patriarch fleeing his.

05:53 Shadow and Bone, out on Netflix, manages to fill a fun fantasy-sized void in the TV landscape, in spite of its lackluster heroine.

24:11 The Mosquito Coast, streaming weekly on Apple TV+, is a high-octane drama that has the potential (hopefully?) to produce a new antihero à la Walter White, Tony Soprano, etc.

44:05 Plus, culture notes about our favorite Boston boy and Miss J.Lo, reunited.

P.S. CORRECTION: Jenny said Top Chef 2006 in the opening, but that season was NOT from 2006, it was from 2010. My bad!!!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Stowaway, The Other Two, and Oscars

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Stowaway, a movie about surviving in space, and The Other Two, a show about surviving a pop star kid brother.

04:13 Stowaway, new to Netflix, is an unusual space film that is also a horror story about mathematics and employer negligence.

23:03 The Other Two, now streaming on HBO Max, is a comedy series about adults figuring out how best to ride a tween pop star's 15 minutes of fame.

35:51 Plus, culture notes about the Academy Awards, which have already happened, but not by the time we recorded this! Find out how good/bad we are at predicting things!

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes — including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit — subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Circle, Warrior, and six months of CID!

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Circle and Warrior, two very different shows in which perception plays a big role.

02:17 The Circle (U.S.), Netflix's competition reality show about "influencers" and "catfish," is back — and season 2 is even better than the first.

17:04 Warrior, streaming on HBO Max, set primarily in 1870s San Francisco Chinatown, is a timely pick for the present age.

41:19 Plus, NOT culture notes, but instead, a brief celebration of six months of this podcast! We choose some top picks from the past half year and indulge in a little sentimentality.

Let us know what you want to see from us in the future: a Patreon(?), call-ins(??), a community chat(???), or whatever else.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Made for Love feat. Alison Herman

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Made for Love, the new HBO Max adaptation of Alissa Nutting's novel, about the wife of a tech billionaire who tries to escape their toxic 10-year marriage, only to find that he's everywhere she is.

It's dark, cynical, and dystopic — but also zany, absurd, and wry. Truly a work for the end of the world AKA our bleak future!!!!

We're joined by a special guest: the very smart and funny Alison Herman, who writes mostly about TV for the Ringer. Follow her on Twitter (@aherman2006) and read her review of _Made for Love_.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Shiva Baby, Gentefied, and gender and breakout stars

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss the new film Shiva Baby and the series Gentefied, both about (in a way!) power, money, and who has those things.

02:25 Shiva Baby, available in some theaters and on demand, is about a college student/sugar baby stuck in a claustrophobic limbo at a shiva.

22:17 Gentefied, streaming on Netflix, is about three cousins and a grandpa trying to balance their dreams and their community in LA.

37:27 Plus, culture notes about Regé-Jean Page's departure from Bridgerton, and more broadly, about the rise of the romantic male breakout star compared to their female counterparts.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Superstore, Abstract: "Ruth Carter, Costume Design," and Montero

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Superstore, a rare kind of workplace drama, and Abstract's episode on a legendary costume designer.

04:02 Superstore, streaming on Hulu and Peacock, combines the fantasy of the warm work family with the reality of the minimum wage-earning working class under modern capitalism.

19:30 Abstract, a design docuseries on Netflix, dives deep into the world of Ruth E. Carter, Oscar-winning costume designer for films like Black Panther and Do the Right Thing. Mostly, we take this as an opportunity to talk about costume design in film and TV! (We'll include as many visuals as we can in our newsletter.)

34:59 Plus, culture notes on Lil Nas X's "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" and overt depictions of queerness and sex as a revolutionary act.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Ginny & Georgia, Rocks, and what is a Snyder's cut?

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Ginny & Georgia and Rocks, two works that happen to be about the huge presence of a mother (or lack thereof) in the lives of a teen daughter.

03:47 Ginny & Georgia, a new Netflix series, is less interesting as a high school drama and more compelling as a story about the cycle of abuse and trauma. (That makes it sound more serious than it is, it's actually mostly an entertaining watch lol)

23:54 Rocks, also on Netflix, is a film about the warmth of teen girl friendship, the heartbreak of holding out for a mom who can't care for her children, and the terror of foster care and social services.

40:39 Plus, culture notes on WHAT IS A SNYDER'S CUT. Pelin explains to Jenny.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The 40-Year-Old Version, Lingua Franca, and video rental stores

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss The 40-Year-Old Version and Lingua Franca, two films by multi-hyphenate talents with personal stories to tell.

04:14 The 40-Year-Old Version, streaming on Netflix, is about a Black playwright who was once considered a rising star, but is now struggling to create the art that she wants as she approaches her 40s.

24:26 Lingua Franca, also on Netflix, is about an undocumented trans Filipina caretaker whose attempts to fix her immigration status gets muddied once her client's adult grandson moves in.

42:15 Plus, culture notes about a TikTok of a video rental store replica that a couple built in their basement.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Call My Agent!, The Head, and the end of WandaVision

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Call My Agent!, a French love letter to show business, and The Head, an international South Pole murder mystery.

04:20 Call My Agent!, a series on Netflix, captures the allure and the fallacy of the "workplace family" fantasy, as framed through a talent agency in Paris.

20:28 The Head, a limited series on HBO Max, is a whodunit that's as much about how a group of people unravels as it is about who went on a killing spree.

35:00 Plus, culture notes about WandaVision finale discourse!

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

I Care a Lot, It's a Sin, and #throwbackTUMBLR

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss I Care a Lot, a polarizing and deeply cynical(?) film, and It's a Sin, a limited series that's as tender as it is devastating.

04:42 I Care a Lot, streaming on Netflix, is ostensibly about a toxic white girlboss, but the extent to which the film is in on the joke is kinda hard to parse.

19:47 It's a Sin, out on HBO Max, is about coming of age in 1980s London, amid the AIDS crisis.

32:06 Plus, culture notes about the ways in which Tumblr has resurfaced in internet culture lately, including in a meme and in a Your Fave Is Problematic reveal.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Nomadland, Judas and the Black Messiah, and the birth of new stans

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Nomadland, a film about human impermanence, and Judas and the Black Messiah, a betrayal biographical drama.

03:12 Nomadland, streaming on Hulu, follows the uprooted life of a woman who lives out of her van.

29:12 Judas and the Black Messiah, available on HBO Max through March 14, follows the life and eventual death of revolutionary Fred Hampton.

39:26 Plus, cultures notes about how WandaVision is introducing a under-appreciated actors — like Randall Park, Kathryn Hahn, and Teyonah Parris — to a whole new generation of fans. (Here is one of the TikToks, we'll link more in our Substack.)

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Minari feat. Inkoo Kang

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss — and we mean really discuss — Minari, Lee Isaac Chung's new semi-autobiographical film about a Korean American family that moves to rural Arkansas in the 1980s.

Things we touch on: Asian American and immigrant narratives, nature and the land, Korean masculinity and fatherhood, the idea of the "American Dream," and more!!!

We are joined by special guest Inkoo Kang, who is a TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter, a fantastic culture writer, and a great person to follow on Twitter (@inkookang).

Read Inkoo's thoughtful interview with Lee Isaac Chung and her piece on the promise and pitfalls of Asian American reality TV.

And check out her and Daniel Schroeder's limited podcast All About Almodóva‪r‬, about the films of Pedro Almodóvar.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

WandaVision, Malcolm & Marie, and Golden Globe noms

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss WandaVision and Malcolm & Marie, two "firsts" that have people buzzing for different reasons.

03:22 WandaVision, Disney+'s first Marvel Cinematic Universe-based TV series, is a slow-drip fun watch, even for absolute non-MCU heads like us.

19:01 Malcolm & Marie, Netflix's first big feature film to be entirely created and filmed during the pandemic, is causing a bit of a stir among critics.

38:41 Plus, culture notes about the weird nature of Golden Globe noms, the snub everyone's talking about, and the need to watch better stuff.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Dig, Wolfwalkers, and Carey Mulligan vs. critic

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Dig and Wolfwalkers, two films — one Anglo, one Celtic — that look back in time.

04:16 The Dig (2021), new to Netflix, is a reimagination of the true story of the excavation of a 7th-century medieval burial ship of an Anglo-Saxon king.

22:12 Wolfwalkers (2020) is an animated children's film about Irish folklore, family, sisterhood, nature, and the oppressive forces of colonialism and Christianity.

35:16 Plus, culture notes about a truly embarrassing clusterfuck in which Variety threw a freelance critic under the bus because Carey Mulligan took issue with his review of Promising Young Woman.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Bling Empire, The White Tiger, and feeling the meme bern

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Bling Empire, a reality TV show about having everything, and The White Tiger, a film about having nothing and wanting everything.

01:49 Bling Empire, Netflix's latest glossy smooth-brain content, is, disappointingly, neither particularly crazy rich nor particularly Asian.

18:08 The White Tiger, also new on Netflix, is about what it takes to become a "have" in a cruel system of haves and have-nots.

31:34 Plus, culture notes about the Bernie Sanders mittens meme outrage cycle.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and (unfortunately) Armie Hammer

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Promising Young Woman and Sound of Metal, two films about finding silence after what feels like the end of the world.

04:05 Promising Young Woman, available for rental now and out in theaters soon, is talked about as a revenge fantasy, but it's more about how to sit with the terrible reality that what happened happened.

20:52 Sound of Metal, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is a uniquely immersive look at the experience of losing one's hearing but gaining something else.

32:51 Plus, culture notes about what's going on with the Armie Hammer stuff (sorry).

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Flight Attendant, Lupin, and a chemistry crisis

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Flight Attendant, an overly hyped caper, and Lupin, a heist show that deserves all the hype.

02:15 Are we mavericks for opining that The Flight Attendant, HBO Max's buzzy not-limited series, is... not good???

17:50 Netflix's new heist series Lupin, on the other hand, is very good.

26:56 Plus, culture notes about the last time we remember seeing real romantic chemistry on the screen, and what that has to do with recent chatter about the upcoming film Malcolm & Marie.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Bridgerton, The Wilds, and Ben Affleck photos

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss horny period drama Bridgerton (2020) and angsty young adult survival series The Wilds (2020).

02:53 Bridgerton, the first big Shondaland x Netflix offering, is the epitome of a guilty pleasure, but its probing of race and relationships leaves much to be desired.

17:28 The Wilds, one of Amazon Prime Video's few Youth Market shows, is both cringe-y and tender in its depiction of teen girls.

26:33 Plus, not one, but TWO culture notes: the first about Ben "Believe in Boston" Affleck and his Dunkin', and the second about TV to look forward to this year maybe???

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The best movies and TV shows of 2020 (in our opinion)

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0000

It's our year-end special! We each present our top 5 picks for film and TV, respectively, plus some honorable mentions, making for a grand total of... 10 movies and 16 shows recommended??

02:27 Movies! Including T_, F_ C__, and more.

20:12 TV! Including N_ P, T_ Q' G__, and more.

For the full list written out, check out our Substack — we'll be publishing the newsletter (with extended show notes, other links, etc.) for this episode at 9am ET today.

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Love Actually, Carol, and what makes a holiday movie

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 05:38:44 -0000

It's our holiday special! We discuss Love Actually (2003) and Carol (2015), two "holiday" "classics" that inspire very different feelings.

01:49 Love Actually, which is available for rent on various places, is long and horny!!

15:23 Carol, streaming on Netflix, is melancholy and gay!!

27:03 Plus, instead of culture notes this week, we play a game guessing the dumb titles of other holiday/Christmas movies.

P.S. Thanks everyone who submitted suggestions for what to watch! Sorry we couldn't discuss all of them, but here are the rest for your perusal/streaming pleasure:

A New York Christmas Wedding
A Christmas Prince
Last Holiday
Trading Places
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
Disney Family Holiday Singalong
The Revenant
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Ronin
Batman Returns

P.P.S. We're taking next week off, but we'll be back before the New Year to discuss our favorite films and shows of 2020! Feel free to send in your own personal faves!

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Mank, Tokyo Girl, and the lifeline that is production photos

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss Mank (2020), a film set in 1930s-40s Hollywood, and Tokyo Girl (2016), a series set in modern-day Tokyo.

2:00 Mank, streaming on Netflix, is David Fincher's latest movie, made by and for auteurs and film nerds. Depending on who you ask, this may be good or bad. But one thing's undeniable: Amanda Seyfried!

13:31 Tokyo Girl, an older Japanese show available on Amazon Prime Video, is a series of snapshots from the life of a woman trying to have it all in the big city. Aren't we all!

24:46 Plus, cultures notes about how fans are going batshit seeing sneak peeks from shows and films currently in production.

P.S. REQUEST: We're doing a holiday special next week! Please send us your holiday movie recs — the good, the bad, the cheesy — ASAP via the channels listed below. Thank you!!

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Ted Lasso, Industry, and the 25 greatest actors

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 19:10:00 -0000

We discuss Ted Lasso (2020) and Industry (2020), two series about lone Americans navigating unknown waters across the pond — in one case, a football field, in the other, an investment bank.

02:34 Ted Lasso, one of Apple TV+'s first true word-of-mouth sleeper hits, sits at the intersection of cheesy, surprising, heartwarming, and pure, unadulterated vibes.

17:22 Industry, out on HBO, is like if Skins were a cutthroat, hypercapitalist workplace drama, complete with sex, drugs, and P&Ls.

29:50 Plus, culture notes about an ingeniously controversial "25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century" list from New York Times critics Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott. Who said criticism was dead??

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Crown, Great British Bake Off, and a special guest

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

We discuss The Crown season 4 (2020), a series about an antiquated British institution, and the Great British Bake Off season 11 (2020), a competition show that may also be an antiquating British institution?

01:27 Season 4 of The Crown, a Netflix series following the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, is about toxic girlboss Margaret Thatcher, the people's princess Diana, and the growing obsoletion of the monarchy in a world that has already progressed past it.

22:05 We have food writer and Eater London associate editor James Hansen on to talk about the Great British Bake Off (available for Americans on Netflix) and how it was maybe never meant to bear all the weight of 2020, just an idea! Check out more of James's work on Eater London and in his food media newsletter In Digestion.

(Just a note we're skipping culture notes this week because we have Too Much Content.)

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Undoing, Shithouse, and reboots and reunions

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We discuss The Undoing (2020) and Shithouse (2020), two works about—in a sense—exploring who you are as a person, whether that's a wealthy therapist mentally unraveling or a college freshman missing home.

NOTE: This episode is a bit longer than usual, but very good imho!! Also, we only talk about The Undoing up through episode 3, so feel free to listen without major spoilers.

01:36 The Undoing, an HBO limited series that's currently airing, is the latest in the genre of television exploring the troubled inner and outer workings of rich white women whose seemingly perfect lives are disrupted by tragedy or violence.

15:57 Shithouse, a film made by and starring a majorly talented 23-year-old, is deft, emotionally honest, and painfully relatable in its depiction of college life and feeling like you don't quite fit in.

28:00 Plus, culture notes about a buzzy sneak preview of the Gossip Girl reboot, and the nostalgia-heavy era of remakes, reunions, and remixes.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Good Lord Bird, Blood of Zeus, and unavoidable election chat

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We discuss The Good Lord Bird (2020), a tragicomic historical fiction miniseries about John Brown, and Blood of Zeus (2020), an adult animation series about another kind of "savior" (read: a hot Greek demigod).

01:45 The Good Lord Bird, a limited series on Showtime set before the Civil War, depicts the messiness of history and the figures who get remembered. (Bonus: It stars Ethan Hawke, who just turned 50, hbd babe!)

12:15 Blood of Zeus, an animated series on Netflix, is basically Greek mythology fanfiction that could've been good, but uhh is not! More importantly: Why aren't there more high-budget Greek mythology epic series à la Game of Thrones?

23:23 Plus, culture notes about the election, including a request to NOT let Ivanka and Jared slink back into society, thank you!!!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

The Queen's Gambit, His House, and stars to "defeat despair"

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We discuss The Queen's Gambit (2020), a show of high watchability, and His House (2020), a film as scary as it is devastating.

00:30 The Queen's Gambit, a limited series from Netflix, is about trauma, but it is not traumatic. It is full of tropes, but not weighed down by them. It is a reminder that when Netflix gets it right, it's right (yeah whatever we're eating some of our words from last week). Plus, discussion about Jolene, one of the most interesting(?) characters on the show.

13:59 His House, also on Netflix, is the latest film in the current-day genre that roots its horror in real-world pain and atrocities, particularly those experienced by immigrants, Black people, and other survivors of the world's worst cruelties.

23:04 And culture notes about an attempt by the Trump administration to "defeat despair and inspire hope" amid the pandemic by recruiting celebrities for a PSA, resulting in one of the inadvertently funniest assessments of modern celebrity.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes—including links that we reference, plus bonus bullshit—subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Rebecca, On the Rocks, and toobin a crisp rat

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0000

We discuss Rebecca (2020) and On the Rocks (2020)—two films, both alike in content (marriage) and watchability (background noise).

00:41 Rebecca, out on Netflix, is the latest, cynical example of how big streaming fare can go wrong.

10:03 On the Rocks, available on Apple TV+, is basically Sofia Coppola for normies. Ouch!

16:37 Plus, culture notes about two famous men and their dumb defenders. In the words of Astead W. Herndon, "don’t take Ls on behalf of someone else currently in the process of L taking." Advice to live by!

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For extended show notes and bonus links, subscribe to our Substack. Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.

Music: REEKAH Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu Special thanks: Dan Geneen

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co

Trailer: Criticism Is Dead

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:38:15 -0000

Episode Notes

Introducing a new weekly podcast about film, television, and culture, and all the opinions involved therein. Does anything even matter? Who cares! Hosted by Pelin Keskin-Liu and Jenny G. Zhang.

Subscribe now to get this in-demand content wired directly to your brain.

Find out more at https://criticism-is-dead.pinecast.co