Tv

This is Pedro Pascal’s world — we’re just living in it

By Nate Hall | April 11

In 2019, the “Star Wars” franchise entered the world of live-action television with the premiere of “The Mandalorian” (2019–), a space Western series that catapulted its star, Pedro Pascal, to international fame. Pascal, who previously had ...

Viewpoint

The case for government-owned media

By Keshav Srikant | March 6

Best songs of 2022

By Henry Chandonnet, Jack Clohisy, Odessa Gaines and Ryan Fairfield | December 12

High_School_Sara_Quin_and_Tegan_Quin_book

'High School' is an intimate, moving take on Tegan and Sara's 1990s adolescence

By Madeleine Aitken | December 12

Three years after Canadian indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara released a memoir called “High School” (2019), a limited series by the same name debuted, receiving a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The show, which premiered this October, carries us through Tegan and Sara’s high school experiences. Set against the backdrop of an alternative adolescence in Calgary, Alberta, it tackles the ups and downs of their relationship as twin sisters alongside their journey into music and their queer identities, all while they learn how to be themselves.

Best TV shows of 2022

By Nate Hall and Emmy Wenstrup | December 6

There was a lot of great TV in 2022. As the number of networks and streaming services continues to grow, it can be a challenge to decide what to watch, so we’re singling out 14 shows that caught our attention this year. With a mix of new and returning series, comedy and drama, cable and streaming, there’s something on the list for everyone.

'Reboot' explores the ins and outs of TV comedies

By Nate Hall | November 15

Remakes of classic movies and TV shows are everywhere these days. “Reboot” (2022–), a meta new comedy series that just wrapped up its first season on Hulu, makes fun of this trend by taking viewers behind the scenes of the revival of a fictional sitcom. On “Reboot,” the original cast of the popular comedy series “Step Right Up” is reunited after nearly two decades when up-and-coming writer Hannah Korman (Rachel Bloom) pitches a reboot to Hulu, hoping to take the show in a new direction.

'Abbott Elementary': An honest, hilarious love letter to teachers

By Nate Hall | October 28

In the 2000s and 2010s, network sitcoms were some of the biggest shows on television — think “The Office,” (2005–13) “Modern Family” (2009–20) and “The Big Bang Theory” (2007–19). These days, the era of broadcast dominance is in the past as most network comedies have very little to offer compared to their streaming counterparts. That’s why it’s been such a pleasant surprise to see “Abbott Elementary” (2021–), a half-hour sitcom on ABC, emerge as one of the sharpest and funniest comedies of the last few years.

Netflix's 'Dahmer' sends shivers down viewers' spines

By Megan Reimer | October 18

There has been considerable buzz around “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” (2022) on Netflix, created by Ryan Murphy, who is known for his creepy and stylistic anthologies like “American Horror Story” (2011–) and “American Crime Story” (2016–) as well as the less chilling but equally unconventional hit show “Glee” (2009–2015). Dahmer stars Evan Peters, a usual suspect in Murphy’s shows, appearing frequently as main characters in seasons of “American Horror Story.”

Let’s rehearse 'The Rehearsal' of a rehearsal

By Andrés F. Arévalo | September 30

According to the Collins Dictionary,a rehearsal can be defined as a “session of exercise, drill, or practice, usually private, in preparation for a public performance, ceremony, etc.” Although it is a term usually reserved for performance art or public speaking, rehearsingcan also be seen in daily life such as thinking over an argument before a conversation. But, what if we could thoroughly rehearse for some of the most difficult and appalling moments of our lives?

'Only Murders in the Building' returns for a killer second season

By Nate Hall | September 22

Just under a year after its critically acclaimed first season, “Only Murders in the Building” (2021–) returned with a new murder mystery this summer. With a superbly talented cast led by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, the Hulu original continues to entertain audiences with an impressive blend of comedy and mystery.

Summer TV recap: Quantity over quality

By Emmy Wenstrup | September 12

This summer, just like the last, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions allowed for long-anticipated series to both make their debuts and return to the small screen. From mega-budget prequels to quieter critics’ hits, the summer certainly had plenty of options for TV lovers. Whether any of it was good is another question.

Column

Public Cinemy No. 1: CCP films with international implications

By Sacha Waters | March 4

It’s no secret that there isn’t love lost between America and China. While currently civil, the two are competitors in every aspect. But what happens when art is employed to further hostility?

Columns

Public Cinemy No. 1: Sexualization in 'Euphoria'

By Sacha Waters | February 25

Every teen drama criticized for graphic portrayals of sex is met with arguments that many teenagers do have sex lives, and that these shows’ portrayals are realistic and refreshing. Although many high schoolers are indeed sexually active, the casting of adult actors by shows like "Euphoria" (2019–) and "Riverdale" (2017–) can quickly become distasteful. While I don’t believe in pearl-clutching over teenage sexuality nor in not portraying it at all, I am disturbed by Hollywood’s tendency to cast adult actors to play minors. The fine line between a realistic portrayal of teenagers and oversexualization is found in how teenage sex is portrayed, and the current, popular teen drama "Euphoria" fails on many counts.

'Euphoria' Season 2 struggles to uphold its reputation

By Ashley Chung | February 10

Content warning: This article discusses drug addiction.

‘Abbott Elementary’ tackles harsh realities of our education system

By Odessa Gaines | February 2

The new ABC mockumentary-comedy show, "Abbott Elementary" (2021–), has been shooting to the top of everyone’s watchlist this winter and making waves in on-screen representation. The show follows a group of educators at Abbott Elementary, an underfunded public school in Philadelphia based on the realities of the American public educational system. The show is shot in the same style as the American "The Office" (2005–2013), with the educators being the center of an in-universe docuseries following their careers and lives.

Hollywood can’t break the male gaze

By Emmy Wenstrup | March 31

The “male gaze” is a term that was first used in the context of cinema by feminist thinker Laura Mulvey to describe the depiction of women in media as seen through a heterosexual male lens. Film has often relegated female characters to mere side pieces or love interests for leading men — the women of the James Bond franchise are an obvious example of the male gaze at work. However, even the most independent, ambitious and authoritative female characters can still be portrayed by the male gaze.

How COVID-19 has affected the arts, locally and globally

By Christopher Panella, Stephanie Hoechst, Sadie Leite, Drew Weisberg, Devina Bhalla, Yas Salon and Phoebe Wong | March 15

While larger artists have stayed afloat, beloved venues have felt the impact of the end of live shows. In Boston, multiple local venues have been forced to close doors due to economic losses following the cancellation and postponement of live music. One such venue is Great Scott, which has hosted shows in the greater Boston area for more than 40 years.

Golden Globes hosts 78th show amid controversy, pandemic

By Stephanie Hoechst | March 3

First and foremost, this year’s Golden Globe Awards were overshadowed by a recent surfacing of the fact that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the 87-person group of international journalists who decide the awards, doesn’t have a single Black member — and hasn’t in the last 20 years.

'The Crown' brings Princess Diana into the royal picture

By Phoebe Yates | December 1

The events of the show’s first three seasons, which saw Claire Foy, and later, Olivia Colman, step into the twinset and pearls of the United Kingdom’s still-reigning monarch, may have been somewhat unfamiliar to those watching all the way across the pond. Within the first few minutes of season four, however, we meet the character that will turn “The Crown” from series to blockbuster: Princess Diana.

‘Lovecraft Country’ explores reality through horror, fantasy

By Maeve Hagerty | November 9

The ten-episode series debuted August 16 and has since been produced in weekly installments until October 18. As the brainchild of such notable executive producers Misha Green of "Underground" (2016-2017), Jordan Peele of "Get Out" (2017) and "Us" (2019) and J.J. Abrams of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019), among others, the show is a true fusion of genres.