‘Designated Survivor’ S3: How Do We Deal with Neo-Fascists, Anyway?
Designated Survivor Season Three effectively criticizes the Trump administration and poses complex questions in our time of the rise of the extreme right.
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Quit Dreaming: Quasi-Feminism in Nike’s Women’s Soccer “Dream Further” Ad
Women with economic privilege are positioned to celebrate Nike's "Dream Further" ad as progress while ignoring their complicity in the exploitation of other women.
The Willful Child in HBO’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’
HBO's My Brilliant Friend feels almost radical for its raw and un-romanticized depiction of female friendship and resistance in all its emotional complexities.
Shaun Evans, aka DS Endeavour Morse, on the Economy of the Gesture in Storytelling
When Shaun Evans was recruited to play young Morse, he had been acting for over ten years, yet it's Endeavour that's likely his magnum opus. In this interview, he discusses the defining work that not only allowed his acting talent to blossom but also nurtured his natural storytelling ability.
Netflix’s ‘Bonding’ Is Worth Getting Tied Up With
With Bonding, Netflix offers up a sweet and salty treat that explores what we must otherwise suppress within ourselves.
The Catharsis of the Void in Anime Horror, ‘Vampire Princess Miyu’
Within the 26 hard-to-find episodes of Vampire Princess Miyu, there are murders, suicide, and even murder-suicides. There really is something for everyone. So why did it fail?
The Many Grace Notes in ‘Grace and Frankie’, Season 5
While Grace and Frankie is as fun as ever, season 5 suggests a sadder path for a show that has often pushed its sadness to the periphery.
How Amazon’s ‘Homecoming: S1’ Reveals Toxic White Womanhood
Homecoming provides us with a much-needed perspective on how a white woman like Heidi Bergman appears at first to be so well-meaning, even antithetical to the "Becky" meme, yet ultimately upholds white supremacy with a friendly smile, which is perhaps even more dangerous and insidious than America's "Beckys".
What Is It About ‘You’?
Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble's You (Netflix) is a gripping, grueling plunge into the dangers of modern dating and the accommodation our culture makes for men of a certain privilege.
Vaporwave, Cartooned in ‘Rick and Morty’ and ‘Too Many Cooks’
Short film “Too Many Cooks” and cartoon series Rick and Morty are distinctive examples of the Vaporwave Sensibility expressed in narrative-visual form.
Mirroring Humans through Westworld’s Othered Artificial Intelligence
In the fantasy world of AI-populated Westworld, unchecked humankind regresses into violence toward the "Other" -- just as we do in the chaotic real world. Is that the essence of human nature, to always reject its' self as seen in the visage of the Other?
Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Optimism in ‘Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day’ Isn’t Cock-eyed, It’s Beady-eyed
The series of small and large triumphs snatched from the teeth of social inertia leaves one elated at human potential. Eight Hours Don't Make a Day is Fassbinder's version of a "feel-good" film.