Pop Culture Happy Hour

The Netflix series "Queer Eye" is a reboot of the 2003 phenomenon, not a retread. They've dropped "For the Straight Guy" from the title, reflecting the retooled makeover series' updated, and slightly broadened, mission. Guests: Tobin Low and Kathy Tu...Show More

Code Switch's Kat Chow joins the panel as they say goodbye to 2017 by revisiting their resolutions and predictions from last year and making new ones for 2018.

On Wednesday, Beyoncé released two major projects. On Netflix, a new documentary captures the process of putting on headlining appearances at last year's Coachella Music Festival. She also surprise-released a double-length live album that contains ju...Show More

It's time again for our summer movie preview. We'll take a shot at guessing hits and misses, and we'll tell you what we can't wait to see.

Today we open up the vault to finally bring you a segment we recorded back in 2016 with our pal Audie Cornish. You'll hear us live in Seattle offering advice on some classic pop culture problems.

It's been 60 years since The Twilight Zone first aired, with the voice and eventually the face of its creator, Rod Serling. Now, CBS All Access has brought the anthology series back in a new incarnation. This time, the host is Jordan Peele. He is als...Show More

For the last four seasons, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has followed Rebecca Bunch as she pursued love, dreaded her mother, and tried to address her mental health. The show stars Rachel Bloom as Bunch, who created the show with Aline Brosh Mckenna. Now, it's ...Show More

"Shazam!" is what young Billy Batson says to morph into a big red superhero. It's also the name of the new movie about him. Starring Zachary Levi as the big lug in the suit, Shazam! makes for a lighter DC Comics movie.

Spring is here, but it's been a long winter. And we're a little overwhelmed by the news of the world, so we're taking a moment to share some of the things that lift our spirits in a segment we call Pop Culture Serotonin.

The comedy series What We Do In The Shadows imagines what a slacker reality show might look like if all the roommates were vampires. The show is based on a 2014 film of the same name, which was helmed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. A new cast...Show More

The new Hulu series Shrill follows Annie, a young writer. She's trying to get her career moving, figure out what's up with her sort-of boyfriend, and learn to feel good about her body. Annie is played by Saturday Night Live's Aidy Bryant, who develop...Show More

Us is Jordan Peele's follow up to his 2017 film Get Out. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o as a mother whose whole family is confronted by their own doppelgängers.

The South by Southwest music festival brings together artists from around the world to perform in big venues and small ones, on sidewalks and sprawling stages. Every year, we bring back some musical discoveries that just might be your next favorites.

The much-praised Hulu series PEN15 is about two middle-school girls who feel like they might never figure out how to grow into adults. The show was created by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle and Sam Zvibelman. And the hook is that Erskine and Konkle play v...Show More

Comedy Central's very funny new show The Other Two is about the older siblings of a newly minted YouTube star. His fame makes them feel overshadowed in some of the ways you might expect. But it's also a chance for them to look out for him, and to lea...Show More

NPR Music is heading to South By Southwest in Austin, Texas. It's a huge feast of musical discovery that brings together bands and fans from around the world. All Songs Considered convened a panel to preview some of the new discoveries we're most exc...Show More

Captain Marvel is the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the first movie to give a woman the lead role. Brie Larson stars as a badass space-warrior fighting in an intergalactic war between two alien races. Samuel L. Jackson is back as...Show More

If you came of age in the 1990s, you might know Luke Perry as the rebellious teenage fantasy boyfriend Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210. But you also might know him from the original movie version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Or as Archie's dad on...Show More

Today we're diving into the complicated and tangled world of Netflix's Russian Doll, a series anchored by a dynamic performance from Natasha Lyonne. She co-created the series with Leslye Headland and Amy Poehler.

Green Book is your best picture, and Bohemian Rhapsody and Roma took a bunch of the top prizes, too. And it all got done in a ceremony without a host. We're breaking it all down: the winners, the speeches, the songs, why we're mad, and why we're glad...Show More

Where will you find rock bands going up against jazz pianists, superheroes, and scheming women in beautiful dresses? At this year's Oscars. We're going to talk actors, directors, and much more. We'll also make some predictions, so we might help you w...Show More

Pop Culture Happy Hour is in its ninth year, so Linda decided to write a quiz about the ninth seasons of television shows. Stephen and Glen faced off against one of our favorite podcast teams, Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings of The Nod. This episode w...Show More

We're diving into the Oscar-nominated documentaries and foreign language films. We'll tell you which ones to watch and where to find them, which might make you the star of your Oscar party.

This year's awards were a big night for Childish Gambino and Kacey Musgraves. It was also a night of strong performances from artists like Janelle Monae and Cardi B. And don't forget Diana Ross, who wished herself a happy birthday a month and a half ...Show More

The Lego Movie was a surprise commercial and critical hit. It starred Chris Pratt as an every-man construction worker named Emmet and Elizabeth Banks as a rugged bad ass called Wyldstyle. Together, they saved the Lego world. Now, five years later, Em...Show More

Another year, another Patriots Super Bowl win. But was it a high scoring game? It was not. In fact, no one had even scored a touchdown when Maroon 5 came out to headline the halftime show. We recap the game, the halftime show, and the commercials.

What do Bohemian Rhapsody, Vice, and Green Book have in common? Two things: one, they're nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars; and two, they're based on events in the lives of real people. Today, awards season leads us to a wide-reaching conversa...Show More

If you've noticed your friends have been a little more "tidy" than usual, or your thrift store a bit better stocked, it might be because of Netflix. The streaming series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo has spurred an organizational renaissance. Or at lea...Show More

Alfonso Cuarón directed the award-winning film Gravity in 2013, and won an Oscar for it. Now he's back with a movie that's equally ambitious, and much more personal. Roma is inspired by Alfonso Cuarón's childhood, and the movie tells the story of Cl...Show More

Despite how firm our opinions often seem when we first declare them, there have been times when they've changed. During our recent live show at the Brooklyn Podcast Festival, we took a moment to talk about some things we have different feelings on no...Show More

In 2000, director M. Night Shyamalan presented Unbreakable, the story of two men whose epic tales of good and evil collided. Then came 2016's Split, a stealth sequel. Now, Shyamalan wraps up the trilogy with Glass.

The Masked Singer isn't your everyday singing competition. Based on a South Korean format, each week we learn the identity of the elaborately costumed "celebrity" who gets voted off. So far, we've unmasked football player Antonio Brown, and comedian ...Show More

After winning an Oscar in 2017 for Moonlight, director Barry Jenkins is back with If Beale Street Could Talk. This time, he adapts a James Baldwin novel for the screen.

Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody unexpectedly won big. So did thanking your parents and going on just a little too long. It's the wee hours of Monday morning, and we are wrapping up this year's big winners and big surprises.

The sci-fi series Black Mirror has always been about changing technology and its usually dark implications for the future. Its latest episode, Bandersnatch, is itself the result of new technology developed at Netflix. As you watch it, you make your o...Show More

Fox canceled Brooklyn Nine-Nine at the end of its fifth season, but much to our delight, NBC picked it back up again. It's coming back for a sixth season starting on January 10th, and we thought that would make it just the right time to revisit our c...Show More

Today, we look back on our 2018 resolutions to see how we fared, and make some new ones for the year to come. We also make our fearless pop culture predictions for the next 12 months, and see how last year's predictions panned out.

The animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse focuses on one of the Spider-People who has come along in the years since the world first met Peter Parker, in 1962. In the film, Miles Morales is a Brooklyn teenager who acquires spider-powers at the sa...Show More

It's the end of the year, and that makes it the perfect time to talk about the things we loved the most in 2018. From Black Panther, to Crazy Rich Asians, to the viral moments you might have missed, we are rounding up our fifteen favorites of the yea...Show More

In 1964, the original Mary Poppins made Julie Andrews a movie star and introduced a generation to Dick Van Dyke's regrettable Cockney accent. Now, Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda head up Mary Poppins Returns.

The Favourite, set in the early 1700s, tells the story of Britain's Queen Anne and two women who are jostling for her favor. Rachel Weisz plays the Queen's close adviser Sarah, and Emma Stone plays an ambitious servant named Abigail who has her eye ...Show More

Comedian Guy Branum joins NPR's Sam Sanders to talk about his new book My Life As A Goddess and the many challenges presented by a mostly white, hetero-normative comedy scene.

What's warm and fuzzy, emotionally manipulative, and desperate for attention almost every hour of every day? Linda's dog, sure. But also the Hallmark Channel's endless supply of holiday movies and the competitors nipping at their heels.

You can't have an abundance of Christmas songs without also having an abundance of opinions about Christmas songs — songs we love, songs we hate, songs we love when they're sung by one person, but hate when they're sung by another. This week on Pop ...Show More

Wreck It Ralph was a hit when it came out in 2012. Ralph Breaks the Internet picks up where that film left off, and is even more ambitious than its predecessor. This time, Ralph travels to the Internet — which gives the movie a lot of material to wor...Show More

It's been three years since the Rocky movies were reborn with Creed, starring Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed's son, Adonis. Now, in Creed 2, Adonis is up against the son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed his father in the ring in 1985.

Widows is not your average heist movie — director Steve McQueen and co-screenwriter Gillian Fylnn have created something far more interesting. The film also has a star-studded cast that includes Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Michelle Rodriguez, Brian ...Show More

Die Hard turned 30 this year. So as the season of Season's Greetings approaches, it's time for the Pop Culture Happy Hour conversation we've always been dying to have.

In the Amazon thriller Homecoming, Julia Roberts plays a caseworker at a facility that helps soldiers re-adjust to civilian life. Or at least that's what she thinks it does. But calls from a mysterious boss and sessions with a young soldier make her ...Show More

Stan Lee helped create some of the most indelible comic book characters in American popular culture, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and Black Panther. He died Monday. He was 95.

There are a bunch of new shows to pay attention to this season, and today we're talking about two of our favorite talk entries — Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj and Busy Tonight.

Nobody's Fool is a Tyler Perry movie, but maybe more important at the moment, it's a Tiffany Haddish movie. Haddish plays Tanya, who fears her sister is being catfished in an online relationship.

The Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House tells what is, in many ways, an old-fashioned ghost story. Moving between the past and the present, the series traces the effects of trauma on a family that once chose to spend a summer living in a house ...Show More

Wildlife, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan, tells the story of a marriage in crisis in 1960's Montana. Based on a novel by Richard Ford and directed by actor Paul Dano, it's told from the point of view of a young teenager watching his fami...Show More

Beautiful Boy is a story of addiction starring two Oscar-nominated actors. Timothée Chalamet plays Nic Sheff, who's addicted to crystal meth. Steve Carell plays David Sheff, his journalist father who's struggling to help him get well.

It's been forty years since the release of the classic horror film, Halloween. Since then, the franchise has wandered through its own house of horrors in the form of sequels and reboots. The newest Halloween throws all of those additions out, and ass...Show More

If you've been longing for a cartoon that covers the really important questions — like how to manage lust, and how to avoid your embarrassing parents — you are in luck. Big Mouth, Netflix's animated comedy series about the horrors of puberty, is b...Show More

In Venom, Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist who's trying to rebound from a major setback in his career. But Eddie's plans are halted when he's overtaken by a violent — and gooey — alien symbiote.

First Man tells the story of Neil Armstrong's life in the decade leading up to his walk on the moon. Ryan Gosling stars as Armstrong, and it's directed by Damien Chazelle. It's the second time they're teaming up after the huge commercial and critical...Show More

The Hate U Give finds teenager Starr Carter caught between two worlds — her mostly black neighborhood and a white prep school. When her friend Khalil is killed by a police officer, she's forced to reconcile these two very different parts of her ident...Show More

Lady Gaga stars opposite Bradley Cooper in the latest retelling of A Star Is Born. It's also Cooper's directing debut, with a cast that includes Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, and Dave Chappelle. We're joined by Ari Shapiro to break down the singing,...Show More

What has Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, menswear looks, mysteries, and YouTube's most cheerful mom? It's the stylish, mischievous, and sometimes darkly funny thriller A Simple Favor.

We're excited for a whole bunch of new movies this fall. Today, we dive into our 2018 Fall Movie Preview and talk about as many of them as we can — from the big studio flicks to the festival favorites and everything in between.

We recommended a lot of stuff during our 'All-Books' episode. So please enjoy this second volume (see what we did there?) of the All-Books Edition of Pop Culture Happy Hour, again led by our extra special panel.

Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen star in the new Amazon series Forever. The two of them play a middle-aged married couple named Oscar and June, who are in a bit of a rut. Along the way, they find themselves in an unexpected situation that challenges the...Show More

We're here to fill you in on everything you need to know about the 2018 Emmys. On a night we were constantly reminded how diverse this year's nominations were — the winners were mostly white. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Game of Thrones won the top ...Show More

Today, we take a break from TV and movies to talk about some of our favorite books we've read — and what books we're most looking forward to this fall.

Dwayne Johnson, AKA The Rock, has fought all kinds of things in the movies. Earthquakes, criminals, zoo animals. And now, he's up against a building. On today's Pop Culture Happy Hour, we're defying gravity and saving our families.

Hannah Gadsby's Netflix special arrived in late June and has become a genuine phenomenon. It's an hour that starts as standup and morphs into something else entirely. Guest: Comedian, actor, and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Kumail Nanjiani.

Before Gillian Flynn wrote Gone Girl, she wrote Sharp Objects. Now, HBO has produced an adaptation starring Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Chris Messina. Guest: NPR Weekend Edition books editor, Barrie Hardymon.

Jeopardy! — the juggernaut, the pop culture monster, the game show to shave your mustache to and then grow it back again. Guest: NPR Music's Marissa Lorusso.

The sequel to 2015's Ant-Man is just as light and inconsequential, but a forgettable villain and an over-complicated plot means it has to work harder — and it shows. Guest: writer Chris Klimek.

Using archival footage and new interviews, Morgan Neville's film explores what how Rogers' unusual children's show came to be and what his legacy is for tens of millions of kids who are now tens of millions of grownups. Guest: Daisy Rosario of NPR me...Show More

Stephen Thompson and our pals at NPR Music road-test the songs the songs of the summer.

The panel chats about some of their favorite cooking shows including Top Chef, Chopped and Chef's Table. Guests: Weekend Edition editor Barrie Hardymon and Code Switch's Kat Chow. (This segment originally aired on September 9, 2016.)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom takes a bizarre but not unwelcome left turn. How does it compare to 2015's mediocre but hugely successful revival and the original 1993 film? Guest: Chris Klimek.

You can find new stand-up specials just about every week. In fact, you can find so many that it's hard to keep track of them all. So we spent this episode recommending eight standout specials. Guest: Pop Culture Happy Hour producer emeritus and Ask M...Show More

The action of this animated sequel, which picks up where The Incredibles ended 14 years ago, is fresh and inventive, but the laughs aren't. Guest: NPR Code Switch host Gene Demby.

The Tony Awards paid off for The Band's Visit, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Angels in America revival and a scrappy theater kid named Bruce Springsteen. Also we remember chef and television host Anthony Bourdain, who died last week.

Ocean's 8 great cast and some clever commentary about women and Hollywood make it a whole lot of fun. Guest: Bim Adewunmi, senior culture writer at Buzzfeed and co-host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast.

At last, we take a deep, overdue dive into the sweet, tangy jars of emotional marmalade that are the Paddington films. Guests: writer Chris Klimek and librarian Margaret Willison.

We talk about one of the most durable franchises in television history. Guests: Librarian Margaret H. Willison and Sarah D. Bunting, the East Coast Editor of Previously.TV

Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso are still at it in Cobra Kai, a surprisingly interesting look at what happens later to people who peak — or crash — in high school. Guests: All Things Considered Host Audie Cornish and NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans.

The odds of successfully telling the origin story of the Star Wars trilogy's lovable rogue are approximately 3,720 to 1. After a sluggish start, Solo: A Star Wars Story beats those odds. Guest: NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen.

Normally, royal weddings are like the Oscars: a lot of pomp, but no real surprises. But when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, the audience sat up and took notice. Guests: Weekend Edition Editor Barrie Hardymon and Librarian Margaret Willison.

Ryan Reynolds once again assumes the role of a deadly mercenary who makes many references to various pop culture properties while disemboweling folk a lot. Guests: Writer Chris Klimek and Daisy Rosario of NPR Member Station WAMU.

The new Starz half-hour drama tells the story of two young women who learn a lot about their mother when they go home to deal with the consequences of her death. Guest: Daisy Rosario of NPR Member Station WAMU.

Written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman, the film stars Charlize Theron in an often brutal look at the emotional and physical tolls of parenthood. Guest: Weekend Edition Editor Barrie Hardymon.

BBC America's cat-and-mouse spy show is a classic genre piece executed very well. We talk about its tension and its great lead performance from Sandra Oh on this week's episode. Guest: Code Switch's Kat Chow

The Avengers try to keep a space-tyrant from performing cosmic genocide. The film doubles down on character interactions both familiar and unfamiliar. Guest: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby.

After seven seasons, Shonda Rhimes' roller-coaster of a drama screeches to a final halt as Olivia Pope and the team try to get out of one last scrape and Olivia tries to make it to Vermont. Guests: All Things Considered host Audie Cornish, NPR TV Cri...Show More

The panel predicsts the hits and flops, tell you what they're looking forward to, and help you spend that ticket money wisely. Guest: Aisha Harris, host of Slate's Represent podcast.

Star Trek vs. Star Wars? The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones? Gale vs. Peeta? Batman vs. Superman? The gang breaks down their favorite pop culture dichotomies. Guest: NPR Books editor Petra Mayer. (This segment originally aired on November 14, 2014.)

To talk about the PBS institution that celebrates used stuff and how much it may or may not be worth. Guest: Jesse Thorn, host of NPR's Bullseye and the head honcho of the Maximum Fun podcast network.

Bill Hader stars as a depressed hit man who wants a fresh start in acting but can't seem to get one. And the HBO comedy-drama asks questions most antihero shows won't. Guest: NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans.

The panel chats about the Roseanne revival and how the show's politics intersects with the politics of Roseanne Barr. Plus, what's making us happy this week. Guest: Hanna Rosin, Co-Host of Invisibilia.

The panel chats about Love, Simon; the first big American studio film to give a gay teenager the kind of story that John Hughes gave straight kids in the 1980s. Guest: Dave Holmes, Editor at Large for Esquire.com.

Spielberg returns to his cinema-as-thrill-ride roots in this adaptation of Ernest Cline's YA novel. Guest: The Verge's Tasha Robinson.

The panel chats about the new Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs, a stop-motion-animated film about loyal dogs exiled to a lonely island. Guest: Film critic Chris Klimek.

The panels shares some of their favorite new music discoveries from this year's SXSW Music Festival. Guests: NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael and music writer Katie Presley.

The panel High Maintenance, HBO's anthology series about a marijuana dealer and his clients in New York City. Guests: Weekend Edition editor Barrie Hardymon and All Things Considered host Audie Cornish.

The panel chats about some of their favorite talk show guests and what makes an ideal host-guest dynamic. Guest: Comedian Guy Branum, the host and creator of TruTV's Talk Show the Game Show.

Donald Glover's Emmy-winning comedy returns for second season that includes sharply drawn characters and an appreciation for the problems with success. Guests: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby and It's Been a Minute host Sam Sanders.

Director Ava DuVernay's adaptation of the classic Madeleine L'Engle novel is devoid of cynicism, filled with beautiful images and deeply moving. Guest: Daisy Rosario of NPR member station WAMU.

Last year's Oscars were wildly unpredictable. This year's were very predictable, with big wins for The Shape Of Water, all the actors who were expected to win all along, and Jordan Peele.

The team takes a moment to consider the upcoming Oscars in categories big and small. They probably won't end with anyone handing over the wrong envelope. But wouldn't it be surprising if they did? Guest: NPR Film Critic Bob Mondello

The panel tries to stump each other with clips from the weirdest TV they could find. Guest: All Things Considered host Audie Cornish.

Alex Garland's new sci-fi thriller is very weird, and we loved it. Guests: Writer Chris Klimek and Daisy Rosario of NPR member station WAMU.

Ryan Coogler's Marvel film, set largely in the richly imagined Afro-futurist utopia of Wakanda, is by turns intimate, immediate and — most importantly — new. Guest: Code Switch's Gene Demby.

Sam Sanders joins the panel to talk about his memories of the Sochi Olympics, the way young athletes handle attention and athleticism itself, what we love watching during this year's games in Pyeongchang.

The panel discusses the Oscar-nominated film Darkest Hour, which stars Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. Guest: Aisha Harris, host of Slate's Represent Podcast.

The Eagles won a thrilling victory in the Super Bowl on Sunday night, to the delight of Philadelphians everywhere. Tom Brady of the Patriots proved fallible, while Justin Timberlake was ... just fine. Guests: Code Switch's Gene Demby and writer Katie...Show More

Roxane Gay latest book is the memoir Hunger. It's about her relationship with her body, with trauma, and with her own history. In September 2017, host Linda Holmes and Gay sat down at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. They talked about wr...Show More

We recap the highlights of this year's Grammy Awards, including a sweep by Bruno Mars and memorable performances from Kendrick Lamar and Kesha. Guests: NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden.

We chat about The Good Doctor, ABC's hit medical drama in which Freddie Highmore plays a surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome. Guest: Uproxx TV Critic Alan Sepinwall.

The gang discusses Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, Phantom Thread. The story about the twisted relationship between a dressmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his muse (Vicky Krieps) just earned six Oscar nominations. Guest: KJZZ Senior Producer and Dan...Show More

The gang takes a look at Amy Sherman-Palladino's award-winning comedy, starring Rachel Brosnahan as a '50s housewife-turned-comedian. And, as always, What's Making Us Happy this week. Guests: Writer Katie Presley and Weekend Edition Books Editor Barr...Show More

The panel talks about the Florida Project, Sean Baker's small-scale but memorable film set at a motel near Disney World. Then, we take a moment to remember Dolores O'Riodan, the lead singer of the Cranberries, who died suddenly at age 46. Guest: Code...Show More

This week's show takes a look at an emerging awards contender in the acting categories: I, Tonya, the semi-mockumentary retelling of the life of Tonya Harding, controversial figure skater. Guest: Librarian Margaret H. Willison.

Recent stories of sexual harassment and abuse in Hollywood inspired black dresses and unexpected guests at the Golden Globes. Plus, Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to win the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and she spent nearly all her time talkin...Show More

Host Linda Holmes talks with actor John Cho (Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, Star Trek) about why he misses doing broad comedies, his decision to join The Exorcist, what it's like being the subject of internet fandom, and his new film Columbus.

The panel chats about Black Mirror, Netflix's sci-fi anthology series. The fourth season premiers today. Guests: film and theater critic Chris Klimek and Brittany Luse, co-host of The Nod.

The panel runs down their 15 favorite TV shows, movies, books, video games, and trends of 2017.

The panel chats about the Post, Steven Spielberg's latest film which follows the Washington Post's decision to publish the Pentagon Papers. The movie stars Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. Guest: All Things Considered Film Critic Bob Mondello.

While you may have wrapped up your Hanukkah celebrations, we wanted to share a conversation about the role that Hanukkah plays for kids and adults, and some of the pop culture that surrounds it. Guests: Weekend Edition Editor Barrie Hardymon and KJZZ...Show More

Writer/director Rian Johnson joins the Star Wars franchise to deliver a chapter that's fast, fun and freewheeling, even as it introduces surprising nuance to the classic Dark Side vs. Light Side beef. Guest: NPR White House Correspondent Tamara Keith...Show More

The panel talks about the Guillermo del Toro film about a woman racing to save her not-quite-human true love from the bad guys. Guest: NPR Arts Desk Correspondent Neda Ulaby.

James Franco's The Disaster Artist tells the story of the making of The Room, one of the most famous awful movies of all time. The panel sits down to talk about Franco's vision and his muse. Guest: NPR Music's Marissa Lorusso.

Luca Guadagnino's lush adaptation of Andre Aciman's novel stars Timothee Chalamet as a teenage prodigy who falls in love with a visiting grad student played by Armie Hammer. Guest: All Things Considered Film Critic Bob Mondello.

The panel reviews Martin McDonagh's polarizing new film, which stars Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell. Guest: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby.

Pixar's latest animated film follows young Miguel through an adventure that teaches him about family and remembrance. Code Switch's Shereen Marisol Meraji joins the panel to talk about the film and the Disney short Olaf's Frozen Advenure.

The panel checks in with the ABC sitcom Black-ish, then share what's making them happy this week. Guests: Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings, co-hosts of The Nod.

The panel chats about why they love Lady Bird, the coming-of-age film written and directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan.

The gang discusses DC Comics' latest movie, featuring Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Cyborg. That, plus What's Making Us Happy this week. Guests: NPR Music

The panel tackles Kenneth Branagh's new Agatha Christie remake — and picks a few recommendations for when you just want to snuggle under blankets and watch a murder get solved. Guests: Weekend Edition Editor Barrie Hardymon and Librarian Margaret H. ...Show More

All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro joins the panel to disuss This Is Us, NBC's hit family drama. Then, All Things Considered Host Audie Cornish tags in for a chat about ABC's new sitcom Speechless. Plus, what's making us happy this week. (This ep...Show More

The Pop Culture Happy Hour gang answer some pop culture advice questions, including balancing recaps with television consumption and if you should try to expand your girlfriend's pop culture tastes.

The panel takes on the latest from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with help from Code Switch co-host and established Taika Waititi fan Shereen Marisol Meraji.

After a highly successful first season, the Netflix monster mystery returns. But does it overcome the challenges that have plagued sequels for decades? Guest: TV Critic Eric Deggans.

The panel discusses American Vandal, the Netflix mockumentary series that's a hilariously precise dissection of our cultural fascination with true crime narratives. Guest: Mallory Ortberg of Slate's Dear Prudence.

Author, comedian, and fake internet judge John Hodgman talks about his new book Vacationland, mediating internet disputes, writing a serious book after a lot of fake facts, and lots more.

NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith joins the panel to talk about the oddly successful and often bizarre ABC series that brings entrepreneurs to beg for money from rich people.

Actor Tom Hanks talks to host Linda Holmes about his new short story collection Uncommon Type, the cosmos, David S. Pumpkins, Nora Ephron, men dancing in shrimp costumes, and how the film industry is changing.

NBC's Will & Grace is back for at least two revival seasons, more than 10 years after it went off the air the first time. But is the sitcom still relevant in 2017? Guests: Tobin Low and Kathy Tu, Co-Hosts of Nancy from WNYC Studios.

A discussion of the NBC comedy The Good Place, which stars Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. We're big fans of the show, and it's from one of the creators of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's funny and weird and packed with jokes, and it's...Show More

Writer Chris Klimek joins Stephen Thompson and Glen Weldon to discuss Denis Villeneuve's sequel to the Ridley Scott cult classic Blade Runner.

This year The Princess Bride turns 30, so we decided to discuss the film and its enduring legacy. Plus, we take a moment to remember rock legend Tom Petty, who died Monday at the age of 66. Guest: Code Switch's Kat Chow.

The new film, starring Emma Stone as Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs, the players facing off in one of the most famous tennis matches in history. Plus, what's making us happy this week. Guest: Writer Katie Presley.

Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, and Glen Weldon discuss three recent releases then look back at their summer box office predictions.

As summer gives way to fall, blockbusters give way to award contenders. Critics Linda Holmes, Bob Mondello, Tasha Robinson, and Bilal Quershi share some of the best, buzziest and otherwise noteworthy films coming to theaters.

NPR's TV critic joins the gang for a look at this year's Emmy Awards. The Handmaid's Tale, Big Little Lies, Saturday Night Live, Veep and Atlanta all won multiple awards in major categories, on a night that rarely strayed far from current events. Als...Show More

The gang tackles David Simon's new HBO drama about the rise of the adult-film industry in New York's Times Square. And, as always, What's Making Us Happy this week. Guests: Weekend Edition Books Editor Barrie Hardymon and Writer Katie Presley.

It's Been a Minute host Sam Sanders and writer Katie Presley join Glen Weldon and Stephen Thompson for an old favorite: People We're Pulling For. The panel explains why props to a comedian, a TV mogul, a wonderfully eccentric author and a deeply dry ...Show More

Weekend Edition Book Editor Barrie Hardymon and librarian Margaret Willison chat with Linda about Outlander, a sexy time-travel fantasy series currently airing on Starz. The series is based on a popular series of romance novels by Diana Gabaldon.

Nancy Meyers is the filmmaker behind comedies like Something's Gotta Give and It's Complicated. Now her daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, is joining the family business with her debut film Home Again, which stars Reese Witherspoon. Host Linda Holmes tal...Show More

Director, writer, and actor Lake Bell talks about the making of her new film I Do... Until I Don't, the way her British friends hang up the phone, and her fascination with unseen voices.

Game of Thrones just wrapped its penultimate season, so we sit down for a spoiler-packed discussion with our pals Gene Demby, Barrie Hardymon, and Tasha Robinson.

Music writers Sarah Ventre and Marissa Lorusso join us to discuss Taylor Swift's new single and a disjointed MTV Video Music Awards hosted by Katy Perry.

The broadcast, cable and streaming networks have a lot on tap for the remainder of 2017. We talk about what we are excited to watch and what we think we survive cancellation

Steven Soderbergh's racetrack heist film opened small for a big director, but its strong cast (Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig) and unusual release strategy make it a lot of fun to talk about. Guests: Culture writers Chris Klimek and Da...Show More

Sam Sanders (NPR's It's Been A Minute) joins the panel for the Regrettable Television Pop Quiz, in which the gang shares their knowledge about trashy television of the past and present.

Actress Judith Light talks to host Linda Holmes her roles as Shelly Pfefferman on Transparent, Angela Bower on Who's The Boss?, and Karen Wolek on One Life To Live.

Dark Tower is a snooze, so instead we talk about some of our favorite Stephen King books and film adaptations. Guests: Weekend Edition Books Editor Barrie Hardymon and The Verge's TV and Film Editor Tasha Robinson.

We discuss Kathryn Bigelow's new film Detroit. Its intense and unsettling depictions of police brutality in the summer of 1967, Detroit got under the panel's skin in different ways. Guests: Gene Demby (NPR's Code Switch) and Aisha Harris (Slate).

We check back in on Issa Rae's HBO comedy series Insecure as it kicks off its tighter, more assured second season. Plus, What's Making Us Happy this week. Guest: Brittany Luse, co-host of The Nod podcast.

Film critic Chris Klimek joins us to talk Atomic Blonde, a stylish and visceral spy thriller set in 1989 Berlin. It co-stars Charlize Theron and a really impressive wig.

We review the bonkers space opera Valerian, a passion project of director Luc Besson. Guest: Aisha Harris, host of Slate's Represent podcast.

The "surprising" success of the raunch-com Girls Trip didn't particularly surprise us; we talk about precisely where this "out-of-nowhere" hit came from. Guests: Code Switch's Gene Demby and Slate's Aisha Harris.

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen joins the panel for a discussion of the new film Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan's World War II epic.

We sort out the adventures of Dale Cooper and the other residents of Twin Peaks: what works, what doesn't, and whether there's such a thing as "understanding." Plus, we remember George Romero, Martin Landau, and celebrate a new Doctor. Guests: NPR TV...Show More

All Things Considered host Audie Cornish joins the panel for discussions about Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming and Andy Samberg's HBO special Tour de Pharmacy.

First, a discussion of Baby Driver, Edgar Wright's fun new action film with Code Switch co-host Gene Demby and It's Been a Minute host Sam Sanders. Then, Code Switch co-host Shereen Marisol Meraji and the panel dive into what happens when auteur dire...Show More

This week, All Things Considered host Audie Cornish joins the panel to chat about how they spent their summers growing up. Plus, a conversation with best friends Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham of USA's Playing House.

This week, the panel discusses Netflix's new wrestling comedy GLOW with NPR's Code Switch Kat Chow. Then, we bring you a conversation we recently had in Los Angeles with Master of None actress and writer Lena Waithe.

This week, the panel talks about Wonder Woman — or Diana, Princess of Themyscira — with NPR Books Editor Petra Mayer. Then, they shift the spotlight to the stage to talk about the Tony Awards with critics Trey Graham and Chris Klimek.

This week, we bring you two unaired segments from our fall tour. First, All Things Considered host Audie Cornish helps us figure out when to quit a television show — and when to stick it out to the bitter end. Then, Mallory Ortberg (Slate's Dear Prud...Show More

This week the panel is prepping for a few live shows, so we decided to revisit one of our favorite episodes from 2015. Code Switch's Kat Chow joins us for a chat about the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and and the line between inspired and...Show More

Film critic Chris Klimek joins the panel for a chat about the new Ridley Scott film Alien: Covenant and HBO's Veep.

On this week's show, Gene Demby from NPR's Code Switch and NPR TV critic Eric Deggans join us for a conversation about the second season of Master Of None and the very silly film Snatched.

The panel talks about the harrowing TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, then switches gears to check in on the NBC comedy Great News, from – among others – executive producer Tina Fey. Guests: Code Switch's Leah Donnella and Weekend E...Show More

This week we discuss Marvel's space action-comedy Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. Plus, a conversation we recently had in Chicago with comedian and writer W. Kamau Bell.

All Things Considered Host Audie Cornish joins us for our annual summer movie preview. We break down what we are excited to watch, what we think will smash box office records, and what we think will lose millions of dollars.

Code Switch's Gene Demby and critic Chris Klimek join the gang for a discussion of latest installment of the Fast and the Furious franchise. Then, it's time for a discussion of clapbacks and feuds recorded live in Chicago with our NPR's Sam Sanders.

The panel is on the road this week, so we are bringing you two special treats. First, you'll hear an episode of Code Switch that explores how comics are used as spaces for mapping race and identity. Then, we revisit our conversation about RuPaul's Dr...Show More

The panel dissects the new podcast S-Town, the latest project from the team behind Serial and This American life. Then, they'll chat about Chewing Gum, a british sex comedy that's now streaming on Netflix. Guest: Librarian Margaret H. Willison.

First we review Dave Chappelle's new Netflix stand-up specials with Code Switch's Gene Demby and For Colored Nerds co-host Brittany Luse. Then, we discuss the action comedy CHiPs with Morning Edition host David Greene. Plus, what's making us happy.

The panel discusses a tale as old as time, Disney's remake of Beauty and the Beast. Then, they share what bands and films they saw at SXSW. Guest: Katie Presley, Bitch Media's music editor.

Comedian Guy Branum joins the panel for a discussion about why some fads and memes endure and others fade away. Then, the panel offer some pop culture advice to listeners. Plus, NPR Books Editor Petra Mayer talks to Neil Gaiman about his new book Nor...Show More

This week, we'll get very unsettled by the very successful film, Get Out, and we'll catch up with the intrigue of The Americans as it returns for its fifth season. Plus, what's making us happy this week. Guests: Code Switch's Kat Chow and Gene Demby.

This week, we'll drop in on the volatile suburban surroundings of HBO's Big Little Lies, and we'll consider Ryan Murphy's high-drama look at Hollywood legends in Feud. Guest: NPR Editor Barrie Hardymon.

It wasn't a terribly exciting or unusual Academy Awards telecast — until all of a sudden, it made all kinds of history.

NPR film critic Bob Mondello joins us for our annual Oscars Omnibus: We talk the nominees for Best Picture, some of the hottest races, and make some predictions we may regret later. Plus, what's making us happy this week.

Morning Edition Host David Greene talks with singer and actor Justin Timberlake about how it feels to be an Oscar nominee, his boy band past, and progress on his upcoming album. (A shorter version of this interview aired on Morning Edition on Februar...Show More

Television critic Alan Sepinwall joins us for a discussion of the new FX series Legion, which is based on an obscure X-Men character and adapted by Fargo's Noah Hawley. Then, they'll chat about Planet Earth II, the BBC nature documentary series that ...Show More

Glen Weldon talks to author Philip Pullman about his return to the world of Lyra Belacqua, who we first met in The Golden Compass. The first volume of the new trilogy will be published in October.

NPR Music's Jacob Ganz and Stephen Thompson join Linda Holmes for a discussion of Beyoncé, Adele, Chance the Rapper, Bruno Mars, and much more.

NPR Politics Podcast alum Sam Sanders joins the panel for The LEGO Batman Movie. Then, Code Switch's Kat Chow sits in for a chat about MasterChef Junior and other kids reality competition shows. Plus, what's making us happy this week.

Code Switch's Gene Demby joins Stephen Thompson and Linda Holmes for a look at Super Bowl LI. The New England Patriots won with a huge fourth-quarter push, and also featured a high-flying halftime show from Lady Gaga, who mixed traditional Americana ...Show More

NPR film critic Bob Mondello joins the panel for a roundup of all the films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature: I Am Not Your Negro, OJ: Made in America, Fire at Sea, 13th, and Life, Animated. Then they'll discuss The Salesm...Show More

Sarah D. Bunting of Previously.TV and the Extra Hot Great podcast joins the panel for a review of Riverdale, the CW's dark and sexy reimagining of Archie Comics (yes, really). Then it's onto other teen soaps from Dawson's Creek, Beverley Hills 90210,...Show More

Mary Tyler Moore died Wednesday at 80 years old. Host Linda Holmes talks to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend star and co-creator Rachel Bloom about how one very funny woman of television influenced many others.