Television

Arts

Gleefully Lurid 'Brand New Cherry Flavor' Explores The (Black) Magic Of The Movies

11:51am August 13, 2021

by Glen Weldon

The trippy Netflix series about a student filmmaker who uses dark magic to get revenge on a sleazy producer borrows heavily from Cronenberg and Lynch, but tells a weird, gruesome tale all its own.

Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) spend some time together on the Christmas episode of Ted Lasso.

Arts

'Ted Lasso' Recap, Season 2, Episode 4: At Christmas, Sam Gets His Goat

9:56am August 13, 2021

by Linda Holmes

In a charming Christmas episode, Ted Lasso himself struggles to feel the holiday spirit, but the team finds joy over dinner and Roy and Keeley help Phoebe battle a bully.

Filmmaker Ken Burns has produced and directed historical documentaries for more than 30 years. In March, 140 documentary filmmakers signed a letter to PBS executives, suggesting the service may provide an unfair level of support to white creators.

Arts

PBS And Ken Burns Vow To Do Better On Diversity But Critics Aren't Convinced

1:57pm August 12, 2021

by Eric Deggans

PBS has announced $11 million in grants to boost diversity among documentary filmmakers months after an open letter accused the service of unfairly favoring white creators.

'Jeopardy!' Announces 2 Permanent Hosts: Mayim Bialik And Mike Richards

8:25am August 12, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

After much speculation, Sony Pictures Television has named two people to fill the Jeopardy! hosting role left open after the death of longtime host Alex Trebek.

Mike Richards, left, and Mayim Bialik will co-host Jeopardy!

Arts

It's Double 'Jeopardy!': Mike Richards And Mayim Bialik Will Be New Hosts

9:06pm August 11, 2021

by Neda Ulaby

In a surprise move, Jeopardy! has selected actor Mayim Bialik and current executive producer Mike Richards as permanent new hosts of the game show.

Kenan Thompson speaks on stage during the 2019 New Yorker Festival. He's currently nominated for two Emmy Awards, one for Kenan, and another for his comic performances on SNL.

Arts

'Put Me On Blast': Kenan Thompson On 'SNL' And His New, Self-Titled Sitcom

1:43pm August 11, 2021

by Terry Gross

The SNL veteran plays a widowed father on his NBC show. Thompson says being a dad and playing a dad on TV can be a whirlwind: "I'm living my character kind of 24/7 in a weird way."

Queue Listen Now

A Review Of Marvel's New Animated Series: 'What If...'

6:29am August 11, 2021

by Eric Deggans

What If... is a new Disney+ animated series placing classic Marvel superhero characters in different circumstances. Our TV critic says it brings insight to some of Marvels most popular characters.

Uatu the Watcher (voiced by Jeffrey Wright) is your guide to Disney+'s What If...?, which mixes up characters and events in the MCU.

Arts

'What If...?' Gives The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Animated Banger Of A Remix

5:01am August 11, 2021

This animated anthology series boasts clever writing, fluid animation and stories that mix and match MCU characters, who are voiced (mostly) by the actors who played them on the big screen.

In Batman: Urban Legends #6, Robin (Tim Drake) comes to a realization. Writer: Meghan Fitzmartin. Art: Belén Ortega. Color: Alejandro Sánchez.

Books
Arts

Batman's Sidekick Robin Comes Out. It Makes Sense, If You Were Paying Attention

5:02pm August 10, 2021

by Glen Weldon

In the pages of a DC Comics anthology series, Tim Drake — the third young man to assume to role of Batman's sidekick, Robin, has a "lightbulb moment" realization — but his journey is only beginning.

Encore: Rutherford Falls Creators On Finding Humor In America's 'Messy' History

4:40pm August 10, 2021

by Audie Cornish

We revisit NPR's Audie Cornish's conversation with comedy writers Michael Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas about America's messy history and turning discomfort into the sitcom "Rutherford Falls."