Television

(L-R) Maya Rudolph as "Linda Mitchell", Abbi Jacobson as "Katie Mitchell", Mike Rianda as "Aaron Mitchell", Doug the Pug as "Monchi" and Danny McBride as "Rick Mitchell".

Arts

In 'The Mitchells Vs. The Machines,' A Dysfunctional Family Gets A Hard Reboot

5:00am April 30, 2021

by Glen Weldon

A very funny machine uprising forces an estranged daughter (Abbi Jacobson) and father (Danny McBride) to save the world — and rebuild their relationship.

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

4:46pm April 28, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with comedy writers Michael Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas about coming to terms with America's messy history, and turning discomfort into the sitcom "Rutherford Falls."

Stephen Colbert says working without a live audience has been challenging during the pandemic: "There's some vital performance adrenaline spark that's missing."

Arts

Stephen Colbert On Missing His Live Audience And Making Comedy A Family Business

6:33pm April 27, 2021

by Terry Gross

Colbert has been taping The Late Show without a live audience during the pandemic, but he's not always alone. Sometimes his wife, Evie, is in the room. If she laughs, he knows he's on the right track.

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Arts

Did Last Night's Oscars Work As A TV Show?

6:34pm April 26, 2021

by Eric Deggans

We've talked about the ratings and who won what — but did the Oscars telecast work as good TV? Oscars producers made some unusual choices this year. We break down the good, the bad and the ugly.

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Chloé Zhao accepts the Oscar for best director during Sunday night's ceremony. Her film Nomadland also won best picture.

Arts

7 Takeaways From The Train-Station Oscars

8:38am April 26, 2021

by Linda Holmes

A bungled ending, some charming winners, and making the best of a bad situation — the 2021 Oscars left an impression in a few ways.

Amazon's New Anthology Series 'Them' Explores Terror In America

7:08am April 26, 2021

The Amazon series Them mixes the trauma of racism with the supernatural terrors of horror. Some critics say the series is part of a larger Hollywood trend that exploits the pain of a Black family.

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Billionaire Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, will host Saturday Night Live on May 8.

National

Elon Musk To Host 'Saturday Night Live'

7:51am April 25, 2021

by Doreen McCallister

The billionaire chief of Tesla and SpaceX will host the sketch-comedy show on May 8, NBC announced. Reaction on social media has been mixed.

Jessie Mei Li stars as Alina Starkov in the new Netflix series, Shadow and Bone, adapted from author Leigh Bardugo's works.

Books
Arts

On Netflix, Leigh Bardugo's 'Shadow And Bone' Celebrates A Diverse Grishaverse

5:02pm April 24, 2021

"I never want people to feel like fantasy and romance and magic and adventure belong to just one kind of person," the fantasy author says. A new Netflix series is adapted from her works.

The 2019 National Spelling Bee ended in an eight-person tie. With this year's changes afoot, a shared title is unlikely.

National Spelling Bee Adds New Rules To Help Winners Sting The Competition

10:36pm April 23, 2021

by Emma Bowman

The 2019 bee ended with eight champions. With a new format this year, officials are hoping to name just one. Spellers will now face vocabulary questions and — if needed — a tiebreaker round.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explores the question of whether there can be a Black Captain America.

Arts

'The Falcon And The Winter Soldier' Finale Makes A Poignant Reveal

4:31pm April 23, 2021

by Eric Deggans

The final episode of the first season of Marvel's Disney+ series dropped Friday — along with a timely surprise.