Television

Bryan Cranston (left) starred as chemistry teacher turned meth dealer Walter White, and Aaron Paul played former student and drug-dealing co-conspirator Jesse Pinkman in AMC's Breaking Bad.

UPDATED: After Controversy, Toys R Us Pulls 'Breaking Bad' Action Figures

7:45pm October 21, 2014

by Sam Sanders

One Florida mom started a petition calling on the retailer to stop selling action figures based on drug dealers in its stores. Toys R Us had said the Breaking Bad toys were meant for adults.

On The Wonder Years, Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) had a crush on his neighbor Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar).

Arts

Nostalgia, Now Out On DVD, With 'Wonder Years' And 'Pee-wee' Releases

6:50pm October 21, 2014

by David Bianculli

In what may be a last gasp for DVD collections, some of the new box-set releases are aimed at baby boomers and Gen X-ers with favorites like The Wonder Years and Pee-wee's Playhouse.

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Politics & Government

Clay Aiken: An American Idol On The Campaign Trail In North Carolina

1:47pm October 21, 2014

by Tamara Keith

American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken has hung up his microphone as he runs for Congress as a Democrat representing the rural center of the state. But the campaign is a long shot.

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Debra Messing stars with Robert Klein in NBC's The Mysteries of Laura.

Arts

Winners And Losers Of The Fall TV Season Begin To Emerge

9:34am October 21, 2014

by Eric Deggans

One month into the TV season, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says diversity is winning and rom-coms are losing as new shows battle for viewers.

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A drawing of two clinking martini glasses.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Transparent' And Pop Culture Debuts

8:39am October 17, 2014

by Linda Holmes

On this week's show, NPR's Ari Shapiro joins us to chat about the Amazon show Transparent and about lots of different pop culture debuts.

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Before creating The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling wrote and appeared in NBC's The Office.

Arts

Mindy Kaling On Refusing To Be An Outsider And Sexism On Set

12:32pm October 16, 2014

by NPR Staff

The comedian says she often forgets that as an Indian-American woman who's not pencil thin, she's kind of a new thing for broadcast TV. But, she says, "I refuse to view myself in such terms."

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Neil Patrick Harris, seen here hosting the 2013 Emmys, is getting the Oscars job many have long wanted for him.

Arts

With Few Stages Left To Conquer, Neil Patrick Harris Goes To The Oscars

8:58am October 16, 2014

by Linda Holmes

It seems like Neil Patrick Harris has always hosted everything, but in fact, his February 2015 outing hosting the Oscars will be his first time in that particular job.

Lena Dunham and Allison Williams star in Girls, one of several popular HBO shows that stand-alone streaming could include.

Arts

HBO Without Cable, Coming In 2015

12:28pm October 15, 2014

by Linda Holmes

HBO has announced that beginning in 2015, it will offer what many have long wanted: access to HBO without having cable.

Ken Marino and Casey Wilson star in NBC's Marry Me.

Arts

'Marry Me' Throws Plenty Of Jokes (And Its Lead Actress) At The Wall

10:28am October 14, 2014

by Linda Holmes

NBC's new romantic comedy Marry Me may wind up joining a frustrating group of shows that struggle to survive on broadcast, where appealing to everyone is key.

The New Food TV: The Era Of Julia Child Packed Its Knives And Went

6:52pm October 12, 2014

by NPR Staff

Since the original Japanese Iron Chef first appeared on the Food Network 15 years ago, how-to cooking shows have gradually been displaced by reality shows that pit chefs against each other.

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