This is the second part of my two-part deep dive into Andor season 2. The first part, which I posted last year, covered the cinema and politics of the latest and final season over two sections or “arcs” (named after the show’s unique three-episode narrative blocs). Here, in the third arc, I take a look … Continue reading Andor season 2 and the problem of prequelitis
Star Wars will never be better: A look at the cinematic and political power of Tony Gilroy’s masterpiece So here I am with my third piece about Andor, and a fourth on the way. Having already written two long essays about season 1 (the first piece a broader review of the show and its excellent … Continue reading Andor season 2 is revolutionary TV
If you’ve been around both a young child and a TV at any point in the past nine years, you probably know that Hey Duggee is one of the best, most intelligent, and most consistently delightful shows out there for the little ones — and us parents too. Produced by the BBC’s kids’ channel, CBeebies … Continue reading The 15 best Hey Duggee badges
UPDATE: my essay about season 2 is up and you can read it here! For a while at the end of last year, I found myself with no desire to watch movies or series at all. I mentioned this earlier in my essay about Elia Suleiman: with the genocide in Gaza unfolding in real time, … Continue reading Rewatching Andor as a meditation on Palestine
This is a reader-supported blog. If you like what you read, consider buying me a coffee! This is not how I planned it — I didn’t expect to be publishing something about Bluey so soon. The thing is, I’ve been meaning to write an essay about the series for a couple of years. I’ve outlined it, … Continue reading The many delights — and the disappointment — of the epic Bluey episode “The Sign”
ANOTHER UPDATE: My essay about season 2 is now up and you can read it here! UPDATE: A year and a half after I published this piece, I followed it up with another essay about rewatching Andor as a meditation on Palestine. If you enjoy this one you may like that one too! Note: It’s … Continue reading Andor is a refreshing change for Star Wars, and a thrilling and inspiring depiction of revolution
This is a reader-supported blog. If you like what you read, consider buying me a coffee! The latest season of Atlanta is weird. That may sound like stating the obvious. Atlanta is supposed to be weird. Its first two seasons, which aired in 2016 and 2018, established it as exceptionally inventive, unpredictable and adventurous television. And … Continue reading Atlanta season 3 is meandering, implosive and weird — and we need more TV like it
Comic books are disposable entertainment by definition. They started out as stories for kids printed on cheap pulp, serialized in weekly, easy-to-digest installments. A century later, the paper stock might be nicer, the budgets for creative talent higher, and the storytelling far more sophisticated, but this disposability remains inherent to the medium. This is not … Continue reading Marvel’s What If…?: Disposable by design, intermittently powerful, ultimately frustrating
For the last decade and then some, The Octonauts has been one of the best shows on TV for young kids. There are a bunch of reasons for this: gorgeous animation, strong writing, endearing and memorable characters, and an educational mission that feels genuine and not smarmy. But the thing that always sticks out for … Continue reading Octonauts: Above & Beyond is teaching young kids about the climate emergency
Under the Paving Stones 