culture porn 3/8
this week’s playlist
screenshot me:
love is blind: season 6 (netflix)
it's hard to meaningfully add new commentary to a show that's been dissected so methodically via thought pieces and internet memes, but - again, i'm totally addicted to this heterosexual hot mess of a dating show. love clearly is not blind, but i watch in hopes of seeing people say yes at the altar. does that make me a romantic or naive? either way, these producers are good at keeping me hooked.
***
in the know (peacock)
having long worked with public radio, i binged this new animated series - the love child of mike judge (BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD), zach woods (THE OFFICE), and their twisted behind-the-scenes version of an NPR-esque station. part of the twist is a neat trick of weaving a wacky pack of IRL celebs (kaia gerber, mike tyson, etc.) zooming in for interviews with the beleagured host, a neurotic stop-motion character reminiscent of ira glass.
***
saltburn (prime video)
i'm late to this rodeo, but since i'm an emerald fennell fan, wanted to check out the buzz. i found it to be a bit of a slow burn (or perhaps my synapses were numbed from having binged LOVE IS BLIND). but the final scene is worth the wait! barry keoghan and rosamund pike were my fave performances.
***
slow horses (apple tv+)
the third season of this mick herron-based series is, IMHO, the best so far. it revels in every character's flaws (and there are oh so many delightful quirks and neuroses among them), mashed up with gutsy action scenes. the show's premise of misfit MI5 agents floundering at the bottom of the business– led by a smelly, gas-spewing old hack magnificently played by gary oldman – will have you cheering on their underdogs.
***
cloudbusting (kate bush)
sure, everyone knows RUNNING UP THAT HILL but do they know CLOUDBUSTING, and the story behind it? well, i was today years old when i learned it, and the music video (featuring donald sutherland) is all the more creative. it's a father/son story, based on a book bush found at an occult bookstore.
***
pedro páramo (grove press)
this haunting mexican novel is cited as an inspiration for one of my fave authors, gabriel garcia marquez, and his celebrated ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE. i'm excited that it's being adapted by cinematographer rodrigo prieto (BARBIE, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON), who'll bring his award-winning eye to the magical realism of a rural town populated by ghosts, and the folks who love and live among them.
insights & inspo
in defense of divorce
the antiquated notion that divorce signifies failure is being confronted. as we enter women’s history month, it seems a timely topic to break the stigma around divorce and celebrate the strength it takes—especially for women—to choose oneself. and perhaps, through dismantling traditional marital and family constructs, we can pave the way for genuine empowerment and societal progress.
more insights here
how a.i. is remodeling the fantasy home
the never ending housing crisis has led us to peak escapism on many fronts. doomscrolling on ZILLOW has now shifted to getting lost in a digital dreamland of tiny homes and fantasy interiors thanks to AI generated dwellings that are figments of imagination - but oh so enticing.
more insights here