culture porn 9/22
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the morning show (apple tv+)
in season 3 of this glossy but problematic drama, former frenemies-turned-BFFs alex and bradley (aniston & witherspoon) are back at UBA. reteaming to fight the mega-oppressive systemic patriarchy of the global corporate behemoth (!) they work around the messes made by the hapless men around them (crudup, duplass & a musk-eque hamm). chaos ensues, including a shot into space – and that's just in the first episode.
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shane gillis: beautiful dogs (netflix)
gillis' special pushes comedic boundaries right to the edge, and at times past it. is he playing to the right? to the left? neither? either way, his former firing from SNL isn't deterring NETFLIX viewers in a post-cancel culture world.
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easy riders, raging bulls: how the sex-drugs-and-rock ‘n roll generation saved hollywood (simon & schuster, audible)
i've been re-reading peter biskind's 2003 deep-dive into the decline of the studio system in the 60s and 70s, hoping to glean some learnings for this current industry implosion. how ironic that the "movie brats" of this transformative era (spielberg, lucas) are now the establishment: kicking off the IP-blockbuster mania that has hollywood racing to the bottom (line).
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the ultimatum (netflix)
the nick and vanessa romantic multiverse is back in session, with another season of couples about to get married or break up. plot twist: they live with other prospects in "trial marriages" to help them figure it out. though i can't figure out why someone in love would actually go through this heartbreak-inducing process, this season's couples seemed more grounded and -- dare i say -- in love?
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bonnie & clyde / badlands (amazon prime)
i was inspired by the biskind book to rewatch the seminal films of the post-vietnam era, starting with this double feature. both glamorize young criminal couples on the lam (beatty/dunaway and sheen/spacek), combined with anti-authoritarian sensibility and media criticism, reflecting the counterculture of the times that feels increasingly apt today.
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couples therapy (paramount plus / showtime)
having finished THE ULTIMATUM but still wanting more, i dove into S1 of this jewel of a show. it's a slow burn and somewhat hard to watch, but also feels important. i'm reminded again how bold a move it was to air this kind of meaningful viewing - subtle, powerful, thoughtful - in a world of in-your-face unscripted television.
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insights & inspo
want to make more friends? start a club.
all the lonely people are craving community. while loneliness is on the rise, the antidote for finding friends may be simpler than we think-could starting a club be the answer?
more insights here
‘we used to check every day, now it’s every minute’: how we got addicted to weather apps
as climate anxiety grows, so does our obsession with weather forecasts. a digital safety blanket of sorts, driven by environmental crisis - are they just our way of seeking control in a storm of uncertainty? do you check the weather? 🌍☀️🌧️
more insights here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
a lazy seaside lunch at a 2-MICHELIN star restaurant near porto is the perfect way to cap off my trip to portugal - where a recent wine spill serves as metaphor for the global decline in wine consumption.
the #tradwives trend is now officially mainstream. is it being fueled by ideology - or cosplay?
the workplace continues to lose its luster, but our neuroscientist friend thinks there’s an upside to new reports that underperforming is the new normal.
streamers are suffering. ICYMI, check out charlie warzel’s excellent piece on the self-destruction of the media biz.
more insights here