Culture Crash: Black Mirror
Black Mirror is like The Twilight Zone for the digital age. We discuss the show, its technologies, and how the unsettling drama has found a foothold exploring the future of our world.
Culture Crash: The Simpsons’s Apu Problem
The Simpsons is a cultural institution. But one character, Apu, is a racist stereotype, and some Indian-American actors and comedians think it’s past time for a re-evaluation.
Culture Crash: Chicago’s Own Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper has won three Grammys, headlined Lollapalooza, and given millions in charity to Chicago Public Schools. We talk about the impact he’s made on his city.
The Appeal of Time Travel Stories (Late 2017)
What is it about time travel stories that draws us in and keeps us compelled all these years later? We talk to pop culture psychologist Dr. Travis Langley.
Culture Crash: Netflix’s Mindhunter
This Friday the 13th comes in October. We discuss what to watch on the spookiest day of the year and explore Netflix’s upcoming psychological thriller series “Mindhunter.”
Culture Crash: Peak TV and the Battle for Streaming Supremacy
One thing this year’s Emmys ceremony made very clear: Peak TV isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Culture Crash: The Future of Football in America
Football has been facing a head trauma crisis for years. Now, youth football enrollment and NFL TV ratings are both down. We explore the future of football in America.
Culture Crash: NBC’s The Good Place and Serialized Comedy
Traditionally, a sitcom show is episodic: you don’t necessarily need to see every episode. But NBC’s The Good Place embraces a serialized structure, which gives it a unique feel.
Culture Crash: Breaking Bad and the Shortcoming of Binge-watching
Breaking Bad is a modern classic of TV, and insanely compelling. But is binge-watching such shows really the best idea or do the best plots take time?
Culture Crash: Harry Potter’s Lasting Legacy
A generation of children grew up with Harry Potter. We look at the books and movies they grew up watching, how they differ and what will stay with them until the very end.
Culture Crash: Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan set the box office on fire with his Dark Knight trilogy and made a cultural phenomenon with Inception. We explore his directorial career and what sets him apart.
Culture Crash: Pop Music
Liking pop music is usually thought of as shallow and immature, but why? Pop music gave us The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and yes, Justin Timberlake.
Why Wonder Woman Works So Well
Travis Langley explains how Wonder Woman’s pursuit of the truth, belief in humanity, and inspirational name make her the perfect heroine for now.
Culture Crash: Streaming Libraries Secret Strength
We often think about streaming apps as vehicles for a new wave of TV, but streaming also allows us to revisit old shows.
Culture Crash: Aziz Ansari Has a Lot to Say in “Master of None”
This weekend, you may have noticed a Netflix banner for the new season of Master of None. The show was created by, and stars, comedian Aziz Ansari and made a big splash in the fall of 2015 when it first debuted.
Culture Crash: Radio Dramas Get an Update in Gimlet Media’s “Homecoming”
Homecoming, a podcast from Gimlet Media, harkens back to an age when the family would gather around, not to watch TV, but to listen to radio dramas like The Shadow or the famous Orson Welles War of the Worlds broadcast.
Photographing the Beatles: A Friend Looks Back
If you’re a Baby Boomer then you know all about the excitement and frenzy that occurred when the Beatles first arrived on the scene and traveled to America. We talk to a photographer who not only took many memorable pictures of the Fab Four, but who also became their good friend. We discuss what the musicians were like, how he gained their trust, what it was …
