Criticism Is Dead

Latest Episodes:

Nope, Belle, and HBO DiscoveryMax+? Aug 09, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Nope and Belle, two films that are better suited for the big screen.

01:47 Nope, currently playing in theaters, ensnares you in a spectacle that is so grand, so fun, it’s hard to resist.

19:56 Belle, streaming on HBO Max (unfortunately dubbed), is a visually impressive, tech-inflected take on Beauty and the Beast.

40:02 Plus, a week of chaos in the news for HBO Max.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Mid-year top TV shows of 2022 feat. Alison Herman Jul 26, 2022

Show notes

This week's episode of Criticism Is Dead is a mid-year special: our respective top 5 picks for TV from 2022 so far.

02:59 TV!

We're joined by a special guest: Alison Herman, a writer for The Ringer, friend of the pod, and one of our favorite critics. Follow her on Twitter (@aherman2006) and check out her work for The Ringer, including a recent interview with FBoy Island's Nikki Glaser.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Irma Vep, Persuasion, and Funny Girl Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Irma Vep and Persuasion, two adaptations whose necessity some have called into question.

02:23 Irma Vep, streaming on HBO Max, is a strange, fascinating creature, half intertextual wink and half showbiz dramedy.

19:01 Netflix’s adaptation of Persuasion may have kept Jane Austen’s plot intact, but little of the source material’s spirit remains.

37:29 Plus, culture notes breaking down the ultimate theatre kid drama that is the Beanie Feldstein/Lea Michele/Funny Girl mess.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Old Man, Loot, and gentle minions Jul 12, 2022

Show notes

We discuss The Old Man and Loot, two shows about people who have to believe that what they’re doing is righteous.

01:54 The Old Man, streaming on FX on Hulu, is an expertly directed show for all the spy thriller fans out there.

22:27 Loot, streaming on Apple TV+, tries to have its cake and eat it too in its portrayal of a clueless-but-nice billionaire.

36:08 Plus, culture notes about how Minions: The Rise of Gru became one giant Gen Z inside joke.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

The Bear, American Girl, and abortion films Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

We discuss The Bear and American Girl, a TV series and a film about making the best of the family that you’ve got, for better or worse.

02:52 The Bear, streaming on Hulu, is one of those rare shows that nails the behind-the-scenes intensity and urgency of a restaurant on the verge of catastrophe.

27:11 American Girl, streaming on Netflix, is a melancholy, moving, deeply felt film for the diaspora kids.

40:18 Plus, three films about abortion.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Cha Cha Real Smooth, I Love That for You, and Ken himself Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Cha Cha Real Smooth and I Love That for You, a film and a TV show about adults still trying to figure out adulthood.

04:24 Cha Cha Real Smooth, streaming on Apple TV+, is an imperfect but endearing snapshot of what it’s like to be young, selfish, and unsure of where to go next in life.

21:59 I Love That for You, streaming on Showtime, polishes a conventional plot and archetypal characters into a charming series with humor and heart.

34:39 Plus, the mysterious Barbie keeps the crowd buzzing with a Ryan Gosling-as-Ken tease.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Fire Island, The Essex Serpent, and RIP Made for Love Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Fire Island and The Essex Serpent, two seaside romps with old-fashioned sensibilities.

01:32 Hulu’s Fire Island may not reach new heights (or depths), but it’s perfectly sweet and funny in its take on Pride and Prejudice.

22:42 The Essex Serpent, streaming on Apple TV+, toes the line between gothic eeriness and conventional romance, to highly watchable effect.

40:22 Plus, we’re weeping over the cancellation of Made for Love.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Barry, The Northman, and Ray Liotta May 31, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Barry and The Northman, a TV series and a film about the perils of vengeance.

02:47 HBO’s Barry is a darkly funny exploration of the duality of comedy and violence.

21:43 The Northman, available in theaters and VOD, is primordial, strange, and fastidiously amoral in its bloody telling of a revenge story with a twist.

43:24 Plus, raise a glass to Ray Liotta.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu

Conversations With Friends, The Staircase, and Netflix woes May 24, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Conversations With Friends and The Staircase, two adaptations about secrets and pretense.

01:35 Hulu’s Conversations With Friends initially suffers from the difficult task of adapting its source material, but ultimately reaches satisfying heights.

20:34 The Staircase, streaming on HBO Max, builds upon a true crime and its accompanying documentary with the addition of one more layer of meta-narrative.

40:06 Plus, breaking down the Netflix crisis.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu