Pop Culture Happy Hour

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Coyote vs. Acme and Dolly Parton Aug 28, 2026

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The movie Coyote vs. Acme comes with some buzzy lore: it was famously shelved, and almost didn’t see the light of day. But it’s here now, and it’s good and looney! It follows Wile E. Coyote when he decides to sue the Acme Corporation for manufacturing crappy, ineffective products. The cast includes Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor. We also talk about our favorite Dolly Parton musical performances.
If you want more animated capers, check out these episodes:
'Minions & Monsters' is, oddly enough, a love letter to Old Hollywood
In 'Toy Story 5,' playtime's over and screentime's in
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Adults Aug 27, 2026

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Every generation gets its own version of a “20-somethings hang out and make mistakes” sitcom. And Gen Z’s got Adults, a silly series about a group of friends cohabitating in Queens, New York – and it makes for fun and all-too-relatable TV fodder. Adults is back for its second season on Hulu, so today we’re revisiting our episode about the series.
If you want more bingeable comedies, check out these episodes:
‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ is (30) Rock-solid
Meg Stalter shines in the rom-com 'Too Much'
‘Widow’s Bay’ is an island in the scream
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Fictional teachers we wish we had Aug 26, 2026

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It’s back to school season, which has us thinking about our favorite teachers. The ones who really saw us, changed our points of view, or set us on new paths. But of all the teachers we've seen in TV and movies, which of them do we wish we'd had to educate us in real life? Today we’re talking about fictional on-screen teachers from My Girl, My So-Called Life, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and Dune: Part One.
If you like want more episodes like this one, check out:
The reality TV show I'd like to judge
The TV show I'd like to live in
The American dream according to ‘The Wire,’ ‘Apollo 13’ and more
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Lanterns Aug 24, 2026

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HBO’s new DC superhero show Lanterns is not the show you think it is. It’s about a couple of space cops: Kyle Chandler plays Earth’s Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, a grizzled, impulsive old-timer reluctantly training up his backup, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Yet the story avoids cosmic sweep and spectacle in favor of a character-driven mystery and a grounded setting. Does this series thread the needle to appeal to comics nerds and newcomers alike?
If you need more superhero stories, check out these episodes:
'Supergirl' has a solid hero but could use a better villain
Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’ is a low-key, low-stakes buddy comedy
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Tony and What’s Making Us Happy Aug 21, 2026

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In the new film Tony, we meet chef and author Anthony Bourdain before he was in the public eye. He was a wayward, overconfident young guy, and, as played by Dominic Sessa, kind of a piece of work. The movie focuses on a pivotal summer in 1975, when Tony worked in his first kitchen, a tiny hole-in-the-wall in Provincetown. But does the film break out of the familiar biopic formula to tell a compelling story?
Do you like biopics about complicated artists? Check out:
‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ is better than your average biopic
In 'A Complete Unknown,' Timothée Chalamet captures the idea of Bob Dylan
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What's Making Us Happy (1970s Version) Aug 20, 2026

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We're traveling way back in time to 1971 -- when Richard Nixon was president, the Beatles were newly broken up, and Fiddler on the Roof was one of the biggest movies at the box office. Today in this encore episode, we’re revisiting a special edition of What's Making Us Happy, recommending pop culture from the 1970s – including Isaac Hayes’ Shaft soundtrack, Carol King’s Tapestry, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, and The Monster at the End of This Book.
Looking for more pop culture from the past? Check out these episodes:
The American dream according to ‘The Wire,’ ‘Apollo 13’ and more
‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later
'Shrek' – a weird, flatulent and beloved franchise – turns 25
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Phoebe Bridgers’ album Lost Weekend Aug 19, 2026

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Phoebe Bridgers is your favorite pop star’s favorite pop star. And she’s just released a gorgeous new solo album, Lost Weekend. It’s packed with guest stars including her boygenius bandmates, pop superproducer Jack Antonoff and her partner, Bo Burnham. The record’s 16 songs are full of lore, lush sonic ideas, and quotable insights about love, sex, and death. But does Bridgers’ long-awaited return make up for lost time?
If you need more multifaceted pop music, check out these episodes:
Ariana Grande stares down the public eye in 'Petal'
Olivia Rodrigo seems pretty sad, but does she still generate bangers?
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Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Aug 17, 2026

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The new movie Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a bloody and bewildering queer slasher film. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow), it stars Hannah Einbinder as a queer young filmmaker tapped to reboot a defunct slasher franchise, and Gillian Anderson as a reclusive actress. The movie is a meditation on slashers and film itself, sexuality and identity – and it’s also gore-filled fun you won’t want to miss.
Want more queer indie horror? Check out these episodes:
'I Saw the TV Glow' is weird and transfixing
'Love Lies Bleeding' is the queer erotic thriller Kristen Stewart fans have wanted
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The End of Oak Street and What’s Making Us Happy Aug 14, 2026

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In the fun, entertaining new film, The End of Oak Street, Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star as a married couple in the early 1980s. One night, their entire suburban neighborhood is transported to a time filled with a variety of large and dangerous dinosaurs. Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell (It Follows), it’s part action-adventure, part monster movie, part dark comedy. But after so many dino-packed blockbusters, does this movie offer a fresh take to the prehistoric creature feature?
If you need a few more creature features, check out these episodes:
'Minions & Monsters' is, oddly enough, a love letter to Old Hollywood
Only Guillermo del Toro could've made this 'Frankenstein'
‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later
Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
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Summer blockbusters we somehow missed Aug 13, 2026

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Summer blockbusters are hugely popular and as a result, financially successful, and seen by lots of people. So with summer blockbuster season coming to a close, we decided to revisit our conversation about our own personal blockbuster gaps, and finally watch a movie that absolutely everyone saw – except for us — including Armageddon, Beverly Hills Cop II, Ghost, The Fast and the Furious.
If you need a bit more summer magic, check out these episodes:
What’s the best summer snack? The votes are in
‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later
We debate the sweatiest movie of all time
Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
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