Television

It was with the third film that the Karate Kid franchise really lost its way. The 1984 original is a classic underdog sports movie/coming-of-age tale about bullied teen Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) learning to defend himself with the help of wise old handyman Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). The Karate Kid Part II might have been too much of a good thing, but it changed things up just enough by shifting the setting to Okinawa and making the story more personal for Miyagi. (Plus, Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love” from the...

It is a truth universally acknowledged that wherever Shonda Rhimes hangs up her shingle, juicy television follows. Even when the proceedings border on being silly enough to interrupt our suspension of disbelief, the fact remains that we’re having too much fun to care. Bridgerton, the first series out of the gate in Rhimes’ blockbuster production deal with Netflix (reported to be worth $150 million, but possibly north of $300 million in reality), carries this DNA in its heart. A frothy romp through the high society of Regency-era England (that’s early-1800s...

Barack Obama discussed the hope he found in this summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, as well as his criticism of the “defund the police” rallying cry, as part of a wide-ranging interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show Tuesday, December 15th. Obama reiterated that the activism and protests that sprung up after the police killing of George Floyd were one of the few things that kept him optimistic during an otherwise difficult year. “I have consistently believed that their courage, activism, media savvy, strategic resolve far exceeds anything I...

Every generation seems to claim Catherine O’Hara for themselves. While millennials persist with calling her “the mom in Home Alone,” the comedy legend has created unforgettable characters for decades. Now, for those who binged the six seasons of Schitt’s Creek, she’ll forever be the kooky, washed-up soap opera actress Moira Rose, who wears ridiculous wigs and delivers one-liners about the loss of her “Galapagonian tortoise-shell foot bath” in her unplaceable accent while decked out in Givenchy. In the Seventies, she joined as a member of the Second City improv comedy...

Tom Hanks stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to talk about his new Western film, News of the World. But given that he’s, well, Tom Hanks, the conversation turned pretty free-wheeling, and the veteran actor was able to recount a few of his classic Hollywood anecdotes. “There was a time when so many Westerns were made that actors always rode the same horse in every Western they made,” Hanks said. He then proceeded to tell the story of meeting Jimmy Stewart at his house during a photoshoot. Hanks recalled seeing...

This post contains spoilers for The Flight Attendant, whose finale is now available on HBO Max. Back when I used to travel to places in the before time, I would greet the sound of the plane’s wheels touching down on the runway with an exhalation and a little smile. I knew the odds were highly in favor of a safe landing, but it was still reassuring to hear that thunk. When a television show I’m enjoying is about to come in for a landing, I hold my breath more deeply,...

President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden joined Stephen Colbert for an extensive interview on The Late Show Thursday, December 17th. The interview began with a one-on-one with the president-elect, in which Biden spoke about his hopes for unity and said he understood that many Republicans were currently in a “tough spot” in terms of acknowledging his victory; Donald Trump continues to make baseless claims about voter fraud and refuses to concede. But Biden said the one person whose actions stung most was his long-time friend, South Carolina...

A review of The Mandalorian Season Two finale, “The Rescue,” coming up just as soon as the Quacta calls the Stifling slimy… The Mandalorian is a show made for children. Or, in some cases, for inner children. There’s long been an elegant simplicity to how Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and company (including Peyton Reed, who returned to direct the finale from Favreau’s script) tell their stories. It’s not just the mission-of-the-week structure that’s otherwise unfortunately gone out of favor with series designed for a more mature audience, but how The...

Jim Carrey, who portrayed Joe Biden on the first six episodes of this season of Saturday Night Live, announced Saturday that his term impersonating the president-elect has come to an end. “Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks, I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President…comedy’s highest call of duty,” Carrey tweeted Saturday. “I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that shit. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!” Though...

Vice President Mike Pence’s live and public receiving of the Covid-19 vaccine was the focus of Saturday Night Live’s latest cold open, which also featured the return of Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris and the debut of the series’ new Joe Biden portrayer. “Hello, thank you. I’m sure all Americans are excited to see me, the guy who let Covid spread everywhere, get one of the first vaccines,” Beck Bennett’s Pence said at the onset. “Before we begin, I just want to reassure the American people that this vaccine is safe...

For Saturday Night Live’s final episode of 2020 — and one of the final episodes before Joe Biden’s inauguration — Weekend Update looked back at both the lowlights and comedic highlights of Donald Trump’s presidency with a montage soundtracked by Semisonic’s “Closing Time.” “Barring a reverse Christmas miracle, this is the last Weekend Update with Donald Trump still in office,” co-anchor Colin Jost said as the audience roared with applause. “Now as president, he was mostly bad, but there were a few bright spots. So before he is tranquilized and...