Posts by Eric Thurm
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Q&A: Vic Mensa on His Debut Album, Kanye, and Not Knowing What U2 Sounds Like
The Roc Nation artist preps for his time in the spotlight and freaks out over hearing ‘Vertigo’ for the first time.
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Plot Mechanics: ‘The Last Man on Earth,’ ‘Empire,’ and the New Era of Pacing on TV
As the TV landscape continues to splinter, the way in which story is parceled out has become more and more varied with each season.
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Sitcom Revivals That Should Actually Happen
When it comes to beloved television series, what is dead may never die. While there are still cases of cult shows getting the ax, seemingly for good (so long, ‘Happy Endings’), each time another show gets canceled, it becomes more plausible that it will be yanked away from the open arms of the Reaper, kicking, screaming, and probably substantially less good.
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Who Has the Upper Hand? Ben Stiller vs. Owen Wilson
Neurosis versus chill. Chas Tenenbaum versus Eli Cash. Range versus being Bill Murray’s son (maybe).
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Life of the Parties: On the Brilliant Direction of ‘Looking’
Getting the characters drunk or rolling at a club is an easy way to shove them at sex partners, each other, or both.
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Sequel Bob: Kevin Smith Gets Into the (Self) Franchise Business
A power ranking of suggestions for his ‘Blueprint 3.’
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Springtime for January: The ‘Mad Men’ Actress Finds a Second Life on ‘The Last Man on Earth’
Melissa Shart looks to be a surprisingly stable, warm addition to the show’s depleted world — something that’s at odds, to say the least, with the way you might normally expect to think about January Jones.
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The Unfulfilled Promise of Danny Boyle’s ‘Babylon’
At all moments, ‘Babylon’ makes you feel like you should be paying attention, but that becomes exhausting even over six short episodes. When the fight-or-flight adrenaline rush goes on forever, the heart gives out.
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Not-So-Bizarre Love Triangle: The Complicated Love Story at the Heart of ‘Looking’
Most love triangle plots are about a character deciding who they want to be with. But real relationships aren’t just, or even primarily, about that kind of decision. They’re about working out what kind of person you want to be, and what sort of partner will help build that kind of life.
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The Support Group for the Sad Boys of Prestige TV Drama
These are the undervalued male children of dramatic television antiheroes, still dealing with their abandonment issues as tired, lonely adults.
