The State of Scary TV
‘The Returned’ and ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ join ‘The Walking Dead’ in offering high-quality horror.
April 19, 2013
Songs of the Week: Drake, Daft Punk, Savages, Dawn Richard, and R.I.P. Guru
Hear seven days of jams.
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Distract Yourself From This Week’s Horrors by Stalking Celebrities on Twitter #Music
This has been a bad week. It’s interesting to learn, in times of turmoil, just how capable your brain is of emotional compartmentalization. In the past four days, I’ve learned that I’m pretty horrible at it. Even after writing articles all week, I can honestly say that for the past 80 hours, I haven’t been […]
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RIP, Storm Thorgerson, Legendary Album Cover Artist
If you’re not familiar with Storm Thorgerson, just know that he earned the right to be named “Storm Thorgerson.” The most famous album-cover artist of all time — his most celebrated and longest lasting association was with Pink Floyd, though his work also adorned records by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Peter Gabriel, Phish, Ween, Anthrax, […]
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Parks and Recreation and the Unsexiness of Quality and Consistency
Yesterday, FX announced it was going into business with ex–talk show host George Lopez on what’s become known as a “10/90” deal. It’s not a tax thing — though it does have serious financial implications for those involved. Rather, it’s an industry term referring to the sitcom strategy popularized by Tyler Perry and TBS a few years […]
Read moreAmazon TV — Including Zombieland and Onion News Empire — Premieres Right Now
Amazon has put its pilots on air for you to judge.
Read moreVOD Report: Django Unchained Has Both Our Curiosity and Attention
The Headliner Django Unchained As the 2013 Best Picture Oscar nominees continue limping onto VOD, the latest entry is also the penultimate one. Amour, see you whenever. Django, welcome to the living rooms of America. No, we haven’t seen a, er, “an African American” on a horse before. (If you haven’t seen the movie yet, […]
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Grantland Reality Fantasy League: Manties, Cannibal Sex, and One of the Greatest Tribal Councils in History
I always know it has been a great week in reality TV when I get a little nervy as I sit down to write this column. I just want to do the week justice. I just want to provide the people who worked on and watched these brilliant television programs with a column worthy of […]
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Rock Memoir Book Club: Rex Brown’s Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story of Pantera
Welcome to Rock Memoir Book Club! This is where I read rock memoirs — because, post–Keith Richards’s Life, there are suddenly a lot of rock memoirs — and encourage readers to follow along. It’s perfect for people who like to read but are ambivalent about books written by actual writers. So, gather your rock memoir–loving […]
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John Legend Is Making a Miami Drama for HBO
“Down Lo … features top models as well as athletes with their penchant for big money, fast cars and beautiful women …”
Read moreApril 18, 2013
Afternoon Links: Sorority Party Massacre
It’s impossible to select the best excerpts from the batshit-crazy e-mail of mass destruction sent by a member of the University of Maryland’s Delta Gamma chapter to the rest of its members. “C—- punt” is a good place to start, but there’s so much more. Delta Gamma’s president asked for “assistance” from Gawker in removing […]
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Rembert Explains the ’90s: A Tribe Called Quest, ‘Scenario’
Welcome to our new series, Rembert Explains the ’90s. Unlike the source material for our previous, ’80s-themed series, these videos have been seen countless times, with the result being an unparalleled, almost embarrassing level of expertise. Rembert will write down his thoughts as he’s watching the video, then we’ll post those thoughts here. This week’s […]
Read moreGirls in Hoodies Podcast: Daft Punk, Pain & Gain, and Summer Movies
With Emily still recovering from Coachella, and Molly still recovering from Anthony Mackie in a Dan Marino jersey, the Girls decided to ditch the map this week and free-form jazz their way through their discussion of an eventful pop cultural week. (So eventful, in fact, that we didn’t even get around to talking about Amanda […]
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The New York Times Takes Its Turn at the Today Show Pinata
“Staff members asked each … ‘Do you think Matt will be here this time next year?'”
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5 Questions on American Idol: The First Ever All-Girl Top 5
Whatever doesn’t deafen you makes you stronger: Grantland’s Jay Caspian Kang, Mark Lisanti, and Emily Yoshida have returned, bowed but not broken, to tackle another season of American Idol. The boys are all gone, dead. Long live the girls. One Is Janelle doomed tomorrow? Kang: At the start of the show, Janelle was my favorite […]
Read moreOverplayed Song of the Week: Ace Hood ft. Future and Rick Ross, ‘Bugatti’
“I woke up in the new …”
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Survivor: Caramoan, Episode 10: ‘Wow’
Yesterday afternoon, John Cochran tweeted that “as a Survivor expert, I feel comfortable saying that tonight’s episode is going to be one of the most insane in the history of the show.” Cochran won the Harvard Dean’s Scholar prize for comparing the judicial system to Survivor’s tribal jury, so it’s not surprising that he was […]
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The Americans, Season 1, Episode 11: Weaponizing Fear in a ‘Covert War’
Elizabeth Jennings is a hard character to root for. This alone does not separate her from the baker’s dozen of high-profile cable wives who lurk in the shadows of the Internet’s favorite dramas, funblocking their alpha spouses from all the illicit things they, and the audience, are desperate to see them do. But unlike a […]
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Diddy and Kate Upton’s Affair to Forget … and Other Absurdities From This Week’s Tabloids
OK! Kate Upton & Diddy: “This much is certain in the wake of reports that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and supermodel Kate Upton have engaged in at least one torrid make-out session — Diddy loves the ladies!” Diddy and Upton both denied the “alleged kissing encounter at the Miami club LIV.” But insiders who were there say […]
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