Still Processing

Activists stood up against the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s, but the tools they used to make themselves heard are unavailable during our coronavirus pandemic. Still, many of that era’s strategies and warning signs seem alarmingly relevant now...

Lions, and tigers and barely suppressed glee at criminal weirdos, oh my! What has big personalities, big issues and big cats? Netflix’s hit streaming show “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” We explore what the show says about America’s unique relationship to freedom. Discussed this week:“Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” (Netflix, 2020)“Blue Caprice” (directed by Alexandre Moors, 2013)“The Wire” (HBO, 2002-08)“Breaking Bad” (AMC, 2008-13)“O.J...

Not all reboots deserve to exist. Lots of them aren’t even things we want. But the new "High Fidelity" on Hulu is the reboot we didn’t know we needed. Discussed this week:Barack Obama’s TwitterCardi B’s Twitter and Instagram"Celebrity Culture is Burning" (Amanda Hess, 2020)"Oprah Talks Covid-19" (Apple TV+, 2020)Britney’s Instagram"High Fidelity" (directed by Stephen Frears, 2000)"High Fidelity" (Hulu, 2020)

From our living rooms to yours, “Still Processing” is back. During this unprecedented time in our lives, we talk routines, dreams and what’s on our screens — or at least what will be on our screens. Because screens are all we have left. Discussed this week: “Darn That Dream” (Dinah Washington, 1954) The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC) Working out with Mr. and Mrs. Muscle “Ra Ma Da Sa” (Amanbir Singh, 2017) The Wiz (directed by Sidney Lumet, 1978) High Fidelity (Hulu, 2020)

New episodes coming March 26! You’ve got a lot of time on your hands, and so do we. Let's spend it together

We examine how HBO’s series “Watchmen” and Bong Joon Ho’s film “Parasite” bring to light the hidden histories that shape our modern lives. Discussed this week:“Parasite” (directed by Bong Joon Ho, 2019)“Watchmen” (HBO, 2019)“White Flights: Race, Fiction, and the American Imagination” (Jess Row, 2019)“In the Wake: On Blackness and Being“ (Christina Sharpe, 2016) We're going on hiatus, but we'll be back in your ears in early 2020!

California’s new legislation allowing college athletes to make money off endorsements. One step forward. The backlash against victims who came forward in the wake of #MeToo. Two steps back. Does big, sustainable change have to feel like grasping at straws? Discussed this week: “California Tells the N.C.A.A. to Share, and It Pitches a Fit.” (Michael Powell, The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2019)“The Toll of Me Too.” (Rebecca Traister, The Cut, Sept. 30, 2019)

We revisit "Fight Club" on the 20th anniversary of its release, and consider how the trope of the "psychobro" is showing up onscreen — in the new blockbuster “Joker” and HBO’s critically acclaimed series “Succession” — and off. Discussed this week: "The Unbearable Bradness of Being" (Chris Heath, Rolling Stone, Oct. 28, 1999)"Fight Club" (directed by David Fincher, 1999)"Joker" (directed by Todd Phillips, 2019)"Succession" (HBO, 2019)"Whistleblower Explains How Cambridge Analytica Helped Fuel U...

Jennifer Lopez is having a triumphant 2019. From her Motown tribute at the Grammys to the success of “Hustlers” to the announcement that she’ll be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show, she seems to be enjoying the fruits of her labor from about three decades in show business. So we want to know: is Jennifer Lopez finally getting her due? Discussed this week:“How Jennifer Lopez’s Versace Dress Created Google Images” (Rachel Tashjian, GQ, Sept...

We'll be back with a new episode next Thursday, October 17th.