Pop Culture Happy Hour : NPR

The Pride Walk and Rally heads from Dupont Circle to Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2021. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Pride vs. Prejudice

June 10, 2023 • Glen Weldon is among the cohort of LGBTQ+ folk constitutionally averse to crowds, midday sun and dancing. But Pride feels more needed, more urgent than ever this year — and he'll be out there.

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening

Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is an eye-opening docuseries about reality TV stars The Duggars. Prime Video hide caption

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Prime Video

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening

June 9, 2023 • Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Shiny Happy People, Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, Jessie Ware's new album, and more.

'Never Have I Ever' is the show we wish we had in high school

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi in Never Have I Ever. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

'Never Have I Ever' is the show we wish we had in high school

June 9, 2023 • In the Netflix comedy series Never Have I Ever, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan plays Devi, an overachieving high schooler, who will go to extreme lengths to climb the social ladder. In the show's final season, Devi's dealing with raging hormones and doing whatever she can to get into her dream college, stumbling a lot along the way.

'Never Have I Ever' is the show we wish we had in high school

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Three great songs for your next road trip

June 8, 2023 • It's summer, and if you've maybe thought about taking a road trip, you're gonna need road-trip music. You might need a pick-me-up, a sing-along, or something for when you need a break from podcasts. Today we're recommending three songs to blast on your next road trip.

Three great songs for your next road trip

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'Past Lives' is a story about love and choices

Teo Yoo as Hae Sung and Greta Lee as Nora in Past Lives. Jon Pack/Twenty Years Rights/A24/A24 hide caption

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Jon Pack/Twenty Years Rights/A24/A24

Review

'Past Lives' is a story about love and choices

June 7, 2023 • The new film Past Lives follows Nora (Greta Lee), a writer who lives in New York with her husband, and meets up again with a man she knew long ago as a girl in South Korea. Written and directed by Celine Song, the movie is an emotional study of how Nora tries to understand both the path she took and the many paths she didn't.

'Past Lives' is a story about love and choices

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Beck Harlan/NPR

Review

Books We Love: Love Stories

June 6, 2023 • Love stories are close to many of our hearts. We want to swoon, maybe laugh and cry, we want that romance. Today we're recommending great books for people who love love stories.

Books We Love: Love Stories

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What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend reading, listening and viewing

Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc and Frida Kahlo in the animated series Clone High. Max hide caption

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Max

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend reading, listening and viewing

June 2, 2023 • Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Clone High, the "Thursday Murder Club" mystery series, Mel Mitchell on TikTok, and more.

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' thrills in every dimension

Miles Morales returns in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Sony Pictures hide caption

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Sony Pictures

Review

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' thrills in every dimension

June 2, 2023 • The new animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the sequel to the Oscar-winning Into The Spider-Verse. It continues the story of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), as he battles a new villain, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman). The stakes grow as Miles and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) face greater conflicts as they traverse the multiverse.

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' thrills in every dimension

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In 'You Hurt My Feelings,' the stakes are low but deeply relatable

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A24

Review

In 'You Hurt My Feelings,' the stakes are low but deeply relatable

June 1, 2023 • You Hurt My Feelings is the latest film from the writer and director Nicole Holofcener. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a writer who discovers that her husband (Tobias Menzies) doesn't like her new book. She's rattled so hard that it threatens her marriage. The supporting cast also includes Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, and Owen Teague.

In 'You Hurt My Feelings,' the stakes are low but deeply relatable

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Five great moments from the 'Ted Lasso' finale

Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis, and Brett Goldstein as Richmond coaches Beard, Ted and Roy. Colin Hutton/Apple hide caption

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Colin Hutton/Apple

Review

Five great moments from the 'Ted Lasso' finale

May 31, 2023 • In a final episode that seems likely to be the end of the road for Apple's decorated show, friendships were cemented, football was played, and signs were everywhere.

Bill Hader in the final episode of Barry. HBO hide caption

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HBO

Review

'Barry' fades to black (comedy)

May 31, 2023 • The HBO series Barry ended on Sunday. Throughout its run, the dark comedy brought a delicate tonal balance to Bill Hader's hitman-turned-actor. Its sharp take on Hollywood was funny, but it never let us forget that Barry was a violent sociopath. Barry's final season made choices so surprising and emotionally brutal that everything that came before it looked almost light and frothy.

'Barry' fades to black (comedy)

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These are the new movies and TV shows we can't wait to watch this summer

Clockwise from top left: Elemental, Flamin' Hot, Barbie, Shortcomings, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Secret Invasion. Disney/Pixar, Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Jon Pack/Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Animation, Des Willie/Marvel hide caption

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Disney/Pixar, Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Jon Pack/Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Animation, Des Willie/Marvel

Review

These are the new movies and TV shows we can't wait to watch this summer

May 30, 2023 • Studios raced to finish summer attractions ahead of the writers strike. So we're back with a great big, filterable guide of what to watch — and where to find it — as the days get hotter and longer.

In 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' the open world is wide open

Link returns in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo hide caption

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Nintendo

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' the open world is wide open

May 30, 2023 • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the latest, and fastest-selling game in Nintendo's beloved franchise. Many critics and gamers are declaring it not only the best game of the year, but maybe the best game, period.

In 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' the open world is wide open

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Jeremy Strong in the series finale episode of Succession. HBO hide caption

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HBO

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We recap the Succession finale

May 29, 2023 • The series finale of HBO's Succession was truly a meal fit for a king. Backs were stabbed, alliances were realigned, and a new CEO of the media conglomerate Waystar Royco was crowned. How did the squabbling Roy siblings shake out in the fight to control their family's dynasty?

We recap the Succession finale

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'Succession' has ended — and the point was never who was going to win

Shiv (Sarah Snook) has made her choices — and she will live with them. HBO hide caption

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HBO

Review

Succession recaps

'Succession' has ended — and the point was never who was going to win

May 29, 2023 • The best finales feel both surprising, like you wouldn't have thought of them, and like they were always destined to happen — and Succession's final episode passes the test.

Gretchen (Aya Cash) is a self-centered music publicist who falls in love with Jimmy (Chris Geere) in the FXX series You're the Worst. Prashant Gupta/FX hide caption

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Prashant Gupta/FX

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening

May 26, 2023 • Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: You're the Worst, 60 Songs that Explain the '90s, and Little Moon wins the Tiny Desk.

'The Little Mermaid' takes the uncanny valley under the sea

Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Disney hide caption

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Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Little Mermaid' takes the uncanny valley under the sea

May 26, 2023 • The Little Mermaid is Disney's latest property to receive the live-action remake treatment. While some scenes match the original film, there are changes. Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote several new songs for the film. And it stars Halle Bailey as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. The film is directed by Rob Marshall and is in theaters now.

'The Little Mermaid' takes the uncanny valley under the sea

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Singer Tina Turner performs onstage during the 50th annual Grammy awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Remembering Tina Turner

May 24, 2023 • The word "icon" is thrown around a lot these days, but Tina Turner was the epitome of that and more. The legendary pop star died today at the age of 83, leaving behind an indelible legacy that spanned decades across the music world, the stage, and the screen. We talk about her life and career, including her hits "River Deep, Mountain High," "Proud Mary," and "What's Love Got To Do With It."

Remembering Tina Turner

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In 'American Born Chinese,' a beloved graphic novel gets Disney-fied

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Disney+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'American Born Chinese,' a beloved graphic novel gets Disney-fied

May 24, 2023 • In the Disney+ show American Born Chinese, Jin is an insecure Chinese-American kid just trying to get through high school when he befriends the new kid in town, Wei-Chen. Wei-Chen is actually a god on a divine quest, and he drags Jin along with him. And the two come to realize they're more alike than they ever imagined.

In 'American Born Chinese,' a beloved graphic novel gets Disney-fied

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'XO, Kitty' is a coming-of-age Korean rom-dramedy with heart

Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey in the series, XO, Kitty. Park Young-Sol/Netflix hide caption

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Park Young-Sol/Netflix

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

'XO, Kitty' is a coming-of-age Korean rom-dramedy with heart

May 23, 2023 • The Netflix series XO, Kitty is a spinoff of the hit YA book and movie franchise, To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Anna Cathcart returns as Kitty Song Covey, a teenager with a penchant for matchmaking. The show is a mash-up of genres, including rom-coms, Korean dramas, and coming-of-age tales.

'XO, Kitty' is a coming-of-age Korean rom-dramedy with heart

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'The Little Mermaid' is the latest of Disney's poor unfortunate remakes

Halle Bailey stars as Ariel in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid — the studio's latest blatant cash-grab. Giles Keyte/Disney hide caption

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Giles Keyte/Disney

Review

'The Little Mermaid' is the latest of Disney's poor unfortunate remakes

May 22, 2023 • Disney has a formula: Take a beloved animated property, update its sensibilities for modern audiences, recast it with a bunch of familiar faces and voices, and rehash it all in "live-action"/CGI form.

'Succession' season 4, episode 9: 'Church and State'

Roman (Kieran Culkin) thought he was ready to take over after his triumph on election night. He was wrong. Macall Polay/HBO hide caption

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Macall Polay/HBO

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Succession recaps

'Succession' season 4, episode 9: 'Church and State'

May 21, 2023 • Logan's funeral is a wrenching experience for his kids — and then they get right back to scheming and plotting, as civil unrest in the streets grows closer.