Television Critics Association Nominees 2018

by Nathaniel R

The Television Critics Association has only been around in some form or another since the 1980s but they have recently been getting more press. That's partially, we suspect, because the Emmys are so relentlessly unsatisfying with their constant repetitions. The TCA Awards aren't against a repeat here and there but more than two wins is rare in any of their categories and they've proven fairly discerning in the past.

We aren't fans of their tradition of fusing performance into only two acting categories (genderless and without any way to recognize supporting players or differentiate between movies and series so this means far far far fewer times the nominees in an era where we're constantly told that there is an abundance of great work!) but otherwise we like them just fine.

They were absolutely besotted with the debut season of "Killing Eve" this year. Nominations for the 2017/2018 television season are after the jump... 

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Drag Race: "The Evil Twin Ball"

by Nathaniel R  

Asia and her evil twin North Korea

Oopsie. When Drag Race took a week off we took two weeks off of watching it. It's almost time for the new episode and we forgot to watch it last Thursday (!) so herewith very very quick notes on the 11th episode of the season in which the Queens were tasked with exposing their inner saboteur...

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Dasvidanya, The Americans

by Lynn Lee

[Warning: Spoilers for the series finale of The Americans] 

It ended not with a bang or with a whimper, but with the characteristic slow burn and emotional gravitas that’s been its hallmark all along.  The series finale of The Americans may not have been what everyone expected or wanted, but it was a fitting conclusion to one of the best shows of the decade.

There’s been plenty of speculation over the years about the end game for FX’s critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged drama about Reagan-era Soviet spies posing as the perfectly all-American family next door.  History foreordained that the Jenningses’ cause was doomed, and as their personal kill count and internal conflict mounted, a reckoning seemed inevitable...

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Did you enjoy 'Mermay'? A few words on "Splash" and "Siren"

by Nathaniel

You guys. I only just recently learned about "Mermay" in which you celebrate mermaids during the month of May. How did I not know about this? We could have been celebrating mermaids in film and television all month long! The least we could have done is pay tribute to Tully's mermaid dream imagery. Because that film did NOT get enough attention. Jason Reitman + Diablo Cody + Charlize Theron = dream team (see also: Young Adult)...

I thought I could whirlpool up a top ten list of movie mermaids but realized I hadn't seen some key texts like Mr Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), Night Tide (1961), the silent film The Mermaid (1904) and a few others. Sadly merman films seem all but nonexistent... 

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Maleficent 2 Begins Filming. A Few Words on the Cast

by Nathaniel R

As much as I neither enjoyed Maleficent (2014) nor have any reason whatsoever to believe the sequel will be any better, I'll admit that I am as gullible as anyone when it comes to promotional hype about blockbusters. I veritably squealed when I saw this photo on Elle Fanning's instagram today. And then this equally delicious photo...

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