Parks & Recreation: April Ludgate, The Secretly Optimistic Cynic

The Big Bang Theory’s Penny and Friends’ Rachel Green actually had a lot in common, though one of their most surprising similarities is actually the way that their stories treated their growth – and, unfortunately, their endings. So let’s take a closer look at how both of these characters found their own ways out of the ‘sitcom ditzy hot blonde’ box, why their stories of growth were so important to their shows as a whole, why their shows decided to throw wrenches in their plans at the last second, and what it all means… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Juli 13min

The “Gen Z stare” has become a huge topic of conversation on TikTok and the internet at large, and the real problem is actually a lot deeper than you might expect! Gen Zers say it’s just a logical reaction to the illogical world they’re confronting, Millennials say there’s more to it than that. A large part of the issue stems from the fact that in many cases, people aren’t actually talking about the same thing. So what’s *really* behind this “Gen Z stare”? Is it really a problem? (And, if so, what’s the solution?) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Juli 10min

While so many of us might dream of building our lives around our creative passions, often the financial reality of being an artist can be a major hurdle. In film and television this isn’t always seen as a bad thing, however – often, struggling is in fact seen as proof of an artist’s true commitment to their craft. And indeed suffering has been so intertwined with the idea of creativity that it’s often seen as a necessary part of the journey. But why is the idea of suffering for your art such a major part of pop culture? And how does it affect our views of artists and their work in the real world? Let’s take a closer look… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 Juli 12min

From Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover to Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater soap and beyond, a spate of recent controversies have some people questioning if pop culture is not only signaling but aiding in the backtracking of female empowerment. But while these recent issues might be new, this conversation certainly isn’t… So, why are people mad at Sydney and Sabrina? Where does it fit into the larger conversation? And is it all really a problem? Let’s take a closer look… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Juli 12min

Go to http://greenchef.com/50thetake use code 50THETAKE to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. James Gunn’s new take on Superman was up against the odds from the beginning – and initial reviews weren’t very kind to it. But now that it’s been released to the public, it’s become a smash hit! While the film has already sparked a lot of discourse, the reasons that it’s connected with audiences actually make a lot of sense. So, how does this take on Superman measure up? And why has it really been so controversial? Let’s take a closer look. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Juli 12min

A recent viral TikTok of a woman who believed her grey couch was actually blue has people yet again thinking about how color plays a huge role in our lives, and how differently we can all see the same thing. Colorblindness and monochromatic-ness have long been used symbolically in film and TV as metaphors for larger ideas. And as we’ve all become more and more connected to visual mediums, many people are beginning to realize the impact it can have in their everyday real lives as well. So, what’s really going on with our perception of color and color vision deficiencies? And what does it all mean? Let’s take a closer look… Check out the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/ThSaP6FCk2I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21 Juni 11min

Go to http://greenchef.com/50thetake use code 50THETAKE to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Money has long equaled power – but does it also equal intelligence? Many people seem to think so, regardless of any evidence to the contrary… Both in movies and TV and in real life we’ve seen a number of recent examples of the problems big and small that can arise when immense wealth comes to dominate views of what it means to be smart, productive, and capable. Let's take a closer look at this trend via recent releases like Jesse Armstrong's Mountainhead, the two OceanGate Titan disaster documentaries & more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Juni 15min

While work has never necessarily been fun, recently the “grind” has been truly grinding us down – and, terrifyingly, trapping us in. As the world of employment has become ever more dire, we’ve begun to see this total imbalance between work and a healthy, safe life play out on screen in a variety of ways – from the psychological in Severance, to the physical in Mickey 17 and Paradise, and beyond. So, what do these kinds of stories tell us about the dangers of the total fracturing of our lives for work – and can they give us a map to escape? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Juni 11min