Dating Red Flags
Are dating red flags… romantic? Of course not! But film and TV tend to romanticize totally terrible behavior – to the point that as viewers we might find ourselves longing for an intense,…
The Problem with the Closeted Homophobe Trope
It’s honestly time for movies and shows to stop implying that pretty much all homophobia comes from queer people! The “closeted homophobe” trope, when a character who seemingly hates queer…
Stranger Things 4-The Trauma of Guilt
Stranger Things season 4’s antagonist is a completely different, even more terrifying threat than we’ve seen before. Vecna might have more humble origins than the creatures of previous seasons,…
Freaks and Geeks
Freaks and Geeks was canceled in its first season over 20 years ago - so how is it still so iconic? The story about geek-turned-freak Lindsay Weir and her just-plain-geek younger brother Sam took a…
Daddy Issues
Why are daddy issues mocked or fetishized, when at their root, they’re effectively a byword for absent, neglectful, and sometimes abusive parenting? Girls with daddy issues are shown to be highly…
Margot, the perfect Barbie
Margot Robbie is the perfect person to play Barbie, but it’s not just because of her looks. People underestimate the political bite Barbie has always had. When the doll came out, little girls…
Cassie - women hurting women
People love stories about romantic rivals - at least when it’s two guys fighting over a girl. When it’s two girls going after the same guy, the vibe is a lot darker. A man “beats” rivals to…
Staying Single
Happily-ever-after doesn’t always have to end in marriage! Many of our film and TV stories show a romantic union as the ultimate happy ending. And there’s often a feeling that successful…
Euphoria - Maddy - Building Confidence
Maddy on Euphoria is teaching us all how to build confidence by faking it ‘till we make it. Maddy’s highly aware of the constructed nature of confidence. While Maddy was always self-possessed,…
Funny Girl’s Not-So-Funny Casting Drama, Explained
Impossible to miss – the casting controversy surrounding the Broadway revival of ‘Funny Girl’ transcended the theater community and made its way into pop culture news. Since Barbra Streisand…
Is Lindsay Lohan finally back for good?
Lindsay Lohan is finally making a comeback! But wait – haven’t we seen this before? How do we know this one is the real deal? We first fell in love with Lilo in 1998’s ‘Parent Trap’ –…
Sydney Sweeney - Sex Symbol for a New Generation
Sweeney is the latest in a long line of Hollywood sex symbols – but there does seem to be something different about her. She’s been compared to Dakota Johnson as a more fully formed sex symbol.…