Pop Culture Happy Hour

Trying to keep up with the latest in pop culture? We’ve got you covered. The Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast helps you find the best new binge-worthy tv shows, movies, music, and videogames.

Join hosts Linda Holmes, Aisha Harris, Stephen Thompson, and Glen Weldon four episodes a week - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture enthusiasts. It’s your fix for reviews, recommendations, and recaps of the pop culture everyone is talking about. From lowbrow reality TV to Oscar-winning movies to the stuff in between, we take it all with a shot of cheer. On the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we watch everything so that you never miss anything.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour

Last refreshed: June 23rd, 2026 at 7:13 AM

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Episodes

Leviticus

You should see the new horror movie Leviticus . Set in a small Australian religious community, it’s about two queer teens that start having feelings for each other. Their relationship touches off a chain of increasingly violent events. It’s both a queer coming-of-age romance and a blistering indictment of gay conversion therapy. Mostly, though, it’s a seriously creepy movie about a demonic entity that knows exactly how to get to you. If you like spine-tingling queer dramas, check out these episo...

Jun 23, 2026•16 min

Best Pixar Movies, Ranked

Toy Story 5 just hit theaters, so it seemed like a good time to revisit our episode from last summer where we discussed YOUR picks for the greatest Pixar films of all time. Thousands of you voted, and we've got the results. If you want to hear about other Pixar films we loved, listen to our episodes about: Nature needs a little help in the inventive Pixar movie ‘Hoppers’ 'Turning Red' paints teenage feelings in rich, vibrant colors 'Inside Out 2' is a Pixar sequel worth celebrating Connect with ...

Jun 22, 2026•26 min

Toy Story 5 and What's Making Us Happy

In Disney’s Toy Story 5 , Jessie, Woody, and Buzz are back to confront a new threat – screen time. When their kid Bonnie gets a new tablet called Lilypad, she forgets about the rest of her toys. But Jessie is determined to win Bonnie back, even after a series of events separates them. Toy Story 5 features a familiar and beloved voice cast with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack reprising their roles. Are you a fan of all things Pixar? Check out these episodes! Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by lis...

Jun 19, 2026•24 min

Olivia Rodrigo you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love

Olivia Rodrigo is back blending spikey rock with tender ballads. How do we feel about her evolving sound? Her third album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is a collection of fizzy, sometimes jagged pop songs about a love that goes amazingly well until it doesn’t. If you’re looking for other fizzy pop songs, check out: Taylor Swift re-enters her banger era in ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Sabrina Carpenter returns with the short and saucy 'Man's Best Friend' Harry Styles' new album has vibes ...

Jun 17, 2026•21 min

Widow’s Bay

Widow’s Bay is a spine-tingling blend of horror and comedy you won't want to miss. The buzzy Apple TV series follows a mayor (Matthew Rhys) who is desperately trying to bring tourism to a small island town that might be cursed. The cast includes Stephen Root, Kate O’Flynn, and Betty Gilpin. If you’re looking for other eerie island escapes, check out these episodes A bratty boss gets a dose of his own medicine in ‘Send Help’ ‘Lord of the Flies’ gets the Netflix treatment Connect with Pop Culture ...

Jun 16, 2026•22 min

Stop! That! Train!

The ridiculously fun new film Stop! That! Train! brings the gags-a-minute silliness of Airplane! to the bawdy world of RuPaul’s Drag Race . But does it chug along smoothly or does it veer off the rails? RuPaul stars as the president of the United States who must help save a train from a massive stormaganza. Drag queens Jujubee and Ginger Minj are train attendants aboard the runaway train filled with Drag Race alumni and comedy heavy-hitters who are here to serve looks and bring the shade. If you...

Jun 15, 2026•22 min

Disclosure Day and What’s Making Us Happy

Stephen Spielberg brings aliens back to the big screen in Disclosure Day . But how does his new blockbuster compare to his alien classics like E.T. and Close Encounters of The Third Kind ? Our heroes Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor are compelled by something they don’t understand, and there are authority figures trying to keep a huge secret from the public. If you need more summer blockbusters, check out: ‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later The summer blockbusters we finally watched...

Jun 12, 2026•26 min

Summer House

Have you been keeping up with all the drama of Summer House ? The cast of the Bravo reality series is currently embroiled in a scandal involving Kyle Cooke, Amanda Batula, West Wilson and Ciara Miller. We’re unpacking why people in and outside the Bravo fandom can’t stop talking about Summer House , what drives the drama of Bravo, and where the franchise might go from here. Do you like messy and fun reality shows? Check out these episodes: We're taking a chaotic trip to 'Love Island,' babe 'Vand...

Jun 11, 2026•22 min

Office Romance

The new Netflix film Office Romance pairs rom-com veteran Jennifer Lopez with Brett Goldstein in a story about the hazards of falling for your boss. But is the on-screen chemistry there? And how does it fit into J.Lo’s rom-com history? Directed by Ol Parker ( Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ), the film was written by Goldstein and Joe Kelly, one of the writers he worked with on Ted Lasso . If you need another Jennifer Lopez fix, check out these episodes: Can Jennifer Lopez's 'This Is Me... Now' say ...

Jun 09, 2026•22 min

Scary Movie

The horror comedy franchise Scary Movie is back in theaters with a new movie. But does this legacy sequel that parodies other legacy sequels have anything new to say? Helmed by the Wayans Brothers, it lampoons horror tropes new and old amid a flurry of jokes and references, and brings back familiar faces like Anna Faris and Regina Hall. It also introduces a new generation to face the dreaded Ghostface. Do you want to hear about more legacy sequels? Check out these episodes: ‘Scream 7’ takes a we...

Jun 08, 2026•20 min

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