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
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
There’s a lot of TV worth recommending out there. So today we’re spotlighting some television we didn’t have time to talk about earlier this year, including Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat , Ponies, Blossoms Shanghai, and Deadloch . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
This episode features a lively debate about Dan Levy's new Netflix series, "Big Mistakes," which follows two siblings reluctantly drawn into organized crime as their mother pursues political office. While some critics find the characters lack agency and the pacing slow, others praise Laurie Metcalf's performance and the show's deliberate move away from the "smoopiness" of later "Schitt's Creek." The panel also discusses the importance of character likability versus interestingness and points out specific plot weaknesses in the pilot, ultimately expressing cautious optimism for potential future seasons.
“She came for the pasta, and got lost in the sauce.” That’s the brilliant tagline for the zesty new rom-com You, Me, & Tuscany . Halle Bailey stars as a broke twenty-something who decides to fulfill a dream and fly to Tuscany on a whim. There she meets a hot winemaker played by Regé-Jean Page. But this is an old-school movie with classic rom-com machinations, so it’ll take at least a three-course meal and a few vinos to get these two beautiful people together. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour o...
We’ve all been there: Maybe somebody tells you too much about the twist ending of a movie, or they tell you who dies at the end. In other words, you’ve run into a spoiler. The discourse around The Drama has us thinking: how should you handle spoilers, and what even counts as a spoiler? We talk about Star Wars , The Sixth Sense , and even the American Idol finale. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...
In HBO Max's The Pitt, an ER full of doctors, nurses and staff are put through tense, high-stakes shifts. The first season was a critical success and won the show a raft of Emmy Awards. Now the second season is close to an end, and while this shift has been less catastrophic in some ways, it's clear that everyone, including attending physician Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) is stretched very, very thin. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information...
The Drama is a dark and twisty comedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a storybook couple preparing for their upcoming wedding. But just days before the big day, she reveals a horrifying truth about her past self that threatens to undo their nuptials, and their bond. In this spoiler-packed episode, we’re getting into that reveal, and all the surprising drama of the movie. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...
In the dark comedy The Drama , Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are getting married, but maybe they shouldn’t? The stars play a couple in full-on prep mode for their upcoming wedding, though when a shocking secret is revealed, suddenly their love for one another doesn’t seem all that secure. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorshi...
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the ultimate piece of Nintendo fan service. Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) are on an outer space adventure to save Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson). The film features other beloved Nintendo characters like Bowser (Jack Black) and Yoshi (Donald Glover) – and a few surprises. It’s a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie , which made more than a billion dollars worldwide. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letter...
Lisa Kudrow is back in HBO’s beloved comedy The Comeback. It’s been more than a decade since we last saw sitcom star Valerie Cherish, and her present situation is bleak. The new show she’s starring in is being written by AI. But if we know anything about Val, it’s that she’ll always seize an opportunity, setbacks be damned. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to ma...
This year marks 20 years since Hannah Montana premiered on the Disney Channel. The show made a global phenomenon of star Miley Cyrus and her pop-star alter ego. It's been streamed millions of hours since going off the air, and influenced the next generation of pop stars like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. With the new Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on Disney Plus, we figured it’s a good time to look back at the legacy of the show, and where it fits into Miley’s career. Follow Pop ...
In the whimsical Prime Video comedy series Bait , the great Riz Ahmed plays Shah, an actor in the middle of a career downturn who lands an audition to be the next James Bond. But when this leaks to the public, the social media reactions to the possibility of a brown 007 are unhinged. And one particularly disturbing response shakes Shah’s confidence and sends his personal life into a tailspin. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to...
BTS, one of the biggest groups in K-pop, is back. Arirang is the group’s first full-length album following a hiatus in which the members released solo projects and served in South Korea’s military. It’s a brash, catchy comeback, with a mix of hip-hop, pop, and R&B. And like their previous hits, Arirang is bound to make a mark on the Billboard charts. To access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Pop Culture Happy Hour, subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+ at plus.npr.org/happy. See...
Part of the fun of reality TV is putting yourself in the shoes of the people you're watching. Maybe you'd make a great Real Housewife . Maybe you could win The Amazing Race . In this encore episode, we're not here to make friends. But we are here to pick the reality shows that we think could thrive on. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
The cheeky horror comedy Ready Or Not starred Samara Weaving as a bride who’s forced to partake in her new family’s game of hide and seek, which turns quite deadly. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come picks up right where the previous story left off, but this time with more lore, more gore, and more stars like Elijah Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Kathryn Newton. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhou...
NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour reviews 'Project Hail Mary,' a new sci-fi film starring Ryan Gosling as a molecular biologist on a perilous mission to save Earth with an alien companion. Critics praise its unique blend of humor, problem-solving, and emotional depth, highlighting Gosling's comedic talent and the film's charming, tactile alien character. The discussion also explores the film's existential themes and the broader implications of corporate influence on sci-fi narratives, making for an engaging and thought-provoking adaptation of Andy Weir's novel.
Steve Carell is a writer of pulpy crime novels and a hapless new writing teacher at a small college in the HBO comedy series Rooster . His daughter (Charly Clive) is also a teacher, and she’s the subject of campus gossip because her husband just dumped her for a student. The show’s got a great cast, including Danielle Deadwyler and John C. McGinley, and one of its creators is Bill Lawrence of Scrubs , Shrinking and Ted Lasso . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Se...
In the Prime Video series Scarpetta , Nicole Kidman plays a tough, smart medical examiner whose latest murder case is entangled with a much earlier one. The show's got a big cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale and Ariana DeBose. Scarpetta is based on a series of successful crime novels by Patricia Cornwell. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
At the Oscars, One Battle After Another took home six awards including best picture, Michael B. Jordan won for lead actor in Sinners , and the telecast had plenty of jokes at Timothée Chalamet’s expense. We’re recapping the highs and lows of the 2026 Oscars. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
We've watched all the nominees in the major categories for the Oscars including Sinners , One Battle After Another , Hamnet , and Marty Supreme . So we’ve got opinions about what will win and what should win. (And yes, we’ll talk about Timothée Chalamet.) For a list of our favorite Oscar nominated films, check out our list at Letterboxd — at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast ...
This year, there's finally an Oscar being awarded for casting. The nominees are the casting directors for Sinners, Hamnet , Marty Supreme , One Battle After Another , and The Secret Agent . That got us thinking - what makes a great cast, anyway? Today, we spent some time talking about some of the nominees and casting generally. For a list of films we discussed, check out our list at Letterboxd — at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...
Harry Styles just released his new album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally . It’s his fourth solo album since leaving the boy band One Direction, and the follow-up to Harry’s House , which won album of the year at the Grammys. The new album is a fairly radical departure, inspired by dance floors and post-punk music. But it still swoons, as any Harry Styles record must. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...
In Disney and Pixar’s delightful new film Hoppers , a young woman (Piper Curda) learns a beloved glade is under threat from the town’s slimy mayor (Jon Hamm). But luckily, she discovers that her college professor has developed technology that can let her live as one of the critters she loves – by allowing her mind to “hop” into an animatronic beaver. And it just might just allow her to help save the glade from serious risk of destruction. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd...
The Bride! goes way beyond a simple tale of literature’s most famous reanimated corpses. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, the film is a wild take on the bride of Frankenstein’s monster. It follows her origin story, her relationship with the big lug himself, and her pursuit of her own distinct identity. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...
John F. Kennedy Jr. was an object of public fixation his entire life, and he’s now the subject of the FX series Love Story . It focuses on Kennedy’s (Paul Anthony Kelly) relationship with his wife, Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon). The show follows their courtship, their marriage, and the great strain that she experienced as part of what was, for a time, one of the most closely watched couples in the world. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for spo...
The new comedy series The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins stars Tracy Morgan as a disgraced former football star and Daniel Radcliffe as a documentary filmmaker who team up to make a movie. I know what you’re saying - another mockumentary sitcom? What if I told you that the creators come from shows like 30 Rock , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Girls5eva ? And that the joke density bears that out? The NBC/Peacock series also stars Erika Alexander, Bobby Moynihan and Craig Robinson. Subscribe to Po...
This episode delves into the fourth season of HBO's "Industry," exploring its ambitious "reset" that broadened the show's world beyond the trading floor. Panelists discuss the compelling, yet often bleak, character arcs, particularly Yasmin's unsettling parallels to real-life figures and Harper's unyielding resilience. The conversation also highlights the intricate interplay of class, nationality, and power within the show's British finance setting, examining its morally ambiguous villains and core relationships.
The OG Scream Queen Neve Campbell returns. Scream 7 re-centers the franchise back on Sidney Prescott. She has a new life, a family, and lots of baggage. You know the drill: Someone dressing up as the masked slasher Ghostface comes for her, her family and friends. There’s lots of stabbing and murder and so many red herrings it’s practically a smorgasbord. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...
The streaming service Tubi has become a repository for a wild assortment of movies, TV shows, and original properties. They’re all free to watch, provided you’re willing to sit through some ads. So we asked some Tubi-philes to recommend some great movies that you can find on the service: Hundreds of Beavers , Color Out of Space , Petey Wheatstraw , and Mambo Italiano . Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...
The Peacock reality show The Traitors has become weekly appointment television, as the always impeccably dressed Alan Cumming presides over an unfriendly game full of alliances, secrets, treachery and murder. This season has been rich with drama. Players like Love Island contestant Rob Rausch and former Real Housewife Lisa Rinna have created some truly memorable moments in Traitors history. Ahead of the finale, we convene in the turret to debrief on it all. To access bonus episodes and sponsor-f...
In Hulu's twisty drama series Paradise , Sterling K. Brown plays a Secret Service agent caught up in a web of intrigue after the president of the United States (James Marsden) is assassinated, with no suspect in sight. But at the end of the first episode, we learn this show is about way more than the murder of the head of state. From Dan Fogelman ( This is Us ), the series is back for a second season, so we’re revisiting our conversation about the show. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ...
