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Jen Chaney

TV Critic
See all their articles from across New York Magazine
@chaneyj
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Vulture and New York TV critic Jen Chaney previously worked for the Washington Post and has bylines at the New York Times and Vanity Fair. She also wrote As If: The Complete Oral History of Clueless.

  1. tv review
    Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Is Occasionally Off, But Mostly On in Season TwoWith a new opener and a new connection with Josh, Rebecca Bloom is back and, for the most part, on wacky musical point.
  2. Better Things Recap: Holy Trinity“Duke’s Chorus” scrutinizes the ways that parents look down their noses at each other.
  3. the vulture tv podcast
    Phoebe Waller-Bridge on Being Slapped by a ‘National Treasure’ on Fleabag“I basically had a fight with Olivia Colman.”
  4. tv review
    Black Mirror Is Mostly Still Great in Its Third SeasonThe show is back to remind you, once again, that technology will ruin you.
  5. anniversaries
    An Ode to the Great Pumpkin’s Harsh RealitiesDoes anything good happen to Linus? No. But maybe that’s why this 50-year-old Halloween special perseveres.
  6. tv review
    Hulu’s Chance Is a Psychological Thriller With Its Own Set of IssuesHugh Laurie plays a medical professional in this dark new series. But don’t expect House part two.
  7. overnights
    Better Things Recap: The Scary PartSam gets older, but men stay the same age.
  8. tv review
    Haters Need Not Stream Haters Back Off!Miranda Sings is an internet phenomenon. Now she’s an internet phenomenon who also has a so-so Netflix show.
  9. tv couple scuffle
    Eric and Tami vs. Philip and ElizabethIt’s the Texas sweethearts versus the Russian spies.
  10. chat room
    Divorce’s THC on Robert and Frances’s Backstory“They met probably in their mid to late 20s, and it was a great emotional converging point for both of them.” 
  11. tv review
    SyFy’s Channel Zero Is Yet Another Horror Show Obsessed With the PastThe anthology series isn’t quite the new Stranger Things, but it definitely falls in the same retro horror subgenre.
  12. close reads
    Divorce, Insecure, and the Stagnant Relationship on TVOn the two new HBO series, as well as several other comedies, women are breaking away from men holding them back.
  13. what to stream now
    Your Guide to Halloween TV for the Month of OctoberA whole month’s worth of ghoulish fare to fill your viewing schedule.
  14. overnights
    Better Things Recap: Group ChatHalfway through its first season, Better Things refuses to sugarcoat its worldview.
  15. How TV Is Increasingly Breaking the Rules “Television has always been very good about staking out this middle ground between the novel and the short story.”
  16. How Atlanta Nailed the Art of the BFFsplainTuesday’s episode was another TV example of what having your life explained to you by a female best friend looks like.
  17. tv review
    The CW’s No Tomorrow Is Mostly Pleasurable, Breezy FunCarpe diem! And carpe the rom-com tropes!
  18. close reads
    Why Westworld’s Violence Doesn’t Feel GratuitousThe amusement park in Westworld is steeped in stereotypical male fantasies. But its female characters may be the key to its game.
  19. trends
    The Rise of the Female Impostor ComedyIn Younger, The Good Place, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, women are telling major lies that tell us something about ourselves.
  20. overnights
    Better Things Recap: Like Real People“Woman Is the Something of the Something” is a brilliant commentary on sexism and misogyny.
  21. the vulture tv podcast
    Mr. Robot Creator Sam Esmail on How He Handles Criticism of the Show“Everyone was bummed out [when people figured out the twist] because we were still shooting and everybody on set was like, Oh shit, this is fucked up.”
  22. trends
    Is This the Best Fall TV Season in Recent Memory?All signs point to yes, for reasons that involve quality, but other factors, too.
  23. tv review
    Amazon’s Transparent Returns, With More Changes AheadThe Pfeffermans are back, and their lives are still gloriously messy.
  24. overnights
    Better Things Recap: Are You Gonna Go My Way?The one where Lenny Kravitz comes over for dinner.
  25. Notorious Is No Substitute for ScandalThe only “scandal” is how unoriginal this show is.
  26. tv review
    Designated Survivor Gives Us a Kiefer-in-ChiefThe premise of this new ABC drama is frightening, but watching it is only mildly intense.
  27. tv couple scuffle
    Who Is the Best TV Couple of the Modern Era?Our TV-couples bracket is here, and that means it’s time to commit.
  28. tv review
    Speechless Is Another Solid Addition to the ABC Comedy ArsenalA new fall show to add to your watch list.
  29. the vulture tv podcast
    The 2016 Emmys Felt Like Watching Change in Real TimeThis year’s awards marked a palpable shift.
  30. trends
    The Case Of: JonBenét Ramsey Was True Crime at Its WorstDoes the lurid pointlessness of the CBS series suggest true crime has reached a tipping point?
  31. tv review
    Yes, You’re Going to Need Some Tissues for This Is UsThe new NBC series is a tad contrived, but also undeniably moving.
  32. tv review
    Mike Schur’s The Good Place Is IrresistibleWatch this NBC comedy if you know what’s good for you.
  33. tv review
    Kevin Can Wait Is Exactly As Awful As You ImaginedA terrible and unimaginative show.
  34. emmys 2016
    The State of the Emmy Acceptance Speech Is StrongThe speeches at this year’s Emmys were heartfelt, articulate, and often perfect reflections of the shows and characters on which they focused.
  35. tv review
    Fleabag Feels Different From Anything Else on TVThe whole show is a study of one woman’s personality.
  36. overnights
    Better Things Recap: Lady ProblemsAre you there, God? It’s Pamela Adlon and she has some things to say about women and menstruation.
  37. tv review
    American Horror Story Season 6: Did the Mystery Pay Off?After a whole lot of deliberately cryptic buildup, we finally know what this season of American Horror Story is about. And it’s not a surprise.
  38. emmy insider
    Emmys 2016: Who Should and Will Win in the Comedy RacesWill Veep be elected Outstanding Comedy Series for the second year in a row?
  39. tv review
    HBO’s High Maintenance Carries on the Legacy of the Web SeriesIt’s your perfect Friday-night TV show.
  40. the vulture tv podcast
    Saturday Night Live’s Chris Kelly on Getting Promoted to Co-Head WriterAnd how every character is going to be gay this season on SNL.
  41. emmy insider
    Emmys 2016: Who Will and Should Win in the Variety Races?Sunday could be a big night for John Oliver, Key & Peele, and — perhaps —   Beyoncé.
  42. flashbacks
    The Post-9/11 Emmys Were Unusual, Historic, and a TV Game ChangerThe night Sex and the City reigned.
  43. emmy insider
    What an Outstanding Comedy Emmy Win for Black-ish Would MeanIf it wins, it would be the first time in more than 30 years that a show about African-Americans has received the honor.
  44. overnights
    Better Things Series Premiere Recap: You Are Not Getting Rid of MeAren’t we all asking ourselves, “Where is the freaking graph paper?!”
  45. tv review
    Crackle’s StartUp Is a No GoIf you’ve seen any gritty crime dramas, then you’ve pretty much seen StartUp.
  46. streaming guide
    12 Shows to Stream This Labor Day WeekendWhether you’re still playing summer TV catch-up or trying to prep for fall, we’ve got you covered.
  47. close reads
    Why Chandra on The Night Of Deserved Way BetterChandra on The Night Of was a victim of poor character development.
  48. close reads
    That Scene From You’re the Worst and How to Process ItSo about that violent ending to the first episode of season three …
  49. How Accurate Was The Night Of? Two Legal Experts ExplainHelen leaning on the witness stand is a big no-no.
  50. tv review
    You’re the Worst Season 3 Pushes Its Characters to Their LimitsIt begins with some bleak twists and more introspection.
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