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.
The Problem With DahmerThe series states its aim to humanize those affected by the serial killer’s crimes, but it can’t resist a base attraction to its central monster.
The Emmys Really Tried Some ThingsLike TV itself, the Emmys were a little too much too fast. But within that chaos were some unexpected, truly sublime moments.
The Patient Is All Killer, No FillerSteve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson deliver strong performances in a thought-provoking thriller that succeeds by keeping its focus narrow.
The 102 Best Movie Sequels of All TimeWho in the world wanted a Top Gun sequel? Not even Tom Cruise, but that didn’t stop Maverick from getting made and soaring in our ranks.
a long talk
Kim Wexler’s Curtain CallBetter Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn looks back on six seasons spent getting inside ‘an extremely inscrutable character.’
Barry Doesn’t Let Us Turn AwayA trio of carefully crafted scenes in the season finale compels us to confront the consequences of killing.
close read
Never Mind the Anarchy, Here’s PistolHow do you resolve music-biopic convention with a genre rooted in unpredictability? Danny Boyle’s Sex Pistols series never quite figures it out.
trial tribulations
The Circus Was TelevisedThe American Depp v. Heard case played to an audience primed for out-of-context spectacle, and it worked.
Stranger Things 4 Has Big Blockbuster EnergyThe Netflix smash was once a TV show that paid homage to films released decades ago. This season, it’s threatening to become a series of those films.
Hacks Seems a Bit LostThe Emmy-winning series hits the road in season two and needs some time to find its old rhythms.
tv review
The Staircase Defies ExpectationsA seminal true-crime story takes on new dimension in a scripted series that proves there’s still more to say about Michael and Kathleen Peterson.
