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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. close reads
    Kim Wexler’s Ponytail on Better Call Saul Is a Follicular Force of NatureIt’s more than a hairstyle. It’s a reflection of who Kim is and who she wants to be.
  2. casual season 4
    Saying Good-bye to Casual With Michaela Watkins and Tommy DeweyFor four seasons, they played siblings on the Hulu dramedy. Now they’re real-life neighbors.
  3. tv review
    Insecure Has Nothing to Be Insecure About in Season 3Issa Rae’s HBO series comes back stronger than ever.
  4. tv review
    Netflix’s Insatiable Is an Utter DisasterYou probably heard this show was bad. But it’s way, way worse than that.
  5. scene report
    Rosie O’Donnell, Broadway Stars Sing the Songs of Angry Men at the White HouseA dispatch from the Broadway-themed protest in D.C.
  6. tv review
    Lodge 49 Is a Very Odd ShowThe AMC series doesn’t entirely work, but it has endearing and delightfully weird moments.
  7. In a Different Universe, Succession’s Kieran Culkin Might’ve Played Cousin Greg“I read his first line of dialogue and I was like, Oh, I think they made a mistake.”
  8. the true crime wave
    How the TV Landscape Teed Us Up Perfectly for True CrimeTrue-crime shows may be so popular because other types of “golden age” TV prepared us for how to watch them.
  9. tv review
    The Sinner Season Two Is Instantly AddictiveIt also stars Carrie Coon, so yeah, you should watch it.
  10. tv review
    Casual Flashes Forward for Its Great Final SeasonThe Hulu series didn’t generate buzz, but its fourth and last season shouldn’t be missed.
  11. tv review
    Making It Is Reality TV That’s Good for the SoulIt’s Parks and Rec meets The Great British Baking Show.
  12. close reads
    Mission: Impossible — Fallout Is the Perfect Movie for Our Summer of UnrealityIn pop culture and politics, the line between truth and fiction has blurred almost beyond recognition.
  13. close reads
    Led Zeppelin Is a Perfect Fit for Sharp ObjectsThe band’s history, sound, and lyrics reveal a lot about this dark, mysterious show.
  14. Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres on the Stuff You Don’t See on Nailed It!Netflix cuts out all the really dirty jokes.
  15. TV’s New Favorite Thing Is the Surprise ReleaseAnd it might kill the people who cover television.
  16. tv review
    Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who Is America? Isn’t Just Fake NewsThe new Showtime series isn’t always consistent, but it’s effective satire.
  17. emmys 2018
    2018 Emmy Nominations: Some Progress and Still Some Same Old, Same OldVoters have gotten better about recognizing a wider swath of TV. But the tendency to repeat themselves still hasn’t died.
  18. emmys 2018
    Emmy Nominations 2018: The 20 Biggest Snubs and SurprisesYay Issa Rae and Zazie Beetz! Boo for not nominating The Good Place!
  19. Will Killing Eve Earn an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Drama?It’s possible!
  20. tv review
    The Handmaid’s Tale Wraps Up a Good But Frustrating SeasonHow long can it avoid the problems that plague The Walking Dead?
  21. close reads
    Jean-Marc Vallée’s Evolution to Sharp Objects From Big Little LiesBig Little Lies was alluring, but Sharp Objects is intoxicating, thanks in large part to its direction and editing.
  22. tv review
    Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee May Not Be Made for These TimesJerry Seinfeld brings his talk show to Netflix, but it feels out of sync with the cultural moment.
  23. vulture tv awards
    The Best Show on TV Is Jane the VirginNo other TV show is doing all the things that Jane the Virgin does, or doing them all so well.
  24. vulture tv awards
    The Best Actor on TV Is Bill Hader in ‘Barry’It’s the rare performance that evolves episode by episode, and has to be seen in its entirety to be appreciated.
  25. tv review
    GLOW Is Back in the Ring and Even Better in Season TwoThe ‘80s wrestling show gets more substantive without losing its sense of humor.
  26. tv review
    Thank Goodness, The Great British Baking Show Is BackYes, the new season aired in the U.K. back in 2012. Who cares? Just let its gentleness wash over you.
  27. Let’s Reconsider Sleepless in Seattle From Walter’s PerspectiveWalter, played by Bill Pullman, is the quintessential boring pushover who gets dumped, in this case by Meg Ryan. But Walter deserves better!
  28. Queer Eye Is Back and (Slightly) Less PoliticalBut the Fab Five are still fabulous and full of style tips.
  29. Claws Is Back and Trashier Than EverTNT’s Florida noir comedy returns with Franka Potente as a self-proclaimed Russian Sheryl Sandberg.
  30. tv review
    A Compelling Staircase Comes to Netflix, But Doesn’t Bring ClosureThe true-crime series landmark is fascinating, even as it raises questions that it never answers.
  31. Killing Eve, Ocean’s 8, and the New Femininity of ‘Strong Female Characters’How TV shows and films are taking the “strong female protagonist” into new, blatantly feminine territory.
  32. tv review
    Dietland Is a Darkly Comic Satire With a Feminist MessageThe AMC series is a refreshingly odd indictment of the fashion industry, abusive men, and … well, a bunch of other things.
  33. tv review
    Succession Is a Biting Portrait of Untrustworthy Power PlayersIn each episode, HBO droll family drama gets more compelling.
  34. No, Samantha Bee’s Joke Isn’t the Same As Roseanne Barr’s TweetSaying that both women deserve to be fired suggests their offenses are identical. They are not.
  35. close reads
    ‘With or Without You’ Was the Perfect Choice for The Americans FinaleGiven the connection between the lyrics and the story, it’s a perfect song selection. But there are U2-related reasons that make it even more fitting.
  36. The Tragedy of Henry Jennings in The Americans Series FinaleHenry was the show’s punch line for years, but in the end, his role paid off in a massively emotional way.
  37. oral history
    An Oral History of The Americans Series FinaleBehind “START,” one of the finest series-enders of the modern TV era.
  38. Where Will Paige Jennings Be in 10 Years? Holly Taylor Has a TheoryIt involves vodka and cats.
  39. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Is As Ambitious and Zany As EverWhile targeting #MeToo and toxic masculinity, the Netflix comedy continues to deliver welcome doses of the absurd.
  40. HBO’s John McCain Documentary Is Both Reverent and CandidJohn McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls is fairly honest about McCain’s sins as well as his strengths.
  41. 2018 Is the Summer of #MeToo TVStories about harassment and imbalances of power will be all over your screens this season.
  42. 9 Shows to Stream Right Now Before Summer TV Comes BackYour summer-TV prep begins now.
  43. Not a Lot of Reasons to Watch 13 Reasons Why Season TwoThe Hannah Baker story continues, whether it should or not.
  44. The Frustrating Portrait of Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong in Netflix’s Evil GeniusThis true-crime series is fascinating, but also points to problematic attitudes toward the mentally ill, especially when they’re female.
  45. There Are Two Ways to Read Earn’s Choice in the Atlanta FinaleIs that ending triumphant or proof that Earn is still stuck?
  46. tv review
    Patrick Melrose: This Is Benedict Cumberbatch’s Brain on DrugsI fully expect Cumberbatch will get an Emmy nomination for his performance here.
  47. Why The Americans Keeps Reminding Us Someone Important Is Going to DieYou can feel in your bones as you watch that things will not end happily for everyone.
  48. On the Set of The Americans Gamechanging Episode, ‘Harvest’It’s the beginning of the end.
  49. chat room
    The Americans’ Keidrich Sellati on Playing the Neglected Jennings ChildAnd the time Matthew Rhys made him cry.
  50. tv review
    Sweetbitter: Eat Drink 20-Something WomanSweetbitter, the new Starz series based on Stephanie Danler’s novel, may not satisfy all your cravings.
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