CULTURE DIGEST 04: Top television, getting out of bed and film legacies
Monthly recommendations from the team behind the TV Foundation and Edinburgh TV Festival.
We are so back. And, by so back, we mean our lives are not filled to the brim with all things Edinburgh TV Festival — and we’re caught up on enough culture that we can write our Culture Digest.
What to Watch?
If you missed its run in cinemas, The Boy and The Heron streams on Netflix on 7 October. Ghibli animation is nothing short of magic, and Animation Obsessive recently wrote about the world of My Neighbor Totoro with focus on Kazuo Oga’s background paintings.
And, there’s no shortage of television to enjoy. Transport to the 90s fashion industry with In Vogue: The 90s, and a Texas English teacher’s classroom with the new comedy-drama English Teacher. If Colin Farrell starring in Gotham villain origin story The Penguin isn’t your thing, perhaps Colin from Accounts (S2) is more your speed. Unpack life’s drama in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and Love is Blind UK (S2) with friends, or check out recent true crime releases, The Body Next Door and Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter.
Internet Musings
Why aren’t we talking to each other anymore? “The Mainstreaming of Loserdom” explores the internet masses who proclaim their love for staying in bed, hatred of small talk and asks — are we glorifying self-isolation during a loneliness epidemic? The article came a month before a viral TikTok conversation centred around a lack of friendliness in public spaces. Don’t forget your random act of kindness this week.
Rolling Stone published “The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time” earlier this month. Let us know if you think anything’s missing, or if you’d replace an episode chosen on the list (personally would’ve gone for “Free Churro” or “The View from Halfway Down” for Bojack Horseman).
Plus, the Saturday Night Network is counting down to SNL’s 50th Anniversary with a weekly season recap.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Out & About
Chappell Roan finished her European tour dates, and we are all pink pony girls. Most of us were not lucky enough to snag a ticket. Listen to The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess if you haven’t yet — you won’t regret it.
London Film Festival is right around the corner. There are whispers of excitement around the office for Anora, Bird and The Room Next Door. Wanting to just get out to the cinema? The Substance is sure to spark conversations (…and churn stomachs).
Top of the Pods
As awards season kicks off, revisit all the movies that awards forgot with This Had Oscar Buzz. Hosts Joe Reid and Chris Feil trace the legacy of each week’s film.
But, sometimes we need to remind ourselves just how hard it is to make a movie at all. WHAT WENT WRONG covers the behind-the-scenes of disastrous movie productions. With sequels released this year, we recommend starting with episodes on Beetlejuice and Twister.
Ologies with Alie Ward hosts conversations with professional -ologists about their obsessions. Take a stroll and let this conversation about the birthplace of graffiti and the role of public art inspire where you look when you walk, especially if you can make your way to a street art hub.
The road to the U.S. Election is well underway. Here’s a selection of politics podcasts covering the most recent election news and analysing the U.S. political landscape.
We’re always interested in receiving recommendations too. So, what have you been enjoying this month?