CULTURE DIGEST 10: Free Ezra
Monthly recommendations from the team behind the TV Foundation and Edinburgh TV Festival.
It’s basically April, and that’s a prank in and of itself. If you’re not out enjoying the London sun, dive into any of these rad suggestions (though soaking in some vitamin D may be the greatest rec we have).
FILM
🎬 I’m Still Here – Listen, all we’re going to say is it lives up to the hype.
🎬 The Last Showgirl – Pamela Anderson gives us a love letter to showbiz and sequins.
🎬 The Girl with the Needle – For those who like their historical drama with a side of visceral tension.
If anyone has access to The Book of Prince, Ezra Edelman’s now-shelved 9-hour (!!) Prince doc for Netflix, DM us. You’ll get a gold pass to the Festival for life. No joke.
TV
📺 White Lotus (Sky Atlantic, NOW TV) – Apparently, luxury vacations are just trauma bonding with better scenery, but we have no complaints.
📺 Adolescence (Netflix) – Yes, it really is that good. But no surprise, we’ve been major Jack Thorne fans for a loooong time.
📺 Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney (Netflix) – Monkeying around with late-night conventions, actually live (not pre-taped “live”).
📺 Hacks Series 3 Finale (NOW TV) – Now that’s how you set up a next season. Take notes, Hollywood.
📺 Severance Series 2 Finale (Apple TV+) – If someone can please decipher the ~*inner meaning*~ of their Tower Bridge appearance, hmu.
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BOOKS
📖 Sunrise on the Reaping – Suzanne Collins said, “You will suffer,” and we said, “Thank you.”
📖 The Singer’s Gun – Emily St. John Mandel never misses.
📖 Old Wounds – Logan-Ashley Kisner brings trans joy to the horror genre.
📖 The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir – Edmund White, serving literary scandal and insight.
PODCASTS
🎙️ Welcome to Emmy Season: Prestige Junkie – The Emmys race is heating up, and so is the discourse.
🎙️ What Went Wrong? – Hollywood disasters that almost weren’t—from Do The Right Thing to Predator.
🎙️ How We Made Your Mother – In the overrun rewatch pod genre, this one manages to have new things to say.
ARTICLES WORTH YOUR TIME
📰 How Duolingo, NBCUniversal, and Creators Corp are taking branded entertainment to the next level
📰 The Value of Designing Memorable Experiences
📰 Jake & Logan Paul: Secrets of the Influencer Economy
THEATRE
🎭 The Seagull (Barbican) – Chekhov, existential dread, London theatre at its finest. We wish you luck in the ticket war 🫡
🎭 Kenrex (Southwark Playhouse) – If you missed this one, the rest of Southwark Playhouse’s season looks 🤌😘 *chefs kiss*
MUSIC
🎵 Chappell Roan – “The Giver” is giving main pop girl energy.
🎵 The Mary Wallopers – Folk meets Irish pub rowdiness, in the best way.
🎵 Sam Fender – If you’re still sad about the state of the world but want to feel something, here you go.
Now go forth and watch!
And yes, we are so serious about Ezra Edelman’s doc. Ezra, pls, call us. 🙏