‘It’s Just a Funny Thing to Do’Pod Save America host Jon Lovett doesn’t seem particularly comfortable with being a public figure. He went on Survivor anyway.
ByJason P. Frank
close read
Against ‘Women’s Writing’Rachel Cusk’s gender fundamentalism fully surfaces in her latest novel, Parade.
ByAndrea Long Chu
backstories
Faust Goes to FidiThe producers of Sleep No More are back with the whirlwind immersive-theater project Life and Trust.
ByRebecca Alter
tv review
The Bear Is TrappedCarmy can’t move ahead when he’s haunted by his past, and neither can season three.
Yorgos Lanthimos Is Not Your FriendPoor Things was an empowerment fantasy. The director’s latest film, Kinds of Kindness, is a return to his primary interest — control.
Return of the MicHow chat podcasts have taken over the medium and dominated the cultural discourse (again).
ByNicholas Quah
profile
Annie Baker Goes to HollywoodThe renowned playwright switches mediums with her sneakily expansive debut film, Janet Planet, about a possessive mother-daughter relationship.
The Watchers Squanders Its Creepy PremiseM. Night Shyamalan’s daughter makes her directorial debut with a horror movie about reality TV and the strange creatures that watch it.
The 2024 Streaming Power RankingsWe asked 29 critics, executives, agents, producers, and analysts who they think is winning the streaming wars — and who’s struggling to survive.
ByJosef Adalian
trade secrets
Can Industry Succeed Succession?With a new Sunday-night time slot and Kit Harington co-starring, can this buzzy Gen-Z finance drama finally break out?
The Love MachineLove Is Blind creator Chris Coelen drops a new group of singles into his strange experiment — and wrestles with all the lawsuits against the series.
ByKathryn VanArendonk
island time
The Survivor Eras TourWith 46 seasons of lore, even the most dedicated fans can find it difficult to keep track of what exactly happened and when.
ByJason P. Frank and Nic Juarez
game theory
Firing Jeff Probst Isn’t EnoughThe game used to be a contest of social, physical, and strategic skill. Now it’s turning into a show about nothing but itself.
21 Ways to Hack StardomAfter a dry period, a new crop of A-listers is rising in Hollywood — and doing it differently this time.
ByVulture Editors
album review
Billie Eilish Doesn’t Have to Do It AllHit Me Hard and Soft can be gleefully disorienting, but it’s saddled with the timeless plight of the moody junior installment.
