Shrill picks up narrative strength once we see Annie slowly come to terms with the yawning gap between who she is and who she has been told to be by her family, her friends, and society at large.
Television
Television: PEN15 — Middle School Made Uproarious
Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle turn in frequently hilarious but vulnerable performances as their adolescent counterparts.
TV Review: “The Umbrella Academy” — What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stranger
What’s a band of re-orphaned misfits to do? Dance away the pain, obviously.
WATCH CLOSELY: “True Detective” — Mysteries of Mind and Soul
This season of True Detective explores the figure of the cop as a permanently haunted man.
WATCH CLOSELY: The Dark Depths of “Russian Doll”
Russian Doll is television made to be savored.
Television Commentary: “The Sopranos” 20 Years Later — American Viciousness, Legitimized
I find it a little disturbing how The Soprano’s themes seem to have culminated in the election of our current President.
WATCH CLOSELY: Ted Bundy, Archetypal Sociopath
What is admirable about Conversations with a Killer is that it is as compelling an exploration of the monster’s victims as it is of Ted Bundy.
Television Review: Art Lives on But Dealers Die in “Velvet Buzzsaw”
Jake Gyllenhall and company will survive this broad satiric lark, as will the art world.
Television Review: “Sex Education” — Making Love in High School
One of the key reasons that Sex Education works is due to its frank depictions of what sex, or lack thereof, is actually like in high school.
WATCH CLOSELY: New and Old Spring Shows Worth Being Excited About
Here is what a smart, savvy viewer who likes high-quality entertainment is looking forward to on TV this year.