The Novel Gaze-Inspired Watchlist Pt 1
What Film & TV Taught Me About What To Do (and What Not to Do) When Crafting a Story
You Need to Watch This!
I find the good stuff for you. So you don't have to.
Live Last read · last published · next check
Latest posts
"Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" Pays Off Its Title, but not in the Ways You'd Expect
Ten tight, 35-ish-minute episodes of a crime-caper, single-mom comedy-tragedy make for this summer's best TV escape so far.
The Three Biggest Problems with "Every Year After"
I'm not telling you NOT to watch this new Prime YA Romance, but don't make a mad dash to your telly either.
Is "Off Campus" All Hype? Inside the Internet's Newest NSFW Romance Obsession
Phoning a friend to answer this question. It's more fun that way.
"Rivals" is a Delicious, Sizzling Side Piece of a Show
Rutshire Chronicles' Rivals' adaptation breathes new life into the scandals of the English upper class, set against the backdrop of the countryside and equestrian sports.
Three Women Weigh in: Favorite Mom-Themed Movie & TV Show Picks
From the Vault. Includes an homage to Joanne Thornborough, a fellow Substack film critic, TV lover, and horror enthusiast who passed away in March.
Horror-Comedy-Life is my Jam These Days
I've been vacillating between bouts of laughing, crying and covering my eyes in my TV watching in the past month. There's so much good stuff happening right now. Dive into it with me.
The Adults Are Not All Right in "Fantasy Life"
Director, writer, and star Matthew Shear hits cinematic peaks in his debut slow-burn dramedy about midlife, finding purpose, staying sane, and being seen as the basis for deeper connection.
"DTF St. Louis" Speaks Truth to the Labor & Hidden Costs of Mid-Life
A small show about loneliness, friendship and the acts we commit in the name of connection is a much needed antidote to the social media "glaze" overload which perpetuates validation falsehoods
When Dan Levy, Adam Grant and Brene Brown Walked into My Living Room
On tap: Watching "Big Mistakes, a family dysfunction follow-up to "Schitt's Creek," and listening to "The Curiosity Shop" podcast and learning a new word called "metacognition"
Thoughts on "Paradise" S2 Finale, "DTF St. Louis" & Classic Romance
I’ve got mystery & relationship drama TV on my mind, Woman of the Year (1942) in my heart, and a workplace romance coming your way next year.
"Love Story" Season 1 & Other Love News
Ryan Murphy's provocative look at the Carolyn Bessette Kennedy-JFK Jr. short-lived love story spanning 9 episodes proves its deserving of its fandom. Oh and I have an announcement.
People & Films Who Should Win Oscars
Hot Takes on DAY of the Oscars: I didn't see all the Best Picture nominated films. Who has time for F1? But here's what's worth cashing in on your most precious resource.
March Watchlist: Lose the Hour, Gain the Pleasure (in the Knowledge!)
Springing into relational intelligence and the dance of love, trust and meaning through TV, a book and a pod
Gen X Ladies on Bridgerton S4: It's 🔥 and ❤️
Dear Gentle Readers: It's Beth Whistledown here and it's time I revealed a truth.
📢 Hear Me Out: Rakes AKA Questionable TV Men We Can’t Quit—Even When We Know Better (But… Do We?)
Sometimes a rake is just a rake, but other times he's a penitent rapscallion and worthy of a second chance, right?
The Shows & Films That Loved Me, the 2026 Edition
Alt Headline: The shows and films that had me at Hello, kind of. And no, I'm not including insta-attraction romance.
"Captain Fantastic" Reframes Survival as an Act of Resistance
A beautiful film that examines alternate, off-the-grid parenting while interrogating consumerism at its most voyeuristic, ultimately poses lifestyle choice questions that linger and haunt our present.
Bridgerton's Fourth Season May Be Its Finest Yet
Four episodes in and I'm a believer in the Cinderella story reimagining of Julia Quinn's "An Offer from a Gentleman" which reads more like "Romancing the Rake" (but no one asked)
The Great Paradox of Dishonesty in Grief in "Eleanor the Great"
Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is an ambitious undertaking, weaving a first-person Holocaust experience, falsely represented, with collective grief.