Pop Culture Anticipation
Over the last week, people have been on promotional blitzes, with trailers and teasers and mysterious Instagram posts. It's made me extra excited for some of the release dates coming up during the rest of the year. Here's a rundown of some highly anticipated pop culture moments for 2019:
When Netflix first released this mysterious poster last week, the internet quickly deduced that Beyonce must be behind it. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long to find out, with a full-length trailer released shortly after and the announcement that Homecoming, a documentary detailing the creative journey behind her performance at Coachella last year, will come out on April 17. Which just happens to be today, people! Once you finish reading this newsletter, of course, head over to Netflix and enjoy. Plus the live concert album is also available to stream!
At the end of February, Taylor Swift set the internet into a frenzy when she posted a picture on Instagram featuring seven palm trees, sparking rumors that she was about to announce her seventh album. The post (and many of the pictures on social media since) marks a departure from the darkness of the reputation era, potentially ushering in a sunnier period in Swift's music. While no news came after her first palm trees post, on April 13 (of course it happened on the 13th) Taylor directed fans towards a countdown clock, marking time until April 26. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a brand new single (or a whole album?!) and will be doing my own countdown until we find out more!
The ladies of Saturday Night Live past are reuniting for a drunken girls weekend in Wine Country. Are you hooked? Amy Poehler directs and stars in the Netflix comedy, which features Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Tina Fey and Emily Spivey (who co-wrote the film with fellow SNL alum Liz Cackowski). Are you definitely hooked? The trailer just came out last week and the movie itself will be released on Netflix and in some theaters on May 10.
Since Big Little Lies premiered in February 2017, sparked a wonderful friendship among many of Hollywood's power ladies, dominated awards season and announced that Meryl Streep would be joining the second season, I've eagerly awaited the next chapter in the story. The trailer and release date was announced this past week, and folks we don't have long to wait now. The new season premiers on HBO on June 9.
After a year-and-a-half long wait, the third season of Stranger Things is almost here (release date: July 4). If the trailer is any indication, this season is going to be epic. It features plenty of teen moments, from post-summer camp reunions, to trips to the mall, to lip-synching to albums; I especially enjoyed the glimpse into what looks like a blossoming friendship between Eleven and Max, who weren't exactly on the best of terms in season two. Plus, the use of Motley Crue's Home Sweet Home and The Who's Baba O'Riley in the promo is incredible.
On July 31, we'll finally have Mindy Kaling's writing to gush over again. Her adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral will premiere on Hulu this summer. The 10-episode miniseries boasts an impressive cast, including Zoe Boyle, Nathalie Emmanuel, Guz Khan, Sophia La Porta, Harish Patel, Nikesh Patel, John Reynolds, Rebecca Rittenhouse and Brandon Mychal Smith. No trailer yet, but they did release this adorable graphic.
It's not much, but we have our first glimpse of Kristen Bell back at it as Veronica Mars in this teaser trailer from Hulu. The eight-episode revival premieres on the streaming network this summer on July 26. In the promo, Veronica is the same as always, witty, tough and holding her treasured taser.
And a little further down the road, we have the newest and final installment in the Star Wars saga. The teaser trailer, which was released last week, features a badass Rey, glimpses of Kylo Ren as emo as ever, a hug from Leia, ominous laughter and a mysterious tagline for the final episode: The Rise of Skywalker. What does it all mean? I doubt we'll find out much more until the movie comes to theaters in December.
As Seen on Screen
The final of season of Jane the Virgin premiered at the end of March, so I'm going to take the opportunity to rave about this show on the CW once more. As I'm watching the show's last season, I've also embarked on a rewatch of the full series and am falling in love with the telenovela all over again. With almost the full context of the series, the character relationships are more beautiful, the stories are stronger and the arcs feel masterfully built. Some highlights upon second viewing:
Jane & Petra's Ever-Changing Relationship: We can argue all day about Team Michael and Team Rafael (and this show has done an unbelievable job of making this love triangle truly difficult to take sides on, but I'm still Team Michael), but one of the other great relationships on the show is between Jane and Petra. From jealousy to passive aggressive behavior to forced friendship to genuine friendship, these two have become genuine supporters of each other. The most recent episode to air featured a truly touching moment where these two admit how much they care for each other.
Healthy Communication on a TV Show: So much television is filled with passive aggressive conversations, where people only air out their issues in a dramatic fashion. On Jane, healthy communication is everywhere. While secrets and miscommunication can occasionally cause drama on the show, it always concludes quickly (usually within an episode, never festering for more than two) and ends in a healthy conversation that feels true to life. "I get that," is a phrase commonly used in heart-to-hearts between characters. The phrase speaks to the power of listening and affirmation.
Seamless Integration of Current Events: While some TV shows have fallen into "very special episode" strategies to incorporate important issues, Jane effortlessly weaves in meaningful topics and conversations throughout the series, while also showing how they impact characters in a real way. Immigration, racism and sexism have been part of the show's narrative from the start. Plus, let's not forget how monumental it still is to see a show on TV with a diverse cast and scenes that regularly take place in Spanish.
Unique Storytelling Structure: I'm continuously amazed at the perfect balance Jane strikes between ridiculous telenovela drama and emotional scenes grounded in reality, with plenty of comedy mixed in for good measure. Episodes switch from character to character with pretty drastic tonal shifts, but with the help of a narrator seamlessly tying it all together (plus the creative use of graphics and text messages), it all magically falls into place.
Haven't You Heard?
Now that it's warm in DC (sorry to all my friends and family digging out from snow in the Midwest), I've got summer music on the brain. In a newsletter last year, I wrote about how Walk the Moon's music feels like the embodiment of summertime. A deep cut from the band's discography has popped up on my Spotify shuffle playlist recently, so I'm recommending it to you all to get you in the spring/summer spirit. Drunk in the Woods is from Walk the Moon's 2013 Tightrope EP. The lyrics aren't their most profound, but the music makes this tune a true banger. Listen and let those good weather vibes wash over you.
Required Reading
Rebecca Traister always knows exactly what to say. As I've read various takes over the last few weeks comparing the media coverage of female candidates versus male candidates, none have summed it up quite as nicely as Rebecca Traister in an article for The Cut about the way we write about candidates as parents. She writes, "White men — in life, on streets, in cop cars, within their families, on the pages of magazines, and in politics — are permitted to fuck up, to gain our sympathy and protection. They are offered the possibilities of blamelessness, selfishness, naïveté, and second and third chances. They are offered the benefits of youth itself, no matter their age. It doesn’t matter whether they have kids or how they raise kids; these men who want to lead us get to be kids." You can't put it more perfectly than that!
