January 2025 Pop Culture Diary

The Pitt, The Brutalist, Hamilton(?), Mean Girls (??) and more

INTRO

2025 could have gotten off to a much more rosy start, but my adoptive home of Los Angeles is still reeling from the impacts of the wildfires that leveled multiple communities around us. As I type this, somehow, despite heroic efforts from firefighters, and rain in the greater LA area, containment for both the Palisades and Eaton fires are not at 100%.

I am extremely fortunate that I did not need to evacuate, and the fires never presented danger to me in the immediate. Others I know were not as lucky. My dear friend Alix Winschel shared resources where you can donate to wildfire recovery. Please take a look and contribute if you are able. I will personally highlight the incredible work of Pasadena Humane - a cause close to my heart, as both my cats were adopted from their wonderful teams.

In my most trying moments, entertainment provided a welcome escape from the difficulties of life. January, more than normal, allowed me a welcome escape from the danger in my backyard. Here’s what I have to share to kick off 2025.

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TV

• One of my earliest pop culture memories, inexplicably, is watching Dr. Mark Greene’s passing on ER with my mom. That I had reverence for this character and show as a 7.5 year old in 2002 will never not confuse me. The Pitt is very much, legally, not an ER sequel, but it very much is a spiritual successor. It’s also already my favorite show on TV. The promise of bringing Noah Wyle back as an ER doctor and running the medical thriller playbook with HBO language and funds had me completely sold as a concept, and moreso seeing it executed so well. Every person I know watching The Pitt loves this show. You will too, trust me.

• I’m one episode into Landman at time of writing and completely understand why people became obsessed with this show. Thanks Mom! The opening 8 minutes are absolute ace television.

• I’ve watched the first four episodes of the current season of Deal or No Deal Island and I am still wildly confused about the rules. That’s a little bit on me for not paying attention, but like The Traitors I keep feeling like the challenges are secondary to something else - in this case, playing Deal or No Deal against The Banker at the end of the episode. Yet even with my confusion, I am compelled and addicted. Turns out that watching really attractive people on a beautiful island participate in high stakes gambling makes for great TV?

• Speaking of The Traitors! Season 3 has been a delight so far, and the cast is largely fantastic. As a life-long Boston Rob lover, this has been a welcome chance to educate my friends and family to the career of the best reality show competitor of all time. Some of the exits so far this season have stung hard, but that’s the price of playing the game with (candidly) an imbalance of all-stars. Gabby Windey = great TV, not amazing gameplay. Tony Vlachos = great TV and gameplay, therefore a massive threat.

• Severance, and with it, amazing TV times, are so fucking back. I adore this show, am so confused, and am happy to be along for the ride. Best mystery box TV since Lost? I think it’s all but locked for the Lumon crew.

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FILM

• I used a work holiday to embrace the marathon of The Brutalist - showing up at 9:45 for a 10a screening and leaving the theater at 2p that afternoon. It’s a bold, gigantic film that’s not without (both deserved and not) AI controversy, but I care less about the production than a second-half plot decision that I bumped on hard. Like many, I found the first half totally enthralling only to then find the second half more sluggish, self-important, and less successful. Wouldn’t top my Oscar ballot - Anora would - but if it takes Best Picture I won’t be upset.

• Babygirl was pretty good! I found the individual performances from Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson better than the film as a whole statement, but very much worth the watch if for nothing else than Harris’s dancing to George Michael’s “Father Figure”.

• My friend Lauren called the musical remake of Mean Girls a “perfect plane movie” which led me to watch it when I flew home for Christmas. I have had the soundtrack on a constant repeat ever since, bleeding out to the original Broadway cast too. It’s much better than I anticipated, though Angourie Rice, who I otherwise like, is blown off screen by Renee Rapp and Auli’i Cravalho, both of whom are legitimate Broadway belters, while Rice is an otherwise good-not-amazing singer. Special mention to Avantika’s “Sexy” which is pandemic-level-catchy.

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MUSIC

• Rolling Stone released their Top 250 Albums of the 21st Century So Far which I promptly bugged all my friends and family to read. I am absolutely addicted to list content anyway, and this was a controlled substance for me. There’s a hilarious “Rolling Stone bullshit” pick in the Top 5 and a surprising-if-reasonable pick for #1 overall. I’ve been listening through the list for albums I hadn’t yet caught up on and having a ball.

• I fell down a rabbit hole of musical theater soundtracks this month and can safely report the Hamilton soundtrack album still rules 10 years on. Top 5 from Hamilton: 5. Yorktown; 4. Washington On Your Side; 3. Burn; 2. Wait for It; 1. Satisfied

• MJ Lenderman’s Tiny Desk is a wonderful belated Christmas present to yours truly.

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READING

• I was TikTok-influenced to check out The Pumpkin Spice Cafe as it was described as a Hallmark movie with sex scenes. Well, whomever came up with that description lied, because I am like 150 pages into this thing and nobody has kissed let alone had hot, steamy, seasonal, passionate, artisinal love. Good thing this book is a crazy quick read, otherwise I’d be giving up hope.

• As a kid, I loved A Series of Unfortunate Events and realized I never finished the series. In talking with friends, I realized I wasn’t alone in failing to finish, in part because the pacing for the releases of all 13 books started to drag. Now with all in hand, on my bookshelf, and the ability to rip through almost every book in seemingly two to three sittings, I have had a blast revisiting the series. More sarcastic and dark than I remember for kids books!

• The Ringer has a great piece on how Neon has emerged as the hottest critical darling movie studio in recent years. I’m bullish on the entertainment industry and original, independent cinema, and Neon is one of the biggest reasons why. Take more swings on bold visions!

• Really enjoyed ESPN’s look at Randy Mims, LeBron James’ longtime right-hand and fixer. Though he’s far less notable in culture than Maverick Carter and Rich Paul, Randy has quietly been a critical figure in James’ career - the piece also somewhat credits him with a breakthrough that lead to both Miami Heat championships!?

• Vulture’s There Is No Safe Word details the allegations about Neil Gaiman’s sexual misconduct and abuse in harrowing detail. It’s a bracing, dark, devastating read that makes for an impossible to deny picture for the one-time literary mega-star. No flippant commentary, only kudos for the team pulling together this critical, necessary piece that had to have been painful to hear and communicate for those impacted.

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GRAB BAG

• David Ehrlich’s Annual Countdown Videos are a holiday in my household. The montages and listing of the best of film every year are almost equal to the Oscars, and I am one drink away from saying they’re better.

• My friend Lauren Zimmer has returned to Substack and joined me in hot-girl-blogging! Check out The Three Things!