Television
In Defense of Doing Away With Guilty Pleasures
The CW's excellent Jane the Virgin reminds us there is no such thing as a true guilty pleasure.
09 Mar 2015
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Television
In Defense of a Second Season for 'Halt and Catch Fire'
Women are the alpha-characters in Halt and Catch Fire. There may be no better dynamic duo of smart leading females on TV today than Donna and Cameron.
19 Aug 2014
Television
In Defense of HBO's 'Enlightened'
A couple years after its demise, it's time to look back at how brilliant and confusing Mike White and Laura Dern's series really was.
15 Jul 2014
Film
In Defense of Ann Hornaday, No Matter What Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen Say
The Washington Post film critic wasn't wrong in wondering aloud about the impact Hollywood can have on the typical young male.
16 Jun 2014
Television
In Defense of Calling It a Finalé Even Though It's Not Over
With Mad Men now wrapped up until spring 2015, it's time we stop resisting the trend of this new television practice. It ain't over, but it's still a finalé.
02 Jun 2014
Music
In Defense of Live Performances That Make the Audience Feel Alive
Artists feed off their fans. Fans feed off the artists. A good live performance leaves the spirit relieved of its hunger. Hear that, Chvrches?
15 May 2014
Culture
In Defense of Turning 30 and Living to Tell About It
Turning 30 means you still might be able to achieve some sort of greatness, but your definition of greatness changes more often than your pant-size.
27 Apr 2014
Music
In Defense of Jesse Winchester
With the news that the singer-songwriter has passed, it's time to look back on someone Bob Dylan once dubbed 'The Greatest Living Songwriter'.
14 Apr 2014
Television
In Defense of the Phrase 'Spoiler Alert'
Hey, did anybody else have the Good Wife plot twist spoiled for them last week? Thanks to Google, Time and the Associated Press, I did.
01 Apr 2014
Television
In Defense of Modern Family's Writers
When the actors of ABC's most successful series in years were forced to file a lawsuit, the minds behind the dialogue took an entire episode to make their points known.
24 Mar 2014
Technology
In Defense of Reading Books, Not E-Readers
Even if an e-reader might be more practical than a heavy book, there isn't an electronic screen on the planet that rivals the prestige attached to such a time-tested medium.
16 Mar 2014
Television
In Defense of the Seth Meyers / Jimmy Fallon Late-Night Team
Thanks to Seth Meyers, the community of after-hours talk-show hosts just got a whole lot friendlier. Call it fresh. Call it new. I call it interesting.
10 Mar 2014
Performing Arts
In Defense of Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Tour
Seeing Kanye West perform, I learned not only what it's like to see a master at the top of his game, but also what it is that makes the polarizing artist so fascinating.
03 Mar 2014
Sports
In Defense of Totally Being Over the Winter Olympics
An institution once associated with athletic superiority and, of course, proud patriotism, has been deduced to yet another pawn in the ongoing game of international passive-aggression.
16 Feb 2014
Sports
In Defense of Openly Enjoying Professional Wrestling
All it took was a trip to the Royal Rumble to see how similar the warped reality of the WWE is to The Kardashians. Or The Real World. Or Duck Dynasty. Or Honey Boo Boo.
11 Feb 2014
Film
In Defense of Philip Seymour Hoffman's Legacy
Lost far too soon, Philip Seymour Hoffman was the single most affecting reason I ever decided to watch movies in the first place.
04 Feb 2014
Internet
In Defense of a Roku Television Revolution
Roku streaming is ready to offer Roku TVs. The longer its competitors wait (cough, Apple, cough), the harder it will be to dethrone the current champs.
28 Jan 2014
Food Drink
In Defense of the Gosh-Darn Revelation That Is The Food Network
The Food Network is a love letter to culinary experimentation. It's a lab we can visit whenever we get bored with our own spaghetti.
21 Jan 2014
Music
In Defense of Both the Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel Eras of Genesis
With Collins' recent rumblings about returning to music, it's time to lay the "which era is better" question to rest.
09 Jan 2014
Film
In Defense of an Ugly Betty Movie
Will a Kickstarter campaign make Betty Suarez the next Veronica Mars?
11 Dec 2013
Film
In Defense of Kelly Reichardt's Directorial Touch
Kelly Reichardt has established herself as a singular and essential voice in modern cinema by being a master of the miniature, a maestro of The Moment.
02 Dec 2013
Sports
In Defense of Keith Olbermann and His 12-Round Boxing Match With Politics, Sports and Viewers
In light of his recent feud with WFAN radio personalities, it's time to realize why Keith Olbermann works so well in the sports-broadcasting world.
19 Nov 2013
Music
In Defense of the Aughts' Pop Punk Boom
Sure, it's uncool to like the New Found Glorys or Brand News, but that wave of screaming, poppy, punky acts was a fun ride.
11 Nov 2013
Television
In Defense of 'Saturday Night Live's 2013-14 Season Casting
Do you think NBC's flagship, iconic series is racist for not having any African-American women in its cast this season? Think again.
05 Nov 2013
Music
In Defense of Saving the VMAs
A month removed from this year's debacle, it's time to understand that the Video Music Awards are worth reviving, worth enjoying like we did decades ago.
24 Sep 2013
Culture
In Defense of the Influence of 'Difficult Men'
Brett Martin's latest book serves as a reminder of how enlightening dealing with darkness in television can be.
17 Sep 2013
Sports
In Defense of Fox Sports 1
After months of hype and expectation, Fox Sports' latest go at giving ESPN legitimate competition got off to a respectful start. The network's timing was perfect.
27 Aug 2013
Music
In Defense of New Radicals
New Radicals sort of invented the term "frenemies", yet the group's lone record, Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too, still stands as one of the lost treasures of the '90s.
20 Aug 2013
Film
In Defense of Sarah Polley Being One of the Best Directors in Modern Cinema
The child actress-turned-director is a mastermind at both presenting and analyzing the fine details of a life.
07 Aug 2013
Internet
In Defense of Netflix Being the Future of Television
The Little Red Envelope That Could has established itself as a go-to place for quality original programming. The next step? World domination.
31 Jul 2013
Music
In Defense of Boycotting the Corporate Concert Industry
$400 for a VIP package to see Matchbox Twenty? Nearly $300 smackers for a regular ticket into the Legends of Summer tour?
24 Jul 2013
Music
In Defense of Retiring the Band Name Sublime
There will forever be only one Sublime, and Bradley Nowell is the only lead singer that should have ever been part of it.
07 Jul 2013
Music
In Defense of the Postal Service Reunion
Rarely does a one-off side project generate so much interest a full decade after the band's lone release.
26 Jun 2013
Media
In Defense of Podcasting
Though the medium hasn't enjoyed the success some hoped it would, podcasting has become news radio for a new generation.
10 Jun 2013
Music
In Defense of Music Festival Fatigue
It's time to question how relevant these large gatherings are as the multi-band concert industry continues to expand to obnoxious heights.
04 Jun 2013
Music
In Defense of Kanye West
On the heels of his sixth solo studio album, it's time to take a look at why Yeezy remains relevant, and why his antics, obnoxious as they can be, never grow old.
29 May 2013
Film
In Defense of New Orleans Gospel Music
Despite its rich tradition, the future of gospel music in various parts of the world has been an issue of contention and heartbreak in recent years.
22 May 2013
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