Science fiction has historically been considered a niche genre, one in which far-flung scenarios play out on distant planets. Today, though, such plots are at the center of our media landscape. On this episode of Critics at Large, the staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz anatomize the appeal of recent entries, from Denis Villene ... Show More
Oct 29
Critics at Large Live: “I Need a Critic!”
On this episode of Critics at Large, recorded live at the twenty-seventh annual New Yorker Festival, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz bring their advice series to the stage for the first time. They advise on a range of topics, including films to introduce chil ... Show More
48m 21s
Oct 22
“You Can See Everything” and the Nathan Fielder Effect
Nathan Fielder’s onscreen persona—flat, literal-minded, and seemingly baffled by ordinary social behavior—has made him one of our most distinctive cultural figures. On his Comedy Central series “Nathan for You,” his approach collided with the eagerness of ordinary people to be ag ... Show More
53m 35s
Oct 8
“The Social Reckoning” Shows How It All Went Wrong
In 2010, Time magazine’s Person of the Year was not a world leader or entertainment icon but Mark Zuckerberg, the twenty-six-year-old creator of Facebook. That same year, Zuckerberg got the Hollywood treatment in the bio-pic “The Social Network,” directed by David Fincher and wri ... Show More
50 m
Mar 2022
How science fiction can shape our reality | Your Undivided Attention
The meta-crisis is so vast: climate change, exponential technology, addiction, polarization and more. How do we grasp it, let alone take steps to address it? One of the thinking tools we have at our disposal is science fiction. To the extent that we co-evolve with our stories, sc ... Show More
28m 14s
Mar 2024
Culture Chat: '3 Body Problem', Netflix’s next big swing
Today we take on 3 Body Problem, the new buzzy Netflix sci-fi series from the creators of Game of Thrones. The show is based on Liu Cixin’s best-selling Chinese trilogy and is about humankind’s first contact with an alien civilisation. It spans timelines, worlds and dimensions. L ... Show More
19m 34s
May 2024
114: Book vs. Big Screen: 3 Body Problem on Netflix
"But if science tells you that something's impossible, and it happens anyway, it means one of two things. Either the science is wrong, or it's a scam." Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! Today, we're exploring the 3 Body Problem TV series on Netflix, inspired by C ... Show More
43m 37s
Oct 2023
Bladerunner, Androids, and The Origin of Cyberpunk | Cosmic Chronicles Episode 8
Join hosts Quinn and James in this episode of "The Cosmic Chronicles Podcast" as they delve into the fascinating world of Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and its cinematic adaptations, "Blade Runner" and "Blade Runner 2049." They dissect the themes o ... Show More
1 h
<p>Thornton discusses the essay "On Science Fiction" to learn what Lewis had to say about the popular genre and how critics should deal with it.</p>
<p>Connect with him on Instagram @merecslewis, 'X' aka Twitter at @MereCSLewis or email at merecs ... Show More
