The hottest TV Substack posts right now

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15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 576 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. A long magazine piece examines a new crop of "agentic" young men in Silicon Valley and paints an unsettling, despairing picture of their behavior and influence.
  2. The trailer for the upcoming season of Jury Duty, called Company Retreat, provoked shock and strong reactions.
  3. The roundup is distributed behind a paywall for paid subscribers, with clear subscription and sign‑in prompts.

Best of the year (so far)

Austin Kleon • 5755 implied HN points • 12 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The author enjoyed various types of reading, from essays and books to magazines that make great bathroom reads.
  2. They found joy in both music and movies, highlighting favorites from old classics to new releases, showing a preference for a mix of styles.
  3. The author shared experiences with family activities like pizza night movies and fun gadgets that made everyday life more enjoyable.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 659 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. "Tool Shaped Objects" is highlighted as a particularly thought-provoking response to a viral AI article.
  2. Bear Naked Cacao & Cashew Butter Granola was a memorable food item this week.
  3. The full list and details are available only to paid subscribers behind a paywall.

Can We Stop Trying to Cancel the ‘00s?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 204 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. There’s a growing wave of documentaries re-examining early-2000s pop culture that focuses on how those shows and brands were abusive or problematic.
  2. These pieces follow a predictable formula: highlight practices that were already criticized, make viewers feel complicit, and then offer only mild behind-the-scenes revelations.
  3. That cycle is getting tiresome because it often feels like performative canceling instead of real accountability or deeper insight, and it overlooks the historical context of how people saw things at the time.

The Winter Olympics Is the Best Reality TV Show

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 324 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The Winter Olympics plays like the best reality TV — it’s full of big personalities, unexpected drama, and moments that feel made for television.
  2. Ice dancing is the theater kid of Olympic sports: flashy costumes, pumping music, exposed personalities, and subjective judging that heightens backstage drama.
  3. Opening ceremonies and national displays are a big part of the show and can spark controversy, so people tune in to see how countries present themselves.
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15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 715 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. A weekly "15 things I consumed" roundup features a favorite neck covering as the recommendation of the week.
  2. A New Year’s anecdote mentions fireworks waking a child and a grouchy start to the year.
  3. One item links to Maggie Millner’s essay "Is Mary Oliver Embarrassing?" in The Yale Review, and the full post is behind a paywall for paid subscribers.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 594 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. A weekly roundup lists 15 things consumed that week, offering a quick mix of media and personal favorites.
  2. AI-generated section titles for a podcast were singled out and laughed at. It shows how AI is already seeping into everyday media.
  3. The full content is behind a paywall, with prompts to subscribe or sign in to access the rest.

Best of 2025

Obvious Bicycle • 526 implied HN points • 30 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. A huge annual roundup of favorite media and experiences across movies, music, books, games, videos, and tech.
  2. The selections blend timeless classics with fresh 2025 releases and are presented as ranked lists for films, songs, albums, TV shows, and games.
  3. Live events and practical tools made a big impression too — memorable concerts and theatre, a Waymo self‑driving ride, and recommended software and hardware shaped the year.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 524 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. A personal weekly roundup lists 15 things consumed across media and products, mixing short reads, shows, and recommendations.
  2. The reading picks skew heavy and political rather than festive, including a chilling essay about working as an Arab fact-checker at a major magazine after October 7, 2023.
  3. The roundup balances serious journalism with nostalgic holiday viewing and practical product recs, like a shout-out for the best winter socks.

The Weekend Press: My Spare Embryos

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 287 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. IVF leaves many couples with hard choices about what to do with unused embryos, forcing them to grapple with when life begins and whether embryos are more than biological material.
  2. New technologies like polygenic risk scoring are encouraging people to treat embryos as predictors of future traits, which raises ethical and social concerns about designing or judging potential children.
  3. Those ethical questions are presented alongside a broad mix of cultural and practical content — interviews, advice, reviews, and weekend recommendations — aimed at informing and provoking reflection.

11 Best Things of 2025

SatPost by Trung Phan • 244 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Deep, long-form storytelling — from multi-hour documentaries to investigative podcasts and narrative books — still cuts through and gives people context and payoff that short-form streaming often doesn’t.
  2. Scarcity and presence drive cultural and commercial value: phone-free live shows and limited-schedule events (like major sports) command attention, higher prices, and more memorable experiences.
  3. The online attention economy is split between AI-generated "slop" and nostalgia-driven viral moments, yet original films, breakout songs, and solid investigative work can still break through and shape culture.

The Week In Recommendations 1.31.24

Rich Text • 1218 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The post discusses recommendations for shows, podcasts, and products.
  2. Various book, podcast, TV show, and product recommendations are shared by Emma and Claire.
  3. The content includes insights on eye cream, rom-com shows, books, and food recipes.

What's got my attention this week #43

The Shift With Sam Baker • 698 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus highlights the power of aging and questions the overrating of youth.
  2. Exploration of diverse topics like quilting for emotional sustenance and benefits of working with hands.
  3. Insightful discussions on various issues including gaslighting, book publishing, and the evolving roles of women.

The Week In Recommendations 1.17.24

Rich Text • 1022 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Engaging content recommendations and reviews from Emma and Claire
  2. Discussion on diverse topics like polyamory, TV shows, podcasts, and fashion
  3. Real-life experiences with products like sweatpants, jeans, brownies, and soup

AI: Notes From The Dark Side

So Here’s a Thing • 1160 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology TV
  1. Implications of AI for news and our perception of the world include the rise of fake photos and deepfake videos, requiring critical thinking and fact-checking.
  2. AI in art poses challenges in distinguishing real works from fakes and may alter how artists maintain their catalogues to differentiate their genuine creations.
  3. The importance of human intent and meaningfulness in creation, questioning what AI-created content lacks in terms of emotional depth and personal connection.

The Week In Recommendations 3.15.23

Rich Text • 1081 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The newsletter discusses diverse recommendations like tea on a Scandoval and a reality dating show.
  2. The authors share interesting reads like essays and magazines, providing insightful commentary.
  3. They also mention recent podcasts and TV shows, offering a glimpse into their current media interests.

An Introduction to UPA

Animation Obsessive • 4664 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration TV
  1. UPA studio revolutionized animation in the 1940s and 1950s with modern art influences and unique storytelling.
  2. The UPA animation style focused on emotion over anatomy, leading to groundbreaking visuals and storytelling.
  3. UPA's work extended beyond well-known films like Mr. Magoo, encompassing TV commercials, series, and experimental shows.

The Week In Recommendations 5.24.23

Rich Text • 825 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Recommended Netflix show: XO, Kitty, a sweet series with heart, teen angst, and viable love interests.
  2. Engaging podcast: Betrayal, season 1 follows Jennifer Faison's healing journey, season 2 delves into Ashley Lytton's story.
  3. Shopping recommendations: Resortwear like versatile cover-ups and textured swimwear, hair clips for styling growing out hair.

The Week In Recommendations 3.22.23

Rich Text • 805 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Ted Lasso's return and deeper looks at Ozempic and Roald Dahl were discussed.
  2. Dressing for spring with a search for a classic trench coat and a sale at Madewell Insider.
  3. Insights on cueing reading methods and the impact of phonics on literacy were shared.

“Moving Forward, Or Moving On”

TSOH Investment Research Service • 668 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
💼 Business TV
  1. Prices went up and value went down in the U.S. pay-TV business.
  2. The number of U.S. households subscribing to pay-TV has decreased due to superior OTT DTC services.
  3. Charter's dispute with Disney reflects significant changes in the pay-TV ecosystem and the future of multichannel video consumption.

Ask Me Anything #3

Paging Dr. Lesbian • 196 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Creative stamp design ideas: Sappho or Lavender Menace theme
  2. Newsletter writing process: Research-intensive posts take up to 8 hours
  3. Lesbian culture and community: Online and IRL spaces have different impacts

"Could it 'BE' any more tragic?" - A Eulogy (of sorts) for Matthew Perry aka Chandler Bing

Sounds Good! • 216 implied HN points • 29 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing in 'Friends', has passed away at the age of 54.
  2. Despite personal struggles, Matthew Perry found success but was unable to shake off his character from 'Friends' in his career.
  3. The tragic life story of Matthew Perry serves as a reminder that fame and success do not always bring happiness.

TITAA #40: Post-Creative Creativity

Things I Think Are Awesome • 216 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration TV
  1. Conceptual artist Sol Lewitt's wall drawings are executed by others based on his written prompts, highlighting different interpretations of instructions
  2. Poetry translation can lead to varied interpretations of the same text in different languages
  3. Copyright laws and the concept of dual authorship raise questions about originality and authorship in derived works

The Woke Rails of Google Gemini are Literally Just Eric Cartman

Handwaving Freakoutery • 769 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Google Gemini's AI image generation software is adding 'diversity' into images where it doesn't belong, like popes and knights.
  2. Google Gemini uses a simple hack to generate 'woke' images by altering prompts before running image generation AI.
  3. South Park predicted Google's approach by parodying inserting diversity into images through prompts, comparable to what Google is doing with its AI.

TITAA #41: Spirit Scripts and Repeating Stars

Things I Think Are Awesome • 157 implied HN points • 31 Mar 23
🎨 Art & Illustration TV
  1. The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets project documents fascinating writing systems, including divinatory scripts and sacred Indian scripts.
  2. New AI art models like DALL-E, SDXL, and Adobe Firefly are being tested and compared for image generation.
  3. Exciting developments in 3D research papers and NeRFs show advancements in scene generation, editing, and efficient representation.

Best of 2023

Obvious Bicycle • 657 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The post shares a list of the author's favorite things from 2023, including music, live events, essays, art & photography, movies, books, TV shows, and quotes.
  2. The author appreciates music as their favorite art form, sharing a ranked list of songs they discovered in 2023.
  3. The author also highlights their experiences of attending live events like cricket and football matches, a marathon, and a Taylor Swift concert, making these a memorable part of their year.

Numlock Sunday: Matty Merritt on the rise and fall of the Disney Channel Original Movie

Numlock News • 78 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. High School Musical was a game-changer for Disney Channel Original Movies, making billions and shifting towards more sequels.
  2. Disney Channel Original Movies started as small-budget experiments and grew into huge money-makers.
  3. The success of DCOMs like High School Musical led to a shift in Hollywood towards more franchises and less risk-taking in filmmaking.

A new and improved Film and TV Newsletter Directory

Textual Variations • 265 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. The Film and TV Newsletter Directory has been updated and is back up and running. It showcases various film and TV Substack newsletters.
  2. The updates to the directory faced challenges due to technical issues and design limitations within the Substack platform. A new format was developed to make it visually appealing and user-friendly.
  3. The directory allows authors to be mentioned and notified when their newsletters are highlighted. However, there are concerns about some authors disabling mentions, which posed a problem when trying to update the directory.

Monday reading #3

well, actually • 137 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture TV
  1. Weekly recommendations include shows and articles
  2. Interesting read on a enslaved midwife in history
  3. Encouragement to support counterintuitive, revisionist content

TITAA #46: Golems, Tulpas, Egregores and AI

Things I Think Are Awesome • 137 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration TV
  1. The post discusses folkloric entities like golems, tulpas, and egregores, which are created by humans and can have varied effects.
  2. Golems are creatures from Jewish folklore created from mud or clay with specific activation and deactivation methods.
  3. There are parallels between these entities and modern phenomena like AI behavior and strange chatbot interactions.

TITAA #48: Magic Mirrors and Radios

Things I Think Are Awesome • 117 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration TV
  1. Jean Cocteau's film Orpheus explores themes of inspiration and creativity through tech signals and mirror portals.
  2. Mirrors serve as symbols and characters in Cocteau's film, representing death and reflection.
  3. The post also includes recommendations for AI/art creativity, narrative research, and TV shows like Our Flag Means Death and The Terror.