Some of us have been really surprised that some elite journalists “have been really surprised” at…We all know the cliché: The elite mainstream media is out of touch. It’s a tired generalization — but it got a little harder to argue with…Dec 7, 2024Dec 7, 2024
Democrats have been in “the center” for nearly half a century — it hasn’t worked too wellWe’ve heard it over and over from the usual pundits and consultants: The Democrats lost because they didn’t move to the center; they were…Nov 24, 20241Nov 24, 20241
Borderline Crime: “The Drought,” the Iberian version of “The Bridge,” adds family drama and a bit…I suspect that sooner or later every pair of countries with a common border is going to have a television series in which a body is found…Nov 16, 2024Nov 16, 2024
A German television drama, and its de facto sequel, look at life before, during and after the wallBefore the review, a plea: These are great series — they’re also damn complicated, especially if you are neither German nor a student of…Feb 25, 20241Feb 25, 20241
An open letter to some people I wanted to think of as friendsThe president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has pledged unwavering solidarity with the Palestinians, condemned Israel’s assault on…Oct 22, 2023Oct 22, 2023
We’re old, we’re bold, get used to it!It’s a toss-up when it comes to which prejudice blazing forth from the cover of The New Yorker is more offensive, the ableism or the…Sep 30, 2023Sep 30, 2023
A drama from Finland explores being a journalist in a post-truth worldWhen police raided the newspaper in the small town of Marion, Kansas this month, a myth quickly took hold among some journalists. It was…Aug 20, 2023Aug 20, 2023
A salute to Neil Burnside — the spy who got me to MaltaContains mild spoilers about a 44-year-old television series you’ve probably never heard of — though it’s currently streaming on BritBox.May 28, 2022May 28, 2022
From Portugal with love — and saudadeAbout nine years ago, a work colleague and I were discussing Jess Walter’s brilliant novel, Beautiful Ruins. It’s a novel The New York…Mar 6, 2022Mar 6, 2022
Netflix Japanese drama “The Journalist” is ripped from the headlines — and faithful to themAt the very end of a long closing credits sequence in The Journalist, the first series Netflix has commissioned from Japan, there appears…Jan 30, 2022Jan 30, 2022