Skip to main content

Society & Culture

Filter by

Select Topics

Select Air Date

to

Select Segment Types

Segment Types

4,094 Segments

Sort:

Newest

03:18

"Almost Grown" Makes Viewers Almost Groan

TV critic David Bianculli says that the new CBS drama, about a couple's marriage and divorce, reminds him of the Wonder Years, Moonlighting, and Thirtysomething. The flashbacks to past decades are novel, but replete with unrealistic dialogue and stilted references to pop culture of the time.

Review
27:58

Unraveling the "Fashion Conspiracy"

Fashion writer Samuel Coleridge visited sweatshops in India and South Korea to learn more about the hidden side of fashion design and clothing sales. His new book explores exploitative labor, licensing, and gender dynamics within the industry.

Interview
28:01

Actor Randy Quaid on Directing and Brotherhood

Randy Quaid's brother Dennis often gets leading-man roles; Randy frequently plays what he calls "country bumpkins." He says he enjoys his career as a character actor, but is glad to branch out to directing. His debut in that role will be the upcoming Power of the Dog, which will costar his brother.

Interview
03:37

"War and Remembrance" Improves on Its Predecessor

The sequel to the lackluster Winds of War is well worth the time, says TV critic David Bianculli. The miniseries about World War II already has a third installment in the works, which is slated to air next year.

Review
27:31

The Life and Poetry of Langston Hughes

Arnold Rampersad's biography of the African American poet has been called "a literary event." Despite dedicating his writing to the black experience, Hughes grew up in a largely white community. His more radical work didn't find much of an audience, which led to him adopting a more social-realist style later in his career.

Interview
03:43

Finding a Place for Women on TV

Critic-at-large Laurie Stone says that, while movies tend to be male-dominated, television has had the power to give more substantial roles to women. She reviews three new sitcoms about women at home and in the workplace.

Review
03:26

Catching Up On Teenage Trends

Critic Ken Tucker reviews Alysssa Milano's exercise video Teen Steam, which is geared toward teenage girls; adults caught watching it can't help feeling faintly unclean, he says. He also recommends new releases of Withnail and I and Rambo III.

Review
09:48

Lyricist Fran Landesman

Landesman's name isn't well known, but her songs are, like "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most." She was part of the 1950s Beat scene, and now lives in London.

Interview
03:41

The Best New Sitcom Since the Cosby Show

Roseanne was created by the same producers who pitched The Cosby Show to networks. The new sitcom is also helmed by a standup comedian. But instead of an upper class black family, Roseanne Barr's show features a working class white family. TV critic David Bianculli says Barr's jokes hit home, bolstered by costar John Goodman, who plays Roseanne's husband.

Review
06:36

Linguistic Transformation in the Movies

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg reflects on how changing modes of speech in motion pictures signify a character's personal transformation. The 1938 version of Pygmalion is a great example -- but the trope can be found in several other films.

Commentary

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Advertisement

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue