What Everybody’s Watching Right Now and Which are My Favorites?
Courtesy of The Dailies newsletter, we’ve got the rundown of what everybody’s watching right now on the major streaming services. Courtesy of moi, we’re telling you which are the most worthwhile. When you think about it you start to realize that people spend a lot more time at home watching their (relatively) small screens than…
New Property Brothers Under Pressure to Steam Up HGTV
In the premier episode of the new Property Brothers Under Pressure, Drew and Jonathan Scott help buyers who lost everything in the devastating Eaton Fire. Really, is there any such thing as too much Property Brothers? Tall, dark and handy is always smoking combination, is it not? Okay, so 2024’s Property Brothers — Backed by…
3 New Apple TV Series Based On Bestsellers
If you like your chick lit hot (and who doesn’t?) you definitely don’t want to miss these three new Apple TV series based on favorite bestsellers. Read ’em before you watch ’em. Insatiable fiction reader that I am, my tastes are not all that refined. Sure, I love literary fiction and historical fiction, but I…
Taylor Sheridan’s New THE MADISON to Gallup Forth
Could this show starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell and Beau Garrett be your next favorite Taylor Sheridan series? I’m thinking it might be mine—after Land Man, of course. Since I’ve been writing a lot about great American ranch families lately, I’m more excited than ever to watch the new addition to the Taylor Sheridan Universe,…
Was That Really the Fancy Westgate Las Vegas on PLURIBUS?
Those who really know Sin City can’t help but wonder if that really was the Westgate Las Vegas on Pluribus, the new hit Apple TV series, or if it was just Hollywood magic. Pluribus the newest series from acclaimed creator Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) — has quickly emerged as an awards darling…
Nominees for the 2025 Critics Choice TV Awards — Are Your Favorites on the List?
Lisa Johnson Mandell reveals the year’s best TV series and performances, as reflected in the nominations for the annual Critics Choice TV Awards. Help her cast her votes! At last! Some of you may be wondering where I’ve been for the past several weeks—a thousand apologies if I forgot your birthday, anniversary, open house or…
Top 10 Holiday Movies — Some May Surprise You
In addition to the Top 10 Holiday Movies, we have info on why these titles top the holiday comfort films list, what’s the European favorite, and the most popular new Christmas movies of 2025. As families gather for celebration, cheer, and tradition, many Americans are also returning to their most beloved holiday comfort films. Sitting…
The Girlfriend Review — 2 Critics Share 1 Strong Opinion
Critics Tandy Culpepper and Lisa Johnson Mandell actually agree in their The Girlfriend review—see what they think on Tandy’s podcast, The Hollywood Beat. In The Girlfriend, Robin Wright steps in front of and behind the camera, shaping a drama that begins as polished domestic perfection and unravels into psychological warfare. She plays Laura Sanderson, a…
HOSTAGE Review — Lisa and Tandy On The Hollywood Beat
In their Hostage review, Lisa Johnson Mandell and Tandy Culpepper talk about a scintillating limited series starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy, on The Hollywood Beat podcast. Hostage Review, by Tandy Culpepper The five-episode miniseries Hostage, starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy on Netflix, manages to be both tautly entertaining and politically astute, even while…
OUTRAGEOUS Review, Black Mirror Review —Lisa Loves Both
Lisa Johnson Mandell and Tandy Culpepper Give a glowing Outrageous review and a mostly positive Black Mirror review on The Hollywood Beat. Outrageous Review From the moment it begins, Outrageous, based on a true story, immerses viewers in a lavish world of aristocratic excess, political fervor, and sisterly bonds that twist into ideological rifts. Set…
