As we come to the end of 2023 we find ourselves in the familiar position of wrapping up the year. From the sublime to the slightly ridiculous we're talking about our favorite TV, movies, memes, and music from this year. 

Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour, or donate to your local NPR station at donate.npr.org/happy 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

2023 Pop Culture Favorites

Get obsessed with us. Five days a week, Pop Culture Happy Hour serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. Join arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture aficionados. The Happy Hour team leaves room at the table for exploring a range of reactions and opinions on every bit of the pop universe. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, they take it all with a shot of cheer.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

TV & Film

Music

News

Books

Film Reviews

Music Commentary

Entertainment News

TV Reviews

After Shows

The Netflix series Bridgerton is back, as gossipy and over-the-top as ever.  Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and her crush on childhood best friend Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) take center-stage. When Penelope is determined to find a husband, Colin wants to help her and they start spending extra time together. But where will this lead? Well, you know the answer to that. It's all about the journey, and the clothes, and the nudity, and obviously, the Queen's hair. 

Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour  

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The sexy sex is back in Bridgerton's new season

The new music biopic Back to Black chronicles the life of singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. The film stars Marisa Abela, and follows Winehouse as she records her breakthrough album, gets married, and struggles with addiction. But does the movie do justice to the singer and her music?

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Back To Black And What's Making Us Happy

The new movie Babes stars Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau as longtime best friends who've made very different life choices. It's also about the inherent joys, stressors, and grossness of parenthood, and what it means to embrace your chosen family. It's the feature directorial debut of Pamela Adlon (Better Things).

Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Babes gives us a funny (and gross) portrait of parenthood

For years, Black Twitter was the watering hole. It was where we could pop off jokes about Olivia and Fitz on Scandal. It's also where you could call out social injustices. It was both a state of mind and a state of being online. A new Hulu docuseries called Black Twitter: A People's History puts the massive global reach of that space into perspective. But what's changed now that it's owned by Elon Musk?

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Looking to the past and future of Black Twitter

I Saw the TV Glow is a strange and pleasantly unsettling new film from writer and director Jane Schoenbrun. It's about two teenagers (Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine) who bond so strongly over a cult monster-of-the-week TV show that it becomes their entire identities. When the show gets canceled, their bond dissolves – until years later, when one of the teens sweeps back into the other's life, bearing secret knowledge that could change everything.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

2023 Pop Culture Favorites

Download our free app to listen on your phone