...are you ready for it?
the return of AJLT, I might be a Swiftie now, and why I'm still watching "The Hills."
To quote Taylor Swift opening The Eras Tour, “it’s been a long time.”
As many of you probably know, I started this Substack on a whim after the first season of the aggressively disappointing “And Just Like That.” I promised myself that I would only write when I felt inspired—that I wouldn’t set hard and fast goals for myself because I didn’t want to force it.
But here’s the thing about writing. Sometimes, you just have to force it. I have no plans to turn this space into a second income hustle, but I love pop culture and I love to write and I have a lot of opinions.
All this to say, I’m back! The season 2 premiere of “And Just Like That” is already available on HBO (I refuse to acknowledge “Max”). I haven’t watched it yet because I wrote this earlier this week, but I hope y’all are ready for weekly recaps because based on this interview with Sara Ramirez, they are doubling down on how ridiculous Che Diaz is. (They also think that people don’t like Che Diaz because they are queer which…could not be wrong.) Che Diaz has no redeeming qualities and it is very unclear why Miranda even likes them, and also, #neverforget, they “do a ton of weed.”
I also have not read any of the reviews that have started to trickle in—actual critics received the first seven episodes in advance. I like to go in blindly, but I will say that I watched a few older episodes of the OG SATC recently, and it is such a shame to see Michael Patrick King and the crew prioritize a cash grab (because that’s what this show is) over quality. Watching some of the early episodes reminded me why so many of us fell in love with these characters, and that je ne sais quoi was sorely missing from season 1 of AJLT. The jury is still out on season 2, but I don’t have high hopes.
But, I digress. Here’s a quick (that is lie, I am still the same wordy bitch you all know) run-down of the last 6 months of pop culture I’ve been into:
Look what you made me do.
I love a concert. Love. But prior to this year, I think I could probably only name 6 or fewer Taylor Swift songs. The intensity of her fanbase has always been…a bit much for me. (I fully acknowledge I am “a bit much” when it comes to other things.) I did not participate in The Great War against Ticketmaster trying to secure tickets, but I am related to someone who did, so I feel I also deserve financial compensation for emotional distress.
Anyway. My sister came out victorious in the war against Ticketmaster and was lucky enough to attend the very first show of The Eras Tour, and when I heard it was a three-hour show, my interest was piqued. (I continue to hold a grudge against Harry Styles for his 90-minute Love On Tour show.) Once I decided to attend one of the Atlanta shows, my sister and I, along with another close friend, banded together with a bunch of strangers from the Internet and got a suite. Long story short, Taylor Swift will absolutely be in my Top 5 Artists when Spotify Wrapped drops, my favorite albums are “Reputation” and “Red,” and I definitely now know all the words to “All Too Well (10-Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”.”
(Fear not—I will still continue to judge Taylor for her love of breaking records, releasing physical CDs in the year of our lord 2023 just to get more sales, and basically being the Capitalism Barbie that she is.) (Oh and also for refusing to stand for certain social causes. She is the modern version of Michael Jordan and his “Republicans buy sneakers, too” quote.)
Do not attempt to leave the dance floor.
This is truly the summer of concerts. My sister and I went to Paris in May, and Beyoncé just happened to be playing at Stade de France the week we were there. (Truly, a very happy coincidence.) Naturally, we donned our sequins and disco cowboy hats and experienced the Summer Renaissance with 70,000 of our closest friends (except the bitches sitting behind us who got mad at us for standing up at a concert). This 2.5 hour show was a spectacle of fashion, dance (Blue Ivy made her debut at the Paris show!), and drag, and I cannot wait to go again. (I can only assume the audiences in New Jersey and Atlanta will all be standing up the whole time.)
And, the “Queens Remix” of “Break My Soul” (which features Madonna’s “Vogue”) is on the setlist and please believe me when I tell you my soul left my body as Beyoncé sang “Queen Mother Madonna, I love ya.”
The Hills are alive with mascara tears.
Why am I still watching “The Hills,” you may be asking? I recently discovered Whitney Port’s YouTube channel, in which she and her husband watch each episode and react to them, and it is a good-ass time, y’all. Whitney’s husband was a producer on “The City” (which is how they met), and he has a lot of great insight into how reality TV shows are filmed, and Whitney of course has some good BTS. As someone who is horrible at multi-tasking, I appreciate that they are great at pausing the show to react and don’t talk over the scenes. I especially lost it when Lauren Conrad gets in a towncar as her last moment on the show and Tim says (as Lauren), “TAKE ME STRAIGHT TO KOHL’S!.” (Seriously, LC was so smart to partner with Kohl’s for her fashion line during a recession. Homegirl knows where her target audience is.)
I don’t watch much current reality TV (so sadly, there will be no Scandoval talk here) but if “The Hills” is as nostalgic for you as it is for me, you will probably enjoy this. (Whit and Tim also react to “The City” and “Laguna Beach,” which I am very much looking forward to watching.)
What’s even in there? Flat shoes for the subway?
(This part contains spoilers for “Succession.”) I somehow avoided spoilers for the penultimate and finale episodes of “Succession” while I was in Paris. Naturally, the first thing I did when I woke up jet-lagged at 6 a.m. the day after I returned was watch episodes 9 and 10, and wow. What an emotional rollercoaster. Jeremy Strong (Kendall) apparently views this show as a tragedy, but he is wrong. It is a satire. Everything, from the ridiculous language Kendall uses to sound relatable, to the way the camera interacts with the cast, indicates that this show is satirical.
Anyway. When Logan died in episode 3 of the final season, and then each subsequent episode seemed to take place only days later, I was a little confused as to how the writers were going to stick the landing. Confused, but not worried, because if it’s one thing the “Succession” writers are great at, it’s closing the loop. The episodes after Logan’s death demonstrated, in so many ways, why each of the adult children “are not serious people” and had no right to get control of the company. Roman wandered around the LA studio firing people (Geri!) indiscriminately, Shiv attempted to play both sides with her sibs and Mattson and of course fumbled the ball, and Kendall has never had a backbone in his life. Just look how easily he succumbed to Roman’s insistence that they call the presidential election for Menkyn, despite the fact that he knew it was wrong and would negatively affect millions of people, including his own daughter.
The kitchen scene in the finale with the three siblings truly was emotionally wrenching. Despite knowing how awful Kendall, Roman, and Shiv are, I began to root for them! They finally got along and made Kendall eat that gross concoction (apparently Jeremy Strong actually ingested it and then threw up) (…method actors…). And then! I was a little confused as to why Shiv would do what she did during the vote, but of course, the show was always going to end this way. None of them deserved the company, and of course Shiv signed her own fate when she told Mattson how…accommodating Tom is.
I have to also mention, one thing in particular I love about “Succession” is that it doesn’t succumb to wealth porn (think “Gossip Girl”). Wealth is mundane for these characters, so it’s mundane to the viewer—shooting the show in an almost handheld-type way ensures the camera never lingers on the beautiful homes, the expensive clothes, or the private plane interiors.
(And can we talk about the acting? Just give them all Emmys, truly.)
I am not a muse. I am the somebody.
For those who aren’t familiar, “Daisy Jones and the Six” (and the Taylor Jenkins Reid book by the same name) follow the rise and fall of The Six, a Pittsburgh-born band who moves to LA to pursue bigger dreams. There, a producer introduces them to LA local, singer/songwriter Daisy Jones. Daisy teams up with the band, becoming their co-lead singer and songwriter, they release one album together and go on a highly successful tour, becoming the #1 band in the country, before unceremoniously disbanding mid-tour. (Of course, there is a lot of sex and drugs involved too.)
I know some Daisy Jones book stans (and critics) disagree but I loved this show. Its depiction of the ’70s in LA was so vivid, and while, yes, the first few episodes were a bit slow, I think that also mimics the build-up and hard work a band like The Six has to put in before they make it big. Daisy Jones and the Six (the band) released just one album, and went on one tour—a lot of the work that went into that album and tour was slow-going, and the first few episodes established how hard The Six was working before they struck it big. Depicting their swift rise and fall over too many episodes would have been too drawn out for the quick moment in time it truly was.
The chemistry between Sam Claflin (The Six’s frontman Billy Dunne) and Riley Keough (Daisy Jones, and also Elvis’ granddaughter) is truly off the charts, and major kudos to the actual songwriters who wrote the album “Aurora”—it is catchy af. (Listen to it on Spotify!) I loved it all.
Now, like a lot of love stories back in 2022, this one starts with a Tinder date.
If Hilary Duff has one fan, it’s me. I love Lizzie McGuire, I love Kelsey Peters, and Sophie of “How I Met Your Father” is only getting better in the show’s second season. (In addition to HDuff’s great characters, I very much related to her thick arms back in middle school. Representation matters!!!!). Season 1 was meh, but established a lot of the relationships, while season 2 has brought back a lot of the inside jokes, flashbacks, and ridiculous “rules” that the original HIMYM was known for.
I love that Old Sophie (Kim Cattrall! How’s that for a callback!) is telling the story to her son via video call but we never see his face—so his father could be any ethnicity (a fact that OG show did not deign to consider). And there is even an actual Lizzie McGuire cameo (HIMYF is on Hulu which has a partnership with Disney)! If you’re looking for a cute sitcom (although it inexplicably uses a laugh track) that is only getting better with time, check this one out.
And now for some book recommendations.
“Adelaide” by Genevieve Wheeler: an emotional journey through one people-pleasing woman’s relationship with a man who just will not love her back.
“Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?” by Crystal Smith Paul: a historical fiction novel that combines Old Hollywood glamour with the realities of racial politics and passing.
“The Celebrants” by Stephen Rowley: a heartwarming novel about 5 friends who, after the 6th member of their group dies in college, vow to get together whenever someone in the group needs them—throwing them “living funerals” to remind them what they have to live for.
“Homebodies” by Tembe Denton-Hurst: a very timely novel about a young Black woman who gets fired from her aspirational media job and proceeds to write a manifesto about racism in the workplace
“Throwback” by Maureen Goo: truly one of the best YA novels I’ve ever read. A Korean-American teen gets sent back in time to the ’90s and meets…her mom, who is in high school. Of course, she then questions everything she knows about her mom and becomes a bit more empathetic.
“I’ll Stop the World” by Lauren Thoman: another time-traveling novel. A teen gets sent back in time to the ’80s and he teams up with another teenager to solve a murder—which of course is the only way he can get un-stuck in time.
Seen any good comedy concerts lately?
Before we dive into the mess that is AJLT (recap of episode one coming tomorrow!), what pop culture things have y’all been into?