NPR critics Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, Stephen Thompson and Aisha Harris argue about this week's release.
Pop Culture Happy Hour turns current pop culture into compact, opinionated roundtables. The panel moves from new releases like Normal and The Pitt to spoiler etiquette, missed TV, classic first watches, and quick recommendations.
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Pop Culture Happy Hour is a panel-discussion podcast produced by NPR, built around a rotating table of regular hosts joined by guest critics for each topic. Core hosts appearing across episodes include Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris, with entertainment journalists such as Ronald Young Jr., Chris Klimek, Jeff Yang, and Roxana Haddadi appearing as guests on individual reviews. Most episodes take a single new release — a film, streaming series, or album — and walk through what works and what doesn't, often comparing it to genre precedents or the director's/star's prior work. Music episodes have covered K-pop releases like BTS's Arirang, while film and TV episodes have covered titles like Normal and the Prime Video series Bait. A recurring block of longer episodes (30-50+ minutes) is dedicated to the Academy Awards, with a preview episode running through predicted winners category by category and a same-night or next-morning recap episode reacting to actual results. Episodes regularly end with hosts naming an unrelated piece of media or culture they've enjoyed that week, under the recurring segment title 'What's Making Us Happy.' The tone throughout is conversational and opinionated rather than newsy, with hosts openly disagreeing and revising their takes in real time. The show suits listeners who want a running, critic-level conversation about current film, TV, and music rather than straight news or plot recaps. It also functions as a detailed Oscars-season companion for listeners tracking major categories and campaigns. Episodes run in the 20-50 minute range depending on whether it's a standard review or an awards special.
Made for: Listeners who want an ongoing, opinionated critical conversation about current film, TV, and music releases, including detailed Oscars-season coverage.
What sets it apart: Pairs single-release critical panel discussions with an unusually deep, multi-episode Oscars preview-and-recap tradition, rare among general pop-culture review shows.
Get obsessed with us. Four 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...
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Sharp group chemistry turns reviews of movies, television, awards, and adaptations into revealing arguments about taste, power, and cultural memory.
Pop Culture Happy Hour turns reviews into lively roundtable arguments, with Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glenn Weldon, and Aisha Harris testing their judgments against one another.
Oscar night gets a group chat that remembers the performances and still roots for an upset.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A funny, pointed takedown of Normal's overexplained streaming habits and shaky claim on theatrical attention.
Normal continues Bob Odenkirk's Liam-nicification, placing him in small-town sheriff mode as Liam, who discovers that his town is not so normal after all. Glenn Weldon and Ronald Young Jr.
Hannah Montana turns sincere teen-sitcom cheese into a lasting language for identity, performance, and memes.
Hannah Montana lands as a sturdier subject than its bubblegum surface might suggest: a teen sitcom about awkwardness, identity, and the fantasy of slipping into a louder, brighter self.
A sharp discussion of Bait's fragile Bond hopeful, centered on Riz Ahmed's hot-mic breakdown and the small gesture that makes it land.
Riz Ahmed's Bait gives Pop Culture Happy Hour a neat route into the Bond question, through a whimsical comedy about Martin, an actor up for 007 while family tension, relationship trouble, and private insecurity keep pressing in on the audition.
A thoughtful BTS album discussion that hears Arirang's rap foundation, pop sheen, and cultural history in the same frame.
BTS's return is framed as a conversation about what a global pop and hip hop group carries into a new record. Stephen Thompson, Sheldon Pierce, and Soraya Muhammad move through Arirang's hip hop bangers, its pop-facing second half, and a quiet pause on track 6, where "Number 29"…
Dating Around makes poker faces the funny test of what reality TV finds watchable.
Reality TV turns into a personality stress test in this lively Pop Culture Happy Hour encore, with Stephen Thompson and the panel weighing which shows they might actually survive.
Pop Culture Happy Hour treats Project Hail Mary as a bleak premise brightened by jokes, charm, and a strong lead performance.
Pop Culture Happy Hour treats Project Hail Mary as a survival story with a little mischief built in. The panel leans on the film's jokes, physical comedy, and Gosling's blend of comedy and sadness, which keeps the discussion moving even when the premise is grim.
A lively Oscars debrief with real delight in Amy Madigan's surprise win and the telecast's stranger moments.
Pop Culture Happy Hour treats the 2026 Oscars as a bleary, lively group debrief, with Stephen Thompson, Linda Holmes, Aisha Harris and Glenn Weldon sorting through big winners, stage moments, speeches and jokes that lingered after the telecast.
A sharp, funny Oscars guide for listeners who want awards predictions with real performance talk behind them.
Pop Culture Happy Hour treats the 2026 Oscars as a lively pre-show argument, with Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glenn Weldon, and Aisha Harris working through the season's mix of apparent locks, toss-ups, and hoped-for upsets.
Normal gets a warm but suspicious hearing.
The hosts and guests discuss classic movies they've recently watched for the first time, starting with Erin Brockovich and Notting Hill.
This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour discusses TV shows that were previously missed but are worth recommending, featuring host Glenn Weldon.
This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR discusses the new Netflix comedy series 'Big Mistakes', focusing on its plot, characters played by Dan Levy and Taylor Ortega, and the involvement of actress Laurie Metcalf.
This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour discusses the new rom-com film 'You, Me, and Tuscany' starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, analyzing its plot, characters, and classic romantic comedy elements.
The hosts of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour discuss their approach to handling spoilers in media coverage, exploring different perspectives and case-by-case considerations.
The hosts discuss the second season of HBO Max's medical drama 'The Pit', analyzing character arcs and the show's structure.
Aisha Harris and guests discuss the dark comedy film 'The Drama' starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
A panel discusses the dark comedy film 'The Drama' starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
The episode reviews the Super Mario Galaxy movie, discussing its fan service and place in the Nintendo Cinematic Universe.
The hosts discuss the return of the satirical TV series 'The Comeback' and its star Lisa Kudrow.
Hannah Montana turns 20.
Pop Culture Happy Hour host Aisha Harris reviews Bait, a six-episode Prime Video series starring Riz Ahmed as Shah, a career-stalled actor who auditions to be the next James Bond and watches social media spiral into racist outrage.
Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts Stephen Thompson, NPR music editor Sheldon Pierce, and NPR music executive producer Soraya Mohamed review BTS's first full-length album in five years, Arirang, released after the group completed mandatory South Korean military service.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts each pick a reality TV show they believe they could win, with Linda choosing Chopped for her cooking strategy, Aisha selecting Dating Around for her expressive dating style, Glenn opting for The Mole to embrace his cynicism, and Stephen aiming for Wipeout to become a meme about hubris.
The hosts and guest review Ready or Not 2, discussing its expansion of the horror comedy franchise, critique its pacing and emotional subplots, and praise its cathartic violence and fun premise.
Ryan Gosling carries a space mission with jokes in his pockets.
Rooster turns campus misconduct into the joke.
Scarpetta comes in with pedigree and baggage.
At 12:02 a.m., everyone still sounds awake, barely.
Vampires, car chases, show tunes, ping pong, Shakespeare.
Casting finally gets its Oscar close-up.
Harry Styles has made a dance floor swerve, and the panel has feelings.
Hosts Aisha Harris and Linda Holmes review Pixar's new film Hoppers, discussing its plot about a young activist who hops into animatronic animals to save a glade.
The Bride!
Love Story meets a skeptical panel.
The hosts review the new mockumentary sitcom 'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,' praising its joke density and performances by Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe.
Industry loves muck.
Sidney is back.
The hosts and guests discuss their favorite movies available on Tubi, highlighting indie films like 'Hundreds of Beavers,' cult classics, and niche genres, while exploring Tubi's role as a curated platform for eclectic and overlooked cinema.
Secrets run The Traitors.
Paradise looks like a presidential murder mystery at first.
The Winter Olympics get wonderfully strange fast.
Top Model gets a careful rewatch.
Pop Culture Happy Hour reviews How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, the Netflix series from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee, following three middle-aged Northern Irish women who reunite to attend the wake of a childhood friend, only to find that a shared secret from their past has become entangled with a present mystery.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour team reviews the film Pillion, discussing its portrayal of a BDSM biker relationship as a coming-of-age story.
Emerald Fennell makes movies people argue about.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour panel discusses and debates their favorite book-to-film adaptations, analyzing why each works.
The hosts and guest Candice Lim share passionate pop culture opinions they'll 'die on', including actor career trajectories, boss battles in video games, overplayed songs, and concert accessibility for short people.
The episode features a panel discussion analyzing Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show, focusing on its cultural significance, political messaging, and technical execution.
The hosts and guests discuss Charli XCX's mockumentary film The Moment, which satirizes her Brat Summer fame and the pressures of pop stardom.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour team reviews Marvel's new series Wonder Man, discussing its shift from typical superhero action to a character-driven buddy comedy set in Hollywood.
The hosts and guests discuss standout films from the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, including a thriller with Ethan Hawke, a secretive Iranian art film, a quiet romance with Chris Pine, a documentary on the Harlem Renaissance, and profiles of Chicano artist Luis Valdez and filmmaker Barbara Hammer.
The hosts recap the 2026 Grammys, highlighting Bad Bunny's historic Album of the Year win for a Spanish-language album and Kendrick Lamar becoming the top Grammy-winning rapper.
The hosts review the horror comedy film Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien, debating its balance of social commentary and over-the-top gore.
NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts Glenn Weldon, Regina Barber, and Joelle Monique review the first six episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on Paramount+, which stars Holly Hunter as the chancellor of a newly reopened Starfleet Academy and Paul Giamatti as the recurring villain Noose Bracca.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour panel reviews Ryan Murphy's new FX/Hulu series The Beauty, a body horror show about a drug that transforms people into supermodels.
The hosts and guests review HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, praising its grounded, humorous take on Westeros compared to Game of Thrones.
The hosts and guest Monica Castillo review Paul Thomas Anderson's film 'One Battle After Another', discussing its political themes, standout sequences like a desert car chase, and character portrayals.
The hosts of Pop Culture Happy Hour analyze the 2026 Oscar nominations, discussing major categories like Best Picture and acting awards.
The hosts and guest critic Roxana Haddadi analyze the Iranian film 'It Was Just an Accident,' discussing its themes of vengeance and forgiveness, director Jafar Panahi's risky filmmaking under repression, and its craft as a political thriller.
The hosts and guests review the Netflix film The Rip, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as cops in a drug money heist.
The hosts and guests review the film '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple', discussing its strengths as a sequel, critiques of its torture scenes and title, and the tonal clash between horror and gentler elements.
The Pop Culture Happy Hour panel reviews Netflix's Agatha Christie adaptation Seven Dials, discussing its success as a cozy mystery, plot weaknesses, and ambitions to launch a Christie Universe.
The hosts and guests discuss the Apple TV series Hijack, praising its engaging plot twists, Idris Elba's performance, and smart episodic structure while critiquing its sillier elements and underused characters.
The hosts and guests of Pop Culture Happy Hour share their dream TV crossover ideas, from Gilmore Girls meeting Nashville to Abbott Elementary colliding with The Leftovers.
The hosts and guests discuss the Netflix adaptation of Emily Henry's romance novel People We Meet on Vacation, critiquing its failure to capture the book's charm, specificity, and relationship development.
NPR music editor Hazel Sills joins Brittany Luce to analyze the trend of 'heteropessimism' in pop music, where artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo express frustration with men.
The hosts and guest Walter Chow discuss Park Chan-wook's film No Other Choice, praising its blend of dark comedy, suspense, and social commentary on work and capitalism.
Linda Holmes hosts Eric Deggans and Ronald Young Jr.
The hosts of Pop Culture Happy Hour review their failed New Year's resolutions for 2025 and set new ones for 2026, covering topics like watching long movies, reading nonfiction, writing fiction, and using social media.
The hosts of Pop Culture Happy Hour review their 2025 predictions and make new ones for 2026, covering topics like AI in music, RuPaul's potential retirement, and holiday hits.
The episode begins with a plea for public media funding before transitioning into pop culture discussions.
The episode begins with a plea for public media support before diving into pop culture discussions.
The hosts debate and nominate the worst Christmas movies of all time, with humorous commentary and warnings about Santa talk.
The episode begins with a fundraising appeal for NPR, then transitions into a pop culture discussion show.
Linda Holmes joins NPR's Book of the Day to discuss Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, its enduring appeal, and its influence on romance tropes.
The hosts discuss and critique Ryan Murphy's new TV show 'All's Fair', a campy legal drama starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, and Niecy Nash-Betts.
Linda Holmes and guest Roxanna Haddadi discuss the Peacock series 'All Her Fault,' a mystery about a missing child and the societal pressures on women.
A panel of NPR hosts and guests discuss the new film 'Wicked: For Good', analyzing its plot, performances, and cultural impact.
The hosts discuss the new dystopian thriller film The Running Man, based on Stephen King's novel, starring Glenn Powell.
The hosts discuss Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein, analyzing its themes and performances.
A panel discusses the new HBO series 'I Love L.A.' starring Rachel Sennett, exploring its themes of young adulthood and online life.
The hosts discuss the new HBO prequel series It: Welcome to Derry, analyzing its plot and connections to previous adaptations.
The hosts discuss the new Yorgos Lanthimos film Begonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.
Stephen Thompson and NPR music editors discuss and propose a new canon of Halloween songs beyond the usual staples.
The hosts discuss the new movie Blue Moon, focusing on its portrayal of songwriter Lorenz Hart's miserable night during the opening of Oklahoma!.
This episode discusses the new film 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,' focusing on Bruce Springsteen's 1982 album Nebraska and its portrayal by actor Jeremy Allen White.
The hosts discuss which reality TV shows they would like to judge, exploring their personal preferences and humorous takes on competitive programs.
This episode discusses the new adaptation of the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna, set in an Argentinian prison in 1983.
This episode discusses the movie Tron Ares, exploring its plot, characters, and themes of artificial intelligence entering the real world.