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Melanie McFarland (page 24)

Melanie McFarland is Salon's award-winning senior culture critic. Follow her on Bluesky: @McTelevision

Oscar acting winners Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser and Jamie Lee Curtis in the press room during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Ovation Hollywood on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

How the Academy Awards managed to be both uplifting and disappointing – everything, all at once

Melanie McFarland
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in "The Last of Us" (HBO)

“Last of Us” creators on the finale, a game “genetic connection” and what they won’t do in Season 2

Melanie McFarland
Idris Elba as John Luther in "Luther: The Fallen Sun." (John Wilson/Netflix)

For Idris Elba’s sake, let “Luther” retire

Melanie McFarland
Bill Hader in "Barry" and Ed Speleers in "You" on retro TVs (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty images/Netflix/HBO/Merrick Morton)

From “You” to “Barry,” we’re fascinated by audacious grifters: The man who deceives us and himself

Melanie McFarland
"Chris Rock: Selective Outrage" (Netflix)

Chris Rock’s “Selective Outrage” best exemplifies that comedy isn’t black or white – it’s green

Melanie McFarland
The Last Of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

“The Last of Us” makes an unholy meal of starving childhood innocence, served by a bloody preacher

Melanie McFarland
"Chris Rock: Selective Outrage" (Netflix)

“I’m not a victim, baby”: Chris Rock delivers an incendiary counterpunch to infamous Oscars slap

Melanie McFarland
Greg Gutfeld hosts "Gutfeld!" at Fox News Channel Studios on February 14, 2023 in New York City. (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

The late night rise of “Gutfeld!” is telling us something. It isn’t funny, but that doesn’t matter

Melanie McFarland
Patrick Steward as Picard and Jonathan Frakes as Riker in "Star Trek: Picard" (Trae Patton/Paramount+)

“Star Trek: Picard” challenges us to consider that our icons change, yes even in franchises

Melanie McFarland
Host Woody Harrelson during the "Saturday Night Live" monologue on Saturday, February 25, 2023 (Will Heath/NBC)

Woody Harrelson’s anti-vax joke raises questions about what we excuse in likable people

Melanie McFarland
Catherine Haena Kim and Milo Ventimiglia in "The Company You Keep" (ABC/Eric McCandless)

How “The Company You Keep” maps the anatomy of a dangerous, network-friendly sexual thrill

Melanie McFarland
The Last of Us (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

“What is desire?”: “The Last of Us” director on the apocalyptic wonder of a trip to the mall

Melanie McFarland

Angela Davis shows us why “Finding Your Roots” complicates and strengthens the American story

Melanie McFarland
Don Lemon attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on December 11, 2022 in New York City. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CNN)

Is Don Lemon sexist? Maybe, but that’s just part of the problem for CNN

Melanie McFarland
Party Down (Starz)

The “Party Down” cater waiters are back, but has the now-famous cast outgrown the pink bow ties?

Melanie McFarland
Physical: 100 (Courtesy of Netflix)

The strength of “Physical:100” is in what it has to say about our view of the perfect physique

Melanie McFarland
Penn Badgley (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)

“You” star Penn Badgley thinks his killer Joe has “too many sides and needs to die”

Melanie McFarland
Rihanna and Madonna (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)

The unreasonable, degrading expectations imposed on stars’ bodies

Melanie McFarland
Njinga (ADESUWA ONI) in "African Queens: Njinga." (Netflix)

With “African Queens: Njinga” a previously overlooked history spectacularly springs into action

Melanie McFarland
Janelle James (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)

Why do we love “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James for being bad? It’s simple: “I’m hilarious”

Melanie McFarland
Puppy Bowl (Elias Weiss Friedman / Animal Planet)

Forget the Big Game. “Puppy Bowl” vs. “Great American Rescue Bowl” is the matchup to watch

Melanie McFarland
Reese Witherspoon as Debbie Dunn and Zoe Chao as Minka in "Your Place or Mine" (Erin Simkin / Netflix)

The decline of the Netflix rom-com

Melanie McFarland
Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Richie Moriarty as Pete, Rose McIver as Samantha, Roman Zaragoza as Sasappis and Sheila Carrasco as Flower in "Ghosts" (Bertrand Calmeau/CBS)

Why we see ghosts in our TV machines may be a sign of the times

Melanie McFarland
Harley Quinn (Courtesy of HBO Max)

The Harley Quinn twisted Valentine’s special brings the raunch and romance to our Hallmark holiday

Melanie McFarland
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