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Melanie McFarland (page 42)

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

Zendaya and John David Washington in "Malcolm & Marie" (Netflix)

Even Zendaya can’t save the stylish “Malcolm & Marie,” a tantrum in search of a reason to exist

Melanie McFarland
Lecy Goranson and Alexandra Billings in "The Conners" (Eric McCandless/ABC)

“The Conners” and the meaning of seeing Alexandra Billings be an average middle manager

Melanie McFarland
The Expanse (Amazon Studios)

“The Expanse” shows the dangers of treating extremism as a joke

Melanie McFarland
Denzel Washington and Rami Malek in "The Little Things" (Warner Bros./HBO Max)

Great acting can only take HBO Max’s throwback noir “The Little Things” so far

Melanie McFarland
Daveed Diggs as Andre Layton in "Snowpiercer" (TNT)

Can we exit this dystopian train already? Alas, “Snowpiercer” & apocalyptic fare keep chugging along

Melanie McFarland
Resident Alien (resident-alien-still01)

Syfy’s charming “Resident Alien” lets its star(man) shine, despite muddled metaphorical aspirations

Melanie McFarland
Larry King during Bette Midler on "Larry King Live" at CNN Studios in Hollywood, CA, United States. (SGranitz/WireImage)

There’s a little bit of Larry King in every decent interviewer, whether they like it or not

Melanie McFarland
The Salisbury Poisonings (James Pardon/Dancing Ledge/BBC ONE/AM)

AMC’s tense “Salisbury Poisonings” shows how easily terror and toxicity almost consumed a small town

Melanie McFarland
Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen in "WandaVision" (Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The “WandaVision” TV homages aren’t mere storytelling gimmicks – they’re strategic metacommentaries

Melanie McFarland
Finn Jones and Hailee Steinfeld in "Dickinson" (Apple TV+)

“Dickinson” creator on Emily and fame: “The spotlight was a dangerous place for her to be”

Melanie McFarland
un peeks out from behind the clouds in woman's head. (Getty Images)

Post-Trump, what are you going to do with all of that freed-up space in your brain?

Melanie McFarland
Mike Lindell (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images/Prostock-Studio/Peter Dazeley/Drew Angerer)

I kicked Mike Lindell’s MyPillows out of bed and finally got a good night’s sleep

Melanie McFarland
Joe Biden (Frontline)

“President Biden” is both a reassuring and worrisome look at a leader built from “the Obama halo”

Melanie McFarland
Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin in "Miss Scarlet & the Duke" (Masterpiece/PBS)

The most exciting thing about “Miss Scarlet & The Duke” is its title

Melanie McFarland
Eli Goree as Cassius Clay in "One Night in Miami" (Amazon)

“One Night in Miami,” Regina King’s stunning directorial debut, makes icons human

Melanie McFarland
Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen in "WandaVision" (Marvel/Disney+)

“WandaVision” is a bewitching, bizarre marriage between classic TV and Marvel superhero movies

Melanie McFarland
Lauren Ambrose, Rupert Grint and Toby Kebbell in “Servant” (Apple TV+)

My mistake: M. Night Shyamalan’s “Servant” is actually a comedy under the impression it’s a thriller

Melanie McFarland
"You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey" by Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar (Photo illustration by Salon/Grand Central Publishing)

Amber Ruffin’s hilariously horrifying book about everyday racism shows this is indeed who we are

Melanie McFarland
Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis in "Sex and the City 2" (New Line CInema)

A “Sex and the City” revival minus Samantha? We’re just not that into it

Melanie McFarland
Cobra Kai (Netflix)

Unless “Cobra Kai” learns new moves, it may be time for Netflix to sweep the leg

Melanie McFarland
Dickinson (Apple TV+)

Ready, set, bake! Apple’s vibrantly witty “Dickinson” layers in the sweetness and spice of fame

Melanie McFarland
Game show host Alex Trebek poses on the set of the "Jeopardy!" Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Tournament Show Taping on April 17, 2010 in Culver City, California. (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

Bidding a final, poignant adieu to “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek amidst our nation’s chaos

Melanie McFarland
Joanna Gaines of "Magnolia Table" and Ina Garten of "Barefoot Contessa" (Discovery Networks)

How Joanna Gaines and Ina Garten deliver a one-two punch of comfort (food) TV we need

Melanie McFarland
Bridgerton (Netflix)

Actually, “Bridgerton” sex is not good sex

Melanie McFarland
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