James Poniewozik

1 week ago | nytimes.com | James Poniewozik

A big precipitating factor is Covid and the aftermath of the pandemic on health, system strain and trust. This arises most directly in Robby's story: It is the four-year anniversary of his mentor's death in the midst of the Covid onslaught, for which Robby still blames himself. There is trauma in the aftermath. There are staffing issues, especially among the nurses. There is drug abuse, among the patients and staff.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | James Poniewozik |Gabriel Blanco |Christina Shaman |James Surdam

By new video loaded: How Trump's Administration Draws From TV ShowsRecent episodes in Latest Video Whether it's reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home, or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments, Times Video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | James Poniewozik

A cabinet member's social feed is one example of the administration's turn to reality-TV tactics - slick, showy, sometimes cruel - as a means of government. Some days the show is a prison drama: A mass of prisoners assemble under the watch of an authority. Some days it's a police procedural: Protagonists in uniform conduct raids on dark city streets. Some days it's a western: A figure in a cowboy hat patrols on horseback, keeping an eye on the wild frontier.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | James Poniewozik

The actor, who died at 90, was the most compelling face of a maximalist, soapy television era. When mini-series ruled prime time, their maxi-est star was Richard Chamberlain. Today we call them "limited series." But in their 20th-century heyday, under another inapt diminutive, mini-series were the megafauna of TV, lavish events that achieved the kind of cinematic spectacle that was otherwise rare in living-room entertainment of the time. They were TV specials that made TV special.

4 weeks ago | nytimes.com | James Poniewozik

Rather than a takedown, "The Studio" becomes a foulmouthed cringe comedy, as Matt and his lieutenant Sal (Ike Barinholtz) court, and inevitably offend, the stars they need to rebuild Continental's slate. Celebrity cameos can be the death of satire - how do you take the gloves off with stars who are doing you a favor by showing up? But the choices are mostly story-serving and well-deployed, among them Martin Scorsese, Olivia Wilde and a very un-Opie-esque Ron Howard.