Kaitlin Thomas

Dec 13, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Kaitlin Thomas

The CW under Nexstar differs greatly from the version of The CW owned by Warners Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global for nearly two decades. This was always the plan, but it means many longtime viewers wrote off the network this spring and summer when their favorite shows concluded their runs. But while a variety in programming, including sports, has allowed the network to reach a new audience, there are still hints of the old network if you look for them.

Nov 28, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Kaitlin Thomas

It’s no longer a secret that Apple TV+ is home to some of TV’s best shows. What its content library lacks in size—with no licensed programming, its collection of originals is likely smaller than the DVD section at your local public library—it makes up for in quality. Not every show is a gem, of course, but Apple has produced enough good-to-great series since its launch in late 2019 that writing the streaming platform off at this stage is foolish at best and ignorant at worst.

Oct 30, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Kaitlin Thomas

The popularity of vampire-centric TV shows ebbs and flows like the tides. In the wake of 2008’s Twilight, there was a rush to capitalize on pop culture’s obsession with the undead, leading to beloved shows like The Vampire Diaries. While that infatuation eventually subsided for many (likely overtaken by an interest in zombies thanks to 2010’s The Walking Dead), here at Paste, our fascination with vampires never really went away—it just lie dormant, waiting for the right time to rise again.

Oct 5, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Kaitlin Thomas

Murder mysteries tend to conjure up very specific imagery. The lone, idiosyncratic detective. A dark and dreary landscape. The mustache of Hercule Poirot. Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick. But the truth is that murder mysteries come in all shapes and sizes. Some are atmospheric and moody. Some are bright and funny. Some are by-the-book procedurals that you watch precisely because they’re reliable and formulaic. And television has them all.

Sep 11, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Kaitlin Thomas

Spinoffs are notoriously difficult to do well. Although they’re TV shows that come with built-in recommendations—if you liked this series, you might like this other show that is directly related to it—a lot of work goes into creating and developing something that can stand on its own. You need a compelling lead who can carry the new show, but you also need a story that advances the narrative and gives the show a reason to exist outside of a studio’s desire to capitalize on a show’s popularity.