Meg Dowell

New York

Editor at Freelance

On Bluesky @megdowell.com

Articles

Give me The Paper series immediately

1 week ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

It's my most-anticipated show at the moment. This fall, The Office universe will officially expand with The Paper -- a similar series focused on the staff of a newsroom rather than the office of a paper company. The two shows share the same creator, which means audiences can expect a familiar style in this spinoff compared to the original show. There are plenty of reasons I need to see this show immediately.
Taylor Swift's debut (Taylor's Version) will be her most interesting re-recording yet

2 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

That is, if she ever releases it. Since Taylor Swift first began releasing her "Taylor's Version" re-recordings in the spring of 2021, I've been looking forward to Taylor Swift (TV) more than any of the other five albums on the list. This is a much more complex discussion now that Swift has reclaimed ownership of her master recordings, which was the whole reason for her "Taylor's Version" albums to begin with.
Why more representation on screen still matters

2 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

Here's why enough is never enough. There has been a lot of progress over the last two decades when it comes to "representation" in media. And we've come an even longer way since the many decades that preceded these. But every time disabled, LGBTQ+, or other underrepresented fans respond to "wins" in media with "good, now do more," we're met with the same pushback: "Can't you be happy with what you got?
Movies and TV still have a bi representation problem

2 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

This is for all the bisexual women, married to men, who rarely see themselves on screen. Movies and TV have made a lot of progress over the past few decades when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation on screen. Your former gay supportive one-dimensional best friends now more often get to be dynamic, complex main characters. They have complicated relationships. Hopes. Dreams. The story could not exist without them.
It's about time you watched About Time

2 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

This movie will instantly change your life. To call a film life-changing has the potential to feel meaningless when you exaggerate too often. Which is why I try to avoid making such bold statements about the movies I watch. Especially films I stumble upon long after their release date when most people have long forgotten about them. I don't hesitate, however, to call 2013's About Time a life-altering viewing experience. I first watched the film on Netflix in 2021, eight years after its debut.
Let's officially divorce the third-act breakup

2 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

Romance books can definitely do better than this. Romance, as a genre of fiction, will always have its tried-and-true tropes. It wouldn't be a beloved genre without them. The more authors continue to take these tropes and bend them to their will, the better; it's all part of the fun, which many readers -- thankfully -- are in on to some degree. But the third-act breakup is a romance trope -- especially in books -- that I just can't forgive anymore.
Jyn Erso, everyone's favorite headcanon Star Wars bisexual

2 weeks ago | dorksideoftheforce.com | Meg Dowell

Star Wars books are a blessing. I can obviously only speak for myself, but to me, the dynamic between Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story feels anything but romantic. Especially now that we've seen the ending of Cassian's love story with Bix in Andor. They're just two war-torn souls who spend the final moments of their lives hugging on a beach. What's romantic about that?
Why Cal and Merrin's Jedi: Survivor kiss is actually a win for bi representation

3 weeks ago | dorksideoftheforce.com | Meg Dowell

This is not a straight relationship and there's evidence to prove it. Cal Kestis and magic-wielding Nightsister Merrin are probably the only endgame romance Jedi: Survivor players saw coming. They're the only two members of the original crew who wouldn't be a weird, borderline uncomfortable match, and to mildly spoil the game for you, they are -- as the title implies -- miraculous survivors of a fairly dark middle chapter in an expected Star Wars trilogy.
How The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland made the show 'feel' like Star Wars

3 weeks ago | dorksideoftheforce.com | Meg Dowell

It was a team effort. Star Wars: The Acolyte received mixed reviews throughout what would turn out to be its first and final season. Its visuals and cinematography were one of the highlights for many of the show's critics, and it turns out that was largely by design. Series creator Leslye Headland is a longtime Star Wars fan, and that gave her a unique perspective as the showrunner for a series set in a galaxy far, far away.
Swifties are finally able to stream Taylor Swift's old albums guilt-free

3 weeks ago | culturess.com | Meg Dowell

Apparently a lot of Swifties liked her 'stolen' albums a lot better. Taylor Swift's "Taylor's Version" re-recorded albums -- which she began releasing in 2021 -- launched a debate among Swifties, her most dedicated fans. Which albums are better: the originals, or the re-recordings? Apparently, her original albums are still her most popular among fans -- if you believe the data, anyway.