Boomerangst

The Supreme Court and Mississippi's Abortion Rights; the Cuomo Brothers; THE POWER OF THE DOG on Netflix and KING LEAR on Amazon Prime

The verdict in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial; the Omicron variant arrives; Stephen Sondheim, R.I.P.; LICORICE PIZZA in theaters

Discussion of: The Autocrats are Winning in the Atlantic Monthly; the decline of democracies; KING RICHARD on HBOMAx; PASSING on Netflix

Results of the Glasgow summit; Biden's vaccine mandates blocked by courts; Republicans' evolving relationship to violence; SPENCER in theaters.

Fallout from the Virginia and New Jersey elections; the Glasgow Climate summit continues; BECOMING HELEN KELLER on PBS; SUCCESSION on HBO MAX

The meaning of the Glasgow summit; the Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmud Aurbry trials; PAN'S LABYRINTH 

Tragedy on the RUST set; more on Dave Chappelle; THE SILENCE OF OTHERS on Netflix; THE OTHER TWO on HboMax

Journalistic "bothsiderism"; Tucker Carlson vs. Pete Buttegeige; Dave Chappelle's THE CLOSER on Netflix; Multiple personalities in new Netflix documentary.

Facebook floundering; Indigenous People's Day is made official; Homelessness in Los Angeles.  Plus, SQUID GAME and LAMB reviewed.

The Supreme Court's Shadow Docket; the Academy Museum opening; THE CHESTNUT MAN on Netflix; LA BREA on Peacock

We discuss infrastructure; Trump's nearest and dearest getting subpoenas; the Arizona recall (plus Pennsylvania and Texas). Plus the Tonys (sort of) and Mike wades into the filmed HARRY POTTER oeuvre.

Newsom recall wrap-up; French/US/UK/Australian submarine contretemps; BEST SELLER on Amazon Prime; BOB ROSS documentary on Netflix

Thoughts on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11; a discussion of Biden's vaccine mandates; THE BLACK PANTHER at the Hollywood Bowl; LANGUAGE LESSONS in theaters.

Thoughts on the Texas abortion ban; Biden's relationship with the press; the scandals at JEOPARDY!; NINE PERFECT STRANGERS on HULU; THE CHAIR on Netflix

A look at the US Census Report; discussion of the results of the UN Climate Report, SCHMIGADOON! and THE WHITE LOTUS.

The self-made web in which Andrew Cuomo has found himself; Simone Biles and what her choices may mean to the Olympics going forward; A Walk with Stephen Sondheim through SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.

Testimony from Capitol Hill officers to the House Select Committee on January 6th; HACKS on HBOMAX; THE GREEN KNIGHT with Dev Patel; 1917; THE DARKEST HOUR

Mike's adventures in gaming; WHITE LOTUS on HBOMAX; TOGETHER TOGETHER on Amazon Prime

The trouble with Texas; Joyce Beatty (Head of the Congressional Black Caucus) and the Capitol Police; FIRST REFORMED with Ethan Hawke; ROAD RUNNER a film about Anthony Bourdain

Freeing Britney Spears; why Caitlyn Jenner is truly awful; THIS IS DICK GREGORY; Joe Biden signs a big, new Executive Order.

I check in about my trip to NYC; Mike had a close encounter with dolphins; Bill Cosby is free; Allen Weisselberg is indicted.

A discussion of Critical Race Theory; INSIDE by Bo Burnham; LOVE FRAUD on Showtime; THE LADY AND THE DALE (Redux) on HBO MAX

PRIDE Month; THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD on Amazon Prime; The Tulsa, OK Massacre of 1921

On our 100th Episode, we look back at the year in Covid lockdown; thoughts on THE GUILTY on Hulu; THE INVITATION on Netflix and TED LASSO on Apple+

Israeli/Gaza cease fire; SCOTUS agrees to hear Mississippi abortion case; Trump's legal troubles with the NY AG and So District DA of NY; did the Coronavirus come from a lab in Wuhan, after all?

Liz Cheney is OUT!; Marjorie Taylor Greene confronts A.O.C.; the Israeli/Palestinian conflict; HACKS on HBOMAX

Trump's travails with Facebook; Liz Cheney travails with the GOP; Elon Musk on SNL

Taking Biden's temp after the first 100 days; IN AND OF ITSELF on HULU (Redux); COLLECTIVE (Academy Award nominated documentary)

The Oscars; "Recount" in Arizona; Derek Chauvin's conviction

America's problem with guns; Putin's attempts to rattle the world . . . ; THE HANDMAIDEN (Korea); THE FATHER (Redux); I CARE A LOT

RIP Prince Philip; SEASPIRACY; CRIP CAMP

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES: TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7; MANK; THE FATHER; SOUND OF METAL (Redux).  MURDER AMONG THE MORMONS on Netflix; TINA on HBO MAX; Violence Agains the AAPI Community

Discussion of Q-ANON; INTO THE STORM on HBO Max; anticipation of the post-Covid world(!); PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on Prime Video

Highlights from THE GRAMMYS; ALLEN V. FARROW Redux; thoughts on JESUS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH 

Harry & Meghan & Oprah on CBS; BEANTOWN on HBO MAX; MINARI (streaming)

BLACK ART: IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT on HBO MAX; NARROWSBURG on HBO MAX; ALLEN V FARROW on HBO MAX; WELCOME TO CHECHNYA on HBO MAX.

Flyin' Ted; Texas Energy Crisis; Justin Timberlake apologizes; Ruthe discusses NOMADLAND on Hulu and ANOTHER ROUND (Danish) available for additional fee on Amazon Prime; Mike and Ruthe both endorse CALL MY AGENT!, a French series on Netflix.

A word about the conclusion of the impeachment trial; thoughts on FRAMING BRITNEY SPEARS on HULU; THE INVESTIGATION on HBOMAX; THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (formerly the GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF) on Netflix

Ruthe and Mike discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene and the possible future of the Republican Party; Mike watched TOY STORY for the first time; Ruthe endorses IN & OF ITSELF on Hulu and LADY AND THE DALE on HBO MAX.

(Note on production: The sound quality is rough in this episode because we had to use the Zoom iPhone application instead of the usual one that allows for the use of our upgraded microphones. Also, out of an abundance of caution, the music drops were left off of this episode; we hope to have the values back to their usual levels in the next one.

Final note:  I used the incorrect pronoun while discussing THE LADY AND THE DALE; I promise to do better in the future.)

Technical issues have overtaken us the past 10 days. We're working our hardest to get you the next pod this weekend!

Apologies for the absence of our podcast this week: Audacity, the program that we use to edit with, ate the whole enchilada.

We will have a podcast for you next week!

Government doings; impeachment talk; Randy Rainbow; ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

Ruthe and Mike discuss the Georgia senate race wins, then the riots in the Capitol.  Mike watched PRETEND IT'S A CITY on Netflix and Ruthe shares her thoughts on PALM SPRINGS on Hulu.

Ruthe and Mike rang in the New Year; discussion of the LA Covid spike; Mike saw SOUL on Disney+ and they both watched MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM!

Mike and Ruthe delve into the topic of friendship: what qualities make a good friend and why some last while others fade. The also discuss how nice it is that the Trump machine is fading - and the quiet is very welcome!  Finally, Ruthe watched HAPPIEST SEASON on Hulu.

Ruthe discusses holiday quarantining; Mike and Ruthe speculate on Trump's moves to take over the RNC and the psychology behind his refusal to concede the election; Ruthe saw Steve McQueen's MANGROVE

Trump won't concede(!); THE JINX on HBO MAX; THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 on Netflix; Season 4 of THE CROWN on Netflix