The Take

Go to http://greenechef.com/50thetake and use code 50THETAKE to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Abbott Elementary’s Principal Ava Coleman is many things: outlandish, vain, selfish, hilarious. Ava’s narcissistic nature has caused many problems over the course of the show, for herself and others (mostly others…) But as time has gone on, we’ve also gotten to see how, when she uses her powers for good, this side of herself allows Ava to do great things and make the world around her a better place. She may not always be the perfect principal, but she does actually have a great lesson to teach us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get 50% off your first year at http://monarchmoney.com and use code THETAKE Smash hit KPop Demon Hunters has surprised people in more ways than one. It’s an original story that manages to walk the line between fun and depth, hitting on real, relatable emotions without ever losing its edge or humor. The movie has become a mega hit for Netflix – not only is it now the streamer’s most watched film of all time, it’s also dominating the box office and making waves on the music charts. So what is it that has allowed Kpop Demon Hunters to so totally capture the hearts and minds of audiences? To find out, let’s dig into the film and its symbolism! Then we’ll unpack the deeper meaning of the story’s ending. And finally we’ll put it all together to analyze the true reasons this movie has become such a major success – and the important lessons Hollywood should learn from it if it wants a chance to repeat it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sex and the City actually had the chance to make something really engaging and fresh with its reboot And Just Like That, but the show ended up being anything but... The lack of Samantha Jones was a big problem for fans from the jump, but her absence also highlights everything that the show was narratively and creatively lacking that kept it from recreating Sex and the City's magic. Now that it’s over, we can’t help but wonder… what would the show have been like if Samantha had been around? Could she have saved And Just Like That? Let's take a closer look at how having Samantha in AJLT would have made everything better for Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbes and *us*! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We might one day soon have the option to live forever, but… is that even a good thing? And what would it really look like in practice? Let’s take a look at some examples from on screen, like Upload, Pantheon, The X-Files & more, and in real life to get a deeper understanding of the issue. Humans have always had fantastical ideas about what might happen to us after we shuffle off of this mortal coil. In our modern era, technology seems to be on its way to giving us the option to bring these wild ideas into reality: from preservation to maybe never truly dying at all. This is, on the one hand, exciting to a lot of people. But on the other hand, it also opens up a whole lot of questions around technological capabilities and ethics... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She’s brash, emotional, inconsiderate, and a little intense – she just "too much." Or, at least, that’s what everyone else tells her. From Too Much's Jessica and Girls' Hannah to The Office's Kelly Kapoor and Weeds' Nancy and beyond, "too much" women can't seem to escape their problems. Their inability to look at the big picture causes a lot of problems for them (and everyone else around them...) But there's also something so relatable about them that keeps drawing us back in. So what’s really going on with the “too much” woman trope? And why can’t we stop watching her, even when she drives us a little crazy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And Just Like That... after 3 seasons, the Sex and the City reboot has come to an end. So now that it’s officially over, where did the show leave these beloved characters in what may be their final ever run on screen? Let’s unpack where Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, Samantha Jones and more ended up in the two part finale, and then we’ll dig into all of the reasons why the show’s ending was such a disappointment and ended up receiving so much backlash. #AndJustLikeThat #SexAndTheCity #AJLT #SATC #AJLTEnding #Ending #EndingExplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weapons, the surprise hit new horror movie from writer/director Zach Cregger starring Julia Garner, didn’t end up being what anyone thought it was going to be – and it turns out that’s exactly what everyone loves about it! The film manages to combine horror and comedy with an exploration of some really deep themes, while constantly keeping you guessing. So, what is Weapons really about? And what does the ending actually represent? Let’s unpack Weapon’s symbolism and themes to find out… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Use code THETAKE at monarchmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year! Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult now? There’s been lots of talk in recent years about the difficulty of making new friends in our modern era once you’re out of college, and about the loneliness epidemic at large. There are, of course, many causes for this, but one major one is actually financial. While money (or lack of it) affects so much of our day to day lives, you might be surprised at just how much of our current financial issues (individually and societally) are contributing to our friendship woes. So, what’s really going on here? And… is there anything we can do about it?! Let’s take a closer look at four of the biggest money-related obstacles to building friendships in adulthood, and then we’ll dig into some ways people are finding solutions! 00:00 Intro 00:47 Crushed for time (& energy...) 04:39 Can't afford to do anything 07:14 The loss of third spaces 09:31 The good & bad of social media... 11:07 We can't afford *not* to have community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Bang Theory’s Penny and Friends’ Rachel Green actually had a lot in common, though one of their most surprising similarities is actually the way that their stories treated their growth – and, unfortunately, their endings. So let’s take a closer look at how both of these characters found their own ways out of the ‘sitcom ditzy hot blonde’ box, why their stories of growth were so important to their shows as a whole, why their shows decided to throw wrenches in their plans at the last second, and what it all means… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “Gen Z stare” has become a huge topic of conversation on TikTok and the internet at large, and the real problem is actually a lot deeper than you might expect! Gen Zers say it’s just a logical reaction to the illogical world they’re confronting, Millennials say there’s more to it than that. A large part of the issue stems from the fact that in many cases, people aren’t actually talking about the same thing. So what’s *really* behind this “Gen Z stare”? Is it really a problem? (And, if so, what’s the solution?) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While so many of us might dream of building our lives around our creative passions, often the financial reality of being an artist can be a major hurdle. In film and television this isn’t always seen as a bad thing, however – often, struggling is in fact seen as proof of an artist’s true commitment to their craft. And indeed suffering has been so intertwined with the idea of creativity that it’s often seen as a necessary part of the journey. But why is the idea of suffering for your art such a major part of pop culture? And how does it affect our views of artists and their work in the real world? Let’s take a closer look… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover to Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater soap and beyond, a spate of recent controversies have some people questioning if pop culture is not only signaling but aiding in the backtracking of female empowerment. But while these recent issues might be new, this conversation certainly isn’t… So, why are people mad at Sydney and Sabrina? Where does it fit into the larger conversation? And is it all really a problem? Let’s take a closer look… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to http://greenchef.com/50thetake use code 50THETAKE to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. James Gunn’s new take on Superman was up against the odds from the beginning – and initial reviews weren’t very kind to it. But now that it’s been released to the public, it’s become a smash hit! While the film has already sparked a lot of discourse, the reasons that it’s connected with audiences actually make a lot of sense. So, how does this take on Superman measure up? And why has it really been so controversial? Let’s take a closer look. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent viral TikTok of a woman who believed her grey couch was actually blue has people yet again thinking about how color plays a huge role in our lives, and how differently we can all see the same thing. Colorblindness and monochromatic-ness have long been used symbolically in film and TV as metaphors for larger ideas. And as we’ve all become more and more connected to visual mediums, many people are beginning to realize the impact it can have in their everyday real lives as well. So, what’s really going on with our perception of color and color vision deficiencies? And what does it all mean? Let’s take a closer look… Check out the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/ThSaP6FCk2I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to http://greenchef.com/50thetake use code 50THETAKE to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Money has long equaled power – but does it also equal intelligence? Many people seem to think so, regardless of any evidence to the contrary… Both in movies and TV and in real life we’ve seen a number of recent examples of the problems big and small that can arise when immense wealth comes to dominate views of what it means to be smart, productive, and capable. Let's take a closer look at this trend via recent releases like Jesse Armstrong's Mountainhead, the two OceanGate Titan disaster documentaries & more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While work has never necessarily been fun, recently the “grind” has been truly grinding us down – and, terrifyingly, trapping us in. As the world of employment has become ever more dire, we’ve begun to see this total imbalance between work and a healthy, safe life play out on screen in a variety of ways – from the psychological in Severance, to the physical in Mickey 17 and Paradise, and beyond. So, what do these kinds of stories tell us about the dangers of the total fracturing of our lives for work – and can they give us a map to escape? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Summer Roberts may have began The O.C. as a ditzy mean girl, she quickly became a beloved fan favorite (and even found the smart girl persona she had been forced to hide for so long!) In this video, we're unpacking how Summer went from a stereotypical side character to a multifaceted star! The O.C.’s Summer first appeared on the show as a stereotypical mean rich girl ditz – she wasn’t even a part of the main cast but instead just intended to be a glorified extra, a friend of Marissa Cooper’s with minimal impact to be essentially forgotten after the pilot. But even with the minimal screentime she got in the beginning, she quickly became a fan favorite and an integral part of the show. And over time, as her character was given room to grow, she broke free from those 'mean girl' confines and ended up getting one of the best arcs on the show. Summer is the perfect showcase of what can happen when a smart girl doesn’t have that side of herself fostered by her environment, but is instead pushed in the total opposite direction. She’s also a very underrated example of how we don’t have to be trapped in the boxes we’re put in as kids forever – and how learning to embrace our full selves can help us build a life even better than we could have ever dreamed of. So let’s take a closer look at how Summer evolved from a miserable mean girl into a successful smart girl! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern Family’s Cameron Tucker was criticized for dramatic, over emotional, and generally over the top. But as melodramatic as he may have been, Cam provided a very important counter to the Pritchett family’s more uptight, closed off ways. He’s a dreamer that’s unafraid to go after what he wants, try new things, and think big. Cam’s mindset might cause him (...and others) some problems here and there, but it also allows him to build the life he wants (while also helping those he cares about achieve their dreams, too!) So, let’s take a deeper look at the really important lessons Cam teaches us about living your life your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sinners has become the surprise smash hit of the year, breaking records and raking in over $300 million dollars so far at the box office. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell and more, and directed by Ryan Coogler, the film has managed to take things that are usually seen as harbingers of low audience turnout (like an R rating and the horror genre) and mold them into a film that’s wildly successful. And it could possibly even save Hollywood – if the studios are willing to take the right lessons from this triumph. So, what does Sinners tell us about how to make a winning film in our modern era? Let’s take a closer look! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new Lilo & Stitch live action remake has been a huge box office hit, but reviews have been mixed... While it’s definitely a cute film with some bright spots that (at least attempts to) stay true to the original film, it falls flat in some important areas. While some of the changes to the film are minor, others seem to lose sight of the entire point of the story itself. One major change to the ending of the film has people particularly unhappy. So, let’s take a look at how this new film grapples with the story’s most important theme: family – and if the changes have really forgotten what 'ohana truly means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices