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      LeVar Burton’s New ‘Sound Detectives’ Podcast Urges Children to Listen

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      The actor is engaging young audiences again with “Sound Detectives,” a comic mystery podcast that teaches the art of listening.LeVar Burton has spent much of his career encouraging children to read. Now he is urging them to listen — really listen.They can develop that skill, along with an ear for mysteries, in “Sound Detectives,” a new podcast for audiences of elementary-school age that is part whodunit, part science exploration and part comic adventure. Co-produced by SiriusXM’s Stitcher Studios and LeVar Burton Entertainment, “Sound Detectives” features Burton as a fictionalized version of himself, an inventor with the same name.“In a certain sense, ‘LeVar Burton’ has reached iconic status,” Burton said in a phone conversation. “And it’s fun for me to lean into that.” He added, “It’s also an opportunity for me to introduce ‘LeVar’ to another generation.”Many adults recognize Burton as the actor who played Kunta Kinte in “Roots” and Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” More recently, fans pushed for him to be named the host of “Jeopardy!,” a role for which he very publicly campaigned. But to large numbers of today’s parents, he is most familiar from their own childhoods as the host of the Emmy-winning public television series “Reading Rainbow,” which explored books for young readers from 1983 to 2006.“LeVar Burton Reads,” his literary podcast for adults, has been downloaded more than 54 million times, according to SiriusXM.Ariel Fisher for The New York TimesThe LeVar Burton of the 10-part “Sound Detectives,” which debuted on Wednesday — SiriusXM will release a new episode every week thereafter — is an audiophile planning to open a magnificent institution, the Museum of Sound. But he discovers that sounds are becoming separated from their sources and going missing.To resolve the crisis, he hires a Philip Marlowe-style sleuth, Detective Hunch, and sends him an assistant in the form of one of his own inventions: Audie, a 3-foot-5-inch-tall walking, talking ear. In each episode, Hunch and Audie must analyze an errant sound, identify it and return it to its origins, while also trying to unmask the Sound Swindler, the human culprit who is causing the disappearances.“Sound Detectives” is the real LeVar Burton’s first podcast for children, but he stressed that he did not see it as a long-awaited return to young people’s entertainment. “I don’t feel like I’ve ever left it,” he said. Burton, 66, who has remained active in children’s literacy through founding Skybrary, a digital library of e-books and videos, said he had not ruled out a young listener’s version of “LeVar Burton Reads,” his SiriusXM literary podcast. (According to the company, it has been downloaded more than 54 million times since its premiere six years ago.)But what appealed to him about “Sound Detectives” was that he did not have the burden of being the podcast’s sole maker or its star. The independent producers Joanna Sokolowski and Julia Smith (Smith is also the producer of “LeVar Burton Reads”) created the podcast and developed it with Burton before pitching it to Sirius XM. “Sound Detectives” focuses more on the private eye — and the accompanying ear — than on the famous voice that gives them their missions.To large numbers of today’s parents, Burton is most familiar as the host of the public television series “Reading Rainbow,” which explored books for young readers from 1983 to 2006.PBSBurton also admired the plan for each episode’s end: Once the missing sound is returned, young listeners hear an on-location interview with real experts who deal with it in their work.The podcast “appeals to the innate curiosity in a child about the world around them,” Burton said, and “it introduces them to parts of the world that they might not have yet been exposed to. And those are the key precepts that were the drivers to ‘Reading Rainbow.’”“Sound Detectives” visits places like Yellowstone National Park, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the streets of Bangalore (now Bengaluru), India. When creating the missing-sound mystery for each half-hour episode, Smith and Sokolowski said in a video interview that they sometimes started with a site they found intriguing, and at other times with a sound. The sounds they chose can be challenging to identify; one example was recorded on Mars.“We hadn’t heard of another show that was dealing exclusively with sound as, like, the main narrative driver for a podcast,” Sokolowski said. “And it just seemed like a wonderful way to not only engage kids in the format, but also in the method and delivery and style and every aspect of the show.”Although the podcast industry is undergoing retrenchment, “Sound Detectives” is entering a children’s market that seems nowhere near saturation, said Megan Lazovick, a vice president at Edison Research, an analytics company in Somerville, N.J.Edison’s first national study of the children’s market (conducted recently with the advocacy organization Kids Listen) found that 29 percent of children ages 6 to 12 had listened to a podcast the previous month. That figure rose to 42 percent if their parents had also listened to one.Lazovick predicted that Burton’s association with “Sound Detectives” would be a big draw for parents. She mentioned how the new “Disney Frozen: Forces of Nature” podcast capitalized on the popularity of the “Frozen” film and its offshoots. “In the kids’ space, bringing in brands that are already trusted is sort of a no-brainer,” she said.Adam Sachs, SiriusXM’s senior vice president for entertainment, comedy and podcast programming, said that Burton was also a “huge factor” in the company’s commitment to the project.“Not only is he just a great podcast talent to work with, and we have a great track record with him,” Sachs said, “but he also has so much experience working in the kids’ content space that this sort of felt like the perfect opportunity for us to dip our toe in.” (SiriusXM declined to disclose the budget for “Sound Detectives.”)The podcast “appeals to the innate curiosity in a child about the world around them,” Burton said.Ariel Fisher for The New York TimesSokolowski, who has a background in documentaries (among them, the films “Ovarian Psycos” and “Very Semi-Serious”), and Smith, who has experience in comedy (including the podcasts “Judge John Hodgman” and “Bubble”), are both parents who wanted “Sound Detectives” to be as layered as possible. In addition to investigating physics and acoustics, the podcast includes information on auditory biology (even most adults probably aren’t aware that the ears influence taste) and one episode that examines how deaf people experience sound as vibration.The two women, who wrote the scripts with Isabelle Redman Dolce, also decided that the dialogue would be partly improvised.“I like the energy that it brings, and the ideas that will sort of come forth that would probably never emerge in any other way,” Smith said. They sought actors with improv experience, and Vinny Thomas, who voices Detective Hunch, proved to be an authority on animal characteristics (like the fact that whale sharks lead solitary lives).“Hunch is kind of like an eccentric uncle,” Thomas said, “and what eccentric uncle isn’t a know-it-all?”Jessica McKenna, who portrays the ever-curious Audie, improvised song interludes as well as lines, using her skills to collaborate with the composer Adam Deibert on the jazzy “Sound Detectives” theme. “It’s a really goofy niche I’ve carved out for myself,” she said.In addition to being an ear, Audie personifies a child who is maybe “solving the case before the adult,” Sokolowski said.The creators of “Sound Detectives,” who have built a podcast website with related sleuthing activities, intend young listeners to become just as engaged as Audie in the season-long investigation.“One of the attractive exercises that we’re engaging in here is getting kids to listen critically to the world, right?” Burton said. “To use their powers of discernment, which is one of my favorite words.” More

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      Taylor Tomlinson to Host New CBS Late-Night Show after ‘Colbert’

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      The popular comedian will take over the show, which is based on “@midnight,” at a time when the job is being held only by men.In a shake-up of the late-night television landscape, the stand-up comic Taylor Tomlinson, 29, will take over the time slot after “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS. The move makes her not just the only woman in the job on a late-night show on network television now, but also the youngest by two decades.Tomlinson will serve as host of “After Midnight,” based on “@midnight With Chris Hardwick,” a series that premiered on Comedy Central in 2013 and was canceled four years later. That show, with Hardwick as the host, featured a panel of comics.Among the executive producers of the new show is Stephen Colbert, who announced the news on his program on Wednesday. Tomlinson will start in 2024.The comedian, who is based in Los Angeles, is a film and television novice, but in a very short time, has become one of the most acclaimed and popular stand-up acts in the country, building on the strength of two specials on Netflix, “Quarter-Life Crisis” and “Look at You.” She is currently on a global tour of big theaters.She got her start performing as a teenager and played the church circuit early on. Her big break on Netflix came courtesy of a 15-minute set on “The Comedy Lineup” in 2018. Her next special will premiere on the streaming service in February.Tomlinson is essentially filling the position vacated when James Corden retired from “The Late Late Show” earlier this year. Before him, Craig Ferguson and Tom Snyder had served as hosts of programs that followed “The Late Show With David Letterman.”The list of women getting such opportunities on network television is extremely short. Joan Rivers was the first in the modern era, becoming host of a short-lived Fox series in 1986. In 2019, Lilly Singh replaced Carson Daly in the late-late slot on NBC. But when that show went off the air in 2021, network television became an all-male club. More

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      Jimmy Kimmel: Donald Trump Jr. is ‘The Fraudigal Son’

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      Late night hosts poked fun at the former president’s eldest son after he testified on Wednesday in the civil fraud trial against the Trump family and their company.Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.‘The Fraudigal Son’Donald Trump Jr. appeared in court on Wednesday to testify in the $250 million civil fraud trial against his father, his family and their company.Jimmy Kimmel referred to Trump’s eldest as “the fraudigal son.”“It’s getting serious. There’s even some worry Don Jr. could be tried as an adult in this one.” — JIMMY KIMMEL“The lawyer was, like, ‘We now call to the stand Monster Energy drink in human form.’” — JIMMY FALLON“Here’s the thing about Don Jr.: What he lacks in intelligence, he also lacks in charisma.” — JIMMY KIMMEL“Don Jr. actually had to leave early because he realized he left Eric in the car with the windows shut.” — JIMMY FALLONThe Punchiest Punchlines (Whose Kids Are These? Edition)“Ahead of Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony in the Trump Organization’s ongoing civil fraud trial, former President Trump attacked the judge in an early morning post today on Truth Social and warned him to, ‘Leave my children alone,’ adding, ‘You know, like I did.’” — SETH MEYERS“[imitating Trump] Leave my children alone! It’s easy — I’ve done it their whole lives!” — JIMMY KIMMEL“[imitating Trump] How dare you come after my sweet, innocent children: Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, or, as I call them, Little Me, Lady Me and Wonder Gums.’” — STEPHEN COLBERT“As with all cases involving the family Trump, D.J.T.J. was sworn in on an upside-down Bible. He will finish his testimony tomorrow, and then Eric will testify, and then Trump will claim he’s never met either one of them.” — JIMMY KIMMELThe Bits Worth WatchingGuest host Charlamagne Tha God spoke with presidential hopeful Nikki Haley about her competition on Wednesday’s “Daily Show.”What We’re Excited About on Thursday NightSheryl Crow will appear on Thursday’s “Tonight Show” ahead of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend.Also, Check This OutTaylor Tomlinson in her Netflix special “Look at You.”Andrew Levy/NetflixTaylor Tomlinson will host a new late night show on CBS in the post-Stephen Colbert time slot previously filled by James Corden. More

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      Engaging and Aging on ‘The Golden Bachelor’

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      Two members of The New York Times’s Culture section discuss how a twist on a decades-old reality series has become must-watch television.Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.In August, Julia Jacobs visited a Mediterranean-style mansion in Agoura Hills, Calif., the backdrop of “The Golden Bachelor.” The show is a spinoff of the popular “Bachelor” reality TV franchise, with a surprising twist: Participants are at least 60 years old.“The show is coming at a time when there are expanding sensibilities around who is fit to fall in love on television,” said Jacobs, a Culture reporter for The New York Times who visited the set for an article about the reality dating series.In the show’s premiere on Sept. 28, viewers met Gerry Turner (pronounced Gary), a 72-year-old widowed retiree from Indiana looking for romance, and nearly two dozen women hoping to court him on national television. Their relationships unfold on-air every Thursday.Audiences seem to be loving it: The series premiere was the most watched debut for a “Bachelor” franchise season since 2021 and the most watched of any “Bachelor” premiere on the streaming platform Hulu.But it isn’t all coming up roses: Amanda Hess, a critic at large for The Times, wrote in a recent column about how the show portrays older women. The contestants, she noted, engage in stunts like riding a motorcycle to set and performing a “ludicrous” striptease involving a walker.“It celebrates older people, but only if they fit a very narrow image of youthful sexiness,” she said.In a recent conversation, Jacobs and Hess discussed the series’s multigenerational appeal and the ways it differs from past “Bachelor” seasons. This interview has been edited and condensed.Are you fans of “The Bachelor”?AMANDA HESS I’ve watched many seasons, and I’ve been saying for years that they should do a “Bachelor” with widows and divorcées. So I was excited to see this version.JULIA JACOBS I’m not a dedicated viewer, but I do really like writing about dating shows.Some readers may ask: Why is The Times covering this reality TV show?HESS It tells a story about how we see ourselves and how we see older people, how we see marriage and second marriage. It becomes an entry point for a conversation that I think our readers are interested in engaging with.JACOBS It was a huge topic of interest on social media, and even at a senior center in New Jersey, where I went to watch the first episode. For some people, the “Bachelor” franchise feels like the same old show — season after season — and this twist was injecting something new and worth talking about.Other than the age of the contestants, what sets this show apart from other versions of “The Bachelor”?HESS The stakes are so high because many of the women have been married before. Many lost their spouses. They know what marriage is like. That, to me, makes the show both more compelling and harder to watch.JACOBS There isn’t as much drama between the women. Typically you have a lot of women pulling each other out of dates like, “Can I grab him for a second?” But that doesn’t really happen here.HESS The drama is happening within each person.On a recent episode of “The Golden Bachelor,” contestants went to an amusement park for a date.John Fleenor/ABCWhy do you think this show is resonating with viewers across generations?JACOBS The discussions between Gerry and the women he’s dating are more substantive. These women have already lived six or seven decades. They have careers and families. This show does not define their lives. And I think that has allowed them to be a bit more free in their dialogue.HESS I’ve done several profiles of artists and celebrities who are in their 70s and 80s. People in their 20s are building their careers and their personas, but if you interview people who are older, they have already done that; they can tell you what they really think about how it all played out. And I think it’s similar for the women of “The Golden Bachelor.”Julia, a statistic that jumped out at me from your article was that the median viewer age for ABC, the network that airs the show, is 64. Why has it taken so long for a network to tap into dating shows for this demographic?JACOBS The producers said that this show had been in the works for 10 years. They didn’t have a clear answer as to why it had taken so long, but they said they felt as if it was coming at a time when they were seeing a lot of messaging about empowerment in aging. They mentioned Martha Stewart appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and John Stamos posting a nude photo on Instagram for his 60th birthday.HESS The baby boomers are such a culturally dominant generation.JACOBS They’re certainly dominant in terms of cable viewership.Many of the contestants on “The Golden Bachelor” are retired professionals.John Fleenor/ABCWe’ve talked a lot about the show’s successes, but what about it doesn’t work for you?HESS I don’t enjoy seeing women at any age having to justify the way they look to men. If you’ve never watched “The Bachelor,” the first episode of “The Golden Bachelor” will seem like the most sexist, ageist thing you’ve ever seen; one of the women did this age-play striptease involving an “old” wig and dress, as if to say, Don’t worry, I’m not like those other old people!JACOBS I want to see more unfiltered interactions. You often hear Gerry and the women talk about their connection, but you don’t often see it in action. I’m interested in the mundane conversations about who they are, where they grew up and what their families are like.Anything else you want to add?HESS I’m curious if there’s going to be a “Golden Bachelorette.” I would love to see a group of older men.JACOBS That’s something we’ll definitely watch out for. Maybe that’s our next story. More

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      Best Movies and TV Shows Streaming in November: ‘Invincible,’ ‘Fargo’ and More

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      The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will be live-streamed, and “Julia,” “Fargo” and more return. “The Buccaneers” is among the new series out this month.Every month, streaming services add movies and TV shows to its library. Here are our picks for some of November’s most promising new titles. (Note: Streaming services occasionally change schedules without giving notice. For more recommendations on what to stream, sign up for our Watching newsletter here.)New to Amazon Prime Video‘Invincible’ Season 2, Part 1Starts streaming: Nov. 3Season 1 of this ultraviolent superhero cartoon (based on a comic book series by “The Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman) introduced the title character: a teenager still developing and honing the superpowers he inherited from his space-alien father. Steven Yeun voices Invincible, a.k.a. Mark Grayson, who at the end of last season learned that his dad, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), had been serving as one of the Earth’s protectors while secretly paving the way for a future invasion by his own planet’s people. Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of that revelation, as Mark and his fellow heroes face a series of new supervillains while also strategizing for Omni-Man’s possible return. Though “Invincible” has dark moments, the show’s overall vibe is bright and entertaining, with enough nods to classic superhero tropes to please devoted comics readers.Also arriving:Nov. 10“007: Road to a Million” Season 1“Dina Hashem: Dark Little Whispers”Nov. 14“Trevor Wallace: Pterodactyl”Nov. 17“Ex-mas”“Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story”“Twin Love” Season 1Nov. 21“Bye Bye Barry”Nov. 29“Pretty Hard Cases”Anna Sawai in “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”Diyah Pera/Apple TV+New to Apple TV+‘The Buccaneers’ Season 1Starts streaming: Nov. 8Based on Edith Wharton’s final novel — left unfinished when she died in 1937 — “The Buccaneers” explores the flowering of the late-19th-century American aristocracy. Like the book, the series is about a group of wealthy young women who go to London to take part in the debutante season, invited by some established British families who want to lure these ladies (and their money) into marriages with cash-poor dukes and lords. Kristine Froseth takes the series’ lead as Nan St. George, the brightest of the Americans, who is supposed to be waiting in line for a husband behind her sister, Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse), but who instead finds herself courted by two men — Guy (Matthew Broome) and Theo (Guy Remmers) — who find her independence refreshing.‘For All Mankind’ Season 4Starts streaming: Nov. 10This terrific alternate-history science-fiction TV series had an uncharacteristically shaky third season, with its thrilling outer-space action — set mostly on Mars — butting up against some much drearier relationship melodrama. Season 4 resets “For All Mankind” a bit, introducing new characters and kicking off a new story, set in the 2000s. These episodes see multiple private and government space agencies working together on ambitious areas of exploration, including tapping asteroids for their mineral resources. At the same time, issues with the existing infrastructures on the Moon and Mars create a fresh set of practical problems for our heroes to solve. Newcomers to the cast include Toby Kebbel as a former oil-rigger looking for work away from Earth and Daniel Stern as a former corporate chief executive trying to bring efficiency to NASA.‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 1Starts streaming: Nov. 17This first live-action TV series set in the recent “Godzilla” and “King Kong” movies’ “MonsterVerse” divides its action between two eras: the 1950s, when the existence of giant creatures is still a closely guarded secret, and the present, where some cities have built underground shelters to withstand Godzilla attacks. Anna Sawai plays Cate, who goes looking for the truth about her father’s connection to the mysterious monster-studying Monarch agency. Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell both play Lee Shaw, who became involved with Monarch as a U.S. soldier in the 1950s — and who a half-century later may be the only one who can help Cate. The creator Chris Black, who developed the show with the writer Matt Fraction, uses footage from the MonsterVerse films to add a sense of scope and awe to a series that is as much about the humans than it is about the big beasts looking to stomp them.Also arriving:Nov. 3“Fingernails”Nov. 22“The Velveteen Rabbit”Disney+New to Disney+‘The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony’Starts streaming: Nov. 3After years of HBO airing a recorded and edited version of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony, this year Disney+ has the rights to the event, and will be broadcasting it live and uncut. The 2023 inductees, some of whom will be performing, include Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Chaka Khan, Willie Nelson and Rage Against the Machine. Presenters include Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-T, Queen Latifah and Sia. These ceremonies do last a while, but they also tend to be full of emotional moments and genuine surprises, so for pop music buffs who can’t see the show in person, this is a rare chance to watch the action unfold as it happens — and then to watch it again later, in the Disney+ catalog.Also arriving:Nov. 1“Behind the Attraction” Season 2“The Three Detectives”Nov. 8“Daddies on Request” Season 2“The Santa Clauses” Season 2Nov. 17“Dashing Through the Snow”Nov. 23“The Naughty Nine”Emma Corrin and Harris Dickinson in “A Murder at the End of the World.”Christopher Saunders/FXNew to Hulu‘A Murder at the End of the World’Starts streaming: Nov. 14The writer-director-producer team of Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling are best-known for their Netflix supernatural mystery series “The OA,” which was canceled before Batmanglij and Marling could finish the story. They are staying in the same genre for this mini-series, which puts the duo’s usual spacey spin on the “country house murder mystery” plot. Clive Owen plays an eccentric tech billionaire who invites a group of influential thought leaders to his magnificent resort hotel in an icy wasteland. The one guest who does not seem to fit in with the rest is Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), a skilled hacker and amateur detective who wrote a popular true crime book. When someone on the property turns up dead, Darby has to find the killer and also convince her fellow partygoers that something strange is going on — all while she reckons with some secrets from her own past.‘Fargo’ Season 5Starts streaming: Nov. 22After a long layoff, Noah Hawley’s offbeat crime series “Fargo” is back, with 10 more episodes set (very loosely) in the same blood-spattered “Minnesota nice” reality as Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning 1996 movie. Previous seasons took place in 1950, 1979, 2006 and 2010. The fifth season takes place in 2019, and stars Juno Temple as Dot, a seemingly ordinary housewife who gets in trouble with the law and sees her shady past catching up to her, in the form of an authoritarian right-wing sheriff (Jon Hamm) determined to catch her. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Dot’s mother-in-law, an icy collection agency magnate who usually leans on her lawyer (Dave Foley) to get her family members out of trouble — but who has no idea what she is dealing with in the sweet but deadly Dot.Also arriving:Nov. 1“Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun”“Black Cake”“A Christmas Frequency”“Reporting for Christmas”Nov. 2“Pam’s Garden of Eden” Season 2“Magic Mike’s Last Dance”Nov. 3“L.A. Law” Seasons 1-8“Quiz Lady”Nov. 6“JFK: One Day in America”Nov. 8“Vigilante” Season 1Nov. 9“The Croods: Family Tree” Season 8“The League”Nov. 13“The Lady Bird Diaries”Nov. 15“Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story”Nov. 16“Black Ice”“Drive with Swiss Beatz”“The Secret Life of Dancing Dogs”Nov. 20“Incredible Animal Journeys”“The Last Rider”“My Hero Academia” Season 6, Part 2Nov. 21“Obituary” Season 1Nov. 26“Faraway Downs”Nov. 29“The Artful Dodger” Season 1Nov. 30“A Compassionate Spy”“Wild Crime” Season 3Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in Season 2 of “Julia.”Sebastein Gonon/MaxNew to Max‘Julia’ Season 2Starts streaming: Nov. 16Season 1 of this delightful biographical dramedy was one of last year’s unexpected TV gems, thanks in large part to Sarah Lancashire’s luminous performance as the boisterous, can-do cooking instructor Julia Child, coupled with David Hyde Pierce’s warm, wry take on her supportive husband, Paul. The first season was all about how the Childs committed their time, energy and money toward realizing their dream of creating a public television show that could demystify and popularize French food. In Season 2, Julia has become an unlikely celebrity, and she and Paul have to fight to maintain the quality of their show while all the people who doubted them before come running to cash in on their success.Also arriving:Nov. 3“Scent of Time”Nov. 7“Stand Up & Shout: Songs from a Philly High School”Nov. 8“You Were My First Boyfriend”Nov. 11“Albert Brooks: Defending My Life”Nov. 13“Love Has Won”Nov. 14“How We Get Free”Nov. 28“South to Black Power”Nov. 30“Bookie” Season 1David Oyelowo in “Lawmen: Bass Reeves.”Emerson Miller/Paramount+New to Paramount+ with Showtime‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’Starts streaming: Nov. 5The first installment of a new true crime anthology series — with each season telling the story of some famous cop or crook — “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” stars David Oyelowo as Reeves, the western hero who in his life went from being enslaved on a Texas plantation to serving with distinction as a U.S. Marshal. Oyelowo is also an executive producer (as is the “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan) on this historical drama that stretches across decades, covering an eventful life that overlapped with some of the biggest social changes in America: from the end of the Civil War to the expansion of the frontier. Created by the writer-producer Chad Feehan, this first season of “Lawmen” looks at classic Western mythology through different eyes, considering what ideals like freedom and justice mean to someone born in chains.‘The Curse’Starts streaming: Nov. 10The comedian Nathan Fielder has spoofed reality TV throughout his career, and especially in his series “Nathan for You” and “The Rehearsal.” His latest project — cocreated with the filmmaker Benny Safdie — takes a different approach to the genre, via a fictional story with a serrated satirical edge. Fielder plays Asher Siegel, who alongside his wife, Whitney (Emma Stone), is shooting an HGTV show called “Flipanthropy,” in which the couple helps the struggling residents of a small New Mexico town move into cutting-edge eco-friendly houses. When a young street peddler puts a curse on the stingy Asher, the Siegels’ marriage and television collaboration both begin to suffer. A commentary on the contrived rosiness of home improvement shows, “The Curse” also touches on gentrification, xenophobia, and the deep need of some do-gooder types to be lauded for their largess, even when their efforts hurt more than help.Also arriving:Nov. 1“Ink Master” Season 15Nov. 7“De La Calle”Nov. 9“Colin from Accounts”Nov. 22“Good Burger 2” More

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      The Eternal Life of the ’90s Supermodel

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      How did a small group of models manage to stay on top for so long?Bluejeans and little black dresses may be forever, but fashion’s essential promise is change and reinvention. In the same way that clothing styles evolve season after season, the models wearing those looks are in constant flux, articulating whom we consider beautiful, cool and powerful at any given moment. Modeling careers generally aren’t long, though, and depending on how you look at it, the industry’s churn can be thrilling or unnerving. It’s fun to talk about trends in makeup and shoes; it’s horrible to think about trends in people.This fall, several new documentaries looked at the meaning and implications of the modeling industry’s shifting tastes. “The Super Models,” a multipart series streaming on Apple TV+, focuses on four generational stars: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington. (All were executive producers on the project.) Ubiquitous and ultraglamorous, this tight-knit group of models helped define fashion and pop culture in the 1980s and ’90s, from Campbell’s hypnotizing runway walk to Crawford’s thirsty 1992 Pepsi commercial.How did the Supers get so big, with such a lasting presence? In part, they had the good fortune of entering fashion at a time when designers wanted to celebrate women who were larger than life and full of personality. The Supers met the moment with the full force of their charisma, and they amassed a kind of power that gave them influence within their industry and choice in their careers. Against the advice of her agents, for instance, Crawford agreed to pose for Playboy in 1988, an unconventional move for a model of her caliber. “I said, ‘You don’t need to pay me a lot of money, as long as I can have control of the images, and I wanted the right to kill the story if I don’t like it,’” she says in “The Super Models.” Playboy expanded Crawford’s fan base and helped her land a job hosting MTV’s new “House of Style” program, putting her on a track for more mainstream opportunities.In “The Super Models,” these moments of self-determination commingle with reminders that the modeling business is governed by gatekeepers. To model is to be chosen — by a scout on the street, by an agent, by a casting director, by fashion designers and cosmetics brands. By the early ’90s, fashion started worshiping new kinds of models, like the fragile-looking Kate Moss, moving away from the high-octane glamour of the ’80s and toward a more unvarnished look. Yet the Supers remained in the limelight by adapting, learning to slouch in their grunge-inspired outfits and sharing the runway with the newcomers.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.We are confirming your access to this article, this will take just a moment. However, if you are using Reader mode please log in, subscribe, or exit Reader mode since we are unable to verify access in that state.Confirming article access.If you are a subscriber, please  More

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      Late Night Ponders Ron DeSantis’s Choice of Footwear

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      “You know your campaign is going terribly wrong when people only want to talk about your shoes,” the guest host said of rumors that DeSantis wears lifts to appear taller.Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.Must Be This Tall to RideThe Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis shot down rumors this week that he wears lifts in his shoes or heels to make him appear taller.“You know your campaign is going terribly wrong when people only want to talk about your shoes,” said Charlamagne Tha God, guest host of this week’s “The Daily Show.”“[imitating reporter] Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ll get to Israel-Palestine in a second. First, what the [expletive] is up with those boots, bro?’” — CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD“We need a short president, anyway. People always talk about Napoleon complexes. Well, that guy ruled the entire continent. Abraham Lincoln was tall and he got shot in the head, so you tell me — you tell me who is more successful.” — CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD“But at least now I know why DeSantis is in that huge fight with Disney: It’s not because of wokeness; it’s because you got to be this tall to ride the Magic Teacups.” — CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD“One of the most important qualities we consider when choosing a leader is that person’s height. That’s why I’ve been pushing for a President Kareem for many, many years.” — JIMMY KIMMEL“But it does seem that Ron DeSantis may be wearing heels. I tell you what, throw in a tube of lipstick, and suddenly it’s illegal to teach kids in Florida public schools about their own governor.” — JIMMY KIMMELThe Punchiest Punchlines (Halloween Edition)“Happy Halloween, everyone. As you can see, I’m dressed as the scariest thing there is: an intelligent Black man with an opinion.” — CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD“It’ll look less like Halloween and more like the Running of the Barbies today.” — JIMMY FALLON“It’s a great day to ride the subway and try to figure out who’s covered in fake blood and who’s just covered in the regular kind.” — SETH MEYERS“The website CandyStore.com recently released a list of the most popular candy in the country, including Sour Patch Kids in New York, Butterfingers in Massachusetts, and Marlboro Reds in Florida.” — SETH MEYERSThe Bits Worth WatchingThe British band Depeche Mode performed “My Favourite Stranger” from their album “Memento Mori” on Tuesday’s “Tonight Show.”What We’re Excited About on Wednesday NightThe actor Henry Winkler will discuss his new memoir, “Being Henry: The Fonz … and Beyond,” with Seth Meyers on Wednesday’s “Late Night.”Also, Check This OutSunday’s reading of “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” featured more than 70 participants, including the actors April Matthis, left, Christopher-Rashee Stevenson, Peter Townsend and Courtney B. Vance.Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. for The New York TimesThe Metropolitan Opera House staged an 18-hour, all-star reading of Malcolm X’s autobiography last Sunday ahead of Anthony Davis’ opera “X,” opening this Friday. More

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      Tyler Christopher, ‘General Hospital’ Actor, Is Dead at 50

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      Christopher won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2016 for his role on “Days of Our Lives.”Tyler Christopher, an actor best known for his long-running role on the TV soap opera “General Hospital,” has died. He was 50.A former co-star, Maurice Benard, said on Instagram that Mr. Christopher had died Tuesday morning in his San Diego apartment because of a “cardiac event.” Mr. Christopher’s death was also confirmed by his manager, Chi Muoi Lo.Mr. Christopher won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2016 for best lead actor as Stefan DiMera on “Days of Our Lives,” another soap opera. He is best known for playing Nikolas Cassadine on “General Hospital” from 1996 to 2016, while also appearing in several other TV shows and movies.“Tyler was a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting,” Mr. Benard said. “Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him.”He described Mr. Christopher as a mental health advocate, adding that he spoke openly about his struggles with bipolar disorder, depression and alcohol.Mr. Christopher wrote about his struggles with bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse in Reader’s Digest. He said he regularly saw a psychiatrist and a therapist and took medications to treat his mental health conditions.In a social media post from last year, he reflected on how far he had come since turning 40.“In the decade since then my daughter was born, I won an Emmy, was the lead actor in 4 television shows, completed a dozen movies, lived in a half dozen states, relapsed and recovered, survived a traumatic brain injury,” he wrote.But he said he was looking forward to a “quieter life” with his two children.He is survived by his children and his father, Mr. Benard wrote.Mr. Lo said the news of his death “was incredibly shocking”“He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend,” Mr. Lo said. “My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much.” More