About this podcast

Get obsessed with us. Five days a week, Pop Culture Happy Hour serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. Join arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture aficionados. The Happy Hour team leaves room at the table for exploring a range of reactions and opinions on every bit of the pop universe. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, they take it all with a shot of cheer.

Latest episodes

• The Mitchells Vs. The Machines

  May 7, 2021
• Rutherford Falls

  May 6, 2021
• TCM On HBO Max Guide

  May 5, 2021
• Star Wars And Other Merchandise

  May 4, 2021
• Shadow and Bone

  May 3, 2021
• Without Remorse, Michael B. Jordan, And What's Making Us Happy

  April 30, 2021
• Law And Order: Organized Crime

  April 29, 2021
• Stowaway

  April 28, 2021
• Mortal Kombat

  April 27, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Recap

  April 26, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Preview And What's Making Us Happy

  April 23, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Preview And What's Making Us Happy

  April 23, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Original Songs

  April 22, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Original Songs

  April 22, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Animated Features

  April 21, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Animated Features

  April 21, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Documentary Features

  April 20, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: Documentary Features

  April 20, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: International Features

  April 19, 2021
• 2021 Oscars Guide: International Features

  April 19, 2021
• Legally Blonde And What's Making Us Happy

  April 16, 2021
• Made For Love

  April 15, 2021
• Three Songs For Staring Out The Window

  April 14, 2021
• Queen Sugar

  April 13, 2021
• Viola Davis: Essentials

  April 12, 2021
• The Great Pottery Throw Down, What's Making Us Happy, And Remembering DMX

  April 9, 2021
• Bad Trip

  April 8, 2021
• Frances McDormand: Essentials

  April 7, 2021
• Chadwick Boseman: Essentials

  April 6, 2021
• The Father

  April 5, 2021
• Top 10 Muppets And What's Making Us Happy

  April 2, 2021
• Our Favorite Muppets

  April 1, 2021
• Godzilla Vs. Kong

  March 31, 2021
• The Falcon And The Winter Soldier

  March 30, 2021
• Die Hard

  March 29, 2021
• Beverly Cleary: Essentials

  March 28, 2021
• Sound of Metal and What's Making Us Happy

  March 26, 2021
• King Of The Hill

  March 25, 2021
• Audience Questions: What Should I Watch?

  March 24, 2021
• 2020 Best Books: Book Club Ideas

  March 23, 2021
• Favorite Concert Films

  March 22, 2021
• Justice League And What's Making Us Happy

  March 19, 2021
• Raya And The Last Dragon

  March 18, 2021
• Steven Yeun: Essentials

  March 17, 2021
• Oscar Nominations 2021

  March 16, 2021
• 2021 Grammys Recap

  March 15, 2021
• RuPaul's Drag Race And What's Making Us Happy

  March 12, 2021
• Antiques Roadshow

  March 11, 2021
• Ginny And Georgia

  March 10, 2021
• Delroy Lindo: Essentials

  March 9, 2021
• The WandaVision Finale

  March 8, 2021
• Coming 2 America And What's Making Us Happy

  March 5, 2021
• Regina King: Essentials

  March 4, 2021
• Three Great Documentaries

  March 3, 2021
• The United States v. Billie Holiday

  March 2, 2021
• 2021 Golden Globes Recap

  March 1, 2021
• Minari And What's Making Us Happy

  February 26, 2021
• Cinderella

  February 25, 2021
• I Care A Lot

  February 24, 2021
• 2020 Best Books: Nonfiction

  February 23, 2021
• It's A Sin

  February 22, 2021
• Nomadland and What's Making Us Happy

  February 19, 2021
• To All The Boys: Always And Forever

  February 18, 2021
• Shark Tank

  February 17, 2021
• Supernova

  February 16, 2021
• Desus And Mero On Politics, Fame And Life In The Pandemic

  February 15, 2021
• Judas And The Black Messiah And What's Making Us Happy

  February 12, 2021
• 2020 Best Books: For Music Lovers

  February 11, 2021
• Superstore

  February 10, 2021
• Desus & Mero Writer Josh Gondelman On Making A Late Night Talk Show During COVID-19

  February 9, 2021
• 2021 Super Bowl

  February 8, 2021
• Malcolm & Marie And What's Making Us Happy

  February 5, 2021
• 2021 Sundance: Best Movies

  February 4, 2021
• Bling Empire

  February 3, 2021
• Our Favorite Cicely Tyson Performances

  February 2, 2021
• Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself

  February 1, 2021
• Lupin And What's Making Us Happy

  January 29, 2021
• All Creatures Great And Small

  January 28, 2021
• Almost Famous

  January 27, 2021
• Search Party

  January 26, 2021
• 2020 Best Books About Families

  January 25, 2021
• WandaVision and What's Making Us Happy

  January 22, 2021
• Locked Down

  January 21, 2021
• Cobra Kai

  January 20, 2021
• Promising Young Woman

  January 19, 2021
• One Night In Miami And What's Making Us Happy

  January 15, 2021
• 2020 Best Books About America

  January 14, 2021
• Dickinson

  January 13, 2021
• Bring It On

  January 12, 2021
• Sylvie's Love

  January 11, 2021
• Great 2020 Movies You May Have Missed And What's Making Us Happy

  January 8, 2021
• Showgirls

  January 7, 2021
• Bridgerton

  January 6, 2021
• Card Sharks

  January 5, 2021
• 2020 Best Books: Love Stories

  January 4, 2021
• Our 2021 Pop Culture Resolutions And What's Making Us Happy

  December 31, 2020
• Our 2021 Pop Culture Predictions

  December 30, 2020
• Coco

  December 29, 2020
• Soul

  December 28, 2020
• Wonder Woman 1984 And What's Making Us Happy

  December 24, 2020
• The Midnight Sky

  December 23, 2020
• Tenet

  December 22, 2020
• 2020 Pop Culture Favorites

  December 21, 2020
• Ma Rainey's Black Bottom And What's Making Us Happy

  December 18, 2020
• Small Axe

  December 17, 2020
• The Flight Attendant

  December 16, 2020
• Taylor Swift's Evermore

  December 15, 2020
• 2020 Best Books: Realistic Fiction

  December 14, 2020
• The Prom and What's Making Us Happy

  December 11, 2020
• Bad Bunny

  December 10, 2020
• Saved By The Bell

  December 9, 2020
• Mariah Carey

  December 8, 2020
• Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

  December 7, 2020
• Mank And What's Making Us Happy

  December 4, 2020
• 2020 Christmas Movies and TV: Happiest Season, Hallmark, And More

  December 3, 2020
• BTS

  December 2, 2020
• 2020 Best Books: Fantasy And Sci-Fi

  December 1, 2020
• The Mandalorian: Baby Yoda And More

  November 30, 2020
• The Conspiracy Against Hip-Hop

  November 27, 2020
• The Emperor's New Groove and What's Making Us Happy

  November 25, 2020
• Hillbilly Elegy

  November 24, 2020
• Megan Thee Stallion

  November 23, 2020
• Animaniacs And What's Making Us Happy

  November 20, 2020
• The West Wing

  November 19, 2020
• The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special

  November 18, 2020
• Supermarket Sweep

  November 17, 2020
• Fargo

  November 16, 2020
• Ted Lasso And What's Making Us Happy

  November 13, 2020
• SNL

  November 12, 2020
• HGTV And Home Makeover Shows

  November 11, 2020
• Next

  November 10, 2020
• Remembering Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek

  November 9, 2020
• 2020 Comedy Special Recommendations And What's Making Us Happy

  November 6, 2020
• The Vow And Seduced: Two NXIVM Docuseries

  November 5, 2020
• The Queen's Gambit

  November 4, 2020
• 2020 Election Day Distractions

  November 3, 2020
• Remembering Sean Connery

  November 3, 2020
• Ariana Grande's Album Positions

  November 2, 2020
• Great British Baking Show And What's Making Us Happy

  October 30, 2020
• Borat 2

  October 29, 2020
• The Witches

  October 28, 2020
• 3 Great Horror Movies For Scaredy Cats

  October 27, 2020
• Bad Hair

  October 26, 2020
• Rebecca And What's Making Us Happy

  October 23, 2020
• David Byrne's American Utopia

  October 21, 2020
• Pop Culture Happy Hour Goes Daily

  October 19, 2020
• The Trial Of The Chicago 7 And What's Making Us Happy

  October 16, 2020
• Is 'The Good Lord Bird' A White Savior Story, or Something Different?

  October 14, 2020
• The Forty-Year-Old Version And What's Making Us Happy

  October 9, 2020
• Latinx Songs That Helped Shape The Decade

  October 7, 2020
• The Boys In The Band And What's Making Us Happy

  October 2, 2020
• The Legend Of Korra

  September 30, 2020
• Enola Holmes And What's Making Us Happy

  September 25, 2020
• 2020 Emmys Recap

  September 21, 2020
• Antebellum And What's Making Us Happy

  September 18, 2020
• Predictions Of How COVID-19 Will Impact Pop Culture

  September 16, 2020
• Billy Porter On Pose, Kinky Boots And More

  September 14, 2020
• I'm Thinking Of Ending Things And What's Making Us Happy

  September 11, 2020
• Avatar: The Last Airbender

  September 9, 2020
• Mulan And What's Making Us Happy

  September 4, 2020
• 2020 MTV VMAs

  August 31, 2020
• Bill And Ted Face The Music And What's Making Us Happy

  August 28, 2020
• Some Exciting News

  August 27, 2020
• Lovecraft Country

  August 26, 2020
• Boys State And What's Making Us Happy

  August 21, 2020
• Star Trek: Lower Decks

  August 19, 2020
• 10th Birthday Quiz With Kumail Nanjiani And What's Making Us Happy

  August 14, 2020
• Why You Should Stream Watchmen

  August 12, 2020
• P-Valley And What's Making Us Happy

  August 7, 2020
• Beyonce's Black Is King

  August 5, 2020
• Indian Matchmaking And What's Making Us Happy

  July 31, 2020
• Taylor Swift's Folklore

  July 29, 2020
• First Cow And What's Making Us Happy

  July 24, 2020
• The Baby-Sitters Club

  July 22, 2020
• The Old Guard And What's Making Us Happy

  July 17, 2020
• Floor Is Lava

  July 15, 2020
• Tracee Ellis Ross On Black-ish And The High Note

  July 13, 2020
• Taste The Nation And What's Making Us Happy

  July 10, 2020
• John Wick And What's Making Us Happy

  July 8, 2020
• Hamilton And What's Making Us Happy

  July 3, 2020
• I May Destroy You And Remembering Carl Reiner

  July 1, 2020
• Da 5 Bloods And What's Making Us Happy

  June 26, 2020
• Giancarlo Esposito On 'Breaking Bad', 'Do The Right Thing' And Facing The Police

  June 24, 2020
• In 'On The Record,' Black Women's Voices Get A Needed Spotlight

  June 19, 2020
• The King Of Staten Island And What's Making Us Happy

  June 17, 2020
• Central Park And What's Making Us Happy

  June 12, 2020
• The Limitations Of An Anti-Racist Reading List

  June 10, 2020
• Digging Into Slate's Black Film Canon

  June 7, 2020
• Ramy And What's Making Us Happy

  June 5, 2020
• A Guide To HBO Max And What's Making Us Happy

  June 3, 2020
• The High Note And What's Making Us Happy

  May 29, 2020
• Why You Should Stream Booksmart, Plus What's Making Us Happy

  May 27, 2020
• Great Recent Movies We Missed And What's Making Us Happy

  May 22, 2020
• The Great And What's Making Us Happy

  May 20, 2020
• The Movies Of 2000 And What's Making Us Happy

  May 15, 2020
• Never Have I Ever And What's Making Us Happy

  May 13, 2020
• Normal People And What's Making Us Happy

  May 8, 2020
• Derry Girls And What's Making Us Happy

  May 6, 2020
• Michael Jordan Documentary The Last Dance And What's Making Us Happy

  May 1, 2020
• Nintendo Switch Game Recommendations And What's Making Us Happy

  April 29, 2020