Do I send these culture catchup emails out on Sunday or Monday? That remains a weekly mystery to you and me both.
Last night HBO said— and I’m paraphrasing here — “hey! what if we spiked your cortisol to levels previously unreached by scripted television so you feel like you’re triggered into a fight or flight response for an hour and a half?” And I sat there and I took it and I said thank you when it was over. It’s now been 18 hours, and in the words of babygirl Kendall Roy, I don’t feel good, necessarily. Let’s break it down…
Watching Lately
First up, Succession. Spoilers ahead, so scroll on if you must.
For four seasons, we’ve been following some of the worst, most selfish humans walking the face of the earth. But here we’ve been, week after week, rooting for them. We’ve seen how toxic their childhood must have been with Logan Roy as a father. He’s bullied them even from beyond the grave. So in-spite of the Roy children’s almost exclusively despicable behavior, we’ve granted them grace and in true Logan fashion, we’ve picked favorites. Personally, I’ve been a ConHead / Willa stan.
That changed last night when the show zoomed out, showing the greater context around which these ineffectual adult babies have been operating. Election night in America. Allowing their petty sibling rivalries and personal desires for power to affect any and all choice making as they essentially install a fascist president into office.
Last night’s episode was TO ME physically painful to watch. It captured the absolute panic of an election night in America gone wrong. The trauma of which lives rent free in my body at all times.
Over the course of this hour from hell, I gasped several times, my hands firmly planted over my mouth in utter shock. Kendall is spineless as he’s ever been. Shiv girlbosses too close to the sun and finds herself with not a single ally. Roman goes full third reich. And deluded Connor cashes in his little piece of democracy for a European vacay.
Honorable mention to The Disgusting Brothers, Tom and Greg, for literally every second they are on screen, but most especially the scene involving wasabi and a lemon la croix.
And Shiv finally telling Tom she’s pregnant and him asking if it’s true or just a tactic? Which…fair…but…I’ll simply never recover.
Jesse Armstrong, you will pay for your crimes against my nervous system.
Next up, Barry (again spoilers, again scroll on etc)
BILL HADER, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!? Last night’s episode was basically a 30 minute horror movie. Barry listening to religious podcast after religious podcast to justify murder…Sally losing the spec of sanity she had left, drugging her kid, and — like a caged animal — destroying her home…Fuches emerging from prison and immediately picking up a barista at Starbucks…Jim Moss abducting Barry just as Barry is about to kill Gene…
Honestly, I’m still processing. If you have thoughts, leave them in the comments.
This week’s YellowJackets was ALSO completely unhinged. Succession, Barry, AND a show about teen cannibals? I need to stop wondering why my anxiety has been worse than usual over the last few months. I think I just solved that mystery.
Lastly, this is me begging you AGAIN to please watch The Other Two. The one true comedy I’m currently watching (that is until The Righteous Gemstones returns to HBOMax for season 3 on June 18th!)
Reading Lately
Last week, I finished reading Carley Fortune’s Meet Me at the Lake, and I can now say with certainty that (so far) it is my favorite book of the summer.
In this book, Fern and Will spend an unexpectedly magical day together in their early 20s. They agree to meet one year later to the day, but Will never shows. Or rather he does, just 9 years late. Told jumping back and forth between that one special day and the present, this second chance romance had me crying and squealing and at one point, literally throwing my pen across the room because I could not handle how perfect the chemistry is between Fern and Will. Not even CLOSE to the steamiest line — this book was STEAMY — but I’m obsessed with Fern describing Will saying, “he tastes like coffee and maple syrup and coming home after a long day.” Swoon.
Fans of the Before Sunrise trilogy will eat this story UP.
I am also 2/3 of the way through the audiobook for Kazou Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day. My first time reading a work of Ishiguro’s, it will not be my last. How insightful of me to declare a Nobel Prize winner’s work worth reading more of. I’m most certainly late to the party here, but glad to be here all the same. The Remains of the Day is beautiful and subtle and cutting, and I find myself devouring it while at the same time not wanting it to end.
Restaurants Lately
Hatchet Hall (West LA) — absolutely delicious, I especially enjoyed the kanpachi ceviche, ricotta toast, and grilled elk loin
Malibu Seafood (Malibu) — don’t know how it took me so long to visit this spot, but it lived up to the hype. No regrets about my fried oysters and clam chowder. Tap through the below image for a look at the full spread
Events Lately
Hairspray National Tour — it’s almost impossible to sit still watching this show. Worth attending if it’s in a city near you. Welcome To The 60’s will be stuck in my head for the next week at least
Lizzy McAlpine Concert — everything I hoped it would be and more; her voice was like butter. If you feel like having a Sad Girl Summer, listen to her music
Products Lately
Birthdate Candles — I’ve wanted one of these for A WHILE and finally getting one today absolutely turned my Monday around. Customized to the day you’re born, these candles have your alleged strengths and weaknesses written on them and apparently I’m unstoppable, sparkling, and CLUELESS. A CANDLE calling me clueless…you don’t understand, I’m obsessed (code SAMANTHAD10)
Highlighting Powder — I have never gotten as many compliments on my makeup as I do when I use this Ilia highlighter
Silicone Mold Baking Tray — I’ve been making lots of healthy-ish desserts of late and these trays are a game changer
Custom Turf — I’ve had this fake grass on my balcony for years, but with the weather getting nice again, it was time to order a fresh turf rug and potentially do a whole balcony refresh…watch this space
My last thought before pressing send — because as I wrote last week, I am apparently incapable of not talking about the Eras tour — this past weekend in Philly, Taylor Swift performed Forever & Always as one of her surprise songs. This was my personal top pick for surprise song and, considering I was NOT in Philly this weekend, say it with me, I don’t feel good, necessarily.
Alrighty, thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments what you’re reading and watching and loving and hating right now! If you feel so inclined, let your friends know they should subscribe, too. And as always you can find me on Instagram and TikTok. Come say hi.