Jen Chaney
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Freelance TV, film and pop culture critic for NYT, Washington Post, TV Guide and others. Former critic at Vulture. Wrote the book on Clueless.
Articles by Jen Chaney
Some of the Stuff in Youth Actually Happened to Sharon Horgan
Sharon Horgan, Youth Natalie Seery/HBO [Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Youth, "Agent of the Year."] A lot happens in the last five minutes of the Season 1 finale of HBO's Youth. Alex (series creator and star Sharon Horgan), the literary agent and divorced mother of a recent university dropout, gets several bombs metaphorically dropped on her.
Scary mommies are everywhere, but this time with more nuance Original
In the opening sequence of “Other Mommy,” Ursula (Jessica Chastain) is making lunch for her daughter, Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), when she asks if the girl would like to “come into her heart.” It’s an odd request, but that’s because this version of Ursula is not actually Ursula.
Scary mommies are everywhere
In the opening sequence of “Other Mommy,” Ursula (Jessica Chastain) is making lunch for her daughter, Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), when she asks if the girl would like to “come into her heart.” It’s an odd request, but that’s because this version of Ursula is not actually Ursula.
“Cupertino” is a Smart Big Tech Procedural
Movie theaters are currently inundated with major motion pictures that examine and/or indict the behavior of wealthy Silicon Valley leaders, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg (“The Social Reckoning”), Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes (“You Can See Everything”), Elon Musk (Alex Gibney’s “Musk”), and OpenAI’s Sam Altman (“Artificial”). Television is in on the trend, too.
Lizzie Borden was no suffragist, no matter what Ryan Murphy says Original
“Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story” takes a lot of liberties with the truth. But the most egregious one comes in the last fifteen minutes of the eighth and final episode of this portrait of an axe murderer. At this point the story has jumped to the 1910s, roughly two decades after Lizzie (Ella Beatty) brutally and famously killed her father, Andrew Borden (Charlie Hunnam), and stepmother, Abby (Rebecca Hall).
Lizzie Borden was no suffragist
“Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story” takes a lot of liberties with the truth. But the most egregious one comes in the last fifteen minutes of the eighth and final episode of this portrait of an axe murderer. At this point the story has jumped to the 1910s, roughly two decades after Lizzie (Ella Beatty) brutally and famously killed her father, Andrew Borden (Charlie Hunnam), and stepmother, Abby (Rebecca Hall).
We’re in Club Hell
This piece contains spoilers for the first three episodes of American Horror Story’s 13th season, which premiered September 24. Perhaps it’s time for Ryan Murphy to give up on the horror genre. A week after Netflix launched the fourth season of Monster, which prompted Vulture’s Roxana Hadadi to declare that “the most equitable thing Monster could do is stop talking,” American Horror Story: 13 delivered the anthology series’ most incoherent debut in its decade-plus of existence.
Netflix’s Reboot of “A Different World” Needs to Let Go of the Past
“A Different World,” the Netflix reboot of the sitcom about life at the fictional Hillman College, spends too much time trying to be two things at once. Like so many reboots, this version practically breaks a sweat attempting to appeal to the nostalgia surrounding the original, which aired on NBC from 1987 to 1993.
‘Youth” is a Portrait of Midlife That’s Anything But Mid
The first episode of Sharon Horgan’s “Youth” opens with a montage of significant women thriving in middle age—Maya Angelou, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill—accompanied by a voiceover about the importance of the menopausal and post-menopausal years. “No decade moves faster than 50 to 60,” the narration says.
Why horror-comedy hit 'Widow's Bay' is the TV show of the moment
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The 10 best TV shows to watch this fall
iStock / Getty Images We’re living in a post-peak TV world, and the fall TV calendar confirms that. Of course there are still tons of new dramas, comedies and reality shows to dig into, but the task feels less daunting than it did, say, seven years ago when it was absolutely necessary to take a sick day to catch up on Netflix and Hulu. Fall TV in 2026 isn’t overwhelming. It’s decidedly whelming. Two of the major broadcast networks, ABC and Fox, didn’t add any new shows to their fall schedule.
The 10 best TV shows to watch this fall
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The 10 best TV shows to watch this fall
The 10 best TV shows to watch this fall (washingtonpost.com) The 10 best TV shows to watch this fall By Jen Chaney 2026090314010400 We're living in a post-peak TV world, and the fall TV calendar confirms that. Of course there are still tons of new dramas, comedies and reality shows to dig into, but the task feels less daunting than it did, say, seven years ago when it was absolutely necessary to take a sick day to catch up on Netflix and Hulu. Fall TV in 2026 isn't overwhelming.
The Shards Review: Ryan Murphy's New Serial Killer Show Is a Watchable, Frustrating Ode to the '80s
Igby Rigney and Kaia Gerber, The Shards It's surprising that it took so long for Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis to collaborate. Hollywood's supreme ruler of trash-tige television and the author of such high-meets-low-brow novels as Less Than Zero and American Psycho have long held overlapping fields of interest. They love to tell stories about people who are both wealthy and depraved. They are fascinated by murders that unfold in the glossiest of settings.
Stephen Root Tried Not to Get Spoiled on the Widow’s Bay Set
“A couple of these scripts, I just went to my scenes and went, I don’t want to read this. I want to see it.” Stephen Root has appeared in nearly every beloved TV show of the past 40 years. He’s had a regular, recurring, or guest role in NewsRadio, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Seinfeld, Frasier, The West Wing, King of the Hill, Justified, Veep, Succession, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Barry, and that’s only a partial list.
Stephen Root Tried Not to Get Spoiled on the Widow’s Bay Set
4 days ago Welcome to Widow’s Bay, A Totally Curse-Free Summer Destination dailyyonder.com - Anya Petrone Slepyan • 4d I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the hardiest horror movie fan out there.
A Slightly Renovated Little House
Skywalker Hughes, Alice Halsey, and Wren Zhawenim Gotts, Little House on the Prairie If you grew up watching the original TV version of Little House on the Prairie, which ran for nine seasons on NBC in the 1970s and early '80s, you may remember it as a gentle, uplifting drama about an American family attempting to thrive in post-Civil War Minnesota. And it was. But Little House on the Prairie could also go hard when it wanted to.
“Elle” Does Its Best to Smell Like Teen Spirit
In 1995, six years before she was introduced to the world in the 2001 film “Legally Blonde,” Elle Woods was a high school student suddenly thrust out of her sunny Beverly Hills comfort zone into the overcast, extremely flannel world of Seattle.
The Bear Season-Finale Recap: Let It Rip. And R.I.P.
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
The Bear Season-Finale Recap: Let It Rip. And R.I.P.
The Bear The Original Beef of Chicagoland Season 5 Episode 8 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** The Bear The Original Beef of Chicagoland Season 5 Episode 8 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** The past is finally put to rest, and the future of the Bear looks bright in the series finale. After multiple episodes of refusing to answer the unknown caller who keeps ringing his cell phone, Carmy finally picks up in “The Original Beef of Chicagoland,” the final episode of The Bear.
The Bear Recap: Star Man
The Bear Caramel Season 5 Episode 7 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** The Bear Caramel Season 5 Episode 7 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** The staff at the Bear has been waiting for months for the Michelin-star man to have a meal at their restaurant. In “Caramel,” he finally shows up and, despite some obstacles, the chefs bring their A game. You know what else brings its A game? This penultimate episode of The Bear.
The Bear Season-Finale Recap: Let It Rip. And R.I.P.
6 hours ago No more "Yes, chef!" for Carmy. Despite a torrential storm, broken pipes, and a rampaging spoon thief, The Bear Season 5 — and therefore the series as a whole — managed to cook up a happy ending. SEE ALSO: 'The Bear' reheats 'The Pitt's nachos in a baffling Season 5: Review The Bear earned not one but …
The Bear Recap: Star Man
Miami Beach 1 hour ago Beloved revolving sushi restaurant opens new Miami location Miami New Times - Michelle Muslera • 1h A legendary Miami sushi restaurant with two-hour waits and floating sushi boats has opened a second location after 33 years.
The Bear Recap: When It Rains …
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
The Bear Recap: Chaos Menu
The Bear Focaccia Season 5 Episode 6 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** The Bear Focaccia Season 5 Episode 6 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** Finally, things are really happening in the restaurant. Unfortunately, way too many things are happening at once. The dining room of the Bear is absolutely packed, so much so that Richie is literally cramming customers into any corner he can come up with, including the actual kitchen. The chefs are running super-behind, so service is slow.
The Bear Recap: When It Rains …
The Bear Raspberries Season 5 Episode 5 Editor’s Rating 2 stars ** The Bear Raspberries Season 5 Episode 5 Editor’s Rating 2 stars ** Let it be known that during the fifth episode of the fifth season of The Bear, I began to lose my patience with The Bear. To put that in perspective, I am such a fan of The Bear that I didn’t even lose that much patience with it during season three, and I absolutely loved season four, a hill I will die on.
The Bear Recap: When It Rains …
1 hour ago Pleasantly smoky. Elegantly sweet. I flew across the pond to find out how this remote Scottish distillery makes the perfect pour. Scotch isn’t just about big wafts of smoke that assault your senses, though the style is well represented by distilleries like Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg. There are …
The Bear Recap: Nothing Left to Lose
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
The Bear Recap: A Horrible Business
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
The Bear Recap: Nothing Left to Lose
The Bear Ribs Season 5 Episode 4 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The Bear Ribs Season 5 Episode 4 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** Carmy atones and dinnertime approaches in a sleepy — but necessary — episode. At the beginning of “Ribs,” Richie is nervous about the pre-meal speech he has to make on what is, perhaps, the most important, fraught dinner service in the brief history of the Bear. Which is saying a lot, because most dinner services in that place are at least a little fraught.
The Bear Recap: A Horrible Business
The Bear Lamb Season 5 Episode 2 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The Bear Lamb Season 5 Episode 2 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The restaurant remains flooded, and everyone feels literally and/or metaphorically underwater. The list of things that are wrong with The Bear, as laid out in “Lamb,” is extensive and daunting. I won’t even attempt to mention every item because merely thinking about it all is giving me an anxiety attack.
The Bear Recap: Keep Grooving
The Bear Mint Season 5 Episode 3 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The Bear Mint Season 5 Episode 3 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** Sydney’s frustration results in the team finding out about Carmy’s departure at the worst time possible. Well, the truth finally came out. Carmy’s leaving the Bear. Because this is The Bear, that news was shared in the worst, most awkward way possible.
The Bear Season-Premiere Recap: We’re Out of Time, Chef
The Bear Soda Season 5 Episode 1 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The Bear Soda Season 5 Episode 1 Editor’s Rating 3 stars *** The Bear is open for business, and absolutely nothing is going as it should. As the fifth and final season of The Bear begins, it is obvious that The Bear, the restaurant, should be over.
The Bear Recap: Nothing Left to Lose
The Bear Recap: Nothing Left to Lose At the beginning of “Ribs,” Richie is nervous about the pre-meal speech he has to make on what is, perhaps, the most important, fraught dinner …
The Bear Season-Premiere Recap: We’re Out of Time, Chef
Pop Culture 5 hours ago The Bear Recap: Nothing Left to Lose Vulture - By Jen Chaney, • 5h At the beginning of “Ribs,” Richie is nervous about the pre-meal speech he has to make on what is, perhaps, the most important, fraught dinner … TV Shows & Series 13 hours ago 'The Bear' reheats 'The Pitt's nachos in a baffling Season 5: Review Mashable - Belen Edwards • 13h How does the final course of "The Bear" shape up? The stakes going into The Bear Season 5 are enormous.
Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment
Skip to Content • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Matthew Rhys stars in Apple's 'Widow's Bay.' See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Don't have an account? Create Account After debuting quietly on Apple TV in late April, “Widow’s Bay,” created by “Parks and Recreation” veteran Katie Dippold, has become the sleeper streaming hit that seemingly everyone is talking about. We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment
Author of the article: Washington Post Jen Chaney, The Washington Post Published Jun 24, 2026 • 4 minute read Matthew Rhys stars in Apple's 'Widow's Bay.' Photo by Apple TV Article content See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment
Author of the article: Washington Post Jen Chaney, The Washington Post Published Jun 24, 2026 • 4 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Matthew Rhys stars in Apple's 'Widow's Bay.' Photo by Apple TV Article content See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment
Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment (washingtonpost.com) Why horror-comedy hit ‘Widow’s Bay’ is the TV show of the moment The show captures the combination of fright and farce that comes with being alive in 2026. By Jen Chaney 2026061709012200 After debuting quietly on Apple TV in late April, "Widow's Bay," created by "Parks and Recreation" veteran Katie Dippold, has become the sleeper streaming hit that seemingly everyone is talking about.
Widow’s Bay Season-Finale Recap: That’s the Truth, Ruth
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
Widow’s Bay Season-Finale Recap: That’s the Truth, Ruth
Widow’s Bay We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time! Season 1 Episode 10 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** Widow’s Bay We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time! Season 1 Episode 10 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** When Widow’s Bay debuted back in April, it was clear right away that this was a rare thing in the current television landscape: an exceptional, original series that had a clear sense of its own identity right out of the gate.
Widow’s Bay Recap: Destination? Hell.
Widow’s Bay Emergency Shelter Season 1 Episode 9 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** Widow’s Bay Emergency Shelter Season 1 Episode 9 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** We have reached the penultimate episode of the first, exceptional season of Widow’s Bay. With just the finale left to go, this is the point where the momentum should be building to some sort of climactic finale that potentially answers crucial questions about how the island operates.
Cape Fear Review: Apple TV's Adaptation Falls Into the Terrifying Trap of Stalking Its Predecessor
Javier Bardem, Cape Fear It is unfair to ask any actor to inhabit a character previously portrayed by Robert De Niro, but especially if that character is Max Cady. In 1991's visceral, violent remake of the original 1962 Cape Fear, De Niro infuses Cady with a mix of arrogance, fury, and Southern charm that makes him simultaneously terrifying and alluring.
Widow’s Bay Recap: Return of the Boogeyman
Widow’s Bay Your Baggage Season 1 Episode 8 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** Widow’s Bay Your Baggage Season 1 Episode 8 Editor’s Rating 5 stars ***** We’re going full John Carpenter this week, with Patricia running away from the slow-moving Boogeyman. In this week’s episode of Widow’s Bay, when Patricia runs screaming to Lenore’s house in an attempt to escape a strikingly sluggish Boogeyman, she interrupts a book club meeting.
The meaning behind the shock
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Euphoria Season 3 Finale Recap: May God Bless Us All Original
9 min read Spoilers below. HBO has, at last, officially confirmed that the season 3 finale of Euphoria marks the conclusion of the Emmy Award-winning drama about coming of age in a morally gray, frequently depraved contemporary America.
'Euphoria' Season 3, Episode 7 Recap: Does Nate Jacobs Really Die?
Spoilers below. It was inevitable that one of Euphoria’s principal characters would die before the end of this season. Given all the portents of death in last week’s episode as well as this one, there’s a high probability that at least one more will go in next week’s season - series?-finale. But let’s not get into that just yet, out of respect for - spoiler alert - Nate Jacobs. It was Nate who failed to make it out of the seventh episode, 'Rain or Shine', alive.
Widow’s Bay Recap: Who Will Be the Last Man?
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
Widow’s Bay Recap: Who Will Be the Last Man?
Widow’s Bay Seasickness Season 1 Episode 7 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** Widow’s Bay Seasickness Season 1 Episode 7 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** As the episode “Seasickness” opens, Widow’s Bay Mayor Tom Loftis is just waking up from a long summer’s nap brought on by a heavy dose of island mushrooms.
Widow’s Bay Recap: The Terrors Will Not Cease
Widow’s Bay Our History Season 1 Episode 6 Editor’s Rating 4 stars **** Finally, we meet the “great” Richard Warren and his devoted and not-at-all-terrified wife, Sarah. The very beginning of last week’s episode of Widow’s Bay showed a brief scene of a man with very long hair discovering the mushrooms, called truesight, that grow solely out of the soil on this isolated island. It was unclear how that moment related to what followed or who exactly he was.
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