Stories

Ready for some Halloween TV? Be prepared: Halloween shows aren’t what they used to be. Sure, the old classics are still around to enjoy, but the current crop of shows is edgier and more diverse, combining old-fashioned thrills and chills with comedy, fantasy, and nostalgia. Let’s look at some of the best of this year’s lineup.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 kicks off on September 15. And with inclusivity as the central theme, an important place to start is with Hispanic TV shows. The Hispanic community has made significant strides in recent years when it comes to TV, forging careers in writing, directing, or acting. And with the Hispanic population in the U.S. now totaling 62.1 million in 2020, accounting for 19% of America’s population, Latinos continue to see momentum both on and behind the screen. In celebration of this important month of observation, here are four Hispanic TV Shows to keep your eye on.

More than fifty years after the women's rights movement challenged gender stereotypes in politics, the family, and the workplace, there’s reason to celebrate the progress made. However, while significant progress has been made, the work towards a more inclusive society will likely never end. It’s critical that Individuals and institutions across the country continue pushing back against outdated stereotypes, and there’s no bigger microphone than television. Many networks have helped lead the way to eradicate gender norms. In the 2020-2021 season alone, the percentage of female speaking characters on broadcast and streaming programs reached 44.5% - an all-time high. But beyond the numbers, what specific shows are leading the way in rejecting gender stereotypes? Here’s a list of our favorites.

On Sunday, June 19, America will celebrate Juneteenth 2022. This will be only the second federal observance of a holiday that roots back to 1865. That year, two months after the surrender of Confederate forces at Appomattox—the event that brought the Civil War to a close—Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas. This was no ordinary visit: Grainger read out General Order Number 3 to the enslaved African Americans gathered in the area, bringing the news to them that they were free. Thus, the holiday “Juneteenth” was born.

Pride month 2022 is here! Established in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots, Pride month represents a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, take stock of the  struggles its faced against discrimination and harassment, and reflect on the impact that LGBTQ+ people have made on history—including on screen. While there is still progress to be made, LGBTQ+ television characters, shows, plots, and issues have made important advances over the past decades. 

Over the past few years, the issues of police brutality and civil rights have come to a head, notably in the worldwide protests after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. For many, the issue wasn’t new, it was a reality that had been by and large ignored for decades. In the years since, many cable TV programmers have renewed their focus on addressing systemic failures that disproportionately impact Black Americans, including HBO with the new limited series, “We Own This City.”

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when the U.S. pays tribute “to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.” With television being a bellwether of cultural change, AAPI Heritage Month is also the right time to reflect on the representation of members of the Asian and Pacific Islander community on television and behind the screens.

Joanie and Chachi, Rachel and Ross, Carrie and Mr. Big, Rainbow and Dre: the best TV couples of every generation become their own household names. As TV has added cable networks and then streaming apps in recent decades, this list of best TV couples has not only gotten larger, but it has also expanded to include more diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Although there remains a long way to go to achieve true onscreen equity, greater representation is something to be celebrated. And as Valentine's Day fast approaches, we decided to put together our own list of the best and most diverse TV couples that have kept us clicking the “next episode” button.