TELEVISION

From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic. MEAN GIRLS New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.

The Real Housewives Of Miami. This entry in the "Real Housewives" franchise sticks to the tried-and-true formula that has made other incarnations a staple on the Bravo schedule. The women featured on the series are at the center of the Miami housewife universe, though not all are actually wives at the time of the show's filming. Among the women are Adriana De Moura, known as the Brazilian bombshell of Miami's art scene, and Texas native Lea Black, a committed philanthropist who is married to one of America's top criminal defense attorneys.

‘Swarm’ is a dark, satirical look at how the absence of meaningful relationships can spawn a serial killer. “Swarm,” the new streaming series created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, centers on a deranged superfan named Dre who becomes a serial killer. Dre longs to meet a global pop star named Ni’Jah, who’s based on Beyoncé, and Dre’s obsession with the singer sparks a multistate murder spree that begins after the death of her only friend, Marissa. As a criminologist, I look to understand what causes people to commit crimes, and I see more driving Dre than her extreme fixation on a celebrity. As the story unfolds, viewers learn about Dre’s childhood. To me, these early experiences explain a lot more about her crimes than her fandom does. Social isolation and criminal behavior In 196...

In three decades of teaching medieval European history, I’ve noticed my students are especially curious about the intersection of the stories told in class and the depictions of the Middle Ages they see in movies and television. Judged by their historical accuracy, cinematic portrayals are a mixed bag. However, popular fantasy, unencumbered by the competing priority of “getting it right,” can, in broad strokes, reflect the values of the medieval society that inspires it. “House of the Dragon” is one of those TV shows. A king, lacking a male heir to his throne, elevates his teenage daughter to be his named successor, and a complex dynastic drama ensues. This storyline reflects the real obstacles facing women who aspired to exercise royal authority in medieval society. The queen as a c...