Five Key Summer Entertainments

Plus: The Mitchells Versus The Machines and What's Making Us Happy by Linda Holmes Welcome! It was the week when we learned that [the next hyperextension]( of the Law & Order universe will, for the first time, not be from the police/prosecutor side. It was the week when [we were reminded that there's still Stranger Things](. And it was the week [when Broadway began to plan]( for its return. Opening Argument: Five Key Summer Entertainments It's getting to be summer, even though it seemed like maybe it would never come. And for those of us who are especially fortunate, it's a time when we're more able to go out, more able to see friends, more able to enjoy our favorite things. So what better time to remember that summer is a season with its own joys? I thought I'd run down a few things -- not necessarily just the thing I'm talking about, but the kind of thing -- that will carry you through the season. - Your windows-down music. If you drive, you can take this literally: This is the music you listen to on a beautiful day when the weather is warm and you can roll down the windows. I often find a band like The New Pornographers great for this kind of thing; their 2002 album Mass Romantic feels more like summer to me than almost anything else. But this is a hugely personal thing -- you just need something that makes you want to lean back when you're stopped at a red light and grab a little sun on your face. - Your chill backyard hang music. Again, this can be literal or figurative, depending on whether you or those you love have a backyard. Picture yourself in a comfortable lawn chair with a glass of lemonade and maybe a big sun hat. (If you're a sun hat kind of person, that is.) What are you listening to? For me, it might be lady crooners, like Rosemary Clooney or Julie London. This isn't wild-party music, because you need that all the time. This is specifically warm-evening-on-the-patio stuff. - Your popcorn movie. Whether or not you're actually going to a theater or literally eating popcorn, there's something about summer that calls out for something big and explode-y, or something very family-friendly, or something full of big musical numbers. Something splashy, colorful, maybe a little noisy. Enjoy it in your living room, find somebody lucky enough to have a rooftop you can project it on ... a popcorn movie has a lot to offer. - Your summer read. Now it can be very controversial to talk about what constitutes a summer read or a "beach read." Some people consider this a negative, but I prefer to think of it as something closer to what I think its origins suggest. A summer read, or a beach read, is a book to read when you finally get some down time -- honestly, whenever and wherever that may be. But a good summer read should be suited to you specifically. If you can't wait for a break so you can read something light and wonderfully comedic, that's great. If you can't wait for a break so you can read a big and meaty biography you've been dying to get your hands on, that's also great. (Years ago, I read Nixonland on a cruise ship.) One good one this summer that I can recommend that's not out yet is Laura Lippman's Dream Girl. It's sort of funny and sort of thriller and sort of mystery, and I just loved it. Look for it on June 22. - Your sunny-walk podcast. A late-breaking entry not always considered a core element of summer content, but hear me out: Especially with some of us emerging from long periods of indoor stagnation, there's never been a better time to get outside just to get outside. And while you need your music, to be sure, maybe a podcast in your ears is just the right thing to get your sunscreen-wearing self (please be careful!) strolling or hanging out in the park. Perhaps a mystery like Chameleon. Perhaps riveting crime stories like Criminal. Perhaps lively conversation like Fanti. (Yes, I am just naming favorite podcasts -- what's it to you?) Whatever this summer brings you, I hope it's peaceful and that you take care of yourself. And play some music; it helps with almost everything. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- We Recommend: I was really happy to see that Alex Honnold (the central figure in the documentary Free Solo) [made another video for GQ]( in which he discusses rock-climbing scenes from TV and film. Among other things, it's cool to see how he's seemingly gotten more relaxed and comfortable since he made [the first one in 2019](. Those of you who love Pose: There's an episode of our friend Sam Sanders' show It's Been A Minute [featuring an interview with Mj Rodriguez]( about her role on the show, and I know you'll want to hear the two of them chat. [There's a podcast called]( Stay F. Homekins, starring podcast supersuperstar Paul F. Tompkins and his wife Janie Haddad Tompkins, and this week, it featured a watch-along of the film Malice, starring Nicole Kidman, Alec {NAME} and Bill Pullman. Basically, this means you watch the movie ([it's available on HBO/HBO MAX]( and just play the podcast, and you hear their commentary. I enjoyed it a great, great deal. There are lots of ways to listen to watch-along/riff tracks ([including at, you know, Rifftrax]( but this was one that I didn't expect and very much appreciated this particular week. My buddy Alan Sepinwall put a lot of work into [a list of 100 Best Sitcoms]( that ran at Rolling Stone this week. Maybe you'll agree and maybe not, but it's ripe for discovery and debate. What We Did This Week: [Machines image]( Netflix [On Monday's show]( Glen talked to Petra Mayer and our producer, Mallory Yu, about Shadow and Bone. [Tuesday (May The Fourth)]( we ran an encore of an episode from several years back in which Stephen and I talked to our pals Gene Demby and Chris Klimek about tie-in merchandise: Master P dolls, Jar Jar Binks popsicles, various cartoon-inspired cereals ... it was a whole thing. [Wednesday, Aisha and Monica Castillo]( talked about the TCM On HBO MAX classic film festival that's airing through this weekend -- check out their conversation, and you might find something you really want to see. [For Thursday's show]( we were delighted to have Glen talk to Shea Vassar and Vincent Schilling about Rutherford Falls. They went deep on the importance and emotional significance of representation, and specifically Native representation. [And Friday, we wrapped things up]( with a discussion of The Mitchells Versus The Machines, where Monica and Mallory were both back to talk to me and Glen about this movie that all of us enjoyed very much. [Aisha wrote about]( the Peacock series Girls 5eva, which she talks about in the context of -- critically -- 2gether. [Glen reviewed the Netflix series]( Jupiter's Legacy, which he says is a pretty good addition to the long history of "superheroes, but like they're real people" projects. What's Making Us Happy: Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: - What's making Monica happy: [How to Leave Hialeah by Jennine Capó Crucet]( - What's making Mallory happy: [Drops of God by Tadashi Agi]( - What's making Glen happy: [Homophilia podcast from Dave Holmes and Matt McConkey (specifically the Charlie Carver episode)]( - What's making Linda happy: ["The Day Dawson Cried" by Constance Grady]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [pchh@npr.org](mailto:pchh@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! 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