Yes, Chef is a culinary TV disaster
True Crime Story: Look Into My Eyes looks for justice in grief
Top Chef throws an ‘effin ridiculous’ pizza party after a detergent challenge
My recent recommendations ► Got to Get Out (Hulu) • America’s Test Kitchen: Next Generation (Amazon) • Million Dollar Secret (Netflix)
Latest stories
2025 Edgar Awards round-up: predictions and objections
Our Edgars correspondent Susan Howard on who will win Best Fact Crime; who SHOULD win; and overlooked books.
Who won Tournament of Champions season 6?
Who won Food Network’s TOC 6: Antonia Lofaso, Britt Rescigno, Lee Anne Wong, or Sara Bradley? Here’s my recap of the thrilling Tournament of Champions finale!
Top Chef is so broken, the best pickled dishes didn’t win
At last, Top Chef embraced Canada—with Chipotle. And pickles. Also, the judges gave the win to someone other than the chefs with the best dishes.
Amazing Race: self-driving struggles, tough tasks, an unnecessary U-Turn
The Amazing Race 37 took a dramatic turn from the Dubai episode as teams struggled with self-driving, physical challenges, and a game-changing double U-Turn.
How much true crime is on Sidney Lumet’s c.v.?
The Best Evidence True-Crime Résumé Percentage tackles its first director, plus confronting the definition of “major case” (and a bad Vin Diesel hairpiece).
Are Survivor 48’s players going to let an alliance and/or a duo run to the end?
There are some obvious, open alliances on Survivor 48, and while episode 8 had some interesting pushback against those, right now, it’s not clear if there will be action. Here’s my recap!
Amazing Race’s Jonathan explains his ‘extreme reactions’: he has autism
Amazing Race 37’s Jonathan has become this season’s villain for his cruelty toward his wife, Ana, and other behavior. He now understands why he behaved that way, but says it is “not an excuse.”
Three recommendations, a two-week break
This week: A super-brief episode with three fast recommendations because I cannot actually talk, so apologies for having to listen to 50 seconds of this.
Can The Floor contestants do internet research?
How are The Floor players assigned categories, and can they research their own and others’ categories? I have the answers.
Captain Jason cuts out Below Deck’s infection but denies us catharsis
Below Deck Down Under season 3 captain Jason finally did something about his awful bosun, who still didn’t seem to understand what he did wrong.
News & updates
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Per Variety, Bill Hader is "currently [co-]developing an HBO series centered on Jim Jones and the infamous events at the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, a.k.a. Jonestown." A source close to the project notes that Hader "is being eyed to potentially star in the show as well. Hader is co-writing with [Daniel] Zelman ... and would also direct should the project move forward." One hopes Hader doesn't make the Kool-Aid/Flavor-Aid mistake that found its way into Variety's lede, and no, we aren't ever letting that drop; thanks for asking!
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Vulture's Court Appearances newsletter will cover "the racketeering and sex-trafficking trial of music mogul and businessman Sean 'Diddy' Combs" starting May 2. Victoria Bekiempis is at the helm of the weekly update mailer; this installment is called "United States v. Diddy."
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George Santos got sentenced to 87 months for fraud and theft. Santos, who has said he's hoping the president considers him for a pardon, has also said he'd like protective custody "because he fears for his safety."
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Drag Race star Jasmine Kennedie posted a video of a man she said "harassed and followed" using anti-gay slurs and saying “this is Trump’s America” and “Trump is still your daddy.” She added that "trans women are being targeted with hate and they are trying to stoke fear into us. I will never allow someone to make me coward, make me feel insignificant."
The man was identified and fired from his job, and Jasmine told Pride, "A job loss is horrible for anybody, but if you’re working for an LGBTQ+ friendly gym, I don’t think that’s the type of rhetoric that should be spewed around by one of the employees."
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Paramount+’s RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 10 will change its format to a bracketed competition: 18 queens competing in three groups of six over three episodes each, with the top three in each competing in the semi-finals.
The cast: Acid Betty, Aja, Alyssa Hunter, Bosco, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Daya Betty, DeJa Skye, Denali, Ginger Minj, Irene the Alien, Jorgeous, Kerri Colby, Lydia B. Kollins, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Nicole Paige Brooks, Olivia Lux, Phoenix, and Tina Burner.
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The Summit won't get a second season on CBS, alas; the network canceled it, according to a suddenly flurry of trade reports that don't cite any sources.
However, TV Series Finale notes that The Summit "the network’s least-watched series of the current season" among total viewers, though Raid the Cage has even fewer young viewers this season on CBS.
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Last week, Hell Gate's Julianna Escobedo Shepherd "Walked Around NYC With a Luigi Mangione T-Shirt And This Is How That Went" -- if you love a good stunt/thought experiment, this is a solid sit.
"Surprisingly, most of the people I spoke to were divided up into three categories: people who were staunchly on the side of freeing Luigi, people who did not care (or did not care to voice their opinions to a reporter wearing a t-shirt with Luigi’s photograph inside a pink heart), or foreign tourists who were annoyed that a reporter would interrupt their sightseeing."
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The Golden Bachelor will return with Mel Owens, 66, as its star; he's a divorced former NFL player turned lawyer.
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Fox is getting in The Traitors game with its own lying-centered reality TV format, The Snake. Jim Jefferies will host the show, which Fox says "assembles 15 masters of manipulation from various persuasive professions with unique skill sets to compete in an outrageous array of challenges and twists."
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Peacock will follow Love Island USA "around Los Angeles as they navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame and complex relationships outside of the Love Island villa" for a new series, Love Island: Beyond the Villa. Will anyone care to watch Islanders while they're wearing clothes?
recent comments
It’s so strange that the contestants were judged only on their food, because Andrés and Stewart were on Kelly Clarkson today and Martha specifically said they were judged on both their food and their behavior. Maybe the latter…
That chef you mentioned that won season two is now on season two of 24 in 24.
For what it’s worth, I haven’t forgotten what happened in Season 2. The whole thing was just awful. Every time Cliff Crooks pops up, I point it out. Yes, my husband finds it delightful. (Not really) Elia is…
Seriously!! I was mad my DVR added Watch What Happens Live to the end of Top Chef this week, but then I was made aware of Kristen Kish’s new book, so I’m not mad any more.
The product placement/sponsorship is seriously fucking up this show.
RIP Jiggly you were an amazing queen who inspired so many with your journey!
Interesting! Though since two teams just picked it up, I wonder if they kinda talked themselves out of it?
It’s fantastic to hear from you, Angelika. Thanks so much for contributing from your expertise. Your breeding and racing stable is what keeps the bloodlines straight and the sport still spinning. Please pet all the gorgeous foals for…
I absolutely agree with everything you said in this article. I have been watching this show only for a couple years and I’m actually currently watching the second season of Alaskans. I am so sad by the fact…
From the archives
Recommended reality TV shows
I Kissed a Boy is a fabulously gay Love Island
Whale Wars is compelling real-life drama in the Antarctic
How House of Heat—OnlyFans meets The Real World—was produced
The best reality TV of 2019
True crime reviews
Scammy psychics, body snatchers, and Sean “Diddy” Combs
Killer Lies: Chasing A True-Crime Con Man is the best of both worlds
The best true crime books of 2024
As We Speak: Rap Music On Trial sounds like a great doc
Three recommendations, a two-week break
This week: A super-brief episode with three fast recommendations because I cannot actually talk, so apologies for having to listen to 50 seconds of this.
Chicken parm pizza was not creative or interesting in anyway.