Author: Press Room

Pluribus is a sci-fi show airing its first season on Apple TV+, the new home for prestige TV. It’s about what happens after scientists intercept a message from outer space that turns them into an annoyingly happy hive mind. Pretty soon, the whole of humanity is joined together, except a few people who are mysterious immune. That includes Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), who is none too pleased with this brave new world. Her mission is clear: as the show’s tagline says, “The most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.” Pluribus is the brainchild of Vince Gilligan,…

“Rosebud.” That’s the first word we hear in Citizen Kane, Orson Welles’ 1941 film about the life and times of Charles Foster Kane, one of the greatest and most wretched men ever to live. It’s the last word Kane speaks on his deathbed, and a reporter spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out what it means. In his life, Kane builds a media empire, shapes public opinion as he sees fit, and becomes one of the richest men on the planet…and then he shuts himself within the walls of his palatial estate for years and dies alone.…

The first Dune book by Frank Herbert came out in 1965 and changed sci-fi forever, but it was only recently that the book series finally got a decent movie adaptation thanks to director Denis Villeneuve. The first two Dune movies were both really good and really popular. With a third movie on the way, fans are no doubt jonesing for something to help tide them over. If you want a sci-fi movie as dense, deep, and delightful as Dune to watch while you wait, you have lots of options. 2001: A Space Odyssey I’m afraid I can’t not recommend you…

Artificial intelligence can numb us into unthinking zombies. But on the other hand, we can take its immense powers and make it nudge us into action or critical thought. Usually, we have to actively poke chatbots to get results, but ChatGPT’s Scheduled Tasks feature changes that dynamic. By setting up automations that run at specific intervals, you can turn the chatbot into a proactive assistant that works even when you’re offline. I’ve spent some time experimenting with Scheduled Tasks to make me feel more productive by building habits, learning more consistently, and staying organized. To make ChatGPT’s Scheduled Tasks more…

There are a lot of choices when it comes to free streaming services. Many people have cut the cord on cable over the past decade and have focused on paid streaming services, either with live TV or without, and free streaming platforms to satisfy their entertainment needs. Some people don’t mind watching older movies and TV series rather than the newest ones. With free streaming platforms like Tubi and Pluto TV, you get free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels as part of the lineup. These are channels dedicated to genres or specific shows entirely that have ads, just like cable…

So… I was going to introduce Godspeed You! Black Emperor (a post-rock band I greatly enjoy) to a friend. I told them the name, then decided to play a track of theirs on Spotify. I searched for them, and that weird thing happened again. You know, that thing where you look up an artist or a song and the only results you get are playlists. Playlists named after the album or the band, but containing none of their music. That thing. Related The one music app I’ll never quit (sorry, Spotify and Apple) From rare covers to seamless audio/video integration,…

Detective shows are as prevalent as a sunrise in the modern era of television, and it’s easy to see why. General audiences are obsessed with the concept of crime, which is why chilling crime documentaries remain such a popular viewing choice on pretty much any streaming service you can think of. Naturally, lots of these detective shows are mainly about murder. After all, what could be a more compelling case to solve than the taking of someone’s life? I’ve been hooked on more than a few of these shows myself, particularly the more serialized murder mysteries that really build up…

I’m always equally hesitant and excited when it comes to book adaptations. Some books seem tailor-made for adaptations, with a concept or the level of spectacle you’d expect to find in a Hollywood production. Other books are not so suited for the big screen treatment or television, because they are too abstract or complex to be contained in a two-hour film. The sci-fi genre can honestly fit into either of these categories, depending on the novel. But thankfully, studios keep trying to bring popular sci-fi books to the big screen or small, looking for that next big hit. As someone…

It wasn’t long ago that I picked up the habit of watching YouTube at 1.5x. I used to be morally against speeding up videos, but after trying it a couple of times, normal speed now feels like punishment. YouTube’s TV app already has plenty of bugs, but beyond the glitches, one intentional limitation makes no sense at all. On my TV, I simply couldn’t watch anything at 1.5x. The app would tell me that playback speed is not available on this device. Turns out there’s a fix for this — and it comes bundled with a whole package of improvements…

There are so many streaming options nowadays that have, in my opinion, completely eclipsed Netflix when it comes to content that justifies ballooning prices. What was once the premium destination for streaming just hasn’t been able to keep up. I actually think there’s an argument to be made that Apple TV+ has become the new home for prestige TV offerings, especially considering how many excellent sci-fi shows it has invested a lot of money in. But I also wouldn’t count Netflix completely out yet, either. December is poised to be a big month for the company, with a ton of…