So you wanna watch something…
Foundation: This is the sci-fi saga we’ve all been waiting for! The adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s epic trilogy—which has already been dubbed as “Game of Thrones in space”. The intricate plot is almost impossible to summarise except to say that it charts the rise and fall of galactic empires—in a future that is interestingly bereft of any aliens. Gizmodo does an excellent job of tracing the main arcs of the novels—if you want to know what to expect. BBC Culture describes it as “visually stunning, emotionally engaging and thought-provoking...that calls for an instant rewatch.” Stream it on Apple TV+.
Star Wars: Visions: No, there are no baby Yodas in this spin-off—which marks the entry of the Star Wars into the world of anime, produced by seven Japanese studios. And there is no overarching narrative—but nine standalone stories (13 to 22 minutes each) from distant parts of the galaxy. Hollywood Reporter says: “The only real connective tissue between its episodes is a love of Star Wars that runs so deep it’s bound to make new fans of the young and uninitiated, and remind old fans why they fell so hard for this universe in the first place.” Comic Book calls it a “must watch” for fans in all galaxies. Watch this one on Disney+Hotstar.
My Little Pony: A New Generation: Here’s something to watch with kids. This reboot of the beloved series is still every bit as cute, but with a refreshing twist—taking “a contemporary spin on the franchise’s tot-friendly tenets of love and friendship by staging a political awakening about tolerance, prejudice, even fascism.” New York Times offers this consolation to potentially bored adults: “parents might get a kick out of the film’s surprisingly unsubtle references to American politics — something to numb the pain of watching yet another “My Little Pony” movie, which the kiddies will demand whether you (or I) like it or not.” Watch it on Netflix.
Crime Stories: India Detectives: This documentary series offered in Kannada and English follows Bangalore city cops as they solve a series of cases—and it’s getting very good reviews. Spanning four episodes of 40–60-minutes, the series follows four investigating teams who crack three murders and one kidnapping case. The News Minute notes, the excellent camerawork turns the city into one of the stars of the series. Deccan Herald describes it as “an intimate look at the criminal justice system as a whole, and policemen's careers marked with risk and uncertainty.” Watch it on Netflix.
A long list of good reads
- We highly recommend this brilliant Rest of World deep dive on the lives of gig workers—based on conversations with 4,900 employees across the world.
- Inverse has some important news for dog owners: No, they don’t always wag their tails because they’re happy.
- Speaking of pooches, Washington Post reports on a new trend in sustainable consumption: Insect-based pet food.
- If you want a sneak peek into the mind-blowing future of space travel—think, foldable space stations—Wired has the perfect read for you.
- Junaid Kathju spotlights the ongoing crackdown on journalists in Kashmir in The Wire.
- Here’s a bit of a surprise: Bangalore Mirror charts the rise of Bangalore airport—which is all set to replace Mumbai as the second busiest airport in the country.
- For cricket nerds: Scroll crunches the numbers behind the seven straight losses of the Indian women’s cricket team—all suffered when batting first in ODIs.
- For art history nerds: Scroll offers Ajay Gandhi’s excellent essay on the Indian slave boy captured in a 17th century Dutch painting—and what it tells us about migration today.
- Bloomberg Businessweek has an excerpt from Max Chafkin’s new widely praised biography of the controversial Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel.
- The internet is obsessed with true crime content—be it documentaries or podcasts. The internet is also currently obsessed with the death of YouTuber Gabby Petito. BuzzFeed News reports on how the two have combined to create a ghoulish army of online detectives.
- Zoe Williams in The Guardian offers a thought-provoking read on GenX’s addiction to heavy boozing.
- Well+Good offers a very useful 20-second rule to help maintain bladder health.
- Always a good listen: Pico Iyer on LitHub, where he talks about the attention economy and the luxuries of being a writer.
- Yascha Mounk in the Atlantic takes a look at what Angela Merkel’s departure means for Germany’s future.
- For a very different kind of literary read: Haruki Murakami in the New Yorker talks about his secret life as an accidental hoarder of T-shirts.
- Janaki Lenin in the Hindu writes a wonderful and uplifting piece on the intimate relationship between villagers and leopards in Himachal Pradesh.
- If you were annoyed by Manu Joseph’s Mint column titled “Many women don't adore the idea of men”, here’s a must read Twitter thread by Vasundhara Sirnate Drennan.
