Amber Dowling
@amberdowling.bsky.social
TV critic and lifestyle/entertainment writer in the GTA. Pets and sports lovers welcome.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story took me a long time to get through and I’m still feeling queasy. Did you make it through or did you have to turn it off? My full thoughts in today's @theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/film...
Netflix’s Monster sinks with gruesome Ed Gein retelling
True-crime series is grotesque, exhausting and unsettling
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Monster: The Ed Gein Story took me a long time to get through and I’m still feeling queasy. Did you make it through or did you have to turn it off? My full thoughts in today's @theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/film...
"It’s not told from Gacy’s point of view, and strips his power by ignoring him and focusing on the wreckage he caused."
Excited to announce my @avclub.com debut, a hot take on Peacock's serial killer drama, "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy"
www.avclub.com/devil-in-dis...
Excited to announce my @avclub.com debut, a hot take on Peacock's serial killer drama, "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy"
www.avclub.com/devil-in-dis...
Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is a refreshing take on the serial-killer drama
Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is a refreshing take on the serial-killer drama
www.avclub.com
October 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
"It’s not told from Gacy’s point of view, and strips his power by ignoring him and focusing on the wreckage he caused."
Excited to announce my @avclub.com debut, a hot take on Peacock's serial killer drama, "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy"
www.avclub.com/devil-in-dis...
Excited to announce my @avclub.com debut, a hot take on Peacock's serial killer drama, "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy"
www.avclub.com/devil-in-dis...
Reposted by Amber Dowling
"When the end comes, how will you sum up your life? How will others do it for you? More importantly, how will those narratives match, and what did it cost to get there?" @amberdowling.bsky.social looks at the fourth season of #Hacks www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Hacks Season 4 delivers a brutal truth: Fame isn’t worth the cost
The HBO Max comedy has tackled cancel culture, feminism and the price of fame
www.theglobeandmail.com
May 30, 2025 at 7:32 PM
"When the end comes, how will you sum up your life? How will others do it for you? More importantly, how will those narratives match, and what did it cost to get there?" @amberdowling.bsky.social looks at the fourth season of #Hacks www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
That time I witnessed an incredible community coming together to create something beautiful and impactful. North of North is downright joy.
www.indiewire.com/features/int...
www.indiewire.com/features/int...
How a Community — and Netflix — Created an Entire Production Ecosystem in Nunavut for ‘North of North’
Nunavut, the largest & northernmost territory of Canada, never played host to a production before. Netflix's original Canadian series changed that.
www.indiewire.com
April 9, 2025 at 2:17 PM
That time I witnessed an incredible community coming together to create something beautiful and impactful. North of North is downright joy.
www.indiewire.com/features/int...
www.indiewire.com/features/int...
The Handmaid's Tale Cast and Crew Urge People to 'Take Action' or Face a Real-Life Gilead
"Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of white nationalism, and it's never going to go away."
www.tvguide.com/news/the-han...
"Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of white nationalism, and it's never going to go away."
www.tvguide.com/news/the-han...
The Handmaid's Tale Cast and Crew on the Show's Eerie, Real-Life Predictions
'Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of white nationalism, and it's never going to go away.'
www.tvguide.com
April 8, 2025 at 12:26 PM
The Handmaid's Tale Cast and Crew Urge People to 'Take Action' or Face a Real-Life Gilead
"Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of white nationalism, and it's never going to go away."
www.tvguide.com/news/the-han...
"Misogyny is at the reptilian brain stem of white nationalism, and it's never going to go away."
www.tvguide.com/news/the-han...
“I can’t imagine how cathartic it is to turn on a show where people are acting out their rage. These 40-year-old women are literally burning it all down because of what they’ve been through in their lives.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Yellowjackets star Christina Ricci knows why the show strikes a chord: rage
Ricci believes women can especially relate to its dark, emotional themes, in a world where women are experiencing real-life feelings of hopelessness and antagonism
www.theglobeandmail.com
March 27, 2025 at 1:38 PM
“I can’t imagine how cathartic it is to turn on a show where people are acting out their rage. These 40-year-old women are literally burning it all down because of what they’ve been through in their lives.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
These two are sheer goals.
March 14, 2025 at 6:54 PM
These two are sheer goals.
Need a weekend watch? Netflix's Adolescence has a 100% score on @rottentomatoes.com, or so says this article quoting my review. www.mensjournal.com/entertainmen...
Netflix's Latest Crime Show Snags Rare 100 Percent Rotten Tomatoes Score
Will you be watching?
www.mensjournal.com
March 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Need a weekend watch? Netflix's Adolescence has a 100% score on @rottentomatoes.com, or so says this article quoting my review. www.mensjournal.com/entertainmen...
Netflix’s newest crime drama Adolescence is astoundingly immersive… but that also makes it really hard to watch. My review for @thewrap.com
www.thewrap.com/adolescence-...
www.thewrap.com/adolescence-...
‘Adolescence’ Review: Netflix’s Disturbing Limited Series Is Almost Impossible to Stomach
"Adolescence" is a must-watch psychological drama, involving a 13-year-old murder suspect, that spotlights a new kind of toxic masculinity
www.thewrap.com
March 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Netflix’s newest crime drama Adolescence is astoundingly immersive… but that also makes it really hard to watch. My review for @thewrap.com
www.thewrap.com/adolescence-...
www.thewrap.com/adolescence-...
“We will never be the 51st state.” Trudeau is exiting as the PM who stood up for Canadians.
Dictator Trump, however, continues showing us exactly who he is. So let’s just start calling a spade a spade.
Dictator Trump, however, continues showing us exactly who he is. So let’s just start calling a spade a spade.
March 4, 2025 at 4:39 PM
“We will never be the 51st state.” Trudeau is exiting as the PM who stood up for Canadians.
Dictator Trump, however, continues showing us exactly who he is. So let’s just start calling a spade a spade.
Dictator Trump, however, continues showing us exactly who he is. So let’s just start calling a spade a spade.
…How did we get here?
February 28, 2025 at 9:52 PM
…How did we get here?
I'm a softballer for life. But knowing the Win or Lose creators had to axe their original vision for the series (especially in today's climate) feels extra icky. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Pixar’s Win or Lose could have been a home run, but strikes out when it matters most
A storyline that Disney forced the show’s creators to drop could have inspired enthusiasm in transgender children without getting into the issue’s politics
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM
I'm a softballer for life. But knowing the Win or Lose creators had to axe their original vision for the series (especially in today's climate) feels extra icky. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Reposted by Amber Dowling
Small Achievable Goals slides into North of North's slot on CBC tonight. Written by and starring Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill, it's a menopause romp full of heavy bleeding and murderous thoughts. @amberdowling.bsky.social writes about it: www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
CBC’s Small Achievable Goals dares to tackle society’s most taboo subject: menopause
Many women feel alone, ashamed and utterly perplexed about what’s happening to their bodies, but Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill are hoping to change that with their eight-episode CBC comedy
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 25, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Small Achievable Goals slides into North of North's slot on CBC tonight. Written by and starring Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill, it's a menopause romp full of heavy bleeding and murderous thoughts. @amberdowling.bsky.social writes about it: www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Reposted by Amber Dowling
Beyond the Gates, 1st network TV soap opera centered on a Black family in nearly 35 years, debuted on CBS today. Here's my feature story, from 2 visits to the Atlanta set, outlining how a groundbreaking step forward in diversity was built from ground up. loom.ly/chdtEsI
'Beyond the Gates' is 1st network daytime soap centering a Black family in 25 years
The hour-long show debuts on CBS Monday, focusing on a family living in a wealthy D.C. suburb. "This is not your grandmother's soap opera," says star Tamara Tunie.
loom.ly
February 24, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Beyond the Gates, 1st network TV soap opera centered on a Black family in nearly 35 years, debuted on CBS today. Here's my feature story, from 2 visits to the Atlanta set, outlining how a groundbreaking step forward in diversity was built from ground up. loom.ly/chdtEsI
Just trying to change the vibe around here.
February 20, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Just trying to change the vibe around here.
Reposted by Amber Dowling
I wrote this bit that is entirely unrelated to current things
Voting for the Mayor Who Promised to Blow Up the City Doesn’t Mean I Approve of the Mayor Blowing Up the City
It’s so easy to label people these days. From the way folks have been talking, you’d think everyone falls into two buckets: those who voted against...
www.mcsweeneys.net
February 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I wrote this bit that is entirely unrelated to current things
Reposted by Amber Dowling
Here's @amberdowling.bsky.social on Netflix's new drama about the sick side of health influencers. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar scrutinizes the raw milk-peddling world of health influencers
This dramatization of a wild story about a health influencer and her false cancer claims reminds us we can be in control of what we consume and the messages we choose to spread
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 7, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Here's @amberdowling.bsky.social on Netflix's new drama about the sick side of health influencers. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Are TV schedules looking overly familiar? It's no accident. I shared my thoughts on why in today's Globe and Mail. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
There’s a reason familiar franchises are populating TV schedules: IP is where the money is
As networks fight to retain cord-cutting viewers, established IP and a predetermined fanbase are keeping audiences hanging on
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 5, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Are TV schedules looking overly familiar? It's no accident. I shared my thoughts on why in today's Globe and Mail. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Tonight feels like an appropriate night for a Canadian Bacon rewatch. (It’s available free on Tubi, if anyone wants to join.)
February 1, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Tonight feels like an appropriate night for a Canadian Bacon rewatch. (It’s available free on Tubi, if anyone wants to join.)
I miss human connection while shopping. Stood at the Starbucks cash for 10 minutes without even a smile while they served mobile and drive-thru orders. Finally gave up and ordered on the app. Why is this the new normal?!? 😭
January 24, 2025 at 9:57 PM
I miss human connection while shopping. Stood at the Starbucks cash for 10 minutes without even a smile while they served mobile and drive-thru orders. Finally gave up and ordered on the app. Why is this the new normal?!? 😭
“Yes, Minister” is one of my forever comfort shows—one I used to watch with my dad growing up. 💜
Some alternative Monday viewing suggestions from me, @amberdowling.bsky.social and Rebecca Tucker.
Vive la République du Québec et le president Hamelin!
Vive la République du Québec et le president Hamelin!
January 19, 2025 at 7:16 PM
“Yes, Minister” is one of my forever comfort shows—one I used to watch with my dad growing up. 💜
Grief is something that affects us all so differently. So it was interesting to learn more about how grief and coping shape the characters in the new medical drama, Doc. Which, by the way, filmed steps away from my old high school in Mississauga/Oakville. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
New medical drama Doc puts focus on grief and the importance of dealing with loss
Creators of the real-life story filmed in the GTA hope the show sparks conversations around trauma and loss, and brings a cathartic release
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 14, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Grief is something that affects us all so differently. So it was interesting to learn more about how grief and coping shape the characters in the new medical drama, Doc. Which, by the way, filmed steps away from my old high school in Mississauga/Oakville. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Is Jerry Springer responsible for the birth of Trash TV? Or does the onus fall on trainwreck viewers. Netflix’s newest doc raises the question (while tossing plenty of punches). www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Netflix’s latest doc blames Jerry Springer for the birth of trash TV
Project examines Springer’s culpability in transforming the talk show space from formulaic lifestyle offering to all-out brawl that exploited small-town folks for entertainment
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 7, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Is Jerry Springer responsible for the birth of Trash TV? Or does the onus fall on trainwreck viewers. Netflix’s newest doc raises the question (while tossing plenty of punches). www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
Reposted by Amber Dowling
I read a book today—one I bought over 5 years ago.
Books don’t have deadlines—they wait for you, patiently, until the moment is right.
Books don’t have deadlines—they wait for you, patiently, until the moment is right.
January 3, 2025 at 4:01 AM
I read a book today—one I bought over 5 years ago.
Books don’t have deadlines—they wait for you, patiently, until the moment is right.
Books don’t have deadlines—they wait for you, patiently, until the moment is right.
Just reliving some 2024 TV things over here. What moments would you add? www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...
The top 10 most-talked-about TV moments of 2024
From ridiculous reality mishaps to must-see finales that we can’t stop thinking about
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 30, 2024 at 6:46 PM
Just reliving some 2024 TV things over here. What moments would you add? www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/televis...