Ben Travers
@bentravers.bsky.social
IndieWire Critic & Deputy Editor, TV • TCA Member • Formerly of a Few Podcasts • He/Him • Ann Dowd calls me “honey” (and don't tell me if she calls everyone that).
Reposted by Ben Travers
One hateful lawbreaking little worm down, plenty more to go.
BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Gregory Bovino Gets Demoted
The Border Patrol chief was the public face of a traveling immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.
www.theatlantic.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:02 AM
One hateful lawbreaking little worm down, plenty more to go.
Reposted by Ben Travers
“Everyone should be allowed to carry a gun for their safety but the government can murder you in the street if you have a gun” is an incredible endpoint for the conservative moment
January 24, 2026 at 5:48 PM
“Everyone should be allowed to carry a gun for their safety but the government can murder you in the street if you have a gun” is an incredible endpoint for the conservative moment
For "The Pitt" sickos out there — an updating list! www.indiewire.com/lists/the-pi...
‘The Pitt’ Season 2’s Gnarliest Surgeries, Ranked
'The Pitt' Season 2 is a modern TV marvel, deftly addressing pressing social issues with urgency and grace. It's also really, really gross! Cool!
www.indiewire.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:01 PM
For "The Pitt" sickos out there — an updating list! www.indiewire.com/lists/the-pi...
Reposted by Ben Travers
The History of Concrete: basically just an 100-minute episode of How to With John Wilson in which he ponders the impermanence of TV shows, rocks, and all living things. loved every minute of it. an obvious early #Sundance2026 standout.
my review: www.indiewire.com/criticism/mo...
my review: www.indiewire.com/criticism/mo...
January 23, 2026 at 6:42 AM
The History of Concrete: basically just an 100-minute episode of How to With John Wilson in which he ponders the impermanence of TV shows, rocks, and all living things. loved every minute of it. an obvious early #Sundance2026 standout.
my review: www.indiewire.com/criticism/mo...
my review: www.indiewire.com/criticism/mo...
“The Beauty” is just so incredibly *lazy* I couldn’t even enjoy it as maximalist nonsense. Bad vibe, bad time. www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
‘The Beauty’ Review: Ryan Murphy’s Feeble Spin on ‘The Substance’ Is a Misshapen Mess
Ryan Murphy's 'The Beauty' is a misshapen mess, diluting 'The Substance' across 11 plodding episodes that can't even hatch good body horror.
www.indiewire.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:50 AM
“The Beauty” is just so incredibly *lazy* I couldn’t even enjoy it as maximalist nonsense. Bad vibe, bad time. www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
Reposted by Ben Travers
in the past week more than 400 people have cumulatively donated more than $23,500 to my fundraiser for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund!
it would be *amazing* to hit $26,000 by the time the video drops tomorrow 👀
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
it would be *amazing* to hit $26,000 by the time the video drops tomorrow 👀
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
January 19, 2026 at 5:20 PM
in the past week more than 400 people have cumulatively donated more than $23,500 to my fundraiser for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund!
it would be *amazing* to hit $26,000 by the time the video drops tomorrow 👀
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
it would be *amazing* to hit $26,000 by the time the video drops tomorrow 👀
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
Reposted by Ben Travers
Reposted by Ben Travers
It is a giant illegal plagiarism machine monetizing all of our intellectual property, & like every tech/finance grift before it, the business model is built on breaking the law & malfeasance. And the rush of university leaders & administrators to embed it in every aspect of our work is shameful.
Seems like the companies pushing this tech are not being strictly v honest with anyone about how it works.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Researchers Just Found Something That Could Shake the AI Industry to Its Core
Researchers found compelling evidence that AI models are actually copying copyrighted data, not "learning" from it.
futurism.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:15 PM
It is a giant illegal plagiarism machine monetizing all of our intellectual property, & like every tech/finance grift before it, the business model is built on breaking the law & malfeasance. And the rush of university leaders & administrators to embed it in every aspect of our work is shameful.
Kudos to whatever NYT editor made sure these were in the same issue.
January 17, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Kudos to whatever NYT editor made sure these were in the same issue.
Reposted by Ben Travers
this one weird trick will let you make a talk show but not have to pay union rates
'The Pete Davidson Show,' a weekly video podcast, premieres later this month on Netflix—get details.
The Pete Davidson Show Weekly ‘Podcast’ Sets Netflix Premiere
'The Pete Davidson Show,' a weekly video podcast, premieres later this month on Netflix—get details.
dlvr.it
January 14, 2026 at 5:53 PM
this one weird trick will let you make a talk show but not have to pay union rates
Reposted by Ben Travers
Hard to find a bigger treat to freedom of the press than the President openly reminding a powerful journalist, on TV, that the journalist only has his job because of the President, and everyone being so lazily used to this sort of thing they don't even bother to edit it out for propriety's sake.
DOKOUPIL: When I travel the country, they tell me they don't feel it because grocery prices are up--
TRUMP: They're going to now. I've only been here for 11 months. I inherited a mess. If she got in, you wouldn't have this job right now.
TRUMP: They're going to now. I've only been here for 11 months. I inherited a mess. If she got in, you wouldn't have this job right now.
January 14, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Hard to find a bigger treat to freedom of the press than the President openly reminding a powerful journalist, on TV, that the journalist only has his job because of the President, and everyone being so lazily used to this sort of thing they don't even bother to edit it out for propriety's sake.
I guess so!
www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Review: Can ‘Game of Thrones’ Be Good?
'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' HBO's new 'Game of Thrones' series, follows a knight and his squire living honorable lives in a treacherous world.
www.indiewire.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:50 PM
I guess so!
www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
Reposted by Ben Travers
abolish ice is the centrist position, the position moderates will take to appeal to the center
Wow — New YouGov / Economist poll:
46% support abolishing ICE
43% oppose abolishing ICE
This is the first time that abolishing ICE has received net positive support
46% support abolishing ICE
43% oppose abolishing ICE
This is the first time that abolishing ICE has received net positive support
January 13, 2026 at 2:44 PM
abolish ice is the centrist position, the position moderates will take to appeal to the center
Reposted by Ben Travers
these videos have raised more than $180,000(!) for a variety of urgent causes over the last few years.
this year i'm once again supporting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, whose work is tragically as vital as ever. please consider giving if you can!
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
this year i'm once again supporting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, whose work is tragically as vital as ever. please consider giving if you can!
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
January 12, 2026 at 3:32 PM
these videos have raised more than $180,000(!) for a variety of urgent causes over the last few years.
this year i'm once again supporting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, whose work is tragically as vital as ever. please consider giving if you can!
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
this year i'm once again supporting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, whose work is tragically as vital as ever. please consider giving if you can!
www.gofundme.com/f/david-ehrl...
Reposted by Ben Travers
Glad the TV gods cleared tonight's schedule — there's truly NOTHING else on — so everyone can enjoy the "Industry" Season 4 premiere together. Good show! www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
‘Industry’ Review: Season 4 Is a Remarkable Reboot That Will Blind You with Its Brilliance
With Pierpoint in the rearview and a nebulous new world ahead, Harper plays to win, costs be damned, in a thrilling fourth season of HBO's 'Industry.'
www.indiewire.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Glad the TV gods cleared tonight's schedule — there's truly NOTHING else on — so everyone can enjoy the "Industry" Season 4 premiere together. Good show! www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
Glad the TV gods cleared tonight's schedule — there's truly NOTHING else on — so everyone can enjoy the "Industry" Season 4 premiere together. Good show! www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
‘Industry’ Review: Season 4 Is a Remarkable Reboot That Will Blind You with Its Brilliance
With Pierpoint in the rearview and a nebulous new world ahead, Harper plays to win, costs be damned, in a thrilling fourth season of HBO's 'Industry.'
www.indiewire.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Glad the TV gods cleared tonight's schedule — there's truly NOTHING else on — so everyone can enjoy the "Industry" Season 4 premiere together. Good show! www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
Reposted by Ben Travers
You can check out the film on HBO, or for a dope AF analysis on the film's renewed relevance read @sorayanadiamcdonald.com's analysis here: www.rogerebert.com/features/on-...
On the Renewed and Continuing Necessity of "Exterminate All the Brutes" | Features | Roger Ebert
"Exterminate All the Brutes" is a documentary unafraid to meet emotion with emotion, because emotion ranks among fascism’s most powerful and effective tools.
www.rogerebert.com
January 11, 2026 at 5:10 PM
You can check out the film on HBO, or for a dope AF analysis on the film's renewed relevance read @sorayanadiamcdonald.com's analysis here: www.rogerebert.com/features/on-...
Reposted by Ben Travers
in baseball, we call this a wheeeeeeeee!
January 11, 2026 at 4:39 AM
in baseball, we call this a wheeeeeeeee!
🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻
The Bears win their first playoff game in 15 years, the only way this team knows how. See you back here at Soldier Field next weekend.
Bears 31, Packers 27
Bears 31, Packers 27
January 11, 2026 at 4:40 AM
🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻 🐻
Six years later:
www.indiewire.com/features/gen...
www.indiewire.com/features/gen...
January 9, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Six years later:
www.indiewire.com/features/gen...
www.indiewire.com/features/gen...
The clock is ticking in “The Pitt” Season 2 — and not just on the wall of the E.R. (er, I mean, E.D.) Here’s my review of the subtle heightening of a drama built on urgency: www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
‘The Pitt’ Review: Season 2’s Ticking Clock Is More Urgent Than Ever
'The Pitt' Season 2 delivers a pulse-pounding 15-hour shift filled with patients in crisis, a crumbling infrastructure, and doctors doing their best.
www.indiewire.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:28 AM
The clock is ticking in “The Pitt” Season 2 — and not just on the wall of the E.R. (er, I mean, E.D.) Here’s my review of the subtle heightening of a drama built on urgency: www.indiewire.com/criticism/sh...
Reposted by Ben Travers
AOC: This has now become what we feared most about ICE for a long time—that it would be used as an anti-civilian force with no accountability. At the end of the day, what we saw today was a murder, and murders in cold blood need to be prosecuted.
January 8, 2026 at 12:05 AM
AOC: This has now become what we feared most about ICE for a long time—that it would be used as an anti-civilian force with no accountability. At the end of the day, what we saw today was a murder, and murders in cold blood need to be prosecuted.
Reposted by Ben Travers
ICE shot and killed someone in south Minneapolis
Live updates: Officials confirm ICE-involved shooting in south Minneapolis
Witnesses reported a person was shot in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, amid a large presence of federal law enforcement officers. It was not immediately clear who may have been shot, or who m...
www.mprnews.org
January 7, 2026 at 5:19 PM
ICE shot and killed someone in south Minneapolis
