Phillip Maciak
@pjmaciak.bsky.social
TV Critic @ The New Republic //
DAD: A POP HISTORY (Plume 2027) //
teaching @ Wash U in STL //
pjmaciak.substack.com
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, sixers
DAD: A POP HISTORY (Plume 2027) //
teaching @ Wash U in STL //
pjmaciak.substack.com
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, sixers
Pinned
Phillip Maciak
@pjmaciak.bsky.social
· Apr 16
I'm writing a cultural history of the DAD! With Plume! Get ready for Father's Day 2027, friends! This is what's happening now! @duttonbooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
This is how I want people to be posting on Christmas. Do not try to convince Mark Cuban's goofy ass that universal healthcare is right. I want to see pleas for character actors to cleave them in twain with a broadsword. I want people volunteering to get kicked down the Exorcist steps by Alicia Witt.
debi mazar punch me in the stomach for $15 challenge
December 25, 2025 at 4:01 AM
This is how I want people to be posting on Christmas. Do not try to convince Mark Cuban's goofy ass that universal healthcare is right. I want to see pleas for character actors to cleave them in twain with a broadsword. I want people volunteering to get kicked down the Exorcist steps by Alicia Witt.
Mannheim Steamroller : 20th Century Christmas music :: Pentatonix : 21st Century Christmas music
(complimentary)
(complimentary)
December 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Mannheim Steamroller : 20th Century Christmas music :: Pentatonix : 21st Century Christmas music
(complimentary)
(complimentary)
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Belle: hey
Scrooge: sup
Belle: left the house again
Scrooge: lol
Scrooge: did they do the song
Belle: 🫠
Scrooge: sup
Belle: left the house again
Scrooge: lol
Scrooge: did they do the song
Belle: 🫠
December 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Belle: hey
Scrooge: sup
Belle: left the house again
Scrooge: lol
Scrooge: did they do the song
Belle: 🫠
Scrooge: sup
Belle: left the house again
Scrooge: lol
Scrooge: did they do the song
Belle: 🫠
The TV critics of America are working on a way to cure me of my Pluribus immunity so that I can join them.
if you are bored by pluribus and my curmudgeonly queen carol sturka that's a skill issue*!!!
*reasonable minds may disagree but I tried to work through that disagreement in writing
variety.com/2025/tv/colu...
*reasonable minds may disagree but I tried to work through that disagreement in writing
variety.com/2025/tv/colu...
‘Pluribus’ May Be Slow, but It Was Never Boring
Vince Gilligan's Apple sci-fi drama 'Pluribus' has been criticized for its slow pace, but the show is never boring.
variety.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The TV critics of America are working on a way to cure me of my Pluribus immunity so that I can join them.
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE rules, and this essay is, indeed, very good.
This is an almost shockingly wise essay. I'm glad I've finally read it.
There Is No Mary Problem in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
George’s vision of his wife without him is essential to the film, but critics continue to miss its true—and profound—meaning.
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:50 PM
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE rules, and this essay is, indeed, very good.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Empowering tech companies is a huge part of how we got here and Democrats are still doubling down on it at all levels.
Prince George’s County Public Schools plan to make a big investment in artificial intelligence in the coming years, and one of the programs it's starting with is an AI-powered story-telling platform backed by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
marylandmatters.org/2025/12/09/p...
marylandmatters.org/2025/12/09/p...
Prince George's schools, Colin Kaepernick-backed AI firm partner for storytelling tech - Maryland Matters
Prince George’s County Public Schools plan to make a big investment in artificial intelligence in the coming years, and one of the programs it's starting with is an AI-powered story-telling platform b...
marylandmatters.org
December 23, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Empowering tech companies is a huge part of how we got here and Democrats are still doubling down on it at all levels.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
SCROOGE: you there, boy! what day is it?
BOY: i don't know, i'm like six
SCROOGE: well fuckin – can you ask someone
BOY: i don't know, i'm like six
SCROOGE: well fuckin – can you ask someone
December 1, 2024 at 9:08 AM
SCROOGE: you there, boy! what day is it?
BOY: i don't know, i'm like six
SCROOGE: well fuckin – can you ask someone
BOY: i don't know, i'm like six
SCROOGE: well fuckin – can you ask someone
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Reagan's project was successful: now, many Americans have no idea what a "public good" is.
Their only framework for social interaction--outside friends & family--is set by the concepts of private property & consumer choice.
That explains a lot about voting patterns & the dying sense of civic duty.
Their only framework for social interaction--outside friends & family--is set by the concepts of private property & consumer choice.
That explains a lot about voting patterns & the dying sense of civic duty.
Today I helped someone at the library who didn't know you could borrow items for free. She gave me her library card and $40 to pay for the books. Was delighted when I said everything is free to use.
I'd never encountered that before. I assumed people just knew library items were free and public.
I'd never encountered that before. I assumed people just knew library items were free and public.
December 23, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Reagan's project was successful: now, many Americans have no idea what a "public good" is.
Their only framework for social interaction--outside friends & family--is set by the concepts of private property & consumer choice.
That explains a lot about voting patterns & the dying sense of civic duty.
Their only framework for social interaction--outside friends & family--is set by the concepts of private property & consumer choice.
That explains a lot about voting patterns & the dying sense of civic duty.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.
December 23, 2025 at 9:18 PM
In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.
Wes Anderson died for this.
Look, the Beatles were HUGE for me as a kid, and I still love them as much as, if not more than, the next #BeatlesGuy. But I’m BEGGING someone to put this kind of energy into the KINKS, for the love of god
December 23, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Wes Anderson died for this.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
and now he's a gd pro fisherman! andscape.com/features/ben...
December 23, 2025 at 7:35 PM
and now he's a gd pro fisherman! andscape.com/features/ben...
Well, everyone knows there’s a Crisis of Masculinity. What this essay presupposes is: who gives a shit?
Join Mon Mothma, Michelle Williams, Betty Draper and me for @newrepublic.com's 2025 Year in Television!
newrepublic.com/article/2033...
Join Mon Mothma, Michelle Williams, Betty Draper and me for @newrepublic.com's 2025 Year in Television!
newrepublic.com/article/2033...
TV’s Antidote to the Year of Men in Crisis
In a year defined by the newly lurid visibility of men’s problems, I was most moved by two series—Dying for Sex and Andor—that offered remarkable performances by women.
newrepublic.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Well, everyone knows there’s a Crisis of Masculinity. What this essay presupposes is: who gives a shit?
Join Mon Mothma, Michelle Williams, Betty Draper and me for @newrepublic.com's 2025 Year in Television!
newrepublic.com/article/2033...
Join Mon Mothma, Michelle Williams, Betty Draper and me for @newrepublic.com's 2025 Year in Television!
newrepublic.com/article/2033...
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Heading to Penzey's to stock up on Abolish ICE Spice, No Kings Cardamom, Herbes de Proletariat, Civil DisoBay Leaves, and dried Parsley (French 75).
December 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Heading to Penzey's to stock up on Abolish ICE Spice, No Kings Cardamom, Herbes de Proletariat, Civil DisoBay Leaves, and dried Parsley (French 75).
This is just a trailer, of course, and the leaked trailer from earlier in the year had a lot more juice. But, just asking: shouldn't Odysseus have been Ben Affleck?
The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is here 👀
In theaters July 17, 2026
In theaters July 17, 2026
December 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
This is just a trailer, of course, and the leaked trailer from earlier in the year had a lot more juice. But, just asking: shouldn't Odysseus have been Ben Affleck?
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
One explanation for Bari killing the story is that she did so as a public act of fealty to the administration. But another is that, as an inexperienced journalist, she doesn’t understand that a refusal to go on the record is a kind of comment in and of itself
December 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
One explanation for Bari killing the story is that she did so as a public act of fealty to the administration. But another is that, as an inexperienced journalist, she doesn’t understand that a refusal to go on the record is a kind of comment in and of itself
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Very sad. I *hated* Ziggy during my first go-round of S2, because like a lot of people I hated the shift in focus to the docks. Each rewatch made me grow to actually like and fully appreciate that season more, and Ransone’s character arc and performance was a huge reason why.
I was just at the gym watching a The Wire s2 episode, and came back to this awful news. Ransone was incredible in that season — so believable as the screw-up determined to live down to everyone's low opinion of him. And great in almost everything else I saw him do. RIP.
'The Wire' Star James Ransone Dead at 46 After Apparent Suicide
James Ransone -- an actor best known for his role in the hit show "The Wire" -- has died ... and the medical examiner is pointing to suicide as the cause.
www.tmz.com
December 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Very sad. I *hated* Ziggy during my first go-round of S2, because like a lot of people I hated the shift in focus to the docks. Each rewatch made me grow to actually like and fully appreciate that season more, and Ransone’s character arc and performance was a huge reason why.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
The women in this 1964 photo of Beatles fans (yes, that's what they used) could not get a credit card at Bank of America without their husband or father cosigning. So, no. The answer, CBS and Bank of America, is no.
"Has feminism failed women brought to you by bank of america" is my MKULTRA sleeper agent activation phrase
December 20, 2025 at 3:56 AM
The women in this 1964 photo of Beatles fans (yes, that's what they used) could not get a credit card at Bank of America without their husband or father cosigning. So, no. The answer, CBS and Bank of America, is no.
We're shooting all of the kitchen island sequences in VistaVision.
Nancy Meyers at a Father of the Bride Q&A just said she’s shooting a new movie in May! For theatres not streaming and starring Kieran Culkin!
December 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
We're shooting all of the kitchen island sequences in VistaVision.
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Main takeaway from rewatching A CHRISTMAS STORY is that those kids were assigned to read the entirety of SILAS MARNER in the fourth grade! cc: @annieabrams.bsky.social
December 21, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Main takeaway from rewatching A CHRISTMAS STORY is that those kids were assigned to read the entirety of SILAS MARNER in the fourth grade! cc: @annieabrams.bsky.social
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Excited to announce my upcoming appearance on CBS/the FP. (I'll be taking the "no" position.)
December 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Excited to announce my upcoming appearance on CBS/the FP. (I'll be taking the "no" position.)
Reposted by Phillip Maciak
Yglesias is basically Ball Don’t Stop for politics at this point.
This is a surgical dismantling of yet another dumb Matt Yglesias argument by a former clean energy exec and current Representative. This is the sort of thing that should make people stop listening to people like Yglesias.
Read the whole thing.
Read the whole thing.
This Yglesias piece in the NYT is horrifically bad. Almost every "fact" it cites is provably false. At best it is cocktail party banter from a pundit who knows nothing of energy. At worst, it was cut/paste from oil industry talking points. So, a rebuttal: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/o...
December 20, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Yglesias is basically Ball Don’t Stop for politics at this point.