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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour

NPR

Trying to keep up with the latest in pop culture? We’ve got you covered. The Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast helps you find the best new binge-worthy tv shows, movies, music, and videogames.

Join hosts Linda Holmes, Aisha Harris, Stephen Thompson, and Glen Weldon four episodes a week - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture enthusiasts. It’s your fix for reviews, recommendations, and recaps of the pop culture everyone is talking about. From lowbrow reality TV to Oscar-winning movies to the stuff in between, we take it all with a shot of cheer. On the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we watch everything so that you never miss anything.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour

  • 23 minutes 18 seconds
    Spider-Man: Brand New Day and What’s Making Us Happy
    Zendaya and Tom Holland are back in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the movie has a more grounded tone than we’ve seen from the franchise. But does it strike the right balance of fun and darkness? Directed by Daniel Destin Cretton, the film also features Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, and Sadie Sink.


    Looking for more spectacular Spider-episodes? Check out: 

    'Spider-Man: No Way Home' mixes fun and fan service

    'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' thrills in every dimension

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    31 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 18 minutes 22 seconds
    The Dink
    The Dink is pickleball’s very funny new entry into the classic genre of sports comedies. In the new film, Jake Johnson stars as a washed-up tennis underachiever whose loyalties become divided after befriending a pickleball player played by Mary Steenburgen. It’s got a contest with huge stakes and a surprising dose of heart, and the jokes make it over the net. 


    If you want more breezy fun flicks, check out these episodes: 

    In 'Power Ballad,' Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas hit all the right notes

    Fun movies you may have missed


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    29 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 22 minutes 32 seconds
    Furious
    The new Hulu show Furious is a twisty serial killer drama with a sense of humor, but does it hit its mark? Emmy Rossum stars as Alice, a low-level FBI agent on the hunt for a young woman (Lola Petticrew) who’s been targeting prominent men across New York City. Furious will keep you guessing as both women carve their own paths to justice. 

    Need more deep dark thrillers? Check out these episodes:

    TV heavy-hitters get dark in ‘The Beast In Me’

    In ‘Task’, Mark Ruffalo pursues his quarry 


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    28 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 24 minutes 45 seconds
    The best summer snacks (according to you)
    There’s plenty to love about summer: Summer music, summer road trips, summer movies. But to enjoy all those things, you have to sustain yourself with summer snacks. But what are the best summer treats of all? We asked our listeners, and we are revealing the results in a game all about summer snacks. (Today’s episode originally ran as a bonus episode for NPR Plus supporters.)
    For other episodes where we unpack your votes, check out:
    Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by listeners
    Top 10 Muppets, as voted by listeners

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    27 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 26 minutes 25 seconds
    Hadestown and What’s Making Us Happy
    Can’t make it to Broadway? Hadestown: The Musical has you covered. The film adaptation of the Tony-winning hit captures the musical retelling of the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice. Fans can see the principal original Broadway cast including Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, and André De Shields reunite on the big screen for five nights only. 

    Need more musicals? Check out these episodes:

    'Wicked: For Good' will bring you to tears

    We debate the best movie musical numbers

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    24 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 18 minutes 26 seconds
    Hot Ones
    Hot Ones is the YouTube show where famous people answer questions while eating increasingly hot chicken wings. Now host Sean Evans is bringing his wings to Netflix with a series of specials called Hot Ones: Extra Heat. What exactly makes a good Hot Ones guest? On this encore episode, we discuss the show and specifically about possibly the best guest ever, Conan O’Brien.

    If you want hot questions answered (hold the wings), check out these episode: 
    We debate the best live TV moments in pop culture
    What makes for a good book to film adaptation?
    We debate the best fictional bands

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    23 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 17 minutes 43 seconds
    Our rules for music festivals
    Have some people forgotten how to behave at music festivals? Summer is peak music festival season, and that means many of us are braving huge crowds and sweltering heat to see a bunch of artists we love in one place. But is there a decline in social decorum in these concert settings? From using phones to being in the front row to navigating crowds, today we’re sharing personal and passionate takes about music festival etiquette.

    If you are looking for more episodes like this one, check out:
    The pop culture hill I'll die on
    How we handle spoilers

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    21 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 15 minutes 3 seconds
    The Hawk
    Will Ferrell stars as a past-his-prime golfer in the new Netflix series, The Hawk. If you loved watching him play self-absorbed athletes in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Blades of Glory, you might be into this too. He reunited with some funny former collaborators like Molly Shannon, Luke Wilson, and Chris Parnell. The Frat Pack vibes are high, but does this old school sports comedy feel fresh or stuck in the past?

    If you want more big goofy gags, check out these episodes:
    ‘Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass’ is a fun dumb time at the movies
    'Stop! That! Train!' goes off the rails in a good way

    Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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    20 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 25 minutes 46 seconds
    The Odyssey and What's Making Us Happy
    The Odyssey is director Christopher Nolan’s spectacular take on Homer’s epic work – full of gods, monsters, love and very bloody revenge. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, who is trying to get home to his wife and son, played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland. But the journey home is not easy, as Odyssey and his crew are confronted with sea monsters, nymphs, whirlpools and cannibals. 

    If you’re looking for more great epic blockbusters, check out these recommendations:
    'Oppenheimer' looks at the building of the bomb, and its lingering fallout  
    Ryan Gosling gets serious (and very funny) about saving the planet in ‘Project Hail Mary’ 

    Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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    17 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 17 minutes 3 seconds
    Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
    Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a comedy, but it’s mostly a very funny hang. Zoey Deutch plays a small town hairdresser whose fiancee has just had sex with the celebrity on his sex pass list. She's determined to do the same – with Jon Hamm. She sets off to Hollywood to find him and gathers a motley crew along the way. The film was directed by David Wain, also is known for Wet Hot American Summer. 

    For other goofy comedies, check out these episodes: 

    'Jackass: Best and Last' looks back, misty-eyed, at a legacy of mayhem

    ‘Stop! That! Train!’ goes off the rails in a good way 

    Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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    See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

    NPR Privacy Policy
    15 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 22 minutes 16 seconds
    Little House on the Prairie
    You may be familiar with the world of Little House on the Prairie, either through Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books, or the 1970s TV adaptation. Now, Netflix is once again bringing the Ingalls family to life with a new series. It focuses on earlier in Laura's life in Kansas, where the promise of available land for the family comes at the expense of a local Osage population that's being pushed out. During this time, the Ingalls family must make friends in their local community and deal with the harsh realities of pioneer life.


    Here are some recommendations both kids and adults will enjoy:
    ‘Zootopia 2’ brings back your favorite fun animals — and some pointed commentary 
    In 'Toy Story 5,' playtime's over and screentime's in

    Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
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    See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

    NPR Privacy Policy
    14 July 2026, 7:00 am
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