Pop Culture

Despite countless reality dating shows focusing on the love, drama, and sex lives of straight people, no show has effectively explored the LGBTQ+ dating experience. Until now.

This July, Disney announced that Black actress and R&B singer Halle Bailey will star as Ariel in its upcoming remake of The Little Mermaid. This decision marks the first time a woman of colour will play a traditionally white heroine in one of Disney’s live-action adaptations.

Viewers from around the globe watched in awe on July 7 as the US women’s national soccer team took the World Cup for the second year running, defeating their competitors from the Netherlands. Co-Captain Megan Rapinoe hoisted the cup high and posed proudly for photos as adoring cheers rang out from the stands.

North American filmmakers have been trying to capture the quintessential coming-of-age experience since the rise of the teen comedy genre in the 1980s.

In a time when nostalgia sells better than sex, it’s hard to argue that Amazon’s new Jonas Brothers documentary, Chasing Happiness, is anything more than a ploy to sell the band’s reunion album.

This June, the Toronto Raptors pulled a 114-110 win over the Golden State Warriors, making history as Canada’s first NBA champions.  

The widely popular HBO series Big Little Lies follows a narrative structure that’s striking, unsettling and unexpected. It offers a refreshing sense of realism amidst shows that often romanticize complex human issues.

While all eight seasons of Games of Thrones were packed with intrigue, tragedy and soaring triumph—not to mention a fair share of HBO naughtiness—the cultural phenomenon has finally come to an end.

Netflix’s newest original film puts a fresh spin on a classic genre. Rim of the World, written by Zack Stentz, hit computer screens on May 24, delivering all the right nostalgic 80s sci-fi feels.   

Early in May, Netflix gave us The Last Summer, the platform’s newest star-studded teen rom-com. In the wake of last year’s successful Netflix originals, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Kissing Booth, this film had the chance to be the next iconic film for hopeless romantics. Instead, it missed the mark by miles.  

Netflix’s newest thriller, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, will keep you on the edge of your seat. The film explores the crimes of Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer and necrophile.

The 2018-19 year in pop culture has been nothing short of eventful.

The Lifestyle section is full of passionate television lovers who’ve shared their thoughts on various shows across 26 articles this year.

Ariana Grande’s penchant for releasing music whenever she feels like it has blessed us with another bop.

When I first started studying at Queen’s last September, everything seemed different coming from Japan—language, culture, customs, and people.

On April 14, Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season will premiere on HBO, and the world will start saying goodbye to the biggest cultural juggernaut of this past decade.