The 5th Wave: recent film about a 5-step alien attack. Coincidence?

The pilot was really clever from a structural standpoint, but for the most part the show is every bit as obnoxious as its commercials.

It's completely saccharine and artificial, but designed with enough savvy to seem more "real" than your average nighttime soap. It's not.

Also, bad ones. How else would This Is Us get any nominations?

I want to preface this by saying I absolutely agree that what they did was disgusting and a gross violation of the actor's trust and body. But, in a more general sense, springing something on an actor last second to generate a natural reaction isn't necessarily an insult to that actor's ability. Sometimes…

But it was!

He's a brilliant actor, for sure. He's a huge part of why Force Awakens worked as well as it did for me.

I think you might be giving the fight choreography a little too much credit, but I like your theory. Personally, I got the sense that the makers of Jessica Jones were far more interested in crafting a psychological thriller, but being under the Marvel banner felt obligated to include at least the occasional action…

Awful's a bit extreme, IMO, but it definitely felt a tad too pleased with itself. It had a certain air of "Look at these beautiful people in love! Aren't you charmed by them?"

I'm interested in La La Land, too, but something about the trailer kind of puts me off a little bit. It's all very beautiful and joyful-seeming, but to my eyes it also comes off as calculated, or self-conscious. I have some faith in Damien Chazelle after Whiplash, and obviously a trailer isn't much to go on, but I'm…

Daredevil seemed to blow its action budget on two or three really kickass fight scenes a season. Jessica Jones' action scenes were goofy as fuck, but its writing was generally much sharper than Daredevil's.

She's got some great songs. Fool For Love still holds up. Blue Period (which I think is technically a Smithereens song) is also awesome.

Everything Colbert said was true, but I still almost felt bad for Bush at that dinner. Rarely has Colbert's contempt ever been so plain. At the end Bush even tried to be a good sport, but Colbert's body language made it clear it wasn't all in good fun.

Isn't any message about tolerance anti-Trump?

For me, it's also probably the most immediately ear-catching song on the album. Really love that jump from soft piano to aggressive electronica in the intro.

Mystery Team is just okay overall, IMO, but the line "You know, sometimes I really wish you didn't beat that cancer" makes me crack up just thinking of it.

Spot on about "All the Shine." Those verses feel super phoned in, which is doubly disappointing considering how great the chorus is.

The guy just got elected.

In his defense, it's a little bit more appropriate for a rock star to throw a temper tantrum than a president.

Sarah Palin: Putting the disability back in The Learning Channel.