JP Mangalindan
@jpmanga.bsky.social
Culture Writer
TIME | ELLE | L.A. Times | Bloomberg Businessweek
Scene and Unheard newsletter
Proud Dog Dad
TIME | ELLE | L.A. Times | Bloomberg Businessweek
Scene and Unheard newsletter
Proud Dog Dad
I’ve been watching the small-town TV drama 'Best Medicine' and realized how hungry I am for comfort TV...
Josh Charles is beautifully restrained work here: prickly, lonely, quietly human.
I wrote about the show feels almost defiant in 2026.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/josh-charl...
Josh Charles is beautifully restrained work here: prickly, lonely, quietly human.
I wrote about the show feels almost defiant in 2026.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/josh-charl...
Josh Charles' 'Best Medicine' Is the Cozy TV Show We Need Right Now
Fox's small-town dramedy offers comfort viewing without apology
jpmanga.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:57 PM
I’ve been watching the small-town TV drama 'Best Medicine' and realized how hungry I am for comfort TV...
Josh Charles is beautifully restrained work here: prickly, lonely, quietly human.
I wrote about the show feels almost defiant in 2026.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/josh-charl...
Josh Charles is beautifully restrained work here: prickly, lonely, quietly human.
I wrote about the show feels almost defiant in 2026.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/josh-charl...
I interviewed 'The Rip' writer-director Joe Carnahan about the real raid behind the Matt Damon–Ben Affleck film, and how it became a movie.
A $24 million cash seizure. Hours trapped inside a house.
The true story proved stranger than fiction.
time.com/7346935/the-...
A $24 million cash seizure. Hours trapped inside a house.
The true story proved stranger than fiction.
time.com/7346935/the-...
The True Story Behind Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s 'The Rip'
The real criminal raid that inspired the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck-starring thriller 'The Rip'
time.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:07 PM
I interviewed 'The Rip' writer-director Joe Carnahan about the real raid behind the Matt Damon–Ben Affleck film, and how it became a movie.
A $24 million cash seizure. Hours trapped inside a house.
The true story proved stranger than fiction.
time.com/7346935/the-...
A $24 million cash seizure. Hours trapped inside a house.
The true story proved stranger than fiction.
time.com/7346935/the-...
Having viewed the first 6 episodes of 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,' I can say the show successfully moves the Star Trek franchise forward while not forgetting its roots.
My thoughts on this exciting new chapter for Trek:
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
My thoughts on this exciting new chapter for Trek:
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
Weekend Watch: 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Drives the Franchise Into New Emotional Territory
From first lessons to final hands, a Weekend Watch duo that links 'Starfleet Academy' with 'The Next Generation’s' enduring last bow
jpmanga.substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Having viewed the first 6 episodes of 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,' I can say the show successfully moves the Star Trek franchise forward while not forgetting its roots.
My thoughts on this exciting new chapter for Trek:
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
My thoughts on this exciting new chapter for Trek:
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
Screening Claire Foy’s new drama ‘H is for Hawk,’ an exploration of love, loss, and how nature can alter the way we grieve.
January 13, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Screening Claire Foy’s new drama ‘H is for Hawk,’ an exploration of love, loss, and how nature can alter the way we grieve.
Lucy Liu’s newest film Rosemead asks a devastating question: how far should love go before it crosses a moral line?
At a screening, Liu and the filmmakers spoke about the real-life story + the impossible choice her character believes is an act of protection.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-l...
At a screening, Liu and the filmmakers spoke about the real-life story + the impossible choice her character believes is an act of protection.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-l...
Dispatch • Lucy Liu Asks How Far Love Should Go in 'Rosemead'
During a screening in Los Angeles on Dec. 14, Liu and the filmmakers discussed the movie's devastating questions about love, responsibility, and moral limits
jpmanga.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Lucy Liu’s newest film Rosemead asks a devastating question: how far should love go before it crosses a moral line?
At a screening, Liu and the filmmakers spoke about the real-life story + the impossible choice her character believes is an act of protection.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-l...
At a screening, Liu and the filmmakers spoke about the real-life story + the impossible choice her character believes is an act of protection.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-l...
Thrilled to see my film and TV Substack land at #57 Rising in Substack’s Film & TV category.
It’s not Top 10 or Top 30—or even Top 50—but it still feels like a small, meaningful win.
It’s exactly the bit of momentum I needed this week to keep going.
It’s not Top 10 or Top 30—or even Top 50—but it still feels like a small, meaningful win.
It’s exactly the bit of momentum I needed this week to keep going.
January 5, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Thrilled to see my film and TV Substack land at #57 Rising in Substack’s Film & TV category.
It’s not Top 10 or Top 30—or even Top 50—but it still feels like a small, meaningful win.
It’s exactly the bit of momentum I needed this week to keep going.
It’s not Top 10 or Top 30—or even Top 50—but it still feels like a small, meaningful win.
It’s exactly the bit of momentum I needed this week to keep going.
As 2025 winds down, I reflected on one TV moment that moved me: the dinner scene from The White Lotus’ finale, with Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan.
The scene hinged on 3 women, a bottle of wine, and a shared truth about friendship and love.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/the-one-tv...
The scene hinged on 3 women, a bottle of wine, and a shared truth about friendship and love.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/the-one-tv...
One TV Moment From 2025 That Moved Me: 'The White Lotus' Friends Dinner
Three women, a bottle of wine, and a shared truth about friendship and love
jpmanga.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
As 2025 winds down, I reflected on one TV moment that moved me: the dinner scene from The White Lotus’ finale, with Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan.
The scene hinged on 3 women, a bottle of wine, and a shared truth about friendship and love.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/the-one-tv...
The scene hinged on 3 women, a bottle of wine, and a shared truth about friendship and love.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/the-one-tv...
As 2025 winds down, I’m reflecting on a remarkable year for TV and film.
One of my favorite performances?
Stephen Graham in Netflix’s 'Adolescence,' a quietly devastating turn that explores a man caught in a heightened version of questions that haunt many parents.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
One of my favorite performances?
Stephen Graham in Netflix’s 'Adolescence,' a quietly devastating turn that explores a man caught in a heightened version of questions that haunt many parents.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The One TV Performance From 2025 That Haunts Me: Stephen Graham in 'Adolescence'
As the year winds down, I’m pausing to honor a performance that deserved more attention—a quiet standout in a year full of remarkable TV
substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 4:55 PM
As 2025 winds down, I’m reflecting on a remarkable year for TV and film.
One of my favorite performances?
Stephen Graham in Netflix’s 'Adolescence,' a quietly devastating turn that explores a man caught in a heightened version of questions that haunt many parents.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
One of my favorite performances?
Stephen Graham in Netflix’s 'Adolescence,' a quietly devastating turn that explores a man caught in a heightened version of questions that haunt many parents.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
At a special 'Song Sung Blue' screening and panel in L.A., Kate Hudson spoke candidly about creative risk, music, and learning to trust her own voice.
I wrote about the onstage conversation and why this role feels like a turning point for her.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-k...
I wrote about the onstage conversation and why this role feels like a turning point for her.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-k...
Dispatch || Kate Hudson on 'Song Sung Blue' and Trusting Her Own Voice
During a screening in Los Angeles on Dec. 20, the actress reflected on creative risk, music, and what it means to say yes to the right role
jpmanga.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:09 PM
At a special 'Song Sung Blue' screening and panel in L.A., Kate Hudson spoke candidly about creative risk, music, and learning to trust her own voice.
I wrote about the onstage conversation and why this role feels like a turning point for her.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-k...
I wrote about the onstage conversation and why this role feels like a turning point for her.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-k...
Kate Hudson shared her experiences working on her new film ‘Song Sung Blue’ at an intimate L.A. event.
It’s a film brimming with creative spirit and moving performances.
It’s a film brimming with creative spirit and moving performances.
December 21, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Kate Hudson shared her experiences working on her new film ‘Song Sung Blue’ at an intimate L.A. event.
It’s a film brimming with creative spirit and moving performances.
It’s a film brimming with creative spirit and moving performances.
A small cozy screening for Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman’s upcoming film ‘Song Sung Blue’
December 20, 2025 at 10:47 PM
A small cozy screening for Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman’s upcoming film ‘Song Sung Blue’
'The Housemaid' is a slow-burn thriller about power, control, and survival.
For ELLE, I break down its chilling ending and what the final moments reveal.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
For ELLE, I break down its chilling ending and what the final moments reveal.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
What the Chilling Ending of 'The Housemaid' Is Telling Us
Breaking down the final scenes of Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney’s new thriller.
www.elle.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:40 AM
'The Housemaid' is a slow-burn thriller about power, control, and survival.
For ELLE, I break down its chilling ending and what the final moments reveal.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
For ELLE, I break down its chilling ending and what the final moments reveal.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
'The Family Stone' turns 20 this month.
Watching it now, Diane Keaton's performance feels even more essential: soft, restrained, quietly holding the film together.
I wrote about why the movie lands differently now:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Watching it now, Diane Keaton's performance feels even more essential: soft, restrained, quietly holding the film together.
I wrote about why the movie lands differently now:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Weekend Watch: 'The Family Stone' Turns 20, and What It Notices About Family
The holiday movie becomes gentler and sadder when viewed through Diane Keaton’s late-career, understated performance
substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
'The Family Stone' turns 20 this month.
Watching it now, Diane Keaton's performance feels even more essential: soft, restrained, quietly holding the film together.
I wrote about why the movie lands differently now:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Watching it now, Diane Keaton's performance feels even more essential: soft, restrained, quietly holding the film together.
I wrote about why the movie lands differently now:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Because I love disaster movies…
December 17, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Because I love disaster movies…
'Nobody Wants This' may be a rom-com on paper, but a panel on Sunday with actors Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons, and Jackie Tohn revealed the show's emotional pull.
They talked about onscreen friendships, marriage, and the hard work of growing up late.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
They talked about onscreen friendships, marriage, and the hard work of growing up late.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
Dispatch • Inside 'Nobody Wants This': Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons, and Jackie Tohn on Love, Friendship, and the Art of Growing Up Late
At a panel on Dec. 14, the actors reflected on the onscreen friendships and marriages that give the Netflix rom-com its emotional weight
jpmanga.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:11 PM
'Nobody Wants This' may be a rom-com on paper, but a panel on Sunday with actors Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons, and Jackie Tohn revealed the show's emotional pull.
They talked about onscreen friendships, marriage, and the hard work of growing up late.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
They talked about onscreen friendships, marriage, and the hard work of growing up late.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
Reposted by JP Mangalindan
@jpmanga.bsky.social: “Audiences no longer want writers to simply recount what happened; they want help understanding why it mattered.”
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
December 16, 2025 at 3:01 PM
@jpmanga.bsky.social: “Audiences no longer want writers to simply recount what happened; they want help understanding why it mattered.”
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
L.A. premiere + afterparty for 'The Housemaid' with Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar.
December 16, 2025 at 2:44 AM
L.A. premiere + afterparty for 'The Housemaid' with Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar.
Honored to contribute to Harvard University’s Nieman Journalism Lab annual predictions package.
My take: the divide between culture reporter and critic is closing. Audiences no longer want recaps alone—they want interpretation.
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
My take: the divide between culture reporter and critic is closing. Audiences no longer want recaps alone—they want interpretation.
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
The divide between culture reporter and critic closes
"Audiences no longer want writers to simply recount what happened; they want help understanding why it mattered."
www.niemanlab.org
December 15, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Honored to contribute to Harvard University’s Nieman Journalism Lab annual predictions package.
My take: the divide between culture reporter and critic is closing. Audiences no longer want recaps alone—they want interpretation.
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
My take: the divide between culture reporter and critic is closing. Audiences no longer want recaps alone—they want interpretation.
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/the-...
'Nobody Wants This' actress Justine Lupe chats through her Season 2 character arc.
December 14, 2025 at 7:57 PM
'Nobody Wants This' actress Justine Lupe chats through her Season 2 character arc.
‘Heated Rivalry’ getting renewed for Season 2 is the best holiday gift.
One of the biggest TV hits of the season—loud, buzzy, everywhere.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy, but it also digs into desire, secrecy, masculinity, and the cost of hiding who you are.
One of the biggest TV hits of the season—loud, buzzy, everywhere.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy, but it also digs into desire, secrecy, masculinity, and the cost of hiding who you are.
December 12, 2025 at 8:45 PM
‘Heated Rivalry’ getting renewed for Season 2 is the best holiday gift.
One of the biggest TV hits of the season—loud, buzzy, everywhere.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy, but it also digs into desire, secrecy, masculinity, and the cost of hiding who you are.
One of the biggest TV hits of the season—loud, buzzy, everywhere.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy, but it also digs into desire, secrecy, masculinity, and the cost of hiding who you are.
Being a late bloomer as a writer isn’t something to apologize for.
Writing in your 40s means your work is lived in. You’re carrying decades of observation, joy, grief, triumphs.
That changes how you see people.
You’re not late. You’re arriving with context. That can be its own kind of prime.
Writing in your 40s means your work is lived in. You’re carrying decades of observation, joy, grief, triumphs.
That changes how you see people.
You’re not late. You’re arriving with context. That can be its own kind of prime.
December 12, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Being a late bloomer as a writer isn’t something to apologize for.
Writing in your 40s means your work is lived in. You’re carrying decades of observation, joy, grief, triumphs.
That changes how you see people.
You’re not late. You’re arriving with context. That can be its own kind of prime.
Writing in your 40s means your work is lived in. You’re carrying decades of observation, joy, grief, triumphs.
That changes how you see people.
You’re not late. You’re arriving with context. That can be its own kind of prime.
‘Pushing Daisies’ fans might get another season of the beloved short-lived series, starring Lee Pace.
Creator Bryan Fuller says they’re working on Season 3.
Nothing on TV ever felt as lovely or as singular as that show at its height.
If it happens, I'm there.
www.themarysue.com/pushing-dais...
Creator Bryan Fuller says they’re working on Season 3.
Nothing on TV ever felt as lovely or as singular as that show at its height.
If it happens, I'm there.
www.themarysue.com/pushing-dais...
Bryan Fuller gives update on Pushing Daisies season 3 [EXCLUSIVE] | The Mary Sue
Bryan Fuller just gave us hope for his most beloved series’ return! The Mary Sue’s Rachel Leishman talked to the director about Pushing Daisies during the
www.themarysue.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
‘Pushing Daisies’ fans might get another season of the beloved short-lived series, starring Lee Pace.
Creator Bryan Fuller says they’re working on Season 3.
Nothing on TV ever felt as lovely or as singular as that show at its height.
If it happens, I'm there.
www.themarysue.com/pushing-dais...
Creator Bryan Fuller says they’re working on Season 3.
Nothing on TV ever felt as lovely or as singular as that show at its height.
If it happens, I'm there.
www.themarysue.com/pushing-dais...
'Bugonia' is one of Yorgos Lanthimos’ sharpest films yet, and yesterday I sat in on a chat with Golden Globe nominee Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis.
The pair talked improvisation and how an off-camera friendship shaped one of the year’s wildest thrillers.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
The pair talked improvisation and how an off-camera friendship shaped one of the year’s wildest thrillers.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
Dispatch || Inside ‘Bugonia’: Golden Globe nominee Jesse Plemons on Making a Strange, Intimate Thriller
At a screening in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, Plemons and newcomer Aidan Delbis discussed the improvisation and off-camera bond that shaped Yorgos Lanthimos’ thriller
jpmanga.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
'Bugonia' is one of Yorgos Lanthimos’ sharpest films yet, and yesterday I sat in on a chat with Golden Globe nominee Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis.
The pair talked improvisation and how an off-camera friendship shaped one of the year’s wildest thrillers.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
The pair talked improvisation and how an off-camera friendship shaped one of the year’s wildest thrillers.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/dispatch-i...
Jesse Plemons discusses his performance as a troubled, conspiracy-minded kidnapper in 'Bugonia.'
December 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Jesse Plemons discusses his performance as a troubled, conspiracy-minded kidnapper in 'Bugonia.'
'Heated Rivalry' is getting attention for the steamy sex scenes, but it's also shockingly tender.
Two closeted athletes trying to carve out something real in a sport that isn’t built for their honesty.
I wrote about why the show hits so deeply with so many people:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Two closeted athletes trying to carve out something real in a sport that isn’t built for their honesty.
I wrote about why the show hits so deeply with so many people:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
'Heated Rivalry' Isn’t Just Steamy—It’s a Surprisingly Tender Gay Sports Romance
Its explicit moments may draw attention, but it’s the trust, vulnerability, and tenderness between two closeted athletes that give the show real weight
substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:03 PM
'Heated Rivalry' is getting attention for the steamy sex scenes, but it's also shockingly tender.
Two closeted athletes trying to carve out something real in a sport that isn’t built for their honesty.
I wrote about why the show hits so deeply with so many people:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Two closeted athletes trying to carve out something real in a sport that isn’t built for their honesty.
I wrote about why the show hits so deeply with so many people:
substack.com/home/post/p-...