Television
Jack Rooke and Jon Pointing on Big Boys, masculinity and friendship
In the latest edition of our Daddy Issues column, the stars of Channel 4’s Big Boys discuss not judging books by their covers, powerful working class women and the dangers of Piña Coladas.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
‘You have to interrogate your own prejudices‘
Louis Theroux in conversation — Ahead of the release of his new TV series, the documentarian discusses delving into some of the most controversial corners of American society and facing up to past criticism.
Written by: Daniel Dylan Wray
How the BAFTAs faced up to its problem with race
Behind the scenes — This week, the awards ceremony unveiled its diverse nominations list – a far cry from the overwhelmingly white line-up from last year. But do these changes go far enough, and what will it take for the rest of the industry to follow suit?
Written by: Rory Horne
It‘s a Sin’s Nathaniel Hall on the reality of living with HIV
Fighting stigma — We sat down on our Instagram channel with actor and activist Nathaniel Hall, who contracted HIV at age 16, to discuss the Channel 4 drama and how, after years of keeping it secret, he came to live openly and boldly with the disease.
Written by: HUCK HQ
‘It‘s a Sin’ taught me I need to confront shame as a gay man
Unhealed wounds — Russell T. Davies’ drama is a potent reminder of the suffocating self-loathing gay men endured during the AIDS crisis. It should also be a call to arms as a new generation of LGBTQ+ people struggle to find acceptance, writes Politics Editor, Ben Smoke.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Stewart Lee on the post-punk band that shaped his career
King Rocker — The comedian discusses his new documentary about the relatively forgotten band, The Nightingales, and its renegade frontman, Robert Lloyd, which raises timely question around ideas of artistic success.
Written by: Fergal Kinney
The Black public affairs show that revolutionised television
Black Journal — At the height of the Black Power movement, National Educational Television launched Black Journal. A groundbreaking show that allowed Black Americans to tell their own stories and to wrestle back control from the white-owned networks who thought they knew better.
Written by: Miss Rosen
I May Destroy You and the way we see Black British sexuality
‘These stories are vital’ — Michaela Coel’s show has been widely praised for its bold portrayals of race, sexual assault, homophobia and survival. So what makes it so groundbreaking?
Written by: Almaz Ohene
The 24-hour online channel dedicated to POC artists
Form No Form — With physical spaces closed for business, Form No Form takes things online – broadcasting a rotating schedule of films created by artists of colour.
Written by: Jaelani Turner-Williams
The anticapitalist streaming service taking on Netflix
This is Means TV — Means TV is the world’s first ‘post-capitalist, worker-owned streaming service’, providing subscribers with leftist documentaries, films and cartoons. But in an industry run by big business and billionaires, can it really survive?
Written by: Daisy Schofield
Inside the wild world of college cheerleading
Class, community and capitalism — New Netflix series Cheer is filled with high stakes stunts and drama – but it can also teach us a lot about America’s class problem.
Written by: Ruby Lott-Lavigna
Top Boy exposes the problem with British broadcasting
Middle class mediocrity — The show, which considers financial struggle, alienation and racism, was one of the few important documents of life in modern Britain. So why did Channel 4 cancel it?
Written by: Nathalie Olah