Melanie McFarland

Melanie McFarland is Salon's award-winning senior culture critic. Follow her on Bluesky: @McTelevision

How we learned to love the evil rich Melanie McFarland

Marc Maron's heart made "WTF" a hit. In the Joe Rogan age, it's all about shallow brawn Melanie McFarland

Brian Johnson from

The alpha male era is on its way out Melanie McFarland

How "Survivor" and "America's Got Talent" sell the lie that is the American Dream Melanie McFarland

"And Just Like That," midlife's a crisis for everyone on TV except rich, gay men Melanie McFarland

"The Last of Us" finale tests the limits of our empathy Melanie McFarland

What Judy Blume's "Forever" still gives us — and the teen dramas that followed her won't Melanie McFarland

"The Last of Us" helps us grieve by leaving nothing unsaid Melanie McFarland

The characters Buster (left) and Arthur (right) from the children's television program

The MAGA war on PBS was never about money Melanie McFarland

On "Andor," good was always a four-letter word Melanie McFarland

Joan Rivers would have hated this Melanie McFarland

Blessed be the memes, TV shows and "Conclave" for helping us welcome our first American pope Melanie McFarland

At long last, "Hacks" flips the table on the bitter mentorship at the heart of the series Melanie McFarland

The throwback comfort of "Poker Face" returns Melanie McFarland

The path to the Death Star is paved with lies: On "Andor," as on Earth, disinformation defeats truth Melanie McFarland

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