tv & radio
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Black Mirror shows who’s really losing their minds in the digital age – parentsIn Arkangel, directed by Jodie Foster, helicopter parenting spirals into obsessive hyper-surveillance. Are we wrong to think children are most at risk from technology? -
Late-night on Trump: not since Harrison Ford was president have we felt so safeComics, including Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Kimmel, addressed Trump’s latest tweets about North Korea, global warming, and airline safety
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The Chi review – dazzling small-screen drama avoids racial stereotypesEmmy-winner Lena Waithe’s nuanced ensemble drama highlights life in Chicago through a richly drawn set of characters, brought to life by outstanding performers -
David Attenborough: I'll retire if my work becomes substandardIn rare comments on prospect of retirement, Blue Planet II narrator says physical problems could also force him to quit -
Gangsters, girlfriends and warrior queens: the TV to watch in 2018Is Britannia the next Game of Thrones? Can Mulder and Scully get their goof back? Will samurai warriors seize Westworld? And could the OJ team fashion another smash with Gianni Versace? We preview the new year’s standout TV
what to watch
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Black Mirror review: the Netflix series is back – and darker than everCharlie Brooker’s ambitious near-future fables return for another six episodes and deliver dread and paranoia on every corner
episode recaps
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John OliverJohn OliverJohn Oliver on Trump: 'An iPhone would be a more coherent president'The Last Week Tonight host focused on the president’s unique delivery and oratory style and how – very often – he makes absolutely no sense at all
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The Walking DeadThe Walking DeadThe Walking Dead: season eight, episode eight recap – How It's Gotta BeThe mid-season finale delivered its usual plot jolt and cliffhanger – this time it’s the fate of Carl that hangs in the balance as the writers flirt with going off script
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Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live: excited llama makes rest of Kevin Hart-hosted show seem stiffAt least the animal guest star was pleased to be there – even Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka couldn’t lift a set of sketches heavy on forced Christmas cheer
videos
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Home Alone star John Heard dies aged 71 – video obituaryJohn Heard, the actor best known for his role as Peter McCallister in two Home Alone films, has died aged 71
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'It is insane': late-night TV on Trump Jr's meeting with Russian lawyer – videoTrevor Noah and Stephen Colbert address reports of potential collusion between the Trump administration and the Kremlin
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Late-night hosts on Trump’s climate decision: ‘Even North Korea agreed to this’ – videoTalkshow hosts address Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement
talking points
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From Dirty John to S-Town: the 25 best podcast episodes of 2017It was a stellar year for the booming medium. With more shows to choose from than ever, we have highlighted the moments you shouldn’t miss
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The best TV episodes of 2017, from The Deuce to Line of DutyOur critics pick their favourite moments from the year’s best television – from the innovation of Mr Robot and Girls to the excesses of Twin Peaks: The Return
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Why TV finales didn't matter in 2017Girls went out with a whimper, Twin Peaks needed a book to explain it and The Leftovers was a cryptic time capsule. When did endings become so unsatisfying?
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Lady Dynamite to BoJack Horseman: how mental health on TV got realCrazy Ex-Girlfriend, Lady Dynamite and BoJack Horseman pulled no punches with portrayals of the differing, complex sides of mental health disorders
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From Taboo to Mindhunter: how TV drama washed away toxic masculinityThey were tarnished – but they were real. Like bad boy Tom Hardy in Taboo, men dug deeper to become more fragile and tormented in the best shows of 2017
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How Donald Trump has blown the White House drama out of the waterThe US television industry has always been fascinated by the presidency. But the shenanigans of the current Oval Office incumbent are so far-fetched that programme-makers can’t compete
you may have missed
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Jodie Whittaker: regenerating as a woman – the new Doctor WhoStepping into the shoes of the Time Lord is a daunting task for any actor, but she will not only be the first female to pilot the Tardis but also have the task of rescuing the show’s falling ratings
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Unseen on the small screen: the best TV of 2017 … that you didn't watchFrom a comedy featuring Tina Fey to a Facebook show about an Airbnb host, here are our picks of the best TV shows that didn’t get watched enough this year
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TV's best dressed – from Jon Snow's Ikea cape to The Crown's 1960s take on Princess MargaretBig collars in Line of Duty, Blue Planet style vibes, Edwardian sleeves in Howards End, Nicole Kidmans’s sweaters in Big Little Lies … there was plenty for the style aware on TV in 2017
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Pearl Mackie: I cried when watching my final Doctor Who episodeActor, who plays Bill Potts, will bow out along with Peter Capaldi as the Doctor after the Christmas Day episode
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The Handmaid's Tale stars on playing Janine and Serena Joy: 'I wanted to give Offred a hug'Madeline Brewer and Yvonne Strahovski talk about bringing Gilead to television in the era of Trump – and how the show became both a warning and a symbol of resistance
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What TV taught us in 2017: from David Bowie to The CrownThis year, we learned there was no such thing as too long, complicated, dark or difficult; that every Doctor is the ultimate until the next one – and that the future is stalking us like prey
Are the 9.1 days you spent watching Game of Thrones a waste of a life?