Linda Holmes
Linda Holmes is a pop culture correspondent for NPR and the host of Pop Culture Happy Hour. She began her professional life as an attorney. In time, however, her affection for writing, popular culture, and the online universe eclipsed her legal ambitions. She shoved her law degree in the back of the closet, gave its living room space to DVD sets of The Wire, and never looked back.
Holmes was a writer and editor at Television Without Pity, where she recapped several hundred hours of programming — including both High School Musical movies, for which she did not receive hazard pay. Her first novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, was published in the summer of 2019.
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In 'Power Ballad,' a wedding singer played by Paul Rudd writes a hit — and a popstar makes it his. -
The final episode of the HBO Max comedy added an extra emotional punch. After five seasons, it wasn't quite necessary. -
Andy Sachs returns to Runway in a timely but unconvincing story about saving the magazine. -
The story is fundamentally hopeful, just like Andy Weir's The Martian. -
NPR critics share their hopes and predictions for the 2026 Academy Awards, which air on Sunday. -
Sinners landed a record number of nods, while Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked: For Good fell short of their franchise predecessors. -
Between the final battle and some key needle drops, there was a little too much talking. -
Each year, critic Linda Holmes looks back on the year and compiles a list of the things that brought her joy. -
2010 ushered in a number of long-lasting changes to the pop culture landscape, including NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour Podcast.
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In addition to hits already in theaters like Wicked: For Good, this holiday week brings sequels for Zootopia and Knives Out.
