A Familiar World of Gentle Lunacy

I stole this ^ from Magda Szabó because it perfectly describes what you'll find here. Sign up for emails if you want to receive the same bullshit in your inbox.

Recommendations ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

Smooth brain content 🧶

Greetings from hell! My old therapist once told me that I probably have a bleakly accurate outlook on the world, but that being right does nothing to improve my life. I'm trying to remind myself of that as America crumbles under the weight of its collective stupidity. Since

20 Mar 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 7: The Fiancés

Quick summary: This episode zips through an entire year, beginning with Elena's return home from Ischia (1959) and ending the following summer (1960). Back in the neighborhood, she's surprised to learn that Lila has been cozying up to Stefano, the grocer who threatened to rip out

12 Mar 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 6: The Island

Quick summary: Elena enjoys a few blissful weeks in Ischia before the Sarratore family arrives at Nella's (Nunzia Schiano) and fucks up the vibe. At first, Nino is missing and Marisa (Miriam D'Angelo) reveals that he plans the summer so that he and his father, Donato,

12 Feb 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 5: The Shoes

Quick summary: Marcello emerges as the frontrunner in the bid for Lila's affections. When charming her doesn't work, he ingratiates himself with Rino, who just last episode called the Solara brothers, "worthless pieces of shit." As Lila suspects, Rino is willing to do anything

27 Jan 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 4: Dissolving Margins

Quick summary: If the neighborhood politics weren't clear before, they come into stark focus by the end of this episode. Over the course of two parties, the atmosphere becomes increasingly dire, especially for Lila. Initially, it seems like the rione's younger generation is willing to move

10 Jan 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 3: The Metamorphoses

Quick summary: During (Elena's dream of) Don Achille's funeral procession, the children of the neighborhood grow up: the young cast is replaced with an older one and many fantasies (e.g. Louisa May Alcott) give way to practical reality. With Elena (Margherita Mazzucco) in middle school

31 Dec 2024

Yale, janitor, in 100 years we'll all be dead. It's all the same.

Explore Tags

View All

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Jenna Ricker

Stella Meghie

Christina Choe

Geneviève Dulude-De Celles

Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Bridey Elliott

Greta Gerwig

Lucile Hadžihalilović

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 2: The Money

Quick summary: "The Money" begins where "The Dolls" ends: with Elena and Lila outside Don Achille's (Antonio Pennarella) door, steeling themselves for a confrontation. Predictably, this middle-aged mobster is clueless about their dolls and sends them away with a wad of condolence cash, which

Lindsay & Saul Suffer Through 'Our Little Secret' (2024)

Quick summary: Have you seen a Hallmark Christmas movie? Then you’ve seen “Our Little Secret” (which, according to Katya, sounds like a Lifetime movie about molestation). Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding) are two friends turned lovers who split up when she receives a job offer in London

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 1: The Dolls

Elena Ferrante is one of my favorite writers and I was terrified when I heard that "My Brilliant Friend" (2011), the first novel in the series, was getting the small screen treatment. Although I've occasionally loved book adaptations, I typically find they pale in comparison to

Recommendations for people who like good shit 🥐

I AM SO HAPPY IT'S OCTOBER. This is my favorite time of year. Summer is over, clothes are 10,000x better, and spending time outside is finally pleasant now that the most annoying bugs have begun to die. In her new novel, "Creation Lake" (which I

'My Old Ass' (2024) is light on Aubrey Plaza, heavy on the fleeting nature of youth

Quick summary: During an 18th birthday mushroom trip, Elliott (Maisy Stella) meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza) and receives valuable advice: wear your retainer, be nicer to your family, and avoid a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White). Does young Elliott listen to her future self? Take one look at

'Carol Doda Topless at the Condor' left me wanting more

A version of this post originally appeared in The Bold Italic. Quick summary: In 1964, Carol Doda made history by becoming the first woman to dance topless at the Condor, one of North Beach's most happening Broadway clubs. Marlo McKenzie and Jonathan Parker’s documentary — inspired in part

A Familiar World of Gentle Lunacy

Smooth brain content 🧶

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 7: The Fiancés

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 6: The Island

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 5: The Shoes

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 4: Dissolving Margins

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 3: The Metamorphoses

Explore Tags

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 2: The Money

Lindsay & Saul Suffer Through 'Our Little Secret' (2024)

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 1: The Dolls

Recommendations for people who like good shit 🥐

'My Old Ass' (2024) is light on Aubrey Plaza, heavy on the fleeting nature of youth

'Carol Doda Topless at the Condor' left me wanting more

Subscribe