The first month of classes is coming to an end. Sadly, that means that midterms are just around the corner and students’ workload is about to be increased. Why not take a break from the stress and check out some of the things we at the Baron have compiled that we consider the best in pop culture of the month, including a playlist assembled by the entire campus.
UNB Saint John’s September Campus Playlist
We went around and asked students their September jam. Check out the playlist below to take a listen to what your campus is into. With everything from CupcakKe to Billie Holiday, there’s bound to be something for everyone.
Bojack Horseman, Season 4 (Netflix)
After three seasons, fans of the brilliantly funny animated series Bojack Horseman have come to know what to expect when a season of the show comes to Netflix. Centering on the antics of a once-famous Hollywoo actor, Bojack Horseman continues its tradition of a near-flawless blend of comedy with its dark underlying themes, season four is a magnificent addition to the series as Bojack (Will Arnett) comes to terms with unexpected fatherhood, Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) goes through her own parental journey, and Todd (Aaron Paul) grapples with his newly-accepted asexuality. There is no other comedy on air right now that can shift from ridiculous plotlines such as Mr. Peanutbutter’s (Paul F. Tompkins) run for governor to a thoroughly profound reflection on depression and heartbreak with as much ease and effectiveness of Bojack Horseman. -Liam Floyd
mother!
While mother! admittedly won’t be for everyone, I highly recommend that all English and/or Film Studies students go and see this artful cinematic masterpiece immediately. Posing as a standard home invasion thriller, viewers need to be aware that the film is so much more than that; Aronofsky’s layering of biblical, environmental, and gender struggle allegories will leave your head spinning the first time around, but in a good way – because, as we all know, there’s nothing quite as fun as unraveling a good allegory, especially when it’s not being done for a class. There are so many potential meanings to be taken from this film (one of which has been discussed by one of our own), and you’ll have a great time debating them with your friends and/or peers. Complete with a powerful message, stellar cinematography, and outstanding acting, mother! just might find itself nominated for an Academy Award – or two, or three, or four. –Jessica Raven
The Good Doctor, Season 1 (CTV)
If you’re looking for a new TV addiction, and are a fan of medical dramas like House, then look no further than ABC’s The Good Doctor. The show stars Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddy Highmore) a skilled surgeon with autism and Savant syndrome, working at St. Bonaventure hospital. Based on a South Korean drama by the same name, the show features Murphy working to overcome his troubled childhood, and the doubts of those around him all while saving lives. Highmore’s brilliant acting, along with a refreshing new script, is sure to bring a season full of drama, laughs, and a few good tugs on the heart strings. -Lexy Harquail
The Good Place, Seasons 1 & 2 (Netflix / Global)
The Good Place is a special form of comedy not just because of its incredible joke-dense half-hour episodes, but because it is a rare half-hour network comedy where there are spoilers abound. If you have not seen the exceptional first season of the Kristen Bell & Ted Danson-led comedy, I strongly urge you to watch it on Netflix before jumping in on season two. Rarely does a comedy jump out of the gate with as much vision and confidence as creator Michael Schur (Parks and Recreation, The Office) has executed. The twists and turns the plot takes in its first season continue into the second, constantly leaving viewers perplexed as to where the show will go next. If the fantastic first season is any indication, under Schur’s control, we can safely sit back and let ourselves enjoy the ride. -Liam Floyd
Star Trek Discovery, Season 1 (CraveTV / Space)
The newest addition to the sensational Star Trek saga, Star Trek: Discovery, is truly a Star Trek for a new generation in a modern, progressive world. With racial and political tensions high in the wake of the USA election results, Discovery is precisely what the world needs right now – a Star Fleet ship captained by a woman of Asian decent, with a female First Officer of colour, battling it out with an alien race (the infamous Klingons) who are intent on being known as the galaxy’s “superior race”. With the producers having announced on InnerSpace over the summer that the fifteen-episode series carries a deeper message than simply “to boldly go where no one has gone before”, viewers have a lot to learn from the newest Star Trek installment while still enjoying the thrill of exploration that has, for years, made the saga endlessly popular. –Jessica Raven