What can we say, we love our popular culture.  Be it television, film, theater, books…well you get the picture.  Speaking of pictures, we also love photography (check out one of our favorites here: “What I See” by Rachel Kauffman).

2WC Approved is our hub for all things pop culture.  Whatever we’re reading, watching or into right now, you’ll find it right here.

We’ll be updating this page on a regular basis, so be sure and check back in.

Zer Approved:

Television:

“The Handmaid’s Tale” — Let’s face it, there’s way too many amazing shows out there right now. Who has time for that much great television? That being said, consider making room in your schedule for this Hulu series. It’s received a lot of hype, but I promise it lives up to it. Plus it’s incredibly relevant, and parts are a little too close to reality for comfort.

Books:

“Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid — If you haven’t already heard about this novel (aside from here), you will soon. A love story combined with a relevant tale of two refugees, this novel has a touch of reality mixed with a little bit of magic. 

Film:

“Wonder Woman” — There are a lot of big budget blockbusters coming out this summer, but this is probably the one with the most to lose. The latest in the recently lackluster DC Comic’s film franchise, it looks like it could break their recent rotten streak.

Theater:

“Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” — “Hamilton” fans, meet your next obsession. If you haven’t heard of “The Great Comet” yet, you will soon. This show has been around for a few years now, and finally made its Broadway debut this past fall. Based on a portion of Tolstoy’s “War & Peace,” is not your classic musical. Its gritty opera style with a rock edge make it stand out from most of Broadways current offerings. And yes, the title is a bit long-winded, but would you expect anything less from a musical based on a Russian novel?

Stephanie Approved:

Theater/Music:

“Hamilton” — My current (and for the foreseeable future) obsession is “Hamilton” and its incredible cast recording. It’s the story of one of the lesser-known founding father’s told with a very modern voice, that provides a unique perspective of our country’s history, while drawing parallels to where we are today. Even if you’re not able to see the show in New York, I highly recommend checking out the soundtrack (essentially the whole show, which is sung through). You can listen to the whole thing here: NPR First Listen—Hamilton

Television:

“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” — This show is pure joy, which is why it’s earned a semi-permanent spot on my “approved” list. If you don’t absolutely love it, then we can’t be friends. Just kidding, sort of… Seriously check out this show, you can thank me later.

Books:

“Why Not Me” — I haven’t read this book yet, but having finished Mindy Kaling’s first book “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” in record time, I feel safe in assuming that this book will also be incredible. If you haven’t yet fallen in love with Ms. Kaling, then you’ve obviously not seen any of her work. Lucky for you, I’m about to fix that: