The White Lotus’s Portia Is TV’s Best-Dressed Character by Rachel Tashjian

Writing for Harper’s Bazaar, Rachel Tashian heaps praise on Alex Bovaird, the costumer designer for the HBO series The White Lotus. In particular, Tashian goes deep on how the sartorial choices made for Portia, played by Haley Lu Richardson, communicate reams of information about the character. The article offers a welcome reminder that the individuals working in below-the-line roles on film and television productions are continually making choices that enhance not just the look of the finished filmed product but also contribute mightily to the whole creative vision. They are storytellers as assuredly as the writers, directors, and actors.

The Wednesday Dance Is an Invitation. Be Weird. by Gia Kourlas

The dance critic of The New York Times take a side trip from reviewing high-falutin’ stage works to analyze Jenna Ortega flailing fabulously in a scene from the Netflix series that has gone viral (justifiably so: it’s pretty great). Ortega reportedly choreographed the dance herself, drawing from a bounty of cool influences, including Bob Fosse’s Rich Man’s Frug number, a personal favorite. Gia Kourlas convincingly argues that the spirit of unapologetic individuality embedded in the scene and dance is what makes it a delight. As a bonus, a whole new generation is becoming acquainted with the Cramps.