Stories by Rachel Poletick
Ever wondered how comedy group Mee-Ow makes their shows such successes? Take a look behind the scenes to find out.
We caught up with Josh Radnor about his latest projects, inspiration and Jewish heritage before his performance on campus Thursday.
Brush up on your knowledge of Oscar-nominated Best Animated Feature films before the Academy Awards this weekend.
Animated shorts are all too easily ignored by Oscars fans. Here's all you need to know about this year's nominees and why they're worth watching.
WAVE Productions brings the hit movie to Northwestern in play form this weekend.
"For the first time in a long while, I’m excited to see what the next episode holds."
Our cartoon expert uses the loss of her mother to connect to animated films.
"Glee had its own memorable moments in 'Prom-asaurus,' but in this show it wasn’t the graceful handing away of the crown that was as stunning as a moment along a really powerful personal journey."
"'Choke' took on real emotions and real characterizations that, although they weren’t all as successful, were an honest attempt at bringing real world messages to the table."
Waa-Mu 2012: Off the Map is not only “the greatest college show in America,” but strives to bridge the gap between various groups on campus.
"Disco is the genre that everyone wants to forget, but in “Saturday Night Glee-ver” we’re forced to remember."
"Prepare to close your eyes and hold your breath because you won’t want to be conscious for most of the episode."
"I implore The Office writers to put your characters into terrible situations that are so terrible that they’re funny. It sounds awful, but it works."
"The great thing about The Office of late is that it has been genuine and funny. Over-the-top and times, sure, but somehow I’ve enjoyed it nonetheless."
Matthew proposes to Mary in this second series finale of Downton Abbey.
Catherine Tate reprises her role as the over-the-top Nellie Bertram in this week's episode of The Office.
When was the last time you thanked Alan Menken for your childhood?
"What makes it do well despite being tacky at times is that it keeps its audience enthralled and invested in the fate of its characters."
"The Office is trying desperately to make itself more interesting, more relevant."
"This was where Matthew became completely and utterly terrible."
"This episode brought everyone together in the true Office atmosphere."
Disney wrote its own version of what went down in Jamestown.
"I could not help but almost feel angry as Daisy prepared to marry William on his deathbed after he returned from the war."
Featuring cartoon characters at a theme park increases the park's popularity and, at the same time, keeps the characters themselves popular.
As we see this episode unfurl, the simple phrase “Matthew’s missing” hits us like a ton of bricks.
In “Pool Party,” Dwight finally told Andy what we’ve been thinking since the Nard-Dog turned Erin down.
The play is a show within a show that follows the conception and production of a fictitious musical.
“You dreamed a dream, my dear, but now it's over. The world was in a dream before the war, but now it's woken up and said goodbye to it. And so must we.”
"The age of the antiquated animated princess lasted a few decades, but with the revival of the Disney princess brought a new form of royalty – still feminine, but not so delicate."
The Office needs to find its way back, if only by sticking to its plot and history of good comedy.
Can Taylor Swift pull off a lead role in Les Miserables?
Viewers are transported to the trenches of World War I in the season premiere of the hit British drama.
Mindy Kaling's new book shows it's okay to be a little like Kelly Kapoor.
"This sort of tension, of fun over fear, is something that follows The Nightmare Before Christmas everywhere."
Lots of TV shows can have multiple plots going during one episode, but The Office does best when it focuses on the plight of a single character.
Glee's songs once again prove to be its only redeeming factor in this week's mash up-themed episode.
How Pixar came to dominate the animated film industry, as well as own all of our hearts.
This week's episode has something that The Office lacks lately: gimmicks that work.
This week's Glee was a breath of fresh air; its re-interpretation of West Side Story was refreshingly well-done.
Get ready to start singing the theme songs from your childhood as you get hit by a tidal wave of nostalgia.
As lead characters’ stories fall by the wayside making room for idiotic debacles, the original half-intent of watching Glee solely for the music has become the only intent.
Above all others, the show I wait to see most anxiously before Halloween is The Office.
"If The Office has become persistent in disconnected plots and confusing, over-the-top jokes, then “Garden Party” is no testament to The Office of late. "
In "Lotto", The Office relied on little snippets of cleverness rather than a show filled with plot and comedy-centric interest, and it worked.
For the first time in Glee history, audience engagement relied not only on music, but on story.
This season is a brand new start and The Office has proven it can pick itself back up with all-around freshness and sincerity.
Rachel and New Directions perform “You Can’t Stop the Beat” in the premiere episode of Glee’s third season. Photo courtesy ...
"Imagination must not only exist in the voices behind the characters, but in every one of us."
The New Directions dance and sing through Central Park in “New York”. Photo courtesy of FOX. If only all shows ...
The search committee interviews a candidate to manage the Scranton branch. Photo courtesy of NBC. If I’ve ever wondered why ...
In this installment of Toon Times, Rachel reveals what made her favorite childhood animated films so memorable.
Rachel sings “My Man” from Funny Girl. Photo courtesy of FOX. After most Glee episodes I’m eager to write. I’m ...
Chaos ensues when Dwight becomes Acting Manager in Scranton. Photo courtesy of NBC. It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, ...
In a trend that began with Walt Disney, a look at why Disney dials down animated death.
(From L to R) Puck, Artie and Sam sing “Friday” at the junior prom. Photo courtesy of FOX. Seven and ...
Photo courtesy of NBC. Cast members may change, quite frequently in fact, but on The Office one thing will always ...
Why was a Disney movie, possibly the most beloved and critically-acclaimed animated film of its day, dedicated to Howard Ashman?
The Oriental Theatre's staging of the 2006 production evokes emotion and passion.
Michael says goodbye on his final day at the office. Photo courtesy of NBC. We watched your triumphs, your screw-ups. ...
Before he was the mastermind behind dozens of blockbusters, Steven Spielberg controlled the reins for some of your favorite childhood cartoons.
Finn breaks Rachel’s nose during a dance number. Photo courtesy of FOX. After spending an hour and a half in ...
Photo courtesy of NBC. Until the promos at the end of “Michael’s Last Dundies” advertised Steve Carell’s last episode of ...
Sue Sylvester addressing her ‘Legion of Evil’ on this week’s episode of ‘Glee’. Photo Courtesy of FOX. It’s a tough ...
Photo courtesy of NBC. After tonight’s episode of The Office, I think we can safely assume that Will Ferrell will ...
The Pack is back. And is anyone happy about it? Not so much. It’s about time. That’s all I really ...
Michael Scott steps into his long-awaited role of Michael Scarn in ‘Threat Level Midnight.’ Photo by Chris Haston, courtesy of ...
I love holidays at The Office, from St. Patrick’s Day to Halloween. Even when preceding episodes haven’t necessarily been up ...
Rumor has it that the inimitable Steve Carell, who plays Michael Scott on The Office, may leave Scranton before season’s ...
You know what, The Office? You were really onto something…so why did Ricky Gervais only make a cameo in “The ...
Photo courtesy of NBC. A possible engagement, some New Year’s resolutions, and typical antics make for a surprisingly mediocre episode ...
Our writer tells you why you need catch Leonard Bernstein's Candide at The Goodman Theatre before the show closes at the end of the month.
Photo by Gus Wezerek / North by Northwestern A New York Times reporter who had spent months in Taliban captivity ...