culture

March 22, 2026

The Provocation of The Pitt

Plus: four new books to look out for, a children’s show for adults, and other culture and entertainment recommendations

The Provocation of The Pitt

TL;DR

  • Tyrangiel is enjoying *The Pitt* for its portrayal of competence within complex systems.
  • He anticipates several upcoming films, including Christopher Nolan's adaptation of *The Odyssey*, and lists several new books he's eager to read.
  • He praises Tommy Lee Jones's brief performance in *No Country for Old Men* and finds insightful journalism in the work of Kevin Roose and Charlie Warzel.
  • The podcast *Pablo Torre Finds Out* is noted for its serious investigative sports reporting delivered with self-mocking humor.
  • His musical tastes include Bob Dylan's "Mississippi" for quiet contemplation and Sleater-Kinney's "One More Hour" or Metallica's "Seek & Destroy" for loud, furious energy.
  • Tyrangiel recommends Ian McEwan's novel *What We Can Know* and the nonfiction collection *Alaska Bear Tales* for its morbidly funny accounts of bear maulings.
  • He lists several authors whose work he consistently enjoys, including Tessa Hadley and Ben Lerner.
  • A recent favorite *Atlantic* piece is Robert F. Worth's "The Fall of the House of Assad."
  • The children's show *Bluey* is lauded for its care, humor, and ability to make children feel seen.
  • He highlights the *Amy Sherald: American Sublime* exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art as a life-affirming experience.
  • Tyrangiel revisited *Fleabag* Season 2, Episode 6, confirming its perfection, and reread *Anna Karenina*.
  • He follows the online cooking videos of 90-year-old Jacques Pépin.
  • His recent cultural debate centered on *Heated Rivalry*, and he received a recommendation to describe it as "hockey without the hockey and porn without the porn."

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