Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Are we in an era of insufferable TV dialogue? Screenwriter and show-runner Anthony Q. Farrell and culture writer Kathryn VanArendonk talk to Elamin about why writers are dumbing down dialogue, and what impact it’s having on storytelling and the viewing experience. Plus, from the late ‘70s into the ‘80s, the free-form Toronto radio station CFNY was a crucial incubator of alternative music that introduced trailblazing British bands like The Cure and New Order to North American audiences, while nurturing Canada’s own indie-music culture. A new TVO documentary explores CFNY’s groundbreaking impact and eventual absorption into the commercial corporate-radio system, and music journalist Liisa Ladouceur explains how the documentary reflects her own experiences as an avid listener, and why the CFNY story still resonates today.

The new year kicked off with some big stories from the world of hip hop. There's the petition to have Nicki Minaj deported to Trinidad, Drake is facing a lawsuit over an alleged gambling scheme, and the controversy surrounding comments made by Adin Ross towards Doechii. Culture critics Pablo The Don, Jay Smooth and El Jones join Elamin Abdelmahoud to dig into this week’s biggest stories.

Millions of people are encountering the crisis in Venezuela right now through memes – from Nicolás Maduro's 'viral dance' that reportedly angered U.S. President Donald Trump to the Nike track suit he wore on the flight to New York City, which sold out in hours. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks with New York Times technology reporter Mike Isaac about how our responses to a complex crisis are different when memes shape our understanding.Plus, forty years on, Jim Henson's Labyrinth still feels like nothing else - an 80s dark fantasy that gets under your skin. The film returns to cinemas this week to mark the big anniversary. Culture writers Kayleigh Donaldson and Roxana Hadadi get into why this movie has become a cult classic. The re-release comes during another anniversary - ten years since the death of David Bowie who was at his peak as the Goblin King.

AI has already transformed what we read, watch, and listen to .. and some people are already fed up. So .. are we in for a cultural reset this year? And how has AI changed our relationship with authenticity, and what we want from the arts? Elamin Abdelmahmoud sits down with culture critics Kate Lindsay, Joshua Rothman and Niko Stratis.

There are so many big albums to look forward to in 2026, and there are so many industry trends, like the rise of AI in music. What should we pay attention to? And what can we expect? Music journalists Emilie Hanskamp, Richie Assaly, and Reanna Cruz join Elamin to discuss.