Monday, December 16, 2024

It List: ‘Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story’ turns its lens on Joe Francis, ‘Nightbitch’ gets feral, ‘Pop Culture Jeopardy!’ tests your knowledge

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Hello, friends! I’m Kelsey, your guide to all things pop culture for Yahoo Entertainment, and this is the It List, our weekly rundown of what’s new and notable. In it, I recommended a slew of upcoming releases to watch, stream, listen to, read and binge. I’ll walk you through my favorites.

Amy Adams in

Amy Adams in “Nightbitch.” (Searchlight Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)

🎥 Nightbitch sinks its teeth into motherhood

  • When: Nightbitch is in theaters Dec. 6.

  • What to know: The film follows a mom who struggles with her identity after she puts her career on hold to raise her young son. She also might be turning into a dog at night. [Variety]

  • Why I recommend it: Amy Adams said she channeled her own experiences into her portrayal of the exhausted woman known only as “Mother.” The character has a serious bite and is, at times, unlikeable, which is honestly refreshing. [The Hollywood Reporter/IndieWire]

Jeff Daniels at the New York screening of Jeff Daniels at the New York screening of

Jeff Daniels at a screening of “American Rust: Broken Justice” in March 2024. (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

🎧 Jeff Daniels tells his life story

  • When: Alive and Well Enough Continues is now available on Audible.

  • What to know: In the second season of his audio memoir podcast, Daniels examines his past through songs and skits, delving into his craft and how he ended up where he is. [Detroit Free Press]

  • Why I’ll be listening: The podcast is produced by his son, which makes each episode feel even more like a loving dad dutifully distilling life lessons. You can really tell Daniels loves what he does.

Joe Francis, creator of Joe Francis, creator of

Joe Francis, creator of “Girls Gone Wild.” (Maxine Productions via NBC)

▶️ Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story sheds light on an infamous brand

  • When: All three episodes of Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story are now streaming on Peacock.

  • What to know: The docuseries gives a behind-the-scenes look at the notorious Girls Gone Wild franchise. It features interviews from the survivors and former employees, as well as the show’s creator Joe Francis, who is now living in exile. [People/Rolling Stone]

  • Why I recommend it: Though the series itself is certainly memorable for its boundary-pushing and salacious content, it’s also relevant now because of how it has shaped so much of our current cultural attitude toward sex work and influencers, as reporter Scaachi Koul explains in the first episode of the docuseries. [HuffPost]


▶️ This is Pop Culture Jeopardy!

  • When: The first three episodes of Pop Culture Jeopardy! are now available on Prime Video.

  • What to know: If you love Jeopardy! but know more about pop stars than geopolitics, this new spin-off hosted by SNL’s Colin Jost is for you. [Rolling Stone]

  • Why I recommend it: It’s both refreshing and familiar, sharing the same format as the original show — except contestants compete as teams of three with quippy names instead of riding solo. [USA Today]


▶️ Black Doves gets to work

  • When: All six episodes of Black Doves are now streaming on Netflix.

  • What to know: Kiera Knightley stars as a spy who teams up with an old friend to get revenge on her lover’s murderer in this dark (and sometimes funny) thriller. [Rolling Stone]

  • Why I’ll be watching: I’m excited to see Ben Whishaw play an assassin, though I’m more familiar with his work voicing Paddington. [The Hollywood Reporter/Variety]

We’ll be back next week with our latest picks. Want more It List? Click here.

Are there other things you’re excited about? Let us know in the comments below.

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