Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

The new Netflix reality series 'Wonka's Golden Ticket' is based on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory universe and features an A.I. recreation of the voice of the late Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the original 1971 film version. TV critics Alison Herman and culture writer Anne T. Donahue join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss why the series may be a new low for reality competition shows.

Plus, the new book ‘Save A Seat For Me: Notes on Black Fatherhood’ dedicates a chapter to Black TV dads. Author Mark Anthony Neal looks at some of the noteworthy portrayals of Black fatherhood on the small screen over the past 50 years.

Elamin is joined by film and TV critics Jackson Weaver, Sarah-Tai Black and Roxana Hadadi to discuss the growing buzz and critical acclaim surrounding the feature film and directorial debuts from Lance Oppenheim (Primetime) and John Wilson (The History of Concrete).

Elamin is joined by film and TV critics Jackson Weaver, Sarah-Tai Black and Roxana Hadadi to discuss the growing buzz and critical acclaim surrounding the feature film and directorial debuts from Lance Oppenheim (Primetime) and John Wilson (The History of Concrete).

The Tamil Canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's career has been on a roll since her breakout performance in Never Have I Ever. Now she’s starring in the new Netflix movie Best of the Best. And while many critics like the movie, some Sri Lankans are mobilizing to review bomb it – and everything else she’s been involved with. Nedra Rodrigo, founder of the Tamil Studies Symposium at York University and CBC journalist Joyita Sengupta join guest host Radheyan Simonpillai to explain the controversy, and the consequences.

Angine de Poitrine is the winner of this year's Polaris Music Prize. The polka-dotted duo took home the 30-thousand dollar best-album prize at last night’s gala in Toronto. The annual award is given to the best Canadian album of the year as selected by more than 200 music journalists and broadcasters, and it's based solely on artistic merit. Angine de Poitrine also won the 10-thousand dollar best-song prize for 'Fabienk.' Music journalist Emilie Hanskamp joins Elamin to talk about the win, who she was rooting for, and to weigh in on how Canadian music has changed over the years.

Plus, it almost feels like an understatement to say that Heated Rivalry and Off Campus exploded the sports romance genre on TV. Now, a new show about a queer softball beer league called Slo Pitch is putting a comedic spin on playing the field. But is the series a home run? Culture critic Riley Yesno and journalist Allie Graham stop by Commotion to give Elamin their reviews of Crave's Slo Pitch.