Minority Mindset

The film *One Battle After Another* depicts a world saturated with official violence. The U.S.-Mexico border is shown as a place of intense surveillance where authorities operate with unchecked power, intimidating people, conducting raids, and even taking over schools. Despite this bleak setting, the film surprisingly offers a hopeful message about the power of individuals to stand up, help each other, and find strength when the government fails to protect them. *One Battle After Another* is both a stark and uncompromising look at America’s history of over-policing and militarization, and a quietly optimistic exploration of how communities can build resilience in the face of authoritarianism.

Contrary to earlier expectations, last night’s *South Park* episode, “Conflict of Interest,” continued the show’s tradition of tackling current events. Following its previous focus on collectible toys, the episode centered around the children of South Park Elementary becoming obsessed with a prediction app. This app then became a surprising way to address the Israel-Gaza conflict. Kyle, the only Jewish character in the main group, was upset to find classmates betting on whether his mother would take military action against Gaza, specifically targeting a Palestinian hospital – a highly unlikely bet. The situation quickly worsened, culminating in Kyle’s mother traveling to Israel to directly confront Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of using Judaism as a shield for his actions and the deaths of thousands. Despite the episode being delayed, it stayed true to the show’s style. Any worries that *South Park* was becoming less willing to push boundaries were dismissed, as the episode boldly addressed a very sensitive topic, which many viewers saw as a clear statement of support for Palestine.

Fans of *The Summer I Turned Pretty* have jokingly accused the late Susannah Fisher of manipulating the relationships within the Fisher and Conrad families, comparing her influence to characters from *The Bear* and *Steven Universe*. They wonder if her past romantic preferences, revealed in a letter, hindered other potential relationships and prevented characters from making their own choices. Actress Rachel Blanchard, who played Susannah, disagrees with this interpretation, stating that Susannah’s intentions were simply to ensure everyone’s happiness and authenticity. Blanchard believes any perceived manipulation was a misunderstanding or a result of how the story was presented, and that the show’s creator, Jenny Han, didn’t intend for Susannah to be seen as a villain.

The decision to delay the show’s release is raising eyebrows. It’s common for entertainment to be postponed after tragic events, particularly mass shootings. But given the current political tension, was the show’s violent content – it centers around tracking down extremists online – simply too sensitive? It’s possible Apple worried that, following the strong reactions to the death of Charlie Kirk, now wasn’t the right time for such a show. Some speculate Apple might be preemptively avoiding conflict with an administration known for its threats towards media and unpredictable trade policies. Alternatively, the delay could be a strategic move to generate buzz – the so-called “Streisand effect” – as online searches about the show have increased. It’s also possible the show wasn’t considered a high priority, or that a combination of these, and other, factors were at play. Ultimately, we don’t know. Apple has remained tight-lipped, only responding to press inquiries, and the show’s producers haven’t offered any further explanation beyond their initial public statement.