The Treatment

Author and crisis historian Max Brooks (‘World War Z’, ‘Harlem Hellfighters’) brings his affinity to translating dystopian scenarios into compelling narrative with his project, ‘Germ Warfare: A Very Graphic History’.

Writer/Director Judd Apatow has focused his career on making comedy – and drama – people who, when forced to make a choice between adulthood and remaining a kid, put it off. And the emotional wreckage that indecision leaves. For Pete Davidson's turn and first starring role, Apatow exposes Pete Davidson to indecision. He'll discuss that perspective taking him from '40-Year-Old Virgin' to 'The King...

The IFC comedy series 'Sherman's Showcase' uses a parody of 'Soul Train' as its launch point, because 'Soul Train' packed so much under its tent. Most importantly, the songs exist for them as music pieces first and foremost -- and then, as comedy. 'Sherman' stars and creators, Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle, talk about that and more in discussing the upcoming 'Sherman's Showcase Black History...

The best actors can make words dance, and we take pleasure in their pleasure. Holland Taylor is just such an actress and in the Netflix series, 'Hollywood,' Ryan Murphy created the space for her to do her magic, which she talks about on this episode of 'The Treatment.'

Faith is what got Andre Leon Talley through decades of intrigues and betrayal in the world of high fashion. The former Vogue Magazine Creative Director -- and the first African-American to hold such a title -- details his survival strategies in his best-selling new memoir 'The Chiffon Trenches', on  The Treatment .

Forty-five years ago, Alan Zweibel joined the first group of writers responsible for an unknown project called 'NBC's Saturday Night' -- later changed to 'Saturday Night Live'. Since then, he brought his meticulous perspective -- and voice -- talents from Garry Shandling to Billy Crystal. His new book, 'Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier', details his history in the workday world...

Kenya Barris followers may think his hit sitcom ‘Blackish’ is autobiographical, but his new netflix series ‘#blackAF’ cuts much closer to the bone. He raises the stakes by starring in this show as well — so you know exactly who to blame, or praise.

Writer and director Stella Meghie has moved her strengths — verbal aggression, a revealing eye for wardrobe, distinctive perspectives for characters, narrative driven by women — from comedy to drama with her newest film, ‘The Photograph’.

With just two films -- 'Saving Face' and her newest, 'The Half of It', director Alice Wu has found a way to play with triangles – three-sided romantic relationships, emotional threesomes and the self splintered into trios. She talks about how aware -- and unenlightened – her characters are.

When designer Scott Sternberg shut his clothing line band of outsiders to create a brand, Entireworld, that was strictly about ease and e-commerce rather than formality and brick-and-mortar stores, he had no idea that the new concept would fit so well into the world we now face. He discusses the future of fashion, and style.

To help him realize his vision for the Amazon fantasy-drama series, “Tales from the Loop," director Mark Romanek (“One Hour Photo,” “Never Let Me Go”) brought a group of feature-film behind-the-scenes artisans who’ve never worked in TV before. Listen to his take on the result.

When the documentary/performance piece they institute caught the attention of Jason Segel, he decided to turn it into a shape shifting drama series about the need for community. The result, which he wrote and stars in, is ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’, and there’s no better time for it than now.

In a handful of features, including 'Mudbound,' which made her only the second African-American woman ever to get a screenwriting Oscar nomination, writer-director Dee Rees has centered on stories about family that can confound us. Even when they're trying their best. She finds elements of this perspective in Joan Didion's 'The Last Thing He Wanted,' and her adaptation brings new thematic elements...

In 1979, master interviewer Lawrence Grobel's conversation with Marlon Brando changed the shape of the magazine celebrity profile. Grobel got the rights to the article back and has published an extended version of the interview as the book 'Conversations with Brando'. Learn about Grobel's influential approach -- and who he thinks should be in the movie version!

In author and cultural historian Sam Wasson's new book, 'The Big Goodbye', he tells us that the 1970s ended in Hollywood in 1974, with the release of the epochal film 'Chinatown'. He takes us inside the chaotic and creative environment that brought screenwriter Robert Towne, director Roman Polanski, studio chief Robert Evans and star Jack Nicholson together -- a once in a lifetime union.

Comedian Russell Peters talks about causing trouble and his new highly personal Amazon comedy special, "Deported".

Cynthia Erivo, nominated for best actress and best song for ‘Harriet’, found a way to bring a lot of her own life to the story of slave turned freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. 

Costume design is an integral part of movies, a visual storytelling tool that the most engaged directors recognize. Arianne Phillips is one of those artists. Her wardrobe contributions to ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, her first collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, brought her a third Oscar nomination. She discusses that new relationship in her career, in all of its uniqueness.

Two generations of African-American talent — Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx — team for ‘Just Mercy’, the story of crusading lawyer Bryan Stevenson’s (Jordan) quest to find justice for wrongly convicted Walter McMillan. The actors bring their own real world experiences to this real-life tragedy. and talk about being inspired by each other.

‘The L Word: Generation Q’ is not a reboot of the groundbreaking Showtime series on lesbian life in Los Angeles. It’s an evolution, reuniting characters from the original with a new younger group. Creator Ilene Chaiken discusses the changes, including the welcome one of shooting Los Angeles...in LA this time.

Actor Rufus Sewell is best known as a villain, having struck fear in protagonists’ hearts for over twenty years – with a witty and thoughtful acting style. His current role is one of his biggest, and most challenging – the American Nazi of Amazon Studios’ adaptation of “The Man in the High Castle”.  And, of course, Sewell got his start in comedy – and he talks about how his beginnings (and comic p...

Evasive, brilliant, demanding and charming – just being all of those things would consume most of us. But Mike Nichols was an acclaimed performer, writer and finally, director of stage, screen and television, a career spanning from "The Graduate" to "Angels in America". Yet he hid in plain sight, which led writers Ash Carter and Sam Kashner  to gather over one hundred of Nichols' friends and colle...

He got his start as a member of Oingo Boingo. He has since brought you the music for the “Men in Black” films, “Good Will Hunting”, has been collaborating with Tim Burton since “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” in 1985 and wrote the enduring theme for “The Simpsons”. Now, Oscar nominated film composer Danny Elfman has done a MasterClass – the newest addition to a career that he will discuss.

The title of writer/director Noah Baumbach’s new film, ‘Marriage Story’ both summarizes its intent and then goes beyond into a genre particular to its creator (who also made ‘The Squid and the Whale’ and then 'The Meyerowitz Stories’): an adult coming of age story, touching on marriage, parenthood and finally, their demands.

In her feature film debut, ‘Queen & Slim’, director Melina Matsoukas has made a road drama that examines African American stereotypes and flipped them on their heads. She folds questions about black culture into a new kind of storytelling.