The streaming giant is increasingly relying on explainer-type series like Explained and History 101, but their supposed objectivity masks worrying biases.

Jake Pitre
Jake Pitre is a writer and PhD candidate at Concordia University. His work has appeared in Pitchfork, the Globe and Mail, Catapult, Polygon, and Columbia Journalism Review.
The New York Times’s Embarrassing Presidential Endorsement Reality Show
The paper’s supposed act of transparency around its endorsement of Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren was in fact a cynical attempt to drum up interest amid low enthusiasm.
How Humans Betray the Environment and One Another Throughout History
Some of the best films at the Montreal International Documentary Festival explored themes of wasted potential and the relationship between humanity and the planet.
Finding Human Interest Stories in Virtual Reality
YouTube creator Syrmor talks to people in an online social game. Their stories are often harrowing and emotional — even though they’re coming from the mouths of cartoon characters.
In a New Docuseries, the New York Times Struggles to Defend Journalism
The Weekly, the paper’s documentary venture with FX, is well made but overly reliant on “Truth” branding.
How Social Media Profiles Act as Bizarre Digital Gravestones
As more people die but their internet presences linger, we have to find ways to grapple with these documents of who they were.