Contributor: Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

Best TV Shows of 2024: Plugged In’s Year-End Picks

Check out which TV shows claimed our top spots for 2024. And don’t worry, shows for kids and adults alike were considered.

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Episode 265: What Makes a Christmas Movie a Good Movie? Plus, ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’

Have you ever thought about why you love certain Christmas movies more than others? Plus, everything you need to know about Mufasa.

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Movie Monday: A Three-peat for ‘Moana 2’

A Marvel antihero and the riders of Rohan charged into theaters, angling to toss Moana off her movie throne. But Disney’s Polynesian princess still reigns supreme.

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star wars: skeleton crew

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Disney+’s ‘Skeleton Crew’ has some problems, but overall it’s a return to form, when the galaxy far, far away was relatively safe for the family.

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Dream Productions

‘Dream Productions’ comes with a few issues. But if parents keep an eye open for them, they can mostly rest easy.

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Episode 264: Is Social Media Ruining Our Kids? Plus, Netflix’s ‘Mary’

What does FX and Hulu’s docuseries ‘Social Studies’ reveal about our kids? And what do parents need to know about Netflix’s ‘Mary’?

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Maria

‘Maria’ is much like its namesake opera singer: complex, frustrating, problematic and, when it finds its voice, beautiful.

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the best Christmas pageant ever

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Barbara Robinson’s classic book, ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,’ lands on screen. And it’s pretty great.

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Movie Monday: ‘Moana 2’ Lands in First Place Again

This week’s top box office earners were practically identical to last week’s. But beyond the top five, things get unpredictable.

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Episode 263: All I Want for Christmas Is What TikTok Tells Me. Plus, Kevin Sorbo

LISTEN TO THE PLUGGED IN SHOW, EPISODE 263 What’re the hottest gifts this Christmas season? Just ask social media’s biggest stars, and they’ll tell you. According to Digital Voices, 73% of Gen Z shoppers are planning on getting gifts based on the opini …

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Weekend in Taipei

In the world of R-rated films, this is one of the softer ones you’ll find. But you might also find better ways to spend your weekend.

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exhibiting forgiveness

Exhibiting Forgiveness

Exhibiting Forgiveness examines the complexities of pain and faith, of messy families and messier redemption, with sincerity and clarity.

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Movie Monday: ‘Moana 2’ Sails to Record Win

Moana 2 feasted on Thanksgiving receipts to the tune of $221 million over the five-day extended holiday weekend.

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Episode 262: Creating with AI – A Parents’ Primer. Plus, ‘Moana 2’

Does AI help or hurt the creativity process? And what exactly should parents know about Moana 2?

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Just in Time for Thanksgiving, 5 Family-Friendly Films about Food

Ah, Thanksgiving. A time when we come together to give thanks for our many blessings, eat, spend time with our loved ones, eat, watch football, eat … You get the idea. Thanksgiving is about a lot of stuff—but stuffing (and the rest of the food on your …

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