Stories by Kayla Upadhyaya
Nuanced 'Ben and Kate' balances screwball, tenderness
- FOX
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
“Ben and Kate” stitches together a family made of its instantly endearing characters and refreshingly simple comedy, proving that it is still possible to power a sitcom with off-kilter family dynamics and make it feel new. And for that — even with a rookie-studded cast — it’s easily the best new sitcom this fall.
Kayla Upadhyaya: How Claire Danes became an unstoppable force
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
We’ve quite literally watched Claire Danes grow up on our TV screens. She was only 15 years old when she won her first Golden Globe for Best Lead Actress in a Drama in 1995, and she beat out contenders with well more than double her experience.
Kayla Upadhyaya: NBC is going down the tube
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
The signs were all there. The unceremonious expulsion of Ann Curry from “The Today Show," the fault-ridden coverage of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, the downright disrespectful handling of Conan O’Brien’s ousting, the renewal of “Whitney.” Yes, NBC has set itself on a course of self-destruction. The peacock has lost its damn mind.
Living Room Music brings chamber music concerts home
- Allison Kruske/Daily
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
In Jon Brown’s living room, formal wear becomes t-shirts and jeans. Stuffy theater chairs transform into sagging couches next to a staircase where students perch, bottles of beer in hand.
Kayla Upadhyaya: A eulogy for 'Political Animals'
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
While “Veep” and “Scandal” have female leads, neither is more vocal about the intricacies of being a woman in Washington than “Animals.” I miss you already, show. But Susan and Elaine, I especially mourn for.
Episode Review: 'Mindy' doesn't live up to 'Halloween' potential
- FOX
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
“Mindy” doesn’t have as much fun with the holiday as it could. It’s a well structured episode, with Kaling hitting enough jokes to make it work. But it’s certainly not something to remember or revisit when All Hallows’ Eve comes again.
Trailer Review: 'Die Hard' lives on
- 20th Century Fox
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
The most important thing about this trailer is that things explode, and they explode in a glorious fashion. “A Good Day to Die Hard” looks like it could be a thrilling — albeit trite — summer blockbuster, despite its February release date.
Acclaimed author David Mitchell showcases fiction at UMMA
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
It took three people to adapt and direct the new sci-fi film “Cloud Atlas,” but the novel on which the genre-bending epic is based all sprouted from a singular mind: British novelist David Mitchell.
The 'B----' is back in 23 and growing strong
- ABC
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
In only seven episodes last spring, “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23” proved its wit and singularity, earning a spot in the regular TV season lineup. The show’s oddball voice is like nothing else on television.
Trailer Review: First look at 'Iron Man 3' hints at transformation for beloved superhero
- Disney
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
The highly anticipated, too-short “Iron Man 3” trailer makes it clear that the aftermath of Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) Avengers shenanigans have taken a toll on the scotch-loving superhero. He’s having nightmares, brooding and lying in the snow.
