Things we watched, listened to and streamed as we prepared for our final week of classes
BEYONCE'S "LEMONADE"
Beyonce described the debut of her self-titled visual album -- "Changed the game with that digital drop / Know where you was when that digital popped / I stopped the world." For some fans like myself, the world did stop. It was my freshman year and I stayed up all night watching the album. Fast forward to last Saturday and she did it again with her feature film/new album, "Lemonade," which aired on HBO. Once again I stayed up all night watching the hour-long film in awe of the golden goddess. The 12 tracks take you through a period of infidelity in Beyonce's life, but don't worry -- you end up with forgiveness. The film is avant-garde and features spoken poetry, powerful images and songs that are not typical to Beyonce's hip-hop/R&B style. I applaud Beyonce for her innovation and dedication to experiencing music in an immersive, analytical and artistic way. She has taught me what it means to appreciate an album \0xAD-- not just a single -- and fully digest an artist's vision. (Mary Schrott, news editor)
"HORACE AND PETE"
I'm only seven episodes in, but I can confidently say that Louis C.K.'s self-produced "Horace and Pete" is the most depressing thing I've ever watched. Following the owners and patrons of a 100-year-old Brooklyn bar, the series covers the same bleak and tragic themes as "Louie" but doesn't offer up the same sorts of silver linings. That being said, it's 100 percent worth it. "Horace and Pete" feels more like live theater than TV, and C.K.'s scripts are genuine, compelling and eye opening. The show truly taps into the human condition and forces you to reconsider the way you look at life. And with a dream cast that includes Alan Alda, Edie Falco, Jessica Lange and Steve Buscemi, the lengthy episodes have a tendency to fly by. The show also left C.K. in debt, so if you're a fan of his, feel free to lend a hand by purchasing the ten-episode series through his website. (Devon Shuman, culture editor)
"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
This year's presidential election follows the shittiest of shitty candidates running to rule our nation. Every debate and every forum has been so dramatic, unpredictable and entertaining that it's almost like watching a comedy show with some politics thrown in. Naturally, Saturday Night Live has followed along for comedic content for their sketches like they do every election year. But this year -- between Trump, Sanders and Clinton -- SNL has had some special ammunition to work with. SNL regulars Beck Bennett and Taran Killam play CNN's hunky host Jake Tapper and a hysterical Ted Cruz, respectively, and the up-and-coming comic Kate McKinnon takes on an iconic role as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Famous faces are sprinkled in, such as Darrell Hammond as Donald Trump and the legendary Larry David as Sen. Bernie Sanders. The SNL Democratic and GOP debate cold opens, as well as the numerous politically themed sketches, are must-sees on YouTube -- each is a six-minute delight, ridiculing the animosity between candidates and the absurd, surreal nature of the political scene in America today. (Angela Hatcher, news editor)