Arionne Nettles

Good_Times_n_S1_E1_00_00_51_19.jpeg, The voiceover cast of the new animated Netflix series "Good Times" features Jay Pharoah as Junior (from left), Marsai Martin as Grey, Yvette Nicole Brown as Beverly, Gerald Anthony 'Slink' Johnson as Dalvin and JB Smoove as Reggie in Good Times. . Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2024

'Good Times' animated revamp a far — and unsettling — cry from the landmark original series

Maybe the show’s creators pushed the envelope way too far, or maybe they are simply ahead of their time.

By Arionne Nettles

The banned books section of Anderson’s Bookshop in suburban Downers Grove.

Illinois is a haven against book bans, but that’s not the case in surrounding states

Illinois has anti-censorship protections, but it remains to be seen whether residents will remain vigilant and vocal about their support for keeping library books on shelves.

By Arionne Nettles

Dancers on the TV show “Soul Train” come down the “Soul Train” line.

Chicago

Love, peace and ‘Soul Train’: On Aug. 17, 1970, the ‘hippest trip in America’ started in Chicago

The local TV dance show became a cultural phenomenon that took the world by storm.

By Arionne Nettles

Movies and TV

Season 6 of ‘The Chi’ brings new drama and a chance to catch up on TV’s most Chicago show

While it digs into heavy issues from the local headlines, Showtime series also stands out by showing the fullness of a South Side community.

By Arionne Nettles

Books

Alejandra Oliva argues in new migration memoir for the United States to be more compassionate

‘Rivermouth,’ one of the most highly touted indie books of the summer, makes migrants story individual and personal.

By Arionne Nettles