A BIT TOO TIDY
Your friendly local academic might be inclined to dive right in and binge Netflix's The Chair. There's a lot to recommend such an action, starting with Sandro Oh in the lead role, and including the always watchable Jay Duplass (Transparent) as her ... friend? lover? kinda sorta significant other? The personal lives of professors thankfully take a backseat for the most part in favor of storylines about sexism on campus, ageism on campus, hell, pretty much any ol' "ism" you can think of. And there is the problem with The Chair — it jumps into a lot of big issues over the course of its six episodes, and is forced to wrap them up too quickly and neatly. Its tone shifts from slapsticky sitcom vibes to serious drama on a dime, but that would be easier to stomach if the show had more episodes to let the characters develop. (DAN NAILEN)
SWEET SUCCESS
Hello Sugar doughnut shop in Spokane was recently recognized as a top place to work for people living with disabilities by AtWork!, a statewide nonprofit that seeks to empower people with disabilities to be productive members of society. Hello Sugar was named a "Champion of Inclusion" by AtWork alongside fellow Washington-based companies Microsoft and Canyon Creek Cabinets. Hello Sugar, which has locations in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake, was chosen for having a healthy work culture and employment practices, and for being flexible with staff during the pandemic, among other measures. (CHEY SCOTT)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
There's noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online Sept. 17. To wit:
LIL NAS X, Montero. His debut album? Hasn't he been famous for years already?
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM, Lindsey Buckingham. The former Fleetwood Mac-er drops his first solo album in 10 years.
FELICE BROTHERS, From Dreams to Dust. This fine rootsy crew recorded this one in a renovated 1873 church. (DAN NAILEN)
