This season’s “must see and hear” content includes something for every mood. With spring fast approaching, we’re crushing on content that helps sweep the darkness of winter away, making room for new ways of looking at who we are now.

Watch:
From Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes, comes HBO’s The Gilded Age, a lavish look at New York during an era of immense economic change, conflict between new and old money, and huge fortunes made and lost. In addition to an outstanding ensemble cast and top-notch writing, opulent costumes and pitch-perfect set design, The Gilded Age offers viewers a unique look at America’s Black elite — a frequently overlooked population that made significant contributions to 19th-century American business history. 

Read:
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s How High We Go in the Dark delves into both the gravity of the climate crises and humanity’s capacity to imagine a new world in response. Using a vast array of characters in gloriously imaginative settings, Nagamatsu takes readers on a wholly original journey spanning continents, centuries and even celestial bodies in the aftermath of a tragic global pandemic. This philosophical, hopeful and utterly brilliant debut from an ambitious and singular voice also explores grief and survivor’s guilt with sensitivity and compassion.

Listen:
Come for the impressive lineup of producers and creative voices behind the podcast This is Dating, stay for the addictive stories of four singles who’ve agreed to participate in a virtual dating experiment like no other. With a team of fairy godmothers, including behavioral scientist-turned-dating coach Logan Ury, influencing the dates behind the scenes, the recorded first dates shed light on where people get it right — and wrong — in the modern dating pool. Heartfelt and insightful, this podcast will fascinate daters and non-daters alike.

Whether you’ve tuned into HBO’s hit series Euphoria or not, the season 2 soundtrack offers a moody mix of both new and previously released tracks that complement the emotional tone of the series. The award-winning show follows Emmy winner Zendaya’s Rue, a 17-year-old high school student dealing with grief, love and addiction, while the critically acclaimed ensemble cast surrounding her grapples with their own issues around sex, drugs and violence. Among the new music crafted for the series is “I’m Tired,” a hauntingly beautiful song about overcoming struggle created by Zendaya and Labrinth that will stay with you long past your first listen.