Television: Pose

Set in New York in the 1980s, Season 1 of FX’s Pose brought the underground ballroom scene to life with its heartfelt narrative and the largest cast of transgender actors ever in a series. Blanca (Mj Rodriguez), Angel (Indya Moore), Pray Tell (Billy Porter) and Elektra (Dominique Jackson) return for Season 2—this time set in 1990, the same year as the release of Madonna’s iconic “Vogue.” Netflix. –Leslie Ventura

Podcast: Have you heard George's Podcast?

Just when you thought you knew what to expect from podcasts—in-depth reportage, immersive audio dramas or friendly, autobiographical chatter—a new show comes along to transcend the genre. The award-winning Have Your Heard George’s Podcast? takes a lyrical exploration of life in inner-city London, racism, postcolonialism and more. Delivered in mostly rhymed verse by host and creator George the Poet—a London-born spoken word performer with Ugandan heritage—it’s both timely and timeless. bbc.in/2zqTvSA.–C. Moon Reed

Television: Central Park

If you’re a fan of Bob’s Burgers, Central Park should look familiar—they share a showrunner, Loren Bouchard. But where Bob’s is a family comedy with occasional songs, Central Park—co-created with Nora Smith and Josh Gad—is a full-blown weekly animated musical, and an eminently hummable one. And what a stacked, Broadway-tested cast: Kristen Bell, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Stanley Tucci and Gad all provide voices (and songs). AppleTV+. –Geoff Carter

Podcast: 1619

To understand today’s events, you need to go way, way back—not to the historical birth of America in 1776, but to 1619, the year 20 to 30 enslaved Africans arrived in the British colony of Virginia. Last year, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the moment that shaped the very foundations of this country, The New York Times undertook an ambitious project examining the consequences of slavery and its reverberations in American life today, from mass incarceration to medical inequality. Start with this six-episode podcast, then go back and read the entire package in print, including Nikole Hannah-Jones’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opening essay. Apple Podcast, The New York Times. –Genevie Durano

Music: Giant Sand

I always find myself reaching for my Giant Sand records this time of year. Since 1985, leader Howe Gelb and his Tucson, Arizona, collective have been reliably releasing dust-covered roots music well-suited for hot summer days with cool beers in hand.

Throughout more than 20 albums, the group has kept listeners on their toes, veering from jagged cowpunk (1985’s Valley of Rain) to ramshackle alt-rock (1994’s Glum) to singer-songwriter mysticism (2000’s Chore of Enchantment), all the while sprinkling in bits of jazz, psychedelia, gospel, spoken word, found sound and more. More recent projects like “It’s All Over the Map” (2004) and “Tucson” (2012) come off more subdued but remain impactful thanks to Gelb’s consistently compelling—and entertaining—lyrical content.

There’s a ton of quality Giant Sand (and Gelb solo work) to sift through, so might as well get digging. –Spencer Patterson