Mental Floss

POP CULTURE





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What keeps us coming back to old cartoons, movies, and the '90210' reboot? The same reward system in the brain that responds to eating great food or winning money.

Jake Rossen






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After a decade of giving bold young directors free rein, the Hollywood studios took back control in the 1980s. Still, a number of excellent movies managed to get made—including some that achieved greatness by reinventing old genres and tropes.

Eric D Snider






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'The West Wing' rose above early doubts to become one of most celebrated shows of its era, winning four consecutive Outstanding Drama Series Emmys.

Matthew Jackson
Jim Carter as Mr. Carson in Downton Abbey (2019).

Despite its exhaustively polished veneer, 'Downton Abbey' was always a soap opera. So it should come as no surprise that fans have developed some wacky theories about the show.

Kristin Hunt






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Though he’s widely considered one of the most iconic musicians of the 20th century, Jimi Hendrix passed away as his career was really just getting started.

Jennifer M Wood