Mental Floss

POP CULTURE







Brenda Chase, Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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


James Sorensen/NBC/Newsmakers via Getty Images

'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




AFP/Getty Images

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








The Jim Henson Company

The animated series about diapered Muppets never explained why Kermit and company had been left inside a nursery and with no trace of their parents.

Jake Rossen