Contents

Issue Vo. 718

PAGE 62 "We will file these scenes in our memory banks, this new city we are coming to know.

Features

38 Artist in Residence

BY YOHANA DESTA PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLLIER SCHORR

Even in lockdown, Janelle Monae exudes a restlessly creative energy. Now, with starring roles in the series Homecoming and the movie Antebellum, she's setting her sights even higher.

48 In the Shallows

BY GABRIEL SHERMAN

Trump's reaction to the virus was muddled from the start. An inside look at the administration's fatally erratic response, and what it means for his presidency.

54 The Making of Andrew Cuomo

BY CHRIS SMITH ARTWORK BY ALEX KATZ

The New York governorraised in the shadow of his father, Mario—has always been a political bruiser. But the coronavirus crisis brought out the best of his brand of "New York tough."

62 Silent Spring

BY RADHIKA JONES PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK SELIGER

For a city used to coming together—in triumph and tragedy—the isolation wrought by the pandemic is especially wrenching. Mark Seliger captures New York City in the quiet of dawn and dusk.

WISHFUL THINKING

"A MAGIC PILL "

What Trump is counting on to fix the COVID crisis, according to one ex-West Wing official [P. 48]

Vanities

17

17 /Opening Act Jerry Harris is here to cheer you up

20 /The Gallery Precious gemstones fit for a queen

23 /Beauty Soaps that bring beauty, wit, or noble purpose to a now familiar routine

25 /Summer Entertainment Books to get lost in; choose your own streaming adventure; fresh sounds for the season

30 /My Staff Killing Eve's Jodie Comer shares her facialist, go-to T-shirt, and on-set essentials

32 /Trending Take a patchwork page from Gloria Vanderbilt

Columns

36 The Name Game

BY SLOANE CROSLEY

PHOTOGRAPH BY HUGO YU

An impromptu textmessaging parlor game played between two friends over a decade becomes a painfully timely, suddenly personal commentary on fame and death.

12 Contributors

14 Editor's Letter

146 Proust Questionnaire

Awards Extra!

A SPECIAL SECTION CELEBRATING MUST-SEE. EMMY-WORTHY TV

Features

106 Catherine the Great

BY KAREN VALBY PHOTOGRAPHS BY ART STREIBER

Catherine O'Hara has long been comic royalty to those in the know. Her star turn in Schittk Creek made it obvious to the rest of us.

116 Quiet on Set

BY JOY PRESS

Over the course of a single week in March, television's entire production apparatus ground to a halt, leaving showrunners, crew, and executives struggling to picture a way back.

122 Solo Acts

PHOTOGRAPHS DIRECTED BY JACKIE NICKERSON

Some of TV's brightest lights—from Zoé Kravitz to Julia Garner—posed over Zoom and paused to reflect on how they're keeping busy in quarantine.

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Awards Extra!

Contents/Issue No. 718

Features

136 After the End of the World

BY ANTHONY BREZNICAN

An exclusive look at the new series based on Stephen King's The Stand, a prescient take on morality and bravery in the face of a global pandemic.

140 Grand Finales

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RYAN McAMIS

One last V.F. salute to the iconic shows taking their bow this season.

Close-Ups

76

76 Making a Scene It takes a village—from production designers to makeup artists— to make a show work.

88 /And Justice for All Unbelievable's grim truths.

92 /Blood on the Tracks Snowpiercer's new mystery.

94 /She's Got the Goods Kristen Bell on the treasures of the Good Place set.

96 /Watch Party From This Is Us to The Twilight Zone, the series some of our favorite luminaries are bingeing during lockdown.

Columns

72 Live to Stream

BY RICHARD LAWSON

With movie theaters shuttered this spring, our chief critic found solace, and a renewed sense of connection, in the streaming powers of the small screen.

100 The Sketch Artist

BY JULIE MILLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY KATHERINE McCURDY

Bowen Yang was voted "Most Likely to be a Cast Member on Saturday Night Live" in high school. He proved his classmates right.

102 The Curious Case of the Incredible Shrinking TV Shows

BY MAUREEN RYAN

There may be more choices than ever on TV, but bold and innovative shows are being granted fewer and fewer episodes to thrive.

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