Lukewarm Takes
Everyone has hot takes. However, some hot takes are a bit more common than others. These hot takes are not too hot anymore. Here are some more lukewarm takes our CommRadio members believe in.
Marvel Fell Off After “Endgame”
Marvel finished their Avengers saga with “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, but the franchise hasn’t quite found a way to live back up to the hype again.
“Endgame” killed off half of the Avengers, and while Marvel has put out projects with the other half, none of them have reached the hype of the Phase 1-3 movies.
“Black Widow,” “Moon Knight,” “Loki” and “WandaVision” were fan favorites, but shows like “She-Hulk” and “Ms. Marvel” lost traction from lots of fans.
It’s not even projects that stray away from the Avengers; “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” has only grossed $470 million globally and was not well-received by audiences due to poor acting and CGI.
Without three of the original Avengers, Marvel should be succeeding with based storylines and new, intriguing characters, but audiences just aren’t reacting the way they should be.
While I love characters like Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop and Marc Spector, there’s just something about Steve Rogers and Tony Stark that’s too iconic to let go of. -Adrianna Gallucci
The book is always better than the show/movie
After the March releases of “Shadow and Bone” season two and “Daisy Jones & The Six,” there’s been a lot of buzz on social media regarding the quality of book-to-screen adaptations, and how since “The Hunger Games,” there hasn’t been any that measure up to the source material.
This is not a new or revolutionary take.
The television and film industry has been butchering some of the most beloved pieces of literature for decades now– especially in the young adult genre (looking at you, Percy Jackson and whatever the heck happened with the “Divergent” franchise.)
It’s almost impossible for writers or directors to shove every detail of a 300-500 page book into a two-hour film, which is why the new age of limited series’ and full shows should have fixed that issue and produced much higher quality adaptations.
While “Daisy Jones & The Six” was a considerable step in the right direction for these projects, there were still details changed in the show that didn’t have to be– why was there no sixth band member when the band is literally called “The Six?” Why did Daisy never release albums of her own as she did in the book?
It becomes annoying when details from the source material that would be easy to keep in the adaptation are thrown out the window– and people are rightfully upset.
However, this is not the hot take some people think it is. Pretty much everyone agrees the book is always better than the movie. -Kaitlyn Murphy
Recent country music has been really exciting, other than Morgan Wallen
It’s such a boring take to refuse to listen to country music. The genre is responsible for some of the greatest storytelling and authenticity found in any music.
It’s also one that’s super easy to do badly.
Luckily, the recent stars on the country music scene have been far more impressive and appealing than they have since the late 2000s (there are obviously exceptions).
Between Zach Bryans's widely beloved folk-influenced sound, Chris Stapleton’s rendition of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl and Luke Combs and Keslie Ballerni’s new albums, it’s hard to find country music haters who can deny how great these artists are.
However, an uninspired it-boy casts a mainstream-artist-sized shadow over the industry in Morgan Wallen. His music is exactly the kind of generic and predictable sound that is why so many hate country music.
In a time when country music is straying away from a pop-based sound and returning to what the genre truly is, Wallen is the last artist who deserves to be the face of this underrated genre. -Sophia D’Ovidio
Kaitlyn Murphy is a first-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email kvm6255@psu.edu.
Adrianna Gallucci is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.
Sophia D’Ovidio is a second-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Sophia D'Ovidio
First-Year /
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year from Allentown, New Jersey. She is now a communications (undecided) major at Penn State University. Sophia intends on pursuing a career in journalism. Sophia writes for the CommRadio Arts department.
Adrianna Gallucci
Sophomore /
Adrianna Gallucci is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism and is one of CommRadio’s New Member Coordinators. She is also a broadcaster, journalist, podcaster and talk show guest. In addition, Adrianna is also a part of PSSN, TDAY Sports and AWSM. She hosts her own independent podcast, She’s All Bat: A New York Mets podcast. She is a huge Mets and Rangers fan and will always talk about pro wrestling. Adrianna wants to work in MLB, NHL or WWE as a journalist or an anchor. You can find her on Twitter at @agallucci17 or email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Kaitlyn Murphy
Freshman /
Kaitlyn Murphy is a first-year student at Penn State majoring in digital and print journalism. She is a member of the Arts and Entertainment Department of CommRadio and is passionate about reviewing films, television shows, and music. Follow her on twitter at @kaitlynmurph and email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with any inquiries.
