Why Is Hollywood Obsessed with Tech Villains?

The Sam Sanders Show

Why Is Hollywood Obsessed with Tech Villains?

Explicit

Published on Oct 13, 2026, 2:00:00 AM
Total time: 00:40:25

Episode Description

Recently, Sam watched 'The Social Reckoning,' the long awaited sequel to 2010’s 'The Social Network.'

It’s part of a long roster of tech villain films and documentaries coming out this fall that Sam finds annoying. The movies are long, the characters are underbaked, and by the end of the film he’s often left wondering … what did audiences get out of it? 

'Vulture' critic Angelica Jade Bastién joins Sam to unpack Hollywood’s obsession with big tech, how these films signal the industry’s return to whiteness, and what viewers should be asking themselves as they head to the theaters. 

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

 

More about The Sam Sanders Show

The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW is your guide to entertainment. Find out what makes your favorite artists tick, dissect the trends that shape our culture, or just make sense of that random meme you can’t stop thinking about. Join us every week to unpack the pop culture we love.

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Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture.