33 "Aaaaa-caaaa www !" a cartoon toucan named Tuca bellows. "That's the alarm that sounds when no women have spoken out loud for three minutes." The men at the table — a pecking order of roosters and pigeons — blink at her, incredulously. Tuca's best friend and co-worker, Bertie, was just interrupted by one of them after proposing an idea during a meeting. She hides behind her notepad in embarrassment — but she's secretly relieved by her outspoken counterpart. In Bay Area cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt 's new animated Netflix original series " Tuca & Bertie ," birds of a feather wing it together. They're also inspired by two sides of Hanawalt's personality – her anxious introspection and blunt confidence. Born in Palo Alto and raised by two Stanford biologists, … [Read more...]

Sign up for our Remote Control newsletter to receive our best streaming stories of the week in your inbox, as well as SFGATE staff picks and updates on when your favorite shows will return. One of the most fun things about watching TV is seeing a world far removed from your own. But despite that strong pull for escapism, shows that take place in your own town still feel like requisite viewing. Here are our favorite shows that we've written about this year that have connections to the Bay Area and Northern California. Some celebrate forgotten aspects of San Francisco history , others feature stars with strong ties to the region, and then there's the odd case of the show that celebrates Northern California as if it were its own character (even if the show was filmed elsewhere). "Virgin River" Netflix “Virgin River” became a surprise hit when it premiered on Netflix in 2019. The streaming service released the third season earlier this month, and the series has … [Read more...]

Sign up for our Remote Control newsletter to receive our best streaming stories of the week in your inbox. Bertie, a withdrawn cartoon bird in her 30s, is growing increasingly agitated as she scans through a database of mental health professionals on her computer screen. “There are so many therapists,” groans the song thrush, voiced by San Francisco native Ali Wong. “How can I choose one?” She’s intrigued by a certain Dr. Esther Emu and clicks on her profile to book a consultation. The problem? She’s not available until June 7, 2074. Bertie panics and does what any logical bird (or human) would in her situation: She frantically clicks on every provider available until her computer irreparably glitches out and confetti explodes from the monitor. Like thousands of other anxiety-ridden millennials who have been plagued by the pursuit of a new therapist, I only wished this episode didn’t make me feel so seen. But the charm of “Tuca & Bertie” lies in its ability to … [Read more...]

Less than a minute into the first episode of “Blindspotting,” police cruisers show up in the driveway of Miles, played by actor and executive producer Rafael Casal. It’s New Year’s Eve in 2018 — just months after the original film left off — and fireworks are exploding above the Oakland skyline. An unsuspecting Ashley (“Hamilton” star Jasmine Cephas Jones) approaches the scene and stops when she notices the red and blue lights illuminating the driveway. Her partner of 12 years and the father of her child is hauled out of their home by two officers in an apparent drug bust, and she scrambles to figure out what to do next. “Where is our credit card and wallet?” she finally sputters, before offering a shirtless Miles her coat. It dawns on her: They don’t have much time left. “Do you want me to get you a toothbrush, or some toiletries?” she asks. “I’m not going to summer camp, baby,” he tells her, gently but firmly. “I’m going to jail.” When it was released in 2018, the … [Read more...]

In regard to that recent court ruling that Larry Elder and other gubernatorial candidates cannot be required to submit recent tax returns. It raises the question: Isn’t a person’s character and integrity relevant to their qualification to be governor? Whether a person cheats on taxes or not seems a good indication of their character and integrity. If they do not cheat, don’t they want to prove it by disclosing their tax returns? And if they fight to hide their tax returns, doesn’t that put at least a little doubt on their integrity? And that raises the further question: Why do we stick with a tax system that promotes cheating as part of the status quo? We could eliminate this part of our culture by just taxing everyone at the same rate. No excuses, no deductions, no loopholes for corporations or individuals. Chad Krimmel, San Francisco Don’t give home to boss By embracing work-from-home, we are unwittingly trading away the sanctity of our homes for perceived … [Read more...]

6 On a recent Saturday afternoon, Amy Bond was walking home from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market with her husband when she saw something that caught her eye. Accompanied by her mother, a 16-year-old girl was attempting to climb onto a street pole and perform a gravity-defying move known as the “human flag.” Widely recognized as an advanced technique in fitness and pole-dancing communities alike, the maneuver requires individuals to hoist themselves onto a steel beam with their arms, using their core strength to suspend their body sideways so it is horizontally parallel to the ground. Bond, who is the owner of San Francisco Pole and Dance , quietly observed as the girl tried – and failed – to hold up her body in order to execute the move. “Of course, I come walking by and I’m like, ‘Oh wait, you’re doing it wrong. Let me show you how to do it,’” Bond says with a laugh. “And five minutes later, both she and her mom were doing … [Read more...]