The Frame

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are on a roll: they wrote song lyrics for "La La Land" and the music and lyrics for the Broadway hit, "Dear Evan Hansen"; more than 3,500 companies are debuting their futuristic products at the annual, massive technology trade show.

Actor and documentary filmmaker Fisher Stevens jumped at the chance to make a documentary about the iconic showbiz mother-and-daughter, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher; Sorting through the Jan/Feb TV premieres and comebacks to watch for in 2017 with TV critic Whitney Friedlander.

"Hidden Figures" writer Allison Schroeder (who was just nominated for a Writer's Guild award) tells us why she was the right person to co-write the film “Hidden Figures”; In the film “A Monster Calls,” director J.A. Bayona talks about how families might view his dark and personal coming-of-age story; Elliott Smith’s landmark 1997 album, “Either/Or,” gets a 20th anniversary re-issue.

Clay Tarver is a writer and co-executive producer for HBO’s “Silicon Valley," but he recently reunited with his bandmates in the group Chavez to record their first new music in 20 years; there may be a more diverse roster of actor and actress nominees for the Academy Awards this year, but that doesn’t mean #OscarsSoWhite is a thing of the past, says April Reign, the writer and activist who coined the hashtag.

It's our last Frame episode of 2016! From Beyonce's "Lemonade" to Chance The Rapper's "Coloring Book," we look back at the year in music with MTV Executive Editor Alex Pappademas; Also, we revisit one of our favorite musician interviews of the year, soul singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc, who describes himself as an "artivist," someone who blends art with activism.

The singing voice of Debbie Reynolds echoes throughout the show today as we honor the actress who died yesterday; Los Angeles Times culture writer Carolina Miranda picks some of 2016's most impactful moments in culture; playwright Jon Robin Baitz challenged himself in 2016 to write a play responding to Donald Trump's candidacy and get it up before the election. He did that. Now what?

For our wrap up of the best in TV, Margaret Lyons of the New York Times talks with us about the most overrated, underrated and heavily debated shows of 2016; Among the most lauded performances on TV this year was Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark in the FX mini-series "The People v. O.J. Simpson." Paulson discusses how Clark had been scrutinized by the media and much of America during the trial.

Carrie Fisher imbued the role of Princess Leia with an assertiveness that set the tone for the future Star Wars heroines; Fisher was also the columnist of "Advice from the Dark Side" which ran in The Guardian; New York Times co-chief film critic Manohla Dargis joins John Horn to talk about some of the top film stories of the year.

The popular British singer-songwriter died from heart failure at the age of 53; Kristen Anderson-Lopez is working on a stage musical version of "Frozen," but for now she has another show on Broadway, "In Transit."

David Oyelowo is extremely selective about the roles he chooses to play, and also the kinds of parts he wants to avoid; the Presidential Inauguration Committee has gotten more nays than ayes from singers and bands.

The producer/director says Hollywood must eradicate the culture of enabling that keeps sexual predators in power; The Joshua Light Show was a staple of '60s concert lighting and its creator is reviving the magic.

Actress and screenwriter Greta Gerwig goes behind the camera for "Lady Bug"; producer/director Brett Ratner is the latest Hollywood figure to be accused of sexual harassment and misconduct; young L.A. dancers audition for Miami City Ballet's "The Nutcracker."

The singer Lizzo performs a brand of rap and pop with a strong empowerment vibe that’s taken on new resonance in the Trump era; SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris says calls to the union’s hotline to report harassment have increased since the Harvey Weinstein story broke.

After allegations that he made sexual overtures to a 14-year-old actor 30 years ago, there are questions about Spacey's current TV and film roles; the Molyneux sisters are the queens of punnery; Alynda Segarra examines her Puerto Rican roots in Hurray for the Riff Raff's latest album.

Well, not completely solo. Auerbach hooked up with a number of ace musicians in Nashville for an album that leaves the Keys' garage blues behind.

The actor is the author's nephew and that family connection helped get her cooperation for the Netflix film, "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold."

The young Irish actor Barry Keoghan stumbled into the business, and now he's in a film with Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman; film and TV director Rachel Feldman says Hollywood's sexism problem is rooted in a lack of inclusion for women; New Orleans musical icon Fats Domino died at the age of 89.

At the age of 32, actor Jonathan Groff has already had quite the career. He was in the Broadway casts of “Spring Awakening” and “Hamilton." He had a recurring role in the TV series “Glee,” and he was one of the voices in Disney’s animated “Frozen.” Now, he’s back on TV in the Netflix series, “Mindhunter.”

"The Florida Project" follows a six-year-old girl, her mother, and the other families who live in a budget motel not far from Disney World. Sean Baker talks about his movie, which highlights the lives of the "hidden homeless" in America; filmmaker Todd Haynes and cinematographer Ed Lachman on their ambitious film, "Wonderstruck."

Dissident artist Ai Wei Wei made "Human Flow," a documentary about refugees around the world; Philip K. Dick wrote the story that inspired the original “Blade Runner,” but he didn't think the movie would amount to much; folk singer Barbara Dane has a lifetime of memories.

Spoken word artist Alex Alpharaoh was brought to the U.S. from Guatemala as an infant. His journey to becoming a DACA recipient in these uncertain times is told in his new solo stage show.

From the start of his career, Noah Baumbach has been fascinated with family dynamics. His new movie, “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),” centers around a domineering patriarch played by Dustin Hoffman. Baumbach talks about exploring the relationships between adult children and their father, and the legacy of family myths.