The Frame

We continue our series on how police are depicted on TV with the creators of “COPS,” the longest-running reality show in TV history. Creator John Langley tells us about the show’s genesis and why it continues to be so popular; the Latino Comics Expo is unofficially known as the “Latino Comic-Con"; Comedy Central says Larry Wilmore's show failed to gain traction with viewers.

From refugee athletes to individual profiles, Olympics mini-docs are a big part of the broadcast and have been since the 1970s. NBC Sports' Jimmy Roberts joins us from Rio where he's reporting on his 16th Olympics; Part 2 of our look inside the Sundance Directors Lab, where eight budding filmmakers are encouraged to take risks and seize the opportunity of a lifetime.

We visit the Sundance Director's Lab where Robert Redford and a group of industry pros mentor up and coming filmmakers. Variety's chief TV critic Maureen Ryan breaks down the CBS news coming out of the Television Critics Association press tour; Colburn Conservatory of Music graduates endure stressful mock auditions to prepare for the real thing.

Actress Taraji P. Henson opens up about the career path that led her to her Emmy-nominated role of Cookie Lyon on the hit Fox show, "Empire"; amid the bad reviews for "Suicide Squad," we look at the unsustainable — but enduring — Hollywood business model of taking big swings at expensive movies in hopes of finding a franchise.

In our #CopsOnTV series, writer-producer Cheo Hodari Coker reveals what he learned about the LAPD while producing the police drama, "Southland," and how that connected with his experiences as a black man; the bad news/good news of NBC's Olympic ecosystem: broadcast viewership is down, but online streaming is booming.

In the first of a continuing series of conversations, former "Law & Order: SVU" executive producer Neal Baer says studios and networks want police to be depicted as heroes; how soon will virtual reality become a big thing in entertainment?

Stuntwoman and "American Ninja Warrior" contestant Jessie Graff teaches host John Horn some tricks of her trade; the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics has become a job for film directors; Aubrey Plaza's amateur basketball team, the Pistol Shrimps, has quite the following.

The comic actress' star-turn in "Ghostbusters" and another Emmy nod for "SNL" have her primed for bigger things; fans of the kids' show 'Doc McStuffins' are worried about the future of one of the few kids' shows with a black lead character; DanceSafe provides education and and even drug-testing at raves, but its hands are tied by a federal law.

Artist and animator Jorge Gutiérrez discusses the creative inspirations of the U.S.-Mexico border and the painting spree that led to his gallery show; HBO, Netflix and NBC face the press at the Television Critics Association; screenwriter, producer and former studio chief James Schamus makes his directorial debut with "Indignation."

Director Marc Osborne didn't want to make a straight-ahead adaptation of "The Little Prince," so he came up with a novel approach; "Equity" is the rare movie about Wall Street that stars and is made by women; Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, dissects her song, “Kill V. Maim.”

Why was an ad attacking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez allowed to air during the Democratic candidates debate?; N.Y. Times TV critic James Poniewozik on his new book, “Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America”; "This Close" is a first: a TV show starring, created and written by deaf people.

The L.A.-based Grammy-winning quartet defies genres on its new album; a proposed state law could have major ramifications for independent musicians; in an excerpt from the podcast Song Exploder, Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn breaks down the title track from her 2018 album, "Honey."

The comedic actor talks about his live show, "All Rise," which he sees as medicine for a divided country; movie critic Beandrea July reports from the Toronto International Film Festival.

What's behind the rising price of concert tickets?; Grammy-winning classical music guitarist Sharon Isbin; photographer Robert Frank, RIP.

The singer is on top of the charts and she's in the upcoming movie, "Hustlers"; a preview of Variety's first-ever Climate Crisis issue; singer John Paul White.

Linda Ronstadt doc filmmakers reveal her range ; Eddie Redmaye and Felicity Jones show their new film in Telluride; Flor de Toloache is a modern mariachi band in more ways than one; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival gets a new Artistic Director and filmmaker Justin Chon takes us to Koreatown.

The festival is one of the leading regional theaters in the country, presenting traditional and non-traditional classics, along with cutting-edge new plays; the state of the music industry; the documentary, "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice."

L.A.'s Koreatown is the setting for the filmmaker's new movie about a young woman who has to defer her musical dreams; what's new — and good — on TV right now; Flor de Toloache is not your traditional mariachi group.

The pioneering queer performance artist and writer talks about his evolution as an activist; highlights from the Telluride Film Festival; "Untouchable" is a new documentary about Harvey Weinstein and the multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment that he faces.

Filmmaker Stanley Nelson talks about his new documentary on the iconic jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis; with more streaming services coming online, is binge watching the best way to enjoy TV?; producer Larry Klein takes "world music" literally on his new project.

Emmy nominees John Leguizamo ("When They See Us") and Mahershala Ali ("True Detective") talk about their acclaimed performances; Renée Zellweger chats with John Horn at the Telluride Film Festival about portraying Judy Garland.

The actress plays Judy Garland in a biopic that's premiering at the Telluride Film Festival; SAG-AFTRA keeps its president ahead of a crucial year; singer R&B singer Michael Marshall transforms a '60s hippie anthem for "The Last Black Man in San Francisco."