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.”

The writer/director of "Hereditary" returns with another film that's guaranteed to creep you out; the summer box office is 10% from last year, as proven franchises underperform and original hits are nearly extinct; keeping the music of Harry Partch alive.

The former pro football player began directing music videos and TV shows, and is not turning his children's book into a short animated film; Spotify walks back a program for indie musicians; the exquisite voice of counter-tenor John Holiday.

The veteran producer started out as a lawyer, but she switched careers and is now one of Hollywood's top show-runners; Taylor Swift isn't happy about the fate of every album she has recorded to date; a visit to a collective of video game designers.

Daisy Ridley goes from "Star Wars" to Shakespeare, Alan Yang ("Master of None," "Forever") gives his take on the changing TV biz. Fifty years after Stonewall, we unearth the soundtrack to the gay liberation movement. Toni Morrison gets a documentary worthy of her genius. Himesh Patel channels the Beatles in "Yesterday" and more...

The classically-trained actress became widely known through "Star Wars," but now she's looking for smaller, meaty roles; the new documentary, "Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am."

'On the Inside' is a group exhibition of LGBTQ artists who are currently incarcerated; a look back at the largely unheard music of the early gay liberation movement; how movies (and movie theaters) will survive the next decade.

TV producer Alan Yang on how his mission in storytelling has changed; L.A. Times TV critic Lorraine Ali says the Democratic debates are the best reality show; writer and musician Solvej Schou reunites with her mentor, high school English teacher Barry Smolin.

Himesh Patel stars as a struggling musician who awakens one day to a world where only he remembers the songs of The Beatles; Ann Sarnoff is named head of Warner Bros. studio.

In 1989, the first all-female crew was assembled for a famously grueling 'round-the-world sailing competition that's chronicled in the new documentary, "Maiden"; musicians have filed the first lawsuit resulting from a devastating 2008 fire on the Universal Studios backlot.

"The Central Park Five" tragedy gets put in operatic scale; Prince estate releases album of "new" old songs; Scorsese take footage from Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder tour to create a "fever dream" film and "Sea of Solitude" video game creator wants people to feel less alone in their loneliness.

Designer Connie Geppert takes on depression and loneliness in her much-anticipated video game; a new effort to diversity the ranks of film and TV critics; in the classroom with a real life 'School of Rock' teacher dude.

Composer Anthony Davis turns the troubling tale into a world premiere for Long Beach Opera; the Hollywood courtship continues for Democratic presidential candidates; singer-songwriter Steve Gunn collaborates with Japanese folk singer Sachiko Kanenobu.