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Category Archives: Anatomy

Review: Netflix’s ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ tackles sensitive topics tastefully – The Baylor Lariat

By Clay Thompson | Reporter

The show Anatomy of a Scandal would have gone under the radar for me if it hadnt made it to Netflixs No. 1 spot a few weeks ago. I decided to give it a try and Im reasonably glad I did.

A limited series about how a sexually related scandal affects all involved, Anatomy of a Scandal truly is its namesake, burrowing into the psychological and physical effects the scandal has on those involved. As a warning, the show does tackle some heavy topics, such as sexual assault and the topic of consent, but it does so in a tasteful and profound way.

I first have to mention the unusual nature of the show. While it is few and far between, the show uses some surreal experiences to emphasize or contextualize moments in the show. From a man physically being thrown back by an accusation, to witness testimonies being reenacted in the courtroom, the show dumps audiences into its story in a not-so-typical courtroom format. While I was initially thrown off by this, as the show progressed I found it not only more helpful to me as a viewer, but also much more effective than what normally constitutes good courtroom drama. It added emphasis to how characters felt in the moment and gave audiences deeper understanding of the feelings and themes at play.

That being said, none of the characters held the audiences hand in this show. The acting was subtle yet effective, and Sienne Miller and Michelle Dockery are the two standouts of the show for me. Miller plays the wife of a parliamentary official accused of sexually assaulting an office assistant. Her constant shifting between the choices of being a mother and dutiful wife of her accused husband or being her own person and discovering for herself what really happened creates a compelling character arc for her. As the audience, I truly enjoyed how she played the role.

Michelle Dockery of Downton Abbey also does a wonderful job as the public prosecutor of the case. Her character inside and outside the courtroom was never dull, and she always knew how to measure her acting in every scene.

The themes and message of the show were perhaps the most compelling element of the limited series. It most heavily touches upon the complexities of sexual relationships and consent in what I believe to be an interesting but not pandering way. Additionally, the show discusses the topic of political and financial privilege within a justice system masterfully.

The only thing I would have to fault the show for is its twist. Without giving it away, there is a twist later on in the show that is so unbelievable and unethical that it really took me out of the story a bit. I understand the show is based on a book, so I cannot really fault the show for following its original material, however I can fault the twist in general for being so terrible that it almost ruined the show for me.

Netflix has another heated limited series hit on its hands. Anatomy of a Scandal takes a different direction than some other limited series, in covering one court case that dives deeply into the nuances and themes of the cases origin, and it does so in a moving yet entertaining way.

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Review: Netflix's 'Anatomy of a Scandal' tackles sensitive topics tastefully - The Baylor Lariat

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ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL is Most-Viewed Title on Netflix This Week – Broadway World

Viewers sought to unveil the truth as Anatomy of a Scandal made its way to #1 on the English TV List. With 75.56M hours, it was the most viewed Netflix title this week. The limited series, starring Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Rupert Friend, also appeared in the Top 10 in 89 countries.

Bridgerton Season 2 continued to be THE TALK of the Ton', coming in second with 46.13M hours viewed. Season 2 has officially cemented its place as the #1 English TV series on Netflix. One month after its premiere on Netflix, the SECRETS OF Lady Whistledown have amassed a whopping 656.16M hours viewed.

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, brought fans together (or tore them apart) with 29.01M hours viewed. Conversations With a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes (37.46M hours viewed) and Selling Sunset Season 5 (28.36M hours viewed) debuted on the list this week. Additionally, coming-of-age series Heartstopper, created by newcomer Alice Oseman, had 14.55M hours viewed.

In its second week, thriller Choose or Die led the English Films list with 15.26M hours viewed. Starring Asa Butterfield, the 80's-influenced horror was in the Top 10 in 90 countries. Love story The In Between* was #2 with 13.35M hours viewed. Viewers took a trip back to the late 90's and early 2000's with White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch. The documentary story on the complex history of the iconic brand debuted at #3 with 9.92M hours viewed and appeared in the Top 10 in 29 countries.

Colombian thriller The Marked Heart debuted at #1 on the non-English TV list with 68.04M hours viewed. Already a fan favorite, the series was also in the Top 10 in 68 countries. Elite held onto the #2 spot with 29.49M hours viewed.

Taking place in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea was Yakamoz S-245, which had 22.06M hours viewed. Starring Kvan Tatltu, the Turkish seven-part series was in the Top 10 in 35 countries. Based on the book of the same name by Harlan Coben, Polish limited series Hold Tight had 17.32M hours viewed and appeared in the Top 10 in 12 countries.

Polish films Taming of the Shrewd and Furioza held the top two spots with 9.33M hours viewed and 6.15M hours viewed, respectively. Italian drama The Turning Point took viewers on an unexpected journey with 2.81M hours viewed.

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Jesse Williams & Sarah Drew Returning To Greys Anatomy As Jackson & April – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Japril will be back on Greys Anatomy. Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew are set to reprise their roles as Jackson and April in the Season 18 finale of the ABC medical drama, which airs May 26.

Williams departed Greys Anatomy last spring after 12 seasons. His character Jackson Averys exit was revealed in the May 6 episode, Look Up Child, which also featured Greys alumna Drew, who returned as April Kepner to help give Jackson a proper sendoff by reuniting one of the shows most popular couples, Japril. Jackson visited his ex to tell her that he was moving to Boston to take over the family foundation. April agreed to follow him there so he can be close to their daughter, while dropping a bombshell of her own that she recently had separated from her husband giving fans hope that Japril might be back on. As April and Jackson put it, Fingers crossed for new horizons, reigniting calls from Greys devotees for a Jackson-April spinoff.

This will be Drews first Greys episode since then. Williams made two more appearances last season, in his last episode as a series regular the following week and a cameo in the Season 17 finale, in which he welcomed Jo and her daughter to his old apartment via video phone call.Williams and Drews return will now provide an update how Jackson and April are doing a year later.

At the time of Williams exit last May, I asked him whether he would return to Greys for a guest appearance.

You know, I cant be sure, but I think its possible, he said. Yeah, I think its totally possible. I think its totally possible. You never know how things will shake out. Theres a lot of other factors at play, including schedules and stuff, but I love the idea of keeping that option open. Drew also has said publicly that she would love to reprise her Greys role.

Williams also shared his vision for Jacksons next chapter in Boston.

In my mind he will have many stumbles on his road to success in the administrative that hes taken on running a foundation. I think this is something he will not, cannot give up on. Hes finally found a place for his whole self that is not just his profession, he said. Hes always had this bubble wrap around him that has protected him, and being able to do this work, I think, hes going to be thrilled and feeling like blood is coursing through his veins in a whole new way now. Hes going to feel alive in a way that he hasnt before, which is very exciting.

As for Jackson and April, he said: I think its pretty possible that he rekindles a romantic connection to his ex-wife, theyre damn good together, but most importantly what he needs from that is friendship and kindness, and patience, and understanding, and I think that he will get that with her and be able to share and give and reciprocate it as well, Williams said at the time.

The pandemic-themed Season 17 was defined in part by high-profile cast returns, including Patrick Dempsey, T.R. Knight, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh and Drew. Williams and Drews return in the finale will cap an 18th season that has featured alums Kate Walsh (in a multi-episode arc) and appearances by Kate Burton as well as Greg Germann, who exited as a series regular shortly after Williams did last season.

After a monthlong break, Greys Anatomy is returning May 5 with the episode Should I Stay or Should I Go. In it, Bailey faces an unhappy Catherine, who is facing audits for several of her Foundation hospitals. Meanwhile, Addison is back at Grey Sloan; tensions rise between Meredith and Richard, and Owen returns to work. Greys Anatomy airs Thursday 9 PM on ABC. New episodes are available on demand and on Hulu the day following their broadcast premiere.

In his Broadway debut, Williams is starring in the hit revival of Take Me Out, getting strong reviews for his portrayal of Darren Lemming. This summer, he can be seen in the Paramount Pictures action comedy Secret Headquarters with Owen Wilson and the Hulu series Your Place or Minewith Reese Witherspoon. Williams produced the 2020 Oscar winning short film Two Distant Strangers and is executive producer of Question Bridge: Black Males, a series of transmedia art installations on display as part of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Cultures permanent collection. He is repped by Priya Satiani at Management 360, CAA, 42West and Andre Des Rochers Granderson.

Drew, who spent nine season on Greys Anatomy, can soon be seen starring in the Apple+ series Amber Brown and also stars in the Lifetime movie Reindeer Games (working title), which she wrote and is producing under her two-picture deal with the network. She can also be seen recurring on Freeforms Cruel Summer. Drew is repped by Innovative Artists, Vault Entertainment and Yorn, Levine.

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A shortage of cadavers at the anatomy lab – KUNM

For many people, the prospect of an anatomy lab full of corpses is disconcerting. But for first-year medical students, it can be exciting

"I remember the first time we walked in, you just get this sense of how big the moment is," said Alyssa Yock, who is studying at UNM medical school and tells me that all the reading in the world is no substitute for the slow, careful work of dissection of a real person.

"You know, you see things in a book, and you expect it to look like that," she said. "But when you get into a lab, you see that people are different, it's not always going to be how it is in the book."

But during the last two years, along with difficulties having students assembling safely in labs, the medical school has received fewer donations of people who had decided to give their bodies when they die.

Amy Rosenbaum, director of UNMs Anatomical Donations Program, explains why.

"Unfortunately, the pandemic shut us down for a while, we had to close," she said. "But the other aspect was that because of the pandemic, we can't take COVID-positive donorsSo that has really limited our pool.

It is a sensitive subject but Rosenbaum wants to remind people that the school is accepting donations and people can sign up to the program.

"It's really hard to advertise this, it's kind of a taboo subject," she said. "But there is a need. And I think that that's what we're trying to get out, is that there is a need for donation here."

The problem exists across the country. An article in the BMC Medical Education journal found that many schools nationwide stopped accepting donations during the pandemic, and about 80% of course directors said the pandemic affected the quality of learning, with many citing the absence of dissection as a problem.

Anatomy lecturer Julie Jordan says during the worst virus surges, the school explored online teaching options but would prefer not to rely on them

"We did use a virtual anatomy program that was cadaver based," she said. "It was pretty good. But it was ultimately really frustrating too, because you could only do so much with moving it around, and really investigating structures and function of the body."

Student Devin Maez learned online in his first year, during the worst of the pandemic, but assisted in the dissection lab in his second year and was grateful for the opportunity.

"There's something innately beautiful about learning hands on, that you don't get in a book," he said.

At the end of the course, the students learn more about their donors. Alyssa Yocky learned she had dissected a woman who had worked as a teacher, and as a nurse during wartime.

"I went in with one of my lab mates and we went and held her hand and it was like, I started to cry," she said. She hadn't expected to feel so emotional but was struck by, "just how much I learned from her and just thanking her for being such a great teacher."

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Anatomy of a Scandal Is the Quintessential British Show. Allow Me to Explain – Vogue

While the general public got shushed by Lorde, Netflix changed its payment plan. It also brought us Anatomy of a Scandal, a hugely successful Sienna Miller/Rupert Friend courtroom drama pivoting on the murky nuances of sexual consent. Though the core of the series deals with a very serious issue, Im still trying to work out why its been so captivating. Why is this particular cluster of one-hour episodes topping the Netflix charts?

Perhaps its Sienna Miller herself? Her hair is a melted halo. (Thats a good thing.) Her skin is flawless in a naturally dewyrather than powdery or filter-yway.And the initial scandal eerily echoes Siennas own post-bohemian It-girl rough patch. (Her former partner was revealed to be having an affair with their nanny.) Siennas lived through the myriad feels that come from public-domain humiliation, and we can feel that as she plays a woman trying to keep her shit together in front of the braying paparazzi.

Perhaps its simply the money that makes the show pop? Im the first to admit that my favorite genre is extremely rich people in extremely rich houses being somewhat dastardly. Rich women with a lot of feelings are crack to me, as they navigate being both liberated and held captive by their money. The things these women sacrifice! The biting of their tongues! The forest-y decals in their kitchens! Extreme wealth is always captivating, if only by way of having live-in staff and more Max Mara coats than you could wear in a lifetime.

Perhaps its all the power? Rupert Friend is compartmentally hotall the pieces are there for heatbut the temperature runs in the minuses. Theres simply nothing less sexy than a Tory MP, especially one whos so particular about which women he treats with respect, and which ones he disdains. His sense of his own familial legacy is frankly revolting; the idea that family cannot fail, even at the expense of truth, perversely prevails. Its hard to look away from his Machiavellian power plays. And needless to say, Friends achingly Tory haircutsomehow too square and too soft, chiseled from a sad putty of inexhaustible entitlementstamps out any last embers of desire.

Or perhaps its the shows overt Britishness I cant get enough of? The stately House of Commons canteen. The stiff upper lip-ness. Anatomy is both a frothy and forensic look at dishonor, silly in is rather out-there anti-reality TV effectsSienna falls through the courtroom like Alice down the rabbit hole; Friend is involved in a rather nasty hit-and-run with an invisible clown car. Theres certainly something slightly excruciating about the rape of a parliamentary intern juxtaposed with camera theatrics. But the show tackles the hard stuff, too; its an autopsy of the lives scandal touches as it ripples from the event. (It also takes us back to scandals of yore, and delivers the most farfetched plot twist in modern TV.)

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An anatomy of thematic investing – ETF Stream

Thematic ETFs have been hugely popular over the past few years but what are the risks?

ETF.com categorises Cathie Woods Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) as the largest thematic ETF in its database. Although ARKK is down approximately 60% over the last 12 months versus +1% for the Nasdaq 100, the ETF still manages almost $10bn assets.

However, ARKK does not really fit the definition of thematic investing which is a bet on certain structural trends rather than individual companies or sectors. A thematic portfolio should consist of one or several themes that are created from as many stocks as possible, ideally equal-weighted, in order to avoid firm-specific risks.

In contrast, ARKKs top 10 holdings constitute 60% of the ETFs portfolio which represents simply a concentrated actively managed portfolio comprised of growth stocks. Given the poor long-term track record of active managers, the odds of ARKK fully recovering and significantly outperforming the Nasdaq are fairly slim.

Although ARK Investment Management manages several ETFs that ensure some business longevity, it will be interesting to see if the firm will soon be forgotten or manages to revive its tarnished reputation. The quick rises and equally quick falls in fame are something where highly active and thematic investors overlap.

In this research note, we will analyse the birth, life and death of a theme.

Cannabis ETFs

We select cannabis stocks as a theme as that was one of the major ones over the last five years. Specifically, we choose ETFs that focus on cannabis stocks and are traded in the US. This is a universe of nine ETFs that cumulatively manage slightly above $2bn assets. One of the hallmarks of thematic investing is that the products are expensive.

The management fees of cannabis ETFs in the US range from 0.42% to 0.92%, compared to 0.09% for the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, the worlds largest ETF (see Chart 1).

The fees can be even higher, for example, when considering short or leveraged ETPs like the Canadian-listed BetaPro Marijuana Companies Inverse ETF (2.0%) or BetaPro Marijuana Coms 2x Daily Bull ETF (2.06%).

The birth of a theme

Humans are suckers for stories and these explain much of human history. The Russian army has been told that Ukraine needs to be denazified and liberated which was an inspiring and motivating story for Russian soldiers until they met a fiercely resisting population that neither consisted of Nazis nor was seeking liberation.

Thematic investing is all about storytelling. Themes can be diverse, e.g. a country moving from a frontier to emerging market status, a resource becoming more scarce, a new technology about to revolutionise our lives and so on. The best themes are as easy to grasp for a retail as for an institutional investor. They are difficult to refute as they are about the future which can only be proven wrong in hindsight.

Back to cannabis stocks. The interest in legally profiting from cannabis has always been high but difficult to execute given the use of cannabis is a crime in most countries. Uruguay was the first country that legalised the recreational use of cannabis in 2013 but that did not matter much for investors. More relevant was when Canada followed in 2018. A number of cannabis companies completed IPOs in record time to raise capital for building their operations. ETFs providing exposure to this emerging space followed shortly.

An equal-weighted index of cannabis ETFs in the US outperformed the S&P 500 in parts of 2018 and 2019, mainly fuelled by the hope that the US would follow Uruguay and Canada.

The recreational use of cannabis had already been legalised in a few US states like Oregon, Washington and Colorado but it is still a federal crime that made it difficult for companies to operate in that space.

Legalising cannabis on federal level would be a game-changer and offer investors the opportunity to participate from potentially highly profitable and fast-growing businesses. A theme was born (see Chart 2).

The birth, life and death of a theme

The two characteristics of thematic investing are having a good story and attractive returns No matter how sexy a theme is, the majority of investors only hop onto the train once it started moving uphill. Naturally, this makes thematic investing so dangerous as it appeals to our love for stories and greed for making money. Stated differently, thematic investing is performance chasing with a narrative.

We can see the risk of buying into a theme when we view the performance of the cannabis stocks over a longer time period. These stocks performed in line with the S&P 500 between 2015 and 2017 and then outperformed strongly during the next two years when various hopes for a broader US legislation for the recreational use of cannabis emerged.

However, investors enthusiasm drove the companies valuations to levels that were not supported by fundamentals and the federal law in the US did not change. Eventually, mean-reversion settled in and the cannabis stocks significantly underperformed the S&P 500 since 2019. An investor that bought into the theme at its peak in 2019 would have lost more than 50%, compared to a gain of more than 100% in the US stock market.

The investor behaviour becomes clear when comparing the performance of a thematic product and its assets under management. We take the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ) as a case study. The ETF was launched in 2015 and has the longest track record of cannabis ETFs in the US (see Chart 3).

The assets under management were below $100m until the cannabis theme emerged in 2017 when assets jumped to over $1bn. However, as the performance deteriorated in 2019 and 2020, assets dropped accordingly.

Naturally, the assets of any investment product decrease as performance turns negative but it highlights that investors do not pursue a theme if the returns are unattractive. They are not true believers and are simply chasing performance (see Chart 4).

Further thoughts

The economy and world continuously evolve and change the way we live. Participating in and profiting from these changes as investors is a perfectly reasonable investment strategy. However, the implementation matters.

Pursuing this via thematic investing subjects our investment decision-making process to our biases that result in poor results. Better is to implement this systematically via trend following an asset class or momentum on stock level. It is far less exciting than chasing the latest story but creates a much better long-term narrative.

Nicolas Rabener is founder and CEO of FactorResearch

This article first appeared in ETF Insider, ETF Stream's monthly ETF magazine for professional investors in Europe. To access the full issue,click here.

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An anatomy of thematic investing - ETF Stream

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