The Observer Daily: Satirists vs Superheroes

The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom View in browser Satirists vs Superheroes The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom Anna Leszkiewicz and Brad Gray • Friday 22 August 2025 Hello, Once upon a time, the winking, self-aware superhero was an original concept in Hollywood. When Iron Man was released in 2008, the legendary critic Roger Ebert delighted in the film's tonal shift. He said there was something "intriguing and unexpected" about Iron Man's "quirky, self-deprecating, wisecracking" protagonist. That feels like a distant memory today: the meta-blockbuster has been a staple at the box office for well over a decade, thanks to Marvel movie after Marvel movie, and countless other imitations. How can you make a great original TV show in an entertainment industry obsessed with superheroes, sequels and reboots? In this essay, the critic Rebecca Liu argues that one route is through satire: shows that address the film business's fixation with franchises head-on. Amazon's The Boys is a merciless, gleeful takedown of the hypocrisy of superhero narratives. HBO's The Franchise follows crew members on an uninspired superhero blockbuster. Apple TV+ series The Studio concerns a hapless movie studio executive navigating a bleak landscape of spin-offs, remakes and movies based on consumer goods. In these shows, the entertainment industry seems like hell. And yet they reveal a genuine longing to produce movies untouched by focus groups, marketing cycles and the soul-destroying, creativity-consuming black hole of the franchise. Click here to read more → "The enemy of nonsense" – George Orwell Also in The Observer The myth and mystery of Indy Kaila For the few weeks a year where there's no football to watch, transfer rumours happily soak up attention and clog up social media feeds. For years, X has been the battleground. Fans follow those who seem to be in the know, hanging on every morsel of information, even if the validity of those murmurings is questionable. Over the past decade, an anonymous account going by the username Indy Kaila has gained a huge following, largely by posting absolute nonsense. As Rory Smith reports: "The account's popularity can, to some extent, be attributed to the fact that it has always occupied the hazy ground between the real and the fake. In some lights it looks like a spoof, at others a satire. It can be read both as a harmless pastiche – a sort of journalism cosplay – and as a deeply cynical hustle." But times are changing. Rory spoke to the person behind Indy Kaila, and learned that following new "investment", the account can now afford to pay journalists to do actual reporting. It's an incredible read that shines a light on how the world of football gets information in 2025. Click here to read more → Branding row won't let umami firm stay 'Honest' by Tomé Morrissy-Swan       When Honest Umami launched last year, it planned to make a splash by commercialising MSG-based seasonings. It probably didn't anticipate a high-stakes trademark battle with casual dining chain Honest Burgers. The case threatens Honest Umami's entire business, but a lawyer with experience in trademark disputes told The Observer it was not clear cut and that both sides had reasonable arguments. Click here to read more → My social circle is now you, me and ChatGPT by Róisín Lanigan       Róisín Lanigan wouldn't have minded an extra guest unexpectedly joining her friend's BBQ, apart from the fact they weren't human. She writes: "ChatGPT had decided in what order to cook each dish, and so everything had come out seamlessly, delicious, still warm. The time-management was so well organised that our host could relax and get pissed with us." But even though the benefits were clear, it did nothing to dissuade Róisín from her "clankerphobia". Click here to read more → Choux buns filled with peaches and cream by Nigel Slater      If the title of this recipe isn't enough to squeeze a little squeal out of you, we don't think you've experienced pastries this good before. "Peering through the door of the oven," Nigel Slater writes in his kitchen diary, "I can watch the progress of my baking – pastry crisping, biscuits turning gold, and, today, buns puffing up into fat, airy, clouds." A perfect activity to fill the long bank holiday weekend.   Click here to read more → Listen Daily Sensemaker Women forced back to Afghanistan Millions of Afghans who fled decades ago are now being returned from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran as part of one of the largest deportations in recent history     Click here to listen → The News Meeting Have the Epping asylum protestors won? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Ceri Thomas, Vanessa Thorpe and Jessica Hayden, as each try to pitch the top story of the day Click here to listen → Thanks for reading. We'll be back on Tuesday.    Anna Leszkiewicz Arts editor The Observer Brad Gray Production editor, newsletters The Observer   My Account To manage your newsletters, track tickets and more, go to the 'My account' page on the Observer website: Manage my newsletters Follow Follow The Observer on social media on your preferred platform:   The Observer     The Observer Food Monthly The Observer Magazine The Observer New Review   Listen Listen for free in the Tortoise app or wherever you get your podcasts: Want to change how you receive these emails? Update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Tortoise Media. All rights reserved. Did this email get caught in your spam filter? Add editor@newsroom.observer.co.uk to your address book to never miss an email again. No longer want to receive this newsletter? 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