|
|
|
|
|
July 18, 2023
TV 2023...so far (Part 3)
By Dan Pal
Now that both the actors and screenwriters are on strike in Hollywood, it may be a long time before we see our favorite older series returning. Until then, here are more shows that may be worth putting on your to-watch list:
Hello Tomorrow! - AppleTV+
This series fell a bit under the radar, which is too bad because it offers a number of interesting ideas. Billy Crudup stars as a salesman in the 1950s who gets people to buy property on the moon. Of course, it’s all a hoax but people believe anyway. After all, as the series suggests, why dispel belief with truth? The setting looks like what we’d expect from the era except this is an alternative version of the U.S. at that time. There are hover craft cars, robots that make deliveries and cocktails, phone calls that people can see (a primitive version of FaceTime), and no evidence of racism. Essentially, it’s The Jetsons but on the ground. All of this serves to suggest that traveling to the moon might be possible in this particular world. Aside from Crudup the cast is great, including Hank Azaria, Allison Pill, Jacki Weaver, and Haneefah Wood. The tone is part satire, part Twilight Zone, and part Pleasantville. If I had any quibbles, it’s that some of the characters go through rough medical situations that they recover from a little too quickly. Yet, this is an alternate version of our reality so we should be able to forgive such magical leaps. Though not announced yet, I’m hoping there will be a second season.
The Bear - Hulu
Now in its second season, The Bear, is one of the most acclaimed and buzzed-about series of the past year. While I appreciated much of season one, this year’s new batch of episodes goes much more in depth with the characters and often takes us outside the world of the restaurant Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is creating. We learn more about who he is internally and witness some of his past struggles. Episode six of the second season is a 60+ minute Christmas dinner from five years in the past which illustrates the volatile nature of Carmy’s family and features a host great guest actors including Jon Bernthal, Sarah Paulson, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, and recent Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis as Carmy’s mom. (She’s sure to be nominated for an Emmy next year when this episode will be eligible for consideration.) The much talked about episode is relentless in its pacing and shift between characters, close-ups, and conflicts. The dramatic moments are extremely explosive too. (The fork scene is particularly intense!) I also really like that we’re seeing more of Chicago in this second season. The series and the characters get more chances to breathe as we see them outside the confines of the restaurant. There’s also an interesting new arc as everyone prepares for the opening of their new, fine dining restaurant. Some may think this show isn’t a comedy, and that might be true during the aforementioned Christmas episode, but I think there is much more subtle humor throughout this season tipping it ever so slightly into the comedy genre (if we really need to categorize it somewhere.) This is one of the most significant and innovative shows out there today. The writing, acting, and directing are all top-notch.
Party Down – Starz
It’s a real treat to have this show back. The first two seasons of Party Down were a lot of fun and centered around a group of unemployed Hollywood actors who get by as caterers. Now, 13 years after the show’s initial run the gang is back. Well, most of them anyway. Lizzy Caplan and Jennifer Coolidge have been involved in other big projects but still present, and offering great laughs, are Adam Scott, Ryan Hansen, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Martin Starr, and Megan Mullally. I think the series is better than ever as it follows where this group finds itself after so much time. Henry (Scott) is dealing with a failed marriage and working as a high school teacher. Kyle (Hansen) is on the verge of major success with a potential role in a big Hollywood movie. Roman (Starr) is still working on his magnum opus and Ron (Marino) now co-owns the catering company with Constance (Lynch.) What’s great about this cast is that they’ve all grown to have very successful careers. As a result, they’re even more skilled at their comic abilities and timing than ever. There’s plenty of physical humor in addition to some very witty dialogue. Each of the actors gets at a chance to shine. The characters are now older, and in some cases, more jaded but maturing is some interesting ways. There are also some great new cast members, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoe Chao, and Jennifer Garner add their own uniqueness to this blender full of comic actors. I really enjoyed this season and I hope Starz brings it back for more. (Ok, does anyone really watch Starz??) The first two seasons are available on Hulu.
Stath Lets Flats – HBO/Max
If you are a fan of British comedies such as Fleabag, This Country, Ghosts, or Derry Girls you might really enjoy this one. I, for one, think it is one of the funniest series on television. There have been three seasons (or series, as they are referred to in the U.K.) and each one is as hilarious as the next. It stars Jamie Demetriou as Stath who is a bumbling, not overly bright, apartment lender (hence the “lets flats” of the title.) The actor’s physical humor and wit rivals many of the greats that came before him. He’s that funny! (and has won a BAFTA for his comedic performance in this series.) He’s surrounded by an equally comic bunch of actors, including his own sister Natasia Demetrious (who some might know from What We Do in the Shadows.) The series features a number of pretty wacky scenarios while richly developing all of the major characters. Watch all three seasons (series) if you like British humor.
The Other Two - HBO/Max
Truly one of the funniest shows on television, The Other Two, recently announced it was ending after three seasons due to some inappropriate working conditions seemingly brought on by its showrunners. The series began with Hollywood career go-getter siblings Brooke (Helene Yorke) and Cary (Drew Tarver) finding themselves in a humbling position when their younger brother Chase (Case Walker) becomes a major pop idol, ala Justin Bieber. They are “the other two.” Their mom is played by the great Molly Shannon. Add major comedic actors such as Ken Marino, Wanda Sykes, and Josh Segarra and you have a series that gets crazier and more satisfying as the seasons go on. This, unfortunately last, season was the funniest and most absurd with Brooke moving in and out of her job as a promoter and Drew dating a Method actor who lives his parts to an annoying degree. There are so many plot events and twists this season that it makes sense it was nominated for a well-deserved Emmy for writing. Highly recommended for a good time!
Jury Duty - Amazon Prime/Freevee
It may or may not be a surprise to some that this show just received an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy series. It was a huge hit on Amazon’a Freevee earlier this Spring and I can understand why. It’s a very funny show featuring people who become members of a jury. Unbeknownst to one of them, they’re actually all actors, including James Marsden playing a hyper version of himself. They’re each very good and some of the scenes are exceedingly comedic. Watching it, I felt a sense that what they were doing was either completely scripted, including the supposed “real” juror, or he was being duped in a hurtful and unethical way. I overcame all of this by the final episode which rips open the truth and takes us behind the scenes. The tone of the series is a bit like The Office as the characters created are very well well-developed and they have great chemistry. It’s a shame that we can’t see them all together again in this format (now that the secret is out.) However, it’s a pretty enjoyable 8-episode run and Marsden is excellent in his now-Emmy nominated characterization of himself.
I’m a Virgo – Amazon Prime
Here’s a strange and overblown but somewhat enjoyable series from the director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You.) It concerns a 13-foot young man, played by Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Moonlight) who gets involved with a crowd of activists and comic book figures after finally leaving his protected home. Initial elements suggest the series would veer into the territories of Being There, The Elephant Man, or Pleasantville but there are so many plot lines and character details that it can become a bit hard to follow fairly quickly as it ventures into its own unique world. The tone is all over the place from comedy to some heavy drama but the special effects are generally quite good and the imaginative worlds created at times show a lot of originality. I preferred some of the quieter moments with the characters than the big spectacles and action pieces in the series, but then, that is just might me. (I also wasn’t wild about Everything Everywhere All at Once.) Still, the series shows promise and is unlike anything else on television. Check it out, although you might decide it’s not for you after an episode or two.
Lucky Hank – AMC+
Created in part by The Office’s Toby (Paul Lieberstein), Lucky Hank is actually loosely based on the Richard Russo novel, Straight Man. Bob Odenkirk plays English department chairman and professor Hank Devereaux who’s career and personal life has seen better days. He has issues with his students, colleagues, and family. There’s not a lot here we haven’t seen before but it is always great to see Bob Odenkirk at work. This is definitely a different character than Saul Goodman so I can understand why he chose it after so many years playing that infamous lawyer. The rest of the cast is also good, including The Office’s Oscar Nunez, and Silicon Valley’s Suzanne Cryer. The tone features another mix of comedy and drama. The episodes vary in their quality though and I think that lack of consistency has kept some people from embracing it. However, if you can appreciate academic types who are pretty down to earth for the most part, you might like this one.
Tiny Beautiful Things – Hulu
Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed, this limited series stars Kathryn Hahn as Clare Pierce, a 49-year old woman who is struggling with her marriage, daughter, and the loss of her mother many years earlier. Basically, it’s a very good character study which has some funny moments and witty dialogue and then some dark, extremely sad, and explosive turns. It’s essentially life at a couple of major crossroads. While I ultimately enjoyed the series, the editing pits the chronology of events against each other in a manner that can feel a bit confusing to follow. For instance, a younger version of Clare is often intercut with present day Clare often attempting to link up past struggles with what the character is currently experiencing. There are whole scenes which take place in the past, including a younger Clare and her mother Frankie, played by the great Merritt Wever, attending college together and then dealing with Frankie’s terminal illness. These extended scenes are great but when the past events (we also see Clare at an even younger age) are edited with the present in quick succession, the result is a bit mind boggling. Chronology is constantly shifting. Still, the performances are great (Both Hahn and Wever have been Emmy nominated) and the changes in tone are not that far removed from what we see on many television dramedies today.
TV 2023...so far (Part 3)
By Dan Pal
Now that both the actors and screenwriters are on strike in Hollywood, it may be a long time before we see our favorite older series returning. Until then, here are more shows that may be worth putting on your to-watch list:
Hello Tomorrow! - AppleTV+
This series fell a bit under the radar, which is too bad because it offers a number of interesting ideas. Billy Crudup stars as a salesman in the 1950s who gets people to buy property on the moon. Of course, it’s all a hoax but people believe anyway. After all, as the series suggests, why dispel belief with truth? The setting looks like what we’d expect from the era except this is an alternative version of the U.S. at that time. There are hover craft cars, robots that make deliveries and cocktails, phone calls that people can see (a primitive version of FaceTime), and no evidence of racism. Essentially, it’s The Jetsons but on the ground. All of this serves to suggest that traveling to the moon might be possible in this particular world. Aside from Crudup the cast is great, including Hank Azaria, Allison Pill, Jacki Weaver, and Haneefah Wood. The tone is part satire, part Twilight Zone, and part Pleasantville. If I had any quibbles, it’s that some of the characters go through rough medical situations that they recover from a little too quickly. Yet, this is an alternate version of our reality so we should be able to forgive such magical leaps. Though not announced yet, I’m hoping there will be a second season.
The Bear - Hulu
Now in its second season, The Bear, is one of the most acclaimed and buzzed-about series of the past year. While I appreciated much of season one, this year’s new batch of episodes goes much more in depth with the characters and often takes us outside the world of the restaurant Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is creating. We learn more about who he is internally and witness some of his past struggles. Episode six of the second season is a 60+ minute Christmas dinner from five years in the past which illustrates the volatile nature of Carmy’s family and features a host great guest actors including Jon Bernthal, Sarah Paulson, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, and recent Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis as Carmy’s mom. (She’s sure to be nominated for an Emmy next year when this episode will be eligible for consideration.) The much talked about episode is relentless in its pacing and shift between characters, close-ups, and conflicts. The dramatic moments are extremely explosive too. (The fork scene is particularly intense!) I also really like that we’re seeing more of Chicago in this second season. The series and the characters get more chances to breathe as we see them outside the confines of the restaurant. There’s also an interesting new arc as everyone prepares for the opening of their new, fine dining restaurant. Some may think this show isn’t a comedy, and that might be true during the aforementioned Christmas episode, but I think there is much more subtle humor throughout this season tipping it ever so slightly into the comedy genre (if we really need to categorize it somewhere.) This is one of the most significant and innovative shows out there today. The writing, acting, and directing are all top-notch.
Party Down – Starz
It’s a real treat to have this show back. The first two seasons of Party Down were a lot of fun and centered around a group of unemployed Hollywood actors who get by as caterers. Now, 13 years after the show’s initial run the gang is back. Well, most of them anyway. Lizzy Caplan and Jennifer Coolidge have been involved in other big projects but still present, and offering great laughs, are Adam Scott, Ryan Hansen, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Martin Starr, and Megan Mullally. I think the series is better than ever as it follows where this group finds itself after so much time. Henry (Scott) is dealing with a failed marriage and working as a high school teacher. Kyle (Hansen) is on the verge of major success with a potential role in a big Hollywood movie. Roman (Starr) is still working on his magnum opus and Ron (Marino) now co-owns the catering company with Constance (Lynch.) What’s great about this cast is that they’ve all grown to have very successful careers. As a result, they’re even more skilled at their comic abilities and timing than ever. There’s plenty of physical humor in addition to some very witty dialogue. Each of the actors gets at a chance to shine. The characters are now older, and in some cases, more jaded but maturing is some interesting ways. There are also some great new cast members, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoe Chao, and Jennifer Garner add their own uniqueness to this blender full of comic actors. I really enjoyed this season and I hope Starz brings it back for more. (Ok, does anyone really watch Starz??) The first two seasons are available on Hulu.
Stath Lets Flats – HBO/Max
If you are a fan of British comedies such as Fleabag, This Country, Ghosts, or Derry Girls you might really enjoy this one. I, for one, think it is one of the funniest series on television. There have been three seasons (or series, as they are referred to in the U.K.) and each one is as hilarious as the next. It stars Jamie Demetriou as Stath who is a bumbling, not overly bright, apartment lender (hence the “lets flats” of the title.) The actor’s physical humor and wit rivals many of the greats that came before him. He’s that funny! (and has won a BAFTA for his comedic performance in this series.) He’s surrounded by an equally comic bunch of actors, including his own sister Natasia Demetrious (who some might know from What We Do in the Shadows.) The series features a number of pretty wacky scenarios while richly developing all of the major characters. Watch all three seasons (series) if you like British humor.
The Other Two - HBO/Max
Truly one of the funniest shows on television, The Other Two, recently announced it was ending after three seasons due to some inappropriate working conditions seemingly brought on by its showrunners. The series began with Hollywood career go-getter siblings Brooke (Helene Yorke) and Cary (Drew Tarver) finding themselves in a humbling position when their younger brother Chase (Case Walker) becomes a major pop idol, ala Justin Bieber. They are “the other two.” Their mom is played by the great Molly Shannon. Add major comedic actors such as Ken Marino, Wanda Sykes, and Josh Segarra and you have a series that gets crazier and more satisfying as the seasons go on. This, unfortunately last, season was the funniest and most absurd with Brooke moving in and out of her job as a promoter and Drew dating a Method actor who lives his parts to an annoying degree. There are so many plot events and twists this season that it makes sense it was nominated for a well-deserved Emmy for writing. Highly recommended for a good time!
Jury Duty - Amazon Prime/Freevee
It may or may not be a surprise to some that this show just received an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy series. It was a huge hit on Amazon’a Freevee earlier this Spring and I can understand why. It’s a very funny show featuring people who become members of a jury. Unbeknownst to one of them, they’re actually all actors, including James Marsden playing a hyper version of himself. They’re each very good and some of the scenes are exceedingly comedic. Watching it, I felt a sense that what they were doing was either completely scripted, including the supposed “real” juror, or he was being duped in a hurtful and unethical way. I overcame all of this by the final episode which rips open the truth and takes us behind the scenes. The tone of the series is a bit like The Office as the characters created are very well well-developed and they have great chemistry. It’s a shame that we can’t see them all together again in this format (now that the secret is out.) However, it’s a pretty enjoyable 8-episode run and Marsden is excellent in his now-Emmy nominated characterization of himself.
I’m a Virgo – Amazon Prime
Here’s a strange and overblown but somewhat enjoyable series from the director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You.) It concerns a 13-foot young man, played by Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Moonlight) who gets involved with a crowd of activists and comic book figures after finally leaving his protected home. Initial elements suggest the series would veer into the territories of Being There, The Elephant Man, or Pleasantville but there are so many plot lines and character details that it can become a bit hard to follow fairly quickly as it ventures into its own unique world. The tone is all over the place from comedy to some heavy drama but the special effects are generally quite good and the imaginative worlds created at times show a lot of originality. I preferred some of the quieter moments with the characters than the big spectacles and action pieces in the series, but then, that is just might me. (I also wasn’t wild about Everything Everywhere All at Once.) Still, the series shows promise and is unlike anything else on television. Check it out, although you might decide it’s not for you after an episode or two.
Lucky Hank – AMC+
Created in part by The Office’s Toby (Paul Lieberstein), Lucky Hank is actually loosely based on the Richard Russo novel, Straight Man. Bob Odenkirk plays English department chairman and professor Hank Devereaux who’s career and personal life has seen better days. He has issues with his students, colleagues, and family. There’s not a lot here we haven’t seen before but it is always great to see Bob Odenkirk at work. This is definitely a different character than Saul Goodman so I can understand why he chose it after so many years playing that infamous lawyer. The rest of the cast is also good, including The Office’s Oscar Nunez, and Silicon Valley’s Suzanne Cryer. The tone features another mix of comedy and drama. The episodes vary in their quality though and I think that lack of consistency has kept some people from embracing it. However, if you can appreciate academic types who are pretty down to earth for the most part, you might like this one.
Tiny Beautiful Things – Hulu
Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed, this limited series stars Kathryn Hahn as Clare Pierce, a 49-year old woman who is struggling with her marriage, daughter, and the loss of her mother many years earlier. Basically, it’s a very good character study which has some funny moments and witty dialogue and then some dark, extremely sad, and explosive turns. It’s essentially life at a couple of major crossroads. While I ultimately enjoyed the series, the editing pits the chronology of events against each other in a manner that can feel a bit confusing to follow. For instance, a younger version of Clare is often intercut with present day Clare often attempting to link up past struggles with what the character is currently experiencing. There are whole scenes which take place in the past, including a younger Clare and her mother Frankie, played by the great Merritt Wever, attending college together and then dealing with Frankie’s terminal illness. These extended scenes are great but when the past events (we also see Clare at an even younger age) are edited with the present in quick succession, the result is a bit mind boggling. Chronology is constantly shifting. Still, the performances are great (Both Hahn and Wever have been Emmy nominated) and the changes in tone are not that far removed from what we see on many television dramedies today.