I've watched quite a lot of TV over the summer, episode by episode in between the movies. I look for more escapist fare, although sometimes something serious can work perfectly. I certainly avoid police or medical procedural dramas. And finding a good comedy has been tricky lately...T H I S I S T H E E N D
Sex Education: series 4
Firing on all cylinders, this show powers into its final season by knowingly shifting the action to a touchy-feely politically correct school where our heroes' shenanigans aren't nearly as revolutionary. Even if plotlines sometimes hiccup, each of the central characters takes their own pointed journey through this new reality, and they bring complexity and engaging nuance to their interaction. Asa Butterfield, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells and Amy Lou Wood have deservedly boosted their stardom over these four seasons. And Gillian Anderson channels Margaret Thatcher from The Crown into her sexologist. There are also several sparky new characters who hint that this show shouldn't stop here. (Netflix)
Physical: series 3
Things continue to ramp up for Sheila (Rose Byrne) as she becomes a minor TV celebrity with her weekly workout segments, expanding her empire. Yet despite doing some work on herself, she has a new inner demon to contend with in the form of arch-rival Zooey Deschanel, whose actual character is miles away from Sheila's imagined version of her. This kind of writing seems a bit uneven, reusing old ideas rather than finding a fresh new direction, and her big revelation and ultimate grounding isn't particularly convincing. But Byrne is terrific in the central role, a complex character whose messiness makes her sympathetic. Her journey is still compelling to watch, even if we care less and less about the people who are in her orbit. (Apple)
A L L N E WJuice
Written by and starring bright young spark Mawaan Rizwan, this riotous comedy is made to a very high production standard, with often outrageously colourful sets and costumes and cleverly inventive transitions between scenes. It follows the antics of Jamma (Rizwan), who is described by his boyfriend (Russell Tovey) as a tornado of energy. Indeed, the show is sometimes so chaotic that it's a little exhausting, but it's infused with a huge amount of heart thanks to the endearing performances and writing that digs beneath the hyperactive surface. Terrific costars include Jeff Mirza (as Jamma's surly dad) and Rizwan's mother Shahnaz and brother Nabhaan as gloriously heightened versions of themselves. (BBC)
AhsokaWhen this series recaptures that sense of kinetic energy and snappy camaraderie that made the Star Wars universe hum to begin with, it's remarkably involving. But like other recent series, there's a tendency to turn ponderous and very dark (both thematically and visually) for no real reason other than to heighten the drama about the Jedi and Sith fighting over control of the galaxy. And there's now a second galaxy to worry about. Alongside Rosario Dawson, the solid cast brings scenes to life, especially the late Ray Stevenson and the voice of David Tenant. The show is very well-made, with lovely offhanded moments scattered all the way through, but the mythology is so dense and intrusive that it's difficult to care. (Disney)
Single, Out
From Australia, this comedy-drama traces the coming-of-age of young artist Adam (Hutchins), who has his first sexual experience with cute rugby-playing Josh (Mountain), best friend of his brother Clayton (Christou). So Adam decides to come out, then has to navigate this new reality. This includes going to bars, dating and working out who he is and what he wants. There are the usual sitcom elements, such as Adam's witty interaction with his boss and colleagues, and the show definitely has sex on its mind, but shoots anything sexy with a awkward prudishness (it's not about what's shown, but how). That said, the side roles are enjoyably sparky and the humour is wonderfully dry, and there are sharply pointed issues woven through each 20-minute episode. (Cinephobia)
B A C K F O R M O R E
Only Murders in the Building: series 3
Things ramp up once again, as our trio of sleuths (Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez) investigate the messy murder of an actor (Paul Rudd) by someone in the company of his Broadway show, which includes a hilariously gung-ho Meryl Streep. The stakes feel higher this time around, perhaps because the murder happened (twice!) right within their midst, and all of the suspects are good friends and colleagues. This gives a charge of energy to the show, which is further heightened by fabulous guest stars like Andrea Martin and Matthew Broderick. Where the plot goes is enjoyably twisty, packed with witty in-jokes about both the mystery genre and theatre culture. And some great songs too. (Hulu)
Star Trek - Strange New Worlds: series 2
Maybe it's just me, but despite the solid cast and high production values, and writers willing to take on big topics, this show is struggling to hold my interest. This season seems designed to merely hit the usual action beats while making references to the original series, rather than allowing thoughtful drama to drive the episodes forward. And the ever-expanding cast means that no one gets enough screen time to become fully engaging. Even in their relatively short scenes, Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, et al are riveting. The Lower Decks crossover episode is fabulous, striking the witty tone the whole series needs. And the musical episode was certainly ambitious. (Paramount)
And Just Like That: series 2
More focussed than the first season, this sequel show carries on both reinventing its characters and refusing to allow them to grow in any meaningful way. It's an odd concoction in which Sarah Jessica Parker tries to play Carrie as if she's still 35, rather than almost 60, which might add a more meaningful kick to everything. Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis don't get a lot to do here, and most of the side roles remain oddly thankless. Cameos from the original series continue to pop up from episode to episode, adding enjoyable colours. So it's always watchable, even if it never quite feels like anything interesting is happening. And like the original series, it never feels remotely believable. (Sky)
Lupin: part 3
Even more tightly written and directed than the first season, this heist thriller series gleefully plays with the narrative, flickering around in time to conceal plot secrets and then reveal them at just the right time to keep the audience on board. Although the villain's motive remains obscure for far too long. The central plotline about Assanne being blackmailed into stealing things is a little tedious, but it plays out with pizzazz. This is hugely entertaining to watch, with a steady stream of satisfying payoffs. Omar Sy is terrific as the charming super-thief at the centre, with his bright smile and lanky swagger. And the supporting cast have had their roles deepened and textured to add even more interest. (Netflix)
Minx: series 2
Leaning more intently into female power dynamics with the arrival of moneybags boss Elizabeth Perkins, this show continues the now-rising fortunes of a magazine editor (Ophelia Lovibond) who finds success with her publication centred around naked men. As before, the show is a mix of business struggles, personal challenges and flashy shenanigans. And most of the trouble is caused by scruffy publishing genius Doug (Jake Johnson), while more interesting characters played by Oscar Montoya, Jessica Lowe and Idara Victor take pointed side journeys of their own. Snappy pop culture references and an overall sense of narrative momentum keep us watching, even if characters and plotlines are somewhat underwhelming. (Starz)
The Afterparty: series 2
And we're back with another murder that takes place during an afterparty, this time a wedding. Tiffany Haddish returns to the scene as the no-nonsense detective, and each partygoer's account of the fateful event is rendered in another genre style, including romcom, period drama, noir mystery and a Wes Anderson film. It's also just as messy and pointless as it was the first time around, with the frantic pace and scattershot approach making it difficult to care much about whodunit. That said, it's skilfully well-made, and the cast is always watchable, including returnees Sam Richardson and Zoe Chao, plus Elizabeth Perkins, Jon Cho, Jack Whitehall and Paul Walter Hauser. (Apple)
Good Omens: series 2
Even more bonkers than the first season, this show is infused with a hilariously quirky sense of humour as our best pal outcasts, angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant), find themselves in the middle of a supernatural battle when the amnesiac archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) turns up. Wacky antics ensue, augmented by an amusing collection of nutty flashbacks scattered throughout eternity. Plus the tremendous chemistry Sheen and Tenant have developed here and elsewhere (see Staged). So even if it all feels faintly pointless, it's a lot of fun to watch inept angels and demons trying to force order into the universe, while Sheen and Tenant remain outside the fray. (BBC)
The Wheel of Time: series 2
Making most of the worst mistakes of fantasy TV series (and movies), the dialog in this show has far too much mythology in it, including endless people, place and thing names that are impossible to understand or remember if you haven't read the books. But the production quality is much stronger this season, including more eye-catching special effects, even if many action sequences take place murkily in the night. It remains watchable because the ensemble cast members deliver nicely offhanded performances, let by the reliable Rosamund Pike. So when the show concentrates on their interrelationships, we can get involved in the story and ignore the gibberish. (Prime)
What We Do in the Shadows: series 5
Twisting the story further, these endearingly ridiculous characters enter a new dynamic when Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) breaks the rules to realise his dream of becoming a vampire. This adds an intriguing new mix of tension and emotion to the usual silliness. The storylines are expertly crafted to build amusingly on threads from previous seasons as Guillermo's secret spirals increasingly out of control, although where it ends up feels like a cop-out. Still, these characters seem to have no end of hilarity built into them, as they continually misunderstand even the most basic things while assuming their centuries of existence make them the smartest people in the room. (FX)
P L A Y I N G C A T C H - U PStarstruck: series 1-3
Rose Matafeo created and stars in this comedy as Jessie, a seriously disastrous 30-ish woman trying to make sense of her aimless life in London when she falls in love with famous movie star Tom (Nikesh Patel). Their on-off relationship is the spine of this series, and they spend most of the episodes at an awkward distance, grappling with lingering feelings that make it difficult to move on. Jessie is such a relentless self-saboteur that she's not easy to like, but then she only has one proper friend (the fabulous Emma Sidi). She continually stirs up drama and wrecks her connections with friends, then blames them for it, which is exaggerated and not remotely funny. But the dialog crackles with wit and honest emotion. (BBC)
Young Royals:
series 1-2
Essentially a more grounded Swedish variation on the sexy Spanish teen soap Elite, this show is also set at a posh private school. Here, 16-year-old Crown Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) causes all kinds of drama simply by being present. These spotty teens are realistically messy in their romantic entanglements, and there's meaningful commentary about race, class, politics and economics along the way. But of course the most engaging thing here is the romance between Wilhelm and townie Simon (Omar Rudberg), a cutie with the voice of an angel. And Malte Gardinger is particularly good as conflicted villainous senior August. The question is whether they can keep this going as the actors begin to look 30. (Netflix)
Glow: series 1-3
I'm not sure why I missed this show, but the presence of Betty Gilpin and Alison Brie made me want to take a look, plus a starry lineup of directors. Strong characters kept me watching over the 30 episodes, even with some rather annoying plot lines (such as the unlikely romance between Brie and her boss Marc Maron). And there's a sense that after the sparky opening set-up season, the writers attempted to drastically slow things down, moving from the creation of a ladies wrestling TV show to a Vegas extravaganza that isn't nearly as interesting. There actually could have been more wrestling on-screen, as it's hilariously choreographed and staged. Getting back to basics might have saved this show. (Netflix)
I G I V E U POne Piece
While this has been a big hit, it's difficult to know who it's made for. The humour seems aimed at an audience around the same age as the teen protagonists. But it's also relentlessly dark and violent. This might have worked with half-hour episodes, but at an hour this is simply too much, especially since everything is so hammy. I only made it through two episodes. (Netflix)
The Full Monty
Catching up with the characters from the 1997 movie 25 years later, this show isn't easy to get into. It feels like the first season of a Sheffield-set soap opera about people struggling to survive due to societal issues and bad decisions. The cast is good, but their connections feel contrived, which gives the show no sense of direction. I stuck it out for four episodes. (Hulu)
-----------------------------------
GUILTY PLEASURES: Drag Race (UK/Down Under), The Great British Bake Off, Strictly Come Dancing, Selling the OC.
NOW WATCHING: The Continental, Still Up, Gen V, Our Flag Means Death (2), The Morning Show (3), Black Mirror (6).
COMING SOON: Frasier, Lessons in Chemistry, All the Light We Cannot See, Loki (2), Invincible (2), Upload (3), Elite (7).
Previous roundup AUGUST 2023 >
