Screen: December TV Roundup

This roundup is a few months late, as my autumn was sidetracked in all kinds of directions. I have still managed to watch the odd episode of a series here and there, so I've been slowly getting through things, especially in the run-up to the voting deadline for the Golden Globes TV categories (but it's impossible to see everything). As always, television is my therapy, a chance to relax from the more intense work of watching and reviewing films. Still, it's been great to see cinematic ideas and approaches in series this autumn, most notably in the first one here. Starting with new shows...

Disclaimer
Who would have thought that a pitch-black battle of wits between Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline was what we always wanted on TV? Turns out that was gifted Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, who put together this ripping dramatic thriller about grappling with past decisions and present-day accusations. Offbeat and unexpected, it continually flips the tables on its characters, with powerhouse performances from Blanchett and Kline, plus Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Manville and Kodi Smit-McPhee. With unusual nuance, the actors bring out dark themes in ways that are powerfully provocative. (Apple)

A Man on the Inside
Ted Danson reteams with The Good Place creator Michael Schur for this ingeniously designed comedy mystery based on the terrific 2020 Chilean documentary The Mole Agent. Danson is on top form as a man who goes undercover in a San Francisco retirement home to investigate a robbery. Residents are wonderfully played by veterans like Sally Struthers, Margaret Avery, Veronica Cartwright, Susan Ruttan, Stephen McKinley Henderson and John Getz. Cleverly, the show remains consistently funny and astute, while refusing to shy away from some surprisingly moving moments. (Netflix)

The Perfect Couple
A sudsy mystery set around a fabulously wealthy family in Nantucket, this show delights the audience with a series of snaky relationships between relatives. Essentially White Lotus Lite, the writing is never quite as surprising or tricky as it thinks it is, as everything is fairly obvious from the start. But the jagged editing makes sure that there are some great surprises along the way, and terrific scenes for the ensemble of terrific actors led by Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber as parents who aren't as oblivious as they seem to be. And the story's messier edges are rather good fun. (Netflix)

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
In this third season of Ryan Murphy's anthology series, the notorious Menendez case provides plenty of juicy tabloid-style nastiness to hold the attention. And the central performances from Nicholas Alexander Chavez and especially Cooper Koch as the troubled siblings make it riveting. Stir in edgy turns from Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny as their (probably) abusive parents, Ari Graynor as their tenacious lawyer and Nathan Lane as too-involved novelist Dominic Dunne. It's a clever look at the questions between the lines, leaving us with a lot to talk about. (Netflix)

Agatha All Along
Kathryn Hahn gets her own Marvel spin-off with this sequel to WandaVision, as the witch Agatha meets a teen (Joe Locke in a nice break from Heartstopper) who holds a very dark secret. As they set off down the Witch's Road with a group of rivals including Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone, the plotting becomes a bit knotted and dense, but there's a light sense of humour that keeps the show fizzing along entertainingly. Indeed, the mischievous performances make sure that all of the witchy nonsense isn't as impenetrable as it feels. (Disney)

Kaos
Sunny and sparky, this energetic series puts Greek gods in the modern world, threatening the balance between their encampment on Mount Olympus, the humans on Earth and the residents of the Underworld. First a warning: this is one of those series that sets up something huge, then only delivers it in the final seconds of the final episode, leaving it all hanging on a potential second season, which sadly isn't happening. That said, it's a lot of fun to watch this talented cast play with the material, including Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer, Cliff Curtis, David Thewlis and especially Nabhaan Rizwan. (Netflix)

Time Bandits
Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement adapted Terry Gilliam's sublime classic film into this scrappy series, considerably altering the premise to make everything much murkier. Strangely, the characters feel under-written and not particularly funny, especially the roles Waititi and Clement gave themselves (the Supreme Being and Pure Evil). Most surprising is how unsophisticated this feels, like a cheaply made children's TV show. Lisa Kudrow is enjoyable as the leader of a group marauding through time, and others have their moments. But it never quite grabs hold, and won't be back for another season. (Apple)

W E L C O M E   B A C K

Only Murders in the Building: series 4
Hilariously continuing to play with its premise, this series gets more intricate with each season. And this time our trio of podcasters (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) has been pulled into the sphere of a blithely shifty Hollywood producer (Molly Shannon) who wants to make a movie about them starring Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria. Cue their hilarious pastiche performances from them and a crowded cast of big-name stars. Through it all, a murder propels them into another messy whodunit that twists and turns with each nutty episode. (Hulu)

Heartstopper: series 3
Things get a bit more intense in this season, as one of the main story threads centres on how Nick (Kit Connor) struggles to help Charlie (Joe Locke) get help to deal with his eating disorder. The issue is never simplified, so it gets genuinely dark along the way, and this adds a shadow over most of the other plotlines as well. So while this more serious edge kind of undermines the show's usual sweetness, it also allows it to grow up a bit and tackle something important and relatable. And the production and performances are terrific as always, with a superb role for Hayley Atwell. (Netflix)

Frasier: series 2
For its second season, this legacy series continues to complicate its inter-relationships, bringing back some favourite characters (most notably Peri Gilpin) while adding some depth to the new ones who have been introduced this time around. At the centre, Kelsey Grammer shines as the oblivious egomaniac shrink with a heart of gold. While Niles' absence is still sorely felt, as is any reference to Frasier's earlier life in Boston, the writing is sharp enough to keep us laughing. And the connections between these people are warm and involving, and funny too. (Paramount)

A N D   S O   I T   E N D S

Somebody Somewhere: series 3
Frankly, this is heaven in a television series, upending all of the usual sitcom cliches to depict the relationships between a group of almost staggeringly real people. At the centre is Bridget Everett's Sam, who still hasn't quite found her place amid her feisty sister (Mary Catherine Garrison) and goofy best friend (Jeff Hiller). So she can't see why a hulking new neighbour (Olafur Darri Olafsson) could like her as much as she likes him. Like a balm for the soul, this show makes you laugh, sigh and cry ugly tears of joy. And it reminds us how important it is to find our people. (Max)

The Umbrella Academy: series 4
For their final season, this makeshift bunch of siblings is trying to get back to their original timeline. Yes, multiverse nonsense abounds, as does yet another reality-ending plot. As tiring as that is, there's enough interest in the characters to keep us watching. They are also well-played by an ensemble that has grown very tight over the run of this series, and over these six rather annoyingly fragmented episodes they get to wrap up their various stories. It also helps to have Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman on hand as the antagonists. (Netflix)

Unstable: series 2
Rob Lowe is back as the nutty tech boss who is still navigating his relationship with his adult son (played by Rob's son John Owen Lowe). The whole show feels a bit too carefully constructed as a wacky workplace sitcom, but there are funny moments along the way, thanks to a cast that isn't afraid to look ridiculous. Both owes are terrific, and their good-natured banter is thoroughly entertaining, especially when augmented by the up-for-it supporting cast. Perhaps with a little more forward momentum, this show might have caught on with viewers and then returned for more. (Netflix)

Elite: series 8
For the last season of this Spanish show set in a prestigious private school, the writers have gone even darker than usual, as almost everyone is now indulging in some sort of criminality, often involving violence that's unusually grim. That said, the storylines are as sexy as always, even if the direction has a new coyness to it that throws the camp soapiness and lurid lustiness out of balance. This means that the actors have to scramble to keep their characters grounded in any sense of reality. But it just about works, and we'll miss this nutty, lusty, grisly mess when it's gone. (Netflix)

Snowpiercer:
series 4
Returning for its final season after a long break, this high-concept futuristic thriller immediately throws logic out the window. A fractured structure never quite makes sense, while characters have jolting personality shifts, most notably Daveed Diggs' leader Layton, who thoughtlessly jeopardises everyone with a personal quest. But then, none of the plot threads serves the characters very well, and the splintered approach keeps anything from gaining momentum, as it were. It's all so choppy, and such a bit let-down after the intelligent first three seasons, that I didn't make it to the end. (AMC)

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Great British Bake-Off, Strictly Come Dancing, Queer Eye, Drag Race (UK, Global All-Stars, Canada vs the World), The Circle, Selling Sunset.

NOW WATCHING (OR INTENDING TO): Squid Game 2, What We Do in the Shadows 6, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, Dexter: Original Sin, Black Doves, The Madness, The Day of the Jackal, Landman, The Sticky, Laid.

COMING SOON: The White Lotus 3, Severance 2, Zero Day, Prime Target, The Traitors 3.

Previous roundup: AUGUST 2024 > 

Screen: August TV Roundup

Long gone are the days when TV series premiered their new seasons in the autumn. Many high-profile shows have new episodes this summer, which gives me something enjoyable to watch in between the movies and stage shows. Some of the best programmes of the year are now sent out in the summertime, right during the TV awards show season. The question is what next year's shows will look like, as the delays from the writers and actors strike begin to shift release schedules. Well, it's started already, as the Emmys have postponed their awards ceremony from September to January. In the meantime, there's plenty to watch...

T H E   S A G A   C O N T I N U E S

The Bear: series 2 
There's a different energy this season, as the characters rally around a sense of purpose, looking to the future rather than simply trying to stay afloat. But the hope is tinged with a real sense of fear that makes each of the characters powerfully sympathetic. This allows the still-naturalistic performances to feel more relaxed and introspective, with stellar work once again from Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bacharach. Generously, each member of the ensemble (plus astonishing guest stars) is given the chance to shine brightly in a nuanced, specific journey as part of the larger effort to reinvent and relaunch the restaurant in an insanely short period of time. Where this goes is funny, thrilling and unusually bittersweet, as the gifted cast and crew refuse to dodge the difficult stuff. (Hulu)

Heartstopper: series 2 
This unspeakably warm and involving series picks up right where it left off, following a group of 16-year-olds who feel like they don't quite belong for one reason or another. The romantic storylines continue to add textures this season, most notably as Nick and Charlie (Kit Connor and Joe Locke) face some very big issues as they grow closer. And Elle and Tao (Yasmin Finney and William Gao) finally confront the unspoken feelings they have. Terrific adult roles remind us that these questions aren't limited to adolescence. The range of serious topics this series deals with is impressive, offering layers of hope to viewers without ever pushing a point. It's also played to perfection by a seriously gifted cast who play teens with all their messiness in tact. Plus the fabulous Olivia Colman. Unmissable. (Netflix)

The Witcher:
series 3 
The amusing tone of the first season is an increasingly distant memory as everything turns almost ludicrously serious, the mythology becomes woefully dense, the plot splinters all over the place and everyone begins to speak in raspy whispers rather than their actual voice. This dialog is also packed with more wacky names than any mere mortal can keep track of. The central plot is still involving, despite the sideroads, layers of villainy and hyper-violent, over-staged battles. Oddly, the romance between Henry Cavill's Geralt and Anya Chalotra's Yennifer is a nonstarter; more involving is the complex link between Jaskier (Joey Batey) and Radovid (Hugh Skinner). While it's rarer now, the offhanded banter still holds the interest because it highlights engaging relationships over dully uninteresting lore. (Netflix)

I Think You Should Leave: series 3 
It's another bone-dry dose of pointed humour from Tim Robinson, taking aim at pop culture with lacerating satire about a range of worthy targets, from dating shows to pharmaceutical adverts, with a special emphasis on squirm-worthy office politics. These are short, sharp sketches with often absurd flourishes, and they're produced impeccably. The way they interweave, reference each other and sometimes overlap is both hilarious and often unnerving. It's the kind of show that provokes nervous giggles rather than hearty laughter. We can see ourselves in these exaggerated characters, which is both amusing and terrifying. (Netflix)

T H A T ’ S   A L L   F O L K S

The Other Two: series 3 
Increasingly wacky, this show has been written and performed from the first episode with lightning-sharp wit. The jokes seem to get broader with each episode, heading in sometimes ridiculous or even surreal directions as the writers ramp up their satirical take on the authentically insane world of celebrity and fame. Helene York and Drew Tarver are excellent as the desperate siblings who are unlikably ambitious but still sympathetic. Molly Shannon continues to steal the show as their now uber-famous mother. And a collection of hilarious side characters (including many A-list cameos) livens up scenes with astute gags and exaggerated absurdities. This show often begins to feel like it will spin out of control at any moment, which makes it unmissable. (Max)

Never Have I Ever: series 4 
For its fourth and final season, this series follows the bright but impulsive Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) through her fourth and final year of high school, continuing to trace the trail of carnage she generates in both in her friendships and romantically. And it's still inexplicably narrated by a wryly hilarious John McEnroe. The whole point of this series is to watch Devi growing up and forming increasingly serious relationships, and its her connection with her single mother (Poorna Jagannathan) that becomes the strong focal point here. A range of sometimes wildly nutty side characters maintain their own enjoyable trajectories while interacting with Devi's, and there are superbly dramatic, romantic and sexy moments scattered through these episodes, plus a lot of very witty writing. (Netflix)

F R E S H   &   N E W

The Crowded Room 
While series creator Akiva Goldsman works far too hard to obscure the story with a fragmented narrative, this show is involving thanks to lead performances from Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried as a criminal suspect and the psychiatrist trying to work out how his mind ticks. The plot's big secret is obvious very early on, and it's a mistake to wait until the sixth episode to confront it. If you stay with it, the show gets much better as it begins grappling with bigger themes about childhood abuse and mental trauma, which makes the second half of the series properly resonant and powerful. Holland and Seyfried play their complex roles beautifully, and the production is packed with clever visual touches that add to the internalised impact. (Apple)

Glamorous 
Kim Cattrall gets a superb starring role as the founder of a high-end cosmetics brand who is trying to reconnect with her loyal customers. Her friendship with perky overachiever Marco (Miss Benny) is refreshingly offbeat and uneven, nicely refusing to progress as expected. Scattered through 10 sparky episodes are plenty of nice surprises in the interaction, narrative and relationships. The show plays out like an updated variation on Ugly Betty, and it feels perhaps a bit pointed in its gender politics, but the underlying ideas are important. This adds a hint of depth to a show that's otherwise unashamedly cartoonish. These are characters who are able to grow and change, so by the end most have taken a proper journey. Bring on season 2. (Netflix)

Secret Invasion
Yet another Marvel product that can't decide whether to focus on big action set pieces or character drama, so it isn't satisfying on either front and it ends up feeling like a plot transition between other movies and series. When the people are at the centre of the scene, this is riveting, played to perfection by the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Olivia Colman, Ben Mendelsohn, Don Cheadle, Emilia Clarke and Kingsley Ben Adir. But each episode seems to require a bombastic action set-piece that's efficient enough but also painfully uninteresting (super-powered people bashing each other is so boring!). And the overall plot, about an alien race warring with itself over whether to annihilate humans to take over Earth, carries absolutely no tension in a Marvelised universe. (Disney)

Fubar 
There's a dopey charm to this silly action comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a CIA spy who is sent on one last mission before he retires, during which he discovers that his daughter (Monica Barbaro) is also an ace operative. The banter is sharp and goofy between protective father, independent daughter, oblivious family, goofy colleagues and absurdly handsome villainous mastermind (Gabriel Luna). It's one of those shows in which no other spies seem to exist in the agency, so both spycraft and romances are limited within this ensemble. Amid some rather oddly nasty violence, there's plenty of comic relief (mainly from sidekicks Fortune Feimster and Travis Van Winkle). All of which leaves this show as a bit of mindless fun. (Netflix)

Based on a True Story 
Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina and Tom Bateman are a solid enough central trio to overcome this crime comedy's outrageously contrived story points. The idea is so absurd (struggling couple launches a true crime podcast with a real serial killer) that it's impossible to take anything that happens remotely seriously. Which is fine for a comedy, but becomes a problem when events take some properly serious turns. All of this is assembled and performed with such a chirpy blast of energy that it's easy to simply sit back and enjoy each ridiculous predicament these people get themselves into. The red-herring fantasy sequences are so overdone that they undermine any attempt to get into the groove of the story. But the actors sell it. (Peacock)

C A T C H I N G   U P   W I T H . . .

Somebody Somewhere: series 1-2
I arrived late to this series and found it to be my kind of vibe. The writing and performances are delightfully unforced, creating characters who bring the audience into each scene so we can laugh with them at the absurdities of their lives. Bridget Everett shines as Sam, whose sardonic wit is a survival mechanism in rural Kansas. Her connections are the heart of the show, played out in mini-adventures that bristle with humour and emotion. Sam's interaction with sister Tricia (Mary Catherine Garrison) is played with unusual complexity and texture. And Jeff Hiller is wonderfully bemused as her new best pal Joel. This is a gorgeous show that could run and run. (HBO)

The Last of Us
Having lost my interest in zombies a few seasons into The Walking Dead, I avoided this show when it first came out. Then it was nominated across the board in the Dorian Awards, so I decided to take a look before casting my vote. The first two episodes were as tedious as I thought they'd be, and then episode three came along, deepening the dawning connection between the fabulous Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey while tracing a gorgeous decades-spanning subplot featuring the great Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. The banter between Pascal and Ramsey is what kept me watching the series, plus some terrific guest stars (who knew Melanie Lynskey could be so gleefully vile?). This is far more involving than the action nonsense that consumes far too much screen time. (HBO)

GUILTY PLEASURES: Drag Race All Stars, Too Hot to Handle, Love Island.

NOW WATCHING: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2), Minx (2), Good Omens (2), And Just Like That (2), The Afterparty (2), What We Do in the Shadows (5), Black Mirror (6).

COMING SOON: The Continental, Ashoka, Only Murders in the Building (3), The Morning Show (3), Physical (3), Sex Education (4).

Previous roundup: JUNE 2023 > 

Critical Week: The boys of summer

It's been another eclectic week for London-based film critics. One of the more intriguing films we watched was the Sundance award winner Beach Rats, a remarkably thoughtful, personal exploration of identity featuring a star-making performance from Harris Dickinson. At the other end of the cinematic spectrum is The Emoji Movie, an uneven animated comedy adventure that has its moments but isn't good enough to be memorable. Mothers cut loose in Fun Mom Dinner, which has a strong cast (Kate Aselton, Toni Collette, Molly Shannon, Bridget Everett) and a nicely believable approach to outrageous antics, but is perhaps too similar to recent movies like Girls Trip.

Further afield, the effectively creepy Irish thriller Pilgrimage is given some oomph with the casting of Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal and Richard Armitage in its grisly 13th century tale of religious fervour. From Hungary, On Body and Soul is the involving, offbeat Berlin-winning romantic drama about a one-armed businessman and an obsessive-compulsive quality-control scientist. InSyriated explores a claustrophobic situation in Damascus in the style of a real-life horror movie we can't help but resonate with. Kept Boy is a rather awkward black comedy about a strained gay relationship. And I watched two documentaries to discuss on a TV chat show: Get Me Roger Stone is a chilling profile of the man who essentially created every Republican president from Nixon onwards (it's reviewed on the site), and then there's this one...

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Warriors From the North
dir Nasib Farah, Soeren Steen Jespersen; with The Shadow, Abukar Nuur, Nasib Farah, Abdi Aziz, Mohamed Ali Omar, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed 
15/Den ****
This haunting, rather grim hour-long documentary skilfully avoids sensationalism as it explores the incendiary issue of young immigrants in Europe who are caught up in radicalisation. It's framed as the story of a young man who travelled to Somalia from Copenhagen, leaving his friend and father (Nuur) looking for him, which makes the film startlingly personal. The friend calls himself "The Shadow", and vividly describes how it feels to be an aimless youth drawn into the brotherhood of al-Shabab. His narration provides an angle we rarely hear behind the shouty, fear-based headlines. The filmmakers include horrific footage of bombings, as well as training films and suicide videos, plus another telling account from a British man (Omar) who went to Somalia but left al-Shabab when he saw that they were more interested in killing civilians than soldiers. The film is beautifully shot and edited, and taps vividly into the vulnerabilities of young migrants who are marginalised in society and singled out by police, making them easily manipulated into believing that their religion condones murder, which it doesn't.

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Coming up this week, we have Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde, Jamie Bell in 6 Days, the hockey-antics sequel Goon: Last of the Enforcers, the Tel Aviv drama In Between and the musical odyssey London Symphony.