Screen: November TV Roundup

I'm still watching a bit more television than usual, thanks to lockdown - basically filling the time I would normally be travelling into central London for film screenings. There's been a lot on, and I'm behind with a few series, trying to take them one by one and getting easily distracted when something new pops up (The Crown!). Here's what I've been watching over the last few months, starting with a timely treat...

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special
This animated 45-minute mash-up is an inventive mix of silly comedy and thrilling action. It's set after the nine-film saga as Finn and Poe plan a bustling Life Day party, and a magical Force Key sends Rey on a wildly chaotic journey through space and time, jumbling up the entire franchise. The mayhem is packed with knowing nods to fans, plus hilarious Lego-style gags as that black caped gang (Darth Vader, Kylo Ren and Palpatine) squares off against Rey, Luke and others. The holiday touches are amusing too, including Christmas jumpers, Poe's sentimentality and an unexpected snowfall. It's a lot of nutty fun, but not nearly as daring or ridiculous as the notorious 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. (Disney)

We Are Who We Are
With the pungent subtitle "Right Here Right Now", this strikingly current series by Luca Guadagnino centres around teens living on a US military base in italy. The show has a loose-limbed exuberance to it that's engaging and freeform, allowing it to circle themes and deepen considerably as it spirals in unexpected directions. It also deliberately blurs lines of gender and sexuality in almost every character, which is fascinating as these young people take circuitous routes into their grown-up selves. The central friendship between Fraser and Caitlin is played with unapologetic complexity by Jack Dylan Grazer and Jordan Kristine Seamon. And their parents have their own messy journeys. (HBO)

Lovecraft Country
This ambitious series could have been this year's Watchmen, exploring history and major issues through story infused with fantasy. But it's not nearly as focussed or coherent. Jonathan Majors leads an above-average cast, holding attention even as the characters and plotting become increasingly opaque. Each episode is a combination of intrepid action and mind-bending supernatural freak-outs, all of which feels strangely random, especially as it never comes together to illuminate the bigger mystery. The themes are powerful, but the expository dialog is too dense, the dramatics exaggerated, and whole episodes are extraneous. Curiosity keeps us watching, but interest wanes. (HBO)

The Third Day 
With echoes of The Wicker Man, this series initially follows a man (Jude Law) to the island of Osea, off the Essex coast, where he runs into a freaky ancient cult that's up to something nefarious. And he's the person they're after. The perspective then switches to another woman (Naomie Harris) who arrives in Osea months later on her own private mission. These two plot threads are quickly revealed to be one, and the filmmaking approach skilfully keeps dropping creepy details into scenes, including wonderful performances from Law and Harris, plus Paddy Considine and an on-fire Emily Watson. It's uneven and not terribly convincing, but enjoyably chilling. (HBO)

Tehran
A twisty plot makes sure that this espionage thriller holds the attention over eight nail-biting episodes. It's about an Israeli agent (Niv Sultan) trying to complete her mission in Tehran while an Iranian security official (Shaun Toub) tries to stop her. Telling the story from both perspectives adds some unnerving nuance, which means that we don't want either side to succeed. Some of the plot points leave gaping holes here and there, and a tit-for-tat kidnapping tilts the story toward melodrama. As does a genuinely sweet romance that might just be part of a spy's job. But it's sharply well made and superbly acted, and it gets increasingly thrilling the events unfold. (Apple)

The Duchess 
London-based Canadian stand-up comic Katherine Ryan based this sitcom on autobiographical elements as a single mother who puts her daughter above everything else. There are some very funny and astute moments scattered throughout this show, and some terrific dialog, especially as Katherine storms around being brutally honest with everyone she meets. But she's not hugely likeable, and she mistreats the people in her life until they snap; and when they do something nasty, they're suddenly the villains. It's a bit frustrating to watch her fail utterly to learn anything from her errors. But it's blackly hilarious, and rather bleak fun. (Netflix)

Someone Has to Die [Alguien Tiene Que Morir]
From Spain, this three-part melodrama centres on a wealthy Spanish family that's infused with outrageously cruel bigotry. This latest conflict starts when prodigal son Gabino (Alejandro Speitzer) returns to Madrid from Mexico after 10 years away, and his father instantly exerts control, furious that Gabino brought a friend (Isaac Hernandez) home with him. The plot is simply bonkers, not only making very little sense in its histrionics, but always settling in on the worst possible things people can do to each other. As always, the great Carmen Maura livens things up as the imperious matriarch. But even her character is essentially thankless. (Netflix)

BACK FOR MORE

The Boys: series 2 
Diving straight back in with an all-new pile-up of decapitations, betrayals and Billy Joel tunes, this mis-titled rowdy series barely pauses for breath. The high-energy superhero characters are a mess from the very start, caught in spirals of inner turmoil and frustrated megalomania, which of course gives the actors a lot to work with and provides plenty of interpersonal fireworks. Literally. The various plotlines move in fits and starts, compromised by some soapy story points and sequences that strain to be over-cool. But there are plenty of intriguing wrinkles to the characters that catch us off guard, most notably whenever the engaging Hughie (Jack Quaid) is on-screen. (Prime)

The Crown: series 4 
Peter Morgan continues to mine the royal family for dramatic morsels, and as always his writing has the ring of truth to it even though it's pure fiction. Centring this season around Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin), the show is immaculately produced, as each episode contains heart-stopping moments alongside the throwaway bits that make it feel so real. Even if the takeaway this year is that Prince Charles is a monster. And the cast deserves all the awards: beautifully anchored by Olivia Colman with Josh O'Connor, Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter, each of whom gets a chance to shine very brightly indeed. It'll be all-change for the next season. (Netflix)

ONGOING

Star Trek: Discovery: series 3 (in progress)
This season's opener sends this series into yet another whole new direction, and where it continues from here is beautifully crafted, reinventing the entire show once again with a very different set of tensions and intentions. The superior cast (led by Sonequa Martin-Green, Anthony Rapp and the awesome Michelle Yeoh) bridges all of this expertly, deepening their roles as they go while finding clever ways to reinvent the wider franchise for today's audience. Like the original series almost 60 years ago, this show continues to ask enormous moral and ethical questions in provocative ways, and it grapples with hot-potato issues using stories that are easy to identify with. (Netflix)

The Conners: series 4 
(in progress)
The astute writers on this sitcom have always reflected the times, and this new season is no exception. Embracing the pandemic and the economic carnage it has brought to the working class, the scripts are putting this already bedraggled family through the wringer with issues of health, work, finances and immigration flaring up in earthy, thoughtful ways. And throughout even the most serious stuff, this great cast (Laurie Metcalf continues to steal the show) manages to drop smart punchlines all over the place, reminding us that laughter can ease the pain, for a few moments at least. It's rare to have such a long-running show that actually feels like it's still going somewhere. (ABC)

CATCHING UP

Huge in France 
Acclaimed comedic actor Gad Elmaleh plays a version of himself in this amusing comedy about a top French comic who moves to Los Angeles to be closer to his teen son (Jordan Ver Hoeve), an aspiring model with his own issues. The show focuses on how Gad struggles with the fact that he's not famous in America and can't get a grip on the local sense of humour. With his identity in crisis, he's certainly in no shape to help his son pursue his dream, although his contacts come in handy (cue a terrific Jean Paul Gaultier cameo). Everyone in this show is struggling wildly with who they are, which gives the writers a chance to astutely satirise various aspects of show business.  (Netflix)

REALITY BITES

Reality competitions are comfort food during this pandemic, and have found clever ways to bubble, distance and so forth. The most comforting of them all, The Great British Bake Off: series 11 (C4), put its cast and crew in a bubble and made the show as normal with another terrific line-up of likeable contestants, plus a new host in the cheeky Matt Lucas. With a more complex style of safe distancing, Strictly Come Dancing: series 18 (BBC) is also back for another spin, with entertaining celebrities and up-for-it professionals. Quarantine measures make everything look very different, but there's plenty of glittery magic. And then there's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here: series 20 (ITV), held this year in a superbly creepy castle in Wales, which has added some enjoyable twists for the typically eclectic cast of scene-stealers. And then there were two competitions that delayed their finals until the autumn: Britain's Got Talent: series 14 (ITV) saw the title going to a fitting winner who warms the heart with his witty quintessentially British act, while The Voice UK: series 9 (ITV) came back with two live shows to wrap up its truncated season and crown another seriously talented winner we'll probably never hear from again.

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman hit the road again for Long Way Up (Apple), another likeable travelogue, this time from Tierra del Fuego to Los Angeles. The scenery is spectacular, and their stopovers add some pointed meaning. The first and last episodes get a bit bogged down in logistics, but it's a fabulous journey. And in Amy Schumer Learns to Cook: series 1-2 (Food) the comic and her chef husband take us into their lockdown life, teaching how to make cocktails and to recreate favourite restaurant dishes at home. It's loose and funny, with some great tips.

Finally, RuPaul had a few series running through the autumn as well, including Drag Race: Vegas Revue (VH1), following a group of queens as they launch a massive show on the Strip, and God Shave the Queens (WoW), with British drag stars putting on their own UK tour. Both featured plenty of lively backstage clashes, which isn't surprising with these divas. And both stage shows were cut short by Covid. I couldn't find a way to watch Drag Race Holland, and now Drag Race Spain is coming too.

I GIVE UP

• Adult Material: I only made it through two episodes of this broad and contrived comedy-drama before giving up. The premise is solid, a soapy bit of madness set around the porn industry. But it's impossible to believe that these people are wealthy when they make such terrible porn and are so incapable of acting like humans. A waste of the terrific Hayley Squires and Rupert Everett. (C4)
• Truth Seekers: As a fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, I was looking forward to this ghost-hunting sitcom. But while it has a gently scruffy charm, it just isn't funny. Frost and Samson Kayo are a witty double act at the centre, as they face a variety of supernatural activity. And high-profile guest stars add sparky moments along the way. But after three dull episodes, I gave up. (Prime)

NOW WATCHING: The Undoing, Next, The Comey Rule, Des, The Mandalorian (2), His Dark Materials (2), Fargo (4), This Is Us (5), Superstore (6), Mom (8)

LOOKING FORWARD: The Stand, Bridgerton, The Morning Show (2), Dickinson (2), Shameless (11).

Screen: Winter TV Roundup

There's been some good telly on lately, and the holidays offer some more time to binge than usual, so I've been able to keep almost up to date. I'm still lagging behind on a few shows, but will dive in when I can, to reset my mind in between the movies...

SHINY AND NEW

His Dark Materials

Fans of Philip Pullman's novels (like me) were understandably nervous about this BBC series, due to the watered-down 2007 feature The Golden Compass. But this series has taken time to dig deeper and bring out Pullman's provocative plotting and themes. Dafne Keen is terrific as young Lyra, a proper reluctant hero who has little idea that her actions have massive repercussions. And Ruth Wilson is staggering as the shifty Mrs Coulter. Produced with epic visuals that are never fussy, the show looks great. The extended format allows characters to emerge with a bracing sense of unpredictability. And that cliffhanger ending leaves us gasping for part 2.

The Mandalorian

Made on a superb scale like a free-wheeling Western with added gadgets, this Star Wars bounty hunter adventure is thoroughly entertaining, recounting a mini-epic with each half-hour episode. Its sets and characters look fantastic (effects and creatures are grounded and resolutely undigital), and it's written, shot and edited in a way that instantly feels like a classic, complete with a memorable musical score by Ludwig Goransson. Even under that armour, Pedro Pascal is a wonderfully sardonic hero. And at the end of episode 1, it introduces the year's best new character in a pint-sized relative of Yoda with a cheeky sense of curiosity that gorgeously balances the show's inventive action beats over eight wonderful episodes. 

Watchmen

This extraordinary series lets its story unfold without the usual comic book structures, presenting angles on its premise that continually subvert expectations. It's made with such a sure hand that watching it never feels like a chore: there's no doubt that this is heading somewhere very interesting, and getting there is darkly entertaining. The cast is edgy and textured, led by Regina King, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson and a seriously unhinged Jeremy Irons. How it all fits together becomes clear slowly and enigmatically, while the subtle alternate reality in which the show is set is fascinating. So as the bigger plot emerges, this series carries all kinds of thematic implications.

The Morning Show

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon play bickering journalists who are thrown together on a breakfast news show. Of course, they're more alike than not, and the fun of the show is watching them discover this against their will. While there is plenty of barbed humour laced through the scripts, this is a serious drama taking on workplace harassment and abuse in a strikingly honest, sometimes downright painful way. The show also lifts the lid on the artificiality of live television in a way that's funny and knowingly provocative. And the pitch-black issues raised in the storylines make it important too.

Dickinson

The ambition behind this show is notable, as it recounts the 19th century life of poet Emily Dickinson in sitcom style, infused with present-day dialog, attitudes and music. Anchored by Hailee Steinfeld and Jane Krakowski, the cast is excellent, and the storytelling is particularly strong. This allows for a knowing skewering of archaic (but sadly not unfamiliar) issues involving sexism and racism. Although this would come across more forcefully if it wasn't so smug about the anachronistic style. One cringeworthy example: after writing the memorable first lines of Because I Could Not Stop for Death, Emily puts down her pencil and proclaims, "Nailed it!"

The Umbrella Academy

The premise for this story feels a bit lazy (another zillionaire family, more kids with superpowers), but it plays out in ways that are continually surprising. And the show is written and directed with a generous dose of absurdity and sarcastic wit, plus a thunderous song score. It's also sharply acted by an eclectic cast (Ellen Page, Robert Sheehan, Mary J Blige), which helps make up for the plot's general default to violence that feels way over-the-top. Perhaps this betrays the comic book origin, but hopefully the writers will find more complexity in the second season.

The Politician

Ryan Murphy continues his takeover of all things televisual with this blackly comical political pastiche about a teen (Ben Platt, both deadpan and brimming with emotion) who takes his class president election far too seriously. But then so does everyone else at his posh private school. The narrative spins and shocks along the way, but remains a bit too ridiculous to to seriously touch on the themes. And the characters are all slightly cartoonish, even if they're a lot of fun - from teens Zoey Deutch, Lucy Boynton and David Corenswet to adults Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bob Balaban. And the big set-up for the second season is beautifully played.

Living With Yourself

The main draw here is Paul Rudd playing a befuddled man who books into a refreshing spa day and ends up facing a clone of himself after something goes wrong. The premise is a bit sloppy, and the way it's written and directed is more than a little gimmicky, with characters who don't always ring true. But there are some witty moments and intriguing wrinkles that get close to resonant meaning (one of the Pauls is a close-minded idiot). It's worth watching, but would be even more engaging if it was more relaxed, sillier, sexier.

Dolly Parton's Heartstrings

Anthology shows are notoriously hit and miss, so there's no way each episode in this series can be a knock-out. But they're surprisingly well written, with sharp edges to the gentle narratives and some terrific performances (Melissa Leo!). Dolly's presence in each episode is great fun, including her sparkly introductions, her sassy characters and lively musical performances. Each episode centres around one of her songs, some more beloved than others, to weave a tale of love and heartbreak. It's often a little relentless in its warmth, but some prickly Southern charm adds interest.

ANOTHER YEAR

The Crown: series 3

Recasting this season was always the plan (it will happen again with series 5), and the transition is predictably tricky, even with the powerhouse duo of Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter. But they grow into their roles, and by the time the wrenching episode 3 rolls around, they are inhabiting Elizabeth and Margaret with a vengeance. Colman gets to sink deeply into Elizabeth, adding offhanded touches that beautifully reveal the Queen's maturity as a leader. Tobias Menzies and Josh O'Connor also have particularly powerful episodes as princes Philip and Charles, respectively. Bring on season 4.

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel: series 3

As this show continues to beef up side characters, it badly loses focus. The ongoing story of hilarious standup Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and her acerbic manager Susie (Alex Borstein) is still involving, not so much the rambling, distracting sideplots for her parents, ex-husband, his parents and the musical star she's touring with (who get long, pointless numbers of his own). It's like the writers couldn't resist crafting pithy dialog for these terrific actors, but they've forgotten what made the show so both unmissable and important. Make it a half-hour with Midge and Susie and it might rediscover its magic.

Succession: series 2

This second season was perhaps even more riveting than the first, as the plotlines twisted so tightly that even these expert wigglers found themselves with nowhere to go. Like a present-day Game of Thrones, these people circle around each other vying for control of an empire. Both the writing and acting are simply astonishing, as deeply layered characters seize on the snappy dialog. Each cast member is excellent, bringing humanity even to the greediest, most back-stabbing member of this wildly flailing family. More please.

The End of the F***ing World: series 2

Cleverly spinning off in new directions that feel both stylised and organic - just as awkward and brittle as before - this follow-up season takes our two antiheroes (Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden) on another offbeat road movie, this time pursued by someone (Naomi Ackie) wronged in their first spree. The outrageous things that happen are played to bone-dry comedic perfection, often with an added layer of thick irony. It's a rare TV series that refuses to play by the usual rules, which makes it unmissable.

SEASONS IN PROGRESS

The Conners: series 2a

While this sitcom's range of characters feels a little conveniently diverse, the writers and actors seem to have found their groove, mixing bristly humour with some honest situations. The cast is uniformly excellent, anchored ably by ace veterans John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf, plus Katey Sagal. Sara Gilbert and Alicia Goranson are terrific dealing with parental issues of their own, and it would be nice if Michael Fishman's DJ became more of a character.

This Is Us: series 4a

Things feel a bit tighter this year, even as the plots spiral to offer glimpses (and only the most tantalising glimpses) of new timelines. The actors are clearly enjoying the chance to continue flexing their performance muscles, most notably Justin Hartley, Sterling K Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson. Indeed, the deeper drama is far more involving that the gimmicky cross-cutting between time periods. This show is continually in danger of vanishing up its own navel, but the writers are just about keeping that in check.

Bless this Mess: series 2a

Trundling on harmlessly, this show is basically a tribute to Lake Bell's genius at finding subtle edges of humour in everything and surrounding herself with talented actors like Dax Shepard, Ed Begley Jr, Pam Grier and David Koechner. The premise is more than a little bit feeble, and the jokes are tired (at least Green Acres had a character who hated living in the country). But the show has a scruffy, ramshackle goofiness that keeps us watching. Mainly thanks to that cast.

Mom: series 7a

Everything is ticking along with this show's astute comedic approach to addiction and recovery, this year with the added wrinkle of marriage between Bonnie (Allison Janney) and Adam (William Fichtner). Janney is such a joy that it doesn't really matter what she's doing, and both writers and costars give her plenty to work with. It would be nice to beef up the other central cast members, whose plotlines feel a bit dull this year, most notably Anna Faris' Christy. She was more fun when she was a mom herself (where are her kids anyway?).

THE LAST STAND

Transparent: series 5

After Jeffrey Tambor's unceremonious departure from his series, this "musicale finale" ties up all the loose plot ends. It feels a little tidy and abrupt for a show that was known for its messy interactions. But the songs are enjoyable, performed well by the up-for-it cast, which kind of makes up for the way the overall story kind of peters out. There are no surprises, and some rather oddball twists here and there that never quite push the boundaries. But it's warm and engaging, and packed with lovely moments.

The Good Place: series 4a

Both blissfully funny and smartly thought provoking, this show is going out on a high. This season will be ending where the creators knew it would, rather than stretching things out unnecessarily. Which gives the adept actors the confidence to wonderfully push their performances right over the edge. Each of them is excellent on his or her own, and as an ensemble they create some magical alchemy. This is a rare sitcom that manages to be both intelligent and silly at the same time.

Modern Family: series 11a

This long-running sitcom has had some ropey episodes in recent years, but it's a rare show that has maintained a high quality of character-based comedy writing, allowing the actors to age on-screen. The expanding cast continues to be almost criminally watchable, with the children now grown-ups and the youngsters revealing a lot more personality than most TV kids get. There is a tendency to drift toward sentiment this season, but that's understandable if this is indeed the final series.

Shameless: series 10a

Never a show to pause for breath, this show kicked off its final season with a flurry of outrageous plot twists that sent the Gallagher family in about seven directions at once. This first set of episodes is perhaps a bit too frantic, even for this show, although this keeps the audience on its toes, piling on twists that are both entertaining and infuriating. There are several clever touches this year, as well as a few badly dangling threads (Carl's twins!). And as usual, the audience continues to root for these losers, despite the evidence.

I GIVE UP

See - I'm a fan of the cast, and they're superb here, but the premise is just a little too gimmicky and violent for me, set in a caveman-like future where humanity has gone blind. 

NOW WATCHING: The Witcher, Unbelievable, Castle Rock (2), You (2)

COMING SOON: Star Trek: Picard, The Outsider, High Fidelity, Schitt's Creek (7), Grace and Frankie (6), Homeland (8), Kidding (2)

Shadows on the Screen: Winter TV Roundup

I had some time over the holidays to catch up on TV shows I've been following over the past few months. Results have been mixed, but there have been some great small-screen gems in here to help me recover from the big-screen movies...

Stranger Things: Series 2

The Duffer Brothers step things up a notch with a bigger, much scarier story arc that feels much more finely tuned to the characters and the actors. Everything in these nine episodes fits together beautifully, deepening the connections and unnerving the audience. References feel somewhat more grown-up this time, from X-Men to The Exorcist, and the scale of events is genuinely enormous, with deeply personal touches. All of the cast is excellent, from adults like Winona Ryder and David Harbour to the older and younger teens, who mix beautifully and end up nowhere near where they started. It's also refreshing that they ended on such an open note: anything can happen next year. 

The Crown: Series 2

Basically an anthology series, each episode takes an aspect of Elizabeth II's life from her second decade as monarch. So there are episodes on JFK, sending Charles to school, the Profumo scandal, modernising the monarchy, confronting the family's Nazi past and Margaret's romance with Lord Snowden. But the season's through-line centres on Philip's indiscretions and how the couple weathered those various storms to solidify their relationship as a marriage rather than an arrangement. It's grippingly well written and played, but this structural approach makes it feel rather, well, episodic, without much momentum as a series. It's almost more like an unusually well-produced educational film. And these actors are all so good that next season's all-new cast (as everyone ages) has a lot to live up to.

Easy: Series 2

The second season of this anthology show revisits all of the overlapping characters, finding moments of proper comedy and drama along the way. Although most of the humour is of the bitter sort. Episodes all stand alone but loop around to touch others, and the characters all feel enjoyably realistic. The main problem is writer-director Joe Swanberg's relentless sexualising of females (for example, when artists are struggling, the man becomes an Uber driver, the woman becomes a prostitute). In isolation, none of this feels excessive, but when every episode features a scantily clad woman it becomes a little obvious. That said, there's equal opportunity nudity. And the characters are all complex and involving.

I'm Dying Up Here

The 1970s Los Angeles stand-up scene is the setting for this solidly produced hour-long drama, which follows a group of comics as they traverse the ups and downs of their careers. The show is packed with terrific characters, all superbly played, from mother hen Melissa Leo to a varied bunch of hopefuls played by Ari Graynor, Andrew Santino, Michael Angarano, Clark Duke, RJ Cyler and Al Madrigal, to name a few. The political aspects of the comic scene are a little dull, but the personal journeys taken by each person are compelling, and the period detail is a lot of fun. There are also some terrific stand-up routines along the way.

The Deuce

The 1970s New York sex industry is the setting for this solidly produced hour-long drama, which follows a group of bar owners, prostitutes, pimps and pornographers as they shuffle through the crime-ridden streets. The show is almost incredibly murky, with corruption everywhere and such a huge range of detailed characters that none of them really stand out. There simply isn't time to properly develop each of them into a sympathetic person we can identify with in some way. But the acting is superb, anchored by James Franco as a rather too identical pair of twins and Maggie Gyllenhaal as hooker with a lot of personal issues. It's also refreshing to see a show that lacks the usual American hang-ups about sex and sexuality.

Black Mirror: Series 4

Charlie Brooker's slick, technology-themed variation on The Twilight Zone continues to tap into very current fears with its only slightly futuristic stories. These new Netflix episodes are produced like mini movies (the first episode is feature length) and have A-list Hollywood casts and crews. The plots sometimes have lapses in logic, but the themes are powerful, exploring how technological advances play into the darker urges we already have. This means that some of the stories are downright bleak. For example, Jodie Foster's episode Arkangel is deeply unsettling not because of its child-spying implants, but because of what it says about today's overprotective culture. And the best episode, Timothy Van Patten's Hang the DJ, mixes gloominess with hope as it plays with the concept of dating apps.

Transparent: Series 3

Thankfully less gloomy than the last season, these episodes saw the astonishingly dysfunctional family travelling to Israel as they connect with a long-lost relative. There were quite a few genuinely hilarious moments along the way, and most of the outlandish slapstick was reined in this time, even if each person's personal crisis seemed like the end of the world, to them at least. Of course, the setting gives the show's writers plenty of scope to play with political ideas. And they also cleverly infuse this entire season with songs from Jesus Christ Superstar. This is perhaps a little on-the nose as far as irony goes, but it grounds the family in a shared experience that connects them to this place. 

You're the Worst: Series 4

What was once a caustic, brave show has clearly reached the limits of its premise. this season, the writers struggled with what to do with a couple that needed to get together for the audience's sake, but were designed to be thoroughly toxic. Instead of playing on the codependent aspects, this season has them lashing out separately. But it felt like the wheels were spinning with nowhere left to go. All of the actors continue to approach their broadly ridiculous characters with an intriguing sense of emotional honesty that makes them sympathetic and unlikeable at the same time. But I don't think I could take one more half an hour with any of them.

Episodes: Series 5

The final season of this loose-limbed sitcom circles back to end exactly as you've always known it would. And along the way there are plenty of ridiculous antics for Sean and Beverly (Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Grieg) and their circle of hopelessly neurotic friends, including Matt LeBlanc, who is now hosting one of the most hilariously appalling game shows ever imagined. The show has always had a way of lampooning Hollywood by playing everything just a little broadly. But there's also the definitely sense that pretty much everything they've ever depicted has actually happened. And the characters really grew on us.

SEASONS IN PROGRESS

This Is Us: Series 2

In this second season, the writers are taking things very seriously, piling lots of big themes into each episode. Life for these people feels a little too difficult this year, at each of the various periods in their lives. And the show has introduced yet another timeline that lets the main cast get a bit more screen time while playing their characters a little younger and hotter. But the real thing, of course, is that the writers are now torturing the audience mercilessly with the possibilities about how Milo Ventmiglia's Jack dies, setting up a potential calamity in each episode. It's getting a bit silly. Just tell us and get on with the story.

Jane the Virgin: Series 4

Fiendishly well written, this spoof of Mexican soap opera plays on its origins mercilessly. And some of the twists and turns are more than a little annoying. But the central characters are all so loveable that it's hard to mind. By now, the writers have milked several of the characters as far as they can (it's way overtime to lose Yael Grobglas' evil twin character Anezka), and there's only so long they can stretch the will-they/won't they romance between the adorable Gina Rodriguez's Jane and the ludicrously hot Justin Baldoni's Rafael. But every scene is still packed with such great touches that it's worth hanging in there.

Scandal: Series 7

True confession: I am only still watching this show because it's the final season, and I might as well see it through. Because this year's series is actually pretty bad, straining to shift Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope from hero of the peoiple to villainous mastermind (ie, she's become her father Joe Morton). This is so contrived that it's almost laughable, well it would be if it weren't so unnecessarily dark and violent. In fact, all of the subplots are grislier and nastier this year. The zing of, well, the scandal is gone. This is apocalyptic.

Shameless: Series 8

It's amazing that this show can carry on, throwing the Gallagher family into even more spiralling mayhem without feeling contrived. Some elements are infuriating, as they're meant to be, while others leave us wondering what the writers were thinking when they came up with this. William H Macy is clearly relishing this new phase in Frank's life, and the undulating feud between Emmy Rossum's Fiona and Cameron Monaghan's Ian has been played with surprising texture. Even Vee and Kev (Shanola Hampton and Steve Howey) are still on fire. It's impossible to predict where any of the plot strands are headed.

Will & Grace: Series 9

I don't remember this show being quite so broad and smiley the first time around. Even the opening credits this time reek of fake camaraderie. And while the idea is amusing that, 11 years later, these people are basically back where they started, the writing really needs to push them forward rather than using each episode to revive one of the more memorable gags or side characters. And the actors need to pull back a bit on their broadly comical performances, stirring in just a bit of believability. Except Megan Mullally, of course. Karen is still one of the most amazing characters ever seen on a sitcom, and she's as funny now as she ever was.

Modern Family: Series 9

This show has had some weak episodes over the past couple of years, but this season the writing feels back up to par. Plotting is tight, weaving various threads together in each episode that build to a big punchline. Of course, better writing gives the ace cast a lot to work with, and these characters are proving to be a continuous source of comedy: people we think we know very well who continue to surprise us. And the increasingly number of characters, including the kids, all have ongoing storylines that are genuinely engaging and witty. Indeed, the children are growing into comedy icons themselves.

I GIVE UP

The Orville

Seth MacFarlane had a great opportunity here to make a full on satirical sci-fi series, and yet he seems happy to merely nod earnestly in the direction of Star Trek. There's the occasional great gag or inventive touch, but the plots and characters are never interesting or funny enough to care about. I stopped at about episode 5.

The Flash/Supergirl 

These were the last two shows of the DC Comics universe that I was watching, and they too have shifted into cheaply made, far too violent storylines that make absolutely no sense and have no angle on which the audience can find a connection. It's just gimmicky and grisly and angsty. Life's too short.

Empire

I was a big fan from the start of this show, and I hung in there even through some long dips into seriously silly storytelling. But this season simply lost all of the various plots, giving each character a drastic personality change. Nothing is happening here that's even remotely compelling. And the people are annoying. I'm done.

Shadows on the Screen: Winter TV roundup

There's been a lot worth watching on TV over the past few months, with a range of comedy, drama and anthology. As I've said before, watching television is a great escape for me from the work-minded approach I have to take to the movies. So here's what's been filling my spare time....

SOMETHING NEW

Westworld

Complex and twisty, this ambitious adaptation of the Michael Crichton thriller has an enjoyable Groundhog Day premise as it resets itself each morning while building the narrative entanglements. Led by a formidable Thandie Newton (above right), the cast is excellent, diving into characters who are either robots layered with identity issues, guests trying to live a fantasy or creators with god complexes. It's an often thrilling mix, although the open-ended nature of the premise means it could run for years without reaching anything like a sensible conclusion. Yes, it takes a rather too-clever approach that tantalises the audience without giving any proper resolution.

The Young Pope

It's nothing short of tragic that this show failed to spark solid ratings or awards attention. After seeing the first two astonishing episodes as a feature film at the Venice Film Festival, I was wondering if creator-director Paolo Sorrentino could sustain the mix of comedy, drama and surrealism. Indeed he did, and magnificently so. Where this series goes is nothing short of revolutionary. It's witty, disturbing and gorgeous at the same time, and it was impossible to predict how these events would play out. And the acting by Jude Law, Diane Keaton, James Cromwell and Silvio Orlando is some of the very best on TV all year. 

Victoria 

This ITV series starts out a bit dryly, packing in a lot of historical events into a melodramatic set-up, then in episode 4 it shifts up a gear into Downton Abbey guilty pleasure territory, with the involving, sudsy romance between the young queen and her cousin Albert (nicely underplayed by Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes, pictured). Sumptuously produced, this is light entertainment with just a hint of the weight of history. And it's so much fun to watch, that it doesn't really matter that it's not offering very much actual insight into the life of Queen Victoria. ITV should have no trouble with keeping this show running for several years.

The Crown

Like a 100-years-later version of Victoria, with a much brainier script, this series begins with the romance and marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip (the superb Claire Foy and Matt Smith), and quickly introduces the illness of George VI (the amazing Jared Harris). The second episode is nothing short of a masterpiece. Produced to a very high standard, it's the high-calibre writing and direction that elevate this beyond the more soapy Victoria. Netflix went all out on this series, and it shows. And as she demonstrated in Wolf Hall, Foy is one of the finest actors working today when it comes to conveying a lifetime in a glance.

This Is Us

Everything about this show feels a little pointed, but it's beautifully written and acted, with characters who are grounded and authentic. The inter-connections between the disparate members of this family are fascinating, put together in a way that pretty much anyone watching can resonate with. And the issues touched on are strong and meaningful, mainly exploring discrimination on the basis of everything from economy and profession to weight and race. The characters also have a complexity to them that makes them nicely unpredictable, even if the way the writers fit them together is a bit tidy, like a softer, kinder, easier variation on Transparent.

Easy

This lightly interconnected eight-part anthology series is very nicely written, shot and acted, although the attempt to cover a wide range of topics and situations feels a little stilted. Essentially everything comes from a straight-white-male perspective, including the two episodes with rather leery lesbian elements. But there are astute moments all the way through, with sharp casting that includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Orlando Bloom, Jane Adams, Malin Akerman, Emily Ratajkowski and Raul Castillo. The two most clearly connected episodes - about brothers (Evan Jonigkeit and Dave Franco) setting up a hipster brewery in their Chicago garage - are flat-out terrific. 

BACK FOR MORE

Difficult People: Series 2

Deranged, fast and very silly, this show uses dense 30 Rock-style delivery for its smart, snappy humour. Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner (pictured) are ridiculous as two struggling, unprincipled comedians in New York, willing to do pretty much anything for even a hint of success. And the great Andrea Martin as Julie's mum is a stroke of genius. The things they get up to are hilariously stupid, written with an inevitable sense of failure that's rather annoying. But what they say is laceratingly funny, naming names as they go after pop culture targets. And a string of starry guests (including, inevitably, Tina Fey) adds a terrific kick. 

Transparent: Series 3

This show showed a bit of strain in this season, both in the balance of comedy and drama and in the way it developed the central characters. The problem is that these people are becoming increasingly selfish and unlikeable. They're also turning on each other, which is dangerous in a show about a family. The actors are all so good that they continually remind us that they truly love each other, but the characters are feeling isolated, lashing out as they try to survive increasingly impossible situations. We may feel their pain, but it isn't easy to root for anyone.

Black Mirror: Series 3

Moving to Netflix, Charlie Brooker's technology-themed Twilight Zone-style series is seriously beefed up. At an hour long each (with a feature-length finale), these feel more like stand-alone movies than an anthology TV series, especially with the A-list cast including Bryce Dallas Howard (as a woman desperate to improve her social media rating), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (a party girl living in an alternate 1987), Kelly Macdonald (a cop trying to stop a mind-boggling tech attack) and Wyatt Russell (a tester trying a too-real virtual reality game, pictured), plus rising stars like James Norton, Alex Lawther and Sarah Snook. Each episode carries a serious wallop. Unmissable.

You're the Worst: Series 3

Continuing to tilt into the edgier areas of the characters lives, this stunningly well written and played comedy somehow managed to turn even bleaker this year. As their relationship grows, it's getting increasingly difficult for the central characters (Chris Geery and Aya Cash) to be quite so blithely self-involved. So the writers have spread out to indulge in the side characters a bit more, which is kind of distracting since they're all pretty cartoonish, and not nearly as interesting. But the central storyline is as heartbreaking as ever.

Please Like Me: Series 4

This extraordinary comedy from Australia continues to throw curveballs at the audience, with its gang of prickly, unpredictable characters veering from hilariously outrageous comedy to wrenching emotion. This series started off lively and silly, with the usual mix of romantic chaos and family strains. And then in the final episodes it turned astonishingly dark, grappling with serious emotions in a way that's meaningful and important. The mixture of highs and lows is daring, as is the fact that actor-creator Josh Thomas' protagonist isn't always very likeable. But we can't help but love him.

Masters of Sex: Series 4

This show continues to depart from real life with its soapy plotting, as Masters and Johnson (Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, still excellent) began the season feuding and sulking in opposite ends of their laboratory. Ho hum. The strain is also showing in the writers' feeble attempts to keep the superb Caitlin Fitzgerald (as Johnson's angry ex-wife) in the show, while they seem unsure what to do with the amazing Annaleigh Ashford (as Betty the feisty receptionist). It did snap out of the doldrums as it went along, but there clearly needs to be a rethink. And it needs to be sexier than this.

Cold Feet: Series 6

Like a British take on the classic series Thirtysomething, this hit comedy-drama ran from 1997 to 2003, then returned this summer for an eight-part reunion season. The set-up is more than a little contrived, with a sudden marriage and relocation back to Manchester for Adam (James Nesbitt) seemingly because no one ever considered that his friendless 15-year-old son could move out to Singapore with him. And how the plot developed was pretty ridiculous. Still, the chemistry between the actors remains engaging, and it's especially great to see Fay Ripley and John Thomson back in the show's most interesting roles.

Shameless: Series 7

This inventive show wobbled slightly as this season began, straining to find outrageous plots. Some of this was fun (like Frank's "new" Gallagher family), and the darker observations about things like teen parenthood and mental illness are still dead-on and surprisingly moving. A few episodes in, it regained its character-based stride, pushing each person into an all-new form of nightmarish desperation while somehow maintaining the pathos. And as always, the climax was the return of Hurricane Monica (the wonderfully slurring Chloe Webb) in episode 9. And it got better and better from there, right to another brilliant, shattering finale.

SEASONS IN PROGRESS

The Real O'Neals: Series 2

This smart-silly sitcom is expanding on its ensemble cast with spiralling narratives that are a lot of fun. Although it's odd that the show seems to be neglecting its central figure, the gay teen Kenny (Noah Galvin), this year. It's as if the writers can't think beyond the trite cliches they continually resort to, since his storyline is the least entertaining one in the show. It's a mistake to go down this road with a show that started out so fresh. The writing is still strong, and the superb cast keeps the characters endearing. But it seems to be pandering to the masses by simplifying everyone to just one or two personality traits.

Supergirl: Series 2

After Arrow went dark, fragmented and chaotic about a year ago, The Flash followed suit in the first episode of this season, bogging down in its unnecessarily murky convolutions. So their sister show Supergirl probably has one more year before it also heads into creator Greg Berlanti's murky bog. Worrying signs are showing already, with the departure of Calista Flockhart, the show's primary source of comedy sass. And the action is turning increasingly violent, grim and cheesy. But the lead characters are still engaging as they trade plenty of snappy banter, and there's still a whiff of a light touch in the writing, so I'll keep watching for now. But this is the last superhero series I can stomach.

Empire: Series 3

After that fiery first year, this series has struggled to find its stride. The 2nd season was bipolar, lost in messy storytelling in the first half before wrenching it back to the more colourfully entertaining fireworks later on. This season has shot out with a vengeance, thankfully maintaining the focus on characters rather than plot melodramatics. But after the nightmarish events at the end of the last season, everyone is a bit stunned and emotional. Someone needed to bring sexy back. Instead, the showrunners have simply into the boring criminal plots and counter plots, while stupidly sidelining the three sons as damaged souls. Even Cookie looks bored with this.

Modern Family: Series 8
It's probably inevitable that a show that sustained some of the best writing on television would have to decline one day. After the uneven 7th season, this year's shows feel eerily uneven. There is some great dialog, and a general sense of energy, but on the whole the plotlines aren't hugely inventive, leaving the characters spinning their wheels. This show has always been about the joy of developing these people as they grow older, but there's a sense that the writers are unsure where to send them, relying on old gags instead of inventing new ones as the family dynamics change.