Debating TV shows

General
61

WandaVision (Disney +)

I binged this, just to find out where it went. And the first three episodes I was intrigued and impressed: Could Disney really allow Marvel to go against formula, to really be this weird?

No, it couldn’t. And, sure, it was totally unrealistic of me to expect anything else. But when the series turned typically Marvel I became impatient and restless. Only when Wanda and Vision were together I was totally invested. Their scenes about grief - yes, wonderful, hitting all the right notes. But when characters started pummeling each other or throwing fire balls ad nauseam… yawn. I would have loved this to stay focused on Wanda and Vision, working out their central problem without any of the other stuff which intrudes after the third episode, going the typically overcomplicated (not complex) way of introducing details and characters which must make the diehard fan yell with delight, drowning the storytelling, however, in explanation.

So, for me, it would have worked much better as one film, focusing on Wanda and Vision, both expertly played by Olsen and Bettany. But if you’re undecided - they are worth checking it all out.

2 Likes
62

Just finished this yesterday. Indeed, it made a more or less predictable turn to conventional Marvel lore after episode three, also to achieve its goal to act as vehicle for Marvel Mk II. Still entertaining when its main leads get the chance to explore their conundrum together. Outside these moments it’s a trailer for things to come, introducing some also-rans and bitplayers who are bound to become important down the road.

I loved the boots sticking out from under the car - but felt that was also the most brilliant moment of the finale. Everything afterwards felt like cut-to-size Marvel battle. As it should, obviously. Fans will be excited for coming productions, speculate endlessly whether Fantastic Four or Howard the Duck may make the cut andandand…

Shame they didn’t stick to the weird atmosphere and temperament of the first few episodes. But then that wasn’t the aim and the target audience expects different things from Marvel.

2 Likes
63

That might be the curse of modern entertainment. Including Bond films.

1 Like
64

Maybe the definition of a present-day auteur is an artist who can satisfy the expectations of a target audience and keep them happily streaming.

2 Likes
65

It is somewhat tragic in that the audience forever wants excitement and comfort, being taken seriously and being cuddled, have the cake and eat it at one in the morning from the fridge.

We’ve seen it happen with Bond, CASINO ROYALE to QUANTUM to SKYFALL, we witness it ever more often with the streaming output and the next big thing in entertainment: people want things that feel fresh. Not necessarily fresh things.

3 Likes
66

THE MANDALORIAN (Season 1 & 2)

Yeah, I know - very late to the party. And when I finally succumbed to Disney + and watched the first episode I was so enthusiastic that I decided to space out further viewings, to wait so I could get my next Star Wars fix and know there would be more to enjoy.

And then I binged all of them within two days.

Because I really, really enjoyed these episodes. Every one of them. Sure, it is formulaic. Every show follows the same principle. But it is just so damn good fun.

And even more than that, since it again underlines how Star Wars always was about the rise of and fight against fascism. There is a scene in the penultimate episode of season 2 which takes place at a table, involving a tension-filled talk between a former soldier for the Empire and one Empire higher up. And it exactly nails what fascism is about and what politics right now are about.

That scene alone was so magnificent I was absolutely floored.

Also: how could a protagonist who is masked almost 97 percent of the time can be so involving, so impressive and, yes, expressive? And the moments he takes the mask of are such a welcome shock - I did not ask myself anymore why an actor would take a role he would hardly be recognized in. In fact, what Pedro Pascal managed to do here is nothing short of extraordinary. This is acting of the highest order - not showy because it can’t be behind that helmet, but extremely subtle. Just the way he moves and reacts, even the way he develops his dialogue. Everything which in the hands of a less capable actor would have become one-note and dull Pascal transforms into something magical and emotionally captivating.

It really is the human being behind that armor and that mask which is the biggest surprise of this show. And when he finally says goodbye to the other major character here, it really is touching and honest and beautiful.

Oh, and I really do not subscribe to that dreaded phrase “fan service” anymore. Of course, “The Mandalorian” alludes to the saga it stems from. But it takes it and runs with it. As a fan I want these hints and elements. Its not the sole purpose of this show, it is a nod and it´s reassuring me that it knows its origins and its obligations while it moves forward and goes its own way.

What a wonderful gift this show was. I hope the spin off is just as great.

2 Likes
67

It’s a huge treat for fans, no doubt about it. Not without ‘fan service’ perhaps - but really for whom would a Star Wars tv show be any use if not for fans? And it does go its own way by bringing in the Mandalorian culture, customs and politics as well as several characters who served the Empire in some form or other.

I might have preferred a setting further removed from what we’ve already seen in the films. But as it is The Mandalorian was a least not a rerun of the Death Star syndrome. For a tv show based on Star Wars it felt remarkably fresh and exciting. A space western Wanted Dead or Alive you could even enjoy without being a diehard fan of the franchise.

1 Like
68

I assume you saw the post credits scene in the last episode.

That one made me happy.

1 Like
69

https://www.joblo.com/movie-news/poker-face-rian-johnson-mystery-series

1 Like
70

I am SO psyched for this!

…but I’ve made my love for Rian Johnson’s work very clear

2 Likes
71

SERVANT (Apple +)

M.Night Shyamalan is one of the executive producers - but this should not discourage those who don’t like his (later) films at all, since this show was conceived by writer Tony Basgallop. Stephen King recently endorsed it heavily on twitter as the most binge-worthy show around, and I must say: I was not disappointed. The 20 30-minute episodes available now (two seasons) are so captivatingly entertaining I can only recommend it. What “Servant” really manages is to be a show about superstition and how it relates to trauma, how we all try to survive and cope with horrible experiences and the ways our psyches can lead us down very dangerous, self-destructive paths.

Of course, the show is marketed as a kind of modern “Rosemary´s Baby” - but it actually is very different and plays as a sardonically funny take on the genre of supernatural horror. Brilliantly acted, shot, edited, scored and directed, “Servant” is also so great because whenever one thinks “oh, now they succumb to the supernatural humbug” the next scene makes you reassess that again. What happens seems to be impossible, then again it can just be a consequence brought on by the superstitious actions of the characters.

Enjoy!

3 Likes
72

The Undoing

I loved David Kelly’s first collaboration with Nicole Kidman, “BIG LITTLE LIES”. And I enjoyed this new one, “THE UNDOING” a lot, too. Hugh Grant gets the showy role, and he really is fantastic. I bet he could be a fantastic future Bond villain, too, if given the chance. This mini-series is, of course, a “whodunit” leaning more to the question of “did he do it or not”, and it really held me in suspense until the end because it skillfully opens up questions about everyone involved.

Some critics said this story is just a murder mystery and nothing else. They are missing the obvious point - “The Undoing” is about how everyone lives particular lies and holds on to those until they believe they are true. Quite a timely message.

Oh, and Donald Sutherland (of course!) is once again magnificent. He gets several great scenes, but one with the headmaster of his grandson´s private school, and boy, Sutherland nails this so wonderfully, it´s just a pleasure to watch.

3 Likes
73

Strike (BBC One, HBO)

The Cuckoo‘s Calling

This is a remarkably faithful adaptation of the Galbraith/Rowling novel. While it does trim down some of the 560 pages‘ surplus narration to fit into a conventional Beeb three parter just short of three hours it keeps all the necessary plot elements, red herrings, and most importantly the characters spot on.

The Strike novels are traditional mysteries in the vein of Morse, Jury, Rebus i.e. the emphasis is on puzzling out who did ‘it’, and action - what action there is - comes second. They also feature a classic romantic subplot, so one might say they are fairly been there affairs. Which is exactly what readers want from this genre: likeable, relatable characters on known territory. Rowling doesn’t aim to redefine the genre or push its limits.

The adaptation takes the same approach, we get to see a classic mystery told in the classic fashion, relaxed, without extravaganza or sensationalist aspirations. This isn’t Jed Mercurio, this isn’t a show that aspires to be hyped or experiment with the format. And that’s the strong sleeve of Strike, we’re told a solid tale in the proven fashion and the cast can shine.

Strike has Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger at its core, the pair of which perfectly fit their roles and develop the chemistry needed here. I’ve read the book before I watched the series and have to admit it’s now difficult to see anybody else playing these two.

But the entire cast, often with just one or two scenes of import or dialogue, manage to nail their literary counterparts, from the Pete Doherty caricature to the trophy wife and the nasty old, dying society lady. They all seem to have jumped from the pages exactly as we would have imagined them, warts and all.

The result is a surprisingly satisfying affair. Not as rich as Endeavour with literary - and otherwise - allusions, or as tragic as Broadchurch. But interesting and entertaining in its own right, a treat for fans of the genre.

3 Likes
74

No Man’s Land (ARTE/Hulu)

A young French architect thinks he recognises his sister in footage about the Syrian civil war in a YPJ fighter. Problem is, his sister was killed in Cairo in a bomb blast several years ago. On a wild impulse he decides to go to Syria to talk to the journalist and possibly learn whether his sister is still alive.

From this weirdly unlikely premise unfolds a much larger tale that puts the different factions manipulating the Middle East into sharp relief. The war itself is just the natural expansion of previous tensions, the players are ordinary humans on all sides, at times even coming from faraway places and fighting in a war they can only understand on their own level and with their own ideas of what it might all be about.

This series is strong on characters, many of the most important ones female, all of them recognisable as being wrapped up in our real world and its real problems, starting with language and not ending with religion.There’s a total absence of gun porn or flag waiving idiocy that’s currently such a bullbaiting favourite with the usual suspects. Yet the actions of all involved roles remain in character with their ideals and hopes.

The viewer, usually overwhelmed and undereducated by the headlines, comes back from this not just entertained with a mysterious tale but really informed about events on a human level. You cannot do much better in a tv production. This is, in the best sense, helping us to understand.

2 Likes
75

Splendid recommendation. Your analysis proves once again: you should write!

1 Like
76

Go through all of them. Lethal White in particular perfectly adapts the book, only making changes when they wanted to make Rowling’s intent clear for a visual medium.

2 Likes
77

One of the best cast shows around.

78

image
image683×1024 96.5 KB

The horrifying ending of episode 4 of The Falcon and Winter Soldier is the Snyder aspiration.

79

Fabulous tip, thanks for pointing to Servant. I just finished the first season and it’s wonderfully facetted and pulling the registers of ‘weird’ with aplomb, slowly cooking while ever more unexpected elements rise from the broth. Binge worthy indeed.

1 Like
80

I’ve been catching up on the CW’s remake of Walker recently, and personally, I like it. I always had a problem with Chuck Norris’ portrayal, not to say he is a bad actor ( cause every one knows that if I do, he’ll hit me with the fist under his beard) but I kind of like the idea of showing Walker fighting with what to do regarding, for example, his daughters soccer game. I’ve also been watching quite a few animes, as well.