This edition is a little skimpy (slower time of year? fewer new shows due to writers/actors strikes?). I’d like to say I filled my time enjoying the splendor of nature but I think I was just watching more old movies on TCM. Anyway, here’s my TV wrap-up from the past six months.
LIKED A LOT
Smartless on the Road (MAX) I really enjoyed looking behind the scenes as the popular podcast went on a 10-city live tour. We see the quirks of Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, their sharp and funny rapport, and the lovely friendship they share.
63 Up (YouTube) For this installment of Michael Apted’s Up documentary series, in which director Michael Apted followed the lives of randomly selected British schoolchildren every 7 years starting at age 7, I watched the 3-episode TV version. Though the Jesuit motto that begins each show, “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will give you the man,” remains mostly true for these individuals, it’s the unexpected small shifts in people’s lives that have really kept this series fascinating. (Unfortunately with the death of Apted in 2021, the fate of 70 Up is unknown.)
LIKED
Bad Sisters (Apple) I don’t feel I was the target audience for this one, but it was entertaining enough to keep me watching. Points subtracted for not giving the husband a single redeeming trait, which got a little ridiculous. Points added for introducing me to Bono’s daughter (Eve Hewson) and yet another Gleeson (Brian, son of Brendan, sibling of Domhnall).
Full Circle (MAX) From Steven Soderbergh, this was an intriguing and watchable mystery involving Guyanese immigrant culture, upper-class Manhattan, family squabbles, crooked cops, etc. But unlike a full circle, it didn’t all come together.
SORT OF LIKED, SORT OF DIDN’T
Telemarketers (MAX) The charm of this documentary series is ultimately also its undoing: Amateur documentarians revealing widespread fraud in the telemarketing business. Initially I was amused by these sloppy Jersey guys trying to uncover the truth. But soon enough I found it frustrating that there weren’t legit journalists doing the digging.
LIKELY WOULDN’T HAVE WATCHED IF THE STRIKES WEREN’T HAPPENING
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (YouTube) When getting into or out of my prosthetics, I kill the time by watching YouTube. A favorite source of clips is Late Night With Seth Meyers (especially A Closer Look, Ya Burnt, and online-only Corrections). With that show out of production, I needed more video! Thank goodness for bootleg uploads of Rocky and Bullwinkle! I certainly watched these as a kid, but there are a ton of hilarious bits for adults that must’ve sailed over my head. I love, love, love it! Only gripe: “Aesop & Son” have dark hair in their intro, but are both blonde during the actual segments.
SIX AND DONE
Son of a Critch (WB) First time I’ve been inspired to watch a series because of a merch advertisement on Instagram. “Oh, a Canadian coming-of-age sitcom, that’ll be a nice gentle show to watch,” I thought. First episode was no good; a Canadian Young Sheldon it seemed. One and Done! But as a few days passed, I thought about a certain Canuck sweetness the show maybe had, and the strikes were still ongoing, so I watched a handful more episodes. (Maybe I’d warm to it like I did with Schitt’s Creek.) Nope, still no good.
JURY’S STILL OUT
The Curse (Showtime) I love Nathan Fielder! I love Emma Stone! So this was a slam dunk, yes? Well, not really. It has a weirdly uncomfortable vibe which I’m kind of enjoying, but am waiting/hoping for the show to kick into another gear. If it doesn’t pan out, I’ll blame co-creators the Safdie brothers who brought us the good but overrated Uncut Gems.
SHOW I HONESTLY THOUGHT I’D KEEP WATCHING AFTER ONE EPISODE, YET DIDN’T
Light & Magic (Disney+) Greta Gerwig mentioned this on the Smartless podcast. It’s a documentary series about George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic effects company. And I loves the Star Wars! The first episode of this show was great. When a piece of technology that they needed didn’t exist… they built it! And I learned what matte painting was! I told people in bars about it! So why haven’t I watched episodes 2–6? I don’t know!!
SOMETHING I WAS “LOOKING FORWARD TO” AND THEN DIDN’T WATCH
Women’s World Cup (FOX) I blame Team USA’s early exit and rough match times in this time zone.
YES, I STILL WATCH THE SIMPSONS
But not in a “trivia team ringer” sort of way.
THANK YOU AND GOODBYE
What a brilliant series Reservation Dogs has been, with the final season really doubling down on the importance of family, friends, tradition, and past generations in tribal culture. How To with John Wilson has been right up my comedic alley, and I hope we get to see another project from him sooner rather than later. Painting With John was never as delightful as Lurie’s Fishing With John series, but I always enjoyed spending a weekly goofy half hour with him, and am very concerned that the cancellation has everything to do with corporate cost-cutting. Quirky stuff needs to survive!
LOOKING FORWARD TO
Jeopardy’s Tournament of Champions and eventual return to regular play. The Great North finally beginning its new season. Am so happy Fargo is back. Woman at the Wall looks promising. And of course, in the new year, Curb season 12!
SHOWS I USED TO WATCH AND IN MANY CASES STILL DO
Links to Edition I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XXIV.
Jack Silbert, curator