What to Watch - August 18, 2021
In which we wonder if anyone is fooled by Australia posing as Northern California
Super short week so let’s get to it, starting with a star-studded soapy romp through Australia-as-California.
Wednesday - August 18
Hulu / Nine Perfect Strangers (miniseries). TV writer David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) reunites with Nicole Kidman in another adaptation of a Liane Moriarty novel, this one focusing on a wellness retreat in California hosted by a charismatic guru (Kidman) and visited by, yes, nine perfect strangers who succumb to their guide's very intensive care. Let's face it - the miniseries is basically review-proof and the critics know it, simultaneously pooh-poohing the drama while acknowledging that it's a delightfully escapist romp: 'White Lotus for Dummies', 'feels like Fox's Fantasy Island smarted up', and 'watchable throughout because of the sheer charisma and talent of its great cast,' which includes Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls), Bobby Cannavale (Nurse Jackie), Michael Shannon (Knives Out), Regina Hall (Black Monday), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast), and Asher Keddie (Offspring). First three episodes available today with subsequent episodes airing weekly.
HBO / In the Same Breath (documentary). This well-reviewed doc from Chinese director Nanfu Wang examines China and the US's respective reactions to the discovery of the novel coronavirus: 'a clear, razor-sharp look at the pandemic.' Trailer here.
Netflix / The Defeated, S1. Set in 1946 Berlin, this gritty drama follows an American police officer (Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights) searching for his brother who teams up with a German police officer (Nina Hoss, Homeland) to solve crimes in the war's aftermath. Also stars Dexter's Michael C. Hall. (You might see this referred to as Shadowplay though it's on US Netflix as The Defeated.)
Disney+ / Growing Up Animal, S1. Alas, this is not a coming-of-age drama about a shaggy-haired drummer whose sole contribution to vocals is shouting his own name. Instead, this family-friendly documentary series narrated by black-ish’s Tracee Ellis Ross traces the early development of wild animals as they learn to fend for themselves. Trailer here.
Returning - Comedy Central, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens; Disney+, Diary of a Future President
Thursday - August 19
HBO Max / Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground (documentary). In 1987, PBS aired Eyes on the Prize, an award-winning docuseries that spanned two seasons and examined the Civil Rights Movement and the events leading up to it. Earlier this summer, HBO Max made the first six episodes of the series available when it announced Hallowed Ground, a companion piece to the original series, available tonight. (N.B.: The full series can still be streamed on PBS.)
Returning - Peacock, Five Bedrooms; The CW, Coroner
Friday - August 20
Prime Video / Annette (movie). Is it a mess or a triumph? Either way, you can watch it this daring rock opera/art installation from Leo Carax and the band Sparks from the comfort of your own couch and decide for yourself if this star vehicle for Adam Driver (Marriage Story) and Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) about a shock-comedian and an opera singer is a 'swoon of anxiety and rapture' or just a failure of casting. Trailer here.
Netflix / The Chair, S1. Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) stars as the newly-installed head of an English department at a fictional university. She is also, not inconsequentially, the first woman to hold such a position and therefore the first woman of color in the role, details that come into play when her best friend in the department, a straight white cisgender male professor (Jay Duplass, Search Party), goes viral when he does the Nazi salute during class. Reviews are positive, praising Oh's performance and the show's tight writing, lamenting only that the series is too short - it's a breezy 6 episodes, each clocking in at around 30 minutes, leaving the viewer wanting more. Notably, this is the first production effort from Game of Thrones' showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff under their massive Netflix deal, and is co-created by Amanda Peet (Togetherness).
HBO Max / Reminiscence (movie). Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy is behind this film about a near-future version of Miami ravaged by floods caused by climate change. Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) stars as a scientist who helps clients relive any memories they want before the waters rush in. Also starring Thandiwe Newton (Westworld) and Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep), this will be available to stream for a month on HBO Max starting the day it premieres in theaters. Trailer here.
Paramount+ / PAW Patrol: The Movie (movie). Also debuting in theaters today, this inevitable feature film about a police force comprised entirely of dogs is available to stream on Paramount+.
Returning - Apple TV+, Truth Be Told
Sunday - August 22
Showtime / Gossip (docuseries). Directed by Jenny Carchman (The Fourth Estate) and produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, this four-part docuseries explores - and celebrates - the history of tabloid reporting in the US, starting with Rupert Murdoch's purchase of The New York Post and the rise of its legendary columnist Cindy Adams. Reviews are, in Adams' parlance, savage. Trailer here.
HBO / NYC Epicenters 9/11->2021 1/2 (miniseries) This four-part essay from Spike Lee is a New York City story, featuring interviews with celebrities to everyday people discussing the city's biggest events including 9/11, the ravages of the pandemic, and the Black Lives Matters protests.
Epix / Chapelwaite, S1. Adrien Brody (The Pianist) and Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek) star in this adaptation of Stephen King's epistolary short story Jerusalem's Lot set in Maine in 1850. Sounds chilly. Trailer here.
Returning - AMC, The Walking Dead (final season; first 8 episodes airing this year with final episodes airing in 2022); Showtime, Work in Progress
Monday - August 23
Netflix / The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, S1. This anime spin-off of Netflix's hugely successful The Witcher series focuses on the origin story of Geralt's mentor, Vesemir. Features voice work by Theo James (Castlevania) and Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica).
Tuesday - August 24
Returning - The CW, Supergirl (final season)
In Other News...
Short news week so see you next week - and if you go for a swim, remember to take a friend. You know, for safety.
Moira