What to Watch / February 28, 2024
In which I find myself watching a lot of Richard Lewis clips on YouTube (RIP)
A very light week ahead (but with some Winslet to look forward to) so let's get to it:
Wednesday - February 28
Netflix / The Octopus Murders (docuseries). From the producers of the stellar Wild Wild Country docuseries comes this 4 part look into the murder of an investigative journalist who was obsessed with a theory that a small group of men were linked to a global conspiracy. Reviews are positive: it 'casts a shadow of plausibility, much of it concerning what the U.S. government is capable of, that should give viewers pause.' Trailer here.
Disney+ / Iwájú (limited series). This original animated series is set in a futuristic version of Nigeria and follows the coming-of-age adventures of a young girl contending with criminal masterminds and a brilliant father who may be stretched a bit too thin. Reviews are positive, loving the visuals but lamenting the show's too-fast pace.
Returning - CBS/Paramount+, Survivor; Netflix, Code 8; BritBox, Vera
Thursday - February 29
CBS/Paramount+ / Elsbeth, S1. Scene-stealer Carrie Preston (True Blood) takes her Emmy-winning eccentric investigative attorney character from The Good Fight (and previously, The Good Wife) to the Big Apple in this latest venture from show creators Robert and Michelle King that's drawn winning comparisons to Columbo (and Poker Face). '[I]n an era where so much TV is so dark and depressing, Elsbeth stands out as a sweet, happy little treat.' Also: the 'Kings are proving that network TV and the procedural drama, when well-written and perfectly cast, can be outlandish, witty and full of joy.' (And if that weren't enough, The Wire's Wendell Pierce co-stars.) Trailer here.
Prime Video / Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named Laroi (documentary). Young Australian musician The Kid LAROI is the focus of this intimate look at his overnight success thanks to hit single Stay (with Justin Bieber), dealing with fame, and the release of his album The First Time. Trailer here.
Returning - Netflix, The Tourist (moving from Max to Netflix)
Friday - March 1
Apple TV+ / The Completely Made-up Adventures of Dick Turpin, S1. Very much in the vein of Our Flag Means Death, this well-reviewed British comedy import set in the 1700's stars comic Noel Fielding as the earnest but inept would-be highway robber: 'Noel Fielding shines in unashamedly silly sitcom.' Also stars Hugh Bonneville (Paddington 2). Trailer here.
Netflix / Spaceman (movie). Adam Sandler (Punch-Drunk Love) stars as an astronaut on a long solo mission whose crushing loneliness and his fear that his marriage is collapsing are playing tricks on his mind. Or at least that's what the giant alien spider voiced by Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) seems to think. Reviews are middling, faulting the movie's pacing, which is a shame given the film's excellent cast, including Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet) and Carey Mulligan (Far from the Madding Crowd). Trailer here.
Returning - Max, Selling the Hamptons; Netflix, Somebody Feed Phil; Starz, BMF
Sunday - March 3
Max / The Regime (miniseries). Kate Winslet (Extras) is 'spectacular' in this absurdist satire about a far-right leader of a fictional and vaguely Central European country and her desire for ever more power. Created by Succession and The Menu writer Will Tracy, the limited series has garnered mixed but mostly positive reviews: praise for Winslet's performance and Tracy's biting dialogue while lamenting that the series sometimes seems to lack focus. Also stars Matthias Schoenaerts (Red Sparrow), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), Martha Plimpton (The Goonies), and Hugh Grant (Wonka). and Trailer here.
Netflix / The Netflix Slam (special). No, it's not eating eggs and pancakes while watching Netflix but instead a live tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in Vegas. Match starts at 12:30pm California time. (And you can still have eggs and pancakes.)
Monday - March 4
Disney+ / Queens, S1 (nature). Angela Bassett (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) narrates the newest NatGeo documentary series, this one focusing on the female members of species including hyenas, elephants, ring-tailed lemurs, insects, primates and killer whales. Trailer here.
Returning - Fox, So You Think You Can Dance and MasterChef Junior
Tuesday - March 5
Max / A Revolution on Canvas (documentary). The Iranian artist Nickzad ('Nicky') Nodjoumi's work was unflinching in the period leading up to the Iranian Revolution, with his paintings later deemed too controversial and removed from a Tehran museum. Friends urged Nodjoumi to flee the country for his safety. Now, years later, he and his daughter attempt to recover these 100 or so historically important paintings that were once deemed 'treasonous.' Trailer here.
Netflix / Hannah Gadsby's Gender Agenda (comedy special). The comedian hosts a comedy event featuring performances by genderqueer comics, including ALOK. Trailer here.
And that's it for the week! Please enjoy this preview of NatGeo's latest: Animal Hoarders.
Moira