What to Watch / March 6, 2024
In which I admit I'll never get around to watching all the Best Picture nominees
Fairly slow week (again), anchored by the Oscars on Sunday - so let's get to it already:
Wednesday - March 6
Returning - Hulu, Extraordinary (trailer here); Fox, Family Guy, Animal Control, and The Masked Singer; Netflix, Full Swing
Thursday - March 7
Netflix / The Gentlemen, S1. Theo James (The White Lotus) stars in director Guy Ritchie's latest series, this one set in the same world as that of Ritchie's 2019 movie of the same name but with an entirely new group of characters and new premise: a young man inherits his father's country estate - and, news to him, an enormous cannabis empire. Sounds dope. Reviews are positive, especially for James and Kayla Scodelario (Crawl)'s chemistry, and reviews also assure us that no experience with the original movie is required to follow along. Also stars Ray Winstone (Nil by Mouth), Joey Richardson (Thanks for Sharing), Giancarlo Esposito (Trading Places), and Daniel Ings (I Hate Suzie). Trailer here.
Prime Video / Ricky Stanicky, S1. For decades, three best friends have used the mythical friend 'Ricky Stanicky' to get them out of jams and obligations but when their significant others get suspicious that Ricky doesn't exist, they hire a struggling actor to play Ricky. Problem is, he's a little too good at being Ricky. This comedy from Peter Farrelly (The Green Book) has been in development for over a decade, and suggests a return to his Dumb and Dumber roots: 'an unapologetically lowbrow buddy movie, featuring the funniest performance yet from up-for-anything wrestler John Cena in the title role.' Stars Zac Efron (Hairspray) and John Cena (Trainwreck). Trailer here.
Various (US) / 2024 State of the Union (special). 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern.
Prime Video / Friends in Low Places, S1 (reality). Chris Gaines doppelgänger Garth Brooks stars in this reality series about the 2023 launch of his Friends in Low Places Bar & Honkytonk in Nashville (honestly, where else?). Trailer here.
Returning - Max, The Dog House UK
Friday - March 8
Netflix / Damsel (movie). Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) stars in this fantasy about a young woman who's supposed to be sacrificed to a dragon to settle a family debt. Yeah, she's not down for that. Also stars Robin Wright (The Princess Bride), Angela Bassett (Strange Days), and Ray Winstone (Cats).
Tubi / Boarders, S1. From BAFTA-nominated writer Daniel Lawrence Taylor (Timewasters), this well-reviewed coming-of-age comedy follows a group of Black inner-city London students who win scholarships to an elite boarding school, a scholarship that exists to counter the school's very bad PR after a viral video shows some of its students attacking a homeless man - by spraying him with champagne. Based on reviews, Boarders might fill the Sex Education hole in your heart. Trailer here.
The Roku Channel / First Time Female Director (movie). Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Chelsea Peretti directorial debut follows a, yes, first-time female director at a theater company whose production goes totally fine. Peretti herself stars along with Kate Berlant (A League of Their Own), Max Greenfield (Promising Young Female), Megan Mullally (Party Down), Megan Stalter (Hacks), and Amy Poehler (Wine Country). This premiered last year at the Tribeca Film Festival to middling reviews.
Returning - Apple TV+, The Reluctant Traveler; Peacock, The Traitors; Netflix, Blown Away
Sunday - March 10
ABC / The 96th Academy Awards (special). Jimmy Kimmel hosts. Full list of nominees here.
Tuesday - March 11
Peacock / The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, S1 (reality). This 8 part series follows the McBee family who are - checks notes - real American cowboys. If you were hoping for a slo-mo shot of a bunch of men named McBee striding towards the camera, well, have I got news for you. Trailer here.
Returning - Netflix, Young Royals
And that's it for the week! Please enjoy this octopus trying to do an impression of both Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Moira