Who Is THE GREATest?

Article first published as TV Review: THE GREAT on Seat42F.

Last month, Hulu premiered THE GREAT, a series about Catherine the Great and her combative marriage to Peter in Prussia during the 18th century. Far from a straight period piece, though the costumes don’t look modern, it’s an outrageous, cartoonish take on the scandals, with huge liberties drawn in events and lineage. Despite the complete lack of accuracy, which the show does not disguise, it’s a fun, salacious romp in the vein of Gossip Girl or other teen dramas. But do the kids want to watch this genre in a foreign land and time? If they won’t, I will.

I’ll admit, I loved Gossip Girl, and a few other shows like it. I have also thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve watched of THE GREAT. It’s not high-brow, but it is high-quality in the way its made. The plot makes sense, and the characters are well-developed. The acting is delightful. Yet, something about the way it leans into the messiness and away from facts makes it seem less-than the sum of its parts. This doesn’t affect the glee to be had in watching, but it does keep it out of a list of prestige television. Even though, from the standpoint of originality and its production, it might just deserve to be up there. There’s a certain superficial sheen over the whole thing, which is not a complaint, but a stylistic choice.

Elle Fanning (Super 8) stars as Catherine. Elle plays her as intelligent, but prone to giving in to emotion. She can fake her way along at court, but is so self-righteous that she struggles at first to do so, even when it endangers herself and others. THE GREAT doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on this, but just enough. Layers are added as the piece unfolds, such as her surprising taking to Leo (Sebastian De Souza, Medici), the lover her husband ‘gifts’ her. But her best moments are when she plots with her lady’s maid, an out-of-favor noble named Marial (Phoebe Fox, Eye in the Sky). (It must be said, Fox steals every scene she’s in.) Fanning may be at her best when Catherine runs roughshod over counselor Orlov (Sacha Dhawan, Iron Fist), whom she wants to help kill her husband, while he just wants to bring modernity slowly and safely to the country, one beard at a time.

Speaking of the husband Catherine is locked into a mortal battle with, Peter is played by Nicolas Hoult (X-Men: First Class). It’s easy to underestimate what Hoult is doing with the childish dummy, a petty tyrant who embraces pleasure and demands love and devotion while giving none in return. This isn’t Peter the Great; this is his son (grandson in real life) who cannot live up the shadow of his father, and is too consumed with love for his dad to see that everyone else has perceived the failing. It’s a thankless role, one viewers will root against, but upon later reflection, Hoult is killing it in the part, certainly a contender for best performance in the show.

There are also plenty of players at court. Like Peter’s lover, Georgina (Charity Wakefield, Wolf Hall), who has more depth than you might expect. Georgina’s husband, Grigor (Gwilym Lee, Midsomer Murders), doesn’t like sharing his wife, but has to take that out on others than the man who is to blame. The Archbishop (Adam Godley, Breaking Bad) is like a Rasputin at first, though far less effective. Drunkard general Velementov (Douglas Hodge, Penny Dreadful) is in control of practically nothing.

If you’re trying to learn about Catherine and Peter, it must be noted that they were married many years before he was in charge, though in this series, he’s already ruling when she arrives. Instead, his Aunt Elizabeth (Belinda Bromilow, Doctor Doctor) was the competent leader, portrayed in this as a crazy, though kind, nut. And once Peter did ascend, Catherine deposed him within six months. I don’t think that’s the path THE GREAT will take, as the battle between them is too much a part of the fabric of the show.

I find myself reluctant to praise THE GREAT too highly purely because of the zaniness it embraces without trying to be an obvious comedy. Yet, as I’ve said, I find much joy in watching it. If you want something that is both deadly and light, silly in its seriousness and serious about its silliness, or just a grounded period romp, then check it out

THE GREAT’s entire first season is available on Hulu now.

New Look for PERRY MASON

Article first published as TV Review: PERRY MASON on Seat42F.

HBO brought back a beloved character of literature, radio, and television this week with their new PERRY MASON show. This is a prequel story, set before the titular man becomes the defense attorney he’s been portrayed as in the past. Set in Los Angeles 1932 during the Great Depression, Perry is a noir private eye working for a lawyer and taking care of his family farm, which he should probably unload, given it boasts a mere two milk cows and is at an airport. How does the drunk absentee lawyer become a hero in the court room? Keep watching to find out.

Matthew Rhys (The Americans) stars as Perry Mason. Rhys is an extremely talented actor, as many already know. His performance in this is as impressive as it customary for him. There’s plenty to sink his teeth into for this role, as Perry is deeply troubled, mostly legitimately. His entire past isn’t revealed right away, so there are still some unanswered questions, such as why did he leave the military dishonorably? But the things we can see make him as sympathetic as he is tortured, so substantially.

Rhys is surrounded by other fine performers. John Lithgow (The Crown) is a lawyer Perry is working for named Elias Bichard Jonathan. Juliet Rylance (The Knick) is Jonathan’s more-than-capable assistant, Della Street. Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) is Pete Strickland, Perry’s co-hort. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) doesn’t show up in the premiere, but is playing a religious leader named Sister Alice that promises to be compelling. Chis Chalk (Gotham) is similarly absent from the pilot, but will be a good cop among the bad. Plus, Nate Corddry (Mom), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Eric Lange (Lost), and a slew of less recognizable, but no less skilled, actors join them in smaller roles.

The design, costumes, and sets are no less impressive. Every item of clothing, prop, and vehicle is beautifully recreated and sets the scene brilliantly, though we should expect no less from a big budget production like PERRY MASON. In particular in the pilot, the original Angels Flight train is recreated in its previous location. This is noir, but realistic looking noir.

As good as everything looks, a lot of the characters are total scum of the Earth. The cops we see are like a gang, more interested in lining their pockets than protecting and serving. The Hollywood execs aren’t any better, trash looking after trash with violence and threats. There are good people in this world, like Perry Mason, and they can even thrive without doing too many bad things. But they do have to exist in the muck alongside the worst of humanity, and that informs their characters, making the whole piece rather depressing.

This is where fans of the old PERRY MASON may have an issue with the new version. The old Perry was a shining beacon, while this one isn’t separate from the baddies. They are often the people he works with and for.

The biggest obstacle, though, might be just how disturbing some of the visuals can be. I’m no stranger to violence and gore, and who can be in today’s prestige television landscape? But PERRY MASON finds new depths in a single hour. A dead baby, rendered in stomach-churning detail, is only briefly on screen, and yet it feels like too long. I won’t go into anything further, but if child violence is a trigger for you, steer clear of this show. And even if it isn’t, it’s extremely hard not to be affected by its portrayal here.

Is the world ready for a gritty PERRY MASON? Will subsequent seasons grow him into someone a bit cleaner, or is this destined to be a one-off miniseries experiment? Either way, it’s a very well-made, well-acted series, and unless they do worse than the baby, I’ll be tuning in to see how it turns out.

PERRY MASON airs Sundays at 9PM on HBO.

Enlist in SPACE FORCE

Article first published as TV Review: SPACE FORCE on Seat42F.

Greg Daniels, who adapted The Office for American audiences, has been busy, with new two shows hitting streaming services in as many months. One was Upload, which I reviewed back in mid-May, and the other is SPACE FORCE on Netflix. I’ve had the chance to watch all ten episodes, but will talk about the show mostly generally to avoid spoilers.

SPACE FORCE stars Steve Carell as the manager of a department, just like The Office, but this series isn’t nearly as funny as that one was, or even as amusing as Upload (despite sharing the delightful Owen Daniels in underrated roles). Though, I’m not convinced it’s meant to be. There are outrageous things that happen and eccentric characters. Yet, the tone the lead character sets for the piece and some of the events of it keep things more reigned in.

As the series begins, General Mark Naird (Carell) is promoted from the Air Force to lead the new branch of the military, Space Force. And while his fellow branch heads (Jane Lynch, Patrick Warburton, Noah Emmerich, and others) make fun of him for it, Naird takes the job seriously and does his best. He finds ways to work the scientists who have such different mindsets than he does, and struggles to be a good father to his daughter, Erin (Diana Silvers, Ma).

But it’s not easy. As mentioned, the generals rag on him endlessly, as does their boss, John Blandsmith (Dan Bakkedahl, Veep). Not to mention, the unnamed POTUS is likely the same one we have today, temperamental and petty, though with the events of this year out of the mix (for now, anyway). Mark’s assistant, Brad Gregory (Don Lake, Zootopia), may have saved his life once, but is woefully incompetent. The social media guru, F. Tony Scarapiducci (Ben Schwartz, Parks and Recreation), is more hindrance than help. And last, but far from least, Mark’s wife, Maggie (Lisa Kudrow, Friends, The Comeback), is in prison for the next 40-60 years for reasons not revealed to the audience in season one.

As mentioned, the SPACE FORCE base is comprised of scientists, who you might think are cold and unfeeling based on stereotypes. One could also say the same about military officers. Yet, while outward displays of affection are rare, possibly one of the elements that keeps this series low key, we see some very sweet moments. There’s great stuff between Mark and his daughter. There’s arguably even better stuff between Mark and the head scientist, Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich, Billions, Being John Malkovich). The two have a terrific bond that is often awkward, but really makes up the emotional core of the series. A secondary romance between Mallory’s second, Dr. Chan Kaifang (Jimmy O. Yang, Silicon Valley), and Captain Angela Ali (Tawny Newsome, Bajillion Dollar Propertie$) is also touching.

This human companionship, the scenes where characters connect, is SPACE FORCE’s redeeming quality. Amidst the chaos and the colossal screw ups and the infighting and competitiveness, there are people with hearts who are trying to do a great job. That provides an in for viewers to connect to, and with excellent acting, it’s easy to forget about how few times you’ve laughed out loud.

Which is not to say SPACE FORCE isn’t funny. It’s just more strange funny than obviously humorous. I wouldn’t call its style subtlety, necessarily, but it is a bit sneaky. It’s clever, but not overly so. More just bizarre, really.

Reviews for SPACE FORCE have been mixed, but honestly, I’m fully on board. The ensemble is terrific, the storytelling is interesting, and the acting as absolutely fantastic, as you would expect from this cast. Go in expecting The Office and you’ll be disappointed. But go in with an open mind and withhold judgment, and you may agree.

The only regret I really have is that Mark’s father, Fred (Fred Willard, Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live), won’t be able to return for a second season, and will have to disappear off screen.

Other than that, and especially with the giant cliffhanger of an ending, I’m ready to re-enlist for another mission. SPACE FORCE’s first season is available now on Netflix.

SNOWPIERCER Rides Again

Article first published as TV Review: SNOWPIERCER on Seat42F.

This weekend, TNT premieres SNOWPIERCER, a series set on a train that continuously circles the Earth after an apocalyptic event has left the surface so cold that it’s uninhabitable. If the title sounds familiar, it’s because there is already a film and several graphic novels by the same name. However, this a brand-new story that, while taking elements from both page and screen, introduces all-new characters and an all-new train. The books establish there are multiple trains, so this could possibly be a separate one from the films and graphic novels, which were themselves separate, set in the same world. But it isn’t clear if that is so in this version helmed by Graeme Manson (Orphan Black).

I think it’s a good idea to not connect the series too closely to what’s come before it. Doing so would really pin the writers down within the established canon and limit what could be done with it. A television series will run longer and cover much more story than a film or a few books, so it needs freedom. Based on the design alone, which borrows elements from both predecessors, this is clearly a new train. And that gives the production department the ability to really re-think everything, keeping what works, and adding some pleasing new elements, like the Night Car and a seemingly completely fresh take on the engine.

Of course, any story needs strong characters, and SNOWPIERCER is no exception. Viewers are essentially given two individuals to follow. Though, there are plenty of strong supporting cast members, too, including Mike O’Malley (The Good Place), Alison Wright (The Americans), Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead), Sheila Vand (24: Legacy), Susan Park (Fargo), and Mickey Sumner (Frances Ha), among others.

At the tail of the train is Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs, Hamilton, Blindspotting). The only homicide detective onboard, he is pulled out of the back to investigate two murders, which happened several years apart. This throws a wrench in what some of his compatriots would like to do to fight back. But for Andre, this is gold because it gives him plenty of opportunity for reconnaissance, as he believes they need more intelligence in order to properly establish a rebellion. Unsurprisingly, Andre is a text-book hero with noble intentions and few serious faults.

Thankfully, SNOWPIERCER is not a murder mystery. That element is there, but it’s far from front-and-center. We’ve got enough other shows that do such a thing, and here it’s only being used as a tool to explore the different classes and examine how the system works. That’s a fine use of the device without letting it take over.

Speaking of the system, the face of Mr. Wilford this time around is the Head of Hospitality, Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind). She keeps everything running smoothly, which is a very complicated job. While those that run the SNOWPIERCER in other adaptations have rarely been fully evil, Melanie is probably the furthest from that portrayed so far. She is genuinely concerned with keeping everyone from dying, and the pressure that puts on her are well-illustrated. The fact that this makes her blind to the plights of the tail humanizes her more than Andre, by giving her legitimate flaws that are understandable, though deeply regrettable, in the circumstances.

SNOWPIERCER is at its best, in any format, when it’s shining a light on our present-day circumstances. The television show does plenty of that, and in a way, it succeeds. Where it falters is the pacing is a little slow. But there’s still enough social commentary and sci-fi to please most would-be viewers, alongside the occasional impressive special effect.

SNOWPIERCER, already renewed for a second season, premieres this Sunday at 9PM ET, and airs weekly on TNT.

Not So SOLAR OPPOSITES From Ricky & Morty

Article first published as TV Review: SOLAR OPPOSITES on Seat42F.

Hulu recently released the first eight episodes of SOLAR OPPOSITES, a new cartoon comedy from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan. It follows a family of aliens whose home world was destroyed, and who have now crash landed on Earth and settled into suburbia. What remains to be seen is if the aliens decide that their new home is great or terrible, and if their neighbors will ever accept them.

You may not have heard of Mike McMahan’s work, though he did create the upcoming Star Trek: Lower Decks animated series. But it would be hard to miss Justin Roiland, who co-created the very popular Adult Swim series Rick and Morty. What is blatantly obvious from the first frame is that SOLAR OPPOSITES is very Rick and Morty-like, and could very easily exist in the same universe, on the same planet even, were not the two television series owned by different companies.

Primarily among the similarities, besides the animation style and genre, is Roiland voicing the leads. Roiland is both Rick and Morty, and in SOLAR OPPOSITES, he’s the head of the four-member clan, Korvo. Korvo sounds very much like Rick, just a little more cultured and a little less-burpy. Korvo’s best friend, Terry (Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley), bears a striking auditory resemblance to Morty, as well, though is a little less whiny.

The differences are a little scanter, though important. Rick and Morty are always escaping Earth to go on crazy adventures, while Korvo, Terry, the two extraterrestrial children, Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone, The Goldbergs) and Jesse (Mary Mack, Golan the Insatiable), and their possibly sentient pet, The Pupa (Sagan McMahan), stay at home. This makes SOLAR OPPOSITES a little closer to 3rd Rock From the Sun, with a similarly vague explanation as to how these four or five individuals are related to one another.

The humor and tone is nearly identical to Rick and Morty. For my taste, there’s far too much ‘gross’ stuff, with plenty of puking and slime. Unlike Rick and Morty, however, the story doesn’t immediately distract you from just how disgusting it can be. With a weaker and less compelling plot, at least in the first couple of episodes, it’s harder to get past that. If you don’t mind the grossness, the complaint here comes down to that pedestrian stories aren’t as interesting as awe-inspiring wonder.

In short, this feels like an unnecessary spin-off of Rick and Morty. Despite that not being officially what it is, not a paragraph in the above goes by without bringing up that other show. By making the two so strikingly alike, it’s impossible to talk about one without the other. And that is definitely to SOLAR OPPOSITES’ detriment.

The one thing SOLAR OPPOSITES might have going for it is that it seems more serial than its still-running predecessor. There’s a mission the crew is on Earth to accomplish, though it remains to be seen if they’ll actually make any progress towards doing that. There’s also a running story about Yumyulack and Jesse’s human ant farm that seems finite and begs for consequences. If these things come to a head, that could elevate the storytelling above the weekly plots, which aren’t all that original on their own, and the weird jokes seem less novel after Rick and Morty already told so many in that style.

Given that Hulu released eight episodes at once, they’re likely hoping viewers will push on to see what happens with those. Although I only watched the first two before writing this review, I am sufficiently intrigued to push on. But I’m not enthusiastic about it. An already-ordered second season leaves me concerned that the first batch will be open-ended and not go far enough towards advancing these threads. Though, there’s only one way to find out for the moment.

The first season of SOLAR OPPOSITES is available now on Hulu.

UPLOAD This Into Your Brain

Article first published as TV Review: UPLOAD on Seat42F.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers from the first three episodes.

Greg Daniels, co-creater of The Office and Parks and Recreation, is back on television with the new Amazon Prime half-hour dramedy, UPLOAD. Set just over a decade in the future, it tells the story of a world in which the dying can upload their consciousness into the digital realm – for a fee. And like the apps of today, it’s connected very closely with anyone you want to interact with (even back in the real world), and has plenty of in-game purchases available. But there a dark underbelly to the satiristic story.

Robbie Amell (The Flash) stars as Nathan Brown, the protagonist who is killed in a malfunctioning self-driving car. He ends up in the app thanks to his rich girlfriend, Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who wanted to marry him, but whom Nathan was trying to work up the nerve to dump. Once there, Nathan tries to accept his new status while feeling more and more isolated in the real world. Complicating this are missing memories and unanswered questions surrounding his demise.

Nathan is aided by Nora Antony (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), the customer service representative that serves as his ‘angel’ in the afterlife. Nora is frustrated with her job and lousy corporate culture, but is drawn to Nathan, despite his unavailability, and finds personal motivation in building a relationship with him. (Jim Halpern, anyone?) Nora notices strangeness in Nathan’s case before he does, but is she really in a position to do anything about it?

UPLOAD is funny. One might even add a very to that statement. There are many visually humorous aspects to the situation present, and there’re some biting observations about modern society, especially concerning tech and corporate culture. This is a meaner, more raw version of what Daniels was saying in The Office, and it’s easy to appreciate the thought process that went into the making of this show.

However, sometimes believability is sacrificed for a laugh. Take, for instance, the scene in the pilot in which Nathan is shockingly uploaded. It’s hard to believe a hospital would have a window and allow family to witness such a thing, or that those who did witness were not prepared for the sight. We also are expected to believe that Nora suffers no direct repercussions for some of the acting out she does on the call center floor? And Ingrid unfortunately only becomes more cartoonish as the series unfolds.

One such thing that struck me very odd on the first viewing was Nathan’s behavior just before upload, but this has been explained away by further plot developments.

I like this show quite a bit, and it’s easy to devour in twenty-five minute chunks. (The pilot is double-length). The actors are universally charming, and the mystery adds a compelling through-line to a very interesting take on a man-made afterlife. Elizabeth Bowen (Resident Alien) may just out-Melissa-McCarthy Melissa McCarthy as amateur investigator Fran Booth. Owen Daniels (Space Force) is soooo creepy as the A.I. servant. There are also lots of answered questions that beg to be explored. A lack of aging and development in the app, for one.

But I do wonder just how amazing it could be with a few of the wrinkles ironed out. With just a bit more development time to really figure out those weak spots, I think this might even rise to the level of The Good Place, created by fellow Office and Parks alum Mike Schur (though of course the content is vastly different, despite both being about the afterlife). It is so close to being one of those shows you tell all your friends about. But it falls just slightly short, which doesn’t make it unwatchable, but definitely sparks a bit of longing for what might have been.

UPLOAD’s first season is available now to stream on Amazon Prime.

Crown MRS. AMERICA

Article first published as TV Review: MRS. AMERICA on Seat42F.

FX and Hulu both make terrific shows in their own right. Now, a partnership has formed where viewers get FX series exclusively on the streaming platform. One of the first of those is MRS. AMERICA, a new miniseries based on the true story of the push for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. It completely lives up to the best programming from both sides.

Setting aside the politics, MRS. AMERICA is an extremely well-made, well-acted, compelling history lesson. It’s fantastic as a story, brilliantly directed and executed, with terrific production design. As a piece of television, it’s wonderful.

MRS. AMERICA begins with Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett, Carol), a housewife who has run for Congress twice. When the opportunity comes up for her to run again, her husband, Fred (John Slattery, Mad Men), balks because she might actually win. So to satisfy her own political ambitions and keep the peace in a marriage where she is subservient, she pours her attentions into organizing a national effort to stop the newly-passed Equal Rights Amendment, which must be ratified by thirty-eight states to become law.

It’s a good thing MRS. AMERICA shows us Phyllis before she embarks down this path. It doesn’t stop her from being a villain, but it does make her sympathetic at first, which viewers can hold in their minds as the rest of the story plays out. We get to see what motivates her, and why she makes some of the choices she makes. She is trapped in a patriarchal world and tries to grab power playing by the mens’ rules, even though her desire for power is antithetical to the system in the first place. This does allow for some sympathy, even when she’s being heartless.

Along for the ride with Phyllis are, most notably, Alice (Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story), Rosemary (Melanie Lynskey, Togetherness), and Phyllis’ sister, Eleanor (Jeanne Tripplehorn). Alice and Rosemary want the movement to succeed, and struggle with Phyllis’ leadership. But Eleanor’s story is the most tragic, as Phyllis describes the enemy to be pretty similar to her own sibling, while acting totally ignorant to how it sounds to Eleanor.

Lest you think MRS. AMERICA is just a liberal fantasy version of reality, the women on the other side are far from perfect. Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne, Spy) finds it hard to fit in with the organized opposition, preferring to chart her own course without oversight. Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black) risks wrecking party unity by staying in the presidential race too long. Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman) is opinionated and has the tendency to rub just about everyone the wrong way. Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale, The Americans) is willing to compromise far beyond what some of her compatriots are willing to accept. And hell, Jill Ruckelshaus (Elizabeth Banks, The Hunger Games) is somehow still a Republican! They can’t get on message together to actually accomplish anything, and they fail to take the threat Phyllis poses seriously until it’s too late, blind to people whose opinions are so different from their own.

Each of the leads could support their own miniseries. One might argue they’re lumped together because of their gender, rather than just because of the cause. I still like the format. Each hour includes all the leads, but the episode title reveals with woman will get a little more focus for that offering. Phyllis and Gloria are probably the two biggest characters overall, and that shows.

I’ll admit, that it’s impossible to judge MRS. AMERICA without political views creeping in. At least it is for me. So the next portion is written from the perspective of a liberal, straight, white man, which comes with much bias and unearned privilege.

It would be hard for many conservatives to enjoy a show, even one featuring flawed liberal women, when their own position is so blatantly misguided. But I hope they watch anyway. The liberal in me wants to say, if you have a problem with MRS. AMERICA, then don’t have such evil viewpoints. But here’s the thing: this is an inspiring underdog story of the rise of feminism, made all the more tragic by the lack of progress of the heroes’ central goals nearly fifty years later. Though, now it’s common for both parents to be forced to work outside the home to make ends meet and the classic family dynamic has eroded by necessity, not choice, so really, we all lost.

The real take-away, in my opinion, is the reflection on modern society. We see the misinformation and twisting of facts to serve an agenda, and how masses of people buy into it. We also see what happens when good people fighting for a just cause fail to unite in their mission. There are plenty of strong reasons for individuals to draw the line in different places, but speaking with one voice can prove very effective, even when that voice is wrong.

Will this story have a happy ending? That remains to be seen, and it certainly won’t within the span of nine episodes, as the battle still rages on in 2020, reignited by the last presidential election in ways it hasn’t been since the events depicted in MRS. AMERICA. Hopefully, those that want to finish what was started learn a few lessons and draw inspiration from this story.

The first three episodes of MRS. AMERICA are available now on Hulu, with new installments weekly.

Checking Out QUIBI

Article first published as TV Review: QUIBI on Seat42F.

In the crowded world of streaming, QUIBI, a new project from Dreamworks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, and led by former HP CEO Meg Whitman, stands out as different. Available only for smart phones, the app boasts episodes under ten minutes in length, with new installments released daily. It’s configured for short attention spans or the busy person on the go, allowing a bit of drama, comedy, or reality in bite-size form.

I admit, in my mid-thirties, I am not the target demographic for QUIBI. I dislike having to view content on my tiny screen, and wish it was available to cast to my television set. I don’t like how the picture adjusts to both portrait and landscape mode, cutting off a portion of the image no matter which way you hold it. I also don’t like watching programs in such short chunks, although it helps that new episodes are coming daily instead of weekly, with new shows weekly.

Looking over the content in QUIBI, again, I’m not the target. Most programs are reality shows, while I prefer to stick to scripted fare. However, there are a handful of scripted series in the initial batch launched this week, so I reviewed the first six episodes of all four of them. There will be spoilers.

We’ll start with the best of the bunch, and the sole comedy in the offerings, FLIPPED. Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Will Forte (Last Man on Earth) star as Cricket and Jann Melfi, an eccentric, artsy couple who use a drug dealer’s cash to renovate their home. Obviously, dangerous hilarity ensues as they are forced to makeover the bad guy’s abode. From Funny or Die, it’s smart and weird and pretty darn funny, headlined by a couple of seasoned pros. It’s the least jarring when the episodes end after just a few minutes.

I also enjoyed MOST DANGEROUS GAME in which the mysterious Miles Sellers (Christoph Waltz, Spectre) hires the terminally ill and broke Dodge Maynard (Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games) to run and avoid five assassins for twenty-four hours. It’s a pretty familiar concept, but it succeeds in being suspenseful. Its fast pace is relentless, and even the setup is compelling. This is the one I am most likely to see through, and I really need episode seven right now.

WHEN THE STREETLIGHTS GO ON is typical young adult fare. A teacher (Mark Duplass, The Morning Show) and student (Kristine Froseth, Looking for Alaska) are romantically involved. When they’re murdered, the town reels. Young Charlie Chambers (Chosen Jacobs, It) investigates their deaths for the school newspaper, while others find love. Or probably just teenage crushes. It’s interesting enough, and fits in well with other programming in its genre, so that it will likely work for QUIBI’s core viewership.

Lastly, SURVIVE seems like it’s going to be a drama about mental health. But when protagonist Jane (Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones) crash lands in an airplane, things get a lot more intense. The fact that the man (Corey Hawkins, The Walking Dead) she talks to in the airport, and then just happens to sit next to on the plane, turns out to be the only other survivor, is preposterous. Almost as much so as Jane surviving the wreck unsecured in a bathroom. Their trek down the snowy mountain only gets more ridiculous from there.

While the quality of story telling is uneven among these offerings, there are some commonalities. All star terrific performers and have high production value. They all also feel pretty familiar, without getting too risky in originality. It’s like they’re a shortened, broken up version of shows ans movies people already watch, which may be why they were chosen. QUIBI’s platform itself is the risk, not what it puts on it.

The short format is hard to get used to. Three of these four are as good as any other short-form series I’ve watched. And despite my general distaste, I’ve watched quite a few. It always feels odd to get jarred out of the story so quickly. Web series have been around for awhile, but none have ever really taken off in the public consciousness. Some have gained decent followings, but none hit truly mainstream status. I can’t imagine any of  these will, either, but it’s an interesting experiment that I’ll keep an eye on. My prediction is this service will be a blip, over relatively quickly, and without any true competitors. But who knows? Maybe there’s finally a generation ready for such a thing. We’ll see.

QUIBI is available now on Android and iPhone devices, and offers a 90-day free trial. The trial is free with or without ads, so there’s no reason to choose the ad version at this juncture. More than a dozen shows are currently running with additional ones on the way, including new Reno 9-1-1 episodes.

WESTWORLD Expands Its Borders

Article first published as TV Review: WESTWORLD Season 3 on Seat42F.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the first two episodes.

HBO’s WESTWORLD returned last week after a very long hiatus. Season three likely has multiple timelines, so it’s hard to say how long it’s been in the world of the story, though at least one plot thread is a mere few months later. Then narrative seems more fragmented than ever, with fewer characters returning than did for season two, but with a lot of possibility, new faces, and futuristic worlds to explore. What is real and what is just a simulation? Who knows, but we’re definitely in for it in the eight-episode third season.

Delores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) is arguably the lead, and she is now loose in the real world. After securing herself funding, she snuggles up to Liam Dempsey (John Gallagher Jr., The Newsroom), a rich man that controls a supercomputer that tracks everyone. But when things with Liam don’t go how Delores expects, she’s soon hanging out with Caleb Nichols (Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad), who has quite the different background. Caleb struggles just to make ends meet, and takes criminal activities on the side, though draws the line at murder and kidnapping. How might he be of assistance? Plus, Delores still has Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) in her pocket, but who is now inhabiting Hale’s body?

In the meantime, we also catch up with Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright), who has been blamed for the murders in the park. He’s in hiding, likely in an earlier time period than the Delores story, and trying to ride things out. When that proves impossible, he returns to the island to secure help, and finds Ashley Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth), who is, just as we all thought, a host.

And then there’s Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton), who is back in the games, this time in War World. At least she has Hector (Rodrigo Santoro) and Lee (Simon Quarterman) by her side. Or does she? New character Engerraund Serac (Vincent Cassel, Black Swan) has other plans for her.

A quarter of the way through the season, there are still more unanswered questions than known info. We haven’t even seen the Man in Black (Ed Harris) yet, though his name continues to grace the opening credits. And Quarterman also got a lead nod, meaning he’s likely to return, but how? While sadly, Santoro did not, meaning this could be the only time we see him this year.

The scale of WESTWORLD in season three has expanded greatly, as the adventure goes global. Several continents are covered, but the series thankfully has time to return to the park, at least a little bit. It looks like a bigger budget is probably in the offering, and the smaller scale of the second hour was surely to help balance just how immense the first one was.

The show is, at its heart, still the same series. It still raises questions of artificial intelligence and the danger of encroaching technology. It’s still very much a game that the rich play with hosts and common workers alike as pawns. Delores wants to tear down all of mankind, but perhaps she should consider connecting with Caleb’s peers instead, uniting in cause against their true enemy, the rich?

Season two was very different than season one, and not everyone liked that. Season three is different again. I appreciate the continued evolution of the piece, and think the core themes and characters provide a good through-line. The first two seasons were essentially loose expansions upon the 1973 film WESTWORLD (with a LOT more complexity added in). Season three seems to be picking up the sequel, FUTUREWORLD, but again, with many more angles and viewpoints. This might give us a hint as to where the show is going, though I expect it has more to say than can found in those movies.

I’m along for the ride and happy with the vehicle they’ve provided for us. In my opinion, WESTWORLD season 3 builds upon what’s come before it, and opens up a whole lot of new intriguing possibilities.

WESTWORLD airs Sunday evenings on HBO.

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE Burns Bright

Article first published as TV Review: LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE on Seat42F.

Hulu recently premiered LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, a mini-series adaptation of the novel of the same name from Celeste Ng. It’s the story of two families in Shaker Heights, Ohio in the 1990s. One is comfortably upper middle-class, husband and wife with four kids. The other is a single mom and her teenage daughter, sometimes homeless, always on the move, who blow into town. One kid from the first family is a misfit, and the single mother might be, too. Their worlds collide in interesting fashion. And, of course, there’s fire and destruction, as the opening scene promises.

The cast is led by Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) as Elena Richardson and Kerry Washington (Scandal) as Mia Warren, both of whom are producers on the project, as well. Both of these actresses are accomplished, and both are playing characters in their wheelhouses. As such, this seems like a strong duo to put out in front of the series.

Elena is a character study of a familiar archetype. She’s definitely racist and patronizing. She sees the world as one way and wants everyone to conform to it. Her good heart, wanting to help those she thinks need it, is commendable, but doesn’t excuse the glaring flaws, except maybe in her husband (Joshua Jackson, The Affair) and peers’ eyes. Yes, Elena’s attitude was a more common one at the time this story is set, but is a character everyone will recognize, and there is definitely a new version of the personality today. The attitudes haven’t gone away. It’s good the story doesn’t try to excuse her behavior, but instead paints a full picture of the woman.

Mia is not quite as glaringly familiar, but still relatable. She is warm and loving and protective of her daughter, wanting her to succeed. But she has flaws, too, being defensive and flighty, not always opening up with her daughter, and dragging her around without warning, frequently upending her life. Having these elements to her keeps the audience from needing to side with either Elena or Mia when they’re at odds. Usually Elena is obviously on the wrong side of those disagreements, but we get to see a more complex dynamic than we might have in a lesser show.

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE doesn’t seem to be trying to pass judgment or send a message about Mia or Elena. It’s just showing fully formed individuals whose orbits happen to intersect by circumstance. It’s kind of nice there’s no bigger message here, even though I generally like when there is. Their actions will let the audience judge them without any assistance needed from the show.

The two women are at the center of the piece, but they aren’t the whole thing, with Elena’s son, Moody (Gavin Lewis, Prince of Peoria), daughter Izzy (Megan Stott, So Shook), and Mia’s daughter Pearl (Lexi Underwood, If Not Now, When?) taking a large chunk of screen time, too. For Moody and Pearl, it’s a sweet, innocent connection between two kindred spirits, and maybe even the development of romance. (I won’t spoil anything, but if the series follows the book, it won’t be so straight-forward.) For Izzy, though, it’s an isolated cry for help, rebelling against a family and school she doesn’t fit into, and a dark turn.

The child actors are good. If anything, we don’t get enough of Izzy in the pilot to really figure out what her deal is. But there’s plenty of time with Moody and Pearl to see a dynamic develop. I wonder if the other two Richardson kids will be further explored as the episodes unfold, or if the action will mostly be confined to these three. Either is a valid choice, but it does seem a little strange to have two ‘extraneous’ siblings hanging around.

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE is set in a specific time and place, and there’s plenty done to show that. From the fashion to Janet Reno references to the bulky car phone, to the teenagers lacking cell phones and being excited about bicycles and abandoned vans, it feels very 90s. And yet, there’s a quality to the characters that doesn’t feel dated. Perhaps because the decade was so recent, add a little technology and they could still fit in to today’s world.

In general, I enjoyed the first episode of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, and will probably watch more. Catch the series, currently airing new episodes on Hulu.