January 23rd, 2022
This Week: two returning comedies, a new(ish) nostalgic thriller, a twilight zone throwback, and a show set in a pandemic that won’t give you PTSD.
WTF is this in my inbox you might ask? This, my friend, is the answer to what has become one of the most difficult questions of our time:
What Should I Watch Tonight?
It’s a question that’s plagued algorithms, confounded critics, and laid the foundation for a thousand simmering resentments between couples (The Office? Again?). We live in an incredible and horrifying time, where every corporation is investing billions of dollars into pumping out enough content so that we will all be be glued to their devices forever; and with this never ending paradox of choice, it’s become impossible to find the diamonds in the rough worthy of the 30 min to 2 hour investments that are constantly being asked of us. But no longer.
Introducing: The Sunday Stream
Twice a month (every other Sunday), the best things to watch, straight to your inbox. Short and sweet: just a couple of pieces of content, along with the who/what/where/why (who’s in it, made it, what is it about, where can I watch, and why should I watch).
No pretense or rambling-think-piece reviews - just things you should watch because life is short, and no one should waste their free time watching bad content again.
Now let’s get to it.
What It’s About: Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about this thriller-homage to the Lord of the Flies (GET IT?!) that follows a high school soccer team forced to survive alone in the wilderness after a plane crash through two timelines: the 17 months they spent alone in the wilderness in 1996, and then present day as the survivors deal with the consequences of their actions 25 years earlier.
Why You Should Watch: For dark fun.
Teen Sex! 90s Alt-Rock! Cannibalism! This show has a lot going for it being part survival story, part paranormal thriller, and ‘90s nostalgia trip all wrapped into one. Throw in the stunt casting of former ‘90s stars Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci in adult roles, along with tons of mystery, drugs, and gore, and you have an all-around entertaining ten episodes. Take Seth’s and my word for it.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Ella Purnell - Sweetbitter
Melanie Lynsky - Don’t Look Up, Two and A Half Men, Togetherness
Juliette Lewis - ‘90s nostalgia IG accounts, and almost too many movies to list: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Basketball Diaries, Natural Born Killers, Cape Fear, From Dusk Till Dawn…
Christina Ricci - Casper (!!!), The Addams Family
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, both of whom spent years writing on Narcos and Narcos: Mexico.
Where You Can Watch: ShowtimeNow (I know, who knew that was a thing).
What It’s About: Based on the 2011 bestselling novel of the same name, this drama follows the survivors of a devastating global pandemic along multiple timelines as they attempt to make a new life in a world where 9 out of every 10 people have perished.
Why You Should Watch: For a good (happy) cry
I know, I know - haven’t we all been starring in this show for two years? Who wants more of that? Trust me, this is my favorite show so far this year (maybe even 2021, too). While the first episode has all the standard “Contagion”-style pandemic tropes we’ve all now seen (and ahem, lived) a hundred times, once you push through episode #1 you’ll be treated to an ultimately uplifting show about people finding their purpose in a post-pandemic world. Not only is it strangely life-affirming, but it’s also a treat to watch new stars minted before your eyes (Matilda Lawyer, who plays a young version of the main character, is already a better actor than most and she’s only 13). On top of all that, other highlights include some Mackenzie Davis-knife-wielding scenes that could serve as her audition for a female Rambo remake, and an episode with the most gratuitous childbirth shot since Knocked Up.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Mackenzie Davis - Blade Runner 2049, Halt and Catch Fire, That Awkward Moment (we all saw it!!!)
Himesh Patel - Yesterday, Tenet, Don’t Look Up
Gael Garcia Bernal - The Motorcycle Diaries, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Mozart In The Jungle
Caitlin Fitzgerald - Succession, Masters of Sex, It’s Complicated
Who Made It and What Else Have They Done:
Patrick Somerville, who comes from the Damon Lindelof coaching tree, (Lost, Leftovers, Watchmen), through his time writing on The Leftovers.
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
THE OTHER TWO (SEASON 2)
What It’s About: This comedy follows two siblings, each desperate for fame, coping with the overnight success of their 13-year-old brother as a Justin Bieber-style pop sensation. Season 2 adds insult to injury as their 53-year-old Mom also finds fame as a daytime talk show host.
Why You Should Watch: Show-biz/celebrity-culture laughs.
This show never found a wide audience on Comedy Central, but it’s clear why it’s finding one now. For one, Molly Shannon steals almost every scene she’s in. Two, I’ve never seen a show so perfectly poke fun at what fame means in our digital age. And three - there’s a very sweet family sitcom at the show’s center that sneaks up to hit you with all the feels at the exact moment you think you’ve had enough Grindr or Kardashian jokes, pulling you right back in every time.
Who’s In It and Where You Probably Them From:
Molly Shannon - SNL, Superstar
Wanda Sykes - Curb Your Enthusiasm, Stand-Up Specials, Every bit part in almost every comedy for the last 20 years
Drew Tarver - Honestly, nowhere unless you’re big into improv comedy and know what “UCB” or “Comedy Bang Bang” are.
Helene Yorke - You’re more likely to recognize her voice than her face, as she voices multiple recurring characters on Family Guy, BoJack Horseman, and American Dad.
Ken Marino - Party Down, Wet Hot American Summer
Who Made It and What Else Have They Done:
Chris Kelly and Sarah Schnieder, both long-time comedy writers and SNL vets.
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
ARCHIVE 81
What It’s About: This slow-burn horror series (based on the 2016 podcast of the same name), follows a video archivist who takes a job restoring tapes damaged in a fire 30 years prior. In the process, he uncovers a mystery involving the filmmaker and the cult they were documenting.
Why You Should Watch: For creepy thrills
While the acting is meh and the dialogue is sometimes pretty stilted (New Yorkers please chime in if anyone has ever actually asked you to go “out for vodka shots and shitty pierogi”), this spooky series feels like a throwback to both The Blair Witch Project and The Twilight Zone, with a little Stranger Things thrown in. Two episodes in I’m not only excited to find out whatever the hell is going on at the Visser building, but also to see just how many cozy cardigans the main character has in his wardrobe.
Who’s In It and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Mamoudou Athie - Not a ton, but he is going to be in the new Jurassic Park movie coming out later this year.
Dina Shihabi - Similarly very little worth mentioning.
Evan Jonigkeit - This dude has been making a career out of being “the hot guy the female protagonist shouldn’t trust.” You might recognize him from Girls, Easy, Sweetbitter, and apparently as Toad in one of the X-Men movies?
Martin Donovan - Most recently as the guy who says “Tenet” to John David Washington in the trailer for Tenet, and otherwise for consistently playing creepy or sinister white guys with money.
Who Made It and What Else Have They Done:
Rebecca Sonnenshine, who has written/produced on both The Boys and Vampire Diaries (lol). It’s also exec produced by James Wan who wrote and directed the original Saw, and as a result has been involved with anything Blumhouse has done since (the Conjuring, Insidious, etc).
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
HOW TO WITH JOHN WILSON (SEASON 2)
What It’s About: Life? New York? This one is impossible to peg, but essentially it’s a comedic docuseries framed as tutorials where the star/host attempts to give advice while dealing with his own personal issues.
Why You Should Watch: For absurdist laughs + sublime reflections on life
I’ve tried pitching this one to friends a million times, and it’s close to impossible to sell. What starts out as absurdist, irreverent humor turns into poetic reflections on life’s truths, all while being a love letter to the weirdness of New York City. Just take my word for it and watch the Scaffolding episode in Season One (which I’ve watched twice), and you’ll get it.
Who’s In It and Where You Probably Know Them From: N/A
Who Made It and What Else Have They Done:
This is John Wilson’s first show, but it’s exec produced by Nathan Fielder, who if you’re familiar with at all will make all of the above make a lot more sense.
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
what a fabulous idea!!