Streaming Series Return


Usually the end of August and late September is usually a slow time for TV. Summer series are wrapping up and the Fall season for the networks, and most others, doesn't begin until late September. But for the Streaming Services, it's been an explosion to start the month.

There have been a flood of new shows, like "Jack Ryan" and "Forever" on Amazon, and "The Good Cop" and "Maniac," which premiered Friday and I'll cover in the new show roundup Tuesday. But for Netflix, the Fall has also been a time of shows launching their follow up seasons. Below I look at some of the returning shows that have bowed the past two weeks.

American Vandal, Season 2 (Debuted September 14)
About: The first season of this show caught many people by surprise. It was a mock documentary that was all about the search for who spray-painted penises on a bunch of faculty cars at the local high school. It was weird, surprising, and a lot of fun. And now it's back, this time with the same filmmakers moving to a new city and school to search for a Turd Burglar. The new crime is disgusting, and some of the repeated footage can be hard to stomach. But the characters are fascinating and the commentary on society is fascinating, too. I breezed through all eight episodes, and while it wasn't as incredible as the first season, I thought this installment was pretty interesting, too.

Atypical, Season 2 (Debuted September 7)
About: This comedy, of sorts, was an under-the-radar offering in 2017. Keir Gilchrist stars as Sam, a young man with autism trying to navigate the world. I thought his performance was fun and fascinating. As his parents, Jennifer Jason-Leigh and Michael Rapaport are also fascinating. The second season debuted two weeks ago, and it continues many of the same things that made the first season interesting. This one doesn't get a lot of publicity, but I think it has some really rich performances.

Iron Fist, Season 2 (Debuted September 7)
About: Since they finally teamed up last Fall, the individual superheroes in this Marvel Netflix franchise have had their next individual seasons. "Jessica Jones" went during the Spring, and "Luke Cage" went during the summer. To start September, "Iron Fist" got his second go around. This was viewed as the weak link series, and the second season wasn't well reviewed. HOWEVER, I actually liked it better. I thought Finn Jones settled into the part more, and his back-and-forth with Tom Pelphrey as Ward was actually kind of fun. And Jessica Henwick is good as Colleen Wing, and was more featured in Season Two. I actually liked this one better than Luke Cage, and it will be interesting to see how it develops from here.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more