Summer TV Roundup, Week 1


 We’ve made it to summer. Memorial Day has passed, the days are getting longer, and, in most places, school is over. That might leave you with some extra time to pass in the air conditioning. But what of the new shows this summer is worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this summer.

Fridays:
Star City, Streaming Fridays on Apple TV (Premiered May 29)
About: The world of For All Mankind is getting bigger. That series, which debuted when Apple TV launched in 2019, presented an alternate history for the space race. In this alternate timeline, it was the Soviet Union that made it to the moon first. This new series, Star City, is a spin-off set in the same world. It takes the action back to the 1960s just as the Soviet Union lands on the moon first, telling the story from the perspective of the scientists, KGB officers, and cosmonauts that made it possible. The first two episodes dropped in a block Friday, with subsequent episodes dropping Fridays. The first two clock in just over an hour, which is a good indication that subsequent episodes will hover around or over the one-hour mark, as is common with the original series. This series is led by Rhys Ifans, who plays the Chief Designer. It also intersects with the mothership by featuring the younger versions of a couple characters that have been a part of the fabric of the original series. I liked the action and the way the series was put together. If you are a fan, or have been a fan, of For All Mankind, this will be for you.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: B-

Streaming Series:
Spider-Noir, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered May 27)
About: If you’re a fan of the extended Spider-Man oeuvre, then you probably remember seeing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse back in 2018. It was a new take on Spider-Man, both in terms of being animated and in the larger multiverse it contained. One of the versions of the character that appeared in that film—in black and white no less—was Spider-Man Noir, voiced by Nicholas Cage. Now, eight years later, we’re getting more on Spider-Man Noir, known in his timeline as The Spider, as part of a new series on Prime Video. The series finds Cage as Ben Reilly, a private eye who is harboring a secret. He has superpowers, gained during WWI1 as part of an exposure to some German experiments. He used to patrol the city as The Spider, but after the death of his great love, he retired his alter-ego. A few in his sphere know his secret, but when other super-powered individuals emerge, he has to bring The Spider back out of the shadows. This is a fun period setting with a great cast, which includes Lamorne Morris, Jack Huston, Lukas Haas, and Brendan Gleeson, among others. It’s being offered in full color or glorious black-and-white. It’s an eight-episode season, each clocking in between 42-48 minutes. It makes for a quick binge and it’s quite fun. Cage is perfect in the lead role and seems to be enjoying sinking into the role. The period setting, the noir detective elements, and more make it a fun ride for die-hard Spider-Man fans or casual fans looking for a fun binge. It’s worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Now Playing

Image
  It was an interesting week for new releases in theaters. Below is my take on the two big theatrical films from the weekend. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. Boy Kills World (Theaters) Starring : Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Rothe, Famke Janssen, Brett Gellman, and Michelle Dockery Synopsis : We have seen a lot of action films this year. Many have featured violent sequences, but some have been more artful than others. The new film, Boy Kills World, provides plenty of violence. It’s right there in the title. But where it falls short is in building something compelling beyond the killing spree. We’re introduced to a Boy (Skarsgard) early in the film. He tells us that his world is ruled by the Van Der Koy family, whose head, Hilda (Janssen) keeps the people in line through an annual Culling, where she kills “enemies.” Our protagonist’s mother and sister were among her victims. The Boy barely survived; saved by the Shaman (Yayan Ru...
Read more

Fall TV Roundup, Week 16

Image
  It’s Christmas week, and you might find yourself looking for some distractions in the form of new shows to check out. But which are worth checking out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new shows this Fall. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesdays: American Auto, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC (Premiered December 13) About: A lot was made of the fact NBC, former home of Must-See TV, launched a schedule this Fall with no sitcoms. NBC isn’t planning to do the same in the winter, and they got a jump start to close the year, offering two-episode previews of a pair of new sitcoms that will begin their normal runs in January. The first, American Auto , comes from Superstore creator Justin Spitzer and centers on a new CEO (Ana Gasteyer) at a car company. She doesn’t come from the world of cars but is trying to effect positive changes. I thought the first two episodes were funny and definitely filled the Superstore vib...
Read more

Now Playing

Image
  It was a solid week for new releases, including my favorite animated film of the year. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.  Brats (Hulu) Synopsis : From Andrew McCarthy, this new documentary takes a look at the infamous Brat Pack. The film features interviews with the members as they look back at the title that branded them and helped define some of their career. As a member of the group, McCarthy brings a unique perspective. Often the interviews, with actors such as Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Timothy Hutton, and Demi Moore, among others, feels more like old friends catching up. There’s a sweetness and a lightness to the documentary that is incredibly appealing. The film does a good job of capturing the highs and lows, and helping these actors and actresses give an account of what the pressure of that time—and these high-profile films—meant in their lives and their careers. As a child of the 1980s, I was fascinating by t...
Read more