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Telegraph
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Government Cheese, review: no surrealist flight of fancy is left unflown
TV producers sometimes like to boast that, 'We've put all the money on the screen.' It means that rather than fritter the multiple millions on poster campaigns and fancy catering, it's all gone on production design, locations and making the thing look as good as it can. Which really, is exactly how it should be. Government Cheese (Apple TV+), a new nine-part comedy-drama from Apple TV+, has put all the money on the screen. This being Apple, there's a lot to put there. Set in 1969 in a sort of suburban hinterland between the Jetsons, Wandavision, Mad Men and the Incredibles II, it looks sensational. It tells the story of Hampton Chambers (David Oyelowo), an ex-con trying to turn his life around after his release from prison, chasing impossible dreams and a stable family life in the San Fernando Valley, where everything is impeccably rendered. Of course, when things look this good one is entitled to ask what lies beneath. Pretty pictures and a pleasing palette can conceal a lack of meaning or heart. In the beginning, Government Cheese does appear to be all surface, as it struggles to find its narrative centre. The early scenes, set in Hampton's jail just before his release, are dazzling but also dizzying. They feature a flood followed by a riot, smiles and jokes intercut with sudden stark violence, an introduction to Hampton's great invention – a self-sharpening drill bit – on which he is pinning all of his hopes, and a cast call for his family. The Chambers number a son called Einstein (Evan Ellison) who's into pole-vaulting and particle physics, another son called Harrison (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) who wears a cowboy hat and thinks his dad's a useless grifter, and Hampton's wife Astoria (Simone Missick) who didn't know her husband was coming back and would rather that he hadn't. This is a lot to take in over an initial 45-minute episode (the rest are half-hours) and it doesn't help that creators Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr are plainly Wes Anderson aficionados. The show leaves no surrealist flight of fancy unflown, and is as interested in aesthetics and that perfect shot as it is in story. Much like Wes Anderson's films, however, too much quirk can sometimes irk. There is undoubtedly a barrier to entry for Government Cheese (such as its name – it is nothing to do with politics; the name comes from an early saying that 'the best sandwiches come out of government cheese and white bread,' i.e. you can be inventive with the most meagre ingredients.). But if you can stay the course, a few episodes in it settles into a worthwhile family drama cleaved to a likeable crime caper. Can Hampton stay on the righteous path or will he turn to the dark side in a bid to ensure his great invention makes his fortune? With Oyelewo at the centre and the family unit all strong, it turns out that Government Cheese is more than just window dressing. The money is not just on the screen – it's been spent on the writing, too.
Los Angeles Times
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Severance's' creator reads your Reddit posts: ‘It's something I talked to my therapist about'
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who thinks today is even better than a waffle party. That's because the highly anticipated Season 2 finale of 'Severance' arrived Friday and promptly broke the internet (and also secured a Season 3 renewal from Apple TV+). If you, like us, can't stop talking about 'Cold Harbor,' senior television writer Yvonne Villarreal has some (spoiler-free) details from series creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller in this week's 'Break Down.' Plus, streaming recommendations for your weekend and a visit from 'The Z-Suite's' Katie O'Brien. READ MORE: 'Severance' stars explain Season 2's harrowing finale and the 'love hexagon' Must-read stories you might have missed 'Looney Tunes' has been removed from Max. This is why it feels like an attack: Max has dropped the original Warner Bros. cartoons from its lineup, which our TV critic says leaves us with the pastiche and is similar to removing books from a library. For Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass, trust was central to 'Good American Family': Pompeo and Duplass, the stars of 'Good American Family,' explain why they took a chance on Hulu's drama about Natalia Grace. Believe it: 'Ted Lasso' is officially returning for Season 4: Apple TV+ announced that the comedy would return for Season 4, ending speculation about the status of the show and its star, Jason Sudeikis. 'The White Lotus' Season 3, Episode 5 recap: In this week's episode, Rick catches up with an old friend, the Ratliff brothers get too close, and Tim has a moment of crisis (again). Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Cadfael' (Britbox) Long before Claire Randall/Fraser dazzled the MacKenzie clan with the healing power of herbs and general hygiene in 'Outlander,' Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) of the 1994 British series 'Cadfael' was wielding the same knowledge, and using it to solve murder mysteries to boot. A 12th century monk, who took the cowl after years as a Crusader, Cadfael is as observant as Sherlock Holmes, as kindly as Dr. Watson and as pragmatically spiritual as Father Brown. Based on the books by Ellis Peters, 'Cadfael' is set in the town of Shrewsbury, near the Welsh border, and against the backdrop of the 15-year war between King Stephen and Queen Maud known as the Anarchy. It's an old-school period drama, full of wax-sealed missives, ankle-high mud and stained glass windows, where sumptuously clothed lords and ladies mix with monks, minstrels and lepers, soldiers, nuns and tradesmen — and more than a few runaway serfs. For viewers who like to Google as they go, it's a wealth of historical wormholes; for those who do not, it is a series of clever mysteries and a remarkably well-done bit of world-building, without the benefit of today's digital technology. Not to mention a chance to see a panoply of young actors, including Hugh Bonneville, Jonny Lee Miller, Toby Jones, Anna Friel and Tara FitzGerald, in early roles. But mostly it is a showcase for Jacobi, a performer of such effortless talent and humanity that he juggles Cadfael's magnetic mixture of old soldier, healer, teacher, holy brother, psychologist, detective and match-maker with ease. Especially when Cadfael's worldly wisdom and endless curiosity puts him at odds with his stricter brethren, including the authoritarian Prior Robert (Michael Culver) and his deliciously weasely henchman Brother Jerome (Julian Firth). In a world full of anarchy and uncertainty, one's faith in Brother Cadfael is never misplaced. — Mary McNamara 'Heartbreakers Beach Party' (Paramount+) Cameron Crowe made his directorial debut with this 1983 made-for-MTV scrapbook documentary on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, seven years into their career. (Crowe, only 25, had already been a rock journalist for a decade, written the book 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' and the screenplay for the film.) Shown only once on MTV — though, like me, you might have taped and watched it a hundred times — with a recent very limited theatrical release, it's been visually restored and enlarged with a slew of outtakes and a conversation between the director and Petty's daughter Adria. Crowe, an amusing onscreen host, interviews Petty cruising L.A. in the back of a limousine ('It's a pretty obnoxious way to travel around,' the singer admits, 'but I don't have to ride in an old Ford to convince myself I'm of the street') and catches up with the band on the desert location of the 'You Got Lucky' video. The film includes terrific performance and backstage footage, including one scene borrowed for 'This Is Spinal Tap,' and is infused first and last with the amiable charm that served Petty well over the next three and a half decades. — Robert Lloyd A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching Tubi's first original comedy 'The Z-Suite' mines its premise from an all-too-real workplace experience: intergenerational misunderstanding. Starring Lauren Graham as a successful executive at a New York ad agency so out of touch with her Gen Z coworkers (and target demographic) that it puts her career in peril, the series mercifully leaves the boomer / millennial wars behind — but it still captures the bafflement that comes with trying to wrap one's head around another generation's professional mores. Creator Katie O'Brien stopped by Screen Gab recently to share how this dynamic played out on 'The Z-Suite' set, what working with a fledgling programmer felt like and more. — Matt Brennan What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? I regret to inform you that my entire personality revolves around reality television (is it a regret, or IS IT A BRAG?!). I'd like to recommend 'The Traitors' on Peacock — Alan Cumming is my idea of a higher power. In terms of scripted television, I really enjoyed 'Laid,' which is also on Peacock. I'd also like to recommend a gem of a reality show from 2005: 'Criss Angel Mindfreak' [Prime Video]. It stars Criss Angel, his stunts and his superb street magic. He's buried alive in snow in the episode 'White Death.' The show rocks. What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? For film,'Fargo' [Prime Video] — and yes, it's a comfort movie for me — 'Best in Show' [VOD] and 'Waiting for Guffman' [Plex]. Oh! And 'This Is Spinal Tap' [Pluto]. Love me some 'Spinal Tap.' Really, anything Christopher Guest. TV-wise, 'Gilmore Girls' [Netflix, Hulu] and '30 Rock' [Hulu, Peacock]. I always find myself returning to '30 Rock.' Describe the funniest intergenerational misunderstanding that's occurred on the set of 'The Z-Suite.' One moment stands out: Our producing director, Tristram Shapeero, was talking about a film he liked and recommending it to the cast. No one had heard of it, and then one of the younger cast members Googled it, looked me dead in the eyes, and mouthed, 'It's from 1930.' 'The Z-Suite' is Tubi's first original comedy and only its third scripted original. As the show was in development/production, how did the conversations with the platform differ from more established streamers or networks you've worked with? More established streamers and networks are like, 'Hey-o, so this is how this is gonna go…' But the process with Tubi was very collaborative — it felt like we were all in it together, which I found really refreshing and exciting. As a creator, all you want is for the network to believe in you and in the show. Tubi championed the show, championed me, championed the material and the cast. I feel so grateful and lucky to be working with Tubi. Times staffers chew on the pop culture of the moment — love it, hate it or somewhere in between Innies feel love too. But do they get happily ever afters? After a three-year-long hiatus that made many fans' hearts grow fonder, the second season of 'Severance' (Apple TV+) concluded this week with innie Mark (Adam Scott) making a critical choice — and, in the process, producing a TV finale moment that is already being analyzed on TikTok. We won't say more than that in case you haven't watched. Created by TV newcomer Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller, who directs half of the second season, the sci-fi thriller follows a team of employees — Mark, Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro) and Dylan (Zach Cherry) — who have undergone a procedure to separate their work self (innies) from their personal self (outies) at an ominous biotechnology company known as Lumon Industries. The first season ended with the group joining forces to have the procedure briefly overridden so they could experience life as their outies. The aftermath of those experiences propelled the second season as the identity-challenged characters grappled with their outies' motivations to be severed. It all culminated with innie Mark grappling with his personhood. Along the way, there was an over-the-top, head-scratching marching band interlude and a bloody brawl. Similar to its first season, production on the second cycle used block shooting rather than taking an episode by episode approach. But Stiller estimates that it took about 23 days to shoot the finale, a few more than the season average. 'This had such different challenges in it — like the fight with Mr. Drummond or the marching band,' he says. 'It felt like it was its own little movie when we were working on it.' The high-concept premise has created a legion of theorists and forecasters obsessing over details and clues to try to piece together what it all means. As a fan, it's both fun and overwhelming. But does it threaten the intrigue? Erickson doesn't think so. 'I love how much the discourse has become a part of the life of the show,' he told me recently over Zoom. 'But it is overwhelming to me. I've almost entirely had to stop looking at the Reddit. But I've said that before, and then I started up again, and I'll probably start up again at some point, but especially right now, because we're sort of in the process of crafting the story for the next season — that already is a very overwhelming process where sometimes you feel like you have infinite options and you don't know which way to go. And so to add on to that, all these people who believe so strongly in one direction or another — in just about all cases, it's not exactly what we're going to do. And so you worry, you're like, 'Oh no, that guy's going to be so disappointed.' It's something I talked to my therapist about. It is a great honor that people put that much energy into it and it feels like a big responsibility. So I have to try to tune it out, just for the sake of the work, just so that we can continue with the version that we're doing and that we love.' Erickson said he planned to spend finale night with his phone turned off. But he is curious to see what chatter it will fuel. 'Ultimately, I am very interested in how people are going to respond to it, but I think that night, it will be too tense for me.' —Yvonne Villarreal
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's behind Severance's explosive success?
Apple TV+'s sci-fi drama Severance has broken records with the launch of its second season, which the company says has surpassed Ted Lasso to become the most-watched series in its history. The show returned on Jan. 17 after a three-year hiatus, with the Season 2 finale scheduled to drop on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. What's behind its explosive success? Part of it could be its portrayal of extreme corporate control that people find relatable, critics say, coming at a time when workplace issues are front of mind for many. "I love this show. I think it's so thought-provoking and provocative and just impeccably directed, every single frame of the show feels very purposeful and deliberate," said Jen Chaney, a TV critic based in Washington, D.C. The show is in a way a metaphor for compartmentalization, Chaney said. Between a never-ending news cycle and personal obligations, many people may be contemplating how to stay up to date while remaining productive in their everyday lives. (Apple TV+) Though the show's concept may feel like it's from an alternate universe, she said, it still speaks to people's issues with the modern workplace, such as work-life balance. "There is a component there that resonates with a lot of people." A metaphor for compartmentalization The Emmy-winning show, created by Dan Erickson and executive produced by Ben Stiller, follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), who leads a team at Lumon Industries, a biotechnology company. Some of Lumon's employees have undergone a "severance procedure," which splits the consciousness of their work and personal selves, respectively referred to as their "innies" and their "outies." The innies work on seemingly mundane projects whose purposes are kept secret even from them. The ethics of the experiment are called into question when Mark finds himself at the centre of an unravelling personal mystery. He and his fellow innies realize they must confront the true nature of their work and find out who they really are. "It does an incredible job of capturing the drudgery of corporate life," said Amil Niazi, a Toronto-based culture critic. The show is in a way a metaphor for compartmentalization, Chaney said. Between a never-ending news cycle and personal obligations, many people may be contemplating how to stay up to date while remaining productive in their everyday lives. 'The first season came at a really interesting point in time when people were really starting to re-examine their relationship to work. And the concept is just so immediately relatable,' said Amil Niazi, a Toronto-based culture critic. (Apple TV+) "And even though Severance isn't saying any of that explicitly, I do think there's a little bit of a subtext in the themes of the show that maybe makes it extra resonant right now." Timing a contributing factor The timing of the show's release may have also contributed to its popularity. Season 1 of Severance was released in 2022, when the world was still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and workplace discourse centred around issues like "quiet quitting" — putting in the minimum effort required to keep one's job — and whether employees would be called back into offices. "The first season came at a really interesting point in time when people were really starting to re-examine their relationship to work. And the concept is just so immediately relatable," Niazi said. Ben Stiller, executive producer and primary director of Severance, speaks at the SXSW 2025 Conference and Festivals at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, on March 9. (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images) "For all of the strange goings-on and the sci-fi aspect of the show, it really just asks, 'What if your work and home life were completely severed in two?' And I think that premise is really intriguing to a lot of people." Reception to the first season was strong, but because of the pandemic and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, there was a three-year wait for the second season. While such a gap in many circumstances would've killed a show, Niazi says it gave the show time to develop new fans in the interim and build a strong support base online. "Ben Stiller has done an amazing job of really responding to fans, helping to feed some of the theories and really diving in on social media in a way that we're not used to seeing creators, especially at his star level, doing." WATCH | Severance's Canadian cinematographer-turned-director: Are you an innie or outie? The success of Severance is also a win for Canadian cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné, who made her directorial debut on Episode 7 of the show, to positive critical reception. "I think we can relate to it in many ways," she said of the series. "We are so lost in our phones, in our work, and we are numbing a lot and trying not to feel certain things. So we can all relate to this process of not wanting to face certain things in our lives." However, she said, the innies' quest to find themselves may speak to "a voice inside of us that wants to come out," as well. "I feel like we see parts of ourselves — and the fact that it's so well made and executed — people feel like something's been given to them." The show's success is also a win for Canadian cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné who made her directorial debut on the show, having also directed Episode 7 which has been hailed as a masterpiece by some. (Apple TV+) Gagné sees herself as a reverse innie-outie. "I definitely have been lost in my work for a really long time and forgot about myself. So it's almost like the person that everyone knows me as the outie is this cinematographer person. But my innie is kind of a director. And now it's like I found my innie and she's kicking and screaming."
