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Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Platonic' bosses keep the friend zone unhinged with Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, plus streaming recs
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who struggles with setting boundaries in any type of relationship. That sound you hear is the lingering sigh of relief — or is it sadness? Confusion? The frustration over what could have been? — as 'And Just Like That' completed its last sprint in heels this week. The 'Sex and the City' sequel concluded its three-season run with a Thanksgiving from hell and an epilogue for Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, Lisa and Seema that will surely generate plenty of TikTok analysis to occupy us all weekend. The decision to end the series was surprising, sure, but hardly shocking — even if it still feels like a fever dream that's not quite over. Our crew of dedicated watchers unpacked some of what they're feeling — grab a slice of pie, pull up a chair and join the attempt to process it all. It's a safe place. But don't fret, there are some other peeps you can add to your friend group to help ease the loss. Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen prove that men and women can be strictly (incredibly co-dependent) friends in Apple TV+'s 'Platonic.' The comedy returned earlier this month for its second season, and creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller dropped by Guest Spot to discuss the challenges of making opposite-sex friendship more compelling than a romance, plus the story behind the perfectly pathetic pet name they have Rogen's character saying all season. Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a crime drama that sees a 'Clueless' star enter her sleuth era? That's right, TV critic Robert Lloyd tells you about a new Acorn series that stars Alicia Silverstone as an L.A. divorce lawyer who hightails it to Ireland after receiving a mysterious message from her estranged father. If you're in the camp of people who prefer shows with a lighter touch on death, culture columnist Mary McNamara drops in to suggest an old-fashioned workplace/fish-out-of-water comedy set in the world of probate law — Huh, you say? Trust us! It's funny! Must-read stories you might have missed Daniel Dae Kim hopes 'Butterfly' can be the 'KPop Demon Hunters' of spy thrillers: The actor discusses bridging Korean and American culture on his new show, how 'inclusive' isn't a bad word and good allyship in action. Developing 'Alien: Earth' was all about building suspense — and getting classic 'Alien' lore just right for TV: Noah Hawley leaned into the 'Alien' franchise's retro-futurism when making 'Alien: Earth,' adding Peter Pan mythology and Easter eggs. How John Slattery and Milo Callaghan learned to spar (and put on an accent) in 'The Rainmaker': The veteran actor and newcomer star in USA's adaptation of the bestselling John Grisham novel. Hollywood takes a wrecking ball to Los Angeles: Filmmakers seem to take a special pleasure in depicting an apocalyptic future for Los Angeles — how come? Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Irish Blood' (Acorn) Alicia Silverstone stars as Fiona Murphy, an American divorce lawyer — no husband for her! — whose unsuspected past comes calling in form of a photograph mailed from Ireland, showing a picture of a locker with a phone number written on the backside. Not being me, she calls it right away and so begins a dark treasure hunt that brings her to Wicklow, Ireland, where she discovers the father (Jason O'Mara in flashbacks) who left on her 10th birthday was living, and is now dead, under possibly suspicious circumstances. She also discovers a briefcase full of clues; family she didn't know she had; an inherited house; potential romance with the local owner of a boxing gym (Leonardo Taiwo); and a quirky policewoman (Ruth Codd), excited to help when Fiona is mysteriously attacked. As in many, or most, stories in which a city person travels to the country — 'I Know Where I'm Going' or 'Local Hero,' just to be Celtic about it — Fiona will experience a feeling of renewal, notwithstanding the threat of death. The mystery keeps you guessing, the characters are appealing, and Silverstone gives a lovely, lived-in performance. — Robert Lloyd 'Fisk' (Netflix, Season 3 premieres Wednesday) I can't say I was looking for a comedy that revolved around Australian probate law, but one found me and now I'm hooked. Co-created by and starring Australian comedian Kitty Flanagan, 'Fisk' is an old-fashioned workplace/fish-out-of-water comedy that follows recently divorced Helen Tudor-Fisk (Flanagan), who has fled the shining lights of Sydney for the more sedate Melbourne where her father, a retired Supreme Court justice, lives. And she needs a job. After a disastrous interview with a legal recruitment firm — Fisk only wears brown, has no references and 'is not a people person' — she lands at Gruber & Gruber, a small firm dealing mostly with wills. Ray Gruber (Marty Sheargold), an easily distracted schlub, is thrilled to hire the daughter of a Supreme Court justice; his sister Roz (Julia Zemiro), a woman so tightly wound she controls the key to the firm's one restroom, is not. But Roz has been suspended; hence the need for Helen. Misanthropic and quietly contentious, Helen has little patience for client hand-holding, social niceties and, well, patience; but, as time inevitably tells, she is a good lawyer and her heart is not nearly as hard as she wants everyone to believe it is. With a revolving cast of clients, and the requisite Gen Z assistant (here played to great effect by Aaron Chen), 'Fisk' is a deceptively small show — 'The Office' seems hectic and flashy by comparison — but it deftly mines the mundane and often quiet absurdities of life to laugh-out-loud effect. Flanagan, too, plays it close to the vest (or in this case, an over-large brown suit), making Helen the queen of the raised eyebrow and muttered aside. She is neither savior nor saint — many of her problems are of her own making — but anyone who has ever wondered why ordering a smoothie, or renting an Airbnb, or having a straight-forward conversation about just about anything has to be so complicated these days will find a 'but that makes no sense' advocate in 'Fisk.' — Mary McNamara A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching In 'Platonic,' the only will-they/won't-they tension is about whether two longtime friends with co-dependency issues can avoid a breakup of their friendship. The Apple TV+ series stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as formerly estranged besties who, in the first season, rekindled their friendship at pivotal junctures in their lives — Sylvia (Byrne) is a married mother of three children who feels unfulfilled, while Will (Rogen) is a middle-aged hipster and brewer going through a divorce — and help each other in their quest to get back on track. The series returned earlier this month with Will experiencing cold feet at the prospect of marrying his fiancée (and boss), while Sylvia, who is helping to plan the ceremony, gets caught in the crosshairs just as she must contend with developing sore spots in her own marriage. Creators Delbanco and Stoller stopped by Guest Spot to discuss how platonic friendships can be love stories, too, and the story behind this season's embarrassing pet name. What is the challenge in depicting a platonic friendship between people of the opposite sex when viewers enjoy character shipping? How do you make 'just friends' something to root for? Stoller: It's definitely a challenge to break story as almost all TV show plots involve either sex or murder. But the funniest comedies explore human relationships honestly. Our artistic project with 'Platonic' is to delve into the complications and rewards of male-female friendships. We think anyone who's ever had this kind of friendship will find the show relatable. While 'Platonic' is a hang-out show, we also are invested in the show having a strong story drive. We think we have figured out series arcs for our characters that go deep on midlife and hopefully will make you laugh out loud. Delbanco: In a way, platonic friendships are love stories too — not exactly the same kind of love stories, of course, but they do have certain similar preoccupations: Can we survive our disagreements? Are we ultimately good for each other or not? Is our relationship going to last through all of the phases of our lives as we change and grow? Ultimately, we're hoping we can make viewers feel the same degree of investment in 'will they make it' as friends that we're all accustomed to feeling in rom-coms. It's definitely a creative challenge, but we all know how important friendships are to our overall emotional health, so it stands to reason that they deserve some exploration onscreen too. This season provides an opportunity to explore the intimidation factor of a new significant other experiencing the Sylvia-Will dynamic. How did that make you think about Will's fiancée, Jenna [Rachel Rosenbloom]? Stoller: We originally conceived of 'Platonic' as an anthology series where we were going to explore a different platonic friendship each season. While shooting the first season, we had such a great time making it that we asked Seth and Rose if they wanted to do more of the show together, and luckily for us they said yes. The Jenna character had been created to give Will a happy ending. We knew that to make more episodes of the show we would have to give Will a new conflict. We knew that Sylvia needed to understand Will in a way Jenna just didn't. But we also wanted Jenna to be a legitimate partner for Will. So in the Season 2 writers' room, we reconceived Jenna to just be operating at a slightly different wavelength than both Will and Sylvia. We worked with Rachel Rosenbloom, who plays Jenna and is super funny, to figure out a character that was just a little out of step with both Will and Sylvia. Delbanco: We really wanted to write Jenna as a human, relatable character rather than a one-dimensional 'lame girlfriend' type of comedy villain, because at its core, the insecurity that Jenna feels about Sylvia is a feeling most of us have had before: Who is this woman my boyfriend/fiancé/husband spends so much time with, and how can I be sure he isn't actually in love with her? Likewise, we didn't want Jenna to be someone Sylvia could easily dismiss: In many ways she's good for Will, and intimidating in her own right. There have been so many amazing comedies about introducing a significant other to your parents, and your family, but there's a lot of great dramatic tension to mine when new love interests collide with old friends. What is the backstory with the 'penguini' pet name? What were other iterations before you landed on that one? Stoller: We just tried to think of the most embarrassing thing that Will would have to say in front of Sylvia. And so 'penguini' was born. Hilariously, one of our locations where we shot this season turned out to be right next to a restaurant called Caffe Pinguini. Delbanco: It made us laugh so hard to imagine Seth having to use a private baby-talk, lovey-dovey voice — it just doesn't suit his character, and it's so mortifying to be overheard in that mode. It felt like a strong way to announce that something new was going on with him this season. What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know? Stoller: I just watched the Billy Joel documentary ['Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' HBO Max]. I've always been a fan of his, but the documentary uncovers a lot of pain and history I was unaware of. It made me revisit his music and understand it in a whole new light. I also just saw the film 'Sorry, Baby' [VOD], which is hilarious, beautifully-shot, moving and even, at times, slightly scary. Delbanco: I recently finished the second season of 'Wolf Hall' [ and I can't stop thinking about it — I loved the novels and was floored that they were adapted for the screen with such incredible depth and power. The finale is still haunting me even though I watched it weeks ago. Main takeaway: I am so freaking glad I wasn't born during the reign of Henry VIII. What's your go-to 'comfort watch,' the movie or TV show you go back to again and again? Stoller: I watch 'Rushmore' [Hulu, Disney+], 'When Harry Met Sally' [VOD] and 'The Shining' [VOD] once a year. The endings of both 'Rushmore' and 'When Harry Met Sally' never fail to make me cry. Every time I watch 'Rushmore,' I notice a new detail. And 'The Shining' casts a hypnotic spell that makes me want to revisit the Overlook [Hotel] again and again. Delbanco: I guess we're an early Wes Anderson household, because 'The Royal Tenenbaums' [Hulu, Disney+] is the movie I see on repeat when I close my eyes. It makes me laugh and also cry in all the right ways, and I love its desultory, romantic mood. I don't think any scene has ever worked for me as well as Gwyneth Paltrow's walk towards Luke Wilson when she gets off the bus. The bus station! Her fur coat! Nico! What could ever top it?
Los Angeles Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Take a trip to ‘Love Island USA' with Ariana Madix this weekend
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who was pretending they didn't care about the 'Love Island USA' delay on Peacock so it would load faster. This week's Season 7 premiere of the reality TV dating show arrived over 40 minutes past its scheduled launch time, causing eager fans who planned their dinners accordingly to crash out on social media about the delay — but, hey, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? (Speaking of absences, Yulissa Escobar is already gone.) 'Vanderpump Rules' alum Ariana Madix, who returns as host, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about the series that brings together a group of single people (known as islanders) into one villa for a messy and drama-filled chance at love (and money). Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a PBS documentary about a Harvard dropout who, over half a century ago, revolutionized the way people instantly chronicle their lives with his invention of the Polaroid camera, and a British competition series that's become a bit of a phenomenon by having comedians competing against each other in bizarre challenges. Must-read stories you might have missed Dakota Johnson and director Celine Song rethink the rom-com with 'Materialists': The duo explore contemporary, clear-eyed attitudes toward relationships in their new film, Song's follow-up to 'Past Lives.' Mark Hamill starred in the ultimate battle of good and evil. Now he just wants to make America normal again: After nearly five decades as Luke Skywalker, the actor opens up about finding new purpose in Mike Flanagan's 'The Life of Chuck,' speaking out against Trump and rebuilding after the Malibu wildfires. 'Phineas and Ferb' returns after 10 years with a new season and more musical moments: The popular Disney animated series is back after a decade with its main voice cast, more musical numbers and guest stars including Alan Cumming, Michael Bublé and Megan Rapinoe. 'The biggest mistake of my life': 6 actors on typecasting, comedy idols and more: Nathan Lane recalls the Friars Club Roast from hell, Kate Hudson opens up about needing to fight for roles beyond the rom-com and more tales from The Envelope Comedy Roundtable. Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Mr. Polaroid' ( The story of inventor Edwin Land — scrap metal dealer's son, Harvard dropout — and the transformative social power of his famous instant camera is told in this 'American Experience' documentary. You may remember the Swinger, a '60s mass market youth accessory, or even the older models that needed a fixative rub, but certainly you have experienced the full-color perfection of the classic SX-70. 'Mr. Polaroid' captures the magic of the analog image developing in your hand as opposed to the mundanity of digital pictures in thousands on your cell phone — a thing to gather around, put in an album, stick on a refrigerator — and the vision (and myopia) of an obsessive leader whose invention he hoped 'you would use as often as your pencil or your eyeglasses,' and would somehow draw humanity closer together. ('Polaroid is on its way to lead the world,' he declared in a letter to his troops, 'perhaps even to save it.') Land hired women in important research positions when that was rarely done and, after the death of Martin Luther King Jr., resolved to bring more Black employees into Polaroid, but he would also work with the CIA and license (then retract) technology to apartheid South Africa — so, a complicated person. But using his cameras was simplicity itself. — Robert Lloyd 'Taskmaster' (YouTube, Pluto TV) Imagine 'The Great British Bake Off' with fangs. That's the appeal of 'Taskmaster,' a truly singular British comedy competition series in which pompous tyrant Greg Davies and his fastidious minion Alex Horne (who is also the show's creator) sit in gilded thrones and order five comedians to do the impossible, the ingenious and the hilariously annoying. The first episode of Season 1 kicked off with the challenges: paint a horse while riding a horse, empty a bathtub without pulling the plug or tipping it over, and eat as much watermelon as possible. Expect giggling and protestations as the frustrated comics have the best worst time of their lives. Now in Season 19, for the first time an American performer — Jason Mantzoukas — has flown across the Atlantic to be publicly roasted. Challenged to bring in his snootiest item, Mantzoukas admitted that 'in America, snootiness is not really a thing.' So he hired a fake butler. He's making us Yanks proud. — Amy Nicholson A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching 'Love Island USA' kicked off its seventh season this week on Peacock, which can only mean one thing: A summer of diabolical choices sure to take over timelines six nights a week has officially begun. A spinoff of the U.K. reality dating series, the U.S. iteration is set on the island of Fiji and brings together 10 singles in a villa under constant video surveillance with a goal of coupling up. Over the course of the series, in between competing in kooky challenges and going on dates, new islanders are brought in and contestants may re-couple at their discretion — those not paired up are in danger of elimination. The last-standing couple leaves with a $100,000 cash prize. It's not exactly the storybook backdrop for forming long-lasting relationships, but the realities of modern dating are hardly any better. After making her hosting debut last season, Ariana Madix, the 'Vanderpump Rules' alum and Scandoval survivor who has spun her reality TV stardom into a booming career beyond the Bravo universe, is back to oversee the shenanigans. Madix stopped by Guest Spot to tell us which contestant she's watching out for this season and which workplace comedies she finds comfort in. —Yvonne Villarreal As someone who has had the highs and lows of a relationship documented on a reality show, what's your best advice for someone looking for love on TV today? I've never been on a television program to find love, [or] make a romantic connection, so I'm not sure I'm the best to give advice … but my advice for anyone entering the world of reality television regardless of the reason is to enter with authenticity and vulnerability. Let yourself be open to the opportunities that the circumstances bring. Is hosting the level of involvement you want to have with reality TV at this point in your life and career or could you see yourself letting cameras document your life again? I think for me to be on reality television in the sort of role where I am putting myself out there, I would want to be in charge. I would want to be executive producer and I would probably fight for that in any capacity to be back in that space. Which islanders do you think will do well this year? I have a great feeling about Olandria [Carthen]. She's stunning, sexy, full of personality and knows exactly what she wants. What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? For a while I was telling everyone I knew about 'Sweet Home' [Netflix]. It had me on the edge of my seat and I became so connected to the characters. I cried so hard at the end and I never would have expected to be crying over a show about monsters. What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? 'The Office' or 'Parks and Rec' [both on Peacock]. I can put them on to fall asleep and whenever I wake up, I can jump back in and have a laugh with my favorite TV characters. There are no bad seasons.
Los Angeles Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
What to know about NBC's new competition series, ‘Destination X,' plus this week's streaming picks
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone in need of a European getaway on a budget. If you're not taking a big summer trip this year, or if you are and want something to make the stress of traveling feel relaxing by comparison, NBC's new reality competition series might be up your alley. 'Destination X' features a mix of known reality stars and civilians as they put their geography knowledge and deduction skills to the test in Europe for a chance at a cash prize. Executive producer Andy Cadman stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the latest entrant in the travel-competition genre. Also in this week's Screen Gab, TV critic Robert Lloyd unpacks the appeal of Netflix's new series about a traumatized Edinburgh detective tasked with investigating cold cases, and film editor Josh Rothkopf explains why a quartet of travelogue comedy films featuring improv impresarios Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as they road-trip across Europe makes for an enjoyable binge. Plus, a service announcement: The Emmys season of The Envelope video podcast launched this week. The premiere episode features Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez, the stars of 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,' as well as 'Andor' actor Diego Luna. You can watch here or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Must-read stories you might have missed 'The Handmaid's Tale' showrunners on the unattainable finale reunion: 'It was heartbreaking': Co-showrunners Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang spoke about the finale of Hulu's dystopic drama and the show's parallels to the real world. 'The Last of Us': Kaitlyn Dever breaks down explosive finale, teases 'crazier' Season 3: The actor pulls back the curtain on the Season 2 finale, teases Season 3 and reveals why the reaction to Joel's death defied her expectations. After one legendary moment, actor Rolf Saxon chose to accept another 'Mission': His role in the first 'Mission: Impossible' was small but memorable. Now Rolf Saxon has been called back into action for 'The Final Reckoning' and a more substantial part. Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel on 'The Better Sister' finale and taking control: The co-stars and executive producers discuss making the Prime Video limited series and their decades of experience. Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Dept. Q' (Netflix) In this dark yet strangely warm series adapted by Scott Frank ('The Queen's Gambit') from a book series by Danish writer Jussi Adler-Olsen and transplanted from Copenhagen to Edinburgh, Matthew Goode plays Carl Morck, a moody police detective recovering from an incident, arguably his fault, that left him wounded, a partner partially paralyzed and a rookie dead. Talking his way back into service, he's given a basement storage space for an office and a cold case involving a missing prosecutor (Chloe Pirrie), whose distressing circumstances we see without learning why. (It's the mystery!) The primary pleasure of the series is in the team of fellow misfits who gather around Morck — a civilian expat (Alexej Manvelov) keeping mum on his experiences in the Syrian police; a chirpy cadet (Leah Byrne) back from a breakdown and tired of pushing pencils; and Morck's recovering partner (Jamie Sives), joining from a hospital bed. It feels like the beginning of a beautiful second series. (With Shirley Henderson and Kelly Macdonald as a bonus for Scots watchers.) — Robert Lloyd 'The Trip: The Complete Series' (Criterion Collection, starting June 1) Intensely bingeable (the movies actually got their start as four six-episode BBC runs), 'The Trip' makes beautiful sense as an afternoon of viewing, maybe one accompanied by different cuisines as you go. The central premise: Actor-comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, playing barely altered versions of themselves, take to the road for epic conversations behind the wheel and at dinners, where the contours of their hyper-competitive friendship take shape, as does a parade of celebrity impressions. Director Michael Winterbottom steers the duo toward a deeper appreciation of life viewed through the rearview mirror, though honestly, you're there for the vicious backbiting. For anyone wanting to dip in selectively: 2010's 'The Trip' features the guys' classic dueling Michael Caines; 2014's 'The Trip to Italy' takes on 'The Godfather'; 2017's 'The Trip to Spain' unleashes a killer, preening Mick Jagger; and 2020's 'The Trip to Greece' goes for Dustin Hoffman. — Joshua Rothkopf A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching Imagine the pressure of trying to figure out where you are in the world while a man known for carrying a bat studded with barbed wire watches on. NBC's new reality competition show, 'Destination X,' follows 12 players who are whisked around Europe in a blacked-out bus — no windows or GPS to guide them — and tasked with trying to decipher their mystery locations through clues and challenges for a chance to win a cash prize. There's plenty of alliances and rivalries that get formed along the way. The show is hosted by actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, known for his chilling turn as charismatic villain Negan in 'The Walking Dead.' New episodes air every Tuesday on NBC, and can be streamed the next day on Peacock. Executive producer Andy Cadman stopped by Guest Spot via email to discuss the show's mix of known reality TV personalities and civilians and more. — Yvonne Villarreal 'Destination X' is adapted from a Belgian format. How true to the original version is it? How much needed to be changed to suit American audiences? The DNA of the original Belgian format is still present: the idea of being lost and trying to work out where you are. To this we added elements of strategy, giving the players more opportunities to mislead one another, forcing them to make difficult decisions, keep secrets, form alliances and ultimately allowing the players to decide who was at risk of elimination in each episode. Pitting the players more directly against one another transformed the show from a game about geography into a strategic, social competition, more accessible to an American audience and ultimately a more dramatic and exciting reality competition show. The first season of the U.S. version of 'Traitors' featured a mix of reality TV personalities and civilians, but quickly pivoted to an all-celebrity lineup. 'Destination X' features a mix of reality personalities and civilians. Is the hope to keep that kind of combo? And is that kind of blend becoming more important in today's reality competition landscape? I believe that there's a real benefit in the mix between civilians and established reality personalities. With 'Destination X,' we wanted to do a couple of things. Firstly, discover and get to know some amazing new reality personalities that we'll see on our screens for years to come. We have some brilliant characters in this season that are new, unique and surprising. Secondly, we wanted to see how some of the established reality faces might react to this incredible adventure. It was an opportunity to see some familiar faces taken out of their comfort zones and challenged in totally new ways. I think that this combination is a very valuable tool — it gives viewers the chance to meet some new favourites, while still giving them the comfort of some old friends dropping in. What's the game or competition series that hooked your interest in the format as a viewer and led to you pursuing a career in it? I grew up on the original 'Big Brother' and then made that show for many years here in the U.K. It was such a groundbreaking show and has survived the test of time like nothing else. Many of the production techniques that we still use today came from 'Big Brother.' The lure of the genre for me lies in the way that people react to difficult situations. The entertainment can often be in the competition, but for me the greatest interest lies in the social politics, relationships people make, what people will do when faced with a dilemma and how far people will go to win. We used all of these levers in 'Destination X' to create the most dramatic and engaging show possible. What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? 'Slow Horses' [AppleTV+], [a] British spy thriller; 'The Glass Dome' [Netflix], [a] Scandi noir, and if you like tricky puzzles and social strategy, the U.K. version of 'Genius Game' is worth a look. What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? I genuinely don't have one; I find comfort in new seasons of my favourites though. I'm very excited for the next [season of] 'Stranger Things' [Netflix]!
Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Andor' and ‘Tracker' close chapters, plus the week's streaming picks
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is waiting for the weekend to join the rebellion. The highly anticipated final arc of 'Andor' arrives next week, with a three-episode block that brings Cassian's epic journey to a conclusion — cue the galactic grief. In this week's 'Catch Up,' our trusty 'Star Wars' expert Tracy Brown is here to entice you to join the bandwagon before Season 2's last installment. Also in Screen Gab No. 180, our experts recommend a TV show about young love set in Los Angeles that'll make you want to take a drive and listen to a playlist of yearning and heartbreak, and a collection of telecasts of notable Broadway and West End productions. Plus, Justin Hartley stops by Guest Spot to talk 'Tracker.' Must-read stories you might have missed Natasha Lyonne remains unconventional as a sleuth in 'Poker Face' and in her career: The actor is back as Charlie Cale in 'Poker Face,' Peacock's murder mystery series, and for Season 2, Lyonne is adding director to her list of duties on the show. 'The Last of Us' director on Ellie and Dina's relationship: 'This is not just a crush': Director Kate Herron discusses Ellie and Dina's relationship in Episode 4 of Season 2, the 'Take on Me' scene, the infected horde in the subway and introducing Jeffrey Wright's Isaac. Commentary: From 'The Last of Us' to 'Handmaid's Tale,' women are angry and vengeful. Good: In a number of recent television shows, women aren't merely opposing threats, they are taking action against them, often in openly vengeful ways. This superfan is buying VHS copies of 'The Mummy.' The size of his collection is shocking: A Long Beach resident is using social media to chronicle his mission to amass the world's largest VHS collection of the 1999 film starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Next to Normal' (PBS App/ I love covering the Los Angeles theater scene, but I don't love braving rush hour traffic before taking in a live show. Thankfully, 'Great Performances' is streaming freshly filmed productions from Broadway and the West End, starting with the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning work 'Next to Normal.' This 2024 staging of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's 2008 rock musical stars Caissie Levy, Jamie Parker, Jack Wolfe and Eleanor Worthington-Cox as a suburban family coping with crisis and mental illness. (It's a tearjerker, so be sure to keep your blankets and tissues in tow.) The lineup continues weekly on Fridays, with David Henry Hwang's Broadway comedy 'Yellow Face' starring Daniel Dae Kim (May 16), the musical 'Girl From the North Country,' featuring 20 reimagined Bob Dylan songs (May 23) and a revival of Cole Porter's comedy 'Kiss Me, Kate' starring Stephanie J. Block and Adrian Dunbar (May 30). — Ashley Lee 'Forever' (Netflix) You don't always get love right on the first try, but it can still be a powerful experience. This modern day reimagining of Judy Blume's groundbreaking 1975 novel from creator Mara Brock Akil captures the intensity of young love. Set in 2018 Los Angeles, the series follows the story of two high school students, Keisha (Lovie Simone) and Justin (Michael Cooper Jr.), who are trying to figure out who they're becoming while experiencing the joys and insecurities of being each other's first love. Keisha is a smart and confident track star whose circumstances pushed her to mature early, while Justin is a shy, music-loving guy who struggles with schoolwork. Their first phone call will transport you back in time and summon the butterflies. It helps, too, that L.A. plays a vital role in their love story. Production filmed in real neighborhoods — Keisha's family lives in Crenshaw, and Justin's family lives in the affluent View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood. The pair visit places like the Fairfax District, the Santa Monica Pier and Little Tokyo as the season unfolds. And the soundtrack, which includes tracks from H.E.R, Nipsey Hussle and Victoria Monét, will have your ears in a love trance too. — Yvonne Villarreal Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone's talking about I have been shouting from every rooftop that 'Andor' is not only one of the best 'Star Wars' stories ever, but one of the best TV shows around. Now I'm here, in your inbox, ahead of Season 2's three-episode conclusion on Tuesday, to say it again. The show follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) before the events of 2016's 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,' where he is introduced as a skilled spy and dedicated leader of the Rebel Alliance who helps steal vital information about the Empire's super weapon — the Death Star. Yes, the events of the original 'Star Wars' could not have happened without the actions of Cassian and his team. 'Andor' starts five years prior to 'Rogue One's' narrative and tracks the radicalization and transformation of Cassian from disaffected minor delinquent to resistance fighter. That makes the Disney+ show a prequel series of a spinoff prequel movie of the original 'Star Wars' — but don't let this cloak of IP-ified franchise jargon shroud its broader relevance and appeal. 'Andor' is more than just Cassian's origin story. One of the most mature and overtly political installments of 'Star Wars,' the series is a meditation on how ordinary people respond to an increasingly oppressive authoritarian regime. It's a morally complex story that shows how the actions and inactions of some of these ordinary people can contribute to the rise and retention of said regime, as well as how even the smallest acts of insurrection by others in the bleakest of times can be the spark needed for more to fight back. You don't have to be a Jedi or wield a blaster to be a hero. And if the show's timely themes weren't enough of a draw, 'Andor' also has more than its fair share of incredible monologues. — Tracy Brown A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching The Season 2 finale of the hit CBS show 'Tracker' is Sunday. But is its titular character any closer to learning the truth about his father's death? Based on the novel 'The Never Game' by Jeffery Deaver, the series stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a professional problem solver who travels the country and uses his tracking expertise to help crack mysteries for private citizens and law enforcement. While the standalone cases keep the season moving, the backstory about Colter's father has been the slow burn looming in the background. Hartley stopped by Screen Gab recently to discuss his penchant for characters with absent daddy issues, whether he'll direct on 'Tracker' and more. — Yvonne Villarreal As the season nears its end, it seems like we're getting closer to the mystery of what happened to Colter's father. With 'This Is Us,' Kevin knew how his father died, but the audience didn't. In 'Tracker,' Colter is in the dark too. How did your work on 'This Is Us' inform how you thought about Colter and how he moves in the world with that added burden? I think sometimes the burden of the unknown becomes a kind of engine. It drives how you go about your business. I know that's true for Colter. What happened to his father, the mystery surrounding his death — who might be responsible, who might be hiding the truth from him — all of that weighs heavily on him. Colter has spent his entire life finding missing people, yet the one person who continues to elude him is his father. The story behind his father's disappearance, whether he passed away, died under mysterious circumstances or was murdered, remains unresolved. The way Colter approaches his work, the choices he makes, are directly connected to what he went through as a child. The trauma, the unanswered questions, they shape everything he does. In that sense, I think there's definitely a comparison to Kevin Pearson on 'This Is Us.' And, you know, I've kind of made it a thing: I don't do projects unless the dad dies. You've directed before on 'This Is Us' and 'Smallville.' Do you see yourself directing an episode of 'Tracker' next season or in the future? The thing about 'Tracker' that's different from 'This Is Us' and 'Smallville' as well, is that my character is in so many of the scenes. I'd love to direct, as long as it doesn't take away from the production or the limited time we have on set. I don't know if it will happen next year. Maybe. But again, it would need to be set up properly. What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? There's just so much good television out there right now. My wife and I watch most of these together. 'Mayor of Kingstown' [Paramount+] — Jeremy Renner is amazing in it, and the whole cast is just incredible. I love that show. For something a bit lighter but still really entertaining, 'The Residence' [Netflix] is fantastic. My friend Susan [Kelechi Watson] is in it, and she's absolutely brilliant. 'Paradise' [Hulu] — my friend Sterling [K. Brown], my brother, is in that. He's fantastic. James Marsden is fantastic, the whole cast really delivers. '1923' [Paramount+] — I loved that. It's got two really solid seasons, limited series style, but really well done. And then 'Reacher' [Prime Video] — my friend Alan [Ritchson] plays Jack Reacher and does a great job. That show's a lot of fun. What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? I actually just watched this again last night, for probably the fourth night in a row. I've probably seen it over a hundred times. I could quote the entire movie. 'As Good as It Gets' [VOD]. I think it's probably the best movie ever made, in every way.
