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Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Playwright Molly Smith Metzler scores with ‘Sirens' on Netflix: L.A. arts and culture this week
'Sirens,' starring Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Milly Alcock and Meghann Fahy, debuted over Memorial Day weekend as Netflix's most-watched show with 16.7 million viewers. What many of those viewers might not have known: The series is based on a play. Created by Molly Smith Metzler, 'Sirens' is adapted from a 2011 one-act, 'Elemeno Pea,' which Metzler wrote when she was at Juilliard. The play premiered that year as part of the 35th anniversary of the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville. It also staged a run at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa in 2012. 'Sirens' and 'Elemeno Pea' are about a young woman who overcomes a tough childhood only to drop out of law school and become a personal assistant to a billionaire's narcissistic wife. Cutting satire ensues when the girl's street-smart sister, who believes her sibling is being devoured whole by the 1 percent, intervenes to save her. The show is a meditation on class and what might best be described as a distinctly American caste system — one in which people from disadvantaged or working-class backgrounds can achieve the trappings of success without ever truly being accepted in the rarefied rooms they occupy. Metzler knows of what she writes — having ascended from the world of struggling playwrights to that of well-paid television writers while raising a young daughter. She was lucky to come into her own during the era of peak TV when the strong storytelling skills of playwrights were in high demand for screen projects. I first met Metzler in 2018 when I wrote about the West Coast premiere of her play 'Cry It Out' at Atwater Village Theatre. She is warm and welcoming, a devoted mother and a savvy businesswoman and artist. At that time Metzler had already written for the TV shows 'Casual' and 'Shameless,' but in 2021 she broke through as a showrunner for the Netflix limited series 'Maid,' which she adapted from Stephanie Land's bestselling memoir. The Emmy-nominated show became the streamer's fourth-most watched show that year. Metzler recruited fellow playwrights Bekah Brunstetter and Marcus Gardley to write for 'Maid.' Brunstetter, whose 2015 play, 'The Cake,' ran at La Jolla Playhouse, also penned an episode of 'Sirens.' The remaining four episodes were written by Metzler and her husband, Colin McKenna, also a playwright. When 'Elemeno Pea' first ran at South Coast Rep, Metzler was 33 and living with McKenna in Brooklyn Heights. The Kingston, N.Y.-native told The Times in an interview that the play was based on her own experience getting to know an outrageously rich woman on Martha's Vineyard during a post-collegiate stay to gather material for future plays. Back then Metzler told The Times: 'I don't want to be a screenwriter. I might write screenplays to pay my rent — most playwrights do — but I am compelled by how hard this art is. I love the challenge of it.' Metzler has now achieved a rare kind of success: She gets the best of both worlds. I'm arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, binge-watching my way through Metzler's oeuvre. Here's your weekly dose of arts news. 'World of the Terracotta Warriors' has opened at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, with more than a hundred artifacts dating from 2300 BC and discovered in Shimao, one of the earliest walled cities in China. Life-size ceramic warrior sculptures are on view with jade, gold and bronze relics in an exhibition organized by the Bowers with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum of the People's Republic of China. This special exhibition costs $11-$29. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, through Oct. 19. President Trump announced Friday that he is firing Kim Sajet, the longtime director of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, for being 'a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI.' The move is Trump's latest push to align national arts institutions with his political agenda. In February, he dismissed much of the Kennedy Center board to have himself appointed chairman. In March, he targeted the Smithsonian Institution by issuing an executive order demanding an end to federal funding for exhibitions and programs based on racial themes that 'divide Americans.' Times music critic Mark Swed was in New York to gauge the reception to Gustavo Dudamel, a year ahead of his official start at music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic. The verdict: So far, so good. Nadya Tolokonnikova, a founding member of the Russian all-female punk band Pussy Riot and a prominent political activist, is staging a durational performance piece at Museum of Contemporary Art titled 'Police State.' The work, which runs from Thursday to June 14, consists of Tolokonnikova sitting at a bare wooden table inside of a corrugated steel structure resembling a Russian prison cell. She plans to stay in this artscape throughout the day and night— eating, drinking and even going to the restroom. She will occasionally perform what the museum is calling 'soundscapes' — a mix of lullabies, screaming and noise rock. Visitors to the museum can watch her through peepholes and via feed from a security camera. Tolokonnikova's performance is born from hard, personal experience. She spent nearly two years in a Russian prison after being arrested for a 2012 performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The world-premiere play 'The Reservoir' by Jake Brasch is in rehearsals at Geffen Playhouse in Westwood. The heartfelt comedy finds two hilarious grandparents, Shrimpy and Bev, helping their grandson Josh navigate life during a difficult stretch of time. Veteran actor Lee Wilkof plays Shrimpy, and the Geffen recently shared an interesting tidbit of trivia with The Times about him: In 1982 Wilkof originated the role of Seymour in the Workshop of the Players Art Foundation's off-off-Broadway world premiere of 'Little Shop of Horrors' alongside Ellen Greene as Audrey. The show soon debuted off-Broadway at the Orpheum Theatre in the East Village. In 1983 Wilkof and Greene performed the musical at Geffen Playhouse, which was called the Westwood Playhouse at the time. 'The Reservoir' marks Wilkof's return to the building and its stage. Here's a clip of Wilkof and Greene performing 'Somewhere That's Green' and 'Suddenly Seymour' on 'The Tonight Show' in 1983. Interested in tarot? A show with the lengthy and informative title of 'Tarot in Time: A Collection of Rare & Out of Print Decks and Original Tarot Art,' recently opened at the Philosophical Research Society. It's part of the inaugural Los Angeles Festival of Tarot, and it's scheduled to run through June 29. A mom-nod of approval for MOCA for providing children with worksheets relating to its Olafur Eliasson exhibition 'Open' at the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. The worksheets, which are handed out with a pencil and clipboard, give kids a series of questions relating to each piece of art, encouraging them to engage on a deeper level than they would if they were just cruising through with parents. Finished worksheets can be exchanged at the front desk for a prize: a cute pin that reads 'Art Is for Everyone.'
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 best shows like 'Sirens' to stream right now
Netflix has another must-see miniseries on its hands: "Sirens." Molly Smith Metzler's star-studded black comedy looked like it would turn subscribers' heads even ahead of release; the trailer racked up over 5 million views ahead of the show's debut. Within days of its release on May 22, this compelling comedy-drama became the latest series to lay claim to the streamer's No. 1 spot. And given its short length, I'd wager there's already plenty of viewers out there on the hunt for their next watch. If you've already raced through the streaming service's new hit show and need some new viewing suggestions, here are five shows like "Sirens" that I think should be excellent follow-ups for fans. So, you've just binged a Netflix dark comedy that's putting a bit of a fresh spin on classical mythology, and you're on the hunt for a new watch. Might I suggest "Kaos" is quite possibly the perfect replacement? Created by Charlie Covell ("The End of the F**king World"), this mythological series brings the Greek pantheon right into the modern day. It's a distinct, thoroughly entertaining tale that sees three mortals from vastly different walks of life being drawn together into a battle against the king of the gods, Zeus (Jeff Goldblum), who is growing increasingly paranoid as he fears his fall is coming. Alas, "Kaos" will never get to fully realize the potential it had, as Netflix canceled the series less than two months after it debuted last August. Don't let that cancellation scare you away, though; "Kaos" is still very much worth a watch. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Watch "Kaos" on Netflix now If you enjoyed "Sirens," you shouldn't miss creator Molly Smith Metzler's previous Netflix drama, "Maid." Inspired by Stephanie Land's best-selling memoir "Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother's Will to Survive", this Netflix limited series follows single mother Alex Russell ("The Substance" star Margaret Qualley) as she tries to make ends meet. After escaping her emotionally abusive partner, Alex turns to cleaning houses for Value Maids in an effort to build a better life for her young daughter. It might be a genre swap — breezy black comedy "Maid" is not — but it is nonetheless compelling stuff, and especially recommended if you enjoyed some of "Sirens" more emotional beats. Watch "Maid" on Netflix now If you like black comedy or you're a regular streamer, you'll have heard of "Succession." Jesse Armstrong's acclaimed black comedy-drama has been hyped up as one of the best shows to grace our screens, and for good reason: across the board, it makes for phenomenal viewing. If you're yet to check it out, the series revolves around the Roy family — patriarch Logan (Brian Cox) and his four children Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and "Shiv" (Sarah Snook) — and some of their allies as the siblings vie for control of the family business, media conglomerate WayStar RoyCo. Thanks to a killer combo of acerbic writing and top-tier performances, "Succession" turns this family drama into a rich and compelling watch. If you like satirical drama and shows about off-kilter high-flyers, "Succession" should be at the top of your watchlist. Watch "Succession" on HBO Max now Like "Sirens," "The Perfect Couple" invites viewers inside the halls of a posh estate. This time, we're on Nantucket, for what promises to be the wedding of the season as Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson) prepares to wed into the Winbury family... though plans are rocked when a body turns up on the beach. It's more of a mystery thriller than Netflix's newest hit show, but should still serve as a satisfying follow-up for any "Sirens" fan looking for a similar watch. It's equally starry — Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, and "Sirens" star Meghann Fahy (and others) are all also in the ensemble — and, even if "Sirens" is the stronger show, the preposterous plotting (and the six-episode count) makes "The Perfect Couple" every bit as bingeable. Watch "The Perfect Couple" on Netflix now It might look like I've saved the most obvious recommendation for last here, but that's just because I sorted this list alphabetically. Fact is, if you like "Sirens" on Netflix, you're all but guaranteed to enjoy "The White Lotus." It's another glossy, luxury getaway, but one that swaps a plush estate for the sun-kissed suites of White Lotus hotels across the globe. Each season of Mike White's social satire throws us in with a fresh set of eccentric (a nicer way of seeing "frequently awful") and super-rich guests and the staff that keep each hotel ticking. Death looms from the off, and we spend each series watching as chaos unfolds among our guests over the course of their weeklong stay. Watch "The White Lotus" on HBO Max now
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sirens review: Julianne Moore leads a possible wellness cult in campy new Netflix show
The impact of Succession and The White Lotus cannot be more palpable in the new Netflix show Sirens, created by Molly Smith Metzler (who helmed another Netflix show- Maid). Here, the tone is thornier and more campy, dealing with class identity and trauma in shades of luxurious pastels. In 5 episodes, this new show starts off woozy and a little undeterred, until it gradually reveals a more chaotic and twisty logic to confront uncomfortable truths. (Also read: The White Lotus Season 3 review: A brutal finale caps off the show's weakest season yet) Sirens, based on Metzler's play Elemeno Pea, begins with Meghann Fahy's Devon, who is just out of her DUI, disgruntled with the arrival of an edible arrangement. True, it is perhaps the worst time for that gift over the Labor Day weekend, given by her sister Labor Simone (Milly Alcock), who has left home (and their dementia-ridden father) to figure out her life. Soon, Devon will make her way to the faraway island to set things straight with Simone, only to discover how she has been brainwashed to work as a live-in personal assistant for her boss, a high-flung socialite named Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). Michela might just be running a wellness cult. Devon is a mess, and wants to extract Simone out of this mess, but little does she know that things are not simple or straightforward as it seems. The siren call of what seems like a luxurious getaway hides past secrets and rumours that will come ashore one way or another. Who is Michaela, and what is the reason she is doing all this? Can't Simone see through this all? Or is she in some danger? The more Devon tries to seek the answers to these questions, the more cruelly funny it gets. Sirens slips from comedy to drama and even to mystery within a breath. Michaela treats Simone like a best friend one moment- asking her to help her sexting with her millionaire husband Peter (Kevin Bacon)- and nothing more than a house help the other. It is strange and hilarious, although the writing never really digs deep into the ways in which Simone's disillusionment transforms into something more essential. Sirens has a restless, unpredictable energy which largely works in its favour. This is a show that begins on a begrudgingly satirical tone, and then suddenly wants the viewer to take these characters seriously. The cynicism disappears. Here, at these narrative beats in the show, the satire does not hold itself steady, and the tonal shift begins to feel a little too jarring. The campiness works until it doesn't. The past catches hold soon enough,h and not so much can be giddy or playful about the way trauma emboldens one person. There's a lot to like and admire about a show like Sirens, even when it comes so close to losing its balance. Given the choices, a little daring hurt nobody, is what this dramedy believes. Take a risk and fall rather than not moving at all. Intelligently directed by a trio of directors (particularly Nicole Kassell), Sirens is daring and weird and unexpectedly poignant. The top of the cliff is always better than the rock bottom at the end of the day, howsoever one gets there.
Tom's Guide
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix's newest No. 1 show is a twisty dark comedy with Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon — and it should be your next binge
Last week, Netflix welcomed a new dark comedy from "Maid" creator, Molly Smith Metzler — and it's quickly become the streaming service's latest must-watch. The project in question is "Sirens", a five-part limited series that whisks us away to a luxury home for a star-studded (and binge-worthy) twisty tale about two sisters and an enigmatic socialite. "Sirens" premiered on Netflix on May 22, and in just a few days, this "incisive, sexy, and darkly funny exploration of women, power, and class" (as Netflix puts it) new show has climbed to the top spot in the streamer's charts. Not yet checked it out? You can find out a little more info about "Sirens" — and why I think you absolutely should stream this new series ASAP — below. "Sirens" follows down-on-her-luck Devon DeWitt (Meghann Fahy) as she sets out in search of her estranged younger sister, Simone (Milly Alcock). Simone is working as a live-in assistant for the eccentric socialite and guru, Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). The pair are uncomfortably close, and Simone's entirely been swallowed up in Michaela's lavish way of life. Fearing she's been brainwashed, Devon spends heads to the Kell estate and spends an explosive Labor Day weekend trying to rescue Simone from Michaela's shadow... though Michaela proves to be a far more formidable foe than she anticipated. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In addition to Fahy, Alcock and Moore, "Sirens" also stars Kevin Bacon, Glenn Howerton, Felix Solis, Bill Camp, Josh Segarra, Trevor Salter, Britne Oldford, Lauren Weedman, Jenn Lyon, Erin Neufer and Emily Borromeo. I had the chance to stream all five episodes in advance of the show's premiere last week, and I came out of "Sirens" expecting it to become Netflix's next big hit. Why? Well, chiefly because the show's a brilliant, breezy satire that's begging to be binged. "Sirens" boasts great performances from all involved, features solid hooks and twists to keep you engaged, and plenty of laughs, too. And, seeing as it can all be polished off in just a couple of hours, it's very easy to make time for. Judging by the show's popularity on Netflix, I don't think I've missed the mark, and I'm even more confident that would-be viewers might get a kick out of Netflix's new dark comedy if they give it a shot. It's got that same "these people are so bizarre/fascinating" energy that made some of HBO Max's dramas appointment viewing, and is arguably the perfect watch for anyone waiting for "The White Lotus" season 4. In short? I definitely recommend streaming "Sirens" on Netflix ASAP. Need a second opinion? Well, the show has earned more of a mixed critical reception than I expected. At the time of writing, "Sirens" currently holds a 73% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and a very similar score on the Popcornmeter (70%). That does mean "Sirens" is Certified Fresh on the platform, but there are some pretty polarized reactions out there. For example, Lucy Mangan gave the series a perfect 5-star score while reviewing for The Guardian, calling it "an endlessly entertaining study in class and family" and praising the story as "wholly addictive, endlessly entertaining and utterly preposterous." Likewise, Empire's David Opie gave the series a 4-star rating, writing: "Sirens" is the perfect getaway: a beautifully shot, deranged escape from reality that digs into the strange dynamic formed between three women who are far too close for their own good." On the flipside, THR's David Fienberg branded the series "an aggressive hodge-podge that tries to blend very broad class satire, very broad melodrama, very broad and formulaic thriller elements and a very broad exercise in affluence porn", later concluding "much of "Sirens" is a slog, despite a reasonably efficient five-hour running time." Overall, I'd encourage you not to be swayed by some of the more negative takes and give "Sirens" a try. If you're really not sold on the new series and now need something new to watch on Netflix, we can still help. Be sure to check out our guide to the best Netflix comedies and overall round-up of the best Netflix shows for tons more streaming recommendations.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Sirens Upends The Classic Tale of an Assistant's Revenge
The stories differ, but there are two non-negotiables for films and series about bosses and assistants: killer dialogue and juicy plot twists. (Depending on your employment history, you might also count on PTSD.) From All About Eve to The Devil Wears Prada, the fraught relationship between employer and employee—with its potential for betrayal and triumph, vicious one-liners and personal growth—has been catnip for Hollywood. And Netflix limited series Sirens nestles comfortably in that rich tradition. Adapted from her own play by Molly Smith Metzler (Maid), Sirens follows rough-around-the-edges Devon (Meghann Fahy), who shows up at her sister Simone's (Milly Alcock) workplace to confront her—except she finds Simone under the thrall of her boss, the wealthy, enigmatic Michaela (Julianne Moore), a bird-wielding socialite who seems to be one sheath dress away from becoming a cult leader. Sirens riffs on everything from mythology to the socio-economics of marriage, but nowhere is it smarter or more incisive than when Metzler is exploring the vagaries of the personal assistant dynamic between Michaela and Simone. Their unsettling, co-dependent relationship (Michaela snuggles into bed with Simone after an anxious night; they go on runs together every day) is akin to watching a workplace version of Single White Female. 'There's a wonderful tradition of making those relationships really scary,' Metzler says. 'Let's be honest, they are scary because there's economics involved. Michaela and Simone present themselves as the dearest of friends, but when economics enters a relationship, it threads the whole thing with dread, but also with a little bit of fear. Someone has all the power, and it's akin to buying a friend.' And while most films and shows slowly tease out one character's true intentions, Sirens continually upends its narrative with a series of reversals and revelations. Devon, Simone, and Michaela are never quite certain where they stand in relation to one another, and their relationships shift and evolve in unexpected ways over the course of five episodes. Much of the show's success hinges on the ways in which it plays with our expectations. We've seen this story before, or so we think. This is Damages with a dash of Mad Men. But Metzler is precise with how she weaponizes our familiarity against us. 'I'm very drawn to subjects that are not what they seem,' she says. 'When you have a fast judgment about a character and then end up wrong, I love that. And the relationship between Michaela and Simone looks like one thing, but it turns out to be something very different. At the end, I think people will be like, 'Oh wait, it was there the whole time, but I didn't see it.'' Part of that slow tease of the truth is the ways in which Metzler shies away from the usual tropes of female rivalry. Unlike All About Eve, Sirens is not concerned with the idea of youth versus maturity. Nor is Metzler interested in the sexual competition of Working Girl. Instead, Sirens smartly places money at the center of its story. 'All the women in the show have a socioeconomic relationship with each other and with the men,' Metzler says. 'And that's a little bit what I'm making a social commentary about too, that there's a lot of buying in the show.' Sirens also plays with ideas about class and trauma, allowing Simone the luxury of thinking that she can pretend her past never happened. Here again, Metzler is playing on our familiarity with stories revolving around reinvention via the workplace—but in Sirens, that has a much darker edge. 'Desperation is a dangerous currency,' Metzler says. 'Even if you end up in a fortuitous economic position, like working for someone like Michaela, who you are and who you've left behind is still there. You can't select all and delete your past. It's very much about class and trauma and how those things dance together, whether you like it or not.' You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
