The past few weeks have been a bit dry on the TV front, but fortunately three new shows have recently come on my radar that I’ve really enjoyed and recommend checking out!
The Dropout
I went into The Dropout fairly blind. I knew Elizabeth Holmes was a person who was in the news a lot, but I never cared to explore further. So, I was pretty sure this show might be something I would dislike. I was so very wrong! The Dropout is great. And, let’s be real, I should have known anything with the only good pop culture “Karen” in the world (aka Karen from Mean Girls) would have a high probability (at least a 30% chance heh-heh-heh) of it hitting the mark.
The show follows, yes, Elizabeth Holmes from her rise as an ambitious hustler to her downfall as scammy, criminal fraudster who builds a multi-billion dollar valued company on a house of cards (the cards were lies, people.) Amanda Seyfried soars in a role that shows off her full range of acting talent (and vocal cords as Elizabeth Holmes allegedly modulates her voice in a lower octave), along with a cast that keeps popping up impressive actors out of nowhere: William H. Macy! That guy from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! The president from Homeland! Other faces my brain recognizes!
And, the soundtrack is bangin’ for those of us that grew up in the 00’s, or as Jill Gutowitz describes it: “the aughts.” A soundtrack filled with Len, Robyn, Passion Pit, Amy Winehouse bring us back to the pre-pandemic nostalgia my brain relishes in. It’s a good time.
I’ve very much enjoyed this show so far, and as I’m not overly familiar with the story, it has catalyzed a lot of Wikipedia cross-referencing after each episode. “This can’t be true!” But (allegedly!) it is. Have a gander for yourself.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
The first few scenes of Winning Time almost made me force quit (whattup objectification of women!) But, I was glad I stayed the course. This latest effort from Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up) follows Jerry Buss, played by John C. Reilly, as he buys the LA Lakers and attempts to turn them from a laughing stock into a dynasty with assistance (and actual assists) from Magic Johnston. And, fun fact: point guard Norm Nixon is played by his real-life son DeVaughn Nixon! The show is comedic – well, at least I laughed more than 5 times in episode 1 – and perhaps prioritizes entertainment over the facts (did I just describe…television?) But, as someone who has only known the LA Lakers as a (mostly) successful team, it’s interesting to learn the origin story of how they came to rival, and then eclipse, rival teams like the Boston Celtics. It’s too early to say if this show is a slam dunk, but so far, it’s at least a solid jumper from outside the paint.
Our Flag Means Death
If you too love Flight of the Conchords, and specifically Rhys Darby as “Murray” in Flight of the Conchords, check out HBO Max’s new show My Flag Means Death. Clipped, Kiwi humour abounds in this new comedy that follows “gentleman” pirate, Stede Bonnet, as he ditches his life of privilege for that of a pirate’s. But, he’s pretty crap at being cut-throat, causing his crew to frequently contemplate mutiny. The cast features a lot of familiar faces, including that of Game of Thrones’ “Hodor” (Kristian Nairn), and Taika Waititi as the infamous Captain Blackbeard. I laughed a lot and think you will too! Check it.
