With a rainy weekend in the forecast, what better time to kick back and check out some new offerings on your favorite streaming service? Some days, however, it’s hard to find the latest releases and which to prioritize. So we’re here to help!
Each week on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, we're joined by television critics who help parse through notable releases and tell us what's worth a binge. This week we were joined by Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence, and Dominic Patten, senior editor at Deadline.
Listen to the full conversation for a rundown of the variety of shows they hit on. I’ll dig into three of them a little further to offer added insights.
This week’s shows include:
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
A TV adaptation of the 2005 film of the same name, it follows two spies that partner up, not just in their work but in an arranged marriage.
“It is technically loosely based on the feature film, but it comes at the premise from a very different point of view.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“I enjoyed it as a rom-com, I'm not quite sure I enjoyed it as a shoot-em-up.” – Dominic Patten, Deadline
Overall take: As Dominic suggests, this is a marked step away from the original 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and that’s honestly for the best. That movie was an action-comedy, while the TV iteration feels more like the inverse. Having the comedy take the lead feels like it helps keep the series’ energy alive throughout its duration, alongside its well-done action.
Fun facts: The show stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, two people with strong comedy resumes, so they're able to strike the right tone for an easy watch — particularly for couples wanting to cozy up on the couch.
When and where: All eight episodes will be available to stream Feb. 2 on Amazon Prime Video.
Streaming on Hulu
This installment of the anthology series follows well-known writer Truman Capote, who gets into hot water after souring his relationships with some New York high-rolling socialites.
“[A] fun [show] to dig into… [but] not necessarily the most compelling story. There's a reason why you might not be familiar with the [facts it's based on].” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Overall take: A show that’s so star-studded that it’ll grab your eye, though it might not be the kind of story that’ll be your favorite by the end of the year.
Fun facts: The series was created by Ryan Murphy, who's behind mega-hits like Glee and American Horror Story. He got this season off the ground with the help of writer Jon Robin Baitz, who adapted the show from the book Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer.
When and where: Episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Hulu; Episode 3 premieres Wednesday on FX at 10 p.m.
Airing on HBO & Streaming on Max
Yes, we know the theme music is playing in your head right now. It's in ours, too. Larry David does a played-up version of himself in this long-running series, making a big deal out of petty inconveniences and getting every ounce of humor out of each scenario.
“It's just a pleasure to watch Larry David do physical comedy at this point. There's bits in the premiere that play like it's something Charlie Chaplain would've had fun with it...and then he also brings with it that quintessential rage and frustration at social norms he doesn't understand.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Overall take: A nice extra helping of a long-running sitcom, from a master that’s reached unique heights that may never be replicated. Only time will tell if this is David’s last season developing the show, but for now, it’ll be nice to give the man his flowers for his main comedic vehicle this century.
Fun facts: In an interview he did with Today, David spoke about how stressful it was finding the right ending to Curb, and mentioned the Seinfeld series finale as a reason why — that episode amassed more than 76 million viewers, but wasn’t received well critically in comparison to the rest of the beloved series.
When and where: Episode 1 premieres Feb. 4 at 10 p.m. on HBO and Max.
