Another week, another slate of international TV productions that United States companies are starting to distribute stateside. But as I've said before, look at it as an opportunity to introduce yourself to shows you might not otherwise hear about.
Each week on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, host Larry Mantle is joined by television critics to help you parse through notable releases and tell you what's worth a binge. This week we were joined by Danette Chavez, editor-in-chief for Primetimer, and Cristina Escobar, TV critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co.
Listen to the full conversation for the full rundown of shows they reviewed. I’ll dig into three of them here to offer added insight. This week, we're featuring two international picks and a documentary series coming out of Sundance that's worth putting on your radar.
This week's shows/topics include:
Streaming on Max
A sitcom arriving from Canada, the show follows Sabi Mehboob, who’s trying to grow their sense of self while also attempting to push back at society’s expectations of them.
"I think if you liked Fleabag, you should definitely seek out Sort Of." — Danette Chavez, Primetimer
Overall take: This show highlights what makes representation so important. It's a program that isn’t trying to lay out a universal truth for those who identify as nonbinary or genderqueer — you get an authentic portrait of a character who isn’t trying to make you think they’ve got life fully figured out.
Fun facts: The show was co-created by Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo. Baig is a nonbinary Canadian of Pakistani descent, giving the story added authenticity. They also received help from a writers' room that had shared the experience of being South Asian and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community, which is a reason why the show feels so refined.
When and where: Episodes 1-4 are now streaming on Max; Episodes 5 and 6 will release Thursday, Feb. 1, on Max.
Streaming on Netflix
Produced in the U.K., this show follows Bosco and Vita Champion. As siblings born into a family of musicians, Bosco and Vita find themselves constantly trying to best each other musically as they attempt to climb the music charts.
"The last time I was on, I was talking about soap opera rhythms and the importance of remembering that...Champion is very much a primetime soap." — Danette Chavez, Primetimer
Overall take: A story that uniquely tackles sibling rivalries, as well as bringing together some serious themes when it comes to adult brother-sister dynamics. Watch it and you'll be able to not only enjoy genres of music popular with younger generations of Brits, but also use the show as a cathartic way of looking at your relationship with your sibling(s).
Fun facts: The show does a good job of weaving music into its episodic stories, and part of that is a result of R&B-Soul artist Rita Ekwere, whose stage name is Ray BLK. Originally, Ekwere was tapped to compose the music for the show, and from there she was able to spin that into her first on-screen acting role.
When and where: All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
Taking inspiration from the book of the same name by Lawrence Wright, the docuseries sees three directors from Texas tell the story of their hometowns, using it to build on a greater issue the United States as a whole is dealing with.
"The episodes may veer on earnest, but they do shed light on important stuff that is happening in our country so that we could better understand the human cost of what's going on."— Cristina Escobar, LatinaMedia.Co
Overall take: Richard Linklater, Iliana Sosa and Alex Stapleton all bring together insightful, political stories. Linklater’s piece, “Hometown Prison,” gets into the prison boom in Huntsville, Texas. Sosa’s “La Frontera,” discusses the in-between lifestyle for those living by the El Paso-Cuidad Juarez border. Stapleton’s piece, “The Price of Oil,” brings a unique look into the race and class dynamics within Houston’s oil industry.
Fun facts: Lawrence Wright’s book God Save Texas is unique in that it looks at the Lone Star State through the lens of a journalist who lived there long enough to add a personal touch. With Wright serving as an executive producer on the docuseries, he also tried to impart that storytelling philosophy to each director.
When and where: All three episodes will premiere on February 27 on Max according to the streamer.
