Wolf Hall dates from a few years ago (2015) but this quality limited series is streaming now on Stan, and it’s well worth catching up with. The series comes from the BBC (of course) and is based on Hilary Mantel’s novel of the same name. Wolf Hall – the book – was the first in…
Could Stan’s new series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist mark the birth of a new sub-genre – the comedy-soap-musical? It certainly gets props for trying something new. But having gone out on a limb with the concept, the producers quickly scamper back to safety as the series falls into some very tired tropes. Austin Winsberg – who…
Morning Wars (or The Morning Show, if you are viewing from anywhere other than Australia) was heavily promoted as the premier launch drama of the new Apple TV+ streaming platform. With Reece Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Billy Crudup and Steve Carrell all contributing their considerable star quality to the production, you know up front that some…
This British series about an extended family in Manchester offers a refreshingly different take on the family drama genre. For one thing, it’s created, written and executive-produced by Russell T Davies (Doctor Who). Director is Simon Cellan Jones (Boardwalk Empire). The title is very literal, with each episode jumping forward in time over 15 years…
As they say, only lawyers benefit from divorce proceedings. That rings true in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story. Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver) have been married for a decade. They live and work in New York. She’s an actress originally from Los Angeles. She met Charlie when she travelled to New York as a…
Or, Living With Your Self. Netflix’s new dramedy starring Paul Rudd is a small masterpiece about the petty cruelties of everyday life. And while some might expect more from its high-concept premise, the show’s quotidian concerns offer enough to make it worth sticking with. Miles Elliot (Rudd) is stuck in a rut. His job in…
In the tradition of Mafia movies like The Godfather (1972) and Goodfellas (1990) comes The Irishman. This tale is set around the fortunes of one man rising through the ranks of the organisation. And while the action centres on him, much of the plot concerns the fate of powerful Teamsters’ union boss Jimmy Hoffa. World…
Part of the wonder of network television in Australia is its seemingly boundless ability to plumb new depths. If you thought the Honey Badger season of The Bachelor was bad, you ain’t seen nothing till you’ve seen The Masked Singer. In case you haven’t seen it, The Masked Singer is a singing competition (kind of)….
Okay, let’s say you’re scrolling on Netflix and you come across Trinkets. What do you think? “Ugh, another series about spoiled teens. What, am I on the Disney Channel?”, maybe? Well, yes, Trinkets is about teenagers; and yes, they are privileged in that generic American way. But the writing from creator Amy Andelson and her…
In this current golden age of television*, the dark comedy has really come into its own. “High-concept” shows that would never have flown on network TV get a chance on streaming. I, Zombie probably led the way for the current batch; but more recent series like Santa Clarita Diet demonstrate the format’s potential. Perhaps sensing…
