I eluded to a newer format and wanting to change up the Roundup, as I think it’s not working. So, a little bit more in blog/journal form, with some thoughts about small screen projects I enjoyed (or didn’t) the previous day.
I know Netflix’s The Crown can’t possibly be 100% accurate, as no based on a true story is. There’s always things added for dramatic purposes, but the episode after Diana’s funeral, which focuses primarily on William really delivers a punch that I think a lot of kids would have felt or said in that same moment. Whether or not William ever had this conversation, that’s a very different point, but simply reminding his father that in a way, this was his fault. Had he managed to be a faithful husband and not cheated on Diana to begin with, they never would have been divorced, and she never would have met Dodi, or been in that car. Dominic West does a good job of being shell shocked in that moment, and trying to act like that is an incredibly unfair thing to say, but he also doesn’t fight back, sensing that perhaps he feels a little bit of that himself deep down. A rare exchange that really got me this season.
It wasn’t the only Netflix program I watched, as I did finish Everything Now, which boldly tried to be both a comedy and a heavy drama about dealing with eating issues. I have no idea what Netflix’s plans for the show are, but I could go either way. I wasn’t as drawn to the ensemble around Mia by the end of the first season, even if I think the story was important.
The Curse, which is available with audio description to those who view this Showtime show on Paramount Plus is losing me. I realize I don’t like any of these characters, and four episodes in, I wonder if my time can’t be better used. Paula Hoffman seems to do a nice job narrating, but I can’t help some of the images I get. Like, when Emma Stone is walking away with her phone in her hands and her arms down at her sides, the evocative reaction was robotic, not casual. If she’s upset, maybe add some level of stomping, instead of just making her feel like a Toy Soldier.
A Murder At The End Of The World, starts to get even darker. Though, Sean and Darby seemingly team up to investigate the latest death, but can Darby trust anyone in here? And as I’ve said it before, if this just turns out Clive Owen is behind it all, this series is awful, because it feels like it’s telegraphing that far too hard. A mystery needs a twist, or something unexpected. Even Hulu’s recent offering The Other Black Girl managed to surprise me toward the end, even when I thought I knew where it was headed.
The Santa Clauses can’t end quickly enough. If I wasn’t oddly committed to this franchise, and a fan of Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell, I wouldn’t still be watching, but please God… no more. Please stop renewing this. If I wasn’t down to one more episode, I would give up,. Thank God the seasons are really short. I’m more likely to not finish The Curse at this point. Emma Stone can only get so many episodes out of me, and i think the show is actually getting worse.