Had no idea this was happening, but apparently Baz Luhrmann recut his film Australia and released it on Hulu as a six part limited series. What an interesting concept. First, the Snyder Cut, now a new version of Australia.
1) Beckham (Netflix)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Limited
The first episode does a good job of explaining why David Beckham is famous. If you are at least familiar with the concept of who he is, you’ll be fine. It starts pretty much at the beginning of his football career, and the first episode takes him through his meteoric rise, and subsequent romance with Spice Girl Victoria.
Episode Grade: B+
2) Lessons In Chemistry (Apple Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Limited
Brie Larson has landed a fantastic role as a chemist lost in a world where men don’t appreciate a woman’s voice, and she’s working on her own theories, and wants to be the next Marie Curie. We also see in a flash forward that she’s using her research to improve food, where she has a cooking show, so seeing how she goes from chemist to cook should be a nice trip. This show is really surprisingly well done, and a delightful time capsule. Obviously, there are things to be learned about her past, and why she needs the door to be open, but we will get there.
Episode Grade: A
3) Fellow Travelers (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Limited
That title, despite those words being uttered in the first episode, is very misleading. I’ll admit, I knew nothing, and it’s not that I was turned away, but i was so unprepared for what this show actually is. So, maybe don’t have a title that suggests something else entirely. But, Matt Bomer anchors what is essentially a trip through gay history, as he plays a government official on the down low, who has perfectly figured out how to avoid Senator Joe McCarthy’s path of destruction, and also Roy Cohn. But, he meets a young man, they form a connection, and we see in the future, that not everything works out as planned. Yes, it’s an AIDS drama.
Episode Grade: A-
4) Invincible (Amazon)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Not Yet Renewed
Dealing with the aftermath of the first season, our titular hero is trying to figure out school and saving lives. The other heroes are still around, but there’s also a new potential threat cooking. A nice setup for a second season.
Episode Grade: A-
5) Futurama (Hulu)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Still Going
Leela protests what is obviously a nod to a certain oil spill, but in a Futurama reference, which puts Bender temporarily as captain, and Fry is upset, and obviously Bender should never be in charge.
Episode Grade: B
6) Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers (Disney Plus)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
The Rangers help to get a lost kid home to his family. Awwwwwwwwww.
Episode Grade: B
7) REN and Stimpy (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
Honestly, the main sketches in this are so rooted in physical comedy it is hard to say this is watchable. My favorite parts of a show centered around Ren and Stimpy end up being yet another log commercial, and the Happy Happy Joy Joy song.
Episode Grade: Unwatchable
8) The Good Wife (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
As Alicia prepares to have to decide whether or not to stand by her man, the firm also realizes that Cary now works for the enemy. Is this a good or bad thing? Time will tell.
Episode Grade: B+
