As soon as I noticed that Bad Monkey was based on a Carl Hiaasen book of the same name, I knew I was in for a treat. Hiaasen is reliably loopy, witty, dark, with indelible characters and absurd but compelling murder mystery plots. And Apple+ has a well-deserved reputation for ensuring that television series respect the source material.
This is a Korean sitcom, which means that where the science is at times problematic, it never descends to the level of bat-science. You’ll learn a lot more valid neuropsychology and the physiology of brain functions than you ever learn from Oz or any of the other pop “doctors” on American television. And yes, behind the comedy is serious, deadly drama.
The first thing to know about Netflix’s high-budget 6 part series about the struggle for the territory of Utah is that it is a western in the grimdark genre. It’s hyper-realistic, dark, bloody, violent and with compelling acting and characters. It’s in the same vein as Godless, The English, or Deadwood.
The Sticky is “The absolutely not true story of the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist.” If that disclaimer sounds familiar, think “The names have been changed to protect the guilty.” It’s not the only element that will remind you of the classic Coen Brothers’ movie, Fargo. It has the same recipe of idiosyncratic characters caught up in an increasingly absurd and violent web of insane circumstances—and like Fargo, it is howlingly funny and utterly unforgettable.
I mentioned The Sopranos, and I will also mention Breaking Bad, because both have the same elements that propel The Penguin: an exceptionally strong, large cast, a unique and compelling world, and a lead character whose performance is utterly incandescent. Farrell’s performance is right up there with Gandolfini or Cranston. It is utterly amazing.
I didn’t do a lot of reviews this past year. Fifty three in all. It was an election year and I write mostly about politics, and I have a backlog going into 2025. Also, if I think something is rubbish, I’m very unlikely to review it. And there was a fair old bit of rubbish that came out last year.
Also known as Arcane: League of Legends Genre Action-adventure, Adult animation, Drama, Science fantasy, Steampunk Created by Christian Linke, Alex Yee Based on League of Legends by Riot Games Showrunners Christian Linke, Alex Yee Directed by Pascal Charrue, Arnaud Delord, Bart Maunoury Voices of Hailee Steinfeld Ella Purnell Kevin Alejandro Katie Leung Jason Spisak Toks …
Genre Drama, Black comedy, Spy thriller Based on Slough House by Mick Herron Written by Will Smith, Morwenna Banks, Mark Denton, Jonny Stockwood Directed by James Hawes, Jeremy Lovering, Saul Metzstein, Cast and charactersMain Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House who is slovenly, rude, devious and has a mordant wit; he …
Genre Crime drama, Serial drama, Thriller, Neo-Western, Black comedy, Tragedy Created by Vince Gilligan Showrunner Vince Gilligan Starring Main characters Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a high-school chemistry teacher who, shortly after his 50th birthday, is diagnosed with Stage III lung cancer and turns to making meth to secure his family’s finances. As his shady …
Genre Medieval Black comedy Sex comedy Created by Kathleen Jordan Inspired by The Decameron (aka L’Umana Commedia) by Giovanni Boccaccio Showrunner Kathleen Jordan Cast Amar Chadha-Patel as Dioneo, Tindaro’s doctor Leila Farzad as Stratilia, the villa’s cook Lou Gala as Neifile, Panfilo’s pious Catholic wife Karan Gill as Panfilo, Neifile’s social-climbing husband Tony Hale as …