Looking for Five Seasons of Engrossing Family Adventure? Look Back at BBC’s “Merlin.”
byThe characters in “Merlin” are complex, convincingly acted, and change over time. The villains have human motivations. The heroes are plausibly flawed.
TV
Trump Fans as Klingons? Here are Suggestions for the Other Groups on “Star Trek”
byIf we’re going to be describing Trump’s core voters as Klingons, fair’s fair. Let’s lay out the other major races in the Star Trek universe. Of what political groups do they remind us?
“Lore” Leaps Out of Your Phone and Onto Your Screen
byThe uncanny side of life is the sole subject of Lore. This hot new TV show on Amazon Prime draws on the superb series of podcasts by creator Aaron Mahnke.
The Existentialism of BoJack Horseman
byBojack Horseman is the dream-turned-nightmare of postmodern life, the anguish of looking for gods and heroes and finding only ourselves.
“Rectify”–One of the Best Dramatic Series Ever
byHaven’t seen it? Too few have. Fortunately, in the digital age, you still can.
You Don’t Have to Be a Jerk from NYC to Love “Impractical Jokers.” But I Can Tell You, It Helps!
by“Impractical Jokers” is a tribute to the city that gave it birth. Probably in the back of a dirty cab driven by some guy who speaks no Indo-European language.
I Want to Move to “Gotham”
byWatching Gotham tonight forced me to a dark and shocking realization: This is better than Batman! It’s richer, better written, and more compelling. Of how many prequels can we say that?
“Adult Swim” Was Built on Brilliant Branding
byGrown-ups tune into Adult Swim’s mix of original and syndicated shows by the millions. Why? It mastered brilliant branding.
Why Is Colin Kaepernick Really Unemployed?
byLast year Pro Football Focus, a respected player rating service, was grading Kaepernick as the 30th best of 34 NFL quarterbacks it was assessing.
What to Make of “Flaked”?
byI felt ambivalent watching Louie and Maron. The characters are so insufferable. Did I want them to be happy? But in Flaked I want Chip to win.