Political Intrigue in Norway

You may remember Netflix's series Lilyhammer about a transported New Jersey mob boss set in Norway, but another Norwegian series on Netflix is worth checking out.  The show, Occupied, is about a very different Norway that comes to an agreement with Russia.

Set in the future, Europe is without a NATO while Russia is making inroads, and a struggling Norway seems to be a perfect target.  Entering into the country as a "savior" after the oil industry stumbles, Russia now has a toehold in Western Europe and some are not happy.  The first episode opens with plenty of action. 

While the 10-part series shows citizens resisting the new arrangements, show writer Erik Skjoldbjærg stated in a Vogue interview that he believes most Norwegians would offer little resistance:

 If our democratic rights were taken away from us, how would we react? I believe the vast majority would not take up arms. And I think, statistically, that is proven in both World Wars and in other conflicts with occupations. Most people would focus on their family, their jobs, their economy, their social status. These things are even more important than freedom of speech and other rights, at least for a while.

Here is a trailer for the show, though most of the dialogue has not been subtitled in English.  You can more or less figure out what is happening.  Don't worry, Netflix will have English subtitles.  

The Russians are not amused, as this news clip from Russian television news demonstrates.  Then again, as Russia continues to occupy Crimea and the United States sends more troops and supplies to NATO members bordering Russia, many in Europe have legitimate reasons to be wary of Russian gestures.  

With Scandinavian police procedurals (The Bridge, The Killing) and political dramas (Borgen) already drawing viewers in the United States, Occupied should find a strong audience.  

The Path on Hulu

If you are ready for another cult series, Hulu is bringing you The Path, a new series starting tonight with Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad, Michelle Monaghan from True Detective, and Hugh Dancy from Hannibal.  

Here are the basics from Hulu: 

We all want to believe in something, but to what lengths will we go to find meaning? The Path explores the unknown and mysterious world of the cult-like Meyerist Movement in upstate New York. At the center of the movement lies Eddie (Aaron Paul), a conflicted husband; Sarah (Michelle Monaghan), his devoted wife; and Cal (Hugh Dancy), an ambitious leader. We follow each as they contend with deep issues involving relationships, faith, and power. The series takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want.

A New York cult, they say? Maybe it will be as scary as the cult surrounding another New Yorker running for president based on fiction rather than fact. The difference here is also the life we live and the life we want (or think we want), yet it is such rhetoric and lopsided thinking that has steered us towards depression, war, and worst in the past. 

Anyway, you have seen enough political promises. Here is a trailer from the new series showing more promises and the dark results. It looks terrifying. 

I tired of the bleakness in HBO' The Leftovers, which had plenty of scary followers of outlandish ideas. I am hoping this latest iteration is more watchable. 

As for the presidential race, that too is unwatchable at this point.

So Much For Togetherness

An excellent series is about to end far too soon.  HBO has announced that the second season of Togetherness will be its last.  This will be sad news to the show's fans - all 330,000 of them.  I guess the audience was not big enough to justify going forward.  

The far-too-soon cancellation reminds me of another terrific HBO series cancelled after only two season - Looking.  I still await the final movie that wraps up this tale of gay best friends.  Maybe Togetherness will get a final film version as well, though I will not hold my breath.

I expect the Duplass brothers will keep us entertained in other ways, be it HBO's Animals or Amazon's Transparent, but two shorts seasons of this complicated yet insightful series was not enough. 

The Loss of Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling, age 66, died earlier today.  Star of It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and The Larry Sanders Show, he was one of the great comics.  

I recently saw him together with Jerry Seinfeld in an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.  It was a terrific episode with Jerry and Garry visiting an old haunts and discussing the changes in the industry, including the loss of Robin Williams and others.  It is worth viewing since it covers a lot of material and may be one of Garry's last appearances. 

Catch "The Catch" on ABC

The Catch premieres this evening on ABC.  Starring Mireille Enos and Peter Krause, the new series is all about a woman conned by her fiance and her attempt to get even.  From what I remember about Enos as a detective in The Killing, she is not the sort of woman you want to mess with.  I look forward to both her performance and that of Krause, particularly with Enos in a role where she does not play a dour cop.  She finally looks happy, except of course when she is being robbed.

Discussing her costar in TV Guide, Enos notes:
 
He has a quality that just makes you want to root for him...He's so likable. And I think it's very important, because this con artist, it would be so easy to villainize him. When it's Pete you're like, 'Of course she fell in love with him! Of course she believed everything out of his mouth.' He's just a really honest guy. He's the loveliest version of the everyman.

I plan to tune in just to see what these two can do with the material. Take a look at this trailer and decide for yourself.   

A Lenten Special: The Passion

Tonight on Fox you can watch the live performance of The Passion.  Set in New Orleans and set to music, the main parts are played Jencarlos Canela (Jesus), Trisha Yearwood (Mary), Seal (Pontius Pilate), and Chris Daughtry (Judas).   The play will be narrated by Tyler Perry, who recently noted:

There is no better setting than New Orleans, it’s the perfect setting. Of course it’s also what I grew up with. Every Easter Sunday -– it’s a huge thing in every Christian church, but in the Black church especially. Everyone got new clothes, new shoes, hats. Even to this day, the church is just filled with people, there are plays about the Resurrection and His life, and the stories were preached from pulpits.

In addition to the television audience, about 25,000 to 30,000 are expected to attend the live event.  It is a new way to bring in Easter Week and I expect more in the future if this run is successful.  

And just in case you forgot all the Stations of the Cross, Fox has outlined them for you. 

More Vikings!

Vikings has been picked up for a fifth season, just as season four takes shape with more blood and battles in Scandinavia, Britain, and France.  I was already grateful for the longer fourth season, which is more like two seasons, and now this.  And the fifth season will also be 20 episodes.  And one more bit of news - Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who knows a little about period pieces from his days with The Tudors, will be joining the cast next season.  Plenty of good news for Vikings fans. 

Daredevil Is Back

I may have dropped The Flash, but I'm still watching Daredevil on Netflix. Season two premieres today. 

It is not as sunny as The Flash, but I like the dark humor. And I also look forward to the return of his NYC neighbors, which includes a second season of Jessica Jones (return date unknown) and the first season of Luke Cage (Sept 30).

I can only take so many super heroes, and this is my favorite batch with their twisted relationships and related baggage. Their powers are more of a burden than anything else. Yes, reluctant heroes we can identity with. I'm hooked. 

Shut Up, Ian!

I like actor Ian McShane.  He was my favorite on HBO's Deadwood.  Yet I don't like his leaking of Game of Thrones plot lines and his statement justifying it:

I was accused of giving the plot away, but I just think, get a fucking life. It’s only tits and dragons.

You would think an actor who deals in make-believe (and gets a shot at Game of Thrones) would respect his audience, but I guess not. He is acting like his Deadwood character Al Swearengen.

The only thing he did get right was his comment on Leonardo DiCaprio's win at the Oscars:

Not the finest performance, just him grunting and being raped by a bear. The Oscars are ridiculous.

I think DiCaprio is a fine actor, but he has had more to work with in the past. I think Tom Hardy was the real star of The Revenant. 

High School, College, and Back Again

You can see plenty of family scenarios tonight on MTV and NBC. First, the second half of MTV's Awkward is expected to finish out the story of Jenna and Matty as they experience college life. This is supposed to be the last season, but you never know. One thing I like the show is the parents are somewhat involved and not complete idiots, unlike many teen shows. 

Next, the third season of MTV's Faking It premieres tonight with the story of Karma, Amy, Liam, Shane, and others. Here the adults have less input and value - they are more vain and clueless than the kids. The show differs from Awkward in that the kids are more diverse. I also think the writing is better.

 
Finally, the new show NBC Crowded has functional kids and adults. This is the set up:

After 20 years of parenting, empty nesters Mike and Martina  are finally reclaiming their wild side. But when both of their two grown daughters unexpectedly move back in and Mike's parents scratch their plans to spend their golden years in Florida, their roost is full again.

Crowded seems to be the later version of Awkward and Faking It after these young "adults" fail to find a real job. It may be the most realistic story these days. I plan to check it out.

Nothing Over Here

If you missed it, don't worry about it.  Fox premiered the first episode of Party Over Here this past Saturday and I barely made it through the first half.  

The idea of an all girls show sounded good, similar to the all guys Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone), until you see the results.  Only the piece in suffragette was worth mentioning, and it really went nowhere.  

Although Lonely Island produced the show, it was hard to see any beneficial result. Maybe coarse male humor is not so effective with a female cast.

In discussing the new show, creator Andy Samberg stated:

We wanted to do something new and exciting and fun but we didn’t want it to have any direct conflict. We want to be asked back! We’re not, like, raging war on SNL. That’s still our home and our family.

I don't think SNL has anything to worry about.

Some Good News from The CW

The CW has announced that it is renewing all of its shows for another season, which includes (in alphabetical order): 

-- Arrow for a fifth season,
-- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for a second season,
-- DC Legends of Tomorrow for a second season,
-- The Flash for a third season,
-- iZombie for a third season, 
-- Jane the Virgin for a third season,
-- The 100 for a fourth season,
-- The Originals for a fourth season,
-- Reign for a fourth season,
-- Supernatural for a twelfth season, and
-- The Vampire Diaries for an eighth season.

I am surprised that nothing is going away.  This may mean fewer new ideas in the year ahead.  I think super heroes and vampires have been covered well enough.  Another fun show such as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is always welcome.  Moreover, The 100 has been a solid addition for the network, though this latest season started off more like Mad Max than what came before (though I am keeping an open mind).  And I think the granddaddy of them all - Supernatural - still has plenty of life to keep things interesting.  The battles in heaven and hell can keep any show busy.  

Netflix: Flaked

What a name...Flaked. I suppose It is no more informative than the name Love, another recent Netflix addition, since love can entail many things as well.  But Flaked?

How about Will Arnett? Does his name ring a bell? He will be the star on the new series premiering tonight on Netlix. I did not watch Arnett in The Millers, but he was pretty good in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.

Arnett plays the show's main character Chip, who is a divorced alcoholic living in Venice, CA, without a car. No car in California? That sounds like an impossibly futuristic scenario, or so you might think.

Washington Post TV critic Hank Stuever is not too pleased with another California drama, noting:

It often feels as if the creators and writers of these shows have forgotten that most of us don’t live in L.A., nor do we wish to (why would we, after watching all these unhappy people?), nor are we all that close to anyone who works in the entertainment industry. But that’s where they live and that’s what they do — so, as the old adage goes, write what you know.

I must admit I have yet to circle back for a second helping of Love, so I expect this show will also remain unwatched for some time.  And its not California, though that doesn't help, but rather exhaustion with all of these new yet similar shows.  I never thought I might watch a police serial for a change of pace.

Underground: A Slavery Drama

WGN is back with a new series. After tackling witches (Salem) and atomic bombs (Manhattan), it is moving into slavery in tonight's premiere of Underground. 

The Wall Street Journal recommends the series for a number of reasons, including historical accuracy:

Everybody knows something about this topic, but few know much about it. “Underground” takes its topic very seriously. Much of the source material comes from an 1872 book, “The Underground Railroad,” by William Still; the famous abolitionist is the one historical figure on the show (played by Chris Chalk). The show was filmed at LSU’s Burden Museum, in historic plantation homes. It feels authentic, and paired with vibrant characters and good writing, these elements all build upon each other.

Hence, the show is more Manhattan than Salem. It is also coming at a time of civil unrest and confusion in America. Maybe we can all benefit from a dose of the past to better appreciate the present. We still have a ways to go, but we have certainly corrected large parts of our troubled past.

The Bible Shows Are Starting

Did you catch last night's premiere of Of Kings and Prophets on ABC?  As regular as Rudolph at Christmas time, we get these shows during the Lenten period to remind us about the Holy season.  This 15-episode story is from the Old Testament and covers the adventure of King David.  This is what ABC has to say:

An epic biblical saga of faith, ambition and betrayal as told through the eyes of the battle-weary King Saul, the resentful prophet Samuel and the resourceful young shepherd David -- all on a collision course with destiny that will change the world.

One thousand years before Christ, the first king of the Israelites, Saul, struggles to unify the 12 Israelite tribes and defend his fledgling nation against savage enemy attacks. The prophet Samuel relays a message from God to King Saul that he must destroy one of Israel’s ancient enemies. But when Saul defies that message, Samuel prophesies that the Lord will tear the kingdom of Israel from him and choose another in his place. In time, Saul comes to realize that his greatest threat will not come from his enemies, but from the shepherd, David

Of course, even with the Bible people are complaining, and this time its the Parents Television Council.  The Council believes the new series is inappropriate for children.  In response to the complaints, executive producer Chris noted:

"We’re going to go as far as we can.… This story is an Old Testament [one that’s] violent [and] sex-drenched. It’s one of the world’s first soap operas.… You will watch a show that is tasteful but that also tells the story you can read if you want to pick up the Bible.”

Take a look at the trailer and you will see plenty of blood, battles, and sex.  One could argue the tale of David is the original Game of Thrones.  Not everything can be cleaned up for the kids.  What is interesting is that this new series was supposed to broadcast last fall, so it was not designed as a Lenten show for the whole family. Timing is everything.

Update:  So much for Bible stories during Lent.  Of Kings and Prophets was cancelled after only two episodes due to low viewership.  The remaining eight episodes will probably appear at some point.  Maybe they should try the New Testament next time (though the blood and gore quotient may be lower). 

Are You Watching Bates Motel?

If you doubt that a movie such as The Omen can be a good TV series, just watch A&E's Bates Motel, back tonight for a fourth season.  Here you have a prequel that provides strange yet likeable characters who we know are heading for trouble (though not as bad as an Antichrist. I was doubtful as well at first but it has turned out to be a great series.

Damien Returns

It is hard to believe the movie The Omen first appeared 40 years ago.  A total of five movies resulted from that eerie yet excellent series about Damien Thorn, the son of Satan. Can it be revived?  We will see as Bradley James takes the lead on A&E's Damien, which premieres tonight.  

Bradley James has not starred in his own show since playing Arthur BBC's Merlin (though he has an ongoing role on iZombie).  His partner in crime from Merlin, Colin Morgan, has also done well with his own series Humans, a futuristic show that has been renewed for a second season.  This will be a very different role for James, though I expect he will do fine.

From what I am reading, Damien seems to be just as surprised as the rest of us about his role as the Antichrist.  I would have expected the sudden death of everyone around him might have been a clue, but it appears not.  Only an incident in Syria, where he is working as a photographer, seems to have awakened him.  I think I can safely say that Syria has awakened all of us to the amount of evil in the world.  

And what does James think about the original movie that came out before he was born?  In an interview with Showbizjunkies.com, he stated: 

Watching the film when I was young and not old enough to understand what was going on. And then watching it again when this came up and pretty quickly understanding the legacy that it left and why it was so popular, because it’s a terrific film. I’ve since witnessed people’s reactions to it. They did quickly catch on to what you’re talking about. As soon as you mention Damien, people have a pretty clear idea of what you’re talking about. So it’s obviously made its mark as a story, a social conscious.

Take a look at this trailer if you want to prepare yourself.  

Update:  The first episode was fair, though the special effects reminded me more of the original films than any modern show.  That may be the point, but it could confuse younger viewers unfamiliar with the earlier movies.   The pilot had plenty of eerie moments, including that old woman who appears in all of the earlier photos.  And Bradley James makes a pretty convincing confused child of Satan (though it is odd to hear him with an American accent).  I will stick with it to see how it develops. 

Underhanded Underwood Returns

Frank Underwood is looking like a much better character than the current bunch of republicans running for president. He is a southern gentleman who would not spend his time talking about hand size. 

Tonight on Netflix you can get your fill of Frank Underwood in the fourth season of House of Cards.  The heat is on with Underwood fighting his own election battles while his supporters jump ship. 

When asked about Underwood's view of Donald Trump, Kevin Spacey said he believes his character would get behind Trump..."just to shove him." We know Underwood can shove when he needs to.

Another Family on ABC

Tonight on ABC you can see another family if the O'Neil family was not what you were looking for.  Just expect a bleak story about a family in disarray (whereas the O'Neil family was humorously dysfunctional).

A "special" premiere of The Family will be broadcast tonight.  I'm not sure if that means the time slot will change again - the network's can be annoying that way.  

ABC's summary of this show is also pretty simple, but at least this time you know a little more about the son than the last description of The Real O'Neil's (ABC is more confident about kidnapped kids than gay ones):

ABC's new thriller The Family follows the return of a politician’s young son who was presumed dead after disappearing over a decade earlier. As the mysterious young man is welcomed back into his family, suspicions emerge—is he really who he says he is?

I know, you are thinking that the disappearing kid story had been overdone with The Missing and many more. You are right, and except for the involvement of Joan Allen and a very dour Andrew McCarthy I would say skip it. The trailer gives you what you need to know - the reach for power, the family as prop, poundings by the press, marital affairs, public scorn, and more. That right, it's just like the  contents of the presidential debates.  

I will watch the first episode and see if it merits more attention. I have too many excellent shows awaiting my attention to settle for the okay.

Update:  The "official" slot for The Family will be Sunday night, starting March 6th.  I am glad we figured out that much about this show.

The New McCarthys?

Are the The Real O'Neals on ABC a repeat of the old The McCarthys on CBS.  You know, the comedy about an Irish family with a gay son that lasted one season?  Well, there is one difference.  The O'Neals are from Chicago rather than Boston, so it has to be different.  

You can find out tonight when it premieres tonight.  The official start of the series is not until March 8th.  Yes, it is confusing. 

Here is ABC's take on the show (and the extended trailer):

The Real O'Neals is a fresh take on a seemingly perfect family whose lives take an unexpected turn when surprising truths are revealed. Instead of ruining their family, the honesty triggers a new, messier chapter where everyone stops pretending to be perfect and actually starts being real.

Okay, ABC's summary says little about the contents of the show, but the trailer is more helpful.  One promising part of the new show is the involvement of Martha Plimpton and Jay R. Ferguson as the parents.  

Gay advice columnist Dan Savage had a hand in the show, which has caused some controversy. Then again, what show today lacks controversy unless it involves zombies, murder, or emergency workers? We like the peacefulness of blood and disaster. How dare a network introduces a gay teenager! 

Maybe that is why the show summary above is so bland. You cannot offend someone if you say nothing. Let's hope the show itself has something worth saying.