October and November TV shows

[dolorosa_12]

We only finished two TV shows in October, so I decided to roll them into November's log, and then we only finished the last November show on 30th. As a result, I'm writing this post in December, which is not normally how I like this stuff to be done! Nevertheless, the post — though late — is here. We finished six shows (or individual seasons of shows) in the past two months, which are as follows:

Lidia Poët, a historical drama about the first woman to receive a law degree and practice law in Italy. This is, shall we say, very Italian — everyone is ridiculously beautiful, everything is incredibly melodramatic — and presumably quite changed from the actual experiences of the real 19th-century Lidia Poët. But if you want a fluffy, case-of-the-week show in which a feisty, relentless woman fights institutional sexism against a soapy backdrop of romantic entanglements and family conflicts, this is the show for you.

Reservation Dogs, a show about Native American teenagers living their lives on the titular reservation, struggling with the past and present, and dreaming about the future. The tone is surreal and comedic, but there are some pretty heavy themes here, and although I find it life-affirming due to the love all the characters have for each other and the sense of community spirit, I wouldn't say it's a happy show. The writing is sharp, the young actors are fantastic, but don't go in expecting a gentle comedy.

What We Do In the Shadows, the most recent season of the mockumentary about vampire housemates living in a sharehouse in Staten Island. This is more what I'd recommend if you're wanting low-stakes comedy. At this point, I'm not sure I have much more to say about the show — it's still fun, and can obviously be spun out indefinitely, although whether that should happen is another question entirely.

The Newsreader, an Australian drama about a fictional TV newsroom in the 1980s. I absolutely loved the first season of this show, and would recommend it unreservedly to anyone feeling the loss of The Hour, another historical drama that weaves real-world moments in current affairs with the interpersonal stories of its fictional characters. The Newsreader had an added charm for me in that both of my parents were Australian journalists — my father as one of the country's best-known TV political correspondents for over twenty years, including in the time period covered by the show — and a lot of it rings incredibly true to the point of being too close to home! However, I feel that in the second season the balance between real-world Australian current affairs and the struggle to report TV news shows thereof, and the characters' soap operatic lives, is no longer right — by the end of the show, the emphasis was very much on the latter, which was not to my liking.

The Great, an irreverent and smutty black comedy about the reign of Catherine the Great. I enjoyed this a lot in the initial seasons, and the chemistry between the two leads, and many of the actors playing secondary characters, was excellent and carried what would otherwise be quite a one-note story, but I have to say that I think it ended at the right time — on a high. I also feel that by the end it was hard for me to feel enthusiastic about a show whose premise was essentially 'Russians are so violent and imperialistic, hahaha!'

Lupin, on the other hand, has been cruelly cancelled before its time. The third season remained its usual delightful self — with its protagonist 'gentleman thief' engaging in every more audacious and absurd heists and trickery — but the stakes were much higher (essentially the safety of Assane's entire family depended on his ability to pull off these various heists), and caused temporary ruptures in a lot of the show's key relationships, so there was much less of a sense of play than had been present in previous seasons. The show ended on a cliffhanger and then was cancelled by Netflix, which is incredibly disappointing.

And those are the TV shows I've seen over the past two months. Did any of you watch any of these?

Comments

[lirazel]

The Newsreader and Lidia Poet have both been on my list for so long!

[dolorosa_12]

I thought of you in particular when I watched the first season of The Newsreader — I really think you'd like it. The second season is good too, but with the caveats that I mention in this post.

Lidia Poët takes a lot more lighthearted approach to its material, but it's fun if you're not expecting it to take itself too seriously.

[lirazel]

I will definitely let you know what I think when I watch it! I like Sam Reid!

Yeah, I'm saving Lidia Poet for the time when I just want to turn my brain off!

[chestnut_pod]

Gosh, was there a roman a clef Dolorosa's Father character? I can see how such a thing would be rather close to home!

[dolorosa_12]

Ha, not quite! It's more that there were some specific conversations between characters that rang extremely true to my experience of being a Big Important Political Journalist's daughter. And I grew up in and out of newsrooms (both TV for my dad and radio for my mum), and the sets in the show were extremely true to life and took me back immediately to that time, and likewise the stress and dialogue between characters as they scrambled to keep up with and air breaking news.

[hoarmurath]

I would actually even be okay with how Lupin ended if the last minute of the show didn't exist. It somehow worked for me. But cancelled...of course. Why wouldn't Netflix cancel something that made it 3 seasons? *eyeroll* Alas.

[dolorosa_12]

I know, it's just typical Netflix, isn't it? I honestly feel that anyone commissioned to make a show for them needs to commit to each season being perfectly self-contained with no threads left hanging, because the risk of cancellation is so high.

[nerakrose]

I'd not heard that Lupin had been cancelled :( and while I'm disappointed, I'm so unsurprised by this news that I can barely muster more than detached annoyance. par for the course. another cancellation. ugh.

[dolorosa_12]

I know, right? It's so utterly unsurprising. As I was saying in response to another comment, though, I think showrunners commissioned for Netflix need to wise up to the fact that this is likely to happen, and commit to each season being completely self-contained with no threads left dangling.

[scintilla10]

anyone feeling the loss of The Hour Oh, I loved The Hour! Thanks for this rec; I hadn't heard of this show, but I'll definitely track it down now.

[dolorosa_12]

I hope you like it!

[bluapapilio]

I've became so jaded and now numb about cancellations. *siiigh*

[dolorosa_12]

I know, right? It basically feels inevitable at this point, especially if a show is on Netflix.

[kore]

I've wanted to see Lupin for forever!

BOO, Netflix.

[dolorosa_12]

I still would encourage you to watch it — it's great! It just ends on a cliffhanger that will never be resolved.

To be honest, I think anyone whose work is commissioned by Netflix should commit to ensuring the individual seasons of their show are complete and self-contained, with no unresolved threads. The risk of cancellation is just too great.

[kore]

I've heard it is super! I love thief stories and omg the lead is hot.

It just ends on a cliffhanger that will never be resolved.

//facepalm

To be honest, I think anyone whose work is commissioned by Netflix should commit to ensuring the individual seasons of their show are complete and self-contained, with no unresolved threads. The risk of cancellation is just too great.

Which is so fucking ridiculous! Apparently the justification is "each season, the ratings go down" -- like publishers with trilogies. "Oh, the second book sold less than the first, so...." But what about people rewatching the series? Or coming to the whole show much later on and binging it, which is mainly what I use Netflix FOR? Arrgh. I typically like waiting until I can see something entire! And I LOATHE cliffhangers.

Bodies, also on Netflix, had a sorta-cliffhanger but if you ignored the last two minutes it wasn't as bad. But jeez. I remember when shows would end seasons on a cliffhanger to ensure getting renewed. But even that doesn't work anymore!

-- Didn't rushing to finish up happen with Our Flag Means Death? I didn't watch it but I heard people say it was like the creator really wanted to complete the story, so it felt pressured.

[dolorosa_12]

Didn't rushing to finish up happen with Our Flag Means Death? I didn't watch it but I heard people say it was like the creator really wanted to complete the story, so it felt pressured.

I haven't seen the second season, but I've heard very mixed reviews from people, so I wouldn't be surprised if you're right.

[naye]

I loved the first season of Lupin, but I got so stressed out about his son and ex-wife being involved that I stopped watching. Some things make me super anxious even though I know they're fictional and will probably be okay, and threats to people who haven't chosen to put themselves in danger is one of the things I find the most fun to watch. (I think growing up on a diet of fridged wives and girlfriends has really done a number on me, tbh.)

[dolorosa_12]

If it helps, no one gets fridged in the entirety of the show, but there is definitely a continuous risk to his loved ones that only increases as the series continues, so I probably wouldn't recommend watching the later seasons if that's a dealbreaker for you.

[svgurl]

I haven't heard of Lidia Poet but it sounds really interesting. I'm going to have to check that one out!