Revisits
A second look at some top series of recent note.
Russian Doll: Natasha Lyonne is an incandescently good actor, comfortable in dramatic and comedic roles. The long-awaited second season cannot capture the sense of originality that the first had, but is witty, intelligent, and well worth the wait. Like many other shows in this age of plague, the second season was truncated to seven episodes, leaving the viewer with a sense that it was a bit rushed. But it is nonetheless one of the best shows on television. At one point Nadia (Lyonne) gives birth to…herself. Which was disconcerting, because she wasn’t pregnant. Only Lyonne could pull that off. Netflix at their best.
Undone: Eerily similar to Russian Doll even as it is totally different, it is the most intelligent and human time manipulation series on television. People new to the show will be put off by the motion-capture/rotoscoping animation used—the characters have odd artifacts as their facial expressions change, and the hair is ghastly. But the animation is far more nuanced than any conventional method, and the eyes of the characters are perfect. Given that this is a deeply human series, with wide emotional depth amongst characters who love one another, this makes for terrific drama. The backgrounds are sublime, and the reason for the animation in the first place. The second season is every bit as good as the first. On Amazon Prime, must-watch.
Upload: Again, the second season was truncated. The basic premise is that human consciousness can be uploaded to a computer afterlife, creating something along the lines of Eternal Bliss, brought to you by Windows Vista. The central character Nathan (Robbie Amell, who for some reason isn’t listed as a clone of Farscape’s Ben Browder) is investigating a murder mystery. The victim is Nathan, and he wants to know who topped him. The lead suspect is the father of his fiancée, who has seemingly uploaded to be with him. A sometimes uneven mix of wild humor and grim mystery, it remains entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable, with hundreds of choice comedic touches. On Amazon Prime.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Four seasons in, and it’s still the funniest show on television. Rachel Brosnahan and a top-notch ensemble cast ensure that the humor is perfectly timed and falling down funny. Season four opens with a family fight on a Ferris wheel that has to be watched to be believed. On Amazon Prime
Ozark: With a literally thunderous finalé, Ozark firmly establishes itself as the best crime drama since The Sopranos. The plot is a thing of beauty, and the acting is sublime. Julia Garner (Ruth) has established herself as one of the great actors of our time, solidly backed by Jason Bateman (Marty) and Laura Linney (Wendy). Linney’s character is easily of the most challenging roles around, combining the characteristics of Tony Soprano—and his mother. On Netflix.
So four shows that show no sign of having peaked and promise more great entertainment in the future. Ozark is at the scheduled end of its run, and what a great run it was!
