Review highlights
Copenhagen Cowboy (limited series)
A neon-lit triumph. Unsurprisingly, the nerds found it boring: after all, they're used to 120fps shoot'em ups. Now, that's boring. CC is slick slow teevee at its best. Reassuringly bleak and sleazy, CC is nowhere as nihilistic as Too Old To Die Young (best TV series of 2018). On the contrary, Refn's key message is surprisingly uplifting: systems of oppression that may appear indestructible & immutable at first glance are, in fact, surprisingly fragile. There's an Achilles's heel, if you know where to look. All it takes is somebody who cares. All it takes is somebody who stares. All it takes is Miu in a tracksuit, who, unlike God, never forgives. S02, please. Or perhaps, not. This is perfect the way it is.
(Wait, is the brilliant Copenhagen Does Not Exist a spin-off? A cross over?)
Boiling Point S01 (?)
Originally conceived as a short in 2019, but mostly known as a feature film, Boiling Point receded into relative obscurity following the success of The Bear. It is particularly intriguing then, that Akl and Barantini crafted a marvelous sequel as a limited TV series (four hours is just about the perfect length). This BBC production appropriates all the narrative and visual conventions of their American counterpart while simultaneously elevating the stakes with heightened dramatic elements. Think The Bear, but hard core, and, in many ways, better. In short, Boiling Point serves as a contemplation on the evolution of storytelling within distinct media formats. Just don't all it "transmedia", please.
The Swarm (limited series)
Janicsa Bravo's Zola meets Ivo van Aart's The Columnist. This needed a dash of Hiro Murai to reach its full potential. It's nowhere as genius as Atlanta - the greatest tv series in counter-history and the Best TV series of 2022 - but some episodes do stand out. Basically, it's Black Mirror directed by Quentin Tarantino starring a psychologically disturbed fan of a female version of Paperboi, Ni’Jah, set in Atlanta's narrative universe, during Donald Trump's regime. Dark and epic, in its own way.
I'm a Virgo (limited series)
It's truly mind-blowing that Amazon Prime has managed to produce the most interesting TV series of 2023: Swarm and I'm a Virgo. These shows emanate Atlanta vibes and incorporate surreal motifs. In Riley's case, you can "discern" a distinct Marxist stance - the take-down of Kaiser Permanente is pure genius. While other platforms like Streamberry rely on recycling, rebooting, and prolonging the agony with stale "content," Amazon is boldly investing in genuine innovation. It's a paradoxical situation that leaves me perplexed, in a state of cognitive dissonance. Michel Gondry could learn a trick or two from Riley. Nevertheless, the super hero genre as whole is beyond cringe.
Poker Face S01
The quintessential American TV series: familiar, formulaic, mechanical, repetitive, surprise-free. A show like this could last forever: given a premise which illustrates the logic, the narrative is then propelled for an innumerable # of episodes. In a sense, Poker Face is like Russian Doll: Lyonne find herself trapped in the same situation, but with different characters and settings. There's no depth and no deeper message beyond the suggestion that everybody in America is a murderer, a scammer, and a grifter. This diffuse condition seems to affect all classes, races, and ages. Nobody bluffs like Rian Johnson. Alas, diminishing returns as the show progresses. Hopefully, there won't be a S02.
The Last of Us S01
Alas, it's nowhere as good as no Black Summer (best tv series of 2021), as of today the benchmark of zombie apocalypse narratives, plus the maternal theme running through the show is much more convincing than the quasi-paternal liaison concocted by the game designers. Mega-budget aside, TLOU is your standard neoliberal/libertarian story: the government is bad, you're on your own, there's no such thing as a society, only the preppers survive, it's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism, guns don't kill zombies, people with guns kill zombies etc. The TV adaptation is all the game's cutscenes glued together: rejoice (?).
Full Circle (limited series)
Full Circle's saving grace lies in the dynamic performances of its female leads, Zazie Beetz and Claire Danes, who elevate an otherwise average series to quasi-prestige TV. In contrast, the male characters are disappointingly stereotypical, with Timothy Olyphant's post-human-like acting being a notable example. As a commentary on neocolonialism, white privilege, and police corruption, it falls short. However, the charisma and detective prowess of Beetz's character could intriguingly intersect with Natasha Lyonne's role in Poker Face in a potential crossover.
How to with John Wilson S03
The most compelling aspect of Wilson's work is his obsessive approach to filmmaking. His relentless collection and indexing of vernacular content across numerous hard drives is a testament to his dedication and creative process. Wilson, along with Caveh Zahedi, stands out as one of New York's greatest filmmakers. S03 was not as compelling as the previous two, but still better of 90% of TV 'content' produced in 2023.
Biggest disappointment of 2023
LINK: 2023_TV stuff
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