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Running Point – Feel like bingeing a show? Running Point is as bingeable as TV gets. Co-creator Mindy Kaling is back on track after the deep slide of her just-canceled MAX show The Sex Lives of College Girls. Running Point, already renewed by Netflix for a second season, is loosely based on the life of Jeanie Buss, President of the Los Angeles Lakers. Kate Hudson is Isla Gordon, the only daughter of the late owner of the L.A. Waves. Her brothers run the team, but when Cam (Justin Therroux) goes into rehab, Isla (Kate Hudson) goes from marketing to running the team. Hudson is terrific and it’s so fun to watch her grow into her new role. The cast is terrific and Running Point is very funny, a rare find these days.
Paradise – It’s tough to write about the Hulu drama Paradise without giving too much away. I am only a few episodes in and still a bit confused about what is going on. Paradise is not a “What should I watch while I fold my laundry and play Wordle?” show. It’s a “Can you rewind because I’m not quite sure what happened. Thanks but I’m still not quite sure what happened.” show. Sterling K. Brown (a.k.a. The best husband/dad ever in This is Us) is Xavier Collins, an agent assigned to guard the President. Then something happens and nobody is who we think they are and we’re not where we think we are and there’s a very powerful woman named Sinatra. That’s all I can say.
La Dolce Villa – The other night I needed to find lighthearted, non-offensive, non-violent post-dinner entertainment with a running time of less than two hours. Not an easy task. I stumbled on La Dolce Villa, which was “trending” on Netflix. Despite a Hallmark movie plot and characters, La Dolce Villa delivers on its cute title and promise of light romance and gorgeous scenery. Chef turned business owner, Eric (Scott Foley), arrives in Montezara to talk some sense into his 20-something daughter Olivia, who after spending some time in Italy has decided to buy a rundown villa for one Euro. Eric isn’t a fan of the plan or Italy until he meets Francesca, the town’s beautiful and age-appropriate mayor. He begins to understand what Olivia sees in Montezara and rediscovers his joy of cooking and of course, romance. After the predictable and satisfying ending, we were all happy .. and hungry.
Long Bright River – Already seen every season of True Detective and Ozark? Feel like you need more grit in your life? Have I got a show for you! Long Bright River on Peacock, stars Amanda Seyfried as beat cop Mickey Fitzpatrick, a younger, slightly (so far) less troubled version of Kate Winslet in HBO’s Mare of Eastown. Mickey cares more than the average officer about the homeless opioid addicts in her Philadelphia district. After a few young women are killed, Mickey worries that her sister, also a homeless addict, may be next. Seyfried is terrific and her character is compelling and complicated and Long Bright River provides an unusually insightful and sympathetic look at people suffering from addiction.
Scamanda – The true crime genre is tough for viewers like me, who aren’t into shows about serial killers and spouses who feel divorce just isn’t final enough. Occasionally, a non-murdery docuseries comes along that sparks my interest. Scrolling Hulu and seeing Scamanda, I thought what a clever title. I wish the show lived up to it. The story follows social media star-turned-disgrace Amanda Riley, who shared her “cancer journey” but, non-spoiler alert, never had cancer. This would have made a great hour-long documentary, but it’s a grueling four episodes. How many times do we need to hear “I can’t believe Amanda would do this.” or “I should have suspected something was wrong when her skin looked so amazing.” I can’t recommend Scamanda but I’d hire the person who came up with the title.
If you, like me, are one of the few who didn’t see Wicked in theaters, the blockbuster is now streaming on Peacock. While definitely over-long, Wicked is entertaining and surprisingly funny. The breathtaking costumes and eye-popping sets won the film much-deserved Oscars and made me wish I saw it on the big screen. Some of the songs fell a bit flat but don’t blame co-leads Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who more than deliver as the “good and bad witch,” respectively. They’ll be back in Wicked Part Two. People don’t seem to mind waiting a while for the movie to end. But I seriously hope this two-part seven-hour movie musical thing does not become a trend.