‘Pam & Tommy’ Is A Really Weird, Hardcore Show About The Seediness Of The Celebrity Sex Tape World
We normally do a lot of movie reviews, but it's the beginning of the year. That means we are in the dumping ground of shitty movies until the beginning of March AT LEAST. So why not do some quick-hitting reviews of the actually good TV that is out there.
Pam & Tommy - Hulu:
Pam & Tommy depicts the marriage between Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and the release of their infamous unauthorized sex tape which was recorded privately during their honeymoon.
The first 3 episodes of this series were exactly what I had hoped for. A really weird, hardcore telling that dives into the seediness of the celeb sex tape world. Stan and James are perfect as Pam & Tommy, and Seth Rogen is also perfectly complicated. The show also doesn't shy away from nudity, which I was a little concerned about. Director Craig Gillespie(I Tonya, Cruella) does a great job weaving music from the time period into the show as well, just like he does in all his work.
Vox Machina - Prime Video:
In a desperate attempt to pay off a mounting bar tab, a band of misfits end up on a quest to save the realm of Exandria from dark, magical forces.
This show has a pretty interesting history. A group of voice actors ran a web series called Critical Role, where they would play Dungeons and Dragons. It was very popular, and they decided to open a kickstarter to try and make an animated special. It made $1 Million within an hour of opening, and ended up raising $11,385,449 with 88,887 backers. That made it the most funded TV/Movie kickstarter in HISTORY. Amazon later bought the rights which is why it's on Prime.
Anyway, I like the show quite a bit so far. I never played D&D, but I've always been aware of it's influence on RPG properties that I have enjoyed. There are probably references to the game that I don't pick up on, but I never noticed anything that felt like a roadblock in me enjoying the show. It's funny, weird and violent which I like in a cartoon series. It almost reminds me of another Prime Video animated series, 'Invincible', in how it looks and the core mystery of the show.
Station Eleven - HBO Max:
Twenty years after a flu pandemic resulted in the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors who make their living as traveling performers encounter a violent cult led by a man whose past is unknowingly linked to a member of the troupe.
There are parts about this show I found incredible, and some I found a little tiresome. Their actual execution of the pandemic, the development of the relationships of the main characters, and some parts of the post-apocalyptic world were incredible. It looked fantastic and got a legitimate fear-based reaction out of me in points. However, I found the whole theater troupe part of the show a little bit frustrating, and I think it may turn some people off from the show.
Peacemaker - HBO Max:
Peacemaker is a man who fights for peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.
Odds are that if you are reading this, you have either already seen or at least heard of Peacemaker. Out of all the shows running right now, I think it is easily the most broadly appealing. It is crazy funny, the cast is perfect and it has the perfect James Gunn mix of weirdest and fantastic music. Cena and Freddie Stroma are hysterical. and both deliver multiple laugh-out-loud moments every episode.
The Book of Boba Fett - Disney+:
On the sands of Tatoonie, bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigate the Galaxy's underworld and fight for Jabba the Hutt's old territory.
We've been running twitter spaces and I've been blogging about the show since it started, but here is just a quick recap of my feelings on it. The show is entertaining, it has value but it is not on the level of the Mandalorian. That doesn't mean it's unwatchable by any stretch of the imagination. Just temper your expectations a bit.
Archive 81 - Netflix:
An archivist hired to restore a collection of tapes finds himself reconstructing the work of a filmmaker and her investigation into a dangerous cult.
Note: I'm only about halfway through the series so far. I think it does a few things really well. The slow pulling at the main mystery's thread is agonizing in a good way, and it keeps you constantly wanting to know more. A lot of times in very singular focus shows I feel like the protagonist does a poor job of being the audience insertion character. Mamoudou Athie, however, does a fantastic job of being our eyes. My warning for anyone starting this, though: It is a treacherously slow burn. That's not for everyone and I totally get that.
The Righteous Gemstones S2 - HBO Max:
Follows a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work.
I absolutely loved the first season of this show and I can only say the same about the second so far. It's one of the funniest shows running right now and it has a solid mystery-drama plotline. That all goes without mentioning how every character is literally perfect.
Euphoria S2 - HBO Max:
A look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence.
I think that, within watching the first few episodes of S1 of this show, one of two things probably happened:
1. You were not able to reach a suspension of disbelief and bailed on it.
2. You got past that and appreciated it for what it is: an adult drama that hyper-exaggerates the high school setting for dramatic effect.
I don't fault anyone for either choice. I liked S1 a lot and really thought there were some killer performances along with a great production. So far, this season has really been testing my personal suspension of disbelief, but I've definitely been impressed with a lot of it. Without spoiling anything, I will note that they must have upped their dick budget by no less than $500k
Raised By Wolves S2 -HBO Max:
"Two androids, Father and Mother, tasked with raising human children on Kepler-22b after the Earth was destroyed by a great war. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task."
I really liked the first season of this show and think it was a great use of the sci-fi greatness Ridley Scott is capable of. A really cool world and good acting along with some truly scary moments. I know not everyone feels the same way about it, so I won't give it a blanket recommend. But if you're looking for a new Sci-Fi property, I think you should check it out.
Only the first 2 episodes are out right now, but I enjoyed them both so far. A whole new enemy to go with established characters and the expanded world.
One show I want to watch but haven't gotten to yet is Yellowjackets. I don't have showtime, but all I see is people raving about how good this show is.