📺 Release Report: April 2022
Welcome to another special edition of Double Take. If you’re new here, Release Report is an unfiltered look into our opinions on every new show & season you may have heard about recently. Or, at least as many as we could watch.
There is a lot of true crime / thriller / scifi content out in the world right now. What that says about the collective human psyche, we’ll leave to the professionals.
Before you catch up on the latest in TV, cast your vote in this week’s head-to-head. Which NBC sitcom is your desert island pick: The Office or Parks and Rec?
— Jess Spoll and Jenni Cullen
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Our thoughts on some brand new shows we watched, and where you can watch them.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Keywords: true crime, dramatization, Mormonism, 1980s
Watch if you like:Â True Detective, Sharp Objects, Mare of Easttown
Jess’s Rating: C+
Under the Banner of Heaven is based on the 2003 non-fiction book from Jon Krakauer (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air). The story follows detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield), a devout Mormon who is investigating the grisly murders of Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her 15-month old baby. The Mormonism is front and center in this story, as both Pyre and the Laffertys are followers. Oddly, the mystery of who killed Brenda is interwoven with flashbacks of the 1800s depicting the beginnings of Mormonism, which I find bizarre and corny.
I’m a big fan of true crime, but I’ll be the first to admit that the genre is becoming a bit bloated. For one of these shows to stand out in the crowded pool of options, it needs to bring a unique element to the genre. Based on the two episodes that are available so far, I wouldn’t say that Under the Banner of Heaven is accomplishing that task.
It’s clear that the main thread is going to be Pyre’s internal conflict as he comes to terms with the violent fringes of the religion that he’s devoted his life to. Thus, the biggest challenge the show faces is how to explain the salient details of Mormonism in a not-boring way for the audience that isn’t familiar (like me). So far, they’re not succeeding.
— Jess
Length:Â 1-hr runtime, 2 episodes out so far with new episodes on Thursdays
Watch on:Â Hulu
Shining Girls
Keywords:Â tense, creepy, psychological thriller
Watch if you like:Â Dark, Memento, Mindhunter
Jenni’s Rating: B+
A survivor hunts a serial killer in this new psychological thriller. Based on the novel by Lauren Beukes, Shining Girls is a dark, trippy mystery centered around a woman (Elizabeth Moss) who survived a brutal attack six years ago and has experienced a shifting reality ever since. It’s unclear at first if her memory lapses are the result of trauma or something more strange and sinister. When she realizes her attack was not an isolated event, she begins to investigate and finds way more than she bargained for.
I did not pick the right time to watch this. I was feeling mildly anxious when I started and boy, did this only make it worse. The acting and production is truly excellent, and the story is certainly gripping. So, though I watched through my fingers and could not fully breathe until the end credits of the first episode rolled, I went ahead and watched another one anyway...and then another. I’m hooked and destined to be freaked out for the rest of the series.
— Jenni
Length:Â 1 hr-long runtime, 4 episodes out so far with new episodes every Friday
Watch on:Â Apple TV+
Ten Percent
Keywords:Â British remake, showbiz drama, ensemble cast
Watch if you like:Â Call My Agent!, Studio 60, Suits
Jenni’s Rating: C+
Remember my review of the Netflix series Call My Agent! (Dix Pour Cent) a few months ago? The British adaptation of that lighthearted drama about workaholic talent agents and their high-maintenance clients finally premiered last week. With only two episodes out, it hasn’t diverged much from the French plot yet and is feeling like a low-stakes but enjoyable drama.
So far, the most fun part is that the main gimmick from the French show — famous actors guest starring as themselves — remains in this new UK version, which means we get cameos from the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Phoebe Dynevor, Jessica and David Oyelowo, Emma Corrin, Himesh Patel, and many others. I’m hoping the series will get better in the same way The Office adaptation took off, by using a fresh lens and bringing something new to an already solid premise, but it’s a little too early to tell.
— Jenni
Length:Â 40-min runtime, 2 episodes out with new ones every Sunday
Watch on:Â BBC America, AMC+, Sundance Now via Amazon Prime
Outer Range
Keywords:Â sci-fi, western, mystery
Watch if you like:Â Yellowstone, Stranger Things, Twin Peaks
Jess’s Rating: B+
The best way to explain Outer Range is that it’s a mix between Yellowstone and an episode of The Twilight Zone. It’s set in Wyoming and follows the owner of a large ranch, played by Josh Brolin. Right away we are embroiled in a bunch of drama for his family — there’s a missing daughter-in-law, a dispute over land, and a brutal fight with a neighboring family. Basically, your typical western fare. But then, the show dives into the paranormal when a large black hole is found on the family ranch that we quickly find does not follow the laws of physics.
The first episode was slow to get going, but I was engrossed by episode 2. The mystery of the black hole is suspenseful and addictive, and picks up the slack when the more mundane western drama drags. It’s a tall order to pull off a high-concept show like this without leaving unanswered questions or disappointing fans, but I’m excited to keep watching.
— Jess
Length:Â 45-min runtime, 6 episodes out so far with 2 new episodes each Friday
Watch on:Â Amazon Prime
These popular shows came back with new episodes. Here’s what we thought, how they compared to previous seasons, and where you can watch them.
Barry - Season 3
Keywords:Â comedy-thriller, violent, anti-hero
Watch:Â 30-min runtime, 2 episodes out with new ones every Sunday on HBO Max
Jenni’s Rating: A-
If you’re unfamiliar with this series, Barry (Bill Hader) is a hit man from the midwest who is depressed and disillusioned with his job. When reluctantly on assignment to kill a mobster in Los Angeles, he becomes enamored with the whole LA scene and decides he wants to start a new life and try to make it as an actor. Two problems: 1) a lot of powerful people now want him dead and 2) he’s terrible at acting.
The show’s first two seasons straddle the discordant worlds of violent crime and Hollywood hopefuls brilliantly, and so far season 3 holds up, somehow pushing even darker and funnier. Though it’s a half hour comedy, I would not consider Barry binge-able; I need to sit with each episode a bit before moving to the next, but I highly recommend this one-of-a-kind crime comedy/thriller.
— Jenni
Russian Doll - Season 2
Keywords:Â time travel, existentialism, dark humor
Watch:Â 30-min runtime, full 2nd season (7 episodes) available now on Netflix
Jess’s Rating: A-
Russian Doll was one of those shows that would have been a perfect standalone miniseries — it was an excellent first season (see previous write-up) and it was neatly wrapped up by the end. So, I was surprised and a little worried when they announced a second season. But after 3 years it has finally arrived, and it far exceeded my expectations.
Season 2 picks up 4 years after the events of season 1, but not much has changed for Nadia and Alan. They’re both still living alone in New York City, dealing with the trauma that haunts them. Instead of another time loop, this time the duo finds themselves in a subway-assisted time travel adventure. It’s just as mind-boggling and twisting as the first season, and with just as much wit and charm from Natasha Lyonne as Nadia. Also, this time around we get Annie Murphy as a supporting character, and my only gripe is that she wasn’t featured more. Ultimately, Russian Doll remains an exceptional and unique show, and I would be happy to see more seasons of it.
— Jess
Your shows, returned:
Girls5eva, Season 2: Premieres May 5 on Peacock
The Wilds, Season 2: Premieres May 6 on Amazon Prime
Tehran, Season 2: Premieres May 6 on Apple TV+
Breeders, Season 3: Premieres May 10 on Hulu
Outlander, Season 5: Released May 10 on Netflix*
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Season 12: Premieres May 11 on Bravo
Hacks, Season 2: Premieres May 12 on HBO Max
*This season has previously aired on another network and is now being released to a streaming service.
Upcoming new releases:
The Staircase: Premieres May 5 on HBO Max
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Premieres May 5 on Paramount+
The Pentaverate: Released May 5 on Netflix
Candy: Premieres May 9 on Hulu