📺 Soup by women for women
Hi. A bunch of new shows (6!) are premiering today and tomorrow that we’ll be checking out. If you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, scroll to the bottom to see the full list.
In today’s edition:
Black Bird
The Letdown
Only Murders in the Building S2
The Haunting of Hill House
— Jenni Cullen and Jess Spoll
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Where we each choose a recent-ish show to review and feature.
If you like psychological thrillers, try… Black Bird
Keywords: drama, psychological thriller, serial killer
Watch if you like: Mindhunter, The Fall, Escape at Dannemora
Jess’s Rating: A
Inspired by a true story, Black Bird follows Jimmy Keene, a former high school football star turned drug trafficker who gets sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison. He is given the opportunity by the FBI to have his sentence commuted if he enters a max security prison, befriends a suspected serial killer named Larry Hall, and gets information about where the killer has buried the bodies of his victims.
As I wrote about a few months ago, true crime dramatizations have been all the rage this year. Some of them just straight up glorify a violent killer under the guise of being thought provoking — I’m looking at you, Candy — while others are intricate character studies that take you into the psyche of a criminal mind. This series falls into the latter camp, with incredible care given to the portrayals of both the informant and the suspected killer, played by Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser, respectively.
Given that the series is based on Jimmy Keene’s memoir, we encounter Larry’s purported crimes through Jimmy’s lens, but the series also weaves in scenes from the past when the detectives start to suspect Larry of murdering young girls. The dual-timeline device works really well here, as we get to see how detectives perceived their unknown suspect while understanding who Larry really is via Jimmy. The standout of this show is the performances, with the often larger-than-life Egerton playing Keene with quiet confidence, and Hauser absolutely nailing the portrayal of a psychologically tormented killer who may or may not be just a harmless freak.
Length:Â 1-hr runtime, 4 episodes out so far with new ones on Fridays
Watch on: Apple TV+
If you like Australian humor and honest depictions of parenthood, try… The Let Down
Keywords: witty, Australian, dramedy
Watch if you like: Please Like Me, Workin’ Moms, Fleabag
Jenni’s Rating: B+
The Letdown is a realistic and deeply relatable sitcom that exposes and pokes fun at the darker side of new motherhood. I say ‘deeply relatable’ because, though I’m nowhere close to knowing what it’s like to be a new mother, this show is at its core a story about disappointments and finding ways to power through when things aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
It’s the kind of sitcom that makes you feel like you could cry in frustration one moment and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all the next. Alison Bell, creator and star of the series, is excellent at showcasing how hard it is to be a mom in a culture that is so demanding of women. On top of that, her mom support group sucks, her family just doesn’t get it, and her kid does not seem to ever sleep. I’m afraid I’m making this not sound as funny as it is, but I promise it’s funny. Just trust me, this show is sweet and dry and…now I’m making it sound like wine. Anyway, it’s good, check it out!
Length: 30-min runtime, 2 seasons / 13 episodes
Watch on: Netflix
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.
Only Murders in the Building - Season 2
Keywords: quirky, comedy, murder mystery
Jenni’s Rating: C+
Jess’s Rating: B
Only Murders in the Building has returned to Hulu with a new Arconia killer on the loose. It’s very much a continuation in theme and tone of the first season — droll, light, humorous, and occasionally dramatic what with the murders and all that jazz — so if you liked S1 you will be very happy with the newest episodes.
Jess and I have been sharing our thoughts and theories about every episode over on the Double Take podcast, so go give that a listen if you’re itching for a more detailed review of this season. So far, I think we’re both in agreement: Season 2 started off a bit wonky but has been getting stronger with every episode. At this point, I’m fully hooked by the new mystery and am excited to see how it all pans out.
— Jenni
Length: 35-min runtime, 6 (of 10 total) episodes out with new ones on Tuesdays
Watch on: Hulu
Listen to the Double Take Podcast: Spotify / Apple
Where we highlight shows that have long-since ended or been canceled, that are well-worth digging back up.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Keywords: horror, supernatural, dark
Watch if you like: The Haunting of Bly Manor, American Horror Story, Castle Rock
Jess’s Rating: A
After watching Midnight Mass last week and being somewhat disappointed, I decided it was time that I finally give the 2018 hit, The Haunting of Hill House, a chance. I’d avoided it all those years ago because the trailer made it look very scary, and while it does have 1 or 2 jump scares, it’s more unsettling than terrifying.
This series centers around the five children of the Crain family, the previous occupants of the now-infamous Hill House. Their parents moved them in when they were young with the hopes of flipping the house, but they each experienced horrors within that led to them all ultimately fleeing, and they’re forced to live with the fallout of that brief habitation for the rest of their lives.
Unlike Midnight Mass, I found this series to be gripping from the very start. The way the narrative jumps back and forth between the time when the family lived in the haunted house to them as adults dealing with their past trauma was effective in keeping my attention rapt (not an easy feat). And I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the show is just as much a tale of familial love and grief as it is about a haunted house.
— Jess
Length: 1-hr runtime, 1 season / 10 episodes
Watch on: Netflix
Your shows, returned:
Harley Quinn, Season 3: Premieres July 28 on HBO Max
Industry, Season 2: Premieres August 1 on HBO Max
Reservation Dogs, Season 2: Premieres August 3 on Hulu
Upcoming new releases:
Keep Breathing: Released July 28 on Netflix
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin: Premieres July 28 on HBO Max
The Resort: Premieres July 28 on Peacock
Uncoupled: Released July 29 on Netflix
Paper Girls: Premieres July 29 on Amazon Prime
Surface: Premieres July 29 on Apple TV+