📺 I don't need another friend, I've got two
A comedy to fill the Succession void, another video game adaptation, and an iconic teen drama that never should've been canceled
Happy Thursday! Welcome back to some regularly scheduled Double Take programming.* This is a big week for season premieres: Heartstopper S2 and The Lincoln Lawyer S2 Part 2 both drop today, while S3 of Reservation Dogs came back yesterday. Only Murders in the Building is sneaking up on us, too, with the first two episodes of its newest season premiering next Tuesday.
In today’s edition:
Twisted Metal (Peacock)
The Righteous Gemstones - S3 (Max)
Freaks and Geeks (Hulu / Prime Video)
— Jenni Cullen and Jess Spoll
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*We’re still keeping an eye on strike guidelines and for now are comfortable returning to our regular reviews. This newsletter was written during the WGA and SAG strikes, without the work of the actors and writers, the shows we review wouldn’t exist.
Our thoughts on brand new streaming content, and where you can watch.
Twisted Metal
Keywords: action, comedy, gory, violent
Watch if you like: Deadpool, Zombieland, Tucker and Dale vs Evil
Jess’s Rating: B-
I almost turned off Twisted Metal, a new series adaptation of a video game franchise, after the first 5 minutes. The comedy felt like it was aimed at 13 year old boys, and the gore was above my normal tolerance levels. But something (probably the appearance of Neve Campbell, if I’m being honest) kept me watching, and after finishing the whole season, I’d say I’m kind of glad that I did.
Yes, the series is aggressively violent and dramatically gory, but in a campy horror way à la Zombieland and Deadpool (not coincidentally, as the creators, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, wrote both of those films). If you can get past the immature style of humor, there is a thrum of energy and a lively spirit that runs throughout the series, making it easy to binge. Also keeping viewers engaged is the mystery that’s introduced in the first episode; it takes until the end of the season for that to pay off, although game players might already know the twist.
In some ways, the series resembles another video game adaptation from earlier this year, The Last of Us. A man with emotional trauma has to travel across the country for a delivery while fending off threats. This one, however, is raunchy, irreverent, and loud. It’s also not nearly as good, to be clear. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, some eye-roll-inducing dialogue, and a lack of emotional sincerity. Some of the episodes feel like filler, with what I can only guess is fan-service to the gamers. But the mystery is intriguing, and Anthony Mackie (Captain America) and Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) elevate the series with their performances. Fans of the game will probably really enjoy this, but I think there’s something for non-game-players as well.
—Jess
Length: 30-min runtime, 1 season / 10 episodes
Watch on: Peacock
These popular shows came back with new episodes. Here’s what we thought and where you can watch them.
The Righteous Gemstones - Season 3
Keywords: slapstick comedy, satire, dark humor
Watch if you like: Vice Principals, Eastbound & Down, Silicon Valley
Jess’s Rating: B
The last time I wrote about The Righteous Gemstones, I drew comparisons to Succession, so maybe it’s fitting that the third season came along right in time to fill the void left by the Roys. If you haven’t watched before, Gemstones is a comedy-satire following a wealthy Southern family of televangelists. The Gemstone mega-church was started by patriarch Eli (John Goodman) along with his late wife Aimee-Leigh, and is supported by their children Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam DeVine).
(Mild spoilers ahead) In its third season, the Gemstones are faced with a villainous character from Eli’s past. His estranged sister reenters his life, bringing her two adult children with her. Their father runs a fanatical Christian militia disguised as a church, and he has a longstanding grudge against the Gemstones.
There has been a different main antagonist in each season, but this Gemstone v. Militia storyline was not as engaging as those of the previous two seasons; it lacked the show’s signature dark comedy edge. Instead of humorously highlighting the hypocrisy of the family, it cast the family in the victim role, pitting them against an unhinged and dangerous opponent. That aside, the rest of the show is the well-oiled machine that it always has been. Each of the lead actors is so committed to these absolutely ridiculous characters, bringing depth to what would otherwise be a straight parody. The season feels a little paler than the previous ones, but that doesn’t stop it from being a hilarious and worthwhile comedy.
—Jess
Length: 30-min runtime, 3 seasons / 27 episodes
Watch on: Max
Where we highlight shows that were one-and-done, have ended, or been canceled — and are well-worth revisiting.
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Keywords: comedy-drama, coming of age, high school
Watch if you like: My So Called Life, Pen15, Sex Education, Never Have I Ever
Jenni’s Rating: A+
I know it’s only August 3rd, but back-to-school campaigns are already in full swing and along with them comes the familiar itch to rewatch my (all-time?) favorite high school comedy-drama.
Freaks and Geeks is maybe best known for “launching” the careers of household names like James Franco, Busy Philipps, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel — this list could go on for another paragraph — but it is so much more than just a bottle of lightning raw talent. It is a funny, moving, endlessly quotable show that set a new standard for television teen dramas and deserved more than the single season it got.
Set in the midwestern suburbs of the early 1980s, this series follows former mathlete Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) as she branches out with the high school’s stoner clique and her younger brother, Sam (John Francis Daley), who feels more at home with the nerdier crowd. If the premise sounds simple — just a few high school kids trying to fit in — that’s because it is. Freaks and Geeks has almost none of the melodrama that fuels other teen shows like Euphoria or Dawson’s Creek. With the show’s major plot points spun-up from actual experiences in the writers’ own pasts, it’s all incredibly ordinary, and that’s what makes it so great. The interactions and relationships feel complex and true to life, with characters revealing their depths gradually and naturally. It’s a beautiful, hilarious show that handles every ensemble and main character with care and makes me laugh out loud every time I revisit it. Oh, and the soundtrack is killer.
The one obvious criticism to make about Freaks and Geeks is the blatant lack of diversity in its cast. While economic class and gender do play a role in conflicts and motivations of the story, if Paul Feig were to create this show today, I’d hope it would include more (read: any) main characters of color. With that in mind, if you’re looking for an otherwise pitch-perfect portrayal of adolescence that is full of heart, humor, and relatable characters, look no further. This is a classic and a cult favorite for a reason.
— Jenni
Length: 44-min runtime, 1 season / 18 episodes
Watch on: Hulu / Prime Video
Your shows, returned:
Heartstopper, Season 2: Premieres August 3 on Netflix
The Lincoln Lawyer, Season 2 Part 2: Premieres August 3 on Netflix
The Chi, Season 6: Premieres August 4 on Showtime
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Season 2: Premieres August 6 on Max
Only Murders in the Building, Season 3: Premieres August 8 on Hulu
Rap Sh!t, Season 2: Premieres August 10 on Max
Upcoming new releases:
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart: Premieres August 4 on Prime Video
Painkiller: Premieres August 10 on Netflix
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