📺 What to watch this week (4/27)
+ reviews of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5, Wellmania, Mrs. Davis, and Schmigadoon S2
Hi friends. After a 4 year hiatus, Black Mirror is returning for its 6th season this June, and the teaser trailer dropped yesterday. I guess the world isn’t too bleak anymore? Read below for what to watch this week, including reviews of some shows we’ve been enjoying.
In today’s edition:
Weekly watchlist
Wellmania
Mrs. Davis
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schmigadoon
— Jess Spoll and Jenni Cullen
First time reading? Subscribe to receive Double Take weekly.
We keep an eye on all of the new streaming content that is set to premiere. Here’s a list of new shows and movies to watch this week.
Citadel (Season 1) — Reportedly the second most expensive television series of all time, this espionage sci-fi thriller stars Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) and Priyanka Chopra and is produced by the Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame).
Watch on Prime Video: April 28th (2 of 6 episodes, then weekly)Clock (Movie) — This sci-fi horror flick stars Dianna Agron (Glee) as a woman who enrolls in a clinical trial to try and fix her seemingly broken biological clock.
Watch on Hulu: April 28thFatal Attraction (Limited Series) — Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan star in this reimagining of the classic 1987 thriller movie.
Watch on Paramount+: April 30th (3 of 8 episodes, then weekly)White House Plumbers (Limited Series) — A satirical drama based on the Watergate scandal in which Nixon's political saboteurs, played by Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux, accidentally topple the presidency they were trying to protect.
Watch on HBO Max: May 1 (1 of 5 episodes, then weekly)A Small Light (Limited Series) — This biographical drama is based on the true story of Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who hid Anne Frank and her family during World War II.
Watch on Nat Geo: May 1, the next day on Disney+ and Hulu (2 of 8 episodes, then weekly)
Our thoughts on brand new streaming content, and where you can watch.
Wellmania
Keywords: Australian, comedy-drama, fun
Watch if you like: The Letdown, Shrinking, I Hate Suzie
Jenni’s Rating: C+
Celeste Barber stars in this Australian dramedy adapted from Brigid Delaney’s memoir about the wild world of the wellness industry. When a health crisis forces successful food writer, Liv (Barber), to face a buildup of unhealthy choices, she decides to try every fad cleanse, diet, and therapy in the books to speed up her path toward recovery.
Wellmania is mostly an amusing, low-stakes series of television, sufficiently replete with gym-based physical/slapstick comedy and wry commentary on some bogus trends. However, it also delves into the heftier themes of success, stress, and the difficulty of living a balanced life — both in terms of personal health and personal relationships. Unfortunately, these two threads of focus don’t always weave well together, which leaves the episodes feeling slightly disjointed and tonally jumbled.
Overall, it’s a decent background show — while a little silly and haphazard, it’s not overly saccharine, and it’s easy to watch. Also, if nothing else, Liv’s journey is a good reminder that there are no shortcuts in life.
— Jenni
Length: 30-min runtime, 1 season / 8 episodes
Watch on: Netflix
Mrs. Davis
Keywords: drama, absurdism, adventure
Watch if you like: Upload, Peacemaker, Made for Love
Jess’s Rating: B
If you combined a western drama with an absurdist comedy, added in elements from ‘80s and ‘90s movies, and set a rebellious nun in the starring role, you’d get Mrs. Davis. Sound weird? It is.
From the minds of Lost creator Damon Lindelof and The Big Bang Theory writer Tara Hernandez, this drama-comedy stars Betty Gilpin (GLOW) as a nun on a quest to destroy a dangerously omnipotent AI. Despite that premise, it’s neither a traditional sci-fi show, nor is it a preachy or overly religious show. It’s a bonkers adventure with farcical elements, but it’s grounded by a sincere exploration of what it means to put our faith in something or someone. The show certainly takes liberties with religious symbols and characters, but it does so without cynicism. Betty Gilpin as the lead is incredible, and she truly embodies her thoughtfully written female character who upends any expectations you may have about what a nun would be like.
In a sea of adaptations and remakes and spin-offs, it’s remarkable to watch something this utterly original and unpredictable. The story drags at times, and certain episodes are a bit too exposition-heavy. But it’s escapist entertainment at its best — not shallow or cliched, and bizarre in a thoroughly enjoyable way.
— Jess
Length: 60-min runtime, 1 season / 5 of 8 episodes available now
Watch on: Peacock
These popular shows came back with new episodes. Here’s what we thought and where you can watch them.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Season 5)
Keywords: comedy, period drama, witty
Watch if you like: Gilmore Girls, Minx, Hacks
Jenni’s Rating: A-
There’s something so satisfying about a show that knows its time has come — and that gets to say goodbye on its own terms. Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy-drama about a woman’s journey from doting ‘50s housewife to divorced standup comedian appears to be doing just that in its fifth and final season. As Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) inches closer than ever to the success she’s dreamed of, we get a peek into where it all will end and what that success might cost.
To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled with the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and stopped watching altogether during the fourth. But, (excepting, perhaps, the abrupt departure of Stephanie Hsu’s character in Episode 1) this final installment feels like it’s returned with some of the magic of the original episodes. Every scene boasts that trademark effortlessly quick, witty dialogue and a chemistry between scene partners that truly sparkles. The dynamics of agent Suzie (Alex Borstein) and Midge’s relationship continue to be a highlight, as do the consistently charming B-plots involving Midge’s parents, Abe and Rose. This season feels a little like O.G. Maisel meets Mad Men meets Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and I’m kind of loving it.
While touching and embellishing on where the series has shone in the past, Season 5 does also include some refreshing shifts. We move into the 60s (and beyond, at times) and the characters are developing and changing in ways that feel fitting and well-earned. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is definitely hitting its stride as it crosses the finish line.
— Jenni
Length: 60-min runtime; 5 seasons / 43 episodes, new on Fridays
Watch on: Prime Video
Schmigadoon (Season 2)
Keywords: musical theater, comedy, magical realism
Watch if you like: musicals, SNL, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Jess’s Rating: B
If you like musical theater and you’re not watching Schmigadoon yet, I would urge you to reconsider. The series is a musical comedy that is both an homage to and a parody of famous musicals, and it features an ensemble cast of comedians and theater vets including Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, Aaron Tveit, and Ariana DeBose.
While the first season was based on Golden Age musicals of the ‘40s and ‘50s, the second season leans darker and edgier, inspired by the style of musicals from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Aptly, the town that Melissa and Josh find themselves in this season is named “Schmicago” rather than “Schmigadoon.”
As a musical theater fan, this show consistently makes me smile. The performances are excellent, buoyed by the insane talent of the cast. And identifying the copious references to classic musicals provides ceaseless entertainment. Aaron Tveit singing a knock-off of “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin? Alan Cumming as a pseudo Sweeney Todd? What more could a person want? Personally, I’m enjoying the second season a lot more than the first, but that likely has more to do with my love for this era of musicals (and my dislike for the Golden Age musicals) than to do with a comparison of quality.
I will say, if you’re not a musical theater fan, you can go ahead and skip this show; the plot takes a backseat to the showtunes and musical easter eggs, so there won’t be much for you to enjoy.
— Jess
Length: 30-min runtime, 2 seasons / 6 episodes in S1; 5 of 6 episodes from S2 available now
Watch on: Apple TV+
Your shows, returned:
Firefly Lane, Season 2 Part 2: April 27 on Netflix
Sweet Tooth, Season 2: April 27 on Netflix
The Other Two, Season 3: May 4 on HBO Max
Upcoming new releases:
Love & Death: April 27 on HBO Max
Citadel: April 28 on Prime Video
Fatal Attraction: April 30 on Paramount+
Tom Jones: April 30 on PBS
A Small Light: May 1 on Nat Geo / May 2 on Hulu/Disney+
White House Plumbers: May 1 on HBO Max
Jewish Matchmaking: May 3 on Netflix
Bupkis: May 4 on Peacock
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story: May 4 on Netflix