Swanson, Kiorein, and Stairmaster continue through Redwall as they make it to two uneventful episodes. Along the way they discuss the constant betrayals by newcomers and the worst siege attempt of all time. Plus, the Shrek Rave is coming and you’ll never guess where. Want to request a future bonus episode? Donate to our Buy Me a Coffee page https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tvtuners
In retrospect, the name should have clued me in to the problem. Has anyone ever typed “NSFW” and thought the “S” stood for “suitable”? How many times was the title of Mindy Kaling’s new comedy workshopped before they landed on “suitable” over “safe”? This is far from the biggest issue plaguing Not Suitable for Work, but it serves as a perfect guide to its myriad of problems. At first glance, this seems like a fine, if generic, title that promises a bit of risqué comedy. Only after watching do you realize how far off that assessment is.
The Hulu comedy follows the Mindy Kaling style of being both full of pithy one-liners and devoid of actual jokes. Set in Manhattan, the series follows a group of five twenty-somethings as they search for professional success and personal happiness. Vague premise aside, there is one potentially interesting conceit here: our cast of Gen Z workaholics aren’t exactly a friend group. Instead, we meet two separate groups residing in neighboring apartments. This theoretically allows the cast to interact in ways that should be fun but rarely are.
In one apartment, we have AJ (Ella Hunt) a Boston transplant ready to start her new career, and Abby (Avantika Vandanapu) a fashion designer. Next door, we have a trio of bros, including the insufferable nepo-baby Josh (Jack Martin), med student with dreams of acting Kel (Nicolas Duvernay), and Davis (Will Angus), who is desperate for love. It’s a cast full of young, pretty faces who have zero chemistry with each other. Hunt and Angus fare the best, which might be why they’re quickly turned into the show’s Ross and Rachel. Martin’s Josh, meanwhile, falls on the wrong side of the love-to-hate tightrope thanks to some poor attempts at character development.
The characters aren’t the only element suffering from a lack of identity. It’s not enough to call the show’s writing cliched because it reaches a level that is almost admirable. Not Suitable pulls from an array of hackneyed trends to really complete the generic tableau. You have your rom-com cliches like a meet-cute between co-workers that quickly turns complicated. There are workplace bromides like demanding bosses with the added bonus of harkening to The Devil Wears Prada. We even get classic sitcom tropes like misunderstandings that spiral out of control. This all adds to the prevalent feeling of déjà vu you get when watching the series. You’ve seen this all before, done better.
It’s hard to tell who specifically this program is for. A good hangout sitcom requires characters worth investing in. A romantic comedy needs a romance you root for. Other programming exists for the Gen Z demographic. What you’re left with is a show with no apparent purpose beyond delivering lukewarm jokes while tired scenarios play out. The awkward title might actually be the most interesting thing about Not Suitable for Work.
Not Suitable for Work is currently streaming on Hulu.
Swanson, Kiorein, and Stairmaster return to discuss more Redwall as our mouse hero meets a dangerous owl and helps with an assassination plot. Along the way we discuss the possibility of humans in the world and the poor use of siege tactics. Want to request a future bonus episode? Donate to our Buy Me a Coffee page https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tvtuners
So many TV shows made today rely on shoving as many twists and turns as possible into the story. This is especially true in the thriller genre. While we can chalk it up to lazy writing and the need to pad out the plot, there’s another culprit. An underrated aspect is how the wealth of television options also fuels the need to stand out. Which is why it’s always a delight when a show pulls off the balance and delivers something worthwhile. Especially when it has a title as bold as Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.
Apple TV’s latest is a thriller, a comedy, and a family drama all in one anxiety-inducing package. The series stars Tatiana Maslany as Paula Saunders, a recently divorced fact-checker who develops a relationship with webcam boy Trevor (Brandon Flynn). In Trevor, Paula finds a person to vent to about her legal troubles and job precarity. Things take a turn when it becomes clear that Trevor is attempting to scam her, dragging Paula into a dark mystery. All the while Paula has to contend with her patronizing ex-husband (Jake Johnson), his new wife (Jessy Hodges), and a droll detective who seems exasperated by her choices (Dolly de Leon).
Much of the show’s Pleasure comes from Maslany, who puts in possibly her best work since Orphan Black. Thrillers often require the characters to make poor choices to move the story along, which can feel grating or obvious. Maslany and the writing team take the time to walk us through Paula’s frazzled mindset. This allows us to rationalize her bad choices in a way that both keeps the story engaging and builds sympathy. The writers also avoid casting judgement on Paula’s relationship with Trevor, wisely leaving it as the inciting incident. None of it works without the careful guidance of Maslany’s performance.
So many TV shows made today rely on shoving as many twists and turns as possible into the story. This is especially true in the thriller genre. While we can chalk it up to lazy writing and the need to pad out the plot, there’s another culprit. An underrated aspect is how the wealth of television options also fuels the need to stand out. Which is why it’s always a delight when a show pulls off the balance and delivers something worthwhile. Especially when it has a title as bold as Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.
Apple TV’s latest is a thriller, a comedy, and a family drama all in one anxiety-inducing package. The series stars Tatiana Maslany as Paula Saunders, a recently divorced fact-checker who develops a relationship with webcam boy Trevor (Brandon Flynn). In Trevor, Paula finds a person to vent to about her legal troubles and job precarity. Things take a turn when it becomes clear that Trevor is attempting to scam her, dragging Paula into a dark mystery. All the while Paula has to contend with her patronizing ex-husband (Jake Johnson), his new wife (Jessy Hodges), and a droll detective who seems exasperated by her choices (Dolly de Leon).
Much of the show’s Pleasure comes from Maslany, who puts in possibly her best work since Orphan Black. Thrillers often require the characters to make poor choices to move the story along, which can feel grating or obvious. Maslany and the writing team take the time to walk us through Paula’s frazzled mindset. This allows us to rationalize her bad choices in a way that both keeps the story engaging and builds sympathy. The writers also avoid casting judgement on Paula’s relationship with Trevor, wisely leaving it as the inciting incident. None of it works without the careful guidance of Maslany’s performance.
The able direction of TV vets like David Gordon Green and Dan Sackheim also helps. The series gets a lot of mileage out of quick close-up shots of Maslany’s face and other environmental elements like a boiling pan overflowing to ratchet up the anxiety. It’s no coincidence that these moments are usually followed by Paula making a bold decision. Fun choices like these help the series stand out in the crowd of similar thriller programs.
While Maximum Pleasure succeeds at merging the thriller and family drama elements, the addition of comedy proves to be a harder balance. The show finds a winning dynamic in the fraught relationship between Maslany and Johnson, and de Leon is effortlessly funny. It’s when we head back to Paula’s work, specifically her two cubicle mates, Rudy and Geri (Charlie Hall and Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg) that we lose steam. Hall and Goldberg play the role of comic relief well, but the writing fails them. The duo should be a balm to the tension that surrounds the rest of the show. Instead, they disrupt the flow. Even their later addition to the main story fares poorly.
While it doesn’t deliver to the Maximum, this series still provides plenty to recommend. A twisty thriller headlined by the outstanding performance of Maslany is more than enough to keep you coming back. It’s a rare talent that keeps you engaged with a character through every wrong turn they make. Rarer still, to keep you rooting for them. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed succeeds at both with ease and leaves you desperate for more.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is currently streaming on Apple TV. New episodes air on Wednesday.
We’re over 80 years away from the end of the “classic” era of film noir. That’s enough time for the conventions of the genre to become ingrained in pop culture, fall out of fashion, and return to popularity. One could argue that the style and tone of noir never truly fell out. It simply changed with the times. Conversely, superhero properties have been going strong for long enough to need something fresh to pique viewer interest. They desperately need a change and have been stubborn to do so. Spider-Noir attempts to revitalize one genre while paying homage to the other.
Nicolas Cage, in his first TV role, stars as Ben Reilly, formerly The Spider, a masked superhero who does whatever a spider can. Since the tragic death of his wife, Reilly has retired the costume and settled into the role of a grizzled P.I. Don’t worry, this isn’t a “Surf Dracula” situation. Reilly’s back in the costume before too long, thanks to a complicated case that, in true noir fashion, only gets more complex the deeper he looks into it.
Cage is in fantastic form here, treating Reilly as both a broken man and a walking reference to Humphrey Bogart. There’s a cartoonish element to the performance that really helps sell the superhero part of the equation. He also plays wonderfully well with a cast of equally game players. Most notably with Lamorne Morris as reporter Robbie Robertson and Karen Rodriguez as Reilly’s assistant Janet. Not to mention the always welcome presence of Brendan Gleeson as the villainous Silvermane. It’s a stacked cast, but Cage remains the main attraction.
What really helps Spider-Noir land is the clear love on display for the genre. References to film noir’s heyday fill each episode, and the show’s visuals further enhance them. While Amazon gives you the option to watch in color or black-and-white, the latter is clearly the superior choice. The style pops, the setting fits better and, most importantly, it hides some of the dodgier special effects work. In general, “dodgy” is the best description for most of the superhero elements.
As is all too often the case, Spider-Noir works best when it focuses away from the superpowers. The show builds up such an exceptional case for Reilly as a detective that you forget he even has abilities. This is a show designed to play the classics, and it works best in that mode. With a fun cast and a delightfully pulpy Nicolas Cage at the center, the series succeeds at finding a new avenue for standard noir tropes. The constant nods to the genre’s past might rub some the wrong way, but for dedicated buffs there’s a lot to love. Besides, where else are you going to see Cage quote James Cagney?
Spider-Noir is currently streaming on Prime Video.
