The Beast in Me holds strong thanks to two fantastic performances

Photo: Netflix

If you take the time to look through the Netflix library, you’ll notice some trends with its programming. This is thanks to the ever-present algorithm that both suggests shows you might enjoy and helps Netflix decide what to produce. The specific trend I want to discuss is the tendency to market a show with two known actors at the forefront. Whether it’s Jason Bateman and Jude Law or Taylor Kitsch and Betsy Gilpin, you better believe Netflix is going to put them front and center. It’s basic marketing 101, especially for a streaming service all about the endless binge. With The Beast in Me, Netflix has found its best pairing yet.

A psychological thriller from The X-Files’ Gabe Rotter and Homeland’s Howard Gordon, The Beast in Me pits Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys against one another. Danes is Aggie Wiggs, a grieving author struggling to write her next book. Rhys plays Nile Jarvis, the son of a real estate magnate who moves next door to lie low after being accused of his first wife’s murder. There’s an instant spark between the two. Nile believes he’s found a kindred spirit, and Aggie’s discovered a new subject for her book.

If you’re looking for a new murder mystery, The Beast in Me isn’t much of one. While there are truths waiting to be uncovered, the information points to exactly who you’d expect. Instead, the show plays as a character study of two people drawn to each other despite their best interests. So much so that it struggles to hold itself together when they’re not on screen.

Danes and Rhys are electric. Their scenes together create tension. It’s thrilling to watch the duo circle each other, both waiting for the chance to strike. Rhys is playing in a different mode than usual. Nile is full of toxic charm, a man clearly used to getting his way and not opposed to insulting those around him to get it. Danes sticks to what she’s best at. Aggie is so worn out by life that she could snap at any moment. They work so well together that you almost forget about the supporting players.

The Beast in Me boasts a deep bench. The likes of Brittany Snow, Jonathan Banks, Julie Ann Emery, and David Lyons all turn in solid supporting performances. Banks is a standout as Nile’s father, Martin. His weary take on the Logan Roy archetype provides a needed context for Nile and his upbringing. The writing sells these actors short, especially near the end, but their work remains entertaining.

While the plot gets unwieldy the more it goes on, The Beast in Me succeeds on the back of its actors. It’s easy to excuse a few missteps in the story when you have two characters this fun to watch. Rhys and Danes create a tension all their own. One that is as irresistible as it is intolerable. The type of magic that the algorithm can only hope to recreate.

The Beast in Me in currently streaming on Netflix.

Final Verdict: Tune In

The IT franchise gets more convoluted with Welcome to Derry

Photo: HBO

Want to turn your film franchise into a TV property but you’re unsure how to make it work? Try making a prequel! Are you worried that you’ll dilute the brand by creating a subpar product compared to the films? Don’t worry, it’s a prequel! Nothing matters when you set it in the past!

While I doubt many of the creatives actually working on a show like Welcome to Derry think that way. I can see a board meeting or two that went in that direction. The latest installment in the IT franchise, Derry takes the interlude chapters from the Stephen King novel and uses them as a basis for exploring the past of the town and, yes, the history of Pennywise. To say it’s a loose adaptation would be an understatement. Most of the action takes place in 1962, following a group of kids in search of their missing friend. Meanwhile, there’s a mysterious mission being carried out by the military, and Dick Halloran (Chris Chalk) from The Shining is there.

Those two disparate plot threads take up the bulk of the action in Welcome to Derry, but there’s plenty of other story beats to fill up time. There’s Charlotte Hanlon (Taylor Paige) and her family who are adjusting to their new home. There’s also the struggle of Lilly and Marge (Clara Stack and Matilda Lawler respectively) to fit in with the popular kids. The subplots successfully show that Derry is a sinister place where parts of everyday life become corrupted. The problem is that they often reiterate this point and have very little else to offer. These scenes exist to move us from one mysterious plot point to another.

With a whopping 15 characters listed in the main cast, there shouldn’t be room for padding, but Derry finds a way. The series creates stories for most of them, but never really establishes these characters. They all exist on the surface with nothing underneath. The kids are all neglected and traumatized. The adults are all cold and unfeeling. It all fits in with the established tone of the films, but doesn’t work as well in this longer format. The characters that stand out, like Lilly or Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo), do so thanks to solid acting choices.

Like the films, Welcome to Derry is at its best during the horror sequences. Director Andy Muschietti helms the first two episodes and brings along the fun gross-out scares. Whether it’s a woman giving birth to a winged demon baby or the scariest version of The Music Man, Muschietti earns those jump scares. These scenes work so well that it feels like a drag when reality reasserts itself. Sadly, the show can’t be a straight hour of children experiencing their worst fears.

While it succeeds in parts, the series falls into the common prequel trap of overexplanation. The history of Derry, the dark forces that brought It to the town, and even the inspiration for the persona of Pennywise are all questions that the show aims to answer. The problem is that some things are better left unexplained. Pennywise is a clown because kids are afraid of them and it feeds off fear. That’s all we really need to know. Welcome to Derry attempts to answer as many mysteries as possible but fails to deepen the world it takes place in. It’s another corporate-mandated prequel that can’t live up to the hype.

IT: Welcome to Derry is currently streaming on HBO Max. New episodes air on Sundays.

Final Verdict: Tune Out

Pluribus is a tantalizing sci-fi show impossible to resist

Photo: Apple TV+

Before creating two of the greatest TV shows of all time, Vince Gilligan was a writer on The X-Files. For 8 seasons, he wrote some of the show’s best episodes and eventually became a co-executive producer. If there’s one thing to take away from Pluribus, Gilligan’s latest series,it’s that he hasn’t lost touch with his sci-fi roots.

To describe Pluribus before you’ve watched it is a disservice that I won’t commit. This is a rare example of a show that needs to be experienced with as little information as possible. The basic logline is this: the world’s most miserable person becomes humanity’s only hope. That’s the only bit of info you need. What I’m saying is, go watch the first episode and come back. I’ll still be here, and we already know this is a “Tune In” anyway.

Thanks for coming back! As you discovered, Pluribus’ pilot is one of the greatest single episodes of television you’ll watch this year. A perfect blend of humor, horror, and science fiction that feels like equal parts Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Twilight Zone. Written and directed by Gilligan, the episode establishes a style that calls back to his previous work (try as he might, Vince can’t leave Albuquerque) while charting a fresh path. In under an hour, the episode conveys so much to the audience. It’s enough to wonder why so many other shows drag things out.

This isn’t a show with potential. This is a program that has fully realized itself and can’t wait to show it off. The other 2 episodes out now show more of what Pluribus is capable of. This series isn’t solely about the mysteries, and that’s clear in how ready it is to answer questions. The more answers we get, the deeper the concept of this human “hive-mind” turns out to be. There’s an unpredictable energy here that keeps you glued to your seat even for something as simple as a dinner sequence.

The star of Pluribus is Rhea Seehorn, back teaming with Gilligan. The last time the two worked together was in the excellent Better Call Saul episode “Waterworks,” which contained possibly her best performance on the show. As Carol Sturka, Seehorn tackles an almost impossible task: making a deeply unlikable person someone worth rooting for. Carol is a prickly and distant person even before the world as she knows it ends. Seehorn does tremendous work showing the wave of emotions that Carol experiences, especially in the first episode. Through it all, Carol remains deeply human, flaws and all. A contrast that becomes clearer the more she interacts with members of the “hive-mind.”

There’s been plenty of discourse about Pluribus and the ever-present conversation around A.I. It’s easy to see why. This is a story about the entirety of human history being condensed into one collective consciousness. It’s basically Sam Altman’s wet dream minus the part where he makes absurd amounts of money. Deep down at the root though, the series is simply telling a story as old as science fiction and possibly as old as stories. What does it mean to be human? What separates us from other life? These are questions with no straightforward answers. The perfect type for a show like Pluribus, one that embraces ambiguity and has a blast doing it.

Pluribus is currently streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes air on Fridays.

Final Verdict: Tune In

DMV: As exciting as standing in line

Photo: CBS

A basic fact of American life is that there are many government institutions that are a hassle to interact with. There’s often a good reason for the bureaucratic drudgery that defines most of them, but it remains a pain. For seemingly as long as it’s existed, the DMV has been the biggest punching bag in this area. What must it be like to work in a place so soul-crushing? CBS’ latest sitcom attempts to provide the answer.

DMV focuses on the workers of the East Hollywood branch and the daily indignities they face. The show operates as a standard workplace sitcom, but most of the action revolves around a trio of driving examiners. Kind-hearted Colette (Harriet Dryer), former teacher Gregg (Tim Meadows), and sleazy Vic (Tony Cavalero) provide a nice center for the surrounding chaos. That the madness comes from both co-workers and the everyday people coming into the building is an expected touch.

“Expected” is the kindest way I can describe DMV. Some other, harsher words include “rote,” “stale,” and worst of all, “unfunny.” The show relies on every joke you’ve ever heard about the DMV. Long lines, awful pictures, and old ladies who definitely shouldn’t be driving are all part of the tableau. There’s also a collection of stock workplace sitcom plotlines and, of course, a central romance between Colette and newcomer Noa (Alex Tarrant).

That relationship, like many on the show, should work but never finds a spark. Which is a shame because there’s a solid cast here who never seem to gel as a unit. Sitcoms need time to build up the cast dynamics and find what works best, but it seems like a tall task for a program with so few bright spots. Even Meadows, a reliable comedic presence, struggles to find the charm in this material. An entire episode relegates him to cleaning out the work fridge and cracking stale jokes — a waste of his talents.

There’s still potential for DMV to grow into something worthwhile, but it hasn’t shown up on screen yet. The series will probably find success thanks to being on America’s #1 broadcast network, CBS. That honor might be increasingly irrelevant, but it still means a large audience of potential viewers. That could be the true cause for this show’s shortcomings. There’s no incentive to try anything new if the same old stuff works just fine. It’s just a shame they didn’t tell the actors to phone it in.

DMV airs Mondays on CBS. Streaming next day on Paramount+..

Final Verdict: Tune Out

Television Turmoil: Supertrain proved to be one of the costliest failures in TV history

There are few people in the 70s TV landscape as influential as Fred Silverman. Described as “The Man with the Golden Gut,” Silverman was renowned for his ability to pick out hit shows. This particular brand of executive-myth building started with stints on CBS and ABC, where he helped revitalize both networks and, in the latter’s case, helped elevate it to the #1 network for the first time. M*A*S*H, All in the Family, The Waltons, Three’s Company and Charlie’s Angels are just a few examples of the programs that premiered under his watch.

It comes as no surprise that Silverman’s jump to NBC in 1979 was seen as a great acquisition for the Peacock network. NBC had spent much of the decade floundering, and the prospect of luring away the executive who led their rivals to success was just the turnaround they needed. To say things didn’t quite go to plan is a massive understatement. Silverman’s failure at NBC is a dark mark on both his career and the network’s history. Today’s focus is on perhaps the biggest flop produced in that period.

Supertrain technically started production before Silverman went to NBC, but he oversaw the show’s heavy advertising and its 2-hour premiere. This makes sense when you consider how much money had already been invested in the program. By the time Silverman had come on board, Supertrain was already the most expensive TV show made in the U.S. The three separate models of the titular train, each different sizes for various shots, amounted to $10 million. Not to mention an accident involving one of those models early in the production. With all this money flowing, NBC must have had a powerful concept to go along with it, right?

Well, does copying another show’s concept count? At its core, Supertrain is essentially The Love Boat (Another hit from Silverman’s ABC tenure) placed on a train. Not just any train, mind you. This train is super. Specifically, it is a nuclear-powered bullet train capable of traveling cross-country in just under two days. The train also comes stocked with various amenities: a swimming pool, a gym, a shopping center, and even its own dance club. It’s a train functioning as a cruise ship. Which all seems very cool if you’re willing to overlook the astronomical upkeep cost on all of it.

Similar to the show that it’s aping, Supertrain focused primarily on the passengers of the train from week-to-week, telling an interconnected story about their lives with the crew of the train being relegated to B-plots. As an idea for driving viewer interest, it’s solid. Unfortunately, the guest stars the show pulled in weren’t the most enticing.

The big 2-hour premiere focuses mostly on singer Steve Lawrence with a hammy performance from Vicki Lawrence (no relation) to back it up. Other episodes feature Dick Van Dyke, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Larry Linville and Tony Danza all good gets, but hardly the ones you need to attract a big audience. During the program’s brief 9 episode tenure, only three members of the main cast stuck around. Of those three, the closest thing to a known name was Robert Alda (Broadway star and father of Alan Alda) who played the train’s doctor. A thankless role, just like every other on the show.

Therein lies the biggest problem with Supertrain, the train is the only actual character. With so much money poured into the models, an episode of the show cuts to shots of the train often. Characters marvel at the train and discuss the life-changing experience of being in it. Even during promotion for the show, the train was the only thing anyone talked about. This was particularly clear during an episode of Today that aired before the show’s premiere. The only thing the newscasters had to hype the show with was the train. The major talking point seemed to be the enormous cost. It reeks of a group of people knowing failure is imminent and not being able to say so. The producers pinned all their hopes on the concept of a big, fast train being enough to attract an audience.

None of this is helped by the mediocre writing. Most of the story in an episode seems dragged out to make an hour and involves generic suspense plots like: an unknown assassin (this happens in both the first and second episode), a kidnapping plot, a jewel heist and in one extremely baffling instance, a presidential candidate’s twin taking his place. None of the stories offers anything besides cheap thrills and something to pad out the runtime in between shots of the train.

The program also has a serious tone problem. While “daring” suspense plots would take up much of the main story, the crew members were often relegated to comedic subplots. These often felt incongruous with the drama going on elsewhere. These plots would occasionally intersect and make the entire crew look either oblivious or uncaring to the very real murders, thefts and other crimes going on.

Supertrain’s premiere failed in the ratings and the program was eventually pulled for retooling. This mostly just amounted to putting some women in skimpy swimsuits on the train and calling it a day. Shockingly, that also failed to garner much interest, and the train was finally stopped a month later.

Taken as a whole, it’s easy to see how Supertrain became a massive failure. The show’s enormous budget, coupled with the US withdrawing from the 1980 Olympics, nearly put NBC out of business. Maybe with better writing or a more engaging cast, the show could have thrived, but sometimes things are just doomed from the start. Sometimes, a bad idea needs to be called out before it can grow. A lesson learned many times over, but rarely retained.

Next time: We move to the late 00s for the GEICO inspired flop, ABC’s Cavemen.