That hasn’t always been the case, but Marvel’s success in particular has paved the way for such distinctive efforts. In addition, the realm of streaming has been an invitation to produce more specific rates that will appeal to subscribers by tapping into the passion of fans, which has at least as much to do with the business model as with any mass-numbered game.
After watching the first half dozen episodes of the third season of “Titans,” the show seems watchable enough — and occasionally jarring in its surprises — without feeling like it’s a top-tier series. Part of it has to do with a storyline involving the villain Red Hood moving the plot forward, a byproduct of both working on a TV-esque budget and filling a season-long order.
Its soapy properties are also frankly quite familiar to anyone consuming the softer version of DC fare on the CW. And while it’s nice to see some of these characters getting their moment, there are only so many people who really desire to see Beast Boy, Starfire or Hawk and Dove translated into a live-action setting.
Whether “Titans” and other DC Universe titles will gain extra wind when switching to HBO Max remains to be seen, but for anyone who remembers carefully packing old comics into a plastic sleeve, the mere fact that these shows exist a beacon (or bat signal) of how far the medium has come.
Rewind TV
NewsMadura’s Sandra Gonzalez Dives Into The Wayback Machine:
“In December, my husband and I embarked on a world tour of the first season of ‘Amazing Race’. I’d seen seasons here and there over the years, but we thought going back to the beginning would be fun.
NINETEEN seasons later, we’ve just completed what I think was one of the best seasons yet (up there with the all-star episode bringing back a bunch of favorites that had “unfinished business”). We skipped season 8 because we couldn’t get into the season with families and we didn’t want to lose momentum during our binge eating with a crappy season that would be a drag to get through.
So here we are, done with season 20, and no signs of stopping.
While we’ve slowed down at times, we’ve been watching five episodes a week fairly reliably.
Watching the show during Covid was a surreal experience. We started at a time when many people couldn’t even understand traveling abroad (and some still don’t). So seeing the beauty of the world in what seemed (and still seems like) much simpler times can be a little heartbreaking at times, but it’s hopeful.
Obviously, the show would be impossible – not to mention irresponsible – to produce at this point. (Imagine the insurance policy!) But I really hope he returns one day. And I hope we get back to that sense of normalcy.”
No reservations on ‘Reservation Dogs’
I also agree with Gonzalez’s endorsement of “Reservation Dogs,” with the disclaimer below (and perhaps a complaint that the title is a little too cute). She writes:
“Shout out to my favorite show of the moment: ‘Reservation Dogs.’
The FX series, which debuted this week, revolves around a group of mischievous (and slightly criminally inclined) native teens living on a reservation in Oklahoma.
The cast is phenomenal — down to scene-stealing Mose (Lil Mike) and Mekko (Funny Bone) — and the writing is extremely funny.
I refuse to admit this show into the ranks of “Lone Star” or “Terriers” — shows that “have more good reviews than viewers,” as Lowry put it when we talked about the series.
I beg you to check it out. You will thank me.”
Quick bite: ‘Heels’ and ‘Beckett’
A few of this week’s premieres that didn’t get full reviews, but might be of interest to someone:
The preview episodes aren’t badly done, but there’s not much here to keep some of you on the couch. The show will premiere on August 15.
Can he trust anyone? Will he make it to the US embassy? Will he find help when he gets there? Will people watch all 110 minutes to find out?
Returning to ‘The White Lotus’
HBO announced this week that its buzzy limited series “The White Lotus,” which ends Sunday, has been renewed for a second season.
The next episode will leave Hawaii as the show “follows another group of vacationers as they fly to another White Lotus property and temporarily settle among the residents,” according to HBO. We’re counting on a different cast of entitled, troubled characters from series creator Mike White.
NewsMadura’s Scottie Andrew takes a look at why we can’t seem to get enough of watching rich and awful people on TV. We laugh uncomfortably at Jennifer Coolidge’s misguided socialite has-been in ‘The White Lotus’, fawn over the fashion worn by the sassy, uber-rich kids in ‘Gossip Girl’ and fear the wrath of girl boss Laura Dern in ‘Big Little Lies’ .’ Yet we keep looking, often crawling through it. Shows like this confirm our worst suspicions about the wealthiest among us — but the fictional wealth of the characters and all the baggage that comes with it makes for compelling television.”
#Facts.
