LWJ&A – Episode 195
Jim and A.Ron give some brief thoughts on the brief episodes of Netflix’s new gonzo animated anthology, Love, Death, and Robots, before beginning deliberations on HBO’s new documentary, The Case Against Adnan Syed. We’ll be off on vacation all next week! See you when we return!
Cecily and A.Ron take over Bald Move TV to talk about the new season of Stars American Gods. While we have previously discussed the show in passing, we’ll be taking longer looks at it this season, beginning with this premiere episode, “House on the Rock”. There are a lot of reasons to be excited for this show; it’s unique world and lush visual style, the performances and characters are delightfully over the top, and it’s an adaptation of a highly regarded work where the literary creator is deeply involved in the production. But, there are reasons to be skeptical, as the production of season two is a story filled with delays and creative differences, leading to the firing of several showrunners, and has lead to numerous negative reviews of at least the early goings of season two. Still, we’re committed to seeing this show to whatever end it meets, either of running it’s natural creative course or at the hands of the hammer swinging execs at Stars. They don’t call us the “Undertakers” for nothing!
This is a podcast where Jim and I, using tools created for the purpose, randomly generate a title for a fictional TV show. We then pitch ideas to each other based on what that show would be like if it were real. We like to call it, “Quit Yer Pitchin’!”
We’ve seen Chiwetel Ejiofor’s (star of 12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange) directorial debut on Netflix, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and found it compelling and enlightening. Based on a true story about a Malawian boy who saves his village from famine with his wits, ingenuity, and education, The Boy offers us an inside look at things we can barely begin to relate to; widespread starvation, civil unrest and the breakdown of society. Things that we may have to relate to sooner than we think.
Jim and I cover two semi-related topics, the horror genre take on #metoo that is Hulu’s Into the Dark: Treehouse, as well as the documentary on Michael Jackson, Leaving Neverland that paints a compelling, credible, and disturbing picture of the pop superstar. It’s also an excellent primer on understanding and preventing child abuse, which every parent or potential parent should watch.
We have seen the latest Marvel super extravaganza, Captain Marvel, and come away with the suspicion that it’s missing something from the usual Marvel formula. If anything, it feels DC-esque in the way it’s attempting to shoe horn in a new, unknown super power into the MCU. Uninspired fights, plot twists that are seen for miles away, and lacking engaging supporting characters (aside from Jackson’s Nick Fury, whom Brie’s Marvel has very good chemistry with) that give the main character emotional stakes, Captain Marvel is good, perhaps, but not great, and maybe that’s overselling it.
We’re so close we can feel the dragon fire! HBO dropped an awesome new trailer for the long awaited final season of Game of Thrones, and we’re here to break it down in near-exhaustive detail. We’re letting you know our plans for coverage this year, which we’re aiming to be the most timely and comprehensive around. Instant takes, deep dives, and lore talk, a fantasy film festival, and a new book by A.Ron. The trailer showed us a lot of tantalizing details. What could possibly terrify Arya? Will Jon become a dragon rider? Who is the mysterious leader of the Golden Company? Why does the Mountain look like a human butt plug? All these topics and more are considered!
This is a podcast where Jim and I, using tools created for the purpose, randomly generate a title for a fictional TV show. We then pitch ideas to each other based on what that show would be like if it were real. We like to call it, “Quit Yer Pitchin’!”