The promise of Apple TV+'s The Mosquito Coast is intoxicating. It looks like it has the potential to be the next big relatable crime drama, plunging an everyday family into a world that they're not equipped to handle. Plus it has Justin Theroux in the lead. Reviews have been middling, but I know I am very keen to check it out over the weekend.
Another show that is way more watchable than you'd expect is the new YA dramedy Sexify on Netflix. It's no more sophisticated than most teen shows and it's only real point of difference is the generous amount of nudity on display. But the cast are really appealing and did I mention the nudity? Would it be as watchable if everyone kept their clothes on? Don't make me answer that.
The big title this week is the season 4 return of The Handmaid's Tale. Is there a more respected, but overly fatiguing show on television? Everywhere I see people talking about the show, it is never the show itself that people are discussing - it's whether they want to put themselves through watching the show for another season.
There's no question that it is a good, quality show. But it's also a show that offers no reward for its viewers. It just keeps on punishing. Grinding the viewer down. That's kinda the point of the show - but unlike the women of Gilead, the viewers have the freedom to just not press play.
podcast:
This week on the Screen Watching podcast we review:
TV: Sexify (Netflix) | Young Rock (Peacock / Foxtel) | This Way Up (Stan)
Movies: First Cow (in cinemas now) | Wrath of Man (in cinemas now) | Land (in cinemas now)
Discussion: Were the Oscars a success?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, and all the usual places you listen to your pods.
returning:
The Handmaid's Tale (s04), Doctor Doctor (s05)
new:
The Mosquito Coast - Apple TV+
Stars: Justin Theroux, Gabriel Bateman, Melissa George
An idealist uproots his family and moves them to Latin America.
Sexify - Netflix
Stars: Aleksandra Skraba, Maria Sobocinska, Sandra Drzymalska
To build an innovative sex app and win a tech competition, a sexually inexperienced student and her friends must explore the daunting world of intimacy.
Fatma - Netflix
Stars: Burcu Biricik, Mehmet Yilmaz Ak, Hazal Türesan
As Fatma sets out to search for Zafer, she commits an unexpected murder and she has to keep killing in order to survive.
Headspace Guide To Sleep- Netflix
Learn how to sleep better with Headspace. Each episode unpacks misconceptions, offers friendly tips and concludes with a guided wind-down.
The Mitchells vs The Machines - Netflix
Stars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
Things Heard and Seen - Netflix
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton, Natalia Dyer
An artist relocates to the Hudson Valley and begins to suspect that her marriage has a sinister darkness, one that rivals her new home's history.
Without Remorse - Amazon Prime Video
Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell
John Clark, a Navy SEAL, goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.
FYI: I'm told that if you ask Alexa when TOM CLANCY'S WITHOUT REMORSE premieres, you will hear a special message from Michael B. Jordan.
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Disney+
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Kevin Feige, Henry Jackman
Marvel have deconstructed the EPK for your viewing pleasure.
That's it for this week. Enjoy your weekend. Hug your kids, or a loved one. Let's be careful out there.
