When Tiger King became a zeitgeist hit back in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, multiple scripted Tiger King productions were announced. Joe Exotic was a known figure, so there were plenty of pre-existing magazine features, podcasts, etc that could be optioned. Since then, most of those announced shows and movies went away. Peacock's Joe & Carole, which debuted this week, is the only one that seems to have reached production. And, judging by the silence surrounding its release, I'd assume this is the last we'll hear of Joe Exotic for some time.
Actually worth watching is bio-series The Dropout, about tech-finance fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. I'd like to pair the release of this up with Super Pumped, which is another bio-series about the tech bros who launched Uber. That show launched this week in the US on Showtime. Paramount+, which is the home of Showtime series here in Australia, has inexplicably opted to delay the release of it. I'm assuming it is so they can use it as a lure to keep Halo enthusiasts sticking with the service once Halo finishes its first season run (it debuts at the end of March), but that seems like a ridiculous reason to hold the show back and completely undermine the viability of Paramount+ as a go-to content destination for buzzy shows.
Speaking of biography shows, Pam & Tommy finished its run on Hulu/Disney+ this week with an offensively lame hour of television. That show started so strong and then completely lost its way as it covered over the lack of material left to propel the series with an awkwardly shoehorned-in feminist revision of Pamela Anderson's story. There was a way to tell that story about the violation of Pamela Anderson, but boy did this series fail to do that in any way that properly spoke to the experience she actually went through.
My suggestion for this week: Check out Italian HBO series My Brilliant Friend. It's very good, but do start at the beginning. A great choice if you're looking for a show for adults that has great characters at its centre. Also, there's a really fun and stealthily-interesting Amazon Prime Video comedy called Upload that is back next week for season 2. It's a comedy set in a future where people, upon death, can have their consciousness uploaded into a metaverse heaven. The show is a great critique on the way capitalism and technology can disrupt the everyday lives of people, even going as far as to corrupt their afterlife. I know you haven't watched season 1 yet, so please go and do that.
returning:
My Brilliant Friend (s03), Killing Eve (s04), He Man and The Masters of The Universe (s02), Star Trek: Picard (s02), Central Park (s02), Better Things (s05)
new:
The Dropout - Hulu | Disney+
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Anne Archer, Naveen Andrews
TV series that chronicles Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes' attempt to revolutionize the healthcare industry after dropping out of college and starting a technology company.
The Boys Presents: Diabolical - Amazon Prime Video
Stars: Grey Griffin, Ben Schwartz, Antony Starr
Unseen stories from "The Boys" universe.
Super Pumped - Showtime
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kyle Chandler, Kerry Bishé
The roller-coaster ride of the upstart transportation company, embodying the highs and lows of Silicon Valley.
Our Flag Means Death - HBO Max
Stars: Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi, Nat Faxon
The year is 1717. Wealthy landowner Stede Bonnet has a midlife crisis and decides to blow up his cushy life to become a pirate. It does not go well. Based on a true story.
Lucy and Desi - Amazon Prime Video
Exploring the life of Lucille Ball, her relationship with Desi Arnaz, and her legacy and impact on Hollywood.
Joe vs Carole - Peacock | Stan
Stars: Kate McKinnon, Brian Van Holt, Sam Keeley
TV series based on the life of Joe Exotic, the former Oklahoma zoo operator and big cat breeder who was put on trial and sentenced to 22 years in prison for plotting to murder another big cat enthusiast.
Pieces of Her - Netflix
Stars: Toni Collette, David Wenham, Jessica Barden
A woman pieces together her mother's dark past after a violent attack in their small town brings hidden threats and deadly secrets to light.
The Weekend Away - Netflix
Stars: Leighton Meester, Christina Wolfe, Ziad Bakri
A weekend getaway to Croatia that goes awry when a woman is accused of killing her best friend. As she attempts to clear her name and uncover the truth, her efforts unearth a painful secret.
Against The Ice - Netflix
Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Joe Cole, Heida Reed
In 1909, two explorers fight to survive after they're left behind while on a Denmark expedition in ice-covered Greenland.
Midnight at The Pera Palace - Netflix
Stars: Hazal Kaya, Selahattin Pasali, James Chalmers
It is based on a young journalist named Esra reflects on Midnight at the Pera Palace and her experience with the famous Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul.
Folks - that is it for the week. It's been tough for a lot of you. Hopefully next week delivers us the sunshine (quite literally for flood-soaked NSW/QLD here in Australia) we are after.
