Dark Matter
SimilarA League of Nobleman, And Then There was One Yuriko, Anna Karenina, Arrow,
Battlestar Galactica Birds of Prey, Blake's 7, Captain Star, Cooking Crush, Dark Winds, Dinner Mate,
Earth 2 Firefly Hero Return,
Justice League Longing Heart, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Miss Marple: The Body in the Library, Monarch of the Glen, My Fantastic Mrs Right, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Percy Jackson and the Olympians,
Planet of the Apes Pride and Prejudice Project Thouser, Quark, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, Spies of Warsaw,
Star Trek Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,
Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: Voyager Sweet Tooth,
Tales from the Neverending Story The 100, The Brothers Karamazov, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Incredible Hulk, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA, The Jungle, The Killing Kind, The Ordinary World, The Rainbow, The Umbrella Academy, The Woods, ThunderCats, X-Men: Evolution,
In reviewing Dark Matter, it feels fitting to follow the moral of the show’s story. While it is easy to get lost in forever puzzling over details, the far more useful—and rewarding—path is to take a step back and fully appreciate a thing. There are elements in creator/showrunner Blake Crouch’s adaptation of his own work that do not work, especially concerning pacing. And yet, by the time the credits roll on the final episode, one is largely left satisfied and, perhaps, a bit exhilarated.
The temptation to dwell on each choice at the expense of the larger picture is something Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) knows well. But we’re already getting ahead of ourselves.
Dark Matters begins with the Jason I’ll christen “our Jason” for clarity. Our Jason is a Physics professor living in Chicago with his wife Daniela (Jennifer Connelly), a former artist who now focuses more on the administrative and business sides of art, and their son Charlie (Oakes Fegley). One night, Jason meets up with his friend Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) to celebrate the latter’s academic success. The vibe is strained, with parties seemingly aware that Jason should’ve received the same award, if not over Ryan, then certainly before him. Continue Reading →
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
SimilarChicken Nugget, Family Guy, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Sound of Your Heart,
StarringNoel Fielding,
There is perhaps no more annoying phrase to hear from someone recommending a TV series in the streaming age than, “It’s very good, but you do have to wait a few episodes.” Regretfully, this writer nonetheless must employ it in reviewing The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. When the series finds its footing, it is equally adept at the goofy gag and the droll declaration. It’s just that it doesn’t settle into that groove until the third of six episodes provided to critics.
The premise revolves around a decidedly ahistorical take on the British outlaw Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding, late of The Great British Baking Show). For those not steeped in 18th-century English criminal lore, Turpin was a highwayman who became something of a legend after his execution at the age of 33. Fans of new wave pop star Adam Ant may recall the singer briefly made Turpin a sartorial touchpoint with the inclusion of a tri-corner hat in his rotation.
In co-creators Claire Downes, Ian Jarvis, and Stuart Lane’s The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Fielding’s interpretation of the character hardly reflects the historical or legendary figure. Rather Turpin patrols the lawless outskirts of the Georgian era as a thoroughly modern man. A vegan who’s terrible with a gun and worse with his fists, he seems more drawn to the theatrics of criminality than the violence or even the money. As a result, he frequently confounds the odds through his stubborn insistence on making unusual choices and a healthy dose of good luck. Continue Reading →
Invasion
Invasion, Apple TV+’s newest foray into sci-fi television, follows “ordinary” people around the world as an alien force, well, invades. Created by Simon Kinberg (who writes and directs several episodes) and David Weil (who also created Amazon’s Hunters), Invasion is an engaging slow-burn of a thriller series, building character and atmosphere with the ever-looming threat of an unforeseen enemy. Continue Reading →