Another round-up post!
Kaos (Netflix). This started out fun but frothy, then got a lot more complex and interesting by the end. Shame that it got cancelled, but it's easy to see why it cost too much to get renewed. Jeff Goldblum as Zeus was probably worth the money. Billie Piper as Cassandra? I don't know how much they paid her, but for the total of 15 minutes of screen time, that role could easily have gone to an unknown who would have been thrilled to have it. I enjoyed it, would have watched more, but I'm not devastated by it not happening either.
The Penguin (HBO). I know people were pissed off with this because of Colin Farrell in a fat suit, and I get why, but dear god, he nailed it, and so did the script. This wasn't just the story of Oswald the poor kid who became a criminal and manipulated his way up despite being overlooked and ridiculed. It was equally the story of Sofia Falcone, an intelligent woman who noticed things in a world where those qualities weren't appreciated, and the patriarchy crushed her for it. Seriously good TV on so many levels and I will say nothing of where it went because spoilers, but damn. Forget the DC comics angle, it works on its own merits as a standalone gangster series.
Interview With the Vampire - I finally got around to season 2, and I rewatched the first season right before, because this is a series that has much in common with Hannibal. Unreliable narrators and every detail matters, you have to be paying attention. The actors and the script are spot on. Bailey Bass in season 1 was a great Claudia - she had all the innocence and tragedy down. Delainey Hayles is awesome as older Claudia - so bitter, so angry, then growing resigned to her role and finding a way to take control and forge a new life for herself, even as it's all wrenched away from her. Eric Bogosian is fantastic as Daniel, picking his way through the details of the the various stories he's told, finding the inconsistencies and dragging them out in the sunlight, and Jacob Anderson as Louis is just brilliant, forced to unearth and confront his own failures and delusions. Every main character is their own variety of asshole, and it's a superb reworking of the books. The adaptation of Madeleine's story for the updated timeline was beautifully done.
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) - I'd been avoiding watching this from the outset, because it pissed me off on principle. Two old rich white guys make themselves a comedy vehicle, but obviously there has to be a young pretty woman in it too, to make it commercial and palatable. Can you imagine the opposite happening? Two elderly female actors making a comeback alongside a hot young celebrity dude? That would never get greenlit. Ever.
But the reviews kept coming out, saying it was funny from the start, and every season got more praise, so eventually I had to cave and we watched the four seasons right through. And yes, it is really good, and really funny, also with a nice touch of tragedy and pathos. I do think it sometimes goes overboard and gets carried away with itself - Paul Rudd in season three as an insecure actor known for trashy movies trying to make a serious name for himself was perfect casting. Bringing him back for season four as his own stunt double with a bad Irish accent - not so much. But Meryl Streep was glorious and Jane Lynch is so good. And obviously Steve Martin and Martin Short are too, because they always were.
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