Tag: TV

  • TV Shows That Need to be on Your Radar

    TV Shows That Need to be on Your Radar


    Apple TV+

    No. They haven’t paid me for this post you’re about to go through. But they probably should. There’s a whole standalone piece – Why Apple TV is Slowly becoming a Force to Reckon With – I’ve got in cold storage which, now more than ever, needs to see the light of day. Especially since, Apple’s been gobbling up shows left, right and centre & becoming a safe haven for some brilliant sci-fi projects – The Murderbot Diaries + Neuromancer are on their way as well!


    ‘Masters of the Air’ is a shiny to addition and finally completes the set – Band of Brothers & The Pacific. It’s a solid adaptation but if you really want to know where it all started, then here you go!

    Masters of the Air explores the aerial wars of WWII through the enlisted men of the Mighty Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces.

    A strange yet riveting new sci-fi thriller with Noomi Rapace (Prometheus) & Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) in tow!

    When a fatal accident occurs on board the International Space Station, a lone astronaut makes the heroic journey back to Earth, only to discover key pieces of her life — including her young daughter — have changed.

    Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) & Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife) hold this taut action packed thriller together as a game of cat & mouse ensues.

    In the heart of London, an anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives — a young woman in the early stages of her career and a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy — into a fight to correct an old miscarriage of justice.

    This right here has got serious ‘Our Flag Means Death’ vibes.

    Dick Turpin is a legendary British motorway robber, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair. Together with his gang of rogues, he sets out on new adventures, all while trying to escape the clutches of a thief-taker.

    Part historical fiction, part conspiracy thriller, Edwin Stanton delves into the aftermath of the first American presidential assassination-and the fight to preserve and protect the ideals that were the foundation of Lincoln’s Reconstruction plans.

    Private detective John Sugar investigates the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he unearths Siegel family secrets, old and new.

    The book was pretty predictable. But this should be fun!

    An expert in astrophysics sheds light on the topic of dark matter which has been one of the primary mysteries in modern physics.

    In December 1776, Benjamin Franklin is world-famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when he embarks on a secret mission to France, with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance.

    I’ll gladly watch anything this man does.

    A horrific murder upends Chicago’s prosecuting attorneys’ office, as one of its own is suspected of the crime.


    Prime

    Prime’s track record has been a little ‘hit & miss’ over the years. However, more than Netflix, I see Amazon as a worthy competitor to HBO.


    I absolutely loved Lulu Wang’s ‘The Farewell’. But don’t go into this expecting much of the same. Nicole Kidman got on my nerves a bit, but the supporting cast really shines.

    A look at the personal and professional lives of a tight-knit group of expatriates living in Hong Kong.

    Donald Glover and Hiro Murai – you’ve probably seen his stuff but haven’t been paying attention tsk tsk – unite for a crisp, action packed romantic comedy that definitely needs to be on your radar. Even though I adore Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), I’m glad she left the show in 2021. Maya Erskine has been a revelation!

    John and Jane Smith become secret agents for a mysterious organisation. Their work puts both their skills as spies and their relationship to the test. The two have to deal with a world full of dangers.

    I haven’t played the game but this looks like a fun ride nonetheless.

    In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.


    Netflix

    Aah! Welcome to the land of bloatware. Where anything and everything goes. Don’t get me wrong. Netflix has some certified gems but unless you absolutely know what you’re looking for, you’re probably going to spend most of your evening doomscrolling through the vast catalogue on offer.


    A fun okay-ish live action adaptation. Hardcore fans may not be excited about this though.

    A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save a world at war and fight a ruthless enemy bent on stopping him.

    I really need to see what all the fuss is about!

    After spending graduation night together, Emma and Dexter go their separate ways — but their lives remain intertwined.

    The random oddball that sticks out.

    After months in space, a reunion for astronaut Paula and her family seems close enough to touch. But when Paula’s plane vanishes without a trace, her husband Sven and daughter Charlie are left behind – distraught, distressed, and with a terrifying riddle that Paula left them from her travels…

    ‘The Three Body Trilogy’ is to hard sci-fi what ‘Dark’ is to Time Travel. ‘Nuff said.

    When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel, a tight-knit group of brilliant scientists must join forces with an unflinching detective to stop humanity’s greatest threat.

    Calling all ‘Saltburn’ fans!

    A wealthy man hires down-on-his-luck grifter Tom Ripley to travel to Italy to urge his vagabond son to return home; Tom’s acceptance of the job is the first step in a life of deceit, fraud and murder.


    HBO/Max

    Now that the entire rebranding saga has come to an end, we can start focussing on what really matters!


    A return to form for the franchise. Yeah, nothing will ever come close to the first season. But that’s the beauty of it!

    Police officers and detectives around the USA are forced to face dark secrets about themselves and the people around them while investigating homicides.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3HSTmG5Lhc

    Near the end of the Vietnam War, a spy who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong.

    Matt Reeves and Greig Fraser (Dune) deserve all the credit for the tone and style when it comes to their Batman projects. Hope this leads to more spin-offs.

    The transformation of Oswald Cobblepot from a disfigured nobody to a noted Gotham gangster.

    Sam Mendes, Aya Cash and Himesh Patel? Count me in!

    The Franchise is an upcoming comedy television series created by Armando Iannucci, Sam Mendes, and Jon Brown.

    There isn’t a lot being spoken about this one. But a political thriller on the Bene Gesserits seems intriguing enough.

    Dune: Prophecy, expands the epic universe of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi masterpiece. Set thousands of years before the events of Dune, the prequel promises a thrilling narrative delving into the origins of the powerful Bene Gesserit order.


    Hulu/FX

    FX has consistently developed solid originals and adaptations over the years. Including one of the most underrated comedies of all time – You’re the Worst


    Touted as a cross between Game of Thrones and House of Cards, FX seems to have another certified hit as per of their arsenal.

    Set in Japan in the year 1600, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMmFC_GpXc&t=29s

    While we wait for the next season of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, Elisabeth Moss & Steven Knight (Taboo) serve up a delectable spy thriller.

    The surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London; one woman has a secret, and the other has a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost.

    Riley Keough (The Girlfriend Experience) and Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) team up in an adaptation of a best-selling true-crime thriller.

    The hidden world of the teenagers accused of a savage murder reveals startling truths about the unlikely killer.


    Showtime/Paramount+


    The revolution is here!

    A Russian aristocrat is spared from death and placed on house arrest for decades in an attic hotel room while the Bolshevik Revolution plays out before him.


    AMC


    We need a Gus Fring spin-off already!

    Grey Parish is pulled back into the crime world after the murder of his son and the collapse of his luxury car service he owns in New Orleans.


  • Keeping Score | A Segment on Original Soundtracks

    Keeping Score | A Segment on Original Soundtracks

    5 Great Shows that are Elevated by their Original Atmospheric Soundtracks

    Oh Yeah!

    There are times when you tend to doom-scroll your way through the never ending list of streaming platforms and are incapable of zoning in on that one piece of content that will satiate your cravings both on and off the screen – you’re most probably going to be punching that remote while that pizza gets cold!

    Whenever I veer down that path, I don’t just give up and watch a re-run. HELL NO! I revert to the process of scrolling – albeit on another app, my IMDB List to be precise – and browse through a horrendously large catalogue of directors, cinematographers, composers, actors & studios, studying their filmographies and shortlisting pieces I may have missed out on.

    The faster way around this would just be to fire up my Watchlist. But that’s the painstakingly easier route. Who wants easy?! After all…

    Photo: Courtesy FanPop

    Over the years, the process has yet to disappoint and is my go to method to find diamonds in the rough. Coincidentally – or maybe not – some of the best content has received acclaim because of their well rounded, immersive and enriching sound compositions.

    I’ve always been fascinated by soundscapes – with my appreciation only growing and blossoming after developing ‘For The Love Of’.

    After all that hard work – yes, you’re welcome! – you’re just a click away. Here are 5 Great Shows that are Elevated by their Original Atmospheric Soundtracks.

    As a bonus, each show will start off with how I came to know about these by association – a list tracing the journey from a known piece of content to the show in question.


    ZeroZeroZero

    Amazon Prime Video

    Photo: Courtesy Amazon Prime Video

    Dane DeHaan is an extremely enigmatic character in the industry yet a truly magnetic force who continues to churn out some fascinating work. But he’s not the only reason I turned to the crime thriller by Stefano Sollima.

    Enter Mogwai, one of my favourite post-rock bands, and I was sold!

    Mogwai | Photo: Courtesy Neale Smith/Press

    Synopsis: “Following a consignment of cocaine from the moment a powerful Italian cartel decides to buy the cocaine until it has been delivered and paid for. On the way, it is packed in Mexico and transported across the Atlantic.”

    A sweeping & atmospheric score – that breathes, swells and builds as the story unfolds – coupled with a gorgeous Title Sequence that brilliantly sets the tone for what comes next. We really need to get rid of that Skip Intro Button!

    P.S. Mogwai returns to the small screen with ‘Black Bird’ an Apple TV+ limited series starring Taron Egerton.


    Industry

    Disney+ / HBO

    • The Investigation (absolutely love True Crime. HBO does a great job at these and it’s even better if the BBC is involved)
    • HBO Series
    • Industry (a fresh show, with new faces and what do you know?! In association with the BBC!)
    Photo: Courtesy HBO

    There aren’t many tv shows that have exhilaratingly beautiful scores that pull you in from the get go. But this right here is an exception. Nathan Micay’s ambient soundscape sets the tone straight off the bat – elevating and embodying the fast paced and high stakes culture in HBO’s ‘Industry’. ⁣

    Nathan Micay | Photo: Courtesy Karina Galindo

    Synopsis: “Young finance graduates venture out in the cut-throat competitive world to get a job during the recession times that followed as a result of the 2008 financial crisis.”⁣

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbM84z4XYgc

    With Season 2 on its way – and Jay Duplass (Transparent) joining in on the fun – ‘Industry’ is on the up!

    Here’s a deep dive: Nathan Micay on creating the music behind HBO’s ‘Industry’ | Composer Magazine

    P.S. The Season 2 trailer dropped while writing this! Micay returns and mixes things up a bit. Can’t Wait!


    Hannibal

    Amazon Prime Video

    Photo: Courtesy NBC

    Bryan Fuller’s ‘Hannibal’ surprisingly still remains one of the most sophisticated, gorgeous and tastefully crafted tv shows – an undisputed champion of the genre – considering it’s about a sociopath who devours his victims.

    Apart from serving up a stunning and sumptuous visual treat, Brian Reitzell brings purpose, richness and a sense of foreboding – through an amalgamation of ambient sounds – to the critically acclaimed psychological horror series.

    Brian Reitzell | Photo: Courtesy Louder than War

    Synopsis: “Will, a criminal profiler with a unique ability, slowly sees his sanity taking a hit. The FBI advises he see Hannibal Lecter, a forensic psychiatrist who is secretly a cannibalistic serial killer.”

    Here’s a deep dive: Composer Brian Reitzell Explains His Psychotic Music for NBC’s Hannibal | Vulture

    P.S. Having spent some time on Netflix and now on Prime, I really hope they revive the show for one last hurrah! Bryan Fuller himself has put out a petition. What are you waiting for?


    Chernobyl

    Disney+ / HBO

    Photo: Courtesy Feedly

    Craig Mazin is a genius. A fantastic cast combined with one of the most horrific true stories – a mini-series to fill that large void created by that lousy Game of Thrones ending – gave rise to

    With HBO’s mini series ‘Chernobyl’, the creators made an intriguing choice in Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir who is an Icelandic musician and composer and a classically trained cellist. ⁣

    Hildur Guðnadóttir | Photo: Timothée Lambrecq

    Synopsis: “In April 1986, the city of Chernobyl in the Soviet Union suffers one of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of mankind. Consequently, many heroes put their lives on the line to save Europe.

    In order to capture the bleak and foreboding atmosphere of the show, Hildur created the ambient tracks by recording the sounds of a decommissioned power plant in Lithuania – a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that is both ominous and frenetic.

    Here’s a deep dive: Anyone Can Write Music” – An Interview With Hildur Guðnadóttir | Score It Magazine


    Succession

    Disney+ / HBO

    • It’s no coincidence that 3 out of the 5 shows are HBO originals/collaborations. Also, Billions had started losing some steam.
    • HBO Series
    • Succession (the rest is history!)
    Photo: Courtesy HBO

    Where would we be without this wondrous, messy, over-the-top drama?!

    Nicholas Britell has been hailed as one of the most important composers of our time and has worked on some fantastic films – Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Big Short.

    Nicholas Britell | Photo: Courtesy The Playlist

    Synopsis: “The Logan family is known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. However, their world changes when their father steps down from the company.”

    Britell enthrals the senses by perfectly capturing the essence of power, money & greed, and giving them their due, through his inimitable score and Opening Theme.

    Here’s a deep dive: ‘Succession’ Composer Nicholas Britell On the Show’s Hypnotic Theme, Working With Pusha-T, and “L to the O-G” | Complex

    P.S. He’s busy working on ‘Andor‘ at the moment.