#57: THE HANDMAID’S TALE

The Handmaid’s Tale.

Elgin and Paul check out #TheHandmaidsTale:

Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, showrun by Bruce Miller, and starring Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, and Joseph Fiennes.

This new show — perhaps the strongest original programming yet from Hulu — is set in the theocratic dystopia that is the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States of America). We talk about the smart, deft world-building by Atwood, Miller, and other collaborators, as well as the moving performances of Moss (Offred/June) and Bledel (Ofglen). We also discuss how the show seems to reflect the anxiety experienced by some segments of American society following the election of Donald Trump.
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#56: ALIEN: COVENANT

Alien: Covenant, plus quicker takes on Mikey Chen on YouTube, Desus & Mero, Great News, I Love Dick, American Gods, and the latest seasons of The Leftovers and Master of None.

Paul and Elgin review #AlienCovenant:

Alien: Covenant (35:17), directed by Ridley Scott and starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Demián Bichir, and Danny McBride. What does the follow-up to Prometheus (and the latest installment in the Alien franchise) have to offer that’s new or interesting? We discuss the dual performances of Fassbender and the film’s many missed opportunities, such as the character development from this cut scene (not the short film prologue).
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#55: WIN IT ALL

Win It All.

Elgin and Paul check out (and check-raise) #WinItAll:

Netflix’s Win It All, directed by Joe Swanberg and starring Jake Johnson and co-written by them both.

Neither your standard Hollywood fare nor a mumblecore independent film, Swanberg’s latest Chicago-based collaboration with Johnson is about the charming man-child Eddie, who tries to kick his poker habit after falling for Eva, a single-mother nurse (played by Mexican film star Aislinn Derbez). Along the way, his GA sponsor played by Keegan-Michael Key tries to help him out.

We debate the climactic scene (without spoiling it), compare this film with gambling classics such as Owning Mahowny, and consider whether or not going straight to Netflix is good for “small films” like this one.
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#54: THE SON

The Son.

Paul and Elgin review #TheSon:

AMC’s The Son, based on the novel of the same title by Philipp Meyer and starring Pierce Brosnan (who took over for Sam Neill, who dropped out of the project).

Set in the early 20th century (with significant flashbacks to the mid-19th century), this drama tells the story of the First Son of Texas Eli McCollough (Brosnan) and his family’s struggle to maintain their legacy during the so-called Bandit Wars. It aims to chronicle (and perhaps deconstruct) the ascendancy of Texas as a major power.

We not only pick apart 007’s rather challenged Texas twang, but also examine the show’s depictions of the Comanches, Mexicans, and Mexican Americans. How does this show fare against other westerns (such as Dances with Wolves) that we’ve watched? In the era of peak TV, does this latest effort from AMC have enough for us to stick with it?
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