THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Carla Gugino, Mark Hamill, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Henry Thomas, T’Nia Miller, Samantha Sloyan, Sauriyan Sapkota, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Katie Parker, and Ruth Codd Creator: Mike Flanagan PAIGE The Fall of The House of Usher oozes with suspense and chills. While the family in this series may be crumbling, showrunner Mike Flanagan certainly isn’t, as he continues to prove he is a Master of Modern Horror. The sheer atmosphere of this show will give you the creeps, and while there are some flaws, its storytelling approach is top notch. This may be Mike Flanagan’s best work to date, featuring a stellar cast of Flanagan regulars who manage to make Usher feel like the horror version of Succession . QUENTIN Though not without effective jump scares and haunting imagery, The Fall of the House of Usher is more chilling than outright scary, but that doesn’t make series creator Mike Flanagan’s final Netflix offering any less of a win. The storytelling structure…a man discussing his family’s downfall…provides a captivating overarching narrative even though the overall season plays like an anthology of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories. This brilliant approach, coupled with terrific performances, timely themes, and proven source material, make for one of Netflix’s best series (even if some episodes work better than others). It certainly creates excitement for what Flanagan might do at Amazon. KATIE Reminiscent of Dopesick , Succession , and Final Destination , The Fall of the House of Usher is an incredible addition to Mike Flanagan’s impressive back catalogue of horror shows. It’s unsettling, gory, and darkly funny, while Flanagan seamlessly weaves Edgar Allen Poe’s stories together with his storytelling, using the source material to enhance the narrative rather than being beholden to it. The structure is engaging and fun, and I was both dreading and looking forward to finding out the unique ways that each irredeemable Usher offspring would be tortured with each episode. And, as always, the regular cast’s performances are fantastic. NICK Mike Flanagan's Netflix era only has one miss (The Midnight Club ), yet somehow The Fall of the House of Usher beats the odds to become his strongest effort. Anchored by an enthralling performance from Bruce Greenwood, Flanagan's familiar cast is terrific (including a wonderfully off-type Mark Hamill) as they enrich each of these characters with depth and nuance. It’s a bit of a departure from his previous work, but still features many of Flanagan’s staples, including some truly terrifying imagery. Add in his ability to, not only adapt the works of Edgar Allan Poe, but modernize them, and House of Usher is a touch of brilliance.

NIGHT SKY: SEASON ONE Starring: J.K. Simmons, Sissy Spacek, Chai Hansen, Adam Bartley, Julieta Zylberberg, Rocío Hernández, Kiah McKirnan, Beth Lacke, Stephen Louis Grush, Cass Buggé, and Sonya Walger Creator: Holden Miller QUENTIN Although nowhere near as grandiose, Night Sky reminds me of Westworld in ways that aren’t exactly complimentary. Both feature great performances and a slow burn mystery that strings you along with the tiniest breadcrumbs of intrigue. However, when it finally comes time for the payoff, they deny you the answers you sorely desire, all while having the audacity to end on a super interesting cliffhanger. It’s very frustrating. Maybe Night Sky is the type of show that needed Season One to lay the boring groundwork for the actual story to come in Season Two; Either way, much like my feelings about Westworld , burn me once…

Previous Next April 18, 2024 WRITTEN BY: NICK Not too long ago, we published a Bitesize Top Five on Best Original Songs, and although I understand the choices we ultimately ended up with, I was quite surprised by the lack of Disney inclusion – not even in the Honourable Mentions! Having grown up in Disney’s Renaissance Era, the studio’s extremely musical animated offerings in the 90s have always held a special place with me. So, since they were ignored in our Original Song Top Five, I figured I’d give them their own list. Before I get into my personal selections, however, a couple of notes...A lot of the early Disney Classics feature only one hit song. You have “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio , “The Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book , and so on. Although those soundtracks, as a whole, may not be super strong, they usually have at least one iconic tune that has stood the test of time. The Renaissance Era changed that a bit as music became a key component of Disney movies in the 90s, and my personal favourite from this sub-category of stand-alone hits happens to be from 1997’s Hercules : “Go the Distance.” Truth be told, I’m not a huge Hercules fan, nor am I particularly a Michael Bolton fan (“Jack Sparrow,” notwithstanding), but the marriage of the two is pure magic. It’s an underrated track in the Disney pantheon that deserves more recognition. I also wanted to focus this list on the Disney Renaissance Era (1989-1999), specifically, so films like Mary Poppins , Encanto , Frozen , and Moana will not be included. Let’s dive in! 5. ALADDIN (1992) When I mentioned Disney stand-alone hits above, I initially thought of “A Whole New World” until I took another look at the Aladdin soundtrack. Although that song remains supreme, it’s a deceptively catchy tracklist, especially with comedy master Robin Williams at work on songs like “Prince Ali” and “Friend Like Me.” The man can do no wrong. But if that’s not your flavour, you’ve got the dark “Arabian Nights” or the fun romp that is “One Jump Ahead.” Aladdin also is the rare occasion when one of the new tracks from the live-action adaptation is able to stand with the original, as Naomi Scott’s Jasmine finally gets her solo with “Speechless.” She does a great job, and her performance is worth checking out. The movie? Less so. 4. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) As I’ve implied above, I believe the 90s to be the strongest Disney era, musically speaking, and one of the first Disney soundtracks to overflow with catchy and memorable music was Beauty and the Beast . I mean, it’s a tale as old as time, amirite? There are character-focused songs like “Belle” and “Gaston,” which perfectly suit their onscreen counterparts. Or how about the visual wonder displayed during the “Be Our Guest” sequence? However, the pièce de résistance is screen legend Angela Lansbury's take on the title track, “Beauty and the Beast.” Fun movie fact: Lansbury took the role as a gift for her three grandchildren, and her character, Mrs. Potts, tells the beautiful tale of unexpected love through magnificent song. It’s easily the lasting musical moment of the film. 3. THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989) A lot of Disney films have themes of belonging, family, love, loss, and dreams. The Little Mermaid may be the greatest embodiment of these ideals wrapped into one package. Who would have thought a film where the lead character loses her voice would present such great musical numbers? “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” are among the most fun songs you’ll find in a Disney film, as their island vibe makes it near impossible to sit still while listening. You also have the lesser mentioned “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” a track that is not only solid on its base merits, but also serves a greater purpose as it solidifies Ursula as the villain of the film. Then you have “Part of Your World,” a song that is wonderfully performed by Jodi Benson, yet topped by Halle Bailey in the 2023 live-action adaptation. Seriously, if you’re like many who gave up on the live-action Disney remakes, I suggest you give this one a shot. It’s a pleasant surprise. 2. THE LION KING (1994) Unlike The Little Mermaid , I will not be taking up space to recommend checking out the live-action adaptation of The Lion King . I will, however, talk about the 1994 original. I mean, of course this was going to be on the list. After all, it even spawned a full stage musical. The cool thing about The Lion King soundtrack is that most songs have two versions. There are the ones performed in the film, and the ones performed by Elton John on the commercial soundtrack release; both have merits. Jason Weaver (yes, Marcus from Smart Guy did the singing for young Simba, not Jonathan Taylor Thomas) brings a youthful exuberance to “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” which works better than the rockin’ honky-tonk version John supplies. Likewise, “Hakuna Matata” is carried by the child-friendly, onscreen comedy act of Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella. However, it’s the two main songs performed by John that are among the best pieces of music to come from any Disney film to date: “The Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” These two songs not only elevate the film to be the greatest animated movie Disney has ever made, but the latter track is still being played on radio to this day. 1. TARZAN (1999) Ok, so we’ve done Beauty and the Beast , The Little Mermaid , and The Lion King … what’s left? Pocahontas ? The Hunchback of Notre Dame ? No, no... this is a list of the best Disney soundtracks, and you can’t make one of those without talking about Phil Collins. I’ll gladly match Tarzan ’s tracklist against any of those mentioned above. “Two Worlds,” “Son of Man,” “Strangers Like Me,” “You’ll Be In My Heart,” — just banger after banger. The messaging permeating the film is one of acceptance, and it’s present in the music too. I mean, “two worlds, one family?” That’s just a beautiful concept for children to learn. Nearly 25 years later, and “Strangers Like Me” is still a semi-frequent earworm, while “You’ll Be In My Heart” tugs at my heartstrings like few Disney tracks can. It is, to this day, my favourite Phil Collins song. There’s even a collaboration between *NSYNC and Collins doing some scatting on “Trashin’ the Camp.” There’s something for everyone! Jokes aside, though, this soundtrack is an all-timer, and easily the best Disney has had to offer. Photo Credits: Walt Disney Studios

Previous Next July 14, 2023 WRITTEN BY: AMARÚ Last year saw the resurgence of two very deserving actors’ careers: Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan. The “Fraser-sance” culminated in a Best Actor Oscar for Fraser’s harrowing performance in The Whale after starting his comeback with turns in the critically acclaimed (series) Trust , Condor , Doom Patrol , and (film) No Sudden Move . Meanwhile, the “Quan-naissance” resulted in a Best Supporting Actor win for Quan’s heartfelt role in 2022’s Best Picture winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once . Both actors seem likely to continue their success with consistent work moving forward too, as Fraser will appear in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon later this year, while Quan has a reported role in Loki ’s second season after appearing in the Disney+ show American Born Chinese . With all that in mind, their recent success got me thinking about other actors who deserve their flowers for what they’ve accomplished in the past and who should be rewarded with a renaissance of their own. My immediate thought was one of the most hilarious comedic actors of my childhood, Chris Tucker. Although some people may have considered Tucker to be a bit too much, you can’t deny that he was one of the hottest comedians in film during the late 90s, with a clear audience who loved his work. In the span of four years (1995-1998), he appeared in six films, all of which were career milestones, whether it was a financial success ( Rush Hour) , a chance to lead his own film ( Money Talks ), or the opportunity to work with an acclaimed director (Quentin Tarantino in Jackie Brown) . That six-film run not only demonstrated Tucker’s wide-ranging comedic ability, but also instances of dramatic competence. But more than that, he established his commanding screen presence no matter who he was acting alongside. Be it Ice Cube, Larenz Tate, Charlie Sheen, or Jackie Chan, it didn’t matter. Numerous actors benefitted from the chemistry Tucker’s charm and charisma generated in the 90s. Two small roles in The Meteor Man and House Party 3 notwithstanding, it was Friday that introduced us to Tucker’s witty quips and hysterical quotables, and his hilarious role as Smokey contributed to establishing the film as an all-time comedy great. The Fifth Element ’s Ruby Rhod is another of Tucker’s iconic characters, and it proved that his screen-sharing prowess also applied to Hollywood’s elite, stealing scenes away from Bruce Willis before doing so again in his five minutes with Samuel L. Jackson in Jackie Brown . Along with Brown , Dead Presidents showed that his distinctive, high-pitched voice can work in more serious roles. A voice that was most intricately exhibited in the highly underrated Money Talks . People discuss Rush Hour as the height of Tucker’s career, but it was the physical and musical comedy, improvisation, quick-line delivery, and action prowess that he carries throughout Money Talks that was the foundation for Rush Hour ’s success. The fact is that anytime he appeared in a film, his kinetic energy, great comedic timing, and ability to work with anyone on screen made him one of the funniest and most likable actors around the turn of the century. In only six years, he had already been in an all-time comedy classic, had major roles in three films that grossed over $245 million dollars worldwide each, created multiple iconic comedic characters, and starred alongside some of the most famous stars of the time. On top of all that, he carved his own lane to create multiple cult classic films. He accomplished more in that short timeframe than many actors do in their whole career. Recently, he became a trending topic on Twitter when his filmography was put up against that of Martin Lawrence. Black Twitter especially went at it, saying it was a very close match up with supporters on both sides of the argument, but the main argument of Tucker’s supporters was that the quality of his smaller filmography was still able to go toe-to-toe with the decades-long film resume of a comedy legend. The thing is, I agree with them. For some time now, I’ve had what some might call a pretty hot take when it comes to Tucker and his peak filmography. I believe that he has a better 90s resume than Will Smith. Now, before you hit me with a Soulja Boy or Nick Young meme, I am not including box office numbers because we all know why Smith was called “Mr. July” in the 90s. However, with a side-by-side comparison of their best 90s roles, I truly consider Tucker’s run a stronger one. Big Willie may have the best movie of the bunch ( Enemy of the State) , but Chris’s single scene in Jackie Brown is far superior to the entirety of Wild Wild West . In whatever way you decide to compare their six roles, I consider Tucker’s to be comparable or better. Tucker followed this high-flying 1990s by procuring a $20 million dollar payday ($40 million in today’s dollars) for his highest grossing movie to date, 2001’s Rush Hour 2 . Sadly, that is the last time we’ve gotten to see Tucker really flex his comedic brilliance in an authentic way. Even though he was able to capitalize on the franchise’s success to bank a $25 million dollar deal for Rush Hour 3 in 2007, which made him the highest paid actor for a singular movie at that time, he felt that he’d reached an apex that wasn’t as fulfilling for him anymore, stating “The way I kind of stepped back from Hollywood… I felt like, you know, it was a ceiling right there. I wanted more – it wasn’t enough.” This was visible in his lackluster performance in that third outing, which came out five years after the second film. He wasn’t the quick-witted, sharp switchblade of comedy that fans were used to, and it ended up being his last comedic performance to date. Since then, he’s had two smaller roles in Silver Linings Playbook and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, but has spent most of his public life working on his stand-up and various humanitarian causes to help children and unhoused people. I’ve always wondered what would have been had he not taken that hiatus after Rush Hour 2. What version of Tucker would have appeared in Rush Hour 3 if they kept the momentum going sooner? What would his acting career have evolved into if he continued to passionately hone his skills? Between Friday and Rush Hour 2, he had grown past the stand-up comedian who can throw one-liners at the screen into something more well-rounded. Yes, he still hit the quips with high efficiency, but he could also sing, dance, do physical comedy, do action, and set up and pay off a clever, long-running bit (ask Black Twitter about Vic Damone Jr.). But most of all, he could carry a movie, and he was beginning to show some dramatic prowess. Could he have followed the trajectory of Jamie Foxx, another actor who transformed past the comedic perspective everyone had of him? If you didn’t know, Tucker was offered the role of Willie Beamen in Any Given Sunday before Jamie Foxx took it. Subsequently, with roles in Ali , Collateral , and Ray , Foxx proved that he was more than just the funny man you saw in Held Up , Booty Call , and The Player’s Club . Maybe Tucker could have built a similar path for himself, or maybe he wouldn’t have been more than what we remember. It’s hard to say, but with the number of opportunities Tucker decided against taking, we will never know what kind of career he could have crafted over that 20-year span. In addition to turning down Any Given Sunday, Tucker opted not to return to the Friday series, was connected to Steve Martin’s The Pink Panther remake, and was working on a ”first Black President role” similar to Chris Rock’s Head of State . Ultimately, Tucker felt that the roles he was being offered weren’t special enough to help him grow as an actor. "I knew I didn't want to just make a whole bunch of money making movies that don't really mean anything… Everything that you've seen that a Black person could be in, they offered it to me first, and I was like, 'Nope, nope, nope, and nope.'” This year, however, sees Tucker’s first film appearance since 2016. His performance as Nike executive Howard White in Air reminded audiences that his mere presence can bring a smile to your face. Unlike the tired execution we see in the final Rush Hour , Tucker seemed rejuvenated being back on screen, easily navigating scenes alongside the powerhouse acting duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. He proved he can still command your attention, making you question whether his lines were scripted or if he improvised everything on the spot. In fact, being a friend of Howard White in real life, Tucker ended up writing much of his own dialogue. “My part wasn’t even in the script. I had to write it. (Howard) had me talk to people – childhood buddies… I put all this information together and wrote my part. That’s the way I like to work, anyway. With the Rush Hour movies, I’ll use a little bit of what the writers do, but most of the time, I want to put it in my own words.” Tucker doesn’t plan on taking another acting hiatus after Air, and with these amazing talents, he is more than deserving of the chance to remind us what he was and prove how much more he can be. Put him in any role in any genre - comedy, sci-fi, drama, animated, whatever - and watch that film’s enjoyability increase tenfold. I’m ready for one of my favorite comedians to return to the big screen, and I think the world should join me in this renaissance campaign. Who’s with me? Photo Credits: Photo 1 - GQ Magazine; Photo 2 - New Line Cinema; Photo 5 - Amazon Studios

THE BABY Starring: Michelle de Swarte, Amira Ghazalla, Amber Grappy, and Albie & Arthur Hills Creators: Lucy Gaymer and Sian Robins-Grace QUENTIN As a person with zero desire to have kids because it legitimately sounds horrible, I very much relate to the premise of horror-comedy The Baby . Parts of it are especially on point, but therein lies the rub: only parts of it work. It’s British comedy, which means there is something of an acquired taste on that front, and there are too many scenes consisting of nothing more than a close-up of the Murder Baby while ominous music plays – both of which make it feel a little too long even by the halfway point. I suspect it would have been better as a 90-minute movie.

THE NIGHT MANAGER: SEASON TWO Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, Alistair Petrie, Douglas Hodge, Michael Nardone, Noah Jupe, Diego Calva, Camila Morrone, Paul Chahidi, Hayley Squires, Indira Varma, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Slavko Sobin, Unax Ugalde, Alberto Ammann, Diego Santos, and Cristina Umaña Creator: David Farr QUENTIN The Night Manager is a perfect example of how long layoffs between seasons can kill a television show. Through no fault of the cast, I absolutely could not get invested in the story or characters since it had been a literal decade since I spent any time in this world. I’d mostly forgotten the previous chapter and dynamics between Jonathan (Tom Hiddleston), Dickie (Hugh Laurie), and Angela (Olivia Colman), yet so much of Season Two is a direct follow-up that hinges on what came before. It might work if you binge the two seasons back-to-back, but otherwise, it’s simply too late for this continuation. NICK The Night Manager is one of my favourite limited series and the reason I’ve championed the “Tom Hiddleston for James Bond” bandwagon. As much as I enjoyed it, I didn’t need a follow-up, especially not after such a long wait. Well, we got one anyway, and although it doesn’t reach the heights of the original (especially due to time passed between seasons), it’s still a really good espionage series. The returning characters pick up right where they left off, and the writing is as sharp as ever. I’m glad they’ve announced a new season after the bleak finale. Just don’t make me wait 10 years.

YELLOWSTONE: SEASON FIVE - PART ONE Starring: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, Gil Birmingham, Finn Little, Forrie J. Smith, Denim Richards, Ian Bohen, Ryan Bingham, Wendy Moniz, Jen Landon, and Mo Brings Plenty Creators: Taylor Sheridan and John Linson QUENTIN PART ONE In Season Five: Part One, Yellowstone continues the slow downward trajectory started in Season Four. Through the first eight episodes, the fall from Great Show to Decent Show has been completed, mostly because nothing happens (Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser, and the cinematography remain excellent). Sure, there are small incidents…a car accident here, a bar fight there…but they are mostly forgotten by the next episode. Overall, the series is still hampered by the lack of a central villain, so all we are left with is the overwritten family melodrama (Beth (Kelly Reilly), especially). That said, it’s set up to return to form with an explosive Part Two.

DAISY JONES AND THE SIX Starring: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Nabiyah Be, Tom Wright, and Timothy Olyphant Creator: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber QUENTIN With full-on vibes of Almost Famous , Rock Star , and VH1’s Behind the Music (all personal favorites), Daisy Jones & the Six has enough “life behind the band” aspects to hold most music lovers’ interest. The love/hate chemistry between Riley Keough and Sam Claflin is palpable, and even if the story could have gone a little darker (and been told in fewer episodes), it satisfies overall. My only real complaint is that the titular rock band’s music just isn’t that good, catchy, or rockin’. They sound like a milquetoast 90s band trying to mimic the 70s, but that’s a small complaint in the grand scheme of things. PAIGE Daisy Jones & the Six hits all the right notes for me. As someone who has worked in the music industry, this miniseries feels so raw and real with the ups and downs that can occur within the industry. From its original music to the performances, I truly fell in love with this fictional band. The cast embodied their characters, and their chemistry is electric, especially between the two leads, Sam Claflin and Riley Keough. As a rock ‘n’ roll fan, I just love how this show weaves the drama through the music to capture the essence of the book. JACOB While the production value of and performances in Daisy Jones & the Six are as good as they can be, the show never quite gets where it so desperately wants to go. It gets close to launching into its own stratosphere a few times, but something holds it back from achieving the heights of immediate counterparts like A Star Is Born and Almost Famous . The writing feels as if it’s enough to get the job done, and the finale is absolutely stellar; however, the pacing is flawed in a number of places, and the music, while catchy, never quite astounds.

FURIOUS: SEASON ONE Starring: Emmy Rossum, Lola Petticrew, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, and Scoot McNairy Creator: Elizabeth Meriwether QUENTIN At its most basic, Furious is a story rooted in the old parable about the two wolves that live inside us, mixed with the idea that “hurt people hurt people.” The result is a bleak series that is like Killing Eve in narrative, but True Detective in tone. It’s the rare show that puts justifiable feminine rage front and center, through both the hero (Emmy Rossum) and villain (Lola Petticrew). At times, the darkness threatens to overwhelm the story and the characters — making for a somewhat merciless watch — but Furious remains compelling and increasingly relevant throughout its eight episodes.

TREASON Starring: Charlie Cox, Olga Kurylenko, Oona Chaplin, Tracy Ifeachor, Ciarán Hinds, Danila Kozlovskiy, Alex Kingston, and Adam James Creator: Matt Charman QUENTIN While it’s nice to see Charlie Cox outside of Daredevil , Treason is a run-of-the-mill, British espionage show. On the positive end, that means it’s only five episodes, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome; however, it also means that it’s quite dry at times and the character development suffers. The acting is serviceable, but the characters are written in ways that have them doing conveniently dumb things that don’t really ring true-to-life (especially Oona Chaplin’s Maddy, who is a constant head-scratcher of annoyance). Still though, Treason is so short that by the time you realize it’s an imperfect miniseries, you’re already at the finale.

Previous Next July 30, 2025 WRITTEN BY: KATIE In my opinion, British screenwriter, producer, and showrunner Jesse Armstrong has created some of the most annoyingly awful but funny and compelling characters on television. In addition to taking the opportunity to gush about my favourite TV show(s), I’d like to look at Armstrong’s writing, common themes, and most importantly, his characterisations because he writes characters who are, at their core, fundamentally bad people that are selfish, self-centred, and always prioritising their interests above all else. However, they’re also multifaceted, which garners a lot of sympathy. Armstrong seems to take his characters seriously, which is reflected in the way they have been written and the extent to which he effectively makes the audience identify with them despite their flaws. While Armstrong writes fantastic female characters that are complex and hilarious, I want to focus on his ability to write male friendships. Across Peep Show, Succession, and most recently, Mountainhead , Armstrong writes about, as he aptly puts it, “limited men.” Men who are obsessed with hierarchy, riddled with insecurities, and driven by jealousy and rivalry. Men who, under no circumstances, will examine their own flaws and limitations. As a result, they’re cynical, constantly engaged in conflict, and revealing in demonstrating what they will do to fit in. PEEP SHOW (2003-2015) Peep Show is my favourite sitcom of all time. I’ve rewatched it countless times, and I’m convinced it's getting funnier and funnier each time. The series follows protagonists Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb), a pair of middle-class university graduates living in Mark’s London flat. Mark is an anxious, awkward, and self-deprecating office drone climbing the corporate ladder with sporadic success. Jeremy, on the other hand, is an ex-male nurse who is aimless in life. Living rent-free in the flat, he spends his days getting high, watching TV, “making music,” and essentially waiting for Mark to get home from work. They’re total opposites who get on each other’s nerves and constantly drag each other down, but they’re also destined to be together. They’re perfect for each other, and the show consistently frames them as a married couple. They’re the only people who can't quite accept, but can at least live with, each other’s glaring flaws and refusal to acknowledge them. Although Jeremy technically gets more girls, they both have unsuccessful romantic lives, and both are obsessed with finding “the one.” Time and time again, they both sabotage their relationships and take advantage of people, only to be left alone together once again. Peep Show is instantly recognisable thanks to the unique point-of-view camerawork. You watch the show via Mark’s or Jeremy’s perspective, and sometimes through the eyes of other characters who are looking at them. Although we sometimes view them through the eyes of supporting characters, we only hear the pair’s inner thoughts, which interjects into scenes so we know what they are thinking in real time. All of this forces the viewer to identify with the pair’s perspectives, and it is part of the reason it's so easy to empathise with and even root for these objectively terrible people. It heightens the intensity of every interaction they have with other characters, and enhances the impact of the more cringeworthy interactions, of which there are many. It also has the best ending of any show I’ve ever seen. The finale “Are We Going to Be Alright?” perfectly encapsulates the characters and their relationships, refusing to reward them with the happy endings that are definitely out of reach while also remaining somewhat hopeful and comforting. Mark throws Jeremy a 40th birthday party to force him to reckon with his age, and he gives a speech to distract the guests from the fact that he and Jeremy are holding his love interest’s husband hostage in the next room. Mark awkwardly says Jeremy is “a nice man... up to a point. And I like him.” Jeremy acknowledges the pair have had “ups and downs like any couple” and they’ve “lived together for shit long, and it's been alright.” Once the party is over, the pair have sufficiently ruined their romantic relationships yet again and they find themselves in their quiet living room like any other morning. Jeremy says he would have a great sign off if he were to kill Mark; “you always loved history, Mark, and now you can be part of it… bang.” They smile at each other and nod. Mark says, “I think I’d just come at you in the night… pillow on the face,” to which Jeremy affectionately replies, “yeah, that’s you all over.” Jeremy hopefully thinks “aww, we do love each other really,” and the final line is Mark’s thought, “I simply must get rid of him” as they turn back to the television. It’s perfect; no growth, no resolution…just two people bound together forever by how insufferable they are, and how the years they’ve spent together have moulded them into the perfect couple. It also encapsulates Peep Show ’s cynical, mean-spirited humour. In a world hell bent on embracing positivity and moral perfectionism, Peep Show indulges in self-loathing, self-deprecation, contempt, and pessimism, which is comforting in its own way. SUCCESSION (2018-2023) The Emmy-winning Succession is one of the best dramas to grace television screens. Created and written by Armstrong, Succession , for the few who don’t know, follows the Roy family, owners of the globally successful media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The show focuses on the future of the company amidst uncertainties about ownership and inheritance, as the patriarch, Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) four children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck), plan for the eventuality that one of them will take over his reign. Infighting, betrayal, disloyalty, and manipulation ensue. Despite having unlimited resources at their fingertips, the Roy siblings are willfully ignorant, refusing to examine their negative impact on the world. Even though they each have their own set of unique insecurities and shameful quirks, they believe they are entitled to what they want and will betray anyone to get it. Characters in Succession are very well realised, and in spite of the objectively terrible things they say and do, we as the viewer still empathise with them to an extent. This is because the writing shows us why they are the way they are not through dialogue-heavy exposition, but through their behaviours and interactions with other characters, accompanied with a heavy dose of dry humour. They come fully formed, and background isn't offered voluntarily, so we don’t get any unnatural revelations. Instead, Logan’s traumatic past seeps into every aspect of his relationships. Shiv’s desire to lead is shown through how easily she betrays her values. Kendall’s emotional fragility and desperation to impress his father peaks from behind his overconfidence. Roman’s sarcastic persona hides his sensitivity, and the family’s disdain for weakness shows through their treatment of him. The cycle continues. Plus, conversations feel like they’re happening organically, emphasised by the fly-on-the-wall shooting style that situates the viewer in the middle of the action. Characters move around freely with the camera focusing on them, so the action on screen only quietly registers the lavish settings and backgrounds, giving a more natural feel to the scene. It also emphasises how insulated from the real world their lives are. Similarly to Peep Show, Succession ends rather abruptly. It also gives the impression that things will continue as they have been, and although some issues have been addressed, no one gets their happy ending. Once the question of succession is answered, the show ends. MOUNTAINHEAD (2025) Despite the obvious thematic similarities, Mountainhead has lots in common with both Peep Show and Succession. Although it focuses on super-rich characters who are entirely disconnected from reality, much like Succession , while also sharing that series’ snappy dialogue, the male character dynamics scream Peep Show. Armstrong’s feature debut follows tech bro billionaire friends Randall (Steve Carell), Hugo "Souper" (Jason Schwartzman), Ven (Cory Michael Smith), and Jeff (Ramy Youssef), who meet for a retreat at Souper’s new luxury mountain home. They all have their ulterior motives and desire to come out on top, so like Peep Show , the men in Mountainhead are friends insofar as it benefits them. They don’t have real conversations, but in a familiar way to Peep Show and Succession, they say things that sound good but have no meaning beyond the surface, fooling themselves but not those around them into believing the empty words. The pleasantries are over quickly, and the group begins to constantly jab at, patronise, and drag each other down. Ven’s AI business accelerates global political unrest and violence whilst Jeff’s net worth skyrockets due to his company’s fact-checking technology. Randall backs Ven because of his misguided belief that his business will enable him to eventually defy his terminal illness and out of jealousy at his increasing wealth. Souper just wants everyone to invest in his slightly less successful venture, a well-being slash guided meditation app. Randall, Souper, and Ven unsuccessfully conspire to kill Jeff and take over his business. There are multiple inept, almost slapstick attempts made by the trio to carry out the murder, but they consistently get Souper, who happens to be the least wealthy, to do their dirty work, revealing a lot about how they view their group dynamic. Their rationalisations and ramblings are funny, but also reveal their worryingly delusional views. Mountainhead doesn’t paint its billionaires quite as darkly as other “eat the rich” influenced narratives might, but that’s because Armstrong understands that their sense of self-importance, arrogance, and ignorance is dangerous enough. The level to which they are out of touch with the people around them and the world at large is sinister in a way that doesn’t need them to be evil since their detachment from reality motivates them to act in ways that are self-absorbed, callous, destructive, and above all, idiotic. The ending is pretty bleak in that, much like the real world, the billionaires don’t really face repercussions for their actions. They’re not happy, nor is there a definitive resolution, but they don’t have to admit they’re wrong or pay a price. Armstrong doesn’t really do reassuring finales.

TRUE STORY Starring: Kevin Hart, Wesley Snipes, Tawny Newsome, Paul Adelstein, William Catlett, Chris Diamantopoulos, John Ales, Theo Rossi, and Billy Zane Creator: Eric Newman QUENTIN Be it my lack of expectations or the actual quality, True Story is the most surprising show of 2021. It succeeds on excellent chemistry between Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes, breakneck pacing, well-placed cliffhangers, and a runtime that doesn’t overstay its welcome (under four hours). Snipes steals the show (bring on the comeback!), but Hart shows plenty of promise as a dramatic actor too (admittedly, it’s a baby step since he basically plays himself, but still…). If you don’t think too hard about it, this highly addictive and compellingly bingeable series makes for a viewing experience akin to watching You .