What Sarah’s Watching
It’s September, which means that it is almost time for the new Fall TV line-up to begin! With the current streaming culture, the old “TV schedule” seems immaterial, but various streaming services are beginning to re-examine the release of their original content, opting for weekly episode releases over providing their customers with entire TV seasons all at once. Anyone watching Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale over the summer had to patiently wait for the weekly episodes to be released, but shows like Netflix’s Stranger Things or Orange is the New Black were released in their entirety, allowing viewers to watch the shows at their leisure. Going into this Fall, I find myself questioning the ‘need’ for the TV schedule, especially as someone who did not grow up with cable, and has given up cable as an adult in favor of streaming platform subscriptions. That being said, there are some shows that I recently watched on a weekly basis that I wish were released in their entirety, if for no other reason than I could pick and choose exactly where, when, and for how long I want to watch certain programs, without being held hostage by an outdated TV release schedule mentality… Check out the selection of films and current television shows that are tiding me over until the fall premieres begin filling up my DVR:
Streaming on Hulu & Showtime:
On Becoming a God in Central Florida (August 2019 – Present)
Where does one begin in describing this show? Basically, On Becoming a God in Central Florida is a satirical black comedy TV series that chronicles the struggles of Krystal Stubbs (Kirsten Dunst), a minimum-wage-earning water park employee who learns that her husband has squandered their life-savings, and put two mortgages on their house, all in the name of attempting to follow a get-rich-quick pyramid scheme of “Founders American Merchandise,” aka “FAM.” The show is turning out to be quite riveting, particularly with regard to the growing ruthlessness that Krystal displays as she navigates her way up the cultish “FAM” business owner ladder. The first episode premiered August 25, on Showtime, but the current episodes are made available ahead of the Sunday evening release on Hulu.
Streaming on Netflix:
The Great British Baking Show (August 2010 – Present)
As far as I can tell, the current season of The Great British Baking Show (aka The Great British Bake Off) is the first time that the show has aired concurrently on Channel 4 of British television and streaming via a four-day delay on Netflix. Prior seasons (or series) of the show have aired with considerable delay on PBS, and most recently Netflix, but this season is the closest we, on this side of the pond, have been to watching the show “live.” For those of you who don’t know The Great British Baking Show, it is a delightful baking competition series that pits 10-13 British bakers against each other in a series of increasingly difficult weekly challenges that take place in a tricked-out tent in the British countryside. The first three episodes of the new season have focused on cake, biscuits (aka cookies), and bread, but I cannot wait to see what challenges judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith throw at the bakers next. New episodes of the show are being released weekly, every Friday, on Netflix.
On DVD:
The Mad Miss Manton (Dir. Leigh Jason, 1938)
In this film, Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda team up in their first of three film appearances together, which would be shortly followed by The Lady Eve and You Belong to Me, both released in 1941. The Mad Miss Manton is a delightful screwball-comedy-mystery film, right up there with the sleuthing prowess of Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) as seen in the ‘Thin Man’ films. Here, Melsa Manton (Stanwyck) stumbles upon a body while taking her dogs for a walk late one night, but it mysteriously disappears. Soon Melsa is on the trail of the murderer, dodging the police, and flirting with a bumbling reporter, Peter Ames (Fonda), who she sues for libel. Chaos ensues when Melsa, and her large group of female friends, takes it upon themselves to solve the mystery. A must watch film for screwball comedy fans!
Borrowed from the Library:
The Public (Dir. Emilio Estevez, 2018)
This film is a wonderful portrait of the issues facing our ever-growing homeless persons population in America. The premise of the story is simple: after learning that all Cincinnati emergency shelters are at capacity on what is reported to be an exceptionally cold winter night, a group of homeless library patrons take over and refuse to leave a downtown public library at closing time, staging an occupation-style sit-in. The cast is superb, the acting and directing is excellent, and the story will stick with you well after finishing the film. The Public is a thought-provoking and heart-felt film, a rare gem in today’s plethora of superhero movies, lackluster sequels, and cringe-worthy remakes.
Up Next:
Dark Passage (Dir. Delmer Daves, 1947)
I am so excited to revisit the films of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, by way of our monthly Film Club Pick. Having dedicated the month of September to Lauren Bacall, we selected Dark Passage in honor of the film’s September 5, 1947 release date. I can’t wait to curl up on a cooler September evening, with a nice cup of tea, and watch this crime thriller.
What films and TV shows are you looking forward to watching? What are your favorite streaming platforms? Do you prefer watching TV episodes weekly or binge-watching TV shows all at once? What new shows are you most looking forward to this Fall? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Copyright © 2019 Sarah Crane
