The Malibu Times’ esteemed publisher, Arnold York, has asked me to assemble a list of worthwhile TV shows offered on regular, cable and streaming venues. I gladly agreed, as that meant I got to indulge in a guilt-free couple of weeks watching TV. (Thanks, boss.) Here are some of my favorites. Let me know your reactions and recommendations at dianepershing@malibutimes.com.
If you like dark, disturbing, comic book-based characters who have superpowers they never wanted and who move restlessly through shadowy, nighttime streets, you can’t go wrong with “Jessica Jones” from last year and “Luke Cage” from this year, both Netflix original series.
Jessica is a kick-butt female with a deeply troubled backstory and soul. I can’t wait for season two. Luke was a character in that one, so this year, he gets his own show. Mike Colter plays Luke and in texting parlance: OMG! Remember how he stole every scene as drug kingpin Lemond Bishop on “The Good Wife?”
On “Luke Cage,” which is set in Harlem and whose cast exemplifies racial diversity at its peak, Colter’s sheer presence carries the show. The first two episodes were a bit clunky, but it began to hit its stride after that. Even though it has its moments of not-quite-ready-for-the-big-time, I’m hooked. Stand-out performances from the always-stellar Alfre Woodard and Mahershala Ali help.
Another couple of dark and disturbing shows, the ones that tap into our societal fear of the internet and scientific experimentation, are “Mr. Robot” and “Orphan Black.” Both lead actors, Rami Malek and Tatiana Maslany, won highly deserved Emmys this year. Both shows began on cable but are now streaming entire seasons on Amazon Prime.
If you avoided them because they sounded too weird or technical or silly or sci-fi-ish, give them both a chance, especially if you like to exercise your brain. Excellent writing, directing and an amazing supporting cast, especially Michael Cristofer as an amoral corporate head in “Mr. Robot” and Jordan Gavaris as a sad/funny gay man in “Orphan Black.”
Here are some British mysteries with flawed main characters and exceptional who-done-it twists: “Broadchurch,” season one (not season two, which went off the tracks); “Happy Valley (award for the most ironic title of the year); and “Luther” (a brooding Edris Elba), all on Netflix. Suggestion: turn on closed captioning. Why let the regional accents — so foreign to American ears — mar our enjoyment?
More from the Brits, this time guffaw-inducing, extremely raunchy and brilliantly written: “Catastrophe” (Amazon Prime) and “Fleabag” (Netflix).
If you haven’t already, give “BrainDead” a chance. Originally on CBS, the entire season one is on Amazon Prime. From the creators of “The Good Wife,” this is a satire of Washington politics, and both sides are skewered equally; this is alien invasion (bugs that crawl into people’s ears and mess with them); this is quirky romance (both Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Tveit are charming and off-the-wall); this feeds the funny bone and supplies brain food. Extra added attraction: Tony Shalhoub having the time of his life as a right-wing nut job.
And finally, “Band of Brothers,” the 2001 HBO miniseries is now on Amazon Prime. If you missed it the first time around, this saga is a must-see if you care about American military involvement in World War II, behind-the-scenes battle narratives, or fine writing, directing and acting (anchored by the amazing Damien Lewis of “Homeland,” unknown back then to American audiences) or just plain dazzling story telling.
That’s it for now. And if you observed that today’s recommendations are mostly about “deeply troubled” characters, not to worry, lighter fare will show up in the coming weeks — promise.