Topline:
We know there are a ton of TV shows to watch these days, so each week on LAist's daily news show AirTalk, we ask television critics to help you (and us) sift through them.
This week's critics: Cristina Escobar, TV critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co and Dominic Patten, senior editor and chief TV critic for Deadline.
This week's shows: This Fool Season 2 (Hulu), Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn (Apple TV+), and Ahsoka (Disney+).
It’s both a blessing and a curse that we’ve reached a time when there’s just so much television to experience, with so many different places to find it.
If you're going to invest the time it takes to scroll across your streamer of choice and check out new shows, you want some payoff, right?
That’s where I step in, with help from a few friends, as a deus ex machina of sorts — a way for you to resolve that inner conflict of what to choose and make sure it’s something worth investing in.
On LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, we're joined by television critics each week to give you a rundown of shows that are fresh out of the oven. They serve you a taste of what to expect and from there, you can choose whether or not to indulge in the rest.
Now it's my turn to add to their topline thoughts and offer my impression of a few initial episodes. I may not have "TV critic" as my title, but I watch TV — and as a fan of film and television, I can at least give you an informed perspective. I'll even toss in my Gen-Z filter.
Sound good? Grab a snack and read on before before you hit the remote.
This week, AirTalk’s Austin Cross talked about the latest on television and streaming with Cristina Escobar, TV critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co and Dominic Patten, senior editor and chief TV critic for Deadline.
This week’s shows included:
Here is my take on three of those:
Streaming on Hulu
"I would definitely recommend 'This Fool' for Angelenos. It's a show created by Angelenos, set there, and it's an unlikely buddy comedy." — Cristina Escobar, LatinaMedia.Co
First Impression: Julio, the lead character, looks to help his cousin Luis adapt back into society after serving jail time. The start of Season 2 sees Julio trying to piece his life back together after he loses his job at gang rehabilitation center due to a lack of funding.
Lasting Impression: This is one of those shows that I have really been in love with. It’s got all the local flavor I want in a show based in Los Angeles, and the humor is as well-written as you’d want from a sitcom.
I've watched the entire series, and I’d probably say my favorite episode from Season 2 is Episode 7 (titled "The Big Deal"), which captures the silliness of kickback parties and the humor in dating a single parent. Each episode has its moments, though, making this one of my favorite comedies of late.
Who's behind it: This Fool is a brainchild of four folks: Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman. The trio of Bishop, Ingebretson, and Weisman have worked together before, on the Comedy Central show Corporate. Co-creator Estrada, of course, is the actor-comedian who plays Julio.
When and where: All 10 episodes are streaming now on Hulu.
Streaming on Apple TV+
"He might be the hero, he might be the villain, but he is part of a system, and that's what's interesting about this." — Dominic Patten, Deadline
First impression: A documentary series that digs into the scandalous story of the former CEO of car manufacturing companies Renault and Nissan. The documentary charts Ghosn's ascent and what led to his infamous demise, failing to disclose more than $100 million of his earnings and ultimately becoming a fugitive. It bases most of its narrative on the book Boundless: The Rise, Fall, and Escape of Carlos Ghosn by the Wall Street Journal's Nick Kostov and Sean McLain.
Lasting Impression: This documentary does a pretty solid job of capturing Ghosn's world and his role as the risk-taker who brought Nissan back into prominence. The first episode is also significant in that it shows how beloved he was in Japan, with people treating him like a celebrity for reviving a business they took pride in.
Even if you aren’t as familiar with Ghosn as an influential businessman, I think folks can definitely get a lot from the history lesson. The documentary offers insights into how corporate greed manifests itself on an international level.
Who's behind it: The director is James Jones, who you might know from the HBO documentary Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, a miniseries that told the story of those affected by the nuclear tragedy using recently uncovered archival footage.
When and where: All four episodes of the Ghosn series are streaming now on Apple TV+.
Streaming on Disney+
"I would say do a little homework before diving in, but then definitely check out [Rosario] Dawson and her performance [here]." — Cristina Escobar, LatinaMedia.Co
"What's interesting [about this show] is you see the building blocks of what happens when you have to govern, not when you have to be a rebel." — Dominic Patten, Deadline
First Impression: This follows the beloved Star Wars character Ahsoka Tano after the events of the series Star Wars Rebels, searching for antagonist Grand Admiral Thrawn and friend Ezra Bridger in the process. For those only familiar with the film franchise, this show would fall in between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
Lasting Impression: I thought the first episode was as beautiful as you’d hope for a live-action Star Wars show to be, which has tended to be the case in The Mandalorian and Andor. I’d say Rosario Dawson’s performance definitely meets the expectations of fans who fan-casted her in the role.
I also would like to shout out the depiction of Loth-cats in the show. It's a cat-like creature that was in the animated series and was turned CGI in The Mandalorian, and has now been brought into Ahsoka as an animatronic! The Star Wars franchise has long brought eye-catching practical effects into sci-fi storytelling and I’m glad to see the tradition is still alive here.
Who's behind it: The show’s creator is Dave Filoni. Filoni has served as a producer on most recent TV shows in the Star Wars universe, and was the showrunner for The Clone Wars and Rebels. These shows served as the storytelling catalyst for Ahsoka, so I'd imagine any opinion you might have of them will carry over to this show.
When and where: Episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+, and Episode 3 releases Tuesday, August 29.
Topline:
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year. The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The backstory: After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise. His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
What's next: The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year.
The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise.
His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
Jackson set the Lakers franchise record for coaches with 610 victories while leading his teams to the playoffs in every year of his tenure, which ended in 2011.
“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves.”
Jackson will be the ninth person associated with the Lakers to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside their arena. He joins Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bryant, O’Neal, broadcaster Chick Hearn and former coach Pat Riley, whose statue was unveiled earlier this year.
Jackson’s 11 championships as a head coach are the most in NBA history. The North Dakota native and former New York Knicks forward is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Topline:
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of Southern California from Wednesday morning through Thursday.
The details: This week’s combination of heat and humidity could be worse than it has been all summer. Forecasters say temperatures will peak on Wednesday. Highs could get up to the triple digits. Overnight lows will also stay elevated. They may only get down to the 70s in places, offering little relief from the heat.
The humidity: Climate experts say the humidity this week could be some of the highest on record in Southern California, even after a summer marked by repeated humid heatwaves. The moisture in the air, combined with the extreme heat, makes it increasingly difficult for the human body to cool down, especially when outdoors. It’s also driving scattered rain and thunderstorms that will continue for the next few days.
The backstory: The tropical moisture is due in large part to the leftovers of Hurricane Marie hundreds of miles away in the Pacific Ocean. On top of that, record high ocean temperatures off the Southern California coast are adding to the humidity.
Topline:
An O.C. Superior Court judge increased the economic penalties for Orange County Board of Education member Marilyn “Mari” Barke for failing to report millions of dollars in economic disclosure filings. She will now have to pay more than $100,000 in penalties, according to court documents.
Why it matters: Barke was elected in 2018 to the Orange County Board of Education, which oversees and approves the county’s education budget that serves around 450,000 students.
Background: In 2024, the Fair Political Practices Commission found Barke liable for failing to correctly report income, resulting in a $3,200 penalty. But a judge in July said the FPPC’s settlement didn’t fully address Barke’s actions.
What are the penalties? Barke will have to pay $101,800 in penalties, as well as attorney fees, for incorrectly filling out economic disclosure statements and for failure to correct amended statements. She will be credited the $3,200 paid to the FPPC. Barke’s lawyer did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.
What changed? Orange County Superior Court Judge H. Shaina Colover handed the decision on Sept. 3. Colover said in a final statement on the decision that “substantial civil damages are warranted” to enforce the Political Reform Act and prevent future violations.
Officials say: The complaint was filed by Lynne Riddle, a retired judge. Riddle’s lawyers said in a statement to LAist that the court’s ruling is a “landmark” outcome for public trust and that the high penalty fees show how serious the offenses were. “We hope this result reminds every public official in California that transparency is not optional, and that the public has both the right to know and the tools to hold them accountable when transparency is ignored,” Riddle’s legal team said.
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Mayor Karen Bass is stepping down from the governing body for the L.A. region’s embattled lead homeless services agency, she told KFI last week.
The details: The decision comes after LAist reported Bass skipped more than half of the L.A. Homeless Services Authority Commission meetings held since appointing herself in 2023.
What the mayor is saying: Bass told KFI’s Gary and Shannon she’s leaving the LAHSA Commission, citing time constraints. “I am going to be stepping down because I just —in terms of time and all,” the mayor said, in an interview published Friday. Bass’ office did not immediately respond to interview requests and questions from LAist.
Mayor Karen Bass is stepping down from the governing body for the L.A. region’s embattled lead homeless services agency, she told KFI last week.
The decision comes after LAist reported Bass skipped more than half the L.A. Homeless Services Authority Commission meetings held since appointing herself in 2023.
Bass told KFI’s Gary and Shannon she’s leaving the LAHSA Commission, citing time constraints.
“I am going to be stepping down because I just — in terms of time and all,” Bass said in a live radio interview on Friday.
Bass’ office did not respond to interview requests and questions from LAist.
LAist reporting found Bass missed 13 of the 21 LAHSA Commission meetings held over a recent year period, well above the four absence-threshold that can trigger potential removal under LAHSA’s bylaws.
Bass’ three-year term on the LAHSA Commission expired June 30, but she still remained on the commission as of Tuesday.
LAist reviewed three years of meeting records and found that Bass was among two sitting commissioners who had four or more absences over a single 12-month period.
L.A.’s mayor appoints half of the board’s members and Bass must appoint her replacement soon.
Paul Rubenstein, LAHSA's chief of staff, told LAist on Tuesday that Bass has not informed the agency that she will step down from the commission. Other members of the commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
LAHSA is a joint powers authority between the city and county, created three decades ago to manage the region’s response to homelessness.
The agency has come under scrutiny for alleged mismanagement of taxpayer dollars, including the Trump administration's attempt to suspend LAHSA.
In response to the agency’s documented dysfunction, L.A. County pulled most of its money from the agency and created its own homelessness department.
Bass now appears fed up with LAHSA and eager for the city to follow suit.
“I took the step of being on the commission so that I could learn much more and I could see what we needed to do,” Bass told KFI. “And I came to the conclusion that the city needs to have its own system.”
