Olivia Nuzzi, David Mandel, Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Peter Huyck, and Alex Gregory participate in a Q&A on stage during HBO Special Screening of 'White House Plumbers.'
(Paul Morigi
/
Getty Images North America)
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Are you looking for television picks and trying to avoid the judgment that comes with asking for recommendations? Are you trying to branch out from your usual television tastes, just to see what more is out there? Want to get a better picture of what streaming services might have the best collection of shows you'll like?
Maybe you just want to be in the loop with what's "hip" and "hot." Well, wait no longer — we got you.
Each week on LAist's AirTalk, we talk to television critics to see what they have to recommend, doing you a solid during this era of peak television. This week's guest stars were Consequence senior entertainment editorLiz Shannon Miller and Jen Chaney, television critic for Vulture.
Along with our critics' picks and quotes to pair, I'll also give you a primer on each show. I'll be pulling together some notable facts and sharing my thoughts whenever I've got something to add. This all comes from a member of Gen Z who was so glued to the TV growing up that it shows up on my trips to the optometrist, went to school to learn some of the bare essentials of television production, and understands just how disappointing it is to scroll through a streaming service's homepage for dozens of minutes.
TV-Talk: ‘White House Plumbers,’ ‘Love & Death,’ ‘Fatal Attraction’ & More
White House Plumbers
Airing on HBO & streaming on HBO Max
“The issue becomes that it’s a lot funnier to watch fictional people commit crime for presidents as opposed to real people.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“I love the things that [the show creators] did on Veep, so I was expecting more obvious laughs in this. I felt like it leaned into the drama too much.” – Jen Chaney, Vulture
The basics: A behind-the-scenes look into the lives of E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, who were tapped by the Nixon administration to stop any leaks and were among the major players behind the Watergate scandal.
What it might remind you of: For reference, the premise is based on the books Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House and The White House Plumbers: The Seven Weeks That Led to Watergate and Doomed Nixon's Presidency, both by Egil "Bud" Krogh and Matthew Krogh. So, it should remind you of this historical period.
Egil was the head of the Special Investigation Unit for the White House — which ultimately became known as the White House Plumbers.
Who's behind it: The show’s creators are Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, who both produced a lot of their projects together. Both spent time co-executive producing the sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show and most recently produced the Emmy-award, critically acclaimed show Veep. White House Plumbers is much more serious than these other shows, but the satire still is prevalent.
When and where: You'll be able to stream the first episode Monday, May 1 on HBO Max.
Read Liz's review of White House Plumbers for Consequence by clicking here.
Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens [Season 3]
Airs on Comedy Central & streaming on Paramount+
“The show, in general, is such an under-the-radar pleasure.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
The basics: A sitcom that follows Nora, a New Yorker who’s trying to manage young adulthood with the help of her family.
What it might remind you of: This very much is a branch on the Comedy Central sitcom tree, a solid premise formulaic enough that those involved can reliably hit on a variety of bits and gags. Think of shows like Broad City, Workaholics, or Detroiters.
Who's behind it: The show is created by Awkwafina and Teresa Hsiao. Awkwafina, of course, is more known for her acting, capable of playing somber roles like in The Farewell but showing off her comedic roots most recently in Renfield. Hsiao has done a lot of notable comedic writing, with her longest stint being a writer on Family Guy for seasons 11-13.
When and where: Episode 1 is now streaming; the next episode airs Wednesday, May 3 on Comedy Central and will be on Paramount+ the next day.
Mrs. Davis
Streaming on Peacock
"This show is just wild and surprising. Its sort of teaching you how to watch it as it goes." — Jen Chaney, Vulture
The basics: A nun partners up with her ex-boyfriend and a group of rebels in an effort to destroy an ancient, powerful A.I. known as “Mrs. Davis."
What it might remind you of: Are you a fan of goofy-but-entertaining action? Are you a fan of a show posing philosophical questions about artificial intelligence in the middle of that? If so, this merging of comedy, drama, and science fiction is something you’ll recognize. There isn’t necessarily a perfect comparison to this, because even with its way-out-there premise it still does a fairly good job of taking a deadpan approach.
Who's behind it: The creators of this offbeat show are Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. Hernandez wrote for a couple of shows you might have heard of: The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. She's credited on a combined 170 episodes. Lindelof's writing and producing credits include Watchmen, The Leftovers, and a little show called Lost.
When and where: The first five episodes are streaming now on Peacock; the next episode releases Thursday, May 4.
Read Jen's review of Mrs. Davis for Vulture by clicking here.
Love & Death
Streaming on HBO Max
“If you haven’t already seen other takes on this material I think [this show] could be really interesting to explore.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
The basics: In a small Texas town, Candy and Allan decided to have an extramarital affair, which ends after Allan’s wife is found to have been murdered. The town, and Candy, turn into disarray as folks investigate who did it.
What it might remind you of: This show is based on a true story: the lives of Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore, who Candy was accused of killing. This story has been adapted multiple times. It was the basis of the book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs, the 1990 TV movie A Killing in a Small Town, and the Hulu show Candy released in 2022.
Who's behind it: The show was created by David E. Kelley, a longtime producer whose early credits include executive producing NBC’s L.A. Law and CBS’s Picket Fences, both dramas. More recently, he’s been a showrunner for the shows Big Sky and Big Little Lies. Though Love & Death doesn’t include the word “big,” it does make up for it with stars like Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons in the cast.
When and where: Episodes 1-3 are streaming now on HBO Max; the next episode releases Thursday, May 4.
Fatal Attraction
Streaming on Paramount+
“I think the performances in it are strong but something felt a little off with how they were diving into this narrative.” – Jen Chaney, Vulture
The basics: Dan Gallagher has an extramarital affair, with his life getting upended once the person he’s been seeing, Alex, gets obsessive. Dan and his wife then must deal with their lives being threatened.
What it might remind you of: It may remind you of the show we just highlighted, with its premise based on extramarital affairs ending in some of the worst ways possible. Outside of that though, this is supposed to be a reimagining of the 1987 film of the same name, which stars Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. To dig even deeper, the film Fatal Attraction was also an adaptation of a 1980 short film called Diversion, which was created by screenwriter James Dearden.
Who's behind it: This TV adaptation was created by Alexandra Cunningham and Kevin J. Hynes. Both were colleagues for the USA anthology series Dirty John, which is a crime drama that also spends a lot of time on the concept of romance getting deadly.
When and where: Episodes 1 and 2 release Sunday, April 30 on Paramount+.
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