Shows To Look Out For: 'The Golden Boy,' 'Project Greenlight' & 'Survival of the Thickest'

It’s both a blessing and a curse that we’ve reached a time where there’s just so much television to experience but so many different places to find it. It makes scrolling across your streamer of choice an inconvenience that doesn’t offer as much of a payoff if you try a show half-heartedly and are disappointed.

That’s where I and some friends step in 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 bring television critics every week to give you a rundown of those shows that are fresh out of the oven. They’ll serve you a taste of what to expect and from there, you can choose whether or not you want to eat the rest.

Along with that, I’ll add to their topline thoughts and give some insights based on my experience watching the show. I may not have TV critic as my title but I got enough knowledge as a fan of film and television to at least give you an informed perspective. And as a member of Gen-Z, I’ll be able to add an extra filter you might get from someone on Twitter but with much less toxicity tied to it.

Sound good? Are you hungry now? Well while you wait for your food to be ready to eat, read through what we got to tell you.

This week, AirTalk’s Larry Mantle talked about the latest on television and streaming with Kathryn VanArendonk, TV critic for Vulture, and Danette Chavez, editor-in-chief at Primetimer.

This week’s shows included:

• Miracle Workers: End Times [Season 4, Final on TBS & Max)
• Minx [Season 2 on Starz)
• The Golden Boy (HBO & Max)
• Justified: City Primeval (FX & Hulu the next day)
• Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
• Project Greenlight: A New Generation (Max)

Listen here

The Golden Boy

Airing on HBO & Streaming on Max

Archival photo of Oscar De La Hoya and his father, Joel De La Hoya Sr.

(

Courtesy HBO

/

HBO

)

First impression: Seeing a story about phenom can always make for a compelling story, but it truly is special to view something that is so transparent. I was a kid at the time of Oscar De La Hoya’s last decade of fighting, and the amount of love you’d see for him in the streets of East Los Angeles was truly there. He founded Golden Boy Promotions in 2002, he was a made man in our eyes.

This documentary helps take you to that point, taking a mostly chronological approach. You get to see “The Golden Boy” earn his name in the ring and also see what was being done behind the scenes to help him grow in every sense of the word.

I found the anecdotes in the documentary to be moving, you get to hear Oscar share notes from his training regimen since he was a kid, how he thought of each next step in his career alongside his father, and the pain he experienced throughout that entire time.

It’s also interesting to see how his hubris manifests itself in fights that don’t go perfectly or see him open up about reaching dark places in his life — you get a sense that he truly is a normal person aside from his talent in boxing.

Lasting impression: Oscar De La Hoya, in the eyes of many, was someone whose work ethic was something to admire. Not only that, but it’s quite interesting to see how decades ago he fought through masculine stereotypes, being an emotional boxer who gained support from women for his public admiration of his mother.

At the same time. De La Hoya has been accused of sexual assault and rape, he addresses some 1990s accusations in the documentary. He has since been accused of another two cases of sexual assault, with the alleged incidents occurring in 2020.

Seeing a man fight his way to the top, as well as take on machismo in the process, is a blend of different elements that I think makes this documentary worth watching in multiple facets. Consider this:

• Do you love watching boxing?
• Maybe an underdog story?
• A comeback?
• Do you like learning about the exploration of our societal norms through the lens of gender?

I feel like this documentary works on those fronts.

Similar to what made De La Hoya so special, you don’t have to be a boxing fanatic to appreciate him and his vulnerability. It may be troubling to watch for some given the serious subject matter or not feel enough for those who believe De La Hoya addressing of some controversies isn't sufficient, but this documentary at least gives you a glimpse into a complicated figure that's been so beloved by the greater Los Angeles community.

Who's behind it: The director of this documentary is Fernando Villena, who told the story of snowboarding icon Jake Burton in Dear Rider: The Jake Burton Story and also co-directed the documentary Giving Voice, which shined a light on the August Wilson Monologue Competition.

When and where: Part 1 is out Monday, July 24 on HBO & Max at 9 p.m.; Part 2 is out Tuesday, July 25 at 9 p.m.

Project Greenlight: A New Generation

Streaming on Max

First impression: A reboot of the original reality television program. Issa Rae now takes the helm, assembling a team of industry experts to help an up-and-coming director get the opportunity of a lifetime — directing a genre film with the help of Rae’s production company HOORAE.

You get a chance of seeing Rae and company narrow down their options, eventually finding the creative they think can make the most of this opportunity, as well as seeing them see out the entire process.

Lasting impression: Previous versions of this show haven’t necessarily panned out, with the top choice breaking into the industry as advertised and the final project not being as captivating as all would hope. The jury is still out on whether this iteration of Project Greenlight will lead to any future opportunities for the chosen — but this show did improve from the others in a notable way.

One effort that Rae and her production company take in this show is to make a point to have a woman direct the film and give them a shot at breaking into the industry. It’s by growing these equal opportunities and emphasizing them that you reach equity someday.

Overall, I think this show is interesting since it lets you get a glimpse into how the sausage gets made in the film. You might be perplexed or underwhelmed at points as a result of the actions taken in the process, but it’s also what makes the viewing experience interesting in my opinion.

Who's behind it: Well the person heading this production is Issa Rae. For those not familiar, Rae has won multiple Emmys for creating the HBO show Insecure and got her big break after developing the popular YouTube web series Awkward Black Girl.

When and where: All 10 episodes are now streaming on Max.

Survival of the Thickest

Streaming on Netflix

Michelle Buteau as Mavis and Nicole Byer as Nicole Byer in Survival of the Thickest. Cr. Vanessa Clifton/Netflix © 2023

(

/Vanessa Clifton/Netflix

/

_DSC9332.ARW

)

First impression: Mavis Beaumont is a fashion stylist who is looking to make a name for herself, which gets complicated after her professional photographer boyfriend cheats on her. Now newly single and in her late 30s, she is trying to work through this bump in the road and rebuild her life after settling into a situation she was comfortable in.

Lasting impression: It’s a really interesting, slice-of-life show that brings together witty humor and close-to-home drama for a lot of folks. What keeps it engaging for me is the camerawork, it’s very much structured like a sitcom yet when you listen into the dialogue it feels as personal as any conversation you’d have with a friend going through a weird rut in their life.

Mavis is a character I honestly found myself rooting for and identifying with, despite being at a much earlier stage in my life.

This is another story that I think is interesting through a gender studies lens, where there’s a lot to peel off the onion that is society’s view of women in their late 30s that aren’t married or have kids.

Who's behind it: The show’s creators are Michelle Buteau and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. Buteau, aside from starring in the show, also is a comedian whose comedy special Welcome to Buteaupia is also on Netflix and worth watching. Sanchez-Witzel has been credited as a producer in a fair amount of shows, being a co-executive producer for comedies like My Name is Earl and New Girl. The style in those sitcoms still shows up in Survival of the Thickest, making this a show worth giving a chance.

When and where: All 8 episodes are streaming now on Netflix.