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The Two Biggest TV Releases This Week & The OJ Simpson Shows You Should Revive
Sandra Oh, Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. attend the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO Original Limited Series "The Sympathizer."
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TV-Talk: ‘The Sympathizer,’ ‘Fallout,’ ‘Baby Reindeer’ And More
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Melanie McFarland, TV critic for Salon, and Whitney Friedlander, freelance TV critic. This week’s shows include: Fallout (Amazon Prime Video) The Sympathizer (HBO/Max) Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Star Trek: Discovery [Season 5] (Paramount+) Under The Bridge (Hulu)
Wondering what you should watch this weekend?
Each week on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, we're joined by television critics who help parse through the biggest releases and tell us what's worth a binge.
Salon’s Melanie McFarland and freelance entertainment writer Whitney Friedlander joined to discuss two of this week’s biggest releases, an L.A.-based video game adaptation and HBO’s latest Sunday night commotion.
Fallout
Video game adaptations seem to be having a moment. The latest comes from a popular franchise, set on the heels of nuclear warfare in a post-apocalyptic L.A.
“It is very sardonic in its tone, which is not usually something you think of when you think of post-apocalyptic drama … if you remember the Brendan Fraser movie Blast from the Past ... like that situation where it's a little more tongue-in-cheek.” — Whitney Friedlander, freelance entertainment writer
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When & where: Episodes are available now on Amazon Prime Video.
The Sympathizer
A man caught between two dualities takes up life in a U.S. refugee community near the end of the Vietnam War and secretly reports back to the Viet Cong. Conflict and turmoil ensue. Oh, and Robert Downey Jr., an executive producer, plays several supporting characters in the series.
“It is one of the most interesting, multifaceted, absurdist series that HBO has put out in quite some time.” — Melanie McFarland, TV critic for Salon
When & where: The first episode premieres Sunday at 6 p.m. Pacific Time; episodes release weekly.
Exploring the O.J. trial
The family of O.J. Simpson announced that he died Wednesday at the age of 76. Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson was acquitted. Across L.A. and around the world people are grappling with complicated feelings stirred up by the death of the former football legend.
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The 1995 murder trial captivated audiences across the country and was later depicted in two acclaimed series that debuted back in 2016 — one scripted and one documentary.
- The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Part of the American Crime Story true crime anthology television series, the FX show takes you inside the O.J. Simpson trial examining the innerworkings of the legal teams battling to convict or acquit him. The limited series stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, Sterling Brown David Schwimmer and John Travolta.
Where to watch: Hulu
- O.J.: Made in America
Part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, the five-part documentary chronicles the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, his high-profile trial, and how it exposed racial tensions and divisions.
Where to watch: ESPN, Hulu and other streaming platforms
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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