What To Watch On TV This Weekend: 'Dreaming Whilst Black,' 'The Swarm' And 'The Changeling'

It’s 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 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 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 you hit the remote.

Listen here

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

This week’s shows included:

• The Changeling (Apple TV+)
• Top Boy [Season 3, Final Season] (Netflix)
• Dreaming Whilst Black (Showtime & Paramount+)
• Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America (Netflix)
• The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (AMC & AMC+)
• The Swarm (CW & CW App)
• Little Richard: I Am Everything (CNN & VOD)

Dreaming Whilst Black

Airing on Showtime & Streaming on Paramount+

First impression: The show follows an aspiring young filmmaker Kwabena as he faces the realities of being in white-dominant spaces.

Lasting impression: This show feels like a nice breath of fresh air, capturing what it’s like to be a person of color in a work setting where folks aren’t culturally sensitive. Although the show has serious elements to it, I think its comedic aspects help in laying out the microaggressions Kwabena consistently deals with, with most cases being less nefarious and more rooted in ignorance. I think most American viewers will be reminded of the kinds of shenanigans you’d see in The Office through the character Michael.

I also really appreciate that the show plays with the comedy-drama format, not just playing up the laughs, but showing that up-and-coming creatives of color are willing to work through this discomfort to meet their personal aspirations. That’s something I can really appreciate as a young journalist of color since I think a lot of pushback in making spaces more diverse is through the argument that “someone should work for their position,” which Kwabena’s story serves as a clear counterargument to.

Who's behind it: The show is created by a trio of folks: Adjani Salmon, Max Evans and Natasha Jatania. All three of them previously worked together on the web mini-series of the same name that came out in 2018, which unfortunately can’t be watched since all 9 episodes have been made private.

When and where: Episode 1 premieres today on Paramount+ and broadcasts on Showtime Sunday, Sep. 10, at 10 p.m. PT.

The Swarm

Airing on CW & Streaming on the CW App

First impression: A television adaptation of the science fiction novel of the same name, published in 2004 by Frank Schätzing. The story centers on scientists who are finding fatal incidents in the ocean caused by native wildlife.

Lasting impression: It’s been interesting to see more TV shows that are made in response to the ongoing climate crisis, with this being one example of the natural world essentially fighting back against humans. Episode 1 serves as an introduction to the season-long conflict and cast of characters who will step up to resolve it.

Even though it’s a meat-and-potatoes pilot episode, you still get the kind of action you’d hope to have. It isn’t as thematically groundbreaking as Jaws or the kind of shlock you’d find in Sharknado, but it’s a good time!

Who's behind it: The show has four credited creators: Steven Lally, Marissa Lestrade, Chris Lunt, and Michael A. Walker. You may have seen some of Lunt and Walker’s previous works, having both written on the shows Devils and Young Wallander.

When and where: Episode 1 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 9 p.m. PT on CW & available the next day on the CW App.

The Changeling

Streaming on Apple TV+

First impression: Father and husband, Apollo (played by LaKeith Stanfield), gets his commitment put to the test as he searches for his missing wife and abducted son.

Lasting impression: The first episode was something that definitely did offer a lot of backstory to the show’s main premise, but it does feel like a slower burn compared to the other shows on this week’s list. I will say it’s still eventful — you really begin to understand Apollo’s view of the world, and just how seriously he takes his role as a family man.

Not only that, but I think its horrific elements are rooted in the experience a lot of parents work through at the start, which isn’t an indictment on your kids so much as a realization that this commitment will take a toll on you. It doesn’t meet the level of David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” but its surreal elements definitely try to follow that same line of storytelling and I think Stanfield does a solid job of being the glue to bind the entire narrative together.

Who's behind it: The show’s creator is Kelly Marcel, whose credits vary across genres, writing the screenplays for Saving Mr. Banks and Fifty Shades of Grey.

When and where: Episodes 1 and 2 premiered today on Apple TV and are now streaming.