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What To Watch On TV This Weekend: 'What We Do In The Shadows,' 'Full Circle' and 'Survival Of The Thickest'
(L-R) Mark Proksch, Anthony Atamanuik, Paul Simms, Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Kristen Schaal, and Stefani Robinson attend the Disney FYC event for FX's "What We Do In The Shadows" at El Capitan Theatre on June 03, 2022 in Los Angeles.
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TV-Talk: ‘What We Do In The Shadows,’ ‘Full Circle,’ Plus An Emmy Nominations Recap
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’re going to 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, Larry talks television with Angie Han, TV critic for the Hollywood Reporter, and Jen Chaney, television critic for Vulture. This week’s shows include: What We Do in the Shadows [Season 5] (FX & Hulu) Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (HBO & Max) Full Circle (Max) Survival of the Thickest (Netflix) The Afterparty (Apple TV +)
Every week, television critics join Larry Mantle on the LAist 89.3 program AirTalk to discuss all things TV and help you weed through your choices. Vulture's Jen Chaney and the Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han share their hot takes on the latest releases. Plus, listen to the full episode below to hear their reactions to the 2023 Emmy nominations announced earlier this week.
Listen to the conversation
Listen
21:50
TV-Talk: ‘What We Do In The Shadows,’ ‘Full Circle,’ Plus An Emmy Nominations Recap
What We Do in the Shadows (Season 5)
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The basics: The lovable and hilarious vampires who've been living together on Staten Island for more than a century are back for a fifth season and are as funny as ever, according to critic Jen Chaney.
"This is one of the most consistently funny shows on television and season 5 is still delivering on that front ... they're sort of cocooned in this house that they live in but every once in a while they go out among the normal people. In the second episode, that happens to great hilarity." -Jen Chaney, Vulture TV critic
What it might remind you of: The fantasy comedy starring Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén and Mark Proksch is based on the 2015 film of the same name.
Who's behind it: The show was created by Jemaine Clement, who co-wrote, directed and starred in the 2015 film alongside Taika Waititi.
When and where: Episodes release Thursdays on FX at 7 p.m. Pacific time and are available the following day on Hulu. The first two episodes are available now.
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York
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The basics: The true crime documentary series tells the story of homophobia, hate crimes and a string of four murders in 1990s New York City. A serial killer preyed on gay men, upending families' lives and causing further fear and distress in the queer community.
What it might remind you of: You might think this is going to be another classic true crime guilty pleasure. Not quite, according to The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han, who says the creators make clear effort in placing the crimes in historical context with how LGBTQ+ people were mistreated.
"A lot of serial killer stories tend to focus on the grizzly crimes ... I really admired that this was the rare true crime story that seems to be much more concerned with the victims and not only that, makes their lives feel every bit as compelling as their deaths." -Angie Han, TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter
Who's behind it: Show creators Anthony Caronna and Howard Gertler adapted the story from the book “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York” by Elon Green.
When and where: The four-part series releases weekly on HBO and Max Sundays at 6 p.m. Episode one is streaming now on Max.
Full Circle
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The basics: An all-star cast meets for a classic crime drama mystery. The grandson of a well-known chef (Dennis Quaid) is believed to be kidnapped but there's been a mishap and the wrong person ends up kidnapped. Things go awry from there. It stars CCH Pounder, Claire Danes, Timothy Olyphant, Zazie Beetz, Jim Gaffigan and Jharrel Jerome.
What it might remind you of: This is one of those slow burn-type shows, says Vulture's Jen Chaney. "This is not what I call a laundry folder. You can't have it on while you're doing other things and keep track of it. You've got to keep your eyes and brain on what's going on," Chaney says.
Who's behind it: Screenwriter Ed Solomon created the series directed by Steven Soderbergh. This is the second TV collaboration between Solomon and Soderbergh. They worked together on the 2017 project "Mosaic."
When and where: The first two episodes are available now on Max, with two new episodes releasing every Thursday.
Survival of the Thickest
The basics: Mavis Beaumont, a 38-year-old stylist in New York, finds out her longtime boyfriend has been cheating on her, forcing her to move out of their fancy Manhattan apartment and rethink what she wants out of life and love.
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What it might remind you of: The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han says, "This one is kind of a laundry folder. It's very light, goes down easy."
"It's rare to see stories about plus-size Black women like her, where they get to be the romantic leads or the messy heroines, where their body shape is acknowledged but not treated as a hurdle to overcome or central to the story." -Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter
Who's behind it: Comedian Michelle Buteau not only created the series which is also adapted from her 2020 memoir of the same name, but she also stars as the lead character.
When and where: All eight episodes are now available on Netflix.
The Afterparty (Season 2)
The basics: Designed as an anthology series, the second season of the comedy The Afterparty brings forth another murder. This time, a Silicon Valley tech figure is found dead after marrying an antiques aficionado. Now it's left to Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) and Aniq (Sam Richardson) to team up and again solve the case.
What it might remind you of: Every episode is an homage to a different television or film genre. The first one is a rom com. Another one is a period piece. Another one uses Wes Anderson's techniques. "I'm less concerned about who killed the groom ... than I am about just seeing the fun they have with tipping their hat to these various genres," says Vulture critic Jen Chaney.
Who's behind it: The show comes from Christopher Miller, who is known for collaborating on productions like "Clone High," "The Lego Movie," and "21 Jump Street."
When and where: Episodes release Wednesdays on Apple TV+. The first two episodes are available to stream now.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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