What To Watch On TV This Weekend: 'Young Love,' 'Still Up' & 'Dear Child'

It’s both 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 or not 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 Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence, and Steve Greene, freelance TV critic.

This week’s shows included:

• Young Love (Max)
• Sex Education [Season 4, Final Season] (Netflix)
• The Continental (Peacock)
• Dear Child (Netflix)
• Still Up (Apple TV+)

Young Love

Streaming on Max

First Impression: A television sequel to the Oscar-winning animated short Hair Love. Follows the parents Stephen and Angela Young, as well as their daughter Zuri; the show follows the family as the parents balance family and life aspirations.

Lasting Impression: The show has a lot going for it, being a family-friendly program that gets into serious subject matter in a way that’s still accessible to kids. Through the voice acting of folks like Scott Mescudi (also known as Kid Cudi) and Issa Rae, who was the sole acting credit in the original short, you get a lot of engaging dialogue that builds on the beautiful animation.

I think what made Hair Love so impactful for viewers, which translates here, is the strong elements of family, but also lots of consideration to character design. It’s something that begins to stand out more once side characters get introduced through the hair salon Angela works at and the musicians Stephen is collaborating with. Not only that, but the amount of work done to get the texture and physics of each character’s hair in the show is a touch that I appreciated.

Who's behind it: The creator of the show is Matthew A. Cherry, which should ring a bell since he also wrote and co-directed Hair Love in 2019. Since 2019, however, he’s also been able to direct for shows like Swagger, Ghosts, and Black-ish.

When and where: Episodes 1-4 are now streaming on Max; episodes 5-8 are released Thursday, Sept. 28.

Still Up

Streaming on Apple TV+

First impression: Follows a pair of friends, Lisa and Danny, who are both struggling with insomnia; the show follows them keeping each other company as they video chat and stumble into some humorous situations.

Lasting Impression: What really stuck out to me after watching the first episode was how well-done the camera movement and editing proved to be, with each shot feeling fluid over the course of a scene. Another thing that helps this show achieve that is Antonia Thomas and Craig Roberts’s chemistry, which gives the impression that these two have been lifelong friends.

In some ways, the show reminded me of another show released by Apple TV+ this year, Platonic, with the big difference here being a tinge of romantic potential that’ll leave folks curious as to what happens by the show’s end.

Who's behind it: The show's creators are Steven Burge and Natalie Walter.

When and where: Episodes 1-3 are now streaming on Apple TV+; episode 4 releases Friday, Sept. 29.

Dear Child

Streaming on Netflix

First Impression: Based on the fictional novel of the same name by Romy Hausmann. As a mother and daughter escape from a life of abduction and complete confinement, their mysterious lives shock those who find them following a car accident. Once their identities are realized, more questions begin to get asked as investigators look to figure out the reasons for their disappearance 13 years ago.

Lasting Impression: The show takes a very intricate approach to staying in tune with the subject matter it’s based off of, with most characters feeling quite mysterious as each shot depicts their actions in a very claustrophobic way. As the show progresses, it leaves viewers more tense as they see characters in distress through different close-ups and intense low-angle shots.

In the first episode, I was most impressed by the acting performance of Naila Schuberth, who serves as the glue of the entire story. She brings a level of ambiguity to the role, using the simplistic dialogue you’d find from any kid but delivering it in an intense way that catches most characters in the show off guard.

Overall, I found this show to be a worthwhile watch for any true crime fans out there, because even though this isn’t a real story, it still has those realistic elements that make for a good crime thriller.

Who's behind it: The show's creators are Isabel Kleefeld and Julian Pörksen. If you aren’t familiar with Kleefeld, she’s directed TV movies like Arnie's World and Ghost of Canterville. Pörksen notably led and wrote the comedy-drama Whatever Happens Next.

When and where: All 6 episodes are now streaming on Netflix.