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What's Worth Watching On TV? Our Take On 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,' 'Silo,' And 'Jury Duty'
Peyvand Sadeghian, Golda Rosheuvel, Sam Clemmett, Shonda Rhimes, Tunji Kasim, India Ria Amarteifio, Tom Verica, Corey Mylchreest, Freddie Dennis, Arsema Thomas, Betsy Beers and Hugh Sachs attends Netflix's Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story World Premiere at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Are you looking for television picks and trying to avoid the judgment that comes with asking for recommendations? Are you trying to branch out from your usual television tastes, just to see what more is out there? Want to get a better picture of what streaming services might have the best collection of shows you'll like?
Maybe you just want to be in the loop with what's "hip" and "hot." Well, wait no further — we got you.
Each week on AirTalk with Larry Mantle on LAist 89.3, we talk to television critics to see what they have to recommend, doing you a solid during this era of peak television. This week's guest stars were Salon television critic Melanie McFarland and Kristen Baldwin, television critic for Entertainment Weekly.
Along with our critics' picks and quotes to pair, I'll also give you a helpful primer on each show. I'll be pulling together some notable facts and sharing my thoughts whenever I've got something to add. This all comes from a member of Gen Z who was so glued to the TV growing up that it shows up on my trips to the optometrist, went to school to learn some of the bare essentials of television production, and understands just how disappointing it is to scroll through a streaming service's homepage for dozens of minutes.
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TV-Talk: ‘The Diplomat,’ ‘Queen Charlotte,’ ‘Jury Duty’ & More
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Streaming on Netflix
India Amarteifio as Young Queen Charlotte, Corey Mylchreest as Young King George in episode 101 of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
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“There are beautiful costumes, steamy love scenes, and sweeny romance. But because it focuses more on how Charlotte's interracial marriage to George brings a revolutionary change to the high society that gives the story some more meaningful stakes” – Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly
“What [Shonda Rhimes] does here with Queen Charlotte is that she tackles that idea of not only explaining how society becomes integrated but also exploring the fact that integration has to be fought to not just [maintain] a title, but bringing true equality.” – Melanie McFarland, Salon
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The basics: A prequel and spinoff of Netflix’s Bridgerton that focuses on Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The series follows Queen Charlotte needing to adjust to her life as she becomes the queen of England.
What it might remind you of: It’s a historical drama that you’ll find doesn’t stray away too much from the original Bridgerton series that has folks holding onto their Netflix subscriptions. Within that, it does an impressive job with its costume design and also crafts its own identity with its tackling of mental health. In a sense, it could remind y’all of Pablo Larrain’s 2021 film Spencer in that it shows royalty struggling through mental health crises.
Who's behind it: The show’s creator is Shonda Rhimes. She's been nominated for five Primetime Emmys, one for her earlier works like the original Bridgerton series and the longstanding program Grey's Anatomy.
When and where: All six episodes are streaming now on Netflix.
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Silo
Streaming on Apple TV+
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“I think if you're familiar with the books, definitely check it out. But I also think if you generally like sci-fi, it's worth checking out.” — Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly
The basics: Living in a community located in an underground silo, Juliette seeks to see if there’s more outside of this prison-like place than what she and everybody in it is meant to believe.
What it might remind you of: The show is based on the Silo book series by Hugh Howey. The tension this offers might also remind you of 10 Cloverfield Lane, an enthralling sci-fi story with tension that comes from its claustrophobic premise. For my gamers out there, I’d say this could also remind you of the Fallout series, with the underground silo being a similar feeling to the "vaults" that make the series of games so iconic.
Who's behind it: The show was created by Graham Yost, who’s also been the executive producer for the great FX programs Justified and The Americans. Yost also was the screenwriter for the action-thriller Speed starring Keanu Reaves. So just know that Silo’s interesting premise is in good hands.
When and where: Episodes 1 & 2 are streaming now on Apple TV+ and Episode 3 releases Friday, May 12.
Jury Duty
Streaming on Freevee & Amazon Prime Video
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“Right now when there's so much tension going on, we're kind of returning to this whole idea of wanting to [release] something that proves that there's still kindness in the world, and this is a show that does that so well.” – Melanie McFarland, Salon
The basics: An improvised American jury trial occurs where only one person isn’t IN on the joke. Everyone else involved looks to push the limits of how much they can get away with.
What it might remind you of: Punked or Impractical Jokers in the way it tries to put unsuspecting people into confusing situations. This court format helps with this series since it also allows you to sit with each character a little longer and understand their shticks. The show is also just more than pulling a prank on someone, so it doesn’t feel as messy as Punked was meant to be in the early 2000s.
Who's behind it: The show creators are Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. Both were producers for a little show called The Office, which can spring up in your head when the show cuts to the jurors doing “interviews” with a cameraman. They also worked together writing the film Year One starring Jack Black and Michael Cera, so plenty of funny projects that would prep you for this series.
When and where: All eight episodes are streaming now on the Freevee App and Amazon Prime Video.
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