Every Wednesday, Anaïs Bordages and Marie Telling decipher for Slate.fr the news of the series with Peak TV, a newsletter coupled with a podcast.
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Are you starting to feel like you are extras in a disaster series too? In any case, reality seems more and more surreal and dystopian. And the effects of the pandemic are being felt as far as Hollywood, where a large majority of series productions have been at a standstill for a few days.
Netflix has suspended production of all of its series filmed in the United States and Canada, including the new seasons of Grace and Frankie and Stranger Things, while their productions in other countries are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
NBC, CBS, ABC, Apple TV +, FX, Hulu and HBO are also among the channels that have paused their productions. To give you an idea, this affects (among others) the new seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Morning Show, Euphoria, Atlanta, Riverdale, Fargo, Servant, For All Mankind, Grey’s Anatomy, Superstore…
This upheaval is likely to be felt in the long term, both through its impact on the entertainment economy and on the schedule of future broadcasts. In France, Séries Mania, one of the main international festivals around series, has been canceled – and with it a handful of world premieres.
However, with the quarantine now in place, we have never needed more series to occupy us and change our minds. In this newsletter, therefore, a lot of recommendations to fill your TV days. But first of all, we tell you about a new series where fiction flirts with reality: The Plot Against America.
For information: we are all going to have to spend a lot of time at home over the next few weeks. During the confinement period, this newsletter therefore becomes weekly, to offer you all the series advice you will need. If you want a custom serial recommendation, email [email protected] telling us what you are looking for depending on your situation; we will try to give you several options.
In the meantime, good luck, and stay at home!
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Le gros plan: «The Plot Against America» (OCS)
When we learned that David Simon, the creator of The Wire, Treme, The Deuce and Show Me a Hero, was going to tackle the uchronic novel by Philip Roth, we had a mini-orgasm and we wondered if the series could really live up to our disproportionate expectations. Fortunately, the answer is yes.
In six episodes, the showrunner American offers us a fable both faithful to his original work and prophetic of a contemporary America devoured by populism and intolerance.
In his 2004 novel, Philip Roth reimagined his childhood in 1940s New Jersey. In this version, aviator Charles Lindbergh, known for his crossing of the Atlantic but also for his Nazi sympathies and his strong anti-Semitic tendencies, won the White House facing Roosevelt. Roth then described, from the point of view of a 9-year-old child, the daily life of a Jewish family affected by increasingly violent anti-Semitic policies.
The series takes the same plot, opening the point of view to the rest of the family – even if little Philip, played with great sensitivity by Azhy Robertson (Marriage Story), remains the emotional anchor of the story.
Through each member of the family, David Simon explores the different reactions to the rise of a totalitarian regime and the implementation of repressive policies, the desperate obstinacy of the father, who refuses to flee a country that has always been hers, to the anguish of the mother, who takes the measure of the danger before everyone else, through the denial of the aunt (Winona Ryder, upsetting) and the older brother, who are seduced by Lindbergh despite everything. The series shows how politics and history can destroy a strong family nucleus and confiscate the innocence they deserve from children.
One might wonder why David Simon, a former journalist whose previous works were anchored in an almost naturalistic reality, decided to adapt an uchronic novel. But through fiction, The Plot Against America offers a sharp commentary on Trump’s America.
The parallel between Lindbergh’s hateful populism and that of the current American president is obvious, and one inevitably thinks of the thousands of children victims of the policy of separation of migrant families in the United States when one sees the suffering of little Philip. and his friend Seldon in the series.
The Plot Against America comes out as America experiences a resurgence of racial and anti-Semitic hatred. It also comes out in an election year, and judging from the place given to elections in Roth and Simon’s tale (until the last minute), it’s no accident.
Yes, we stick to the news! In recent months, disaster series have invaded our screens: Chernobyl, Years and Years, The Collapse … As the Covid-19 sows panic and reality seems to move closer and closer to these terrible scenarios, we ask ourselves: why are we so fascinated by the end of the world? Can we learn from these TV series? We talk about it in this new episode, with the co-creators of the series The collapse (Canal+).
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We also watch
Westworld (OCS) – We don’t understand much about this series which has clearly jumped 278 sharks since season 1, but we continue to watch it for the cast, the music and the production values always at the top.
Breeders (Canal+) – A squeaky comedy about two politically incorrect parents overwhelmed by the education of their kids. It’s up to you to see if you want to quarantine this with your children.
Elite (Netflix) – At the end of three seasons, the formula becomes a bit easy and repetitive, but in terms of entertainment which offers a break to the neurons, we have rarely done better.
L’épisode culte: «Shame, Shame, Shame» («Treme», S1E5)
The concept of cult episode is difficult to apply to David Simon, as his work is reluctant to bend to the episodic format. Instead, each of his series adopts a naturalistic literary style, where multitudes of characters and plots intersect, revealing an overview that does not really obey traditional narrative structures.
This is even more the case with Treme, which follows the daily life of many New Orleans residents a few months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and which links the experience of all these characters, largely through music. Season 1 of Treme opens and ends with a fanfare, emblem of this city of party and jazz where every day-to-day event is a pretext for celebration.
Like every episode, “Shame, Shame, Shame” is punctuated by several long and catchy musical sequences, which implicitly tell the emotional state of the characters and their relationships between them.
Davis, a white resident of Treme, convinces some of the city’s top musicians to record a satirical piece with him for George W. Bush.
Later, Antoine Batiste, played by the great Wendell Pierce, plays the trombone in the courtyard of his building in the middle of the night, in recognition of the wealthy Japanese businessman who has just bought him an instrument.
The scene is like Antoine’s gesture; of overwhelming simplicity, it says a lot about human generosity and the healing power of art – and difficult, when reviewing it, not to think of the Italians on their balconies at the moment.
In “Shame, Shame, Shame”, tragedy also rubs shoulders with poetry, when a festive parade ends in a shootout.
Rather than episodes, Treme produces unforgettable moments. These can be terrifying scenes – the assault of a bar owner, the tragic death of a character, or the moments before the hurricane hit. But more often than not, the series manages to draw beauty from the dramatic circumstances undergone by its characters. An ode to mutual aid and creativity in difficult times, that’s exactly what we need this week.
The battle of crushs: Anthony Boyle and Morgan Spector (the cousin and the father in “The Plot Against America”)
The series is very generous in crushes, and our hearts are swinging between two very good options:
Alvin (le cousin): From his first appearance, his mischievous demeanor, his desire for rebellion and his desire to “Kill Nazis” have given us everything back.
Herman (the father): With his black curls, his face of a Greek hero and his passion for political broadcasts, he makes us want to listen to France Inter’s “7/9” every morning in bed with him.
Screenshot.
Quarantaine & chill
All our recommendations for a peaceful and entertaining quarantine.
Better Things (Canal+) – This is one of the best series of recent years, at the same time funny, surprising, heartwarming and very ambitious on what it says about femininity or motherhood. Do not hesitate!
Catastrophe (Canal+) – Do not be fooled by its title, this comedy is not about the coronavirus but about two strangers who get into a relationship and decide to raise a child after a one night stand. Four seasons of crying laughing over being stuck with someone: perfect for 40s.
The Leftovers (OCS) – If you are one of those people who love catharsis, immerse yourself in this masterpiece which shows in three seasons that even in situations of deep despair, the only thing we have is our faith in it. ‘other.
RuPaul’s Drag Race (Netflix) – Nothing can cheer you up as effectively as this flamboyant show where drag queens compete and claim their rights. queerness To our delight.
High Maintenance (OCS) – We told you about it in the last newsletter: few series match the comforting sweetness and good humor of this anthology about a weed seller in New York and his customers.
Jane the Virgin (Netflix) – An addictive comedy about a young virgin woman who gets pregnant, played by an irresistible Gina Rodriguez. With its five seasons of twists and turns worthy of the best telenovelas, the series should occupy a good part of your forties.
Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City (Netflix) – Nothing better than a Japanese reality TV show where there is almost nothing going on to clear your brain in these very stressful times. The principle: three girls and three boys share a house in Tokyo. Everyone is super polite and respectful, and there is hardly ever a hassle. Relaxing as you wish.
Fleabag (Amazon Prime) – You’ve been drunk for over a year with this brilliant British bittersweet comedy led by the hilarious Phoebe Waller-Bridge. So if you still haven’t seen her, now is the time.
Band of Brothers (OCS) – A great HBO classic, this 2001 miniseries follows an American regiment before, during and after the Normandy landings. In ten episodes, she paints a portrait of the worst and the best of human nature in a unique historical moment, all served by a golden cast (Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, David Schwimmer…).
The West Wing – The cult series of Aaron Sorkin is unfortunately not available on streaming platforms in France, but we trust you to find a solution. You will then have access to seven seasons of political utopia, frenzied dialogue, exhilarating speeches and ultra-endearing characters.
These texts appeared in the bimonthly newsletter (weekly during confinement) Peak TV.
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