Television is back, albeit with shorter seasons after a prolonged writers' strike set production back a couple months earlier this year. The big debuts include a courtroom thriller, a MAGA-inspired drama, and a Game of Thrones prequel. But are they worth watching?
Salon's Melanie McFarland and NPR's Eric Deggans joined AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news program, to share their thoughts on all shows new and returning. Common themes? Class, sex, and corruptible superheroes.
Presumed Innocent
This crime drama tells the story of a Chicago prosecutor who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a colleague.
"I like this more than I thought I was going to," said NPR's Deggans.
Inspired by Scott Turow's beloved 1987 courtroom thriller of the same name, the show digs into social issues like racism and sexism while having solid characters and writing. Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the series as Rusty Sabich, who "will be revealed to have done some terrible stuff," says Deggans. He adds that it's a good thing the audience likes this actor for that very reason.
Why it works
Ultimately, says Deggans the show has "great supporting actors and I think they do a good job of scripting it out."
Presumed Innocent is streaming on Apple TV+. Episodes 1 and 2 are out now.
The Boys
Amazon Prime's Emmy-winning hit series The Boys is back for Season 4! Based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, it follows a group of regular individuals trying to take down superheroes who abuse their powers.
"The Boys is one of those series that initially I would have said, if you were a huge comic book fan, it would be really special to you," says Salon's McFarland. But, she adds, Marvel and DC have permeated the culture so much that you don't have to be the world's biggest comic book fan to love The Boys.
"It takes this idea of looking at what would happen if superheroes actually existed and how corruptible they are," says McFarland.
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Corruptible superheroes? Sounds intriguing, if believable.
Deggans adds "it basically pokes and satirizes two different things: it goes after Marvel and DC and the sanitized world of typical comic book superheroes. It's also pokes at Trumpism and conservatism."
Why it works
The Boys reveals "the way in which MAGA-style politics has entwined itself in media and politics...it's all explored in this TV show," says Deggans.
Episodes 1 through 3 of The Boys Season 4 out now on Amazon Prime.
"It takes this idea of looking at what would happen if superheroes actually existed and how corruptible they are."
Bridgerton
Bridgerton is back with part 2 of Season 3 and focuses on the youngest daughter of the rival family, Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan.
"This season for me," says McFarland, "really goes over and above what the previous seasons do." How? Penelope's quest to find a husband offers a subtext about a woman's agency.
"She was supposed to have been a spinster," says McFarland. "She is actually the true identity of a high-society columnist, Lady Whistledown, whose identity is not known to the local rich people."
Why it works
Penelope starts "embracing her skills and talents rather than hiding who she is to seem appropriate and acceptable to society," says McFarland. And also? "It has a satisfying ending."
The last four episodes of Bridgerton season 3 are streaming now on Netflix.
To hear our critics full reviews of these shows, along with their thoughts on HBO's House of the Dragons and Hitler and the Nazis, listen to the full episode of TV Talk here:
