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lockdownuk · 4 years

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Lockdown Diary Part 8

A personal account during the lockdown in the UK due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

23/03/2020 8:30pm Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, gives a live address to the nation to, effectively, put the country on lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus strain, Covid-19.

Many of us have been self-isolating for days but this latest development within the UK in reaction to the pandemic feels very serious and very scary. I decided to keep a simple diary and where better but online.

Day 211: I stayed up till 5am last night. The last thing I watched was Ronny Chieng, a Malaysian comic in the states. It was a Netflix comedy special and bloody funny. Other than that, a quiet night, nowhere near as fucked as Friday night. As I type, I am about to finish off spicy af sausage cassserole for tea and watch a film - all quite sedate. I’ve work tomorrow, after all!

Day 212: Every time I try and watch something on Amazon Prime, it errors or doesn’t load so I have to uninstall and reinstall, which is a pain the fucking arse. Glad I don’t pay for it. I watched half of the Tom Hanks film last night, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, based on a real life children’s TV actor. It’s good but weird. I’ll finish it tonight. Jo Broom called and told me (well, reminded me of, actually) some good info, especially about insulin lasting 4 hours and the liver producing sugar for when you wake up). Day 213: I didn’t watch the rest of that Tom Hanks film last night, doing so right now. I got a call @5.30pm from Tall Tom asking to pop round which he did (social-distancing at the front door). He dropped of a canvas print he’d ordered of on eof my pictures from FB. Fucking gobsmacked! That’s how much he likes them. I am still in shock. What a brilliant thing to do! Day 214: Finished A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood last night, I enjoyed it. Today has been standard. Half way through the third week back from furlough and, while I am still very glad to be working, I now also relish pasrt of being paid 80% for fuck all! My walks have been tentative today, I have done something to my right ankle, it feels sore but OK when walking at pace. My phone and Google Fit are playing up - I am suddenly walking 8km/h! Day 215: Phoned Dad - Rita sent an email a couple of days ago telling of a lump in his ear which he had removed and they are going to check for cancer. When I spoke with him it was usual dad - nothing to worry about. He spoke very highly of the staff at Stamford Hospital where he had it done. They took skin from his nesxk to put on his ear lobe where they performed the op. I had pie and veg tonight. It’s a real change and I am stuffed as I type this. SB pee-ed me off at work big time late this afternoon. Diary updated! Day 216: Dan’s in court today for his drink driving escapade. I think he’s pleading not guilty - I’m not sure, neither has he been each time I have talked to him about it. It was scheduled at 4pm and he’s meant to let me know how it went. As I type, it’s just gone 9pm. Fuck knows what’s happening. I guess he’ll let me know in his own time. Meanwhile, work was OK, nothing hectic, I am on my first Friday beer, just about to eat meatballs and pasta and watch Taxi, a film written by Luc Besson. End of my 3rd week back and it’s a bit like I wasn’t furloughed for 6 months!

Day 217: I switched off that Taxi film after 30 minutes. It was bollocks. Dan got a 20 month ban (reduced to 15, if he does a course, which he says he will) and £1100 fine. At least it’s over and done with now. I got up at gone 2pm today. I have to cut this late sleeping habit out at the weekends. That being said, it’s 8.40pm, just about to dive in the shower, eat and then get on it. Clocks go back later so I’ve an extra hour to play with!

Day 218: Still managed to stay up stupidly late last night, up at before 1pm (but in real terms, that’s just before 2pm!) Had a video chat with Fog - I was meant to go up to his yesterday to listen to the footy but, ‘cos I was up so late, I didn’t. Anyway, during our chat, we’ve decidied to go to Honolulu when it’s safe, specifically to go to McDs. It was a bizarre conversation - I can’t actually remember the details!

Day 219: The lady (I think it’s a lady) from the Oundle Chronicle emailed to say she didn’t think William (the student) has contacted me (he has but is fucking useless), so she’s found some questions for me to answer and wants me to pick my favourite 4 (hi-res) photos. I’ve written a couple of paragraphs that answer her questions and I was to pick photos that have had the most likes on FB - finding that info out, without trawling back over my posts, is easier said than done! Got the car tyres sorted today - an advisory from the MOT that Julian did last week.. I do like Oundle Tyre and Exhaust centre. Work was fine. Marke had to deal with Eileen Baxter and chatted to me about it. I had it all the week before last. She’s delightful but the least IT savvy person I have ever known in a workplace whereby a computer is integral to the role!

Day 220: I’ve been doing press-ups and toe tocuhes after each exercise for a little while now. 7 press-ups, doesn’t sound much but when I did it before and rapidly increased the numbers (up to 22), it played havoc with my shoulder which I thought was becoming frozen. So, I will icrease the amount slowly. I can just about touch my toes now. When I started, I barely got past my fucking knees! Work was standard today and I had an interesting chat with a recruiter about a job at Jagex, a computer game firm responsible for Runescape which is, apparently, a big deal. Posh playing tonight. At one point, when leading at home to Burton we were top. Now it’s 2-2 with minutes to go and we’re third with fucking Lincoln top. Day 221: I sent an email to Shirley from HR (re) asking about the salary discrepancy between mine and Mark’s. She’s going to talk to me tomorrow about it. I had a lomng chat with Barrzy tonight, always good to catch up and reminisce. I’ve just had two sausage rolls (on the cheap shelf from Co-Op, Dauphinoise dotatoes (ditto), mixed green veg and onion gravy for tea and I am fucking stuffed.

Day 222: Typing at gone 4pm on day 223! Had a meet with Shirley. No dice on the pay until it can be reviewed next year. All pay reviews are on hold. She explained that the salary offer was based on available budget rather than a pay grade or bench mark. Day 223: Typing this very late on day 224. Usual Friday. Work, beers, bed at 5am. went up Fog’s for a couple and watched Train to Busan. Day 224: I swore blind, when I woke and got up (2.24pm) I would have a day off from exercise. Stair climb and 10km walk done! Leigh from Oundle Chronicle messaged chasing my answers for the article. Last night, someone posted such great pics on the Oundle Chatter group that it makes me think twice about posting my photos. I tell everyone I just point and snap with my phone camera and, while it is the phone camera, I do so much pissing about with Google photos I feel like a con, it doesn’t sit well with me. Made lasagne for tea. Fucking lush - lardons, scothc bonnet and an Oxo cube really helped, I think. It’s 11:44pm as I type, 15 mins and I’ll deliver K’s birthday card. Not sure what I am hoping to come out of that, really. Just can’t let go! Day 225: Stupidly late one again last night. Up at 2pm. I’ve responded to Leigh at the Oundle Chronicle - why I make it so hard, I do not know, I really overthink some things. Eye appointment tomorrow, 9.50am, which Sam, Mr. Minos’s secretary offered me when she called on friday. Sueanne was very cool about it when I checked it was OK. So, now I am fretful of what will happen! More lasering, I reckon.

Day 226: Eye clinic was not great. I need lasering in my right eye, so that will be both eyes. Mr. Hussain, the consultant that ive seen loads including today, explained that the field of vision is affected that it can mean I am not allowed to drive. In one eye it doesn’t matter, in both the DVLA will order a test and, if the field isn’t wide enough, means I won’t get a license to drive. Shit! K WhatsApp to thank me for the card plus some ‘chat’ which ended uninvitingly (i.e., end of conversation!). I just replied that I was glad she liked it (the card),

Something is up with my left thumb, it’s sore by the nail, as if it’s ingrowing, but it isn’t. Fuck knows what it is and it’s really bothering me, very painful. Pretty shit day, all in all. Day 227: Called the surgery about my thumb and Dr. leijsen called me back, asked some questions about the photo (I had to take a pic and send it in), including whether there’s any pus, and then said she’ll prescribed anti-biotics. Later today, it started to leak pus, and feel better! But, it’s still not right so I’‘l take the course. Looks like I have got an interview for the IT support job at Jagex, got a call from the recruiter today, just need confirmation. Spoke with Shirley from HR about the fact I might not be able to drive in the future. She was pretty cool about it in a kind of cross-that-bridge way and suggested I run it past Sueanne.

Day 228: Spoke with Sueanne about my impending eye lasering which is on Friday ay 3.30pm, the hospital called to let me know, she was very cool about it and even suggested I take Monday off! More importantly, she spoke of the non-driving as no factor to worry about job wise, especially as we are all WfH nowadays. I have an interview at Jagex, well, Zoom, but it is on Friday, 1pm.

Day 229: Told Mark at work about the lasering adn potential non-driving. I think it shocked him a little. I am worried about tomorrow, big time, although it’s just lasering - I’ve had it done before. I cannot wait for this time tomorrow (9.40pm). I have been trying to concentrate on preparing for the interview but it’s all too easy to get distracted. Day 230: Interview went OK. Eye appointment was horrible but bearable. The doc wants me to book in for more laser but, only so it can be reviewed and ‘topped up’ if need be. Better than a going for a check up and having to book another laser appointment thereafter. It’s near enough 9.00pm and I am going to enjoy a bear or two.

Day 231: No after affects to speak of from the eye appointment but I know lasering has occurred. It’s like I haven’t got the full set of cells recieve information from yje pupil. It’s intangible but still perceptible. Great walk today, took some cracking photos - very pleasing. More booze and draw tonight and, hopefully, up tomorrow before the 2.20pm wake up time of today. Posh beat Oxford away (1-2) in the FA Cup 1st round.

Day 232: 2pm by the time I got out of bed. I’ve got to curb this habit. Missed calls from Dad but answered one from Rita just before going for a walk when I promised to phone tomorrow. Day 233: I think SB wa surprised was at work today. I ordered two rugs (from irugs.co.uk). They are 8x5″ and were 75% off, £58 ea. One for under the table (desk) and I put one in the spare room. Hopefully keep the house a tad warmer. Getting into Barry on Sky Comedy. Barry’s a hit man. It’s darkly intriguing. I took a couple of pics of a solitary poppy today, icuding a couple of macros. They turned out OK so will post one on Wednesday (11/11). Talking of photos, two people (one is Alison Brighty) asked for a jpeg of one of the photos I posted on Saturday so they can get it printed.

Day 234: Spoke with dad today, let him know the situation with my eyes which, I think worries him, so I hate to do it but, also, he needs to know, just in case.

Day 235: The poppy pic I posted was very well received, over 160 likes on the Oundle chatter page and Jo Langford wants the original (why she can’t take it of FB?) to print off, which is nice. I am working on Saturday - gotta attend a meeting at 8am. FFS! SB also agreed for me to back on call, cool!

Day 236: Average sort of day. I really wish I wasn’t working on Saturday! OH, Dan messaged...first I’ve heard from him for over two weeks...he’s got two days of so he can watch all the US Masters which started today, and was good watching. So, not that average a day afterall, now that I think back on it. Day 237: Woke up at 9.14am today, yikes! Messaged with Dan a lot as he is home watching the US Masters...told him abbout my eye issues and the fact there’s a chance of losing my driving license. Also, in a silly facebook post and comments, about me not being able to drink tonight ‘cos of work tomorrow, Scottish Ricky asked if I was OK. I replied, not really, meaning that I’m pissed off I can’t get pissed. He messaged to say if I ever need to chat. Fucking great bloke. I rang him to let him know I was not being serious on FB and we chatted for 30 mins or so. Top man. still, it does remian that I am missing a beer this Friday - roll on tomorrow night!

Day 238: Work thsi morning was OK, finished at midday. Watchung golf, having abeer or two right now (just gone 8pm). Posh lost away to Crewe 0-2. Day 239: Up at 2pm after a good few drinks last night (and some silly video posting on FB of me trying shit lager - Corrs Light - with hot sauce). Just settling down to watch Dustin Johnson win the Masters - he’s -20 with 2 to play, no one near him.

Day 240: I ordered some slippers from Amazon that arrived today. They were also returned today. I’m destined to never find a decent, non-expensive pair.

DJ did win the golf.

I watched Jojo Rabbit this evening. A first class film.

#diary #Tumblr diary #lockdown #COVID19 #lockdownuk

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thecomedybureau · 4 years

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The 100 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness to In No Particular Order of 2019

OK, 2019′s officially over and we’ve wrangled our 100 truly favorite things in and around comedy (and it really spans all of comedy) that are not ranked whatsoever. It’s just like the title says and, it’s, as it is every year, quite long, so we won’t waste any more time with this intro.

Oh, in case you forgot and/or curious and/or need a quick refresher, here’s our 2018 list.

1. Rory Scovel Live Without Fear-This documentary follows Rory Scovel and his journey through six nights of completely improvised hour sets. In a single word, it’s inspiring. You see the way Scovel truly connects the audience and keeps it that way through his indelible charm and endless curiosity. The near unbelievable story of the Relapse Theater in Atlanta is also beautifully threaded in the doc as well. The clips of the improvised performances capture the magic that stand-up comedy can be that’s absent from the majority of comedy specials. You should be required to see this whenever and wherever it comes if you have any level of interest in comedy at all.

2. Naomi Ekperigin-From her own stand-up, to her podcast with husband Andy Beckerman, Couples Therapy, and her writing across TV, and everything else she does, Naomi is such an thoroughly commanding, yet delightful presence that we love seeing every time anywhere (and she should already be way bigger of a star already).

3. Cait Raft’s Presentation on “Bradley Cooper’s a Star Is Born Takes Place in an Alternate Reality Where 9/11 Never Happened”-Witnessing the imagination of Cait Raft up close was a privilege for us. This amazing dissection of the zeitgeist left us in stitches and with our mouth agape for how thoroughly it proved its point.

4. Corporate Season 2-The second season of the ultra dark workplace comedy delivered once again on its hysterical nihilistic satire that’s so prescient, yet still so unbelievably funny.

5. Mom-Prov Presents Family Therapy-Improviser Izzy Roland was daring enough to have her mom and her grandmother, both of whom are also in showbiz, to join her on stage for one of the most madcap, fourth wall-breaking, entertaining improv shows we’ve seen all throughout 2019.

6. Jena Friedman-So, this year, Jena delivered yet again with her subtle delivery and calm demeanor that hides her absolutely killer jokes. The follow-up to her Adult Swim special, Soft Focus, upped the ante with an interview of a gun-toting John McAffee and her brilliant Conan set about everyone’s true crime obsession.

7. Brendon Walsh’s Afternoon Delight-This last year, Brendon Walsh let everyone know that he was and still is one of the best at pulling prank calls, which is so much harder now than it was even ten years ago. This live show actually has Brendon place live prank calls in between stand-ups and the ride you go on is absolutely thrilling.

8. Jacqueline Novak’s Get on Your Knees-Novak’s solo show has more than earned its spot as an Off-Broadway show with bringing such an exquisite, almost never before seen comedic sensibility to the topic of blow jobs.

9. #F*ckF*ckJerry-Props to Vulture Senior Editor Megh Wright for sparking the fire to take out the egregious social media accounts of F*ck Jerry that just lifted jokes from comedians all across the Internet without pay or attribution.

10. Lorelei Ramirez-We’ve known distantly about Lorelei Ramirez for so many years, but seeing them up close was a breathtaking experience that had us laughing so hard. Their artistry in comedy that gracefully borders on performance art and even horror is absolutely inspiring.

11. Aaron Urist-Denver’s Aaron Urist is such a killer joke writer and joke teller and has been for years. We just were reminded about that with his burning bush joke during his latest LA trip.

12. Booksmart-Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut was not only a reinvigorated take on movies that specifically hone in on the end of high school, but also had a sincerely hopeful vision of the future generation. We hope that Booksmart finds its way to the top of the coming-of-age comedy films pantheon.

13. Rachel Mac on Lights Out-One of the highlights of Lights Out with David Spade is how unfiltered and raunchy they let comics get during their sets on the show. Rachel Mac took that amount of comedic license and thrived in getting into the nitty gritty about her last teaching job.

14. What We Do In The Shadows-The FX TV adaptation of the seminal Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement film in 2014 exceedingly succeeds in nailing the comedy of minutia in the world of the undead that also happens to be in a (somewhat) grounded reality.

15. PEN15-Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle’s vision of 2000 and their performances as teens were so spot on that PEN15 would deserve acclaim just for that. However, the heart of this show made its humor stand out in an ever crowded field of coming-of-age comedy.

16. Tiffany Haddish’s Black Mitzvah-A lot has happened for Tiffany Haddish since her last special (she’s a legit A-list celebrity now), but it’s clear that she is still her unapologetically positively, life loving self. This special is evidence of that, especially with her bit about her New Year’s show that she got undeserved flack for.

17. Straw Men-Lindsay Adams, Danny Palumbo, and Sam Wiles (and producer Kimmie Lucas) put on what is our favorite imagining of a comedic debate that we’ve seen thus far. The encouragement to make the most ridiculous, baseless arguments and being transparent about the whole thing is a golden goose of comedy.

18. The ending of Gloria Bell-Well, we can’t very well give away the ending to this English language dramedy remake from Sebastián Lelio that has Julianne Moore shine as bright as she has ever shone before, but just know that we stood out of our seats, applauding what she did to John Turturro right at the end.

19. I Think You Should Leave-Tim Robinson’s unflinchingly absurd sketch series unequivocally has many of the best sketches of 2019. The hot dog costume and Mexican restaurant sketches will have us busting up through, very likely, the next decade.

20. Les Miz and Friends-Bonkers (and we mean that in the best way possible) doesn’t begin to describe how wild this meta and great this puppet and human hybrid take on the theater institution of Les Miserables. The sheer cleverness on every level is awe-inspiring.

21. Dave Ross’ The Only Man Who Has Ever Had Sex-Ross has been a longtime favorite of ours for the contrasting bounciness and darkness of his comedy. His debut album captures this dichotomy perfectly.

22. Nikki Glaser: Bangin’-Nikki Glaser’s first Netflix hour special started off with a bang, pun intended. Her frank, but heartfelt exploration of all facets of sex is so damn funny that Glaser gets away with being as blue as she wants.

23. Super Dating Simulator-This live, interactive version of various Japanese video game dating simulators is one of the more innovative and surprisingly charming things we saw this year. Creator Sam Weller did a bang-up job not only making a video game work as a stage show, but doing so with a very off-beat sub-genre of video games

24. Emmy Blotnick’s Party Nights-Blotnick’s latest album shows Emmy at the peak of her delightful observational powers. The concept of a “Self-Potato” is just priceless.

25. Tammercise!-Folks in comedy are getting all sorts of clever these days to redefine traditional formats and disciplines and push the art form forward. Madeline Wager does this exquisitely with a solo show of a woman unraveling that doubles as legit aerobics class.

26. The Cherry Orchard w/Chad Damiani and Jet Eveleth-Damiani and Eveleth explore a new angle on postmodern clowning by supposedly doing a Chekov play going through dress rehearsal without any of the players knowing what they’re supposed to do. The back and forth between the live direction and the tomfoolery on stage is truly hysterical.

27. Bake Stuff with Lindsay LIVE-It’s about time for a comedic cooking show that actually does teach you a wonderful recipe and also explores and resolves(?) childhood trauma. Lindsay Adams’ Bake Stuff with Lindsay, which we indeed saw live, accomplishes all of that and inspires all those watching to cook through their feelings.

28. Shalewa Sharpe’s So, You Just Out Here?-Shalewa imbues homespun wisdom with marvelously colorful descriptions all throughout this very satisfying album.

29. The Amazing Johnathan Documentary from Ben Berman-The Amazing Johnathan’s life story is pretty captivating as is. The story about Ben Berman trying to tell his story amidst several other people trying to tell his story is absolutely engrossing and is somehow all true.

30. Julio Torres’ HBO special “My Favorite Shapes”-Torres’ special is simultaneously one of the most daring and silly hour specials in recent memory and his elevation of prop comedy to a whole new level is to be commended.

31. The Underculture with James Adomian-James Adomian has been one of comedy podcasts’ most in-demand and bright shining stars. It comes as no surprise that his own podcast that revs up all his characters has some of the best, most dynamic, absurdist interviews in political and pop culture satire.

32. Daniel Van Kirk’s Thanks Diane/Together Tour-Van Kirk’s first, complete hour that he both toured with and released as an album is so impressive with how deftly Dan manages a balance of sincerity and mischief from wire-to-wire.

33. Conan in Greenland-Conan marvelously turns his travel specials series Conan Without Borders on its head by attempting to buy Greenland based off of Trump’s stupid tweets.

34. Mary Beth Barone’s Drag His Ass: A F*ckboy Treatment Program-Mary Beth Barone’s live show exploration into her dating life is illuminating and hilarious throughout, but the actual interview that she does live with a “f*ckboy” is transcendent.

35. Obvious Plant’s Carnival of Toys-Jeff Wysaski AKA Obvious Plant really outdid himself this year in his quest to permeate everyday reality with a satirical twist. He not only made a whole line of custom toy figures that satirize pop culture on so many levels, but opened up a whole pop-up museum for several days to exhibit them in all of their bizarre glory.

36. Sports Without Equipment with Coach Keith Alejo-This Dress Up Gang sketch is one of those ideas that are simple, yet so out-of-left-field. Literally, they take sports without equipment to its funniest conclusion.

37. #Squatmelt-Howard Kremer’s desire to keep the spirit of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail alive has evolved into its own very special thing in the form of a DIY stand-up comedy show/walking tour that periodically migrates around LA.

38. Catch-22-Trying to adapt such a monumental literary work like Catch-22 is almost a fool’s errand, but writers Luke Davies and David Michôd do a smash-up job for not only bringing Heller’s immortal words to life, but also sticking the landing for all the darkly absurdly comical moments that run rampant throughout the story.

39. Get Rich Nick-Even if they didn’t have the fantastic banter, riffs, and asides from the very funny duo of Nick Turner and Nick Vatterott, this podcast that explores how to make money real quick is one of the best new podcasts of the whole year. Fortunately, Nick and Nick’s humor runs rampant through every episode and makes Get Rich Nick engrossing and makes you actually laugh out loud.

40. MK Paulsen-The comedy of MK Paulsen can be faster than a bullet, but as satisfyingly silly as a gun that shoots a flag with the word ‘bang’ on it. Every time we see him do stand-up, it’s a fun, rollicking ride that’s equal parts offbeat whimsy, clever wordplay, and an agile sense of timing and play.

41. Father Figurine by Matt Kazman-The dour faces of the family in this dark comedy short play to the highest comedic effect perfectly. A dead patriarch and an apathetic family make for some of the best dry humor in 2019.

42. Funk Shuffle-Danny Cymbal, Dennis Curlett, and Michael Gardner comprise Funk Shuffle, an improv group that manages fly freer and more untethered than almost any other improv group that we’ve ever seen. They make their defiance and experimentation with improv forms really work due to the trio’s unflinchingly playful spirit.

43. Gary Gulman’s The Great Depresh-Gulman, as one of comedy’s premier craftsman, of course, delivers an hour of stellar comedy with this special. He also manages, this time around, to destigmatize depression and, in general, be hopeful. That particular comedy trifecta is such an impressive feat that very few can accomplish.

44. Greener Grass-The scope and ambition of Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe’s directorial debut hints at some really special things to come from them in the future. Their absolutely demented, pastel drenched absurdist vision was a shocking delight through and through.

45. Jenny Slate’s Stage Fright-Slate’s best comedic strength is her unshakeable vulnerability. This hour special lets Jenny present that trait as intimately as she has ever presented it and gives an in-depth look as to where that hilarious vulnerability comes from.

46. Heather Anne Campbell swatting a baby out of someone’s hands in an improv scene-At this point, it should come as no surprise that Heather Anne Campbell is one of our absolute all-time favorite people in comedy and thus, she kind of just ends up making it on this list annually on her own someway, somehow. This year, during a performance of her improv group, Heather and Company, we laughed as hard as we’ve ever laughed at Drew DiFonzo Marks initiating a scene by rocking a baby back and forth and then, Heather insanely swatted it out of his hands and stomped on it. It sounds ludicrous, but trust that Heather made that so unbelievably funny.

47. Adam Cayton-Holland’s Happy Place-Cayton-Holland’s live solo show based on his critically acclaimed book of the same name pulls off oscillating between cleverly wrought and self-aware comedy and some of the most heartbreaking stories you’ll ever hear about his late sister. Holland’s focus and calm make it all miraculously blend together.

48. The Authorized Unauthorized My Favorite Murder Musical-In the world of unauthorized musicals about things that you wouldn’t really think about being adapted into unauthorized musicals (it’s a bigger ever-burgeoning world every month it seems), the staged reading of this My Favorite Murder-inspired musical that we saw was phenomenal. The full stage production to come in 2020 will undoubtedly be something really great.

49. Pedro Gonzalez-Pedro’s jokes are so expertly written and crafted that you forget that he immigrated to America as a teenager from Colombia and learned English as a second language.

50. Garry Starr Performs Everything-UK comedian Garry Starr’s solo show is a genius send-up and celebration of theater as a whole. The physicality and the sheer madness of the whole show are so thoroughly hysterical.

51. Kira Soltanovich-We just want to take a moment to appreciate the agility of the comedy of Kira Soltanovich. Not only does Kira play any room or any show as far as we’ve seen, but her drive is just unstoppable (see ep. of The Honey Dew).

52. Mike Birbiglia’s The New One-Though it seems almost too routine that Birbiglia comes out with a new hour special that garners tons of acclaim for its ornate and complex and, ultimately, very satisfying tapestry of stories, Birbiglia delivers exactly once again with one such solo show/special on fatherhood.

53. Michelle Buteau-We saw Michelle headline just a few months ago at Dynasty Typewriter and were reminded of just how good Buteau is. She combines being heartfelt, having a fun bit of attitude, and an absolute command of the stage in such a beautiful way.

54. Gareth Reynolds’ Riddled with Disease-Many folks know how great Gareth is from his madcap riffing on The Dollop, but Reynolds shows he is fantastic with a sharp, hilarious, yet still fast-and-loose-feeling hour.

55. Sara Schaefer’s LIVE LAUGH LOVE-Sara, above most folks working in comedy today, goes to great lengths to be considerate, inclusive, and vulnerable in her comedy and it’s so, so wonderful because of that. This album is yet another great example of that mix.

56. Sean Patton’s Scuttlebutt-Sean Patton’s latest album is a fantastic note to any and all that Sean is, hands down, one of the best comedians ever to spin a yarn (and also share some damn fine true stories) and deserves way more accolade and attention for that now and going forward.

57. Matt Rogers’ Have You Heard of Christmas?-Rogers had quite a 2019 in putting culture on notice, but his queer and subversive holiday musical extravaganza might be one of the best pieces of holiday themed comedy of all time.

58. The Chris Gethard Show with Robby Hoffman-Not only does Robby Hoffman keep the punk rock, conventions-be-damned spirit of TCGS alive, but she makes it so much her own and lets her hilarious, domineering persona transform the show into another very special, unique round of controlled chaos.

59. The taping of Eddie Pepitone’s latest special-Eddie’s sound and fury and his irreverent stream-of-consciousness-seeming comedy were flawless in this latest hour. Everyone in attendance, including ourselves, were in stitches for the whole taping. Props to director Steven Feinartz for one of our favorite looks of a special that we saw last year (which you’ll all get to see soon in 2020).

60. Eric Dadourian’s closer on Nebraska 2-Dadourian is always all in for the sake of a real bold, imaginative bit and, as such, pulled off one of our favorite closers of the year on his very first full length album.

61. Jessica Kirson: Talking to Myself-Kirson’s hour special on Comedy Central really let Jessica cut loose and let her showcase her stand-up expertise. From the way that Kirson contorts her face to her deep well of voices/characters to razor-sharp quick wit to, of course, her signature asides to herself, Jessica really kills it in this hour.

62. Brody Stevens-Long live the “jock doing performance art” comedy (one of our favorite descriptions of Brody’s comedy by his dear friend Zach Galifianakis) and may he rest in peace. Yeeeees! Enjoy It!

63. Byron Bowers on Colbert-Byron Bowers and his clever, yet sincere, dark, vulnerable comedy put up one of our favorite late night sets this year. From the opening to his frank jokes about his dad make us think that it’s just a little crazy that this is his network TV debut.

64. Desus and Mero on Showtime-With the upgrade of being on Showtime, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are having the most fun in late night with the freshest voices and format (and they’re able to pull that off with only being twice a week).

65. Fleabag Season 2-creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge assuredly has more masterpieces ahead of her, but managing to top herself from one masterpiece season of dark romantic dramedy with another one is something that deserves all the accolades and awards that it has gotten.

66. Kenny DeForest on Corden-Kenny dismantles toxic masculinity so incisively through the whole set that he most certainly earns all the applause breaks he gets the whole way through.

67. Josh Gondelman’s Dancing on a Weeknight-Gondelman is often thought of as one of the best, sweetest people in comedy. This latest album, for all of its being clever and genuine, is proof that he indeed really is that sweet and funny.

68. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 3-The perennial prestige comedy from Amy Sherman-Palladino earns its keep by having some of the best writing (it’s almost impossible to write jokes that are contextualized for the 50s/60s and make them actually funny for 2019 audiences) and also being one of the most gorgeous looking shows in all of television.

69. Nick Ciarelli and Brad Evans-Whether it be pulling pranks on Twitter, their plethora of hysterical sketches doing an impression of Jack FM on shows around town, or their monthly live sketch character showcase Atlantic City, Nick and Brad are a damn fine comedy duo and have been for quite some time.

70. Caitlin Gill’s Major-It’s quite the magic trick to make an hour of comedy that’s entirely clean and have it being clean not be a thought that you’re thinking about at all when listening or watching it. Caitlin Gill spectacularly does just that with this album as Gill can make all of her earnest rants, imagery, and observations work in any way that she needs to.

71. 97.9 The Rat Race-Ben Roy’s satirical reimagining of a morning radio “zoo crew” is so spot on, then gets real twisted to make this one of the most surprising and rewarding podcasts of 2019.

72. Mike Lane’s Picture Frames-This short film from Lane heightens the idea of remembering those you love after they’ve left this mortal coil to such a ridiculous level every step of the way (and is more and more enjoyably unpredictable the further it goes).

73. Paige Weldon on Corden-Paige’s upbeat self-deprecation is just hard to resist and it makes the best impression in this late night set on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

74. The Righteous Gemstones-Danny McBride’s latest HBO series that darkly and comically dissects the South might be his most ambitious yet, but, of course, he nails it. The constant suspense perpetuated by hysterically tragic characters in the world of televangelists is profound.

75. My Friend Chuck-Comedic erotica author Chuck Tingle (one of the absolutely most unique voices and cadences we’ve heard in awhile) and friend McKenzie Goodwin celebrate their friendship every week for a podcast that’s preposterously funny and, also, more heartwarming than almost anything we’ve heard or seen.

76. Joey Clift’s Telling People You’re Native American When You’re Not Native Is a Lot Like Telling a Bear You’re a Bear When You’re Not a Bear-Clift makes such biting, pun intended, commentary with this short film/PSA that is also so playful that the message about Native identity will undoubtedly stick with you.

77. Megan Gailey’s My Dad Paid For This-Gailey strikes a wonderful balance of charm and attitude and fervent desire to burn down the patriarchy. Such a mix accents her very delightful observations about herself and the world around her in this marvelous debut album.

78. Robin Higgins as Baby Yoda at Tournament of Nerds-Higgins might have made one of the best, first attempts at Baby Yoda cosplay. She also, for what’s supposed to be a roast-style competition between fictional/pop culture characters, perfectly imagined how Baby Yoda would roast someone while maintaining Baby Yoda’s sweetness that has captured the hearts and minds of the Internet.

79. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote-Terry Gilliam went through hell, did a few laps, and came back over several years to get this meta-quixotic tale about reimagining the legendary novel Don Quixote made. The finished film, for us, was worth the wait.

80. Jo Firestone on The Tonight Show-Jo’s sense of play is so pure and present that it’s kind of irresistible. Combined with a perfect amount of self-deprecation, Jo really delivered a terrific set we’ll probably never get tired of.

81. Paul Rudd continues his time honored tradition of playing that one clip of Mac & Me on Conan-Rudd evolves the arc of this long running bit on Conan where, instead of playing a clip of what he’s on Conan to promote, he plays the same exact clip of the universally panned alien comedy Mac & Me. We all know what’s coming and yet, without the benefit of surprise, Rudd’s annoyance of Conan still keeps on being so damn funny.

82. Billy on the Street featuring Reese and Mariah-This year, we were lucky enough to get two instantly classic episodes of Billy on the Street with Reese Witherspoon and Mariah Carey that gave us our fix for our obsession with Billy Eichner yelling at strangers on the streets of NYC.

83. The Dollop England & UK-As Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds embarked on an entire England & UK tour of The Dollop, they thought it prudent to do a mini-series specific to Great Britain and did a smashing job making fun of British history. The Cyril the Swan episode is particularly brilliant.

84. Lost Moon Radio-The live musical sketch comedy theater troupe (Lost Moon Radio truly lives up to such a description) marked their 10th anniversary and put on an absolutely fantastic “Summer Block Party” this year that both showed that they still got their ingenious musical sketch comedy chops.

85. Nate Bargatze’s The Tennessee Kid-The calm with which Bargatze pervades all of his comedy is part of what makes it beloved by nearly any and all that see or hear Bargatze’s stand-up. That’s such the case now that Nate gives updates to stories from previous specials on this latest hour.

86. Beth Stelling on Kimmel-Every detail of this set on Jimmy Kimmel Live is pretty stellar. That includes Beth, in general, for her warm demeanor, smile, and cleverness, the Chippendale’s story, Beth’s mom being there in the crowd, and, of course, the surprise guest at the end.

87. Liz Climo’s Please Don’t Eat Me-This illustrated book is just the latest in a long line of uber-adorable and genuinely-funny-for-all-ages books from Climo. Liz seems to have quite the knack for making unlikely animal friendship jokes.

88. John Hodgman’s Medallion Status-Hodgman’s journey through the various statuses of airline privilege/celebrity is a superb serving of existential humor, done up with Hodgman’s painstaking attention to the exactly right details.

89. Jane Curtin’s 2019 New Year’s Resolution “My New Year’s Resolution Is To Make Sure The Republican Party Dies”-Said during a CNN interview with the SNL alum, this was the first thing to make us heartily laugh in 2019.

90. Alex Kavutskiy’s Squirrel-Kavutskiy’s short film dives into the concept of forgiveness unlike we’ve really seen and, as is Kavutskiy’s style, is so darkly spellbinding and so pointedly funny at the same time.

91. Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show-The long running comedy troupe known as Astronomy Club really ran with their chance to do a full-fledged sketch series on Netflix. They’re so endlessly clever on in their sketches, especially when it comes to the subjects of identity and oppression, and pack in so many jokes and sight gags that you’ll definitely want to watch it more than once so you don’t miss anything.

92. Dolemite Is My Name-Eddie Murphy seems poised to make a real return to comedy (and stand-up comedy in particular) and this marvelous biopic of comedian and blaxploitation star Rudy Ray Moore AKA Dolemite is the perfect way to start.

93. Anna Drezen on Corden-Drezen has such a perfect sense of farce and misdirection and puts on a beautiful display of those two things from start to finish in this set on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

94. BUTT’s Yoda themed dating app sketch-This sketch is so prescient of the resurgence of the world’s current (baby) Yoda obsession. Also, while this is so absurd with its deep dive into various Yoda fan art and cosplay, Joe McAdam and Chris Stephens’ take on dating apps is so sharply and deeply funny.

95. Mel Brooks Unwrapped-The never ending bit of attempting a documentary between Mel Brooks and the BBC’s Alan Yentob is yet another display of the true, unquestionable genius of Mel Brooks.

96. 50 First Stephs-The amazing, hysterical Steph Tolev kicked off 2019 with a show where 50 or so of her compatriots and contemporaries did various impressions and characterizations of her. Part roast, part loving tribute, part amazing showcase of the depth of creativity in LA comedy, Tolev’s night for herself was something really special.

97. The Bongo Hour with Sandy Honig and Peter Smith-Honig and Smith brought their wild variety show that featured such wonderful bits, characters, drag, and burlesque to LA and showed, truly, how much better life is when you’re fluid about nearly everything.

98. How Did This Get Played?-Hosts Nick Wiger and Heather Anne Campbell and their take on the “worst and weirdest” video games do their namesake, the beloved How Did This Get Made?, proud. Even if you’re not a gamer, the way they dissect the most bizarre video games ever made along with Heather and Nick’s chemistry is very, very enjoyable.

99. Joe Pera Talks With You Season 2-This second season of Joe Pera’s unique talk-to-the-viewer series is so calming that the comedic twists sneak up in the most delightful way possible. There is a certain beauty to Pera’s show that makes us want to have Joe Pera Talks With You playing on a loop in a contemporary art museum.

100. John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch-John Mulaney does “it”, yet again. “It” being releasing another hour of comedic brilliance that’s so markedly different than whatever he did before, yet, somehow still stamped with an indelible mark of Mulaney’s comedy of obtuse hyper-specificity.

#top 100 #100 best #best of 2019 #2019 comedy #best sketch #best stand up #best improv #best comedy specials

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hadarlaskey · 3 years

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The 25 best TV shows of 2020

End of year lists ring a little different in 2020, with more time spent at home looking for entertainment to shift attention away from real-world horror. The global pandemic undoubtedly impacted how television was made and consumed, but there is still more on offer than any person could feasibly watch even at a time like this.

Standards across drama, comedy, science-fiction, documentary and reality continue to deliver an exceptional line-up to curate to your tastes. Limited-series draw big names across multiple platforms including Steve McQueen bringing ‘Small Axe’ to the small screen. The director has classified his anthology as a collection of films, and as such it gets an honorary mention here.

Below you’ll find plenty of TV to binge watch over the festive period, but let us know what your favourites of this year have been @LWLies.

25. Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (Apple TV+)

Swapping Paddy’s Pub for a successful video game venture, Rob McElhenney co-created and stars in the workplace comedy as narcissistic Mythic Quest boss Ian (pronounced Iron) Grimm. The impressive ensemble includes F Murray Abraham, Community’s Danny Pudi, and Charlotte Nicdao as the often frustrated lead engineer. One standout episode is a self-contained love story starring Cristin Milioti and Jake Johnson as developers in the ’90s that explores success versus creative integrity. Another is the uplifting ‘Quarantine’ special – it was the first comedy to release an episode filmed in lockdown – effectively utilising technology to tell a relatable, funny and tear-inducing instalment.

24. The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)

In a year without Stranger Things, Netflix has another teen adventure drawing on nostalgia. Rather than an ’80s period piece paying homage to science-fiction movies, Rachel Shukert has updated Ann M Martin’s beloved ‘Baby-Sitters Club’ novels for a contemporary audience. With a diverse cast and creative team at the helm, the bond between the four entrepreneurial young women is central to Shukert’s charming portrayal of Dawn, Kristy, Claudia and Mary Anne. Casting Alicia Silverstone as Kristy’s mother in the same year as the 25th anniversary of Clueless is a stroke of ’90s nostalgia genius, but Baby-Sitters Club is much more than a pop-culture wink tapestry.

23. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Based on a character Jason Sudeikis first played in an NBC sports promo in 2013, the story of an American Football Coach moving to England to manage a Premier League team is a classic fish-out-of-water narrative. On paper, the optimistic coach taking on a sport he knows little about sounds incredibly familiar and Ted Lasso’s strength is the mix of hapless charm with cynical Brits. But there are a few big surprises up its sentimental sleeve including Juno Temple as WAG Keeley Jones and Hannah Waddingham’s embittered AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton who both challenge women in football stereotypes.

22. Quiz (ITV)

The 2001 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? episode featuring convicted coughing cheat Major Charles Ingram never aired but it is hard to forget the image of Chris Tarrant and the rugby shirt-wearing contestant. Shown over consecutive nights, the three-part drama captured the feverish reaction when this quiz series debuted, as well as the shocking scandal that threatened to derail it. BAFTA winner Sian Clifford and Matthew Macfadyen nail the couple at the heart of the conspiracy, while Michael Sheen delivers an unnervingly good take on Tarrant in one of the must-see TV dramas of early lockdown.

21. Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)

A US presidential election provides plenty of fodder for late-night talk shows, but the challenges of 2020 saw a major change in how nightly episodes were produced. Switching from a studio to his home, Late Night With Seth Meyers leaned into the makeshift element with recurring off-kilter bits. Staple segment ‘A Closer Look’ continued to draw on the intersection of comedy, rage, and exasperation to reflect the fraught political landscape. Furthermore, during the Black Lives Matter protests, the opening monologue was turned over to writer Amber Ruffin, in which she recounted experiences with racist police officers in a sobering but vital response to the news.

20. The Great (Hulu)

Multiple projects about the same figure is a common Hollywood occurrence, which saw two very different takes on Catherine the Great in 2020. Helen Mirren’s lavish Sky Atlantic/HBO went the traditional route, whereas the Elle Fanning-starring romp on the rise of Russia’s empress promised “an occasionally true story.” The anti-historical satire from The Favourite co-writer Tony McNamara boasts anachronistic music and language in its portrayal of the 18th-century Russian court. Nicholas Hoult is a riot as the petulant Peter III and Fanning deftly walks the line between the comedy and horror of this opulent setting.

19. The New Pope (HBO/Sky Atlantic)

The year kicked off with Paolo Sorrentino’s follow-up to the audacious 2016 series The Young Pope. Jude Law’s Pope Pius XIII has been in a coma for nine months and the pontiff’s dire prognosis requires a replacement choice. Debonair Pope John Paul III (John Malkovich) takes the titular role as the clandestine Vatican City antics continue with Cardinal Voiello (series MVP Silvio Orlando) working every possible angle. No other show hits the aesthetic highs of Sorrentino’s depiction of the Catholic church – often blurring the line between fantasy and reality – and this ambitious series is one of the year’s overlooked gems.

18. Perry Mason (HBO/Sky Atlantic)

Rather than a courtroom procedural in line with the original Perry Mason, the Robert Downey Jr produced PI-to-lawyer origin story leans into the darkness favoured by prestige television. Thankfully, it is far from a stale anti-hero narrative. Matthew Rhys in the titular role imbues pathos in his performance as the PTSD-suffering war veteran, doubling down on the world-weary credentials that won him an Emmy for The Americans. A strong ensemble including Chris Chalk as a Black police officer struggling against a racist and corrupt LAPD draws parallels to the 2020 landscape highlighting how little has sadly changed.

17. Feel Good (Channel 4/Netflix)

Standup comic Mae Martin writes and stars in the striking semi-autobiographical portrayal of intoxicating love and addiction. Falling for someone while attempting to manage drug dependency is already complicated but new girlfriend George (Charlotte Ritchie) is also grappling with her sexuality. In the bubble of Mae and George, the relationship thrives and director Ally Pankew captures the heady early days in transcendent tight close-up intimacy. Outside forces threaten this bubble, which puts pressure on both George and Mae as they struggle with personal baggage. Lisa Kudrow guest stars as Mae’s mother in a scene-stealing turn that adds nuance to the meddling matriarch archetype.

16. The Boys (Amazon Prime)

Bold and brash, The Boys is at its most potent when it is lambasting capitalism (yes, it is ironic it streams on Amazon). From the terrifying rise in alt-right online activity to performative feminism promotional ‘Girls Get It Done’ campaigns, the Supes at the heart of the battle in The Boys face threats both existential and personal to conquer. Anthony Starr as American poster boy Homelander turns chiselled good looks and a beaming smile into a terrifying image that threatens to flip on a dime. While Season 2 newcomer Stormfront (Aya Cash) suggests a new feminist queen has joined the team, but her name is a clue to the insidious cause close to her heart.

15. We’re Here (HBO/Sky Atlantic)

Ru Paul’s Drag Race has introduced a global audience to an incredible array of drag performers and has helped boost many careers. Former Drag Race contestants Shangela, Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka O’Hara travel to small towns across America and makeover three different residents who then perform in a one-night-only drag show. Building a community and a safe space for LGBT+ people is part of the fabric of We’re Here, which offers visibility where previously there might have been none. While the pandemic-impacted finale wasn’t the episode this team envisioned, it captures how shared experiences can occur even when we are physically apart.

14. Insecure (HBO/Sky Comedy)

The best season of Insecure to date still features plenty of romantic drama, but it is the breakdown of best friends Issa (Issa Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) that sets the storyline aflame. Female friendships are a television cornerstone, but the depths Rae explores on both sides of this fight is transformative. A shifting dynamic that begins with a drift into miscommunication before a public row threatens to permanently sever this bond. Past love is explored in ‘Lowkey Happy’, a standout episode in a strong line-up (written by co-star Natasha Rothwell) that offers a mesmerising one perfect night escape.

13. Mrs America (FX on Hulu/BBC)

Cate Blanchett leads a star-packed cast in Dahvi Waller’s 1970s-set miniseries detailing the vocal Equal Rights Amendment champions and detractors. The two-time Oscar-winning actress takes on the role of ERA opponent Phyllis Schlafly who challenged second-wave feminist icons, including household names Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman) and Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne). It was Uzo Aduba who took home the Emmy for her incredible turn as Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first woman to run for the Democratic nomination for president. Reflecting the culture war that still rages, Mrs America is the foundation this conflict is built on.

12. Devs (FX/BBC)

Free will and determinism are at the heart of Alex Garland’s first TV endeavour, doubling down on themes he previously explored in Ex Machina. Sonoya Mizuno plays software engineer Lily Chan who becomes embroiled in enigmatic tech CEO Forest’s (Nick Offerman) secret quantum project that could change the very nature of existence. Garland has constructed an existential mystery in an awe-inspiring setting that includes tree halos, a disquieting gigantic statue of a little girl, and gold lit cube lab. Production designer Mark Digby’s Silicon Valley visuals allow the viewer to fall headfirst into this unsettling not-too-distant future.

11. Dark (Netflix)

Ambitious German sci-fi series Dark never shies away from brain wrinkling plot twists, and the combination of family tree bombshells straight out of a melodrama with philosophy and physics could implode. However, even when an alternate world is introduced in the final season, creators Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar keep a firm grip on the emotional stakes. Time travel has a way of complicating a story that can leave characters unmoored and threads left dangling, but Dark defies those conventions by keeping all the major players on the board — no matter the decade (or century).

10. Little America (Apple TV+)

Far from a Little Britain spinoff that some readers might expect from this title, the eight-part anthology series developed by Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V Gordon explores personal immigrant stories that are both uplifting and heartbreaking. From the Chinese single mother impacted by a painful past who is disconnected from her teenage kids to the Nigerian student who finds joy and identity in cowboy attire, each perspective is unique. Based on true events, the struggles and triumphs depict an American Dream that cannot be defined by one experience or through one lens.

9. PEN15 (Hulu/Sky Comedy)

Creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle have proved that playing themselves as 13-year-olds is neither gimmick nor a one-trick pony. Season 2 digs further into the awkward, painful, and eye-opening adolescent moments that would be impossible to portray with actual teenagers. Drawing on personal experiences covering the gamut of periods, sexual experiences, and parental discord, the seven-episode run (production was cut short) is a breath of fresh air in a crowded TV landscape. The mid-season finale pays homage to Goodfellas’ long take, dials up the drama, and leaves the audience clamouring for more from the middle school BFFs.

8. Normal People (BBC/Hulu)

Based on Sally Rooney’s novel of the same name, the highly-anticipated series lived up to the hype. Star turns from Daisy Edgar-Jones and newcomer Paul Mescal as on-again-off-again couple Marianne and Connell made this one of the most talked-about shows of the year (accessories and haircuts have their own Instagram accounts). Mescal’s raw vulnerability as Connell discusses his fraying mental health in Episode 10 is an unforgettable moment that points to why his profile has exploded. Intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien helped guide the intense sex scenes, creating a safe set while capturing the lust and love-driven physicality that is central to this story.

7. The Last Dance (ESPN/Netflix)

Long before Amazon’s All or Nothing sports docuseries, a film crew bedded-in with the Chicago Bulls team during the now-legendary 1997-98 season. The 10-part series debuted in the early stages of lockdown when no live sport was being played. Even if you don’t regularly watch basketball, it is easy to become gripped by the on-court athleticism and locker room antics. Personal tragedy, triumphs, and old grudges make this a must-watch, which also spawned countless memes. Michael Jordan is a producer calling into question the bias of the series, but as a form of exhilarating entertainment, it is sublime.

6. Schitt’s Creek (CBC/Netflix)

The belle of the Emmy Awards ball, the final season of Dan and Eugene Levy’s Canadian sitcom broke all records with a comedy clean sweep. Wrapping things up at the height of its popularity is a bold choice and while we would happily spend more time with the Rose family in their adjoining Rosebud motel rooms, the resolution is heartwarming, hilarious, and satisfying. Love radiates from characters who previously found it hard to open up, and a groundbreaking three-storey billboard of David Rose (Dan Levy) kissing fiancé Patrick Brewer (Noah Reid) is part of the lasting LGBT+ legacy.

5. The Good Lord Bird (Showtime/Sky Atlantic)

Ethan Hawke is another movie star finally making the leap to TV in a project he developed alongside ‘The Good Lord Bird’ author James McBride. Playing abolitionist John Brown, this is a lesser-known pre-Civil War story that tells a fictionalised version of a pivotal moment. A flawed and fiery hero, Brown’s cause to free all slaves arrives in a year when George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police led to global BLM protests. The wounds of that period are still raw and this mini-series does not shy away from reality while deftly injecting some (often absurd) humour into the historical drama.

4. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)

The surprise breakout hit comes courtesy of Scott Frank’s chess limited-series adapted from Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel of the same name. At the centre is a transfixing Anya Taylor-Joy as orphan Beth Harmon who becomes addicted to tranquillisers at a young age. Marielle Heller delivers a nuanced performance in a stunning turn as Beth’s adoptive mother highlighting her talent in front of the camera. Chessboard aesthetics weave their way into Uli Hanisch’s production design and costumes by Gabriele Binder, which adds to the allure. A story of triumph over adversity, Beth’s mid-century journey avoids the cliched pitfalls of a troubled genius.

3. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO/Sky Atlantic)

True crime documentaries often centre the killer turning horrifying acts into a gruesome spectacle. Writer Michelle McNamara didn’t approach these stories in a sensational manner and the work detailing the crimes of the Golden State Killer – a name she coined in 2013 – gave a voice to the traumatised. McNamara sadly died before her book was finished, and the infamous serial rapist-murderer was caught, but the six-part docuseries gets to the heart of the writer’s obsession and fight for justice. This is less about a convicted serial killer, rather it is a meditation on the victims, McNamara and the people she left behind.

2. Babylon Berlin (Sky Deutschland/Sky Atlantic)

Considering the dizzying scale of the production, it is not surprising the German historical drama is the most expensive non-English language series. Set in the German capital in 1929, Detective Gereon Rath (Volker Bruch) and assistant Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries) are caught in the turbulent crossfires. Murder on a film set takes the audience into the world of Expressionism adding a surreal aesthetic to the genre-bending series. Babylon Berlin’s strength is that it doesn’t knowingly wink at the terrible future to come, instead, the horror, beauty, and political plots are part of daily life that is about to get so much worse.

1. I May Destroy You (BBC/HBO)

Over 12 episodes, Michaela Coel explores the trauma of a sexual assault in a way that breaks boundaries and demonstrates why television is a powerful and challenging medium. Flashback episodes to Arabella in Italy before the attack and as a teenager add depth to the narrative that goes beyond this horrifying event in the first episode. Covering questions of consent, racial micro-aggressions in the workplace, the impact of social media, and the writing process, Coel’s comedy-drama is one that refuses to give easy answers. A cathartic finale lingers long after its summer debut, I May Destroy You will be celebrated for years to come.

The post The 25 best TV shows of 2020 appeared first on Little White Lies.

source https://lwlies.com/articles/the-25-best-tv-shows-of-2020/

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nightmareonfilmstreet · 7 years

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[Review] Corporate Capitalism Kills in Action-Comedy MAYHEM

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/review-corporate-capitalism-kills-action-comedy-mayhem/

[Review] Corporate Capitalism Kills in Action-Comedy MAYHEM

If you ever worked in an office, then you know that feeling: Sitting at a desk, closed off in a cubicle, realizing you’re wasting your life for a company that doesn’t care about you and that you’ve become everything you hated as a teenager. The only thing that gets you through the day is the fantasy of stabbing a pen into the jugular of your boss when he asks you to come in on Saturday. But you know acting on that urge will likely get you fired and land you behind bars. Well, the good news is, you’re not alone. Everyone else in your office is probably feeling the same way. Then along comes a movie like Mayhem that asks the question: what if you could kill your superiors and get away with it?

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Mayhem opens with Rossini’s “The Thieving Magpie,” which you might recognize from a Clockwork Orange, thus preparing the viewer for a bit of the ol’ ultraviolence. We are introduced to the ID-7 Virus, more commonly known as the Red Eye Virus. It’s not your typical zombie virus. The infected remain articulate and functional, yet in their brain, the balance of id and ego is thrown off and all moral inhibitions are eradicated. The effect is demonstrated in a slow-motion sequence of a boardroom brawl. Everything is in black and white, except for the the red in the coworkers’ eyes and blood spewing out of their mouths. Among the brawlers is Nevil Reed, who, in the aftermath, was acquitted of all charges for murdering his boss, thanks to the court ruling that those infected are not criminally responsible for their actions.

The defence is thanks to the Towers & Smythe Consulting law firm, where our hero, Derek Cho (played by Steven Yeun of the Walking Dead) works as a legal analyst. We see a fresh-faced Derek enter the elevator on his first day. Cut to Derek six months later in the same elevator, dead inside. Then six months after that. With each cut, we see Derek in the elevator slowly adjusting to his soul-crushing job, progressively becoming more confident and wearing fancier suits. A smart way of showing the passage of time. The day starts off like any other day, until Derek finds out about a bombshell case, where one of the firm’s loyal clients stand to lose millions over a filing error. Derek is set up to take the fall, even if he has never touched the case. He attempts to save his job by pleading to the head of the company, John Towers (Steven Brand), also known as “the Boss.”

Like Towers, many of Derek’s superiors have nicknames based on their awful personalities and job titles. In his free time, Derek has painted portraits of each of them, depicting them in mythical settings. First, there’s “the Siren” (Caroline Chikezie), who always has the Boss’ ear and twists the truth to her advantage. Then there’s “the Reaper” (Dallas Roberts), in charge of personally discharging personnel. And at the very top, sit “the Nine,” the board of directors who make decisions as if they’re spectators in a gladiatorial coliseum. These monsters have gotten to where they are by being heartless and gladly stepping on anybody’s head to climb higher.

Derek in unable to convince anyone that he’s not at fault. Instead, he’s told to pack up his desk and leave the premises. But as he is about to be escorted out, the building is locked down and quarantined because of a detected outbreak of the ID-7 Virus. Everyone inside is infected and no one is allowed out for eight hours until the airborne immunization process is complete. TSC was already hostile and morally bankrupt to begin with, but all it needed was a little push over the edge for it to erupt into chaos. Employees strip off their clothes, throw papers across the room and punch their nearest co-worker.

Derek decides this is the perfect opportunity to ask the Nine for his job back, and thanks to the precedent in court, he will not be held criminally responsible if he is forced to use violence. But in order to reach the top floor, he needs key card clearance from the Reaper and the Siren. He forms an unlikely alliance with Melanie Cross (Samara Weaving), who was only in the building to unsuccessfully stop her family home from being foreclosed by the firm. Like Derek, Melanie wants blood for being wronged. Together, they arm themselves with an arsenal of wrenches, screwdrivers and a nail gun, and work their way up the corporate ladder while racing against the clock, killing anyone who stands in their path. It’s almost like a video game.

The fight scenes are intense and will have you on the edge of your seat. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand half of the legal mumbo-jumbo, because there’s close to a solid hour of non-stop adrenaline-pumping action. Derek and Melanie are dealt a fair share of a beat down with every new encounter, yet somehow manage to come out the other end alive. By the halfway point, their office attire is completely soaked in blood, and they become more sadistic in their methods.

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Mayhem will appeal to music fans as well, especially metalheads. In a scene written by director Joe Lynch himself, Derek asks Melanie what her top three bands are. Melanie confesses her love for thrash metal (Motorhead, DRI and Anthrax), but when she reverses the question to Derek, she ridicules him for liking Dave Matthews Band. Their different tastes in music makes for some great comedic dialogue. The soundtrack also includes songs by Faith No More and Rivers of Nihil, perfect for scenes of carnage.

In many interviews, Lynch says he cast Steven Yeun in the main role for his ability to play an everyman, and that race didn’t concern him. However, on Lynch’s podcast the Movie Crypt, Yeun said he feels that Derek Cho being Asian-American added an extra layer to the office environment, that institutional racism lurked just beneath the surface and that it made sense that he was made a scapegoat for someone else’s mistake. Both Yeun and Weaving prove that they can play all emotional extremes, from cool and collected to psychotic and unhinged.

This is the kind of movie to be enjoyed among friends with a few beers after a long day of working in corporate hell. If you’re not able to watch it in theaters, then I recommend renting or buying it on iTunes, or look for its release on Shudder. If you have been one to fantasize about massacring your workplace, Mayhem will give you the catharsis without the jail time.

4 / 4 eberts

#action #anthrax #clockwork orange #comedy #dave matthews band #dri #faith no more #joe lynch #mayhem #motorhead #office #rivers of nihil #samara weaving #steven brand #steven yeun #the walking dead #virus

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nightmareonfilmstreet · 7 years

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[Review] Corporate Capitalism Kills in Action-Comedy MAYHEM

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[Review] Corporate Capitalism Kills in Action-Comedy MAYHEM

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4 / 4 eberts

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