Julia, Abbott Elementary & more non-movie recommendations
How about those Oscars, huh? Not to brag... but also to brag, William and I did a great job with our predictions! The biggest surprise of the night (aside from the other biggest surprise of the night) was that CODA did indeed go on to win Best Picture. We've talked a lot about movies for the last several issues, but I'm nothing if not an excellent pop culture multitasker. While I've been watching the Oscar nominees, I've also been viewing plenty of TV. Here are a few recommendations:
Abbott Elementary: It's as good as everyone says it is! If you haven't started watching ABC's newest comedy series, you're missing out. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, this docu-style show tells the story of a group of elementary school teachers in Philadelphia struggling to help their students with limited resources. Think Parks and Recreation but everyone openly cares and just expresses it in different ways. Quinta Brunson plays the overeager Janine, who sometimes tries to help a little too much. Tyler James Williams is serious Gregory, who wanted to be principal but is working as a substitute teacher instead. Janelle James is clueless principal Ava, who delivers delightfully funny punchlines while avoiding all job responsibilities. Lisa Ann Walter (yes that is Chessy from The Parent Trap) as tough-loving Melissa. Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara, the loving but strict teacher who Janine admires. Chris Perfetti as the intellectual, but sometimes too woke, Jacob. The cast is spectacular and already has a fun chemistry twelve episodes in.
Julia: Have you ever watched Julie & Julia and wished Amy Adams' side of the story was nowhere to be found? HBO Max is here to help. Julia focuses on the start of Julia Child's television career. The show exudes cozy comfort and will certainly make you hungry. Sarah Lancashire does a splendid job as the title character, capturing her skill, vulnerability, charisma and memorable voice. The rest of the supporting cast includes David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Brittany Bradford and Fran Kranz. The first three episodes are out now and the rest will be released weekly on HBO.
Bridgerton: Season two of the Netflix romance series centers on a slow-burn romance between eldest son, Anthony Bridgerton, and new-to-town Kate Sharma. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? It would be if these two were cooperating, but Anthony and Kate clash pretty instantly, especially when Anthony starts wooing Kate's sister, Edwina. Once you get past the chaotic premise, which is pretty easy to do thanks to stellar performances (and chemistry) from Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley, you're in for a delightful ride. It's always fun to watch the Bridgerton family interact, but the action does lull anytime one of the other siblings is on the screen too long. This season shines when it's all about Anthony and Kate and their tension-filled love story.
Starstruck: The second season of Rose Matafeo's Starstruck is now out on HBO Max, and it is near impossible not to binge the whole thing in 48 hours. Whoops. The episodes are short, all between twenty to thirty minutes, jam-packed with dialogue and jokes and stories. I think the second season could have benefited from a little more time because they had a lot of ground to cover and as an audience, I think we needed a little more of Jessie and Tom together to balance out the season. Even so, Starstruck is a joy to watch and while this season was filled with more tension, it takes Jessie on a very satisfying journey from start to finish.
