What's To Watch? - Sept 1-7 - Straggler Struggles

 

   My stress-out continues, reminding me that age does not automatically bring wisdom. I live in the small hope that one day I will learn to not let bad elements ruin everything else in life, awaiting a time (that will never come) when all is both well and somehow within my control. Regardless, I'm feeling wrung out and am not at all sure what will be included in this week's piece.
     On a related note, a compromised credit card has led to so many accounts - including streaming ones - needing payment info updates. Many frustrations to be found there. This layered on top of my Appletv+ problems (it simply never worked even remotely smoothly with my smart tv, and their account login and management process remains unfriendly), led to me canceled that sub for now. (I'll believe it once the billing date's passed and there's no charge.) I'm sure I'll give it another try some later day, likely as part of a firestick setup... but that's for then. There's some great stuff there, but it'll keep.
     In the meantime, I've added AMC+ via Amazon Prime, so I'll be starting off with a 7-day free trial before the monthly charge kicks in.
     Between AMC's programs, IFC, Sundance and Shudder, there should be plenty for me to see, and it should be easier to manage the subscription on the Amazon platform should I decide to opt out.
     Even just a few moments over there reminded me that that's where a favorite little Canadian horror film from 2009 has been hiding for a while. A tale of a very special contagion, it's Pontypool (2008 96m)

     Set almost entirely in a small town radio station, it builds in the mind as reports of the creeping strangeness seep in. I think that's the first thing I'll be watching over there, as it's been at least a few years since I last saw it.

     Among the shows I'd been meaning to mention in recent weeks - and particularly apropos as I've added that AMC+ sub - is the fairly recent return of a period crime thriller series, set in the 1970s Southwest, centered on a Navajo reservation and several of the tribal police officers. A 6-episode first season aired and was enjoyed last year, and the also 6-episode second season is set to finish this Sunday. I had a preset for it on my DVR from last year, so it was caught for me each of the past five weekends. Here's the trailer for season two of Dark Winds

     Zahn McClarnon stars as tribal police lieutenant Joe Leaphorn. McClarnon will be familiar to fans of Longmire, the second season of Fargo, and FX's Reservation Dogs.
     As noted when I wrote about the series last year, it's based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee novels.

    Arriving today on Netflix is the fifth and final season of Matt Groening's fantasy comedy series Disenchantment.

     The trailer quickly reminded me of how layered and labyrinthian the characters' backstories grew. To be fair, much the same applies to Groening's other series - The Simpsons and Futurama, when one takes even a moment to consider it. It's just a much more focused process in this series.

     Arriving on Amazon Prime today is the start of the second season of an epic fantasy series that someone at Amazon felt sufficiently strongly about that they greenlit a second season even before the first one arrived. A powerful member of an order who can wield an ancient power, gathers five your villagers as she believes one of them is the prophesied reincarnation of The Dragon, a channeller who once broke the world, and who brings the possibility of saving the world or shattering it again.
      Closer to home, it reminds me that I never did get around to looking at the first season. That being the case, I'm going to drop the first season trailer here for The Wheel of Time

     The first three episodes of the new season arrived this week, with the season set to run eight episodes, as the first did.

     Even just as a curiosity after so much race-driven, culture wars controversy silliness, next Wednesday will see the live action version of The Little Mermaid (2020 PG 2h 15m) arrive on the Disney+ streaming service.

     Jumping back up near the top of this week's column, with timing that's hugely ironic given that I've just started that AMC+ test subscription, today marks the start of a special 60-day stretch where seven AMC series will be available on Max - the former HBO Max. These are Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire, Dark Winds, A Discovery of Witches, Fear the Walking Dead, Gangs of London, Killing Eve, and Ride with Norman Reedus.

     Next Thursday, the 7th, Paramount+ will kick off season 4 of the animated adventure comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks.

     Modern Trek fans are all the more primed for this return after the crossover episode during the recent season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

     Oh, one of those arrivals I completely missed for weeks, was Wes Anderson's latest, Asteroid City (2023 PG-13  1h 45m) arriving on Peacock. It was one of the films I'd meant to get out to see, but didn't. It's likely just as well in terms of personal consumption, though, as the rapid-patter delivery and the ensemble cast works so much better for me in a home environment, where captions are turned on and I can pause it should I choose to take a break along the way.

   
     That's it for me for this week. The Labor Day weekend's the last little holiday stretch until Thanksgiving, and I need to recharge. Take care, enjoy it, and we'll return here next Friday.P