Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Monday, February 26th, 2024.
AN INTERVIEW I REALLY ENJOYED (AND THE SHOW IS PRETTY FABULOUS AS WELL)
I will be the first person to acknowledge that my interviewing style is not typical of most TV critics and writers. Maybe it's my radio talk show background or perhaps it's just that I enjoy being contrary. But when I am interviewing someone, I try and make it feel like a conversation. I work hard not to ask the same questions someone has been asked 100 times before. I don't always succeed, but I find that a bit of unpredictability and asking the relevant follow-up questions can work pretty well.
This approach is not always successful. About 10-15% of the time either the person being interviewed and/or their publicist is not having any of it. I've had several people very noticeably annoyed because I wouldn't ask them the questions they expected. During the recent TCAs, I had one actress just start providing rote answers no matter what question I asked "Well, here is what I want to talk about," she’d say. And then she'd recite a story she had no doubt told a thousand times before.
I'm also blessed in that I don't have an editor breathing over my shoulder, demanding that I ask some painfully lame question in order to elicit an answer that will work well as an SEO-friendly headline. I also don't have to talk to anyone. And everything being equal, I'd like as much time as possible. I'd rather spend 15-20 minutes talking with someone who is a recurring character than 5-6 minutes with the series star. It's a better interview, and both of us have more fun.
All of this is leading up to the point that I have a bunch of interviews coming up that I did during the recent TCAs. And fair warning, some of them are a bit off-topic. Like this just-posted talk with Noel Fielding and producer Kenton Allen, who were there to talk about their new Apple TV+ comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Fielding and Kenton Allen in person and to describe the conversation as "wide-ranging" is a bit of an understatement. We managed to discuss camera lenses, the rock band Cream and the challenges of being both evil and a parent forced to bring their child to work with them:
Q: To a certain extent, it's almost like back in the Seventies when they would form these "super groups." And most of the time, honestly, they kinda sucked. Because they were musicians who were really talented individually. But when you'd get them together, they'd argue over who got to do the guitar solo.
Noel Fielding: Like Cream. The interesting thing about Cream is that you've got Ginger Baker, who is one of the greatest drummers. And Jack Bruce is really showing off. But Clapton is actually quite low-key. In a weird way - he's probably the lead talent in that band - but he sort of understands how to make that chemistry work between those three.
Kenton Allen: Or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. (turns to Noel) In this analogy, are you Joni Mitchell and all the other actors are... (they both laugh).
Q: I think that's an entirely different show.
Kenton Allen: The idea was to have this depth of British cast. This supergroup of established British comic names, like Hugh Bonneville (Jonathan Wild), Tamsin Greig (Lady Helen Gwinear) and Asim Chaudhry (Craig the Warlock). And the next generation coming through, like Joe Wilkinson (Geoffrey the Gaoler) and Ellie White (Nell Brazier). Just bringing the best of our comedy world to an American audience.
You can read the entire interview here and the video of the interview is also on that page.
IN CASE YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT ANOTHER STRIKE
While I think you need a subscription to read the entire piece, The Ankler's Elaine Low has a enlightening interview with IATSE Local 399 head Lindsay Dougherty, who was a formidable presence during last year's WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The IATSE contract ends at the end of July, with the contract that governs casting directors ending in September.
EL: Speaking of the major corporations — and the organization that represents them at the bargaining table — I remember last year at the WGA rally at the La Brea Tar Pits, you had called for the AMPTP to be “fucking extinct.” What do you find problematic about that organization?
LD: The way that bargaining has happened for all of the unions in Hollywood since the inception of AMPTP has not gone well. They have been really good at not only dividing the unions, but also just collectively, they’re so strong. They make up 95 percent of the world's media.
It was difficult actually bargaining with them. If one says, “No,” then they all say “No.” It's a two-way street and bargaining — you're supposed to negotiate. It’s not a negotiation when we're just told “No, no, no” all the time, which is essentially what just happened with the Writers Guild as well as SAG, and they had to strike. They would not have gotten what they got if they did not strike.
This is by no means a scientific survey, but I have heard from a number of people very concerned about a strike. There's this mix of fatalism and fear. As well as a concern that AMPTP will once again pursue its tried-and-true "if we inflict enough pain, then maybe they'll stop asking" negotiating method. One which has turned out to not be all that effective in recent negotiations.
A SHOW TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR
The new drama Red Queen (Reina Roja) premieres Thursday on Prime Video and based on the logline, it could be fun:
Red Queen is the TV adaptation of one of the most successful Spanish-language best-sellers in recent years, by author Juan Gómez-Jurado. It tells the story of Antonia Scott, the most intelligent woman in the world, who is part of Red Queen, an organization dedicated to investigating crimes involving powerful people who want everything to be resolved discreetly. She is assisted by Jon Gutiérrez, a police officer who initially sees working with Antonia just as a way to recover his position on the force, but who rapidly learns to appreciate her talent and skills.
Even though the series premieres in a couple of days, I just received the screeners this afternoon. So I won't have a review up until Wednesday, since I now have to blast through seven episodes.
But I'll let you know what I think and whether it's worth watching.
On a side note, another series that premieres this week is Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, which premieres Wednesday on Hulu. Here's the logline for that series:
This action-packed animated sci-fi anthology presents ten futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures. Executive produced by Oscar-winning director Peter Ramsey, these ten short films made by a new generation of animation creators draw on uniquely African perspectives to imagine brave new worlds of advanced technology, aliens, spirits, and monsters. This is Africa as you’ve never seen it before.
The artwork I've seen from the series looks amazing and it feels like a series I'll really enjoy. But I wasn't able to get advance screeners, so I'll let you Thursday.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE BUSINESS OF FAST CHANNELS
The FASTMaster Substack does a really nice job of covering the opaque business of FAST networks and tracks their comings and goings.
This look at the attrition of FAST networks is fascinating and according to its data, 12% of the single IP FAST channels active in February 2023 were gone in 2024. In case you're interested, here's the list:
60 Minutes
Baywatch en Español
BBC Top Gear en Español
Camino al Cielo
Cronicas
Cuidado con el Angel
Doctors
Fugitvos de la Ley Los Angeles
Gameplay: Call of Duty
Gameplay: Fortnite
Hannibal
Inside the Black Box: Crackle Original Series
Juana la Virgen
Justice for all with Judge Cristina Perez
La Promesa
Me Robo Mi Vida
Mi Gorda Bella
Naruto en Español
Operacion Repo
SailTrek
Simply Maria
Space: 1999
Talk with Audrey
That Girl
The Dick Cavett Show
The Hotel Inspector
The Only Way is Essex
The Tim Conway Show
The Wiggles Channel
Tierra de Amor Y Venganza
Viaje a las Estrellas
Yu-Gi-Oh! en Español
Jam in the Van
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH:
* County Rescue Series Premiere (Great American Family)
* Deal Or No Deal Island Series Premiere (NBC)
* Murdoch Mysteries Season Premiere (Acorn TV)
* The Voice Season Premiere (NBC)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2024:
As We Speak: Rap Music On Trial (Paramount+)
Chappelle's Home Team – Donnell Rawlings: A New Day (Netflix)
God Save Texas: Hometown Prison (HBO)
Pathological: The Lies Of Joran Van Der Sloot (Peacock)
Shogun Series Premiere (Hulu) - [video: super bowl commercial]
The Lost U-Boats Of WWII Series Premiere (History)
SEE YOU ON TUESDAY!