What do you want? We've got a mysterious sci-fi type show, a historical drama about a forgotten President, and a missing child thriller. Two feature Succession stars!
Pluribus
The first two episodes are now streaming on Apple TV.
For several years, I've been granted advance access to Apple TV screeners, but the faucet was shut off for our outlet on this particular show -- though not to more mainstream publications, which all appear to have conducted interviews with creator Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad). .
In truth, that's an understandable strategy, because it allows Gilligan and his creative team to present the show without critical interference, and it makes the show even more intriguing. Gilligan first became notable for his work on The X-Files, so the new show's sci-fi premise certainly sounds like it's true to his heart. Frankly, because of my past press access, I don't currently have a personal subscription to the Apple TV service, so I'll have to get my own to watch the show.
Death By Lightning
All four episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Admittedly, when I saw the trailer with a tall bearded U.S. President, I assumed it was all about Abraham Lincoln. Actually, most men in the 19th century wore beards and tall stove pipe hats. Actually, this limited series is about U.S. President James Garfield, who was assassinated after a short time in office and has faded into history.
As played by Michael Shannon, though, Garfield becomes something legendary: an honorable member of Congress who was thrust into the Republican Party nomination in 1880 and became President, against his better instincts. Shannon is surrounded by a superb cast, including Betty Gilpin as Mrs. Garfield; Brad Whitford as a fellow member of Congress and failed candidate for the presidency who becomes Garfield's ally; Shea Whigham as a powerful New York political officer who was corrupt through and through; and Nick Offerman as Chester Arthur, a boisterous ally of Wigham who became Vice President and steadily grew into the role.
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) also stars as Charles Guiteau, who has a loose association with the law and becomes completely unhinged when things don't go his way.. The show is consistently surprising and unexpectedly compelling, shining a bright light on a dusty corner of history. The show is based on a book by Candice Millard that was first published in 2011, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President.
Even shorter riff: Recommended.
All Her Fault
All eight episodes are now streaming on Peacock TV.
A mother stops by after work to pick up her young son from a playdate. The woman who answers the door, though, does not have any young children and knows nothing about a playdate.
Sarah Snook stars as the mother, a business owner. She quickly becomes frantic when her son, Milo, cannot be located, and soon the police are involved and everyone is under investigation. Directed by Minkie Spiro, whose many credits include Better Call Saul, the superb Breaking Bad spin-off (see above), the first episode is fraught with tension and absolutely superb at establishing the stakes and introducing the players.
Created for television by Megan Gallagher, based on crime author Andrea Mara's fourth book, first published in 2021, the series is set in Chicago, rather than the book's Dublin suburb, but the eye-opening introduction remains the same. As first said in the book's publicity, it's "every parent's worst nightmare."
The second episode begins integrating even more melodramatic elements, which made it less interesting to me, but the cast makes me want to watch it all, primarily Michael Pena, who is always superb, as a police detective leading the investigation into the missing child. Dakota Fanning as another mother, Jake Lacy as the missing child's father, and Abby Elliott (The Bear) also spice up the stew, to keep everything simmering, at a minimum.
Now Streaming celebrates independent and international genre films and television shows that are newly available on legal streaming services.