In March we said Smell Ya Later to Death and Other Details on Hulu, Bupkis on Peacock while Netflix cancelled The Brothers Sun. Clearly we didn’t watch em.. Here are the hits and blockbusters we enjoyed in March 2024. Some TV highlights that are #CouchWorthy. Maybe you missed em or didn’t hear about em.
March Highlights
Extraordinary: Season 2 (Anytime / Hulu & Disney+ Canada)
Season 2 picks up where season one spectacularly left off, following Jen on her powers journey as she enrols as a client at the power clinic. Jen soon discovers that the process of finding her power isn’t as easy as she hoped, and things in the rest of her life aren’t smooth sailing either.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: X-MEN ’97: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / DISNEY+)
X-Men ’97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
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Series Premiere & Saturday Morning Cartoons: When the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) launched in 2008 with Iron Man it began a process of loose adaptations of Marvel comics. Captain America movies like The Winter Soldier and Civil War were (mostly) pulled from the comics. Mirroring the comics the MCU formally established a distinct continuity with a clear timeline. This was the second time Marvel had connected with continuity outside of the comics. The success and popularity of X-Men: The Animated Series confirmed the commercial value in fostering a consistent mythology. Far more than the MCU movies, many X-Men episodes were fully based on the mutants’ Marvel comics. Fantastic storylines and events in the X-Men comics, such as the Dark Phoenix Saga, Days of Future Past, the Phalanx Covenant, and the Legacy Virus manifested in this mid-90s X-Men cartoon. The X-Men: The Animated Series debuted on October 31, 1992, on the Fox Network as part of the Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup. The show featured a team line-up similar to that of the early 1990s X-Men comic books: Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, Beast, Gambit, Jubilee, Jean Grey and Professor X. (Cyclops’ Blue Team! How is that for an old school X-Men reference!) The cartoon ran for 76 episodes concluding on September 20, 1997. X-Men ‘97 is a revival, picking up exactly where the original series ended…with the death of Professor X. Oh, no: now what? And yes, Lenore Zann returns as the voice of Rogue. Programming Note: For more on X-Men ‘97, Lenore Zann was a recent My Summer Lair guest. I spoke to her about the incredible return of this classic…the episodes are freshtastic. You’ll dig em.
March Highlights
Turning Point: The Bomb And The Cold War (Anytime / Netflix)
“History has a way of roaring back into our lives,” says Director Brian Knappenberger speaking on The Truth of the Matter podcast. This Cold War 9-part docuseries is so timely. Nolan’s Oppenheimer was a prologue. From Luminant Media and director Brian Knappenberger, comes the definitive documentary on the Cold War and its aftermath post the collapse of the Soviet Union leading to the rise of Vladimir Putin.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: INVINCIBLE: SEASON TWO PART TWO (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)
Still reeling from Nolan’s betrayal in Season 1, Mark struggles to rebuild his life as he faces a host of new threats, all while battling his greatest fear – that he might become his father without even knowing it.
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Saturday Morning Cartoons: Invincible based on the groundbreaking comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley recently celebrated its 21st anniversary of the comic book’s inception (January 22, 2024). And with this adult animated superhero series it continues to connect and find new audiences. As you may know 18-year-old Mark Grayson is your standard teenager…except his father is (or was?) the most powerful superhero on the planet. If you’ve seen Season One you know there is fallout from that revelation as well Invincible must continue to face threats. He may indeed be Invincible but that doesn’t mean his heart is. Programming Note: The first 4 episodes of Season 2 were released weekly from November 3-November 24, 2023. Then, starting on March 14, 2024 and concluding on April 3rd, Prime Video released the final four episodes. So Season 2 ran from November 3, 2023 to April 4, 2024 releasing only 8 episodes.
March Highlights
Damsel (Anytime / Netflix)
Damsel sees Millie Bobby Brown Dungeons & Dragons heroism as a dutiful, well, damsel, who agrees to marry a handsome prince — only to discover it was all a trap: The royal family recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. She’s then thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, relying solely on her wits and will to survive.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ROMI (ANYTIME / TUBI-US)
When a young woman on the run is forced to hide out at a smart home, she becomes terrorized by ROMI, its sinister digital assistant.
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In ROMI Alexa Barajas plays Maddie, a young woman who is forced by her mother to hide out in a state of the art smart home. Maddie meets ROMI the house’s Hal 9000 which is malfunctioning thanks to a “ghost in the machine.” A smart home with that disembodied voice and different sounds and cycles operates no different than a haunted house. For Alexa who plays Maddie it’s not long before ROMI the smart home’s digital assistant begins to terrorize her. Isolated and alone it’s hard to maintain a firm grip on reality. Technology can anticipate our needs but technology can also incapacitate our needs. This is the current AI debate we’re having. I brought up these issues and more when I sat down with director Robert Cuffley and actor Alexa Barajas to talk about ROMI. Programming Note: For more on ROMI, director Robert Cuffley and acttor Alexa Barajas were recent My Summer Lair guests.
March Highlights
Road House (2024) (Anytime / Prime Video)
It…Is What It Is: Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Road House as Dalton, ex-UFC fighter-turned-bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse owned by Frankie. Facing threats from a criminal gang led by Brandt, Dalton’s violent past emerges. When he is confronted by Knox, a lethal gun-for-hire, the escalating brawls and bloodshed become more dangerous than his days in the Octagon..
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: ROBODOC: THE CREATION OF ROBOCOP (ANYTIME / TUBI-CANADA & PRIME VIDEO-US)
An immersive 4+ hour journey into the making of the seminal sci-fi movie RoboCop. With over 60 cast/crew interviews and exclusive behind the scenes materials, RoboDoc is a unique, comprehensive and fully explorative scene-by-scene retrospective.
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Following their work on Pennywise: The Story of IT and Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story the nerdy-lads behind those popular IP documentaries have released RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop. The 1987 film was in part inspired by writer Edward Neumeier’s work in the art department on Blade Runner. Makeup effects vet Rob Bottin (The Thing, Total Recall) created the RoboCop design and handled the film’s makeup effects. Like, yo: what a pedigree. Produced by Gary Smart, the docuseries is directed by Chris Griffiths and Eastwood Allen who previously collaborated with Smart on Pennywise: The Story of IT. The second episode is outstanding as that episode focuses on the goons including my favourite Joe Cox. RoboCop is a remarkable movie based on a ludicrous premise that effectively works. RoboDoc reveals how the magic of this 1987 movie works; crafting an indelible character who continues to have a powerful pop culture presence. Programming Note: For more on RoboDoc, I was fortunate to talk to all three creators about making this fresh IP doc as well as hear their favourite RoboCop lines. Some impressive classic movie one-liners. Eastwood Allen, Chris Griffiths & Gary Smart were recent My Summer Lair guests.
March Highlights
Sometimes I Think About Dying (Anytime / Hoopla)
Daisy Ridley, who you know from recent Star Wars movies plays Fran and sometimes she thinks about dying. Fran works in a deadpan office although even when she’s at work she’s not always there. She’s in her head a lot. The character study deepens when Dave Merheje shows up. (You know Dave from Ramy.) He plays Robert and he’s excited to join Fran’s office. Their unusual and slightly awkward connection prompts her to sometimes think about life especially as they start dating. Check out the popular indie as well this recent My Summer Lair interview with actor Dave Merheje and Rachel Lambert, the movie’s director.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: STEVE! (MARTIN) A DOCUMENTARY IN 2 PIECES (ANYTIME / APPLE TV+)
Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. Dude fully earned This Last Dance.
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“Hanging out with Steve Martin is like Deliverance…it’s all fun and games until the banjos come out.” Classic Martin Short gold. Steve Martin getting a Last Dance is well earned. On Wikipedia written by the public Steve Martin is an: “actor, comedian, writer, producer and musician.” His Bowie like ability to constantly reinvent himself…dude walked away from standup like Bowie walked away from Ziggy…across multiple platforms remains distinct and impressive. So, wisely director Morgan Neville structured this Steve Martin project, less as a docuseries and more like…two different docs: “Neville had different editors working on the two parts, who were not allowed to review each other’s work; the same goes for composers, graphic designers, and other crew—total “church and state,” as he puts it. The goal, executed seamlessly, was to create two movies that could be watched in either order, or one without the other—but that together, complete a singular picture of a singular artist.” Fascinating. So yeah the documentary is in 2 pieces: it smoothly dives into Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature your classic never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Martin’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize stand-up before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life. Treasure and celebrate this Wild and Crazy Guy #GOATs as long as you have em. The time goes by so fast.
March Highlights
Manhunt: Limited Series (Anytime / Apple Tv+)
Limited Series Premiere: A conspiracy thriller about one of the best known but least understood crimes in history: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth! Like Lee Harvey Oswald (why does every President killer have 3 names!) Booth was shot (in the back) and failed to faced his crimes. Jon Meacham’s And There Was Light is a fantastic Booth refence. However, this adapted from James L. Swanson’s non-fiction book. The Hunt…is on!
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE GENTLEMEN: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
When aristocratic Eddie inherits the family estate, he discovers that it’s home to an enormous weed empire – and its proprietors aren’t going anywhere.
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Series Premiere: A spin-off of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 movie of the same name: The Gentlemen. The regal British violence echoes Pennyworth (which I’ve haven’t seen…). The Gentlemen begins with the death of one. Eddie Horniman leaves his military service when he’s informed his wealthy father is on his deathbed. Upon the patriarch’s death, it’s expected that Eddie’s oafish older brother Freddie will inherit the family’s sprawling estate. But this is 8 epodes not a ten minute short so that’s not what happens. Instead, Eddie is announced to be his father’s true heir. Now, he has to tend to the sketchy finances that his father left behind. Sketchy as in a marijuana empire. Classic British Gentlemen…all regal on the surface, sketchy down below.
March Highlights
The Signal: Limited Series (Anytime / Netflix)
Limited Series Premiere: A missing astronaut sets her family on a frantic hunt for answers. But the more they uncover, the greater the threat becomes to them – and the world. A German sci-fi mystery miniseries Das Signal. (Germans are efficiently terrible at their Netflix titles. Dark?! Like, yo how am I supposed to google that…) It’s 4-episodes. German sci-fi has been a decent genre on Netflix. While stationed on the ISS, astronaut Paula made an unbelievable discovery in the depths of space. And astronaut Paula never makes it home. The mystery of all this is solved on Earth via Paula’s husband, Sven and their daughter, Charlie. Das, good yeah?
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: BEACON 23: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO-CANADA)
Beacon 23 takes place in the farthest reaches of the Milky Way and follows Aster, a government agent, and Halan, a stoic ex-military man, whose fates become entangled after they find themselves trapped together inside one of many Beacons that serve as a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers.
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Series Premiere: And now a science-fiction mystery thriller. That’s my jam. Plus an Artificial Intelligence humanoid? Oh Yes. Indeed every Beacon is run by one highly trained human and a specialized Artificial Intelligence. Aster is a government agent while Halan is ex-military and the lonely Beacon-keeper. Got it. But how exactly did Aster end up here? Halan is starting to doubt her and question her agenda…paranoia in space is so deadly. Is Aster is friend or foe? I didn’t read the Hugh Howey novel this is all adapted from; have you? So, I dunno what to expect except shifting alliances and lots of tension because space comes with so much pressure. Hopefully this is the latest contribution to the flourishing in space no one can hear you scream genre. Programming Note: Beacon 23: Season 1 streamed on MGM+ on November 12, 2023, it finally came to Canada. Season 2 premiered on April 7th on MGM+.
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
