Day: December 4, 2019

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec. 6: Marvelous “Maisel,” grumpy Grinch

1) “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” new season, any time, Amazon Prime. Some shows are too good to stand still. Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan, shown here) bbegan as a switchboard operator, trying to crack the 1950s comedy scene. As the third season begins, she’s soaring – opening for a Johnny Mathis-type singer, first at a military base and then in Las Vegas and Miami. That lets this show crackle with great visuals and music. At the core, however, is the hallmark of this Emmy-winner – smart dialog, often bouncing around at a furious clip. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 4, 2019
Stories

“Reprisal” star: tough and frilly

The modern world says people can fit any image.
They can be dark leather or pink fluff … or both, switching from day to day. A prime example came when Abigail Spencer (shown here) arrived to talk about “Reprisal.”
Here is a rough, sometimes brutal series. “I grew up on (Quentin) Tarantino films,” said creator Josh Corbin, “and I am a fan of the violent genre.”
Early in the opener (Friday, Dec. 6, on Hulu), his heroine (Spencer) is slapped, slugged and dragged; later in the hour, she’s lethal. It’s “a role that is typically written for a man,” Spencer said.
It’s suitable for leather and chains. And while Spencer was describing it (to the Television Critics Association, in July), she was wearing a prom-worthy dress, pink and fluffy. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 4, 2019