STACK #189 Jul 2020

TV REVIEWS

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In this town, terror is King. CASTLE ROCK: SEASON 2

Fear has many faces. THE OUTSIDER

RELEASE DATE: 29/07/20

FORMAT:

RELEASE DATE: 29/07/20

FORMAT:

The old phrase “misery loves company” fits the second season of this anthology series set in the Stephen King universe, with the return of Annie Wilkes (wonderfully played by Lizzie Caplan, channelling Kathy Bates) complementing the book/ film Misery . That’s not the only King novel that creeps into the narrative – an ancient evil is awakening in the neighbouring town of Jerusalem’s Lot. And Shawshank Redemption star Tim Robbins joins the

Stephen King's 2018 best-seller comes to the screen as a 10-episode mini-series that delivers a gripping combination of police procedural and supernatural horror. The brutal murder of a child turns into an impossible crime for investigating detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) when he discovers that the prime suspect – the local Little League coach – was out of town at the time of the killing, although eyewitness accounts and forensic evidence says

cast as Pop Merrill, whom King’s ‘constant readers’ will recognise from the novella The Sun Dog . Digging deeper into the title town’s bloody underbelly and connecting classic King creations in inventive and unexpected ways, Castle Rock ’s second season is a lot more satisfying than the first, and as an origin story for Annie Wilkes, it rocks! SH

otherwise. Enlisting the help of private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo), Ralph must consider the possibility of a paranormal explanation. Mendelsohn is good as the weary cop with a mind closed to the supernatural but it's Erivo who steals the show, making the role of Holly – played by Justine Lupe in the Mr. Mercedes series – her own. SH

STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS

BROOKLYN NINE- NINE: SEASON 7

SOUTH PARK: SEASON 23

SCHITT'S CREEK: SERIES 6

RELEASE DATE: 15/07/20 FORMAT:

RELEASE DATE: 15/07/20 FORMAT:

RELEASE DATE: 15/07/20 FORMAT:

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW FORMAT:

While the wait continues for the third season of Star Trek: Discovery , Trekkers can fill the void with this series of nine mini- episodes – set in the Discovery universe – that broaden and enrich the scope of the series through additional character arcs and side trips. There's even an animated episode! Two of these short treks, Runaway and Brightest Star , take place during season two – the latter providing a glimpse of Saru's life pre- Starfleet. There's also more of Harry Mudd, Ensign Spock, and Captain Pike commanding the Enterprise , plus bonus features including audio commentaries and featurettes. SH

We nearly lost them for a while there, but the Nine-Nine crew go from strength to strength in their second season at their new network home, bringing us the usual mixture of comedy with the odd spot of actual police work (including a hot reverse heist) here and there to break things up. While Jake and Amy’s baby business takes up a large arc through this season, everybody gets a chance to shine, from Holt and his sudden demotion, to Rosa being Rosa, Terry and his pecs, and remorseless eating machines Hitchcock and Scully – plus we even get a taste of rebel without a cause Boyle. Noice! AF

23 years on, South Park still manages to press buttons with its shock and awe tactics, triggering numerous laughs along the way. The 300th episode of the show features in this 10-episode season, and it’s celebrated in traditional SP style – with self- parody. While Randy Marsh’s Tegridy Farms project takes a lot of airtime, current affairs still rule throughout, with everything from child detention, gender politics and antivaxxers, to streaming service politics butting up against the usual silliness, including the boys’ death metal band and a poo heist. Now there's two words we never thought that we’d type – South Park still rocks! AF

Over six seasons, the travails of the Rose family and those in their Schitt’s Creek orbit have grown from an initial state of mildly amusing and slightly irritating to an emotional level that we didn’t see coming. Through deft writing and great performances, we grew to love each of these characters – to the point that seeing them off was to be an emotional event. This final season sees marital plans, job opportunities, a movie premiere, and more feels than any sitcom should ever invoke. From Moira’s marvellously mangled syllables to David’s neuroses and Alexa’s “boops”, Schitt’s Creek is a true joy that will be much missed. AF

64 JULY 2020

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