Tales from the Loop

As I've noted multiple times in this blog, we've been watching new series as we learn about them from our son or from the internet. After weeks of action movies, we've decided to change the mood a bit and began watching Tales from the Loop, an 8-episode series on Amazon Prime that falls in the realm of surrealistic sci-fi (perhaps a redundant term).


Based on the eerie paintings of 36-year-old Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, the series explores the lives of residents of Mercer, Ohio, a company town where the "industry" is a device called The Loop that is built underground. From all appearances, The Loop is a particle accelerator and the question viewers will consider is whether the strange happenings a result of the device itself or merely an adjunct of a town filled with engineers and scientists.


But that's only the backdrop. The town itself is drab, but the lives of those living there can hardly be described as such. Though we've only watched three episodes thus far, it seems like each episode, though standalone, feature characters that are interconnected linearly from one episode to the next. Certainly, it's not a movie series in the traditional sense.


On the plus side, the cinematography is beautiful, the soundtrack is tight, and the writing is beyond skilled. Figures and structures in Stålenhag's paintings are faithfully reproduced and integrated with the entire story. Whether some of it is CGI or not (I respective it is, though), it's still quite stunning.


On the minus side, it's very slow. If you're used to your series jump-cutting here and there, lots of car crashes, bullets, and bombs, then you may not really enjoy this series so much. However, if you're looking for a more cerebral viewing experience, I say it's worth a try.


The good news is, according to the showrunner, there is enough material for future seasons of Tales from the Loop, though right now, there's no word whether Amazon's interested in renewing the contract. So much in the air right now with impacts from COVID-19, we'll just have to wait and see.


Yours from the Loop,


Michael

Two Binge-able, But Totally Different, Netflix Series

In the interests of full disclosure, I was a huge fan of The West Wing, though not during its first run. Years ago, I binge-watched the entire series in short order and loved every minute of it. I like books/movies about the inner workings of Washington, a place that both fascinates and terrifies me, depending on who's in office at the moment. All the wonky stuff intrigues me.

For similar reasons, I loved House of Cards, though I have yet to watch the last season because of the taint of the Kevin Spacey revelations. Or should I say, my wife's not interested for those reasons; frankly, I'd love to get closure, but eventually, I'll see it. After all, the disgraced actor isn't even in the final season.

But I digress...

We just finished watching two binge-worth, but oh, so different, series on Netflix.

The first--and hence my initial paragraphs--is Designated Survivor, starring Keifer Sutherland as the lone surviving member of the current Administration and newly sworn-in president. He is tasked with rebuilding the federal government (literally and figuratively), while at the same time dealing with all manner of threats typical for any president to face.

The first two episodes were aired on ABC and then was purchased by Netflix, who produced the third and final season (at least final for now). Unlike the West Wing, it has a lot of elements of a thriller interwoven into the day-to-day governmental folderol and shenanigans.

Sadly, the third season ends with a lot of open issues and no fourth season in sight. Regardless, most definitely worth your time.

The second series, the one everyone is talking about, is a seven-episode documentary called Tiger King. Talk about a wild ride and a peek into, let's be honest, the most red-necky parts of America. In short, the limited series traces the rise and ignominious fall of Joe Exotic, aka the Tiger King. Joe ran a zoo of sorts, featuring wild cats of all types, though mostly tigers.

This isn't one of your touchy-feely, "We bought a zoo" kind of shows. Instead, it reveals the seedy underbelly of the illegal big cat breeding and sale industry so rampant in this country. We meet a number of squirrelly characters, most of whom are really degenerates in their own ways. The big names in this underhanded business have oversized egos and oversized hunger for drugs, sex, booze, and guns.

I won't give spoilers, but let's say Joe gets what was coming to him and now he's pursuing a scorched earth policy. There's a lot more to the story than this series has shown. Stay tuned.

Yours in TV-land,

Michael