This is a preview of our pop culture newsletter The Daily Beast’s Obsessed, written by editor Kevin Fallon. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox each week, while it was nearly finished shooting Season 2; it will not see the light of the day on the streamer. (It’s being shopped around elsewhere.) Westworld, which at one point was the most-watched series on HBO, is among the series that are being wiped from the Max library. (Warner Bros. also hopes to sell it to another service.) But if a show that big is gone, what chance do smaller, beloved gems have?
Which brings me to my point. Friends, loved ones, kind strangers: We must do everything in our power to protect The Other Two, a perfect comedy series. It was renewed and has been shooting Season 3, but, as this week taught us, that means nothing! Let us join hands in spirit and faith. Let us pray: “Our Molly Shannon, who art in Heaven…” And don’t forget to say the “Hail Mary (Katherine Gallagher).”
These are scary times. The thought of losing The Other Two might be the scariest thing about them.
The Collaboration of the Century
It’s the time of year when all kinds of organizations are announcing the nominees and honorees of their annual awards. Among them was the Boston Society of Film Critics, which made waves with the announcement that its selection for Best Ensemble this year was a tie. One winner is Women Talking, which is a predictable, worthy choice. The other: Jackass Forever.
This is the kind of delightful, borderline-camp, but also completely justified left-field choice that we love. (More daring would have been to select Johnny Knoxville and his band of bruised stunt idiots on their own.) Chief among those who are giddy about this decision are Women Talking writer-director Sarah Polley and, according to her, the film’s cast. She encapsulated her enthusiasm in the perfect tweet:
Too Hot to Handle
The revelation this week that Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn, and Andrew Scott have a group text chat with each other that is called “The Tortured Men Club” is too intensely sexually appealing that, to protect myself, I can’t allow myself to fully process it.
What to watch this week:
Avatar: Way of the Water: I think this is one of those “resistance is futile” situations. (Now in theaters)
Emily in Paris: See above. (Wed. on Netflix)
I Hate Suzie: It’s one of those shows that epitomizes “underrated gem.” I’m so glad it got a Season 2. (Thurs. on HBO Max)
What to skip this week:
Kindred: A trailblazing sci-fi masterpiece gets a terrible series adaptation. (Now on Hulu)
National Treasure: Edge of Tomorrow: You expect me to care about a National Treasure sequel series that doesn’t have Nicolas Cage? (Now on Disney+)
