May Binges: Beef, The Night Agent, The Big Door Prize, The English

Yes, there’s a writer’s strike on, but that means I am catching up on all the TV that has been relentlessly hitting streaming services in the past few months. I’ve binged several things over the past few weeks, so now it’s your turn!

Beef: This show hits the gas (literally, and figuratively) from Episode 1 and never lets up till Episode 10. It stars Ali Wong and Steven Yuen as Amy and Danny, two people with very different lives who become connected because of a road rage incident that sets them both down a slippery slope of anger, resentment, and betrayal. Yes, it can get heavy, but it’s also insanely funny and impossible to stop watching once you start. 

Every episode is beautifully plotted, ending with delicious cliffhangers that leave you wanting more, but creator Lee Sung Jin ensures that the overarching series is tied up with a beautiful bow at the end. It would be a pity to give away any plot so all I’ll say is that if you want to watch a show about Asian rage, class warfare, and the little choices in our life that lead to absolutely monumental changes in our future, you must head on over to Netflix ASAP.

The Night Agent: Created by Shawn Ryan, based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, this is a taut spy thriller where no one can be trusted and our two scrappy protagonists are up against the might of the US Secret Service, FBI, and the White House. Luciane Buchanan plays Rose Larkin, a woman who discovers her aunt and uncle were undercover agents only when they are mysteriously killed in their own home. Before they were killed, they gave Rose the Night Action number to call for help, which is how she meets Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), an FBI agent monitoring the Night Action phone line. He was tasked with this job by the President’s Chief of Staff, Diane Farr (Hong Chau, in a meaty and very fun role that plays against type from what I’ve seen her in before), who tells Peter to take care of Rose and ensure no harm comes to her while they try to figure out what’s going on here. 

Well, over ten episodes, a LOT happens: many people are betrayed once, twice, or even thrice, the VP’s daughter is suddenly a main character, there’s a terrorist plot afoot, and the body count skyrockets. This show isn’t high art, and a lot of the story beats and dialogue can feel a bit tropey. But it gets truly propulsive and exciting in the second half and ends with a bang. It’s an easy binge, with episodes usually coming in at a brisk 45 minutes. Once you start, you may find yourself unable to stop.

The Big Door Prize: AppleTV+ is really getting to be known for sitcoms with heart, and this show is no exception. Developed by David West Read, based on the novel by M.O. Walsh, this is a weird but beautiful story about what happens in the small town of Deerfield, when a Morpho machine mysteriously appears in their general store. When you put $2 into this machine, it spits out a little blue card that has "Your Life Potential" on it. Well, turns out those little cards pack a punch and pretty soon the whole town is filled with people who are up-ending their hitherto predictable lives to chase their hidden dreams. 

While most of the action centers around Dusty and Cass (played by Chris O'Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis), each episode follows one particular Deerfield resident while also giving us the ongoing plot developments of the other supporting characters. The narrative is complex and intriguing, funny and wistful, and even after you know what everyone's card said, you're still left pondering, Yes, but what does it all MEAN? The finale didn't deliver many answers but teed up a promising Season 2. So while they're on hiatus, I need to get my hands on the novel and do some reading to see what further adventures are due to arrive at Deerfield.

The English: This show was less of a binge and more of a slog as far as I was concerned. Written and directed by Hugo Blick, it's an extremely slow burn Western, and despite only being six episodes long, I couldn't wait to be done with every single episode. Which is a real shame because it does star the divine Emily Blunt as Lady Cornelia Locke, an Englishwoman who arrives in the midst of the American West in 1890 Kansas and is immediately subjected to horrific treatment by evil men until she teams up with a Pawnee scout named Eli Whipp/Wounded Wolf (Chaske Spencer). 

A woman and a Native American set out to wreak vengeance on greedy white men? That should be right up my alley! But oh boy I found all the dialogue too prosy and obtuse. The one thing the show does have going for it is absolutely astounding cinematography and you would be hard-pressed to tear your eyes away from the screen. In fact, perhaps this is a show best watched on mute so you can revel in the sweeping vistas and beautiful sunsets. Otherwise, I found it to be way too violent and harsh, and there were a lot of characters and motivations that were all talk until someone drew a gun and then it was all bullets. If you love Westerns, step right up, because this might be the best show you watch all year. But otherwise, you may be better off with something else.