Long Story Short is a Netflix adult animated comedy-drama created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, his first new animated series since the acclaimed BoJack Horseman. Trading Hollywood satire for something more intimate, the show is a warm, melancholy, and very funny portrait of a single family told across the sweep of its members' entire lives.
The series follows the Schwooper family, jumping freely and non-chronologically through the decades, from childhood and adolescence to marriage, parenthood, and old age, so that a character might be a squabbling kid in one scene and a weary adult in the next. This restless time-hopping structure lets the show explore how families carry their history with them, how old wounds and inside jokes echo across generations, and how small moments accumulate into a life. Its voice cast includes Abbi Jacobson, Ben Feldman, Lisa Edelstein, Paul Reiser, and Nicole Byer.
Rooted in Bob-Waksberg's own Jewish American upbringing, Long Story Short earned strong reviews for balancing sharp comedy with genuine emotional depth, the same alchemy that made his previous work resonate. It is streaming on Netflix.
You can compare Army Wives the television show to soap operas. There are similarities just as there are in real life. Maybe more comparable with Desperate Housewives though because of all they experience in a typical day. One "wife" is an Army brat who is used to the vagabond lifestyle of the military. Another, a former police officer, hires herself out as a surrogate mom to make some extra cash. There is also a male version of the Army wife, himself a shrink whose wife has become the first African American lieutenant colonel. There is plenty of jealousy, sex, and out-ranking plus some poignant moments thanks to the stresses involved in military life. Starring Kim Delaney ( NYPD Blue, The O.C.), Brigid Branagh (Criminal Minds, 24), Sally Pressman (Criminal Minds, Shark), Sterling K Brown (Detroit 1-8-7, Harry's Law), and Catherine Bell (The Good Witch, JAG). Former soap queen from All My Children, Susan Lucci joins the cast as the wife of a retired Brigadier General.
Whether you are a comic book aficionado or not you might really enjoy watching Comic Book Men, American Movie Classics (AMC) venture into the world of "reality television". Host Kevin Smith, himself a popular director, writer, and actor in his films such as Clerks, Mallrats, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in which he usually plays the character of Silent Bob, is co-owner of the Secret Stash along with Walter Flanagan, Mike Zapcic, Bryan Johnson, and Ming Chen. An expert in the world of comic book collecting enters the store and help them rate and buy or turn down some comics brought in by clients. Rob "Jack's Guy" Bruce is an expert and considered a popculturist in the field. Modern comic books are far more than the "pulp fiction" of old and today they are highly collectable along with lots of movie memorabilia that many collect, such as autographs. Those who draw for the comic book industry are now held in high esteem, and even considered artists. We who love comics will appreciate the collectors that preserve them so we can still enjoy those 10c comics of long ago and the Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in New Jersey is the place to find them.
Just how much reality can we really stand? After being involved in a serious car accident with his wife and son Michael Britten, a police detective, must face the reality of one or the other of his loved ones having been killed in that wreck. He experiences "realities" involving each scenario and as we witness, his mind wraps around the existence of that reality being true. Scary as that may sound the detective does manage to perform his duties as a police detective and solve crimes. His captain (Laura Innes from ER, The Event) and his partner "Bird" Freeman (Steve Harris from Homicide: Life on the Streets, Law & Order) worry about Britten's sanity as he moves between two reality scenarios that are equally terrifying. Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films, The Patriot) is detective Britten, a man who is Awake through his sorrow and visions. He wears colored rubber bands, each one different for the reality he sees. Red reflects his wife being alive and green for his son remaining alive. We, the viewing audience, can tell by color of those bands how much he pines for his missing loved ones.
Typical of the hugely popular TV series Survivor, we see men pitted against the women to see who can perform tasks better. But with Survivor: One World there is a new twist according to Jeff Probst, the shows host. While the competition will be men against women they will be allowed to cohabitate for the very first time. In other words, they can play together until the games begin, then it's every man "“ and women for themselves! Should prove to be interesting. The contestants can build a single camp, two camps, or not even have a designated camp, it's up to them to decide. And there will be even more reward challenges than before plus no Redemption Island. Some "Do it yourself challenges" as well as no judges and no Probst to interfere, they just need to figure things out for themselves. A new host steps up and proves to be equally as annoying as Jeff Probst ever was! Part of the challenges involves what to do with some of the props. Fun time in the jungle once again!
Ann Biderman, highly respected as a writer on the NYPD Blue TV series as well as movies (Copycat, Primal Fear), created Southland originally for NBC television. When the series moved on to TNT cable network it opened up the plots and scripts with a freedom not seen on network television. It became decidedly more earthy and real without the constraints of network censors. SouthLAnd (styled promotionally to represent LA California) follows the lives of LAPD officers who try to keep the streets of one of the largest cities in the U.S. clear of crime and corruption, but that's a daunting task! The series closely follows several officers in particular, bringing in their personal lives along with the dangers they face every day on the job. Being a cop is never a 9 to 5 job and it's never boring! Starring Benjamin McKenzie (The OC, 88 Minutes) playing Ben Sherman who we follow from rookie to seasoned veteran, Shawn Hatosy (Dexter, My Name Is Earl) is Sammy Bryant and is Ben's partner, a man who has plenty of problems at home. The show is definitely worth watching for the honest look at dramatic police life.
And just might prove to be the better choice as far as the entertainment factor goes! Animation today is far better due to some CG effects. Taking up where the 2004 movie left us, Napoleon Dynamite follows along with the adventures of Preston, Idaho resident Napoleon Dynamite as well as his family friends and some new characters as well. Napoleon is a teenage boy just sixteen year old who just happens to be multi talented. Being quite good at drawing, dancing, and always practicing his ninja moves, he also claims to have a girlfriend back in Oklahoma. He has a brother named Kip who is 32 and still lives at home. Kip is always trying to meet up with girls on the internet. The brothers live with their grandmother who spends much of her time with friends four wheeling on sand dunes. Napoleon is voiced by Jon Heder and other voices include Aaron Ruell, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader, Sandy Martin, and Efren Ramirez.
DreamWorks TV and producer Steven Spielberg are hoping their latest entry into prime time television lives up to its name. Smash is about the making of a Broadway musical play which involves the life of Marilyn Monroe. But personal conflicts among the cast members prove to be difficult to work with as they deal with the everyday demands of theater life and this musical in particular. Debra Messing stars as Julia Houston who is the co-writer as well as lyrist and song writer on Smash. Messing, formerly seen on Will & Grace, is an award winner with a musical background. Angelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor, The Adams Family) plays Eileen Rand the musical's producer who has to juggle handling a messy divorce along with the difficulty that goes with producing a Broadway musical. Frank Huston, Julia's husband is played by Brian d'Arcy James (Broadway's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) is jealous of Tom Levett (Christian Borle from Broadway's Jesus Christ Superstar), Julia's partner and co-writer of Smash. The actress who finally gets the role of Marilyn is Ivy Lynn played by Megan Hilty from the Broadway production of 9 to 5: The Musical. Plenty of behind the scenes back biting helps keep this production on a bumpy road.
In a comedy based on a novel with the same name by David J. Rosen, I Just Want My Pants Back follows poor Jason Strider as he searches for his favorite pair of jeans. Seems he had a one night stand with a girl and it ended with him missing not only his pants but the girl as well. Now he must hunt around in New York City, no small task, and hopefully get his best pair of pants back and perhaps the girl as well. Jason is also trying to handle a new job working at a casting agency. Her name is Jane and Jason thinks she just might be "the one" for him! But now he can't find her. Peter Vack (As The World Turns) is Jason Strider, his best friend Tina is played by Kim Shaw from Sex and the City, Did You Hear About The Morgans?), Chris Parnell (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Answer This!) is Jason's casting agency boss. A typical "twenty something" living in Brooklyn, Jason prefers hanging with friends, finding a better job, and hitting the bars. But he begins to grow up as he seeks the missing girl he apparently fell in love with and now wants to find the elusive Jane.
As Martin Bohm, father of an emotionally challenged boy of 11, we find Kiefer Sutherland bringing an emotional character to life as he tries to understand what makes his son "tick". Martin's son Jacob (who also goes by Jake) has been caught up in a world of his own since his mother perished during the attacks of September 11, 2001. He sees events in the future and seems obsessed by numbers. This series blends spirituality with science as we find out about the connections that bind all of humanity together in ways hidden from normal view. The 11 year old boy may well hold the key to shaping the planet's destiny. The supernatural Touch has a spectacular cast beginning with Kiefer Sutherland (24, The Cowboy Way) as the father Martin Bohm, his son Jake Bohm is portrayed by David Mazouz (TV's Criminal Minds, Mike & Molly), Professor Arthur Teller is played by Danny Glover (the Lethal Weapon series, The Color Purple). Professor Teller and Jake's dad Martin Bohm try to solve the puzzle that is Jake's mind and find a way to break through to him. This series hold promise of becoming a "must see" each week!
As a sequel to the popular Spartacus: Blood and Sand, we find Spartacus: Vengeance is more about how and why he became a gladiator. Determined to free the slaves owned by the Roman Republic, the Romans need to stop Spartacus before he does them more damage. And now Spartacus, himself a former Thracian slave, has a huge decision to make which is whether to help free the slaves or seek vengeance on those who condemned his own wife into slavery then death. Starring as Spartacus is Liam McIntyre from Neighbours and The Pacific, Peter Mensah (Avatar, Tears of the Sun) is trusted friend and former trainer of gladiators Oenomaus, Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica) is Lucretia Batiatus, widow of Quintus Batiatus who now hold a gift known as prophecy, and Dan Feuerriegel (Australian TV's McLeod's Daughters, Stupid Stupid Man) playing the part of Agron, German gladiator who was the first to join up with Spartacus and his revolt. Others in the cast include Manu Bennett as Crixus, Viva Bianca as Ilithyia, and as Gaius Claudius Glaber, Craig Parker. It's rousing and entertaining while not especially true to history.