Shadow and Bone, The Mosquito Coast, and Bennifer??!?
Two book adaptations made for TV, plus the 2000s are back baby
Hello!
On this week’s episode of Criticism Is Dead, we discuss Shadow and Bone, about a Chosen One coming to terms with her deeply held secret, and The Mosquito Coast, about a patriarch fleeing his.
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05:53 Shadow and Bone, out on Netflix, manages to fill a fun fantasy-sized void in the TV landscape, in spite of its lackluster heroine.
This is not, despite what many outlets are saying, really comparable to Game of Thrones, which sprawling high fantasy vs. this lil’ YA steampunk adventure. But those comparisons are somewhat illustrative of Netflix and other networks’ efforts to cement a new GoT, AKA a fantasy epic that can stretch into many seasons and accrue a dedicated fanbase, all thanks to existing IP.
Reviews for this show are a little mixed; here’s Vox with the headline “Netflix’s Shadow and Bone is a muddled, joyless checklist of fantasy tropes”:
Shadow and Bone forces unearned story beats and melodrama. Its character-building is lackluster; its worldbuilding is mostly incoherent, and its script careens from one-liner to one-liner without much substance in between — all while the weak writing torpedos the efforts of its talented cast.
I agree, BUT despite the show’s flaws — most of which have to do with the main heroine, Alina — I would still say this is a decently fun watch, with a lot of potential to grow into itself in future seasons. Plus, how can you say no to all the beautiful people?
24:11 The Mosquito Coast, streaming weekly on Apple TV+, is a high-octane drama that has the potential (hopefully?) to produce a new antihero à la Walter White, Tony Soprano, etc.
We’re only two episodes into this new show, so honestly there’s still a lot left up in the air, but our early impressions are: High budget. Impressive cinematography. Tense drama. A big ol’ SECRET that has yet to be revealed.
And, of course, Justin Theroux. He has the range so far, oscillating between these moments of charisma and patheticness. The hold his character has over his family is so mysterious and almost sinister so far, almost cult-like. What explains their loyalty to him, beyond familial love? Is it trauma? Sincere belief in his anti-consumerism, anti-capitalist ideology (funny to see this on Apple lol)? I guess we’ll see!!!
44:05 Plus, culture notes about our favorite Boston boy and Miss J.Lo, reunited.
P.S. Absolutely must include this:
Bonus links
Hell ya Alexander Skarsgård + Succession !!!!!!!!!!!!
These photos from the first Mad Men filming are crisp as hell:
Thank you Martin Scorsese for always feeding us:
Really enjoyed the boba gay TikTok.
Next week we’re for sure doing Mare of Easttown so far, so be sure to catch up! Here’s some inspiration for you:
That’s it for this week. Bye!
— Jenny
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Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.
Some credits:
Music: REEKAH
Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu