From its inception, Shrinking has centered around several significant motifs: therapy, bereavement, trauma, forgiveness, and the challenge of expressing emotions honestly. However, this series also delves into parenthood, which is evident in episodes like “Full Grown Dude Face.” Despite not being the most emotionally charged or heart-wrenching episode from season two, I believe it was the one that resonated with me on a deeply personal level.
I’ve allowed Jenna “Lyons” a considerable amount of freedom when it comes to sharing aspects of her life on this reality TV show, mainly because I admire her, believe she adds depth to the program, and consider her an excellent Housewife. However, after witnessing her yard sale, I feel that she’s crossed the line. I understand Jenna’s desire to keep her relationship private, and there are certainly other topics she can discuss – such as her business, her son leaving for college, or interactions with the other women – that have nothing to do with her relationship status. However, it appears that her reluctance to disclose personal details might be hindering the narrative.
In this week’s episode of the beloved series, “Wealthy Women Making Moves“, our affluent ladies have been up to something extraordinary. They chatted with ducks who had transformed their swimming pools into homes and then dashed out to the front yard, where a brand-new Porsche sat, adorned with a large red bow, as if straight out of a Hallmark holiday film.
The ensemble cast of “Shrinking” is remarkably impressive. Jason Segel, in the role of a grieving therapist raising a teenage daughter, skillfully employs every quirky and awkward aspect of his lanky physique. Jessica Williams shines as another therapist, her talent so evident that an article waiting to be written, titled “Why Isn’t Jessica Williams a Much Bigger Star?”, seems almost inevitable. Even legendary actor Harrison Ford joins the series, portraying the grumpy head of the practice, and I must admit, his frequent misuse of the phrase “raw dog” in various awkward scenarios provides an unparalleled running gag. In the ongoing second season, it appears Brett Goldstein and Damon Wayans Jr. have been introduced as part of a study to determine just how much charm can be packed into a single production.
For as long as there has been Star Wars, there has been a consumerist element to its sprawling universe, because that’s what modern fandom is: buying stuff to prove that you like something. The new, aggressively Amblin-influenced Star Wars: Skeleton Crew takes that paraphernalia-as-personality quality a step further with a main character who, while living within this galaxy far, far away, is also a fan of this galaxy. He’s got Jedi and Sith action figures and comics, and an endless interest in Jedi lore to the detriment of his education and his relationship with his single father, giving Skeleton Crew a meta flair that is, in the first three episodes of that were provided to critics, by far the most interesting thing about the new Disney+ series.
Have you heard this tale before? It goes like this: There are some vampires residing on Staten Island, and they receive an invitation to a vampire gathering. Eager to attend, they don their finest vampire attire and head out to the event, where all the New York City vampires have gathered. The variety is astonishing – from leatherette vamps to Coney Island carnival vamps, mimes, punks, and Madonna-esque wannabes from Desperately Seeking Susan. Even the intimidating Manhattan private school for girls’ vampire clique is present. However, the gathering turns out to be a trap, leading our Staten Island vampires to make a hasty escape as the entire NYC vampire horde pursues them, being the main characters of the story. (By the way, Desperately Seeking Susan is a fantastic movie.)
For those who fear blood or own white couches, be cautious at the start of this episode: At 11:30 PM, a large amount of Davide’s blood has spattered on the couch following Gary’s intoxicated actions of hitting him with a lollipop. Danni summons Daisy for help, but the chief stew seems unwilling or incapable, given her own drunken and strangely calm state, to handle the situation effectively. They spray cleaner on it, optimistically assuming it will disappear overnight. Gary attempts to pin the blame on Davide, while others point fingers at Gary.
In a different phrasing, when Tolstoy stated that all happy families share similarities, he might have been referring to the Oscars. This can be likened to the theory of awards season holiday cards: For three consecutive years, the Best Picture award has been given to the movie whose cast effectively portrayed a harmonious and heartwarming family on screen.
The inaugural broadcast of “Saturday Night” on NBC took place live from New York City on October 11, 1975. Visually, it resembled discarded trash – drab shades of gray and brown, slightly dusty yet somehow damp as well. The sets seemed to have been abandoned on the city streets for a few days. Notably, the main stage was laid with real bricks, suggesting that the show wasn’t just set in New York but seemed to be playing directly on its streets. As creator Lorne Michaels explained to Rolling Stone in 1979, “It reflected what New York was like at that time – rundown, dilapidated, and cherished because of it.
Spoilers ahead for episode 6 of Somebody Somewhere’s third season.