Thank you for reminding me to watch The Diplomat. It's not the Americans or West Wing, but its pretty solid, decently smart entertainment and Rufus Sewell is really great opposite the always stellar Keri Russell. I hope it can find a decent audience in spite of the dreaded algorithm, it would be a show that would quietly get to four or five seasons on a cable network like FX or AMC.
I never watched DS9 or Voyager when they were on, but a month or two back got a random Voyager video in my YouTube recommendations ("Blink of an Eye"). Googled the episode, saw it was well-regarded and decided to watch it. Loved it. Enough that I watched it again a few days later. Probably won't watch it or DS9 from start to finish, but if there's a DS9 episode or two that you'd recommend to someone who hasn't and probably won't watch the series, let me know!
The catch is that most of the best DS9 episodes — "The Visitor" in particular, which, again, is a Trek all-timer — are great because of what you know about the characters going in. Most of it is standalone storytelling until the final season, but I'm not sure there's one I could point you to and say that you'd love it if you weren't at least a semi-regular viewer of the show.
But if you were to magically find time to binge one or the other, DS9 >>>> Voyager.
Cam confirm that "Blink of an Eye" > "The Visitor" to someone coming in cold. Although in setting up Netflix to play the latter, I did see the description of next episode in the list for Voyager: the Doctor's singing voice is loves by an Alien species and he considers resigning his Commission, so I can see why you'd maybe say DS9 is overall better!
DS9 worth it for most any episode. The lead, Avery Brooks, is great. Enjoyed him from the old (probably dated) "Spenser for Hire" days. I forget the episode name (there is Google of course it's "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" that appears to have a mixed review, but that I recall fondly. I think Alan Sepinwall was correct though that you can pass on the Ferengi centric episodes. The nostalgia-bath of the last season of Picard has proved to be a great entry back into Star Trek for me.
I’ve never really been into trek, minus the first and third Pine movies…I’ve tried multiple iterations and none of them stuck.
This version though is incredible…it’s one of my absolute favorite shows on tv and I’m so happy it’s back. I preach its gospel to everyone I know; great characters, great stories, and most of all, it’s just fun! Thanks for doing these weekly recaps!
I’m so freaking glad Strange New Worlds is back. The cast interplay is great and the overall feel is just so, well, Star Trek. We have a *lot* to catch up on with relatively little new on the horizon right now, from The Great to Warrior before it finally returns (I have Mo Ryan's impassioned thumbs-up for that show to thank for me trying it a little while back, although it got dropped in the onslaught) to American Born Chinese to the original UK Ghosts, not counting so many movies and older series. Unfortunately, Deep Space Nine didn't fit into our family Next Generation rewatch in advance of this season of Picard beyond the pilot, but we're also hoping to introduce the kids to this series their parents were glued to 25 years ago.
Strange New Worlds really understands the spirit of the material so well (Discovery has always been a complete swing and miss for me. Picard has its ups and downs, but S3 got closer because it was just an extended TNG reunion adventure). Action, adventure, and they're doing really well to build all of the characters in the ensemble. This week's episode was honestly fairly predictable plotwise, but was still entertaining to watch and gave us some new takes on the classic characters they're working with.
I do also think it's fitting that they're doing the crossover with Lower Decks this season. LD is a love letter to the TNG era of Trek in all the best ways, but it too understands the spirit of the material. So it fits that they are doing a crossover.
In any event, I am psyched for this show to be back on and can't wait for new episodes each week.
I have mixed feelings about the idea of the crossover, which I have not seen yet. Strange New Worlds casts a wider net, age-wise, than Lower Decks. I haven't let one of my kids watch LD yet, but they adore SNW. And now I imagine they'll feel like they're missing out by not watching a cartoon they're not quite old enough for.
But, yes, LD has turned out to be terrific, much to my surprise after being mostly frustrated with the early episodes, which felt too Rick and Morty and struggled overall with tone.
My husband and I started The Full Monty last night. Not sure what to think yet but it definitely held our interest. I feel like England is more willing to have TV shows about the working class and poverty than the U.S. Maybe we should do more of that here.
Glad to know that The Great made some changes in the late party of the season. I kinda gave up in the second episodes, thinking the show were running around in circles. Now, maybe I'll give another try.
I’m a huge Trekkie. I’ve watched every episode of every series at last twice.the current crop are all excellent ( though Discovery can meander) and Avery Brooks’ overacting aside DS9 is the most underrated of all. Thank you for a fantastic newsletter.
Alan, something I was thinking about with Succession and Barry ending: do you think four seasons (or less) and out is going to become the new model for successful shows? In the past, HBO would have milked Succession for at least another season, as they did the Sopranos and Game of Thrones, but instead it ended at what was arguably its cultural peak. I guess it's good that shows are going out at a creative high rather than stretching things out too long, but it still takes some getting used to.
Four-and-out is certainly preferable to Netflix's three-and-out — or, these days, two-and-out — approach. I'm a firm believer that shows should be allowed to run for as long as there's story to tell. Both Barry and Succession felt limited by design. (For a long time, I even argued that Barry should have ended after its first year.) Something like Reservation Dogs, on the other hand, feels like it could run forever if the people making it wanted to. But the economics of the business are changing, as discussed in that Adalian story I linked to this week.
Great list - and I really appreciate the inclusion of Party Down and Mrs. Davis. It probably doesn't belong on the list, but I though Never Have I Ever had a solid final season after a good run.
That's a show I really liked in its first season. Started its second and just... never finished it. The spell was broken for me, it felt like. But glad to hear it ended well for you.
So, so happy to see "Somebody Somewhere" on the list. That show is such a joy to watch!
Pump up the jam, pump it up
While your feet are stompin'
And the jam is pumpin'
Look ahead, the crowd is jumpin'
Pump it up a little more
Get the party going on the dance floor
See, 'cause that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you do that
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
Thank you for reminding me to watch The Diplomat. It's not the Americans or West Wing, but its pretty solid, decently smart entertainment and Rufus Sewell is really great opposite the always stellar Keri Russell. I hope it can find a decent audience in spite of the dreaded algorithm, it would be a show that would quietly get to four or five seasons on a cable network like FX or AMC.
I never watched DS9 or Voyager when they were on, but a month or two back got a random Voyager video in my YouTube recommendations ("Blink of an Eye"). Googled the episode, saw it was well-regarded and decided to watch it. Loved it. Enough that I watched it again a few days later. Probably won't watch it or DS9 from start to finish, but if there's a DS9 episode or two that you'd recommend to someone who hasn't and probably won't watch the series, let me know!
The catch is that most of the best DS9 episodes — "The Visitor" in particular, which, again, is a Trek all-timer — are great because of what you know about the characters going in. Most of it is standalone storytelling until the final season, but I'm not sure there's one I could point you to and say that you'd love it if you weren't at least a semi-regular viewer of the show.
But if you were to magically find time to binge one or the other, DS9 >>>> Voyager.
Cam confirm that "Blink of an Eye" > "The Visitor" to someone coming in cold. Although in setting up Netflix to play the latter, I did see the description of next episode in the list for Voyager: the Doctor's singing voice is loves by an Alien species and he considers resigning his Commission, so I can see why you'd maybe say DS9 is overall better!
DS9 worth it for most any episode. The lead, Avery Brooks, is great. Enjoyed him from the old (probably dated) "Spenser for Hire" days. I forget the episode name (there is Google of course it's "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" that appears to have a mixed review, but that I recall fondly. I think Alan Sepinwall was correct though that you can pass on the Ferengi centric episodes. The nostalgia-bath of the last season of Picard has proved to be a great entry back into Star Trek for me.
Here's a couple articles that provide a list of must-watch episodes:
- https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-deep-space-nine-s-must-watch-episodes-1842983112
- https://mashable.com/article/star-trek-deep-space-nine-condensed-how-to-watch-the-most-story-driven-trek-1613741
I realize this has nothing to do with television, but literally just two emails before your newsletter hit my inbox this morning, I was emailed a link to this piece on latkes by a historian named Alyssa Sepinwall: https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/may-2023/of-potato-latkes-and-pedagogy-cooking-for-the-history-classroom?_zs=QtXma&_zl=2bWd3
I assume that's your sister? Small world.
That is my sister. Anyone with that last name is related to me, and pretty closely. I think there's a dozen of us in total at this point.
ha too funny. Now I want latkes.
My grandmother had an Osterizer but somehow I don't recall it being involved in latke prep. Thanks for that link, Zach K!
"I would like the ship to go. Now."
I’ve never really been into trek, minus the first and third Pine movies…I’ve tried multiple iterations and none of them stuck.
This version though is incredible…it’s one of my absolute favorite shows on tv and I’m so happy it’s back. I preach its gospel to everyone I know; great characters, great stories, and most of all, it’s just fun! Thanks for doing these weekly recaps!
I’m so freaking glad Strange New Worlds is back. The cast interplay is great and the overall feel is just so, well, Star Trek. We have a *lot* to catch up on with relatively little new on the horizon right now, from The Great to Warrior before it finally returns (I have Mo Ryan's impassioned thumbs-up for that show to thank for me trying it a little while back, although it got dropped in the onslaught) to American Born Chinese to the original UK Ghosts, not counting so many movies and older series. Unfortunately, Deep Space Nine didn't fit into our family Next Generation rewatch in advance of this season of Picard beyond the pilot, but we're also hoping to introduce the kids to this series their parents were glued to 25 years ago.
Strange New Worlds really understands the spirit of the material so well (Discovery has always been a complete swing and miss for me. Picard has its ups and downs, but S3 got closer because it was just an extended TNG reunion adventure). Action, adventure, and they're doing really well to build all of the characters in the ensemble. This week's episode was honestly fairly predictable plotwise, but was still entertaining to watch and gave us some new takes on the classic characters they're working with.
I do also think it's fitting that they're doing the crossover with Lower Decks this season. LD is a love letter to the TNG era of Trek in all the best ways, but it too understands the spirit of the material. So it fits that they are doing a crossover.
In any event, I am psyched for this show to be back on and can't wait for new episodes each week.
I have mixed feelings about the idea of the crossover, which I have not seen yet. Strange New Worlds casts a wider net, age-wise, than Lower Decks. I haven't let one of my kids watch LD yet, but they adore SNW. And now I imagine they'll feel like they're missing out by not watching a cartoon they're not quite old enough for.
But, yes, LD has turned out to be terrific, much to my surprise after being mostly frustrated with the early episodes, which felt too Rick and Morty and struggled overall with tone.
My husband and I started The Full Monty last night. Not sure what to think yet but it definitely held our interest. I feel like England is more willing to have TV shows about the working class and poverty than the U.S. Maybe we should do more of that here.
It has long-seemed that the largest genre of British dramatic storytelling is "Thatcher Sucks".
Glad to know that The Great made some changes in the late party of the season. I kinda gave up in the second episodes, thinking the show were running around in circles. Now, maybe I'll give another try.
I love Strange New Worlds. So excellent!!!
I’m a huge Trekkie. I’ve watched every episode of every series at last twice.the current crop are all excellent ( though Discovery can meander) and Avery Brooks’ overacting aside DS9 is the most underrated of all. Thank you for a fantastic newsletter.
Alan, something I was thinking about with Succession and Barry ending: do you think four seasons (or less) and out is going to become the new model for successful shows? In the past, HBO would have milked Succession for at least another season, as they did the Sopranos and Game of Thrones, but instead it ended at what was arguably its cultural peak. I guess it's good that shows are going out at a creative high rather than stretching things out too long, but it still takes some getting used to.
Four-and-out is certainly preferable to Netflix's three-and-out — or, these days, two-and-out — approach. I'm a firm believer that shows should be allowed to run for as long as there's story to tell. Both Barry and Succession felt limited by design. (For a long time, I even argued that Barry should have ended after its first year.) Something like Reservation Dogs, on the other hand, feels like it could run forever if the people making it wanted to. But the economics of the business are changing, as discussed in that Adalian story I linked to this week.
Great list - and I really appreciate the inclusion of Party Down and Mrs. Davis. It probably doesn't belong on the list, but I though Never Have I Ever had a solid final season after a good run.
That's a show I really liked in its first season. Started its second and just... never finished it. The spell was broken for me, it felt like. But glad to hear it ended well for you.
The link to the best shows of 2023 doesn't work.
Thanks. It's fixed now. Hate when that happens, because anyone who just reads the email version will get the busted link.