Seasons: 5 seasons, 46 episodes. Starring: Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson, Tobias Santelmann, Emily Cox, and Rune Temte. Description: The Last Kingdom tells the story of young boy Uhtred, who suffers a tragedy when his father, a fighter in the Saxon army, is slain. Earl Ragnar, the Danish Overlord, takes pity on the boy and adopts him into the Danish Camp, raising him as one of their own. Uhtred is hit by further tragedy when his adopted family is also murdered, and he is exiled. Having grown up to be a formidable fighter, Uhtred takes it upon himself to avenge his loved ones, who had been so cruelly mistreated.
Why it’s lukewarm: The premise is not a unique one, and perhaps this is its downfall, that it is not original enough to keep the viewer truly engaged. The first season is fast-paced and does a good job at keeping the audience on edge, but by the second season, the storyline gets weaker and the show a little slow.
3% (SO-SO)
Seasons: 4 seasons, 33 episodes. Starring: João Miguel, Bianca Comparato, Michel Gomes, Rodolfo Valente, Vaneza Oliveira, and Rafael Lozano. Description: The series is set in an unknown future in which two realities exist. The first is the “inland”, where life is tough, but there is an opportunity for progress through what is referred to as “the process.” However, only 3% are successful in completing the process and transitioning to the affluent “offshore.” The candidates that fail either disappear or are killed in “the process.” With these two worlds so starkly divided and the chance of success being so small, the stakes are high between success and failure.
Why it’s lukewarm: The show was originally shot in Brazil and purchased by Netflix after its first season. Netflix subsequently green-lit the second season, and it was the first Portuguese show to be aired on the platform. The premise is interesting as everyone can identify with the battles of good versus evil, and the desire to improve your socio-economic opportunities. The sci-fi thriller element of the show can appeal to a broad audience. Overall, we think you will enjoy it.
Love (SO-SO)
Seasons: 3 seasons, 34 episodes. Starring: Paul Rust and Gillian Jacobs. Description: Love is about the relationship between Mickey and Gus, who may not appear to be right for each other but fall in love nonetheless. Mickey is dealing with a substance abuse problem and some serious self-doubt. When she meets Gus, she thinks he is a nice, regular guy who may help her sort her life out. Unfortunately, Gus is dealing with some issues of his own, and instead of being the rock that Mickey needs, he ends up causing her further problems.
Why it’s lukewarm: Love goes about breaking down the image of the typical “nice guy” as well as killing the notion of the “dream girl.” In short, everyone has issues. Mickey and Gus happen to have more problems than most, in fact, they are complete disasters, which lends itself to some fun albeit slightly awkward moments in their relationship. You may enjoy this show (especially since Judd Apatow is one of its writers), but we think it’s not consistent enough to make it a winner.
The Break With Michelle Wolf (SO-SO)
Seasons: 1 Season, 10 episodes. Starring: Michelle Wolf and a rotating group of guests Description: Michelle Wolf was the host of the 2018 White House Correspondents dinner. This was a difficult task to complete, and following its success, she was offered her own weekly variety program.
Why it’s lukewarm: There was a lot of hype surrounding the launch of her late-night TV show, which is largely dominated by male hosts. Unfortunately, it failed to live up to its expectations and was canceled after its first season. Still, there are some interesting segments that focus on politics, but overall, the show lacked cohesion and wasn’t able to deliver.
Brand New Cherry Flavor (So-So)
Seasons: 1 season, 8 episodes. Starring: Rosa Salazar, Catherine Keener, Eric Lange, Manny Jacinto, and, Jeff Ward. Based on the novel with the same title, Brand New Cherry Flavor is a horror series about a young and ambitious movie producer (Rosa Salazar) who comes to LA to make her dreams come true but instead is confronted with a nightmare.
Why it’s lukewarm: This is definitely not for everyone. Rosa Salazar is superb, however, the storyline in some scenes loses the magic of fiction and becomes somehow unprofessional and a kind of child play.