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Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix): If one finds themselves to be a fan of anthology genre stories like Alfred Hitchcock Presents or The Twilight Zone, this is a series they should definitely check out. Acclaimed horror director Guillermo Del Toro hosts this anthology of horror stories that are topical, scary, and have a masterful command of tension. Featuring an all star cast and reasonably short one-off episodes, it is an excellent watch for anyone who loves horror.
Tales of the Jedi (Disney+): The animated content that has come out of Star Wars since the Disney acquisition has been arguably the strongest content they’ve released. Tales of the Jedi is no exception. Each of the six episodes clocks in at under 20 minutes and tells a story that is part of a larger theme. While the first episode may be the weakest, specifically because viewers have already seen the origin story of a force-sensitive character that reveals this power to prevent mauling by an animal, the rest of the show is an excellent way to provide context to what the viewer already knows. The arc of episodes two through four show the fall of Dooku to the dark side, expanding on Cavan Scott’s Dooku: Jedi Lost, while painting the prequel villain in an almost sympathetic light until he does what he must to complete his turn. The fifth episode blends seamlessly into the finale of The Clone Wars and shows Ahsoka training to avoid being killed by clones by Anakin and the finale shows the grieving process and expands on E.K. Johnston’s trilogy about Padme, The Bad Batch, and Jedi: Fallen Order by showing the darkest eras in Star Wars mythos and what puts Ahsoka back in position to help the Rebels, fight Darth Vader, and inevitably seek out Thrawn during the era of The Mandalorian.
Andor Episode 8(Disney+): Some have called this episode filler, though in fairness the whole show could be called filler considering it’s just filling in context. This episode does a lot of leg work on two fronts in moving towards where the show is ending. Number one it showcases that the Empire is doing what most authoritarian regimes do to crack down on dissent, namely increase prison sentences which criminology experts have roundly said does not actually help stop crime. Showing what Cassian is going through in the imperial prison is great because it shows both the casual and mundane cruelty of the Empire, and how the Empire can convince people to be casually cruel to others in similar circumstances. The second thing it does is show just how poor communication is within the Empire because of how afraid everyone is to deliver the bad news about the broader issue going on. Taking this whole thing and juxtaposing it with what Mon Mothma is doing in Coruscant in this “haves vs the have nots” look makes for interesting television.
Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman’s Butler Episode 6
(HBOMax): Thomas going back to Gotham should be interesting story fodder and would be a show worth watching, but at best this becomes a B or C-plot because it is a show about Alfred, not Thomas. The other issue is that they bring in the interesting idea of using Aleister Crowley and they could have leaned more into the occult aspects of this (again, this is a show that is in continuity with Gotham) but they do not do nearly enough.
You May Have Missed:
Universal Horror Classics (Criterion): Since it is the week of Halloween, it is a great time to look back at some of the original horror movies that defined the genre. Criterion has curated a collection of these movies including 1931’s Dracula and Frankenstein, 1933’s The Invisible Man, 1941’s The Wolf Man, and several lesser known sentries like The Black Cat, and The Raven.
Programming Note: This Thursday, November 3rd, will be the arrival of Titans for the first half of its fourth season.
