Following on from its first season, season two is an adaptation of the second book in Philip Pullman’s (in)famous trilogy, The Subtle Knife.

And it left us here at Small Screen with several questions.

If you haven’t seen season one, stop reading here – there are spoilers beyond this point.

What is the prophecy?

Read more: Here’s Our Rankings Of 2017’s Comic Book Movies

We saw hints, enigmatic cryptic clues about this in the first season, especially when it came to Serafina Pekkela and Lee Scoresby.

We saw it when Lyra somewhat obliviously picked up a witch pine correctly.

Yet both trailers have somewhat alluded to this – and that the fate of many worlds may rest on the shoulders of Lyra.

But what is the prophecy? What does it mean? Is it a good thing?

Why does everything converge on two children?

Forgive us for being churlish, but the two characters of Lyra and Will are very young; they are headed into a confusing world of adults and ideology, expectation and mythology.

Lyra has dealt with the murderous schemes of Bolvanger while rescuing children along the way; she has battled with foes and adversaries, tricked an armoured bear, all the while having to contend with the world’s worst parents.

Will Parry – the boy we saw briefly towards the end of season one – has a moth who is clearly sick; men break into his house, or at least intrude, regularly.

The trailer intones that, essentially, everything is up to the two children.

They have a vindictive Mrs Coulter and a Holy group with a murderous rage on their heels.

Honestly, it’s difficult not to feel sorry for them both!

But then again, we wouldn’t all be watching…

Who gave a mandate to the Magisterium?

Credit: HBO

Read more: Making Star Wars Movies Is Difficult Due To Lack Of Comic Books And Source Material Says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy

From the first airing of episode one, we are expected to contend with automatically knowing what the Magesturium is.

We are expected to go along, to despise an institution that leaves terror in its wake.

The new trailer sees one member of the Magisterium enraged by the actions of the two children, suggesting that they’ll both be pursued – and Mrs Coulter, mother of Lyra, is enabling him!

What is, or who is, the Magisterium?

And who on Earth gave them a mandate to rule the way they do?

Will this be answered when we finally get to see season two? Who knows.

But fans of the franchise will find the religious controversy around the books interesting; it seems Phillip Pullman wants us to question more than just what could arguably be called a children’s book.

And what about Lee?

Season one saw the eventual introduction of Texan Aeronaut Lee Scoresby, played by Lin Manuel Miranda.

The new trailer, however, sees him take far more of the space than he previously held, suggesting he’ll form more of the plot in season two.

In season one we saw him and Lyra, played by Dafne Keen, form something of a bond that was almost parental.

He was the wary, older influence who occasionally danced in the face of danger; Lyra was the mischievous imp, someone who may be idealistic yet strong in her convictions, her sense of what is right and what is wrong.

One scene saw Lee privately express that he had come to “love the little girl” — and that he’d do anything to protect her.

The second trailer seems to suggest that he’ll walk to the ends of the Earth for his beloved Lyra; he teams up with a new character, too, in this pursuit.

But what will happen? We wish November was already here.

(Fleabag fans, the ‘sexy priest’ is in this series.)

How will the different world’s be shown?

If you have not read the books, you may have felt utterly confused by the end of season one.

In simple terms, it looks like two children have stepped into the brightest light you have ever seen, seemingly into the air.

Well, that was my extended family, anyway.

Trailer two expands on this just a bit more, although annoyingly enigmatic.

Adapted from The Subtle Knife, book two of the His Dark Materials trilogy, we are told there is a weapon that can cut through the wall of the universe into a different world entirely.

We are also given glimpses of different times, different dimensions, different locations.

But how will this be made clear to the more unsuspecting viewer?

What is ‘the great war’?

A witch speaks of a great war, as does John Faa.

But what is that?

The battle of Bolvanger is already over.

What more is there to come?

“I think I’m changing”

A slightly odd admission from Lyra has me scratching my head.

Could this be a leeway into season three, an adaptation of The Amber Spyglass?

Please, tell me!!

Who is Mrs Coulter like or similar to?

Credit; HBO

Read more: 7 Things His Dark Materials Fans Want To See In Season 2

Bravo Ruth Wilson, bravo.

Wilson has played some truly iconic characters lately; just look up The Real Mrs Wilson if you don’t believe me.

Truth is stranger than fiction – and this will mess with your mind.

Compared to the film adaptation, Wilson’s version of Mrs Coulter is far more nuanced.

Nicole Kidman’s version was just plain vindictive and evil, yet exotic and extremely charismatic.

Ruth Wilson matches this with her jewel-coloured blouses and strategic hemlines.

(She’s playing the long game in a man’s world! How can no one see this? She signals subservience – but is the one in control.)

But she is far more human and has a likeable vulnerability.

She is a hypocrite, yet there was a great scene or three when Lyra found out she was her mother.

In the trailer, Mrs Coulter is speaking down to somebody off-camera, suggesting they are a child.

She speaks directly, mentioning that the character reminds her of herself: “you are so like I was.” Huh?

His Dark Materials returns to the BBC on November 16th at 9pm.

What do you make of this feature and His Dark Materials Season 2’s new trailer?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post His Dark Materials Season 2 – All The Questions We Have After That Trailer appeared first on Small Screen.

OK, let me start off by prefacing that this rumour does come from We Got This Covered.

Therefore, take it with a pinch of salt.

However, according to their sources, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Pictures are looking at the possibility of making a limited Batman and Joker series.

This series will supposedly star Ben Affleck and Jared Leto’s versions of the characters.

This would be an interesting thing to do, especially since there’s a lot more to explore as far as their relationship is concerned.

It would also arguably be the most brutal take on Batman and the Joker’s rivalry.

A Batman and Joker series might be in the works at HBO Max

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Read more: HBO Max Needs To Make A Batman And Joker Movie Starring Ben Affleck And Jared Leto

Personally, I do love the idea of seeing Affleck and Leto get a second chance with these DC Comics characters.

We already know that Affleck will be playing the role again in the upcoming Flash movie.

He’s also been very vocal about loving the character.

As for Leto, he was pretty bad in Suicide Squad.

However, how much of that was his fault, really?

I say, give them both a second chance and let’s see what happens.

Given the right script, the rights directors and the right vision, this series could be incredible and redemptive.

What do you make of this rumour?

Would you like to see a Batman and Joker series from HBO Max?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post HBO Max Rumoured To Be Interested In A Ben Affleck And Jared Leto Batman And Joker Series appeared first on Small Screen.

Radio, and later television, were revolutionary inventions not only for giving people the ability to hear and see things that were happening remotely from the comfort of their own home, but also for giving them the chance to be on the same page when it came to news and current events and the opportunity to bond over the programs they consumed.

But as time-shifting became an option – first with VCR tapes and later DVR giving us the ability to record multiple programs at a single time for later viewing – and ultimately lead to streaming services taking the small screen scene by storm, network television ratings have sunk to new lows year after year.

In the last decade, many predicted that we were drawing near the end of the traditional television model of carefully scheduled programming collectively experienced by a massive audience in favour of the “everything at our fingertips 24/7” model that had already been adopted into so many other facets of modern life.

One could hardly be blamed for thinking so.

More and more people are taking advantage of being able to plan their TV watching around their lives rather than the other way around, and cord-cutting has become increasingly commonplace.

There’s also the fact that when it comes to multi-episode seasons of streaming originals, the most commonly taken route is to release all episodes on the same day, at the same time.

This is very different from a season of network television, which typically airs one episode per week in the same timeslot for several months.

“Appointment television” is still with us, even with streaming

Credit: HBO

Read more: Here’s Everything We Know About Lucifer Season 5

But as it turns out, they may not have been entirely correct. While these services are more popular than ever before, the desire to consume media as soon as it’s released hasn’t gone away, nor has the notion of “appointment television”.

During its eight-season run on HBO, Game of Thrones stood out as one of the only major shows on a streaming platform to be released in the weekly format typical of traditional television.

It’s likely no coincidence that it gained one of the biggest audiences of any streaming series in the 2010’s as the weekly format allowed it to become a popular topic of discussion online and of “watercooler talk” at workplaces the way shows airing weekly on traditional television have been for years.

What HBO recognised that other platforms such as Netflix didn’t was that a slow burn release has some pretty big benefits.

While it’s true that a full season dropped on a single day likely won’t disappear from its service anytime soon afterwards, the window of time it will have in the spotlight is significantly shorter without the anticipation of the next episode from week to week.

If a Netflix series premiere ends on a cliffhanger, fans can most likely have their burning questions answered within a matter of hours depending on how long it takes them to watch the entire season. But HBO took a page out of the traditional TV handbook by making viewers wait it out. 

It’s easy to binge-watch an entire season of a Netflix Original and then largely forget about it until the next season comes a year or so later, but a weekly format makes sure a show stays in the minds its fans for much longer.

More time in the cultural consciousness allows a program to build an audience as the buzz spreads.

The release of a new episode each week can be marketed as an “event” for fans to participate in and discuss together, thus providing more opportunities for the shows to trend on social media and gain exposure.

Even YouTube has caught on to this by adding the ability for creators to “premiere” their video at a scheduled time with a chat box for fans to discuss the content in.

Just like on subscription-based streaming platforms, the video remains available on the creator’s channel after the premiere as per a normal upload, thus combining the excitement of being able to watch the debut of a new episode or video alongside others with the ability to easily rewatch or catch up on missed content after the fact.

Apple TV Plus And Disney Plus are learning from HBO and Game of Thrones

Credit: HBO

Read more: Is Netflix In Danger Because Of Disney Plus?

Of course, that makes a release spread out over a longer period of time a more beneficial format from a business perspective, especially for a lot of the new streaming platforms that have popped up on the scene in the past couple of years.

Services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ aren’t producing nearly as much content as ones like Netflix and want to keep users subscribed as long as possible, so following Game of Thrones’s lead of releasing content on a weekly basis rather than full seasons all at once only makes sense.

But have viewers grown accustomed to getting immediate access to full seasons of their favourite shows been rendered impatient and less interested in choosing to subscribe to a streaming platform that opts for a longer rollout of content?

Admittedly, it seems most viewers are choosing services based on available content and seem open to either format of release.

However, perhaps surprisingly, many have discovered a preference for the slower model of release.

For a lot of people, it’s like getting to enjoy a slice of their favourite dessert once a week as opposed to being offered the whole thing all at once.

There’s excitement in being able to fully dive in and indulge, but it quickly leads to a feeling of emptiness soon afterwards.

Having time to digest between helpings (whether it be your favourite dessert or your favourite show) generally enriches the experience (and there’s also less pressure in finding time to watch a single episode of a program each week as opposed to an entire season’s worth of content while it’s still relevant in the pop culture zeitgeist).

The Mandalorian on Disney Plus is a great example of weekly “appointment television” on streaming

Credit: Lucasfilm

Read more: Miles Morales’ Brand New Abilities Revealed For Spider-Man: Miles Morales

With Disney+’s The Mandalorian going the weekly episode route and even HBO Max announcing they’ll be releasing Zack Snyder’s Justice League as a four-part miniseries next year, it’s clear that the spread-out format of content release is becoming more and more the norm, at least when it comes to headlining content.

While streaming isn’t going away anytime soon and provides the invaluable ability for viewers to watch what they want, when they want, it looks like this hallmark of network TV that may have seemed like an inconvenience has actually proven to be a feature that will continue as part of the television experience, even as the method of delivery continues to evolve.

What do you make of this feature?

Are you a fan of appointment television or do you prefer binge-watching series?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Why Weekly Output Has Stood The Test Of Time, Even In The Era Of Streaming appeared first on Small Screen.

Swamp Thing was cancelled after just one season and not many people could really understand why.

The show was a hit with fans and critics and actually started off with pretty good ratings.

The show’s creator, James Wan, was really upset and confused by the cancellation.

I and many of the show’s fans felt the same way.

I couldn’t understand why Warner Bros. didn’t want to carry on with the show.

However, it seems like they might be regretting their decision to cancel Swamp Thing as there were rumours (via Geekosity) that new episodes of the show could be coming to The CW.

Yet, an insider source revealed to us that Warner Bros. had other plans for the big green guy (no, not that one – we’re talking about Swamp Thing).

Apparently, they want to start from scratch and bring this new rebooted version of Swamp Thing to HBO Max.

A New Swamp Thing reboot could be coming to HBO Max

Credit: Warner Bros. Television

Read more: EXCLUSIVE: Dan Stevens In Talks With Marvel Studios To Join The MCU In An Undisclosed Role

If you are a fan of the Alan Moore comic book run of Swamp Thing – as I am – then you’ll know that he’s not really a PG character.

When it was announced that James Wan would be making a Swamp Thing series, I thought that he was the perfect match for the character.

He would make it scary, R-rated, maybe even a bit gory.

He tried to do all those things, but the show was made for The CW, and it’s not the place for that sort of show.

What we’ve been told is that Warner Bros. and James Wan want to start from scratch and really do the character justice.

Therefore, they would need a pretty strong rating, and having it on HBO Max would allow them to do that.

HBO Max is quickly becoming the place for DC Comics movie and TV content.

We’re going to get the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League.

It also looks like Warner Bros. might start releasing other DC Comics TV shows on the streaming platform.

It’s kind of replaced DC Universe, and maybe that’s a good thing.

Swamp Thing might be getting new life

Credit: Warner Bros. Television

Read more: Swamp Thing Cancelled After One Season And James Wan Doesn’t Understand Why

As for this new version of the Swamp Thing TV show, we’ve been told that it could end up on HBO Max in 2023.

However, that’s hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic will come to an end and shows can start going back into full production.

According to our source, Warner Bros., DC Comics and James Wan are all very keen to get the ball rolling on Swamp Thing.

They see great potential in the show and the character as a whole.

Perhaps it just wasn’t the right time for the show before, and maybe not the right channel?

What do you make of this news?

Do you like the idea of a new Swamp Thing TV show on HBO Max?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post EXCLUSIVE: A New Swamp Thing Show In The Works For HBO Max appeared first on Small Screen.

Today, every single streaming service has the exclusivity for a few major works. Apple has The Foundation, Peacock has Brave New World, and HBO Max has several great pieces of content of its own, like Westworld and the recently launched Raised by Wolves. And more of them are coming. Many of them are pretty standard – sitcoms, dramas, romcoms, and their likes. Some of them, in turn, stand out of the crowd because of the source material or the ideas they adapt.

Code 8 (Quibi)

Stephen and Robbie Amell in Code 8 – Credit: Vertigo

Read more: Stephen Amell’s Sci-Fi Movie Code 8 Is Dominating Netflix – Here’s Why

Quibi, one of the youngest streaming services out there, has chosen a screen that most other providers ignore. Its content is built to fit the smartphones’ screen, and the smartphone users’ attention span: its episodes are 10 minutes long. This doesn’t make their series any less enjoyable, of course.

One of their most interesting projects is a series based on the 2016 short film released by Robbie and Stephen Amell (of Arrow fame) called Code 8 – or rather the feature film that was born as its result.

In an alternate reality, people with superpowers are not heroes – they are marginalized, second-class citizens on the outskirts of society. Connor (Robbie Amell), a desperate young man trying to raise money for his mother’s treatment gets involved in a world of crime thanks to Garrett (Stephen Amell), involved in the trade of a dangerous and addictive drug called Psyke, made from the spinal fluid of people with superhuman abilities.

The yet-untitled spinoff series based on the movie, starring the Amell brothers, is headed to Quibi. Chris Pare will write, and Jeff Chan will direct.

Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

Credit: Apple

Terry Gilliam has given us many high-profile stories to follow, first as part of the legendary Monty Python team, and later as an acclaimed director who has signed titles ranging from Brazil to The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. One of his oft-ignored movies is the fantasy adventure Time Bandits released in 1981 – seemingly a children’s movie with an all-star cast including Sean Connery, John Cleese, Ian Holm, and many others. And now it will be revived as a streaming series thanks to Apple TV+.

Time Bandits tells the story of Kevin, a kid fascinated by history with a vivid imagination who gets mixed up in a gang of dwarves committing petty crime across time and space. He joins them on their quest, meeting personalities like King Agamemnon of Greece, Napoleon, Robin Hood, various mythical creatures, and even ending up on a brief visit onboard the HMS Titanic.

The Time Bandits will return in the near future with Terry Gilliam in a non-writing production role, and Taika Waititi in the director’s chair – for the pilot episode, that is.

Jade City (Peacock)

Read more: Arrow Star Stephen Amell Reveals He Had A Panic Attack During A Podcast Interview

American streaming service Peacock – by NBCUniversal – already has a few interesting titles to keep an eye on, including the drama spinoff of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the reboot of the reboot of the Battlestar Galactica series, and the true-crime series Dr Death, to name just a few. But by far one of its most interesting upcoming titles is the fantasy series “Jade City”.

Jade City, written by Canadian-American author Fonda Lee, has been described as “The Godfather with magic and kung fu”. It takes place in a fantasy world in conflict, with numerous clans – crime families – fighting to control Jade, a mineral that gives its wearer special abilities.

Jade City won the 2018 World Fantasy Award, the Aurora Award, and was a finalist for a Nebula and a Locus. It was inspired by wuxia and gangster films – it’s certainly a great combination that we can’t wait to see on the screen.

What do you make of this feature?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Here Are Three Under-The-Radar Shows You Should Get Excited For On Streaming Services appeared first on Small Screen.

Episode 5 – “Strange Case” – of Lovecraft Country is certainly one for the Cronenberg-esque body horror fans (which I asked for at the end of my episode 3 review, but boy howdy did they deliver!) as we are forced/treated to the gruesome Kafka-like metamorphosis of Leti’s sister Ruby into a white woman and back again several times throughout the episode.

Strange Case takes another step back from the main players to give the lesser-seen Ruby (Wunmi Mosaku) and Montrose (Michael K. Williams) a bit more time to express their characters more fully in what ends up being an excellent episode about hidden desires and freedom of expression “on the other side”, so to speak.

LIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE – THE MAGIC ABILITY OF WHITE PRIVILEGE

Credit: HBO

Read more: Lovecraft Country Episode 4 Review

The main thread of the episode begins immediately as Ruby, having been last seen spending the night with William (the creepy lovechild of Aryan race theories), wakes up as an entirely different white woman.

What follows is a far darker inverse version of Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s comical “The Gang Turns Black” episode as Ruby explores the additional privileges and benefits afforded to a white woman over a black woman navigating life in Jim Crow-era America (and, for the avoidance of doubt, now too).

As Ruby succinctly puts it to William when discussing the moral quandary of abandoning her race, ‘the world keeps interrupting her’ as both a woman and black and so she is finally ‘sick of being interrupted’ and will afford herself the magical currency of whiteness.

That whiteness is necessarily linked allegorically with a ‘currency of magic’, as Christina Braithwhite later labels it, which affords the likes of Christina and the Sons of Adam the freedom to do as they please in the world – an elegant way of expressing the power of white privilege by the show.

Director Cheryl Dunye also heightens the discomfort and repulsion of such a cultural disparity by holding on extended scenes of body horror as Ruby’s transformation is shown in extreme and gruesome detail with close ups of bloodied body parts and viscera quite literally slopping off her several times throughout the episode.

Of the 5 episodes so far Strange Case has been by far the grizzliest and quite frankly long may it continue.

FREEDOM TO LIVE

Credit: HBO

Read more: The Batman’s Robert Pattinson Says Batman’s Not A Superhero, And He’s Right

In keeping with the notion of getting to live free of the fear of bigoted persecution, an important facet of this episode is the exploration and development of Montrose’ homosexuality which has been otherwise hidden and treated as a deviancy until now (it is the 1950s after all).

Until now there have only been passing whisperings of Montrose sexuality and the era-appropriate judgements that come from the show’s characters; a rumour, too, which we can maybe partially assume has gone some of the way to growing Atticus’ ill feelings toward his father leading to his brutal assault early in the episode – although unpacking the idea of a main protagonist who maybe harbours homophobic feelings is an altogether much more difficult and long task that may be more suited at a later time away from this review.

Montrose himself also plays to the stoic machismo that is expected of him, keeping hidden his desire and treating it like an after-hours deviancy.

However, it isn’t until the exceptional scene in the drag club where we see Montrose realise he doesn’t have to stay hidden and finally allows himself the delight of freely expressing his own sexuality amongst a community who welcomes him openly.

Like Ruby, Montrose gets to experience a joyful freedom without the usual worry or fear persecution from a world which would otherwise ‘interrupt’ his life – though it may be brief.

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY EPISODE 5 IS SLOWER PACED BUT HAS GREATER REVELATIONS

Credit: HBO

Read more: Lovecraft Country Episode 1 Review

Lovecraft Country Episode 5 is perhaps a little slower since it isn’t necessarily tackling the main narrative of the show head-on with Atticus. However, there are still many excellent revelations and a significant “filling out” of other characters who haven’t had their time.

Much like episode 3, taking this extra time to give the other characters the spotlight works exceptionally well and in the long run is owing to a far more diverse and developed television series overall.

It is a narrative strategy that I have so far been a massive fan of and now being at the halfway point I am very excited to see how the latter half of the show fills out.

What did you make of episode 5 of Lovecraft Country?

Let us know in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Lovecraft Country Episode 5 Review appeared first on Small Screen.

As the title of Lovecraft Country Episode 4 – “A History of Violence” – suggests, the show uses its critical qualities to highlight the many acts of racial violence and subsequent acts of whitewashing, little and large, over the course of a western history of imperialism.

In the opening scene, we see Montrose spiralling out of control as he reads and burns the Sons of Adam’s religious covenants while descending further and further into a drunken and frenzied stupor.

As with any Lovecraft property, the characters are having their very sanity tested and here we see Montrose perhaps feeling the weight of being exposed to the world’s cosmic secrets most of all.

However most notable in terms of announcing this episode’s critical angle is Montrose final words right before the title card flashes: “smells like Tulsa” he declares while a burning pile blazes in front of him which is evidently evocative of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 – coincidentally also explored in HBO’s last racially charged premiere show Watchmen.

Going from this immediately to the title card emphatically declares episode 4’s theme which is further explored as the episode divulges more information on the Sons of Adam and the length and breadth to which they, as white supremacists, have operated in the US for years and how many more of them there might be positioned as various high ranking authorities.

A notion which I’m sure is not too unfamiliar or outlandish to anyone that’s been paying attention the last few years…

A REVISIONIST HISTORY AND WHITEWASHING

Credit: HBO

Read more: Lovecraft Country Episode 3 Review

Episode 4 moves back in line with the main series thread of Atticus and co moving against the Sons of Adam.

Their quest this time takes Leti and the entire Freeman family to Boston to investigate a museum believed to hold Titus Braithwhite’s vault.

Since the main point of the show generally is to hold a lens to a historic racial inequality and systemic racism a museum provides precisely the right avenue for doing so.

For example – and as an addendum for the moral question over museum displays themselves – while on a tour of the museum we hear the guide explaining that the artefacts being displayed are from ‘famed explorer Titus Braithwhite’ who was (very particularly) GIVEN them by the ‘savage tribes’ in exchange for teaching them the ways of the ‘civilised man’.

Of course, anyone who knows anything about Western colonialism will presume correctly that this version of the story is likely some distance from the actual reality, however, colonial narratives have usually framed themselves as being beneficial to the lands and the people that they invaded as part of a ‘civilising’ process -i.e teaching that the white man and way of being is superior.

These references do not stop here with Montrose also evoking the name of Jesse Owens – the black athlete who embarrassed Hitler’s notion of the Aryan Race in 1936 – as well as the picture of whitewashed history similarly explained by Hippolyta in her story of naming Hera’s Chariot in a competition as a child, however the credit is given instead to a white girl in Sweden since a ‘coloured girl couldn’t be the face’ of such a thing.

It is a credit to the series that it can pull together this mystery and cosmic narrative while seamlessly invoking these cultural critiques in a thematic manner befitting of each episode.

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY EPISODE 4 VERDICT

Credit: HBO

Read more: Lovecraft Country Episode 2 Review

While I think I preferred episode 3 just a bit more, episode 4 has also been a very strong entry to the series and has helped stitch the main thread of the series together again with further intrigue and many more questions to be answered – particularly over who and how far some characters can be trusted.

At just under halfway through the 10-episode series so far Lovecraft Country has hit more positives than negatives and continues to strike succinctly at the racial questions it raises.

What did you make of Lovecraft Country Episode 4 and how have you enjoyed the series so far?

Let us know in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Lovecraft Country Episode 4 Review appeared first on Small Screen.

Lovecraft Country Episode 2 “Whitey’s on the Moon” is almost exhausting with the amount it is throwing at you and how little of it actually seems to stick.

By now our trio of Atticus, George and Leti have made it to Ardham Lodge – the site that Atticus’ father Montrose invited him to – having stumbled through the night fresh from their nightmarish attack.

There at this lavish manor they are greeted by the whitest of all posh white men, the garish William who has been expecting them.

And unfortunately for Atticus William’s more than too friendly welcome isn’t the only thing to make him wary of his new hosts as both George and Leti wake up the next day entirely unscathed and with no memory of the previous night’s attack.

Things are very clearly off.

Now the real fun begins as we are introduced to the legacy of the Braithwhite’s (note the white of the name) and this manor which previously burned down in 1833 with only one survivor – a pregnant slave woman.

The current patriarch of the Braithwhite’s is Samuel: a man who heads up a secret cult called the “Sons of Adam” and reckons himself to be God incarnate.

Basically the exact tenets of every white supremacy order distilled to its base ideas.

Samuel’s goal is to open a portal to the Garden of Eden in order to gain immortality and to do so he needs Atticus (I’ll leave out why).

Oh and his daughter Christina is also the mysterious blonde woman seen in episode one.

And yes she does appear to be a witch of sorts.

Holy White Supremacy Batman!

Credit: HBO

Read more: Annihilation Will Not Get A Cinema Release In The UK And Is Heading To Netflix Instead

This cult is the crème de la crème of eery cult white supremacists beyond even the KKK who are allegedly “too poor” for the likes of the Braithwhite’s to bother with.

It all starts to get very Get Out-ish as the cult gather in their best evening wear to muse over each of our three protagonists suffering through their own personal hallucinations that betray certain parts of their own personal feelings and/or history.

Each hallucination is more bizarre than the last.

Similar to Get Out they continue to make Atticus and co perform for them unknowingly which eventually culminates in Atticus as the ritualistic sacrifice for their own Godly conquest.

This sequence is where the episode earns its title as the ritual is scored by Gil Scott Heron’s spoken word poem, “Whitey on the Moon”, while we see images of Atticus suffering in the pursuit of white male desire.

The purpose and commentary of which is obvious as the poem describes the black struggle of Gil Scott and his family while contrastively the whites are applauding themselves over their own lavish achievements of getting to the moon.

It is probably the best sequence of the episode however it is partially undone by the fact that several other hugely major moments have quite literally just crashed by but are abandoned far too soon in favour of a disorienting cut straight to this ritual out of seemingly nowhere.

The Bizarre Pace and Cutting of Lovecraft Country Episode 2 – Purposeful or Mistake?

Credit: HBO

Read more: Lovecraft Country Episode 1 Review

This episode is perhaps where things start to reach a bit of a jumping-off point and as the audience, you’re really going to have to be either completely with it, taking it all in stride just as the characters do (almost bafflingly so at times), or you’re not and the show may start to be a bit more of a slog as a result.

It seems clear to me that since Lovecraft’s work is defined by the descending madness of its characters and the impossible comprehensibility of its cosmic images that Misha Green and co wanted to bring that same struggle to the show’s viewers by making its own images and comprehension difficult.

While watching you will sit mouth agape in utter confusion for 90% of the time while uttering the word “what” in increasingly strained perplexion as the show begins to move at a blistering pace while explaining what feels like everything and yet nothing all at once.

This episode is filled with a lot of major moments which unfortunately a lot of the time seem to clash into each other meaning each new piece of information doesn’t have its time to fully register and make an impression upon you.

Scenes seem to end abruptly and new whole action sequences ignite without any lead-up or explanation as to quite how we got here.

It leaves the viewer feeling exhausted and by the end so much has washed over you that it becomes a little more difficult to really care about some of the more emotionally heavy beats.

Especially when the rules of this world appear to be so fast and loose that it’s hard to know what is actually a lasting consequence and what is just more fantastical dressing.

If it is a creative decision to add to the mystique and Lovecraftian nature of the show then viewers may find it a very fine line between genius manipulation and nauseating viewing.

Only time will tell where the needle may drop with the rest of the series.

What did you make of episode 2 of Lovecraft Country?

Let us know in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Lovecraft Country Episode 2 Review appeared first on Small Screen.

 HBO has become the tv network for premiere television of late (although ignore that last season of Game of Thrones please – Yikes!) and it has produced once again with new horror drama Lovecraft Country.

Based off Matt Ruff’s 2016 novel of the same name, Lovecraft Country takes us into segregated 1950s America and the troubled life of young war veteran Atticus Freeman whose search for his missing father lays bare the deeply unsettling racism of bright smiling Americana.

And with an executive cast of showrunner Misha Green, the backing of JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions AND elite horror director Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, viewers can be assured that they are in for a treat with this highly anticipated series.

What Is Lovecraft Country?

Credit: HBO

Read more: Nicolas Cage H.P Lovecraft Horror Film Color Out of Space Is Going To Be The First Film In A Trilogy

Young black man Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) has recently returned home to Chicago following his military service in the Korean War.

It is made clear in his return that he has a shared love of reading with his uncle/father figure George Freeman (Courtney B. Vance), particularly of the cosmic horrors of legendary writer and known racist H.P Lovecraft.

This is important only insofar that it becomes the launchpad for Atticus to become attached to a mystery whereby he discovers a letter in one of Lovecraft’s books from his estranged father inviting him to search for his family legacy in Ardham, Massachusetts – a fictitious location based on many of Lovecraft’s own settings and, importantly, as George hauntingly describes it is deep at the white supremacist heart of Lovecraft country.

Undeterred by the dangers of wading into the heartlands of American segregation, Atticus, his uncle, and friend Letitia Lewis (Jurnee Smollett) begin their adventure.

The Horror and Mystery

Credit: HBO

Read more: Game Of Thrones David Benioff And D.B. Weiss Developing An H.P. Lovecraft Inspired Thriller

Now, being based on the oeuvre of Lovecraft, viewers might expect great monsters and characters beset by mystery and cosmic madness and they will not be most definitely not be disappointed if the first episode is any indication.

However, in the excursion across America you will also quickly find that far scarier than any tentacled-hundred-eyed monster is the populace of the small-town “Sundown” counties that Atticus and co encounter.

Early on the trio stop off to get food in a town where they are most definitely being eyed up with suspicion and hatred by its all-white township.

Uncomfortable tension soon turns into horrifying Get Out-esque action as they are chased and shot out of town by white supremacists and are only saved by the divine intervention (quite literally) of a mysterious blonde woman.

Earlier conversations suggested that the characters were heading toward the town of Salem, and so we might perhaps surmise that this woman may be in fact be a witch.

Nevertheless, it is our first indication that magic and monsters are very much present, and things are only going to get weirder from here…

The Monster Enemy of my Racist Enemy is my…Friend?

Credit: HBO

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We’ve had our first taster of the racist America hunting our protagonists and unfortunately, it only gets worse from there.

The show has so stunningly set up the horror and danger of this segregated America that when we see a Sheriff’s car pulling up slowly into frame we immediately fear the worst (an insightful commentary on the current state of America too, perhaps…).

And our worst fears are quickly realised when the Sheriff and his crew turn out to be white supremacists entrenched in some sick game of terrorising and no doubt lynching black folk passing through.

The monstrosity of these characters is so vivid and so well set up that when we hear the blood-curdling cry of REAL Lovecraftian monsters you will actually jump for joy and relief.

The monsters are here to save the day! Sort of.

Unfortunately, these monsters don’t dispute by race and so our characters quickly become separated in a nightmare fuelled chase through the woods for survival.

And even in this bid for survival against vampiric flesh demons the Sheriff and his men still somehow come out on top in the who’s who of evil monsters as they continue to threaten and throw racist hatred at Atticus even as he helps them.

Don’t worry though, if you’re looking for satisfying comeuppances for race hating white supremacist Nazi assholes then you definitely will not be disappointed.

*Beep Beep*. Car Incoming.

Bright Beginnings

Credit: HBO

Read more: Bright 2 Is Still In The Works At Netflix Say Writer And Director David Ayer

As tv premieres go this is an incredibly strong start for Misha Green and her team.

The set-up and intrigue is all there, and the horror has so far been immensely satisfying.

As is no doubt unsurprising considering that Peele is a producer, the racial commentary is stark and does not pull its punches, adding an uncomfortable albeit excellent realism to the show amidst its otherwise bizarro fantasy nature.

The cast too has all had excellent chemistry on-screen with Jurnee Smollett as Letitia Lewis a particular standout for this first episode.

All in all, I think we can be excited for the rest of this series to come if the show can maintain this level of standard throughout.

What did you make of Episode 1 of Lovecraft Country? Let us know in the comments below.

What do you make of this review?

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post Lovecraft Country Episode 1 Review appeared first on Small Screen.

Originally adapted by Bad Wolf Productions, HBO and the BBC have aired the episodes so far in the US and the UK.

Season One – an adaptation of The Northern Lights – aired last year to great acclaim.

Season two – an adaptation of The Subtle Knife, the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy – is due to air in the UK in November.

But what do ardent Phillip Pullman fans, who have read the books, want to see covered in season two?

Well, luckily, I have compiled a list – and it goes beyond the majestic trailers that dropped recently.

Note: there are spoilers beyond this point.

1. Lee Scorsbey dies

His Dark Materials centres around the character of rambunctious, slightly feral Lyra Belacqua, and what is predicted to be ‘the prophecy’ – that the “child has come”, as the witches of her world so enigmatically predict, even intone.

What is sometimes forgotten, however, is how bloody awful her parents are – one a charismatic, manipulative father, another an arrogant yet beautiful mother.

Lee Scoresby may be but a humble aeronaut – and a pretty good one at that – but he takes Lyra, who he refers to several times as ‘the little girl’, under his wing. His premise?

That she hasn’t had the best start in life – with her downright awful parents – and he’d like to make that up to her.

The official UK Instagram account even had a photo of Dafne Keen and Lin Manuel Miranda – with the caption: “Name a better duo. We’ll wait..”

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Name a better duo. We’ll wait… #HisDarkMaterials : Lin-Manuel Miranda on Twitter

A post shared by His Dark Materials (@darkmaterialsofficial) on Oct 25, 2019 at 6:59am PDT

In The Subtle Knife, Lee dies in an almighty shoot-out, because he protects the “little girl” – his little girl, the child he never had – and to get her a weapon that’ll ultimately protect her against events in the third book, The Amber Spyglass.

Compared to other characters, his intentions are only pure – and I admire the character for his approach of ‘do all I can or die trying’.

We just need a couple of stylishly executed gunshots and daemon Hester shouting “get ‘em Lee!” to see Scoresby at his best.

2. Spectres

Season One of His Dark Materials sinisterly suggested that “in every child’s nightmare, there is an element of truth.”

The Subtle Knife brings this to life in true creepy fashion – but it needs to be brought to screen, in order to become, well, ‘real’.

Invisible yet deadly, these creatures do not attack pre-adolescents, and the mystery of dust is what connects these creatures to the plot.

However, they do attack adults – leaving them immobile, and pretty much devoid of life.

One town where Lyra and Will eventually meet for the first time is completely free of adults, having been overrun with the ghostly apparitions.

How will they be brought to life on screen? Who knows.

But these creatures are going to take this series up to another level, if created well enough on screen.

3. The Witches – and their Queen

In my humble opinion, the witches form the best part of the His Dark Materials trilogy – and a lot of the unfolding dramatics of the story centre around them.

Divided into clan demographics, they are known for their beauty, as well as living for centuries.

Clans have a queen, and their personalities are reflected in a crown they have fashioned.

Serafina Pekkala has already made an appearance – and the time has come for Jade Anouka to appear as Ruta Skadi.

Because who wouldn’t want to be a badass witch, complete with a bow and the ability to fly?!

And never cross a witch – they have very different morals to us humans.

4. Who is Will Parry?

Credit: HBO

Read more: Will There Be More Episodes Of Netflix’s Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich?

Dressed in her jewelled suits to be combat-ready, Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter cryptically asked “Who is Lyra Belacqua?”

And a member of the Magisterium, complete with the book of readings, spent an agonisingly long amount of time asking his Alethiometer.

But the same could be asked of a new character; just who is Will Parry?

Years had passed since I read the books, when I saw season one for the first time; along with a few other viewers, I was left feeling confused as to who this person, this nameless, seemingly random individual was.

But all will be revealed soon.

5. And what about Stanislaus Grumman?

In all his dashing arrogance and charismatic power, topped off with an almost seductive Deamon played by Helen McCroy, James McAvoy’s character of Lord Asriel makes fleeting reference to a severed head.

Purported to be that of one Stanislaus Grumman, it makes up maybe ten minutes, if that, of the dialogue.

But he is more significant than that – as there is a shock twist. And it’s the sexy priest who carries this off… (Hello, Phoebe Waller Bridge!)

6. Mary Malone

A lot of the books revolve around religious imagery – and the author himself has commented on this.

However, it can be confusing at times – and more screen time is needed to explain some themes central to the plot, and in the book.

The different worlds eventually become explainable – and almost scientific.

Mary Malone begins as a secondary character, introduced later on in the second half of the book – but she takes a central role in book three.

And she is key to understanding what the frick dust is…

7. Angels

Credit: HBO

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Season one shows glimpses of season two – so therefore, we should assume the same can be said for when season two airs.

At the end of The Subtle Knife, two gay angels are awaiting to guide Will Parry to Lord Asriel. Lyra is missing – and she has got to be found. She has been kidnapped – but by who?

And how will she be found? Is she okay? And what about the people who want to find and destroy her?

And along the way, there are some vaguely amusing interludes – because who would have thought stroppy angels were ‘a thing’?

What do you make of this list?

What would you like to see in His Dark Materials Season 2?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!

The post 7 Things His Dark Materials Fans Want To See In Season 2 appeared first on Small Screen.