NEW SHOWS
The Handmaid’s Tale
“Morning” (B-) / season premiere
“Ballet” (A)
The show has no more tricks up its sleeve, and Elisabeth Moss’s performance is no longer among the best on TV. I’m a little tired of the literal hand-wringing from June about her bloody revenge killing. The show needs to wrap it up, but it still has one more season after this to do so. Still, the second episode, in which Serena returns to Gilead to give Fred a state funeral, is among the best of the series.
Atlanta
“The Most Atlanta” (A+) / season premiere
“The Homeliest Little Horse” (A)
After a polarizing Season 3, the crew returns home and the show is as brilliant as ever. The season premiere rang especially true for this former Atlantan, with a surreal journey through the most well-trodden and hidden places in Georgia’s capital city. The second episode – intentionally or not – felt like a riff on Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal, with Earn using his now vast wealth to get revenge. Maybe that’s something he should be working on in therapy.
BINGEING
NewsRadio – Season 1 (A- average)
Unlike some sitcoms, the show didn’t need any time to find its footing. The ensemble gelled immediately and took the bold step of diving headfirst into an office romance, instead of a lengthy will they-won’t they. No wonder it was one of my favorites in my youth.