Is Euphoria… Back?

I wasn’t planning on recommending another Spanish-language offering, but then I came across PATRIA. It’s rare to find a show that so poignantly captures the lasting trauma of political unrest through the eyes of ordinary people, caught in the crossfires of a situation out of their control (sound familiar? LOL). When Basque separatist group ETA announces an end to more than forty years of violence, a Spanish widower is compelled to learn the truth behind her husband’s murder, with the narrative jumping back and forth between her investigation and the (likely political) events leading to his death.. This is a smart and sophisticated new series from Alea Media that’s so rich in character and mystery that I can’t decide whether it’s best described as a thrilling drama or a dramatic thriller, but it’s fantastic either way. Put down whatever le Carré novel you were reading and stream this on HBO Max instead. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Exec

I’ve recently found it difficult to find TV that both has something to say and has a blast while saying it. THE GOOD LORD BIRD on Showtime manages exactly that. And it’s been a welcome addition to my weekly TV viewing. The show tells the story of John Brown, the eccentric white abolitionist played by an electric Ethan Hawke, and neither inflates nor condemns the controversial figure. Our perspective into this world is through the eyes of Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson; quite the discovery), a resilient enslaved boy carelessly mistaken as a girl (and in the interest of survival, he goes along with it). Brown recruits him as part of his crusade. The show is almost too relevant.  It forces you to consider: What is the role of an ally—especially one with a great deal of privilege?   And, what’s the “right” form to retribution? Plus, Daveed Diggs has an absolutely delightful turn as Frederick Douglass, a natural foil to Brown’s more...intense character. AND! The show also manages to be wickedly satirical (I mean literal laugh-out-loud moments) without exploiting its subject matter. 

—Neil Krishnan, Development Assistant

Are we getting….a Euphoria Christmas special? It actually aptly matches the 2020 mood. HBO will release two standalone episodes—the first of which drops December 6th and takes place as Rue celebrates Christmas. Sam Levinson is all about these secret pandemic productions! 

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant