Netflix was the first streaming service to hit the big time, and though it’s been eclipsed in some ways, it’s still the go-to for millions of viewers. Most fans of the brand don’t tune in for the streaming service’s library of existing material, but their original content can be a bit of a mixed bag.
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The Pentaverate(28%)
Mike Myers has fallen pretty far over the past couple of decades. His comedic talents are still sharp, his unique characters are still compelling, and he has several interesting small roles across lesser-known films likeAmsterdam. However, this ill-advised six-episode series in which he portrays no less than 9 different characters simply did not work out. The series is based on a subplot in Myers' 1993 filmSo I Married an Axe Murderer, in which a secondary character is obsessed with a conspiracy theory. It’s a broad parody of conspiracy culture that fails to capture most of what’s interesting about that particular social ill. Some great performers are turning in weak work in this series, from Ken Jeong’s lameHangoverretread to Keegan-Michael Key’s boring nonentity. The show simply isn’t funny, which is a shame, becausethere’s so much roomto have fun with the premise.
Echoes(24%)
From the creator of13 Reasons Why, this bizarre drama squanders its mildly interesting premise and sinks into the world of complete nonsense.Echoesstars Michelle Monaghan in dual roles as a pair of twins who switch lives every birthday. One lives in the city while the other enjoys quiet farm life, but by taking on each other’s identities, they each get to have it all. When one twin goes missing, the other must discover the reason behind her disappearance without exposing their needlessly complicated lifestyle. The show pilesone nonsensical twist onanother until the entire story feels like it’s being improvised as the viewer watches. There’s nothing particularly special about this messy mystery, and it got the almost nonexistent public profile it deserved. It’s a decent tawdry thriller premise, but its execution is a disaster.
Blockbuster(22%)
There’ssomething curiously dystopian aboutthis show. Netflix rises from obscurity to take on the monopolists at Blockbuster, kills them, becomes the new oppressive dictator, and produces a show about its former rival’s downfall. Then consider that the show is one of the worst-received projects ever released to the platform. It’s like Netflix intentionally set out to tarnish the memory of their old enemy. Despite an excellent cast includingBrooklyn 99star Melissa Fumero and stellar character actor Randall Park, the show’s insipid writing makes it unwatchable. Workplace comedies are a time-honored genre, but if the show isn’t funny, it doesn’t matter what business it’s set in. There’s probably some nostalgic value in jokes about Blockbuster, and theSuperstoreformat feels like it could be transferrable.Blockbusterwasn’t an impossibleproject to make entertaining, but it’ll take a great deal more than nostalgic branding to attract anything other than derision. An actual video rental store would be a better investment.
Hard Cell(20%)
Catherine Tate may be best known for herrole as Donna Noblein the fourth series ofDoctor Who, but she’s an accomplished comedian with a long history of fantastic performances. She’s way too good a comedian to be wasting her time on projects like this one. Unfortunately, Tate doesn’t just star in this series in six roles, she also co-wrote and co-directed every episode. There are so many recurring jokes that are not funny on their first use. It lacks any charm or wit, focuses entirely too much on easy stereotypes, and falls back on scatological nonsense with near-clockwork regularity. It’s worth hoping that Tate takes another run at sitcom success because her first attempt is about as funny as a life sentence.
