Inside the new Netflix series about saving Europe’s artists from the Nazis

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who’s ready for a different kind of World War II story.

As “Transatlantic” showrunner Anna Winger tells senior television writer Yvonne Villarreal, this one — inspired by the true story of American journalist Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee — draws on lesser-known tales of the era, from the margins of the French Resistance to the failures of the U.S. State Department.

Also in Screen Gab No. 80, a docuseries, a reality competition and an homage to episodic mysteries worth waiting for. And, as always, we want to know what you’re watching. Pretend we’re at the water cooler and give us your review of a TV show or streaming movie you’ve loved; it may be included in a future edition of Screen Gab. (Submissions should be approximately 100 to 150 words and sent to screengab@latimes.com with your name and location.)

ICYMI

Must-read stories you might have missed

(Erik Carter / For The Times)

For Patrick Stewart, Jean-Luc Picard is ‘the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me’: The actor discusses his “Star Trek” character at the beginning and end, from his first impressions of Gene Roddenberry to saying goodbye to “Picard.”

No, AI didn’t write the songs on ‘Love Is Blind.’ Why Netflix’s big hit sounds like that: From “Lee Ann Wombat” to Forest Blakk, Netflix’s reality sensation is full of love songs uncannily attuned to the onscreen drama. Here’s how they do it.

20 years after ‘Love Actually,’ a new rom-com blurs the line between sweet and ‘stalkerish’: In “Ghosted,” Chris Evans pursues Ana de Armas — and lands them both in hot water. The filmmakers explain how they made an old trope do new tricks.

We can’t afford another writers’ strike. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country: The last strike cost $4.5 billion in today’s dollars. That’s why the studios need to stop preparing for the next one and start trying to prevent it.

Turn on

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Garrett McNamara in Season 2 of “100 Foot Wave.”

(Hélio António/HBO)

Chris Smith’s 2021 docuseries “100 Foot Wave” (HBO Max) has birthed a second season, perhaps even more thrilling, moving and gorgeous than its excellent first. That season focused on the quixotic Garrett McNamara, the origins of big wave surfing and his part in making Nazaré, Portugal, where huge waves break in the winter against a rocky headland, an international surfing spot; in the new season, that’s all been settled for better, and sometimes worse, and Smith looks more widely and deeply at some of the other figures — men and women, younger and older, and among the best at this — who gather at Nazaré when the surf is up, and chase swells wherever else they’re good. The footage is insanely beautiful and, often, simply insane; this is a sport (a practice, a lifestyle) that incorporates rescue in its protocol. The McNamaras, including Garrett’s insightful wife, Nicole, her charming brother C.J. Macias, and various small children, happily are back, bringing issues of age, allegiance and acceptance. The surfing is impressive, but this is essentially a story about how to live, and not die, in the world. (“We are not that strong, compared to the power, the strongness of the ocean,” says top surfer Justine Dupont, who learns that lesson firsthand.) Cooperation, more than competition, is its watchword. —Robert Lloyd

Alan Cumming hosts the American version of “The Traitors.”

(Peacock)

I have never enjoyed playing the party game Mafia, but while binging the Australian version of “The Traitors” (Peacock) I realized that I absolutely love watching other people strategically lie to each other for weeks on end. In this competition series — hosted by the suave and smartly-dressed Rodger Corser — a group must work together to identify and vote out a handful of people who’ve secretly become “traitors” — a task that gets trickier with each elimination. It’s not all talk though: Each episode also includes some kind of physical challenge to build the game’s prize money, which can only be won by the remaining “faithful” players if they’ve kicked out every “traitor.” (I am not exaggerating when I say that I rewatched a certain moment of the final episode 10 times in a row.) The recently debuted international franchise also has a British edition, and an American outing with semi-celebrities and hosted by Alan Cumming. I’m currently debating which one to watch next. —Ashley Lee

Catch up

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

Tim Meadows and Ellen Barkin as former sitcom actors in a “serious” stage play in “Poker Face.”

(Sara Shatz/Peacock)

Since I devoured its first four episodes back in January, when Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne‘s ode on the episodic mystery first premiered, I’ve spent much of my free time recommending “Poker Face” (Peacock) to friends — and oh-so-slowly making my way through the remaining episodes, as if I were afraid of going into withdrawal when I ran out. Now that I’ve finally finished the season, I thought it was time to make my affinity for the series newsletter-official. From an admittedly wonky premise — casino employee with infallible internal lie detector goes on the lam after her bestie turns up dead — Johnson, Lyonne and enough guest stars to fill the White Lotus three times over concoct an acridly funny, occasionally gruesome journey into the American heart of darkness. Here, traitorous pitmasters (Lil Rel Howery), washed-up metalheads (Chloë Sevigny) and aging radicals (Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson) chew the bitter cud of dreams deferred or dashed entirely, while Lyonne’s reluctant heroine, Charlie Cale, strikes back on behalf of moral goodness, or at least equilibrium, by making sure even the likable baddies get put away.

As with any series that relies on self-contained episodic narratives, “Poker Face” has its clunkers — let’s just say Johnson doesn’t have his finger on the pulse of the junior stock car circuit — and you might end up impatient for Charlie’s own storyline to develop faster than paint dries. (I didn’t.) But when the series connects most heartily, as in its murderous history of an Industrial Light & Magic-esque visual effects studio or a lacerating parody of stuck-up sitcom actors desperate to be taken seriously, it suffuses its comforting homage to “Columbo” and “Murder She Wrote” with a fury Hollywood entertainment could use far more of. And it’s that raw emotion under the formulaic surface that makes it my favorite TV show so far this year. —Matt Brennan

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Showrunner Anna Winger, left, on the set of “Transatlantic.”

(Netflix)

“Transatlantic,” Netflix’s recently released period drama, is not the tale of World War II heroism we’ve come to expect onscreen. The miniseries traces the efforts of the founders of the Emergency Rescue Committee, including American journalist Varian Fry, as they successfully orchestrate the smuggling of 2,000 of Europe’s foremost artists and intellectuals out of Nazi-controlled France to safety in America in 1940. Series co-creator Anna Winger, who previously created “Unorthodox” for the streamer, stopped by Screen Gab to discuss the series’s origins in a present-day refugee crisis, her research for the show and what she’s watching. —Yvonne Villarreal

When did you first learn the story of Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee and when did the idea to make it into a TV series begin to take shape?

My father was visiting me here in Berlin when he noticed a street called Varian Fry Strasse. He once knew two people who worked with Fry in Marseilles, so he told me the story. Then in 2015, a million refugees from Syria moved to Germany. As we were all volunteering to help them get settled, I was struck by the cycle of history. Not so long ago, people like me were forced to leave Berlin as refugees and now others were coming to Berlin to seek refuge. I was reminded of what my father had told me and began thinking about making a drama series set in the story of the Emergency Rescue Committee.

Tell me about the research process. What were some of the source materials that became critical to your world building?

The amazing thing about this history is that so many of the people who lived through it were artists themselves and channeled the experience into their own work. There was a lot of material to dig into, much of it already fictionalized: novels, short stories, poems, paintings, in addition to memoirs by and biographies of almost everyone involved, Shoah Foundation interviews, and the Varian Fry archive at Columbia University. Because we were interested in providing a nuanced context, we also read a lot about American politics in 1940, the beginnings of the French Resistance and British intelligence.

When Hollywood dramatizes real events, there’s sometimes an expectation that the real story is dramatic enough not to warrant too many liberties. What was important to you in capturing this moment in time?

We did the research, but we had to free ourselves to create a fictional story for screen. The history is real, but the inner lives of all the characters are imagined, as are romances and conversations. We narrowed down the number of real people involved in the ERC. We made up some new characters to bring stories from the edges of the conventional French Resistance narrative into the foreground. This was very important to us, as was highlighting the American State Department’s refusal to help more refugees in the early days of World War II.

As an artist, how was the experience of telling this story about artists transformative for you?

“Transatlantic” explores the ways in which friendship, humor, creativity and romance remind us that we are alive, even in a crisis. As I was writing the series, I thought so much about filmmakers like myself who fled Berlin for Hollywood in the 1930s, where they channeled their anxiety about what was happening at home into the work, making popular screwball comedies and romantic melodramas. So many of the people working on movies like “To Be or Not to Be,” “The Last Dictator” and “Casablanca” were recent German Jewish emigrés. Just imagine the conversations they were having over lunch.

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” is easily my No. 1. I have watched it over and over and always find new inspiration there. But nowadays I watch a lot of comedy with my daughters. We’ve seen all of “black-ish” at least twice. I’m Kenya Barris’ biggest fan.

What’s next

Listings coordinator Matt Cooper highlights the TV shows and streaming movies to keep an eye on

Fri., April 21

“Big Beasts” (Apple TV+): Meet the megafauna in this new nature series narrated by “Loki’s” Tom Hiddleston.

“Dead Ringers” (Prime Video): Rachel Weisz pulls double duty as twin gynecologists in this new series based on David Cronenberg’s disturbing 1988 thriller.

“Drops of God” (Apple TV+): A deceased wine expert’s estranged daughter and his young protégé vie for his storied wine collection in this new drama.

“Ghosted” (Apple TV+): Boy meets girl, girl turns out to be a badass CIA operative in this 2023 action comedy starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas.

“Judy Blume Forever” (Prime Video): This new documentary celebrates the author of such classic YA novels as “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

“The Last Drive-In With Joe-Bob Briggs” (Shudder): Your humble host is back with another batch of bad B-movies and cult classics.

“Life Upside Down” (AMC+): Quarantine breeds contempt for three L.A. couples in this pandemic-themed 2023 drama. Bob Odenkirk stars.

“Slip” (Roku): A woman (Zoe Lister-Jones) finds herself bouncing back-and-forth between alternate realities in this new fantasy comedy.

“A Tourist’s Guide to Love” (Netflix): A travel-company exec (Rachael Leigh Cook) gets her groove back on a visit to Vietnam in this 2023 rom-com.

“Great Performances: Now Hear This” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): Host Scott Yoo compares notes with Japanese American composer Andy Akiho in this new episode.

“Secrets of the Elephants” (Nat Geo, 9 and 10 p.m.; also Saturday): Pack your trunk for this new globetrotting nature series narrated by Natalie Portman.

“Next at the Kennedy Center” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): Pianist Jason Moran and bassist Christian McBride lay down some top-flight jazz in this new episode.

“Dear Mama” (FX, 10 and 11:30 p.m.): This new five-part docuseries illuminates the relationship between slain rapper Tupac Shakur and his mother, activist Afeni Shakur.

Sat., April 22

“Chasing the Rains” (BBC America, 8 p.m.): Why do they bless the rains down in Africa? Find out this new four-part nature series.

“A Pinch of Portugal” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): An aspiring TV chef brushes up on her Portuguese in this new TV movie. With Heather Hemmens.

“Her Fiancé’s Double Life” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): A woman questions the intentions of her sister’s intended in this new thriller. With Olivia Buckle.

“Path of the Panther” (Nat Geo, 10:50 p.m.): Here, kitty kitty! A nature photographer goes in search of the elusive Florida cougar in this new nature doc.

Sun., April 23

“Home Town Takeover” (HGTV, 8 p.m.): The bucolic burg of Wetumpka, Ala., gets spruced up in the renovation series’ second season.

“Breaking Girl Code” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): Lonely in the big city? There’s an app for that in this new thriller. With Katelynn Bennett.

“Sanditon” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): This period drama based on an unfinished Jane Austen novel presents its series finale. Rose Williams stars.

“Fix My Frankenhouse” (HGTV, 9 p.m.): These homes are in need of major reconstructive surgery in this new renovation series.

“From” (MGM+, 9 p.m.): This sci-fi horror drama about a small town none can escape returns for Season 2. With Harold Perrineau.

“Amityville: An Origin Story” (MGM+, 10 p.m.): This new docuseries revisits the shocking 1974 murders that inspired the horror franchise.

“Somebody Somewhere” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.): Our 40-something heroine (Bridget Everett) is back for a second season of this Kansas-set comedy.

Mon., April 24

“The Cult of Elon” (Tubi): Mr. Musk of Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX fame/infamy is profiled in this new documentary.

“Dalgliesh” (Acorn TV): P.D. James’ intrepid chief inspector (Bertie Carvel) is back on the case for a second season.

“The Real Hatfields & McCoys: Forever Feuding” (Fox Nation): This new reality series follows descendants of those two historically antagonistic families.

“Perry Mason” (HBO, 9 p.m.): This period drama starring Matthew Rhys as the dogged defense attorney wraps its sophomore season.

“Independent Lens” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): The poignant 2022 documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee” tells the story of a Korean immigrant wrongfully convicted for a 1973 murder in San Francisco.

“The Daily Show” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.; also Tuesday-Thursday): Correspondent Desi Lydic moves over to the big desk as this week’s guest host.

Tue., April 25

“Family Legacy” (Paramount+): The children of famous musicians share their stories in this new docuseries.

“The Boulet Brothers’ Halfway to Halloween TV Special” (Shudder): The sinister drag duo will slay — figuratively, at least — in this new star-studded special.

“John Mulaney: Baby J” (Netflix): They tried to make him go to rehab and he did and now the comic is cracking wise about it in his latest stand-up special.

“The Light We Carry: Michelle Obama & Oprah Winfrey” (Netflix): The former first lady and the onetime Queen of Daytime TV have a tête-à-tête in this new special.

“Night Court” (NBC, 8 p.m.): “SNL’s” Melissa Villaseñor guest stars on the rebooted sitcom.

“My Grandparents’ War” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): Toby Jones learns about his forebears’ experiences during World War II in this new episode.

“Supermarket Stakeout” (Food Network, 9 p.m.): The culinary competition serves up a fifth season. Alex Guarnaschelli hosts.

Wed., April 26

“Saint X” (Hulu): A young woman disappears while vacationing in the Caribbean in this new mystery drama. With Alycia Debnam-Carey.

“Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love” (NBC, 8 p.m.): The stars come out to salute a comedy legend in this new special. With Vicki Lawrence, Steve Carell, et al.

“Nature” (KOCE, 8 p.m.): The new episode “Treasure of the Caribbean” explores a massive coral reef off the coast of Central America.

“Nova” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): Efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change are examined in the new episode “Chasing Zero Carbon.”

“Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories With David Rubenstein” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): Boston’s Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is first up in this new series.

“Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens” (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.): And she’s back in new episodes of her semi-autobiographical sitcom.

Thu., April 27

“Firefly Lane” (Netflix): This drama starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as lifelong BFFs returns with its final episodes.

“The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” (Peacock): You can’t take it with you in this new de-cluttering series narrated by Amy Poehler.

“Grand Knighthawk: Infiltrating the KKK” (Hulu): George Stephanopoulos investigates the notorious hate group in this new documentary.

“Love & Death” (HBO Max): Infidelity leads to murder in a small Texas town in this new drama. Jesse Plemons and Elizabeth Olsen star.

“Sweet Tooth” (Netflix): The fantasy drama about a young human-deer hybrid is back with new episodes.

“100 Days to Indy” (The CW, 9 p.m.): IndyCar’s finest are all revved up in this new behind-the-scenes series.

“(Re)Solved” (Vice, 9 p.m.): This new series investigates the conspiracy theories that often arise following a celebrity’s untimely demise.

“Brat Loves Judy” (WE, 9 p.m.): The reality series starring rapper Da Brat and wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart returns.

“The Last Last Late Late Show With James Corden Carpool Karaoke Special” and “The Late Late Show” (CBS, 10 p.m. and 12:35 a.m.): Your humble host takes the wheel one last time before bidding his talk show adieu.