A history of the N-word in dance? Inside one of the most daring TV scenes of the year
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who likes their history with a side of creative daring.
As Jen Yamato writes in Screen Gab no. 82, that’s what Starz’s “Blindspotting” serves up in its second season, with a dance sequence that delivers a narrative of the N-word through colonial America, the civil rights era and the present day.
More on how the sequence achieved its “wordless clarity,” a visit from the showrunners behind “Lucky Hank” and streaming recommendations for your weekend in this week’s newsletter. And as always, we want to know what you’re watching too. 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.)
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As the ever-expanding “Star Wars” cinematic universe grows increasingly interconnected, “Star Wars: Visions” (Disney+) is a shining beacon that casts light on the endless creative potential for stories set beyond the nebula of the franchise’s established canon. Where Volume 1 tapped seven Japanese animation studios to present their interpretations of the galaxy far, far away, Volume 2 — which was released timed to my favorite fake holiday, May the 4th — gets even more global with nine shorts by animation houses in Spain, France, India, South Korea and more. The beauty of “Visions” is that each vignette filters “Star Wars” through a specific cultural lens in a celebration of each studio’s distinct style and artistic point of view. Among my Volume 2 favorites are PunkRobot’s “In the Stars,” which shows how the empire’s exploitation of a planet’s natural resources devastates its Indigenous inhabitants, and Triggerfish’s “Aau’s Song,” about a miner’s young daughter who possesses a unique gift. Cartoon Saloon’s haunting “Screecher’s Reach” is also a standout in this no-skip anthology. —Tracy Brown
Something to set beside “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” South Korea’s “One Dollar Lawyer” (Hulu) is a whimsical legal dramedy, with the emphasis on the “amedy,” centered on lawyer Cheon Ji-Hoon (Namkoong Min), who accepts no more than $1 (1,000 won) from his clients in need. (This business model means he’s always behind on the rent on his office, a former coffee shop with an aquarium and fittings still intact.) “A warrior of justice with high intellect,” in the translated words of its theme song, he’s cool, colorful and eccentric, something of a Sherlock Holmes with a side of Zen Master. Kim Ji-eun plays Baek Ma Ri, a reluctant apprentice against whom he formerly faced off in court; their remarkable beauty and barbed banter suggests a romantic inevitability the series is in no hurry to fulfill. Cartoon sounds and the occasional actual cartoon color the action. With Park Jin-woo as Sa Ma-jang, Ji-Hoon’s comical sidekick clerk. —Robert Lloyd
Catch up
Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about
It’s a great time to catch up with Starz’s “Blindspotting,” one of the most creatively daring shows on television right now, which a few weeks ago in its sophomore season delivered a stunning dance sequence that warrants its own water cooler moment. When 7-year-old Sean, who is biracial, utters the N-word for the first time, it leads to a record-scratch moment for his parents, Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) and Miles (Rafael Casal). They decide to teach him the history of the word during a family visitation at San Quentin, where Miles is incarcerated.
“The big thing about that episode is that it doesn’t matter what the parents’ circumstances are; parenting doesn’t stop,” said showrunner Casal, who co-wrote the episode with Daveed Diggs and tapped series exec producer Jess Wu Calder to direct it. “We know kids who are about that age who ask that question. How would they go about talking about it, and who handles which part of it, and how much of it can be funny and how much of it has to be serious? At what point do you just tell a kid an adult thing?”
The answer unfolds like a bedtime story as seen through Sean’s curious eyes, translated onscreen into a dance sequence designed by Emmy-nominated director and choreographer Jon Boogz. Since the first episode, dancers have appeared throughout the show in lyrical vignettes that amplify characters’ unspoken emotions, making movement as much an elemental language of the dramedy series as music and spoken word.
Boogz himself performs in the number, in which dancers move through three fraught scenes to a poignant score by series composers Ambrose Akinmusire and Michael Yezerski — a slave auction block in colonial America; a segregated diner in the civil rights era; and a contemporary street protest turned tragic by a police killing — depicting the connection among all three with wordless clarity.
“I love the fact that we’re using Black street dances in vernacular to tell that story,” Boogz told The Times last year during rehearsals for the number, shot in evocative dreamlike scenes by director of photography Tarin Anderson. “To me, that’s what gives it the magic. Even though it’s traumatic with our history as African Americans in America, I love that we’re telling this historical story using something that’s magical, that comes from our environments and our communities, which is street dance. That’s why the vernacular and style of movement is very specific, because I wanted to honor the Black and brown communities that created these dances that have changed the world.”
In a show that’s shot on the docks of the San Francisco Bay, has staged an entire episode at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and convinced Too $hort to play himself (among other only-on-”Blindspotting” coups), it’s a standout segment of the season. One Boogz believes has more riding on it than a teachable moment.
“We’re not just dancing here. We’re trying to change people’s minds on what’s possible with the art form,” said Boogz. “This is the biggest dance sequence in ‘Blindspotting’ history, and I think it’s going to make history for film and television. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is one of the most artistic pieces that people will have ever seen on television before.” —Jen Yamato
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Having gone through a Richard Russo phase in high school, begun after his 2002 novel “Empire Falls” won the Pulitzer Prize, it was no surprise to me that the author’s rip-roaringly funny campus comedy “Straight Man” has been adapted for the screen — just that it took so long to do so. If it means having Bob Odenkirk back on TV so soon after the end of “Better Call Saul,” though, or having replacement therapy for Netflix’s enjoyably infuriating “The Chair,” “Lucky Hank” (AMC) was certainly worth the wait. Before the series, starring Odenkirk as an unraveling English professor at a rust belt college, wraps its first season on Sunday, showrunners Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein stopped by Screen Gab to discuss their favorite campus fictions, Russo’s adaptability and what they’re watching. —Matt Brennan
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
Aaron Zelman: I loved “White Lotus” [HBO Max] but everyone already knows that’s great. One of my favorite movies of the last couple of years was “Triangle of Sadness” [Hulu]. I love the director, Ruben Östlund. A lot of people have seen “Force Majeure” [HBO Max], one of his earlier films. But for some reason not as many seem to know “The Square” [Magnolia Selects, VOD], his next film. I think it’s a genius mix of comedy, satire and intense drama.
Paul Lieberstein: I don’t really enjoy watching television or movies anymore. It’s little to do with the state of entertainment, it’s me. And I don’t understand what’s going on.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
Zelman: I have two young kids and one thing we can all agree on is “The Great British Baking Show” [Netflix]. Now we’re watching a spin-off, “The Professionals.” It’s lovely to see reality TV that isn’t mean. Also we love food, and the stuff they make is a work of art. [And] it’s nothing like any TV I make, which means I don’t have to worry about being jealous.
Lieberstein: I don’t really have a comfort watch. For this, I eat.
This isn’t the first time Richard Russo’s been adapted for the screen, after the film “Nobody’s Fool” and the miniseries “Empire Falls.” What is it about his work that translates so well?
Lieberstein: Russo creates worlds that we don’t want to leave and characters that we want to write and play and sit on the couch next to. So we do, we adapt them to keep them alive for ourselves.
Zelman: His dialogue is hilarious and rich, somehow both ironic and very sensitive at once. This is an extremely hard thing to achieve. It’s something I always aspire to. Luckily, Russo has given us a great head start with “Straight Man”/”Lucky Hank.”
The campus novel / film / TV show is an established genre in its own right. What’s your favorite iteration of the form, in any medium, and why?
Lieberman: “Wonder Boys” [Pluto TV, Paramount+] is a movie I won’t turn off, “Lucky Jim” is a book I won’t put down — but my favorite, “Straight Man” aside, is a short story called “The Discipline of Shadows,” by Tim Horvath, where we get a look at a fledgling Umbrology department. Very fun and worth a read.
Zelman: “Rushmore” [VOD]. Actually, it’s one of my favorite movies in any genre. I’ve seen it maybe more times than any other movie. It still makes me laugh in all the places it made it me laugh when I saw it the first time. And almost every time I watch it I find another little detail I missed before. It’s more than a movie to me. It’s a worldview. I wish I could spend weeks in that world. Maybe months. Maybe my whole life.
What’s next
Listings coordinator Matt Cooper highlights the TV shows and streaming movies to keep an eye on
Fri., May 5
“The Great American Baking Show” (Roku): The competition’s back for a star-studded sixth season. Ellie Kemper and comic Zach Cherry co-host.
“Harriet the Spy” (Apple TV+): The animated series based on Louise Fitzhugh’s beloved children’s novel returns. With Beanie Feldstein.
“Silo” (Apple TV+): The remnants of humanity eke out an existence in an underground city in this new dystopian drama. With Tim Robbins and “Dune’s” Rebecca Ferguson.
“Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi” (Hulu): Your humble host goes coast to coast in new episodes of her foodie travelogue.
“Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (The CW, 9 p.m.): “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s” Rachel Bloom plays along in this new episode.
“The Articulate Hour” (KOCE, 9 and 10 p.m.): Scientists, artists, et al. discuss this ever-changing world in which we’re living in this new series.
“Mama June: Family Crisis” (WE, 9 p.m.): Here comes another season of the “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” spinoff.
Sat., May 6
“Vigilante, Inc.” (Tubi): This new exposé investigates the dark side of online sleuthing by everyday citizens.
The coronation of King Charles III (various channels, 3 a.m.): Broadcast and cable news outlets will offer live coverage of the proceedings from Westminster Abbey in London.
“When Love Springs” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): Amenities at this bed and breakfast include turndown service in this new TV movie. With Rhiannon Fish.
“Abducted on Prom Night” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): If it’s not too much of a stretch, we’re guessing the limo driver did it in this new thriller.
Sun., May 7
“Last Cowboy Standing” (Fox Nation): They’re taking the bull by the horns in this new rodeo-themed reality competition.
“Earth Focus Presents” (KCET, 8 p.m.): Young STEM students compete in a NASA-sponsored coding contest in the new episode “Zero Gravity.”
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo, 8 p.m.): Trash will be talked, drinks thrown, etc. as the reality franchise entry returns.
“Accomplice to Murder With Vinnie Politan” (Court TV, 8 p.m.): They didn’t do the deed but they may or may not have helped in this new true-crime series.
“Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing” (Discovery, 8 p.m.): They’re rough, tough and in the buff in this new entry in the outdoor-survival series.
“2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards” (MTV, 8 p.m.; other channels): Emmy winner Jennifer Coolidge is singled out for special honors.
“Vice” (Showtime, 8 p.m.): The Emmy-winning newsmagazine is back with new episodes.
“Rich & Shameless” (TNT, 8:30 p.m.): The mystery of former NBA star Dennis Rodman’s missing millions is probed in the season premiere.
“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” (Bravo, 9 p.m.): A group of Black friends cohabitate at the tony vacation destination in this new franchise entry.
“The 2010s” (CNN, 9 p.m.): Are you already nostalgic for a decade that ended not all that long ago? Try this new docuseries.
Mon., May 8
“To the End” (Hulu): Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, et al., keep the fight against climate change on the front burner in this inspiring 2022 documentary.
“Jeopardy! Masters” (ABC, 8 p.m.; also Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday): Top-ranked players take part in this new three-week tournament hosted by Ken “the GOAT” Jennings.
“Independent Lens” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): A 30-something man tries to come to terms with his mother’s mysterious disappearance decades earlier in the poignant 2022 documentary “Sam Now.”
Tue., May 9
“Hannah Gadsby: Something Special” (Netflix): The genderqueer Aussie comic waxes domestic in their latest stand-up special.
“Judge Steve Harvey” (ABC, 9 p.m.): He’s back on the bench for a second season of this unscripted comedy series.
“Accused” (Fox, 9 p.m.): “Nashville’s” Keith Carradine guest stars as an aging rocker in the crime anthology’s Season 1 finale.
“Dancing Queens” (Bravo, 9 p.m.): Six women from diverse backgrounds shake a leg on the ballroom circuit in this new unscripted series.
Wed., May 10
“African Queens” (Netflix): Cleopatra (Adele James) is ready for her close-up in a new edition of this historical docudrama from Jada Pinkett Smith.
“Becoming Ian Brady” (Prime Video): This new true-crime series retells the dark tale of the child killer and his lover/accomplice Myra Hindley who terrorized Manchester, England, in the mid-1960s.
“Class of ’09” (FX on Hulu): Fledgling FBI agents prepare to fight the future in this decades-spanning techno-thriller. With Kate Mara and “Atlanta’s” Brian Tyree Henry.
“The Muppets Mayhem” (Disney+): Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Band — a.k.a. the “Muppet Show” house band — bring the boogie in this new spinoff. With Lilly Singh.
“Wild Scandinavia” (KOCE, 8 p.m.): See the lovely lakes, the wonderful telephone system and many interesting furry animals including the majestic moose in this new three-part special.
“Nova” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): The new episode “Hidden Volcano Abyss” revisits the powerful volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that struck the island nation of Tonga in 2022.
“The Game Show Show” (ABC, 10 p.m.): Find out what’s behind Door #2 with this four-part history of the TV game-show genre. With Bob Eubanks, Vanna White, et al.
“Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories With David Rubenstein” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): The Gadsden Flag — you know the one: yellow field, coiled rattlesnake, “Don’t Tread on Me” — is the subject of this new episode.
Thu., May 11
“Intelligence: A Special Agent Special” (Peacock): David Schwimmer and “Ted Lasso’s” Nick Mohammed are back on the case in a one-off episode of the spy comedy.
“58th Academy of Country Music Awards” (Prime Video, 5 p.m.): It don’t mean a thang if it ain’t got that twang as Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks co-host the annual ceremony.
“(Re)solved” (Vice, 9 p.m.): A new episode reexamines the 2008 overdose death of Oscar-winning “Dark Night” actor Heath Ledger.
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