‘Bupkis,’ the return of ‘Happy Valley’ and more to stream this week
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who doesn’t always know what they’re in the mood to watch right now.
Luckily, Screen Gab No. 84 is a streaming smorgasbord, featuring the return of an acclaimed British crime drama, a new comedy from a “Saturday Night Live” alum, a docuseries about work and Shakespeare in the park. Which means pretty much whatever mood you decide you’re in, we have a recommendation for you.
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.)
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Turn on
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
Danai Gurira has taken down countless zombies as Michonne in “The Walking Dead” franchise and kicked plenty of ass as Okoye in the “Black Panther” movies. But her most menacing role to date is definitely Shakespeare’s manipulative and murderous monarch in “Richard III” (PBS, PBS App and pbs.org/gperf), a classic character coveted by actors — and usually portrayed onstage by men. For this version, Gurira has said she saw the late 16th century text as “a political thriller” and “a play about the repetition of tyranny” that remains applicable today. Directed by Robert O’Hara, the production was staged outdoors at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park last summer and ran for nearly a month. Lucky for us, we get to enjoy the show from the comfort of our homes, free of any bug bites, unexpected rainstorms or New York City humidity. — Ashley Lee
We all go through our days benefiting from the work of others without having any real idea of who they are or what they actually do. Studs Terkel’s great 1974 collection of interviews, “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do” has inspired an enlightening new Netflix series, “Working: What We Do All Day,” produced by Barack and Michelle Obama and hosted by Barack. The series focuses on healthcare in Mississippi, tech in Pittsburgh and hospitality in New York, starting with workers toward the bottom and progressing episode by episode toward the person at the top. In between documentary segments, Obama, who spends some time on camera — at ease with people in all walks of life, who are all at ease with him — offers contextual history, a critique of late-stage capitalism, support for labor unions and a reminder that low-wage “low-skilled” jobs require plenty of skill and plenty of labor. There are, of course, questions for the future. — Robert Lloyd
Catch up
Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about
With the third and final season of “Happy Valley” (BBC America, AMC+, AcornTV) launching Monday, now is the perfect time to rewatch the first two seasons. After all, it’s been seven years since Season 2 ended. And if you’ve never seen the British crime drama set in England’s West Yorkshire county, this is one of those drop-everything-else-and-binge moments from recent TV history.
For starters, don’t let the title, or the idyllic setting, or even the first couple scenes fool you. Written and created by Sally Wainwright, “Happy Valley” is a gripping top-notch police drama. The series stars Sarah Lancaster (“Julia”; “Last Tango in Halifax”) as the seasoned Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood. Once a detective on the fast track for leadership in her department, we soon learn that her career and personal life had been upended by the suicide of her daughter, after which she’s left to raise her grandson, Ryan (Rhys Connah) with help from her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran). Cawood makes for a formidable hero. She wears her police issue protective gear like a knight’s armor, equipped with radio and Taser, but no gun. (Of course there’s no gun, this is England.) But she may have met her match in Ryan’s father, the petty and violent criminal Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton, in a far cry from the village priest he played in “Grantchester”), whom Cawood blames for the death of her daughter. When the third season of “Happy Valley” opens, Cawood’s grandson is a somewhat rebellious teenager curious about Tommy, and Cawood is just a few days away from retirement. In the milieu of cop-dramas, we all know what that means. — Ed Stockly
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
In addition to starring Pete Davidson as (a version of) Pete Davidson, the Staten Island-set “Bupkis,” now streaming on Peacock, features a murderer’s row of film and TV veterans, including Edie Falco as Davidson’s mother and Joe Pesci as his grandfather, and what was once known as a cavalcade of guest stars. Among them is Brad Garrett (reuniting with “Everybody Loves Raymond” co-star Ray Romano), who appears as Davidson’s “Uncle” Roy. Garrett stopped by Screen Gab recently to talk about what makes Davidson funny, what he’s watching and more. — Matt Brennan
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
My favorites of late are “Succession” [HBO Max] and “The Bear” [Hulu].
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
“The Great British Baking Show” [Netflix] and “Couples Therapy” [Showtime].
“Bupkis” stars Pete Davidson as a heightened version of himself. What do you think makes Davidson so funny?
What makes Pete Davidson so funny is the combination of his comedic fearlessness and his innate vulnerability.
You’re still active in stand-up, and even own a comedy club at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Name one up-and-coming comic who’s inspired you lately as you write and perform your own work. How so?
It’s really difficult to choose just one up-and-coming comic because we pride ourselves on featuring the best acts out there on the club circuit. I can say with the utmost confidence it’s definitely not me.
What’s next
Listings coordinator Matt Cooper highlights the TV shows and streaming movies to keep an eye on
Fri., May 19
“Consecration” (Shudder): A woman probes her brother’s purported suicide at a remote convent in Scotland in this 2023 horror tale. Jena Malone stars.
“Primo” (Freevee): Being raised by his mom and her five brothers is enough to make any teen holler “Uncle!” in this new comedy series. With Ignacio Diaz-Silverio.
“Selling Sunset” (Netflix): If you have to ask, you still can’t afford it in new episodes of the real estate-themed reality series.
“White Men Can’t Jump” (Hulu): Sinqua Walls and rapper Jack Harlow sub in for Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in this 2023 remake of the 1992 basketball comedy.
“Belle Collective” (OWN, 8 p.m.): This unscripted series about a group of Black female entrepreneurs is back for a third season.
“Great Performances” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): “Black Panther’s” Danai Gurira portrays the Bard’s scheming British monarch in a gender-bent staging of Shakespeare’s “Richard III.”
“The Secrets of Hillsong” (FX, 10 and 11:30 p.m.): This new four-part series investigates the scandals surrounding the controversial worldwide megachurch.
Sat., May 20
“Love in Zion National: A National Park Romance” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): They told her to go take a hike and she did in this new TV movie. With Cindy Busby.
“Love to Love You, Donna Summer” (HBO, 8 p.m.): The 1970s-era R&B diva dubbed the “Queen of Disco” is remembered in this new documentary.
“The Man With My Husband’s Face” (Lifetime, 8 p.m): He perished in that kayaking incident … or did he? Find out in this new thriller. With Koko Marshall.
Sun., May 21
“American Idol” (ABC, 8 p.m.): The latest winner is revealed in the singing competition’s season finale.
“The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.): Grammy winner Lizzo and “SNL’s” Bowen Yang lend their voices to the season finale.
“NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9 p.m.): This entry in the procedural franchise ends its run after 14 seasons. With Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J.
“Ghosts of Beirut” (Showtime, 10 p.m.): The hunt is on for a wily Lebanese terrorist in this new fact-based drama. With “Fauda’s” Hisham Suliman.
Mon., May 22
“Happy Valley” (Acorn TV; also BBC America, 10 p.m.): The gritty British crime drama clocks in for its third and final season. Sarah Lancashire stars.
“Prehistoric Planet” (Apple TV+; also Tuesday-Friday): The dino-tastic series narrated by David Attenborough is back for Season 2.
“NCIS” and “NCIS Hawai’i” (CBS, 9 and 10 p.m.): The franchise mothership and its other spinoff end their respective seasons.
“Fanny: The Right to Rock” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): This 2021 documentary remembers the all-female rock band that made a splash on the L.A. music scene in the early 1970s.
Tue., May 23
“Afghan Dreamers” (Paramount+): This acclaimed 2022 documentary tags along with an all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan as they take part in competitions abroad while facing oppression at home.
“Bama Rush” (Max): There were never such devoted sisters as the aspiring sorority members at the University of Alabama in this new documentary.
“Clone High” (Max): The fault lies not in their stars but in their genes in a reboot of the animated 2002-03 sci-fi comedy.
“The Fire That Took Her” (Paramount+): This shocking 2022 documentary tells the story of an Ohio mother’s search for justice after being set on fire by a deranged ex-boyfriend in 2015.
“Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” (Max): This new animated series set in 1920s Shanghai serves as a prequel to Joe Dante’s hit 1984 horror comedy.
“MerPeople” (Netflix): Something’s fishy in this new docuseries about professional mermaids and the mermaid enthusiasts who love them.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (Max): Zachary Levi suits up once again for this so-so 2023 sequel to the 2019 superhero flick.
“SmartLess: On the Road” (Max): Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes take their hit podcast to the stage in this new docu-comedy.
“Victim/Suspect” (Netflix): This 2023 documentary details how young women’s claims of having been sexually abused are often downplayed or dismissed by law enforcement.
“Wanda Sykes: I’m An Entertainer” (Netflix): The veteran comic riffs on parenting, politics and more in this new stand-up special.
“What Am I Eating? With Zooey Deschanel” (Max): If you are what you eat, then the former “New Girl” star has got some news for you in this new series.
“Beat Shazam” and “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (Fox, 8 and 9 p.m.): The musical game shows return with new episodes.
“The Voice” (NBC, 9 p.m.): The latest winner is revealed in the singing competition’s season finale.
“Windy City Rehab” (HGTV, 9 p.m.): The Chicago-set home renovation series returns for Season 3.
“Frontline” (KOCE, 10 p.m.): The new episode “Once Upon a Time in Iraq: Fallujah” revisits one of the most brutal military engagements of the 2003-11 Iraq war.
Wed., May 24
“American Born Chinese” (Disney+): “Everything Everywhere All at Once’s” Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan have parts to play in this new teen-centric fantasy comedy.
“James May: Oh Cook!” (Prime Video): The “Top Gear” co-host cruises back into the kitchen for a second season of his cooking show.
“Platonic” (Apple TV+): BFFs who had a falling out years earlier give it another go in this new comedy series co-starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne.
“The Ultimatum: Queer Love” (Netflix): Five LGBTQ+ couples must figure out if they’re gonna stay together or call it quits in this new franchise entry.
“Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.): Find out who outplayed, outwitted and outlasted whom in the three-hour season finale. Jeff Probst hosts.
“The Flash” (The CW, 8 p.m.): Our hero (Grant Gustin) hangs up his supersuit after nine seasons in the drama’s series finale.
“Jeopardy! Masters” (ABC, 8 p.m.): It’s all on the line in the finale of the all-star trivia tournament. Ken Jennings hosts.
“Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars” (Fox, 9 p.m.): The irascible celebrity chef promises a cool quarter mil to the winning entrepreneur in this new series.
“The Prank Panel” (ABC, 9 p.m.): Johnny Knoxville, Eric André and Gabourey Sidibe help everyday folks put one over on unsuspecting friends, relatives, et al. in this new series.
“Nova” (KOCE, 9 p.m.): Find out why it’s so hard to make up your mind sometimes in the conclusion of the two-part episode “Your Brain.”
“Mayans M.C.” (10 and 11:30 p.m.): The “Sons of Anarchy” spinoff rolls into town for a fifth and final season. With J.D. Pardo and Edward James Olmos.
Thu., May 25
“FUBAR” (Netflix): A veteran CIA operative (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is shocked to discover that his daughter is … also a CIA operative in this new comedy series.
“The Kardashians” (Hulu): The first family of reality TV returns in new episodes of their latest series.
“Wild Life” (Nat Geo, 8 p.m.): Conservationists pursue their goal of creating a large national park in South America’s Patagonia region in this new special.
“Re(solved)” (Vice, 9 p.m.): A new episode reexamines the 2017 death of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell.
“Forever Chemicals” (Vice, 11 p.m.): Efforts to create national standards for clean and safe drinking water are surveyed in this new special.
The complete guide to home viewing
Get Screen Gab for everything about the TV shows and streaming movies everyone’s talking about.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
