Q Wave’s Watchlist: November 2021
"There's nothing to watch" is not a phrase that should exist in a world drowning in content. Join us every month to get curated content - from the latest and greatest to revisiting oldies - we'll help you avoid the dreaded “Netflix Block” and find something to watch!
Seinfeld (Netflix)
In case you haven’t heard, a little show made its Netflix debut recently. That's right, we’re talking about the sitcom that ruled the 90’s: Seinfeld.
Inking a massive deal with Netflix worth reportedly more than $500 million dollars, the cable mainstay has made the leap to the streaming era pretty seamlessly. Initially cashing in on syndication deals and raking in over $3 billion dollars, Netflix dishing out a pretty penny to bring Seinfeld to their platform indicates interest for the show isn’t waning at all.
If somehow you aren’t familiar with the show, the NBC sitcom centers on Jerry Seinfeld (playing himself) and is loosely based on his and co-creator Larry David’s (Curb Your Enthusiasm) life. Jerry lives in New York City and works as a stand-up comedian. The half hour comedy focuses on the misguided and typically self-centered adventures Jerry, his best friend George, former girlfriend Elaine, and eccentric next-door neighbour Kramer.
The show has an everlasting legacy with its own lexicon of sayings and phrases being woven into modern-day pop culture, as well as being one of, if not the most, successful TV shows of all time.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Friends, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Runtime: 9 seasons, 180 episodes, 22-24 minutes each
Genre: Comedy
The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime)
In the wake of Game of Thrones doing numbers for HBO, the go-to move for streamers seems to be to grab a classic series of fantasy novels, throw a bunch of big money into the budget and hope for the best. We saw it with Shadow & Bone on Netflix, Foundation on Apple TV+ and now Amazon Prime has entered the fray with its newest offering; The Wheel of Time.
Originally envisioned as a six-book series, The Wheel of Time grew to 14 volumes, a prequel novel and two companion books, with the first book being published in 1990. Flash forward to 2017 when the new adaptation of the series was announced by Sony, with Amazon coming on board a year later.
Set in a sprawling, massive world where magic exists but only certain women are permitted to access it, the series focuses on Moiraine, played by the always solid Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), a member of the all-female incredibly powerful organization called the Aes Sedai. She embarks on a treacherous journey with a group of men and one woman, one of whom is said to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.
The Wheel of Time has been adapted into other mediums since its debut, including a comic book series, a video game and a role playing game, but this will be the first time fans of the franchise will be able to see it on screen. The patience of fans looks to be worth it, as Amazon has already given the greenlight for a second season before the first has even premiered, which is generally a promising sign for a show.
The series debuts November 19th with three episodes, and will release new episodes weekly until the season finale on December 24th.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Game of Thrones, Shadow & Bone
Runtime: 6 episodes, 60 minutes each
Genre: Fantasy
Insecure (Crave)
HBO has no shortage of shows in its repertoire, but we’ve officially entered into the final season of Insecure, one of its most beloved amongst fans and critics alike.
For those unaware, Insecure is the brainchild of Issa Rae (The Photograph), who began working on the series back in 2013. Using her previous web series ‘Awkward Black Girl’ as a jumping-off point, Rae aimed to create a series about the awkward experiences of a contemporary black woman in today’s society, as she had yet to see herself be represented in media in that way.
The series has gained a huge following and received critical acclaim. For her acting work on the show, Rae has received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy as well as an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Insecure looks at the friendship of two black women in a unique, authentic way. It also touches on a variety of social and racial issues that relate to the contemporary black experience. The fifth and final season had its premiere on October 24th, and will air weekly until December 26th. All the previous seasons are available on Crave as well if you need to catch up.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: High Fidelity, Atlanta
Runtime: 10 episodes, 27-41 minutes each
Genre: Comedy, drama
Free Guy (Disney Plus)
Video game movies have a less than impressive track record on the big screen, but Disney Plus’ Free Guy may have hacked the system by taking on the concept of games themselves rather than attempting to adapt a specific title.
Before hitting Disney Plus, Free Guy was released in theatres and was something of a surprise hit, taking in $330 million worldwide, which currently has it as the tenth highest-grossing film of 2021.
The movie stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) as a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background character in a video game, and decides to become the hero of his own story. The movie gives nods to hit video games like Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite, and succeeds where similar stories have failed (looking at you, Ready Player One) in making a fun and fresh film that anyone who has played a video game recently can appreciate.
With a strong box office performance and solid reviews from critics, fans of the movie were treated to some good news when Ryan Reynolds took to Twitter to announce that Disney is looking for a sequel.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Boss Level, The Lego Movie
Runtime: 115 minutes
Genre: Comedy, action
The Shrink Next Door (Apple TV+)
When Apple decides to go all-in on a project, they really go all in. Grabbing the rights to a real life stranger-than-fiction story and stacking the cast with A-list talent feels like a recipe for success, and that’s what Apple is banking on with their latest offering.
Based on a podcast of the same name, Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Will Ferrell (Daddy’s Home) headline this dark comedy about a therapist named Isaac Herschkopf (played by Rudd) who abuses his relationship with his patients and proceeds to take advantage of them.
The podcast was a huge hit, claiming the number one spot on the Apple podcast charts for three weeks straight and went on to win the 2020 Webby award for Documentary in the Podcasts category. Apple seems to have no doubts about the show’s success, as it ordered the podcast straight to series for an 8 episode limited series run.
The series debuts November 12th with the first three episodes, with the rest being released every other Friday.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Dirty John, Dr. Death
Runtime: 8 episodes
Genre: Comedy, drama
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