Rebecca Farley, Editorial AssistantThe Kominsky Method, November 16 on NetflixI don't usually condone Chuck Lorre fare — he gave us years of
Big Bang Theory domination — but his work for Netflix has been interesting. Lorre also produced the
short-lived series DisJointed, which was deeply flawed but still very different from everything else he's done.
DisJointed, despite its airlessness, had the advantage of good casting on its side. (I credit that show with discovering Chris Redd;
SNL stole him from Lorre.)
The Kominsky Method has a similar advantage. Michael Douglas plays an aging actor who has recently pivoted into teaching, and Alan Arkin plays his agent. The supporting cast is stacked with some of Hollywood's best and brightest, including
Atypical's Graham Rogers and former Disney Channel star Emily Osment. Sarah Baker, a small player in
Big Little Lies, plays a big part, too.
The Kominsky Method is a weird pivot for one of TV's most powerful creators, but it just might work.
Escape At Dannemora, November 18 on ShowtimeTrue crime stories are getting a lot of attention these days.
Escape at Dannemora is just a hop, skip, and a jump to the left of true crime. It's an adaptation of the 2015 prison break from Clinton Correctional Facility. If you're unfamiliar, this story is wild — why aren't we
always talking about the fact that two prisoners escaped with help from a security guard, with whom they
both had relationships? That's a love triangle better than any other love triangle. In this version, the prisoners are played by Benicio del Toro and Paul Dano; the guard is Patricia Arquette. I'd like to think this is where a wonkier version of
Boyhood would have ended up.