What to watch: Descend into ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ or rise with Jason Sudeikis’ ‘Ted Lasso’

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“Mank”

Director David Fincher’s “Mank,” which follows Gary Oldman as dissolute genius screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he writes “Citizen Kane,” topped this week’s list of Oscar-nominated pictures with 10 in all. I watched it again to revisit what I admired in it, and where it got sludgy for me (the screenplay, mainly, written by Fincher’s late father Jack Fincher). Some love it, some don’t make it past the first 20 minutes — but the Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross musical score, also nominated? It’s seriously great, veering from what Reznor calls “big band hustle-bustle” and sweeping orchestral passages inspired (loosely) by Bernard Herrmann, who scored Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Give it a watch, but mainly, give it a listen. (Netflix) — Michael Phillips

“Resident Alien”

This new twist on the old fish-out-of-water setup has Alan Tudyk playing an alien who has crash-landed on earth and now inhabits a human body, awkwardly, as he tries to blend in with the people of the small Colorado town where he now resides. Much to his surprise, he experiences all kinds of facets of the human condition — jealousy! sexual urges! — that leave him bewildered or annoyed or a combination thereof. Tudyk (who has played robotic before, notably as K-2SO in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) finds so much comedy in this character, who is both petty and completely uninterested in social niceties. (Syfy, Peakcock, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling) — Nina Metz

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League”

The middle of March is the absolute best time to watch “Zack Synder’s Justice League,” because everything is muddy and wet, you likely don’t have the vaccine yet, you want to lose yourself in something completely absorbing and yet completely without merit, and you’re still reeling from the time change. At four hours long — with three additional hours of detox required afterward — “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is your movie. Though it is less a movie event than a temporary lifestyle, it is a spectacle, one that deserves to be seen on a big screen someday. It is grand and stupid and endless, and though it has shades of opera, it is less truly operatic than an Instagram account’s idea of “operatic.” If none of what I am writing makes any sense to you, that’s because you still operate in the real world, on planet Earth, and I remain, days later, held hostage by “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.” I wake up at night shaking, certain I am still watching it. Martian Manhunter arrives. Who’s this? Who cares! Evil is coming! The Joker makes an appearance. Jesse Eisenberg looks up at the camera for one second (one second!) then disappears for the rest of the film. Batman says bad words. Superman wears all black but still comes off like nerdy ole’ Superman. A family of school children sing a lullaby to Aquaman. A cyborg named Cyborg broods. This is a movie entirely constructed of bad decisions, but it looks great and it’s wildly ambitious, and though I am sending mixed signals now, WATCH THIS. You probably put a lot of crap into your body anyway. (HBO Max) — Christopher Borrelli (Read Chris’s full take on the film. Or, if you’d prefer a second opinion on “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” read Michael Phillips’s review.)

“Derry Girls”

You know an obsession has reached new levels when you start rewatching multiple times. Even when my shame of rewatching “Bridgerton” grew, my obsession did not falter. I needed more. I turned to “Derry Girls,” which stars Nicola Coughlan (who plays Penelope on “Bridgerton”), a sitcom about Catholic high school girls who live in Derry, Northern Ireland, during The Troubles conflict of the 1990s. I definitely have to look up some Irish slang, but I know what it’s like to pray to Mary Mother of God to ace a test, the struggles of personalizing Catholic school uniforms and the power of Catholic guilt. For now, it will keep me laughing while I wait for season 2 of “Bridgerton.” (Netflix) — Lauren Hill

“Ted Lasso”

If you were saddened by Jason Sudeikis’s departure from “Saturday Night Live,” you’ll love his Golden Globe-winning performance in “Ted Lasso.” The comedy follows Midwestern football coach Ted Lasso (Sudeikis) as he moves to London to lead Premiere League soccer team AFC Richmond, despite not knowing a thing about soccer. Although the plot centers around sports, you don’t have to be a sports fan or have any prior knowledge to keep up with the humor. The series has already been renewed for two more seasons. (Apple TV+) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“DuckTales”

Some days you just need some good, old-fashioned cartoons to get you through. And “DuckTales” on Disney XD was my half-hour respite for the last few years. The last time we saw Clan McDuck was in 1990. Donald Duck’s nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie’s youthful shenanigans ensue during global adventures and artifact seeking with Scrooge McDuck (when he wasn’t swimming in his money bin). As the globetrotting ensues, life lessons unfold, family ties become stronger and mysteries are solved. This week, the rebooted series came to an end after 75 episodes in a finale where we finally learn the truth of Webby’s parentage (spoiler: Webby now has sisters). All the magic, spying and inventions will now have to live on in reruns (woooo, woooo)! But if you get a chance this weekend, watch the 90-minute ending for the final glimpses of the Duckburg universe, including Darkwing Duck, Launchpad, GizmoDuck, and Della Duck (Donald’s sister and the triplets’ mom). (Disney+) — Darcel Rockett

March 12

“Godzilla” and “Kong: Skull Island”

Next week, I’m catching “Godzilla vs. Kong” (opening March 31 in theaters and streaming on HBO Max) at a press screening in an actual theater. Here’s hoping that’s all I’ll be catching! Meantime, this week, I’m rewatching two recent films showcasing the big lugs in outings of their own: “Godzilla” (2014) and “Kong: Skull Island” (2017). I liked both of these pictures — one grave, the other larky — a lot more than the average critic. But who needs an average critic. (VOD, HBO Max) — Michael Phillips

“The Real World Homecoming: New York”

The cast from the first 1992 season of MTV’s “The Real World” reunites nearly 30 years later in this new series from Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access). Now in their late 40s and early 50s, they are cohabitating once again in the same loft where they originally filmed, and it’s a premise that has the makings of either a Gen-X nightmare or a fascinating opportunity for collective generational introspection. Like everything else, this reconstituted version of “The Real World” is chasing the past, and I’m fascinated by this kind of nostalgia, because it seems universal and cyclical but also so, so flawed. Looking back, sometimes things do seem simpler — but only if you don’t look too closely. Let’s hope “The Real World Homecoming” (which is being released in weekly installments) decides to look close. (Paramount+) — Nina Metz

“Ginny & Georgia”

“Ginny & Georgia” is like a darker, younger and intersectional sister to “Gilmore Girls.” Similar to Lorelai and Rory of the original GG, the new Y.A. series centers primarily on mother-daughter duo Georgia and Ginny. After the death of her husband, single mother Georgia uproots Ginny and son Austin from Texas, moving to suburban Massachusetts where secrets and dramatic plot twists unfold. Fans of “Schitt’s Creek” and “Degrassi: The Next Generation” will enjoy seeing a few familiar faces in “Ginny & Georgia.” (Netflix) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“Good Girls”

I don’t know about you, but any show where women are the center of attention I’m all about. Hence, my giddiness that “Good Girls” is back on NBC for a season 4. This time around it looks like the Bolands are in the spa business solo to launder more fake money for Rio (Manny Montana). The pressure to keep up productivity is taking a toll on Beth’s health. It’s hard to juggle the PTA with counterfeiting, small-business headaches and trying to keep your hitman on task to kill your nemesis . Oh, and did I mention said hitman has a crush on Beth (Christina Hendricks)? Ahhh, the life of a suburban mom trying to make some money and find some excitement in her life: The struggle is real. (NBC, Netflix, Hulu) — Darcel Rockett

“Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President”

This 96-minute documentary reminds us of Jimmy Carter’s groundbreaking embrace of rock and country during his 1976 campaign as well as his enduring sense of decency and the practice of his Christian beliefs. Music icons including Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Bono sit down for interviews not because Carter embraced their music, but because of his devotion to help folks lift themselves up. For viewers who did not live through the Carter campaign and presidency, this will open a new window on the 39th president and the times, which also give new context to the Biden campaign. For those who lived through it, the depth of Carter’s love of music, including jazz, will be revelatory. (HBO Max) — Scott L. Powers

“The Great”

Elle Fanning stars in “The Great,” a dark comedy that follows Catherine II as she plots a coup against her husband to become one of Russia’s most famous rulers. Created and written by Tony McNamara — who scored an Oscar nomination for another historical romp, “The Favourite” — the show would be well worth watching if only for its ribald humor. Nicholas Hoult, as a supremely narcissistic Peter (not the Great, as the show frequently points out), holds a debauched court. Just when you think his and other performances — namely that of Brenda Bromilow as Aunt Elizabeth — may evaporate into a cartoonish realm, the plot intervenes to puncture the fun. It’s these fleeting moments — when the true cost of terrible leadership is devastatingly clear — that the show is transcendent. But then it presses on, because history (even a satirical one like “The Great”) doesn’t wait. (Hulu) — Jennifer Day

March 5

“Saint Maud”

Would you like to see two terrific actresses locked in mortal combat? In writer-director Rose Glass’s icy and compelling feature debut, a horror-movie premise takes on the nuances of a sharp two-character play on film (with several supporting characters). In a seaside English town, a deeply, perhaps dementedly religious caregiver for hire (Morfydd Clark) becomes a kind of savior to a dying choreographer (Jennifer Ehle). But one woman’s sainthood is another’s hell, as this tense, increasingly nightmarish movie reminds us. (Sling, Amazon Prime, Philo) — Michael Phillips

“Dead Like Me”

I’ve been rewatching this dramedy that ran for two seasons from 2003 to 2004, and it is as sardonic and easy-to-watch as I remembered. The premise: An apathetic 18-year-old (played by a wonderfully deadpan Ellen Muth) is killed by a piece of airplane equipment falling from the sky — a toilet seat, to be exact — and enters the afterlife equivalent of annoying temp work, helping recently deceased souls leave their bodies to move on to the next realm. She and her small group of “colleagues” (including the marvelous Jasmine Guy) have none of the perks you’d expect: They still more or less have to live on earth, scrambling for housing, but minus any meaningful human connections. Mandy Patinkin plays her boss (of sorts), who calls her “pumpkin” but cuts her zero slack. It might be my favorite (and least-known) show from creator Bryan Fuller, who would later go on to create “Pushing Daisies” and “Hannibal.” (Tubi, Amazon Prime, VOD) — Nina Metz

“Insecure”

Issa Rae’s “Insecure” is masterful. The dramedy follows two Black best friends Issa (Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) as they navigate their careers, dating and awkward everyday experiences, including microaggressions, code switching and other social and racial issues. The show feels like a love letter to South Los Angeles, highlighting the beauty that exists beyond Hollywood’s tropes of the hood. The series will conclude after the upcoming fifth season, so it’s a great time to get caught up. (HBO Max) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“Homeland”

I was a “Homeland” diehard when it premiered a decade ago, but my interest started to wane as the plots got more contrived. The final season, which dropped in 2020, is a return to form that has viewers wondering if Claire Danes’s Carrie Mathison has joined the bad guys she spent her CIA career thwarting. — Tracy Swartz

“Men in Kilts”

As an “Outlander” fan, it was a no-brainer that I would watch “Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham.” Actors Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish ride in what looks like a utilitarian gypsy caravan on wheels, talking about the history and culture of Scotland? What’s not to love? The brogue, the camaraderie, the interjected scenes of brotherhood from the “Outlander” series — it’s not a hard sell. The first episode showcased food and drink of Scotland, where the two blokes laughed as they rolled around in grain from which whiskey is created. Maybe it’s seeing the guys through a more human lens; maybe it’s just that I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland, and travel is a little limited at the moment? Either way, I’m excited to go along on this road trip. (Starz) — Darcel Rockett

“The Night Comes for Us”

This Iko Uwais actioner is balletic in its glory. The plot is simple, as they all are: Bad guy turned good looks to save a soul. Julie Estelle almost steals the movie, and the final fight scene (box cutter, anyone?) is over-the-top. (Netflix) — Kevin Williams

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

Now back in his powder blue void set after a long absence, John Oliver’s political half-hour Sunday night show on HBO is still laboring under a reduced energy outside the TV studio, just as Bill Maher’s “Real Time” did when he taped his show from his home. Still, Oliver’s staff aggregates serious reporting and presents important issues in a way that drives home his messages in an engaging way. In his Feb. 28 show, he managed to weave clips from the goofy 1990 “Cop Rock” police procedural musical series with a very serious segment on police raids, how out of control they are and how to prevent raids gone wrong. Among the raids he focused on was the errant Chicago police raid on Anjanette Young’s home, which this month resulted in new proposals for search warrants. The week before it was dangerous practices in meat-packing plants, and the week before that it was laying out the likelihood of another pandemic. I’m looking forward to him returning to the studio and reinvigorating the show, but “Last Week Tonight” nevertheless remains essential and topical. (HBO, HBO Max) — Scott L. Powers

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