What to watch: ‘Luca’ on Disney Plus, a new season of ‘The Good Fight’ and ‘Sweet Tooth’ on Netflix

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“Luca”

Now streaming on Disney+ and not playing at a theater near you, Pixar’s new, engaging animated feature “Luca” is set among both humans and sea creatures who pass for human once they’re on land. At heart, director Enrico Casarosa’s bright fable is about navigating the challenges of adolescent friendship, as young Luca befriends a fellow shapeshifter, Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), who offers Luca a taste of recklessness and adventure. Then they both become friends with landlubber Giulia (Emma Berman), with relatably complicated results. It’s a bit of “The Little Mermaid” plus a dash of “Ratatouille,” if Remy vacationed on the Italian Riviera. (Disney+) — Michael Phillips

“The Good Fight”

“The Good Fight” has always been so stylistically confident — so happily bold and rollicking and exquisitely fun in its machinations — and now it returns for a fifth season a little less steady on its sardonic legs. But then, who among us isn’t a little battered and bruised these days? The acting remains top-notch and it’s glorious to look at. As witty diversions go, the Chicago-set legal drama remains a prime choice. Delroy Lindo’s Adrian Boseman and Cush Jumbo’s Lucca Quinn bid farewell in the premiere episode (exiting the series for good, as previously announced), which makes room for the firm’s new associate played by Charmaine Bingwa. This new hire is fresh out of law school, observant, smart and something of a mystery. The great Mandy Patinkin also joins the cast this season, channeling Judge Judy with a pseudo courtroom he’s set up in the back of a copy shop. Let the shenanigans begin. (Paramount+) — Nina Metz

“Holey Moley”

Season 3 of ‘Holey Moley’ has finally arrived on ABC, and it is good! It’s a showcase for extreme mini-golf in an elaborately built set where zip lines sit above water hazards, the blades of spinning windmills can knock contestants into a water hazard, and basically every other hole can send someone flailing into liquid of some sort (a one stroke penalty, most of the time.) Now, as a person who can count on one hand how many times I have played mini-golf, this show is mesmerizing simply to see the range of players, their back stories, costumes and enthusiasm to compete with reckless abandon. It’s basically “Wipeout” with mini-golf, complete with commentators, one of whom is Rob Riggle. The man can make a joke just by looking at the camera or saying a participant’s name with gravitas. Throw in some cameos of executive producer Stephen Curry — yep, the NBA player — making corny jokes, and it’s just a nice hour-long interlude for your week. (ABC, Hulu) — Darcel Rockett

“Sweet Tooth”

I started watching “Sweet Tooth” out of DC loyalty. Yes, this futuristic fantasy series is based on a DC comic book. It turns out, it’s worth the time spent. We enter a world very much like our own: A virus kills people all over the world with no cure in sight, while hybrids — half human, half animal — are born. To escape the fear and danger, young deer hybrid Gus lives in the woods with his father. But it wouldn’t be a story if tragedy didn’t strike. Eventually, Gus meets Big Man, or Tommy Jepperd, and the unlikely pair goes on a journey to find Gus’s mom. (Netflix) — Lauren Hill

“Mythic Quest”

A few months back, Nina Metz recommended “Mythic Quest,” an Apple TV+ series that explores the inner workings of a video game company. I understand what she saw in it. She rightly focused her review of the second season on a particularly poignant two-episode storyline centered on C.W. Longbottom, a washed up science-fiction author (played brilliantly by F. Murray Abraham) who scripts the company’s premier video game. The rest of the show is uneven. Much of it revolves around a plot point that has left the company with two creative directors (played by Charlotte Nicdao and show co-creator Rob McElhenney), each of whom is pursuing their own separate visions for a new installment of the same video game. That feels apt, because the show often feels bifurcated: Is it a shallow, snarky comedy? Or an emotional dive into the fragility of the creative spirit? The former may garner a snort laugh here or there, but the latter is what keeps me watching, even as I remain ambivalent about my overall opinion of the show. It’s clearly trying to say something about how easy it is to shut down creativity — whether that’s due to a greedy corporate business model, a thoughtless remark from a colleague or the toxic influence of competition. It may be muddled, but sometimes a mess is more interesting than a perfect success. (Apple TV+) — Jennifer Day

June 18

“Class Action Park”

From the late 1970s through the mid-1990s, Action Park in Vernon, New Jersey, drew hordes of thrill-seekers with recklessly designed, safety-last attractions that weren’t so much death-defying as death-inviting: water slides that led to dislocated shoulders (or worse), snake-infested lagoons (the snakes weren’t supposed to be there) and, eventually, fatalities. Nostalgic, merry, totally alarming, this 2020 documentary directed by Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott III is a good time until it isn’t. Ideal summer viewing, especially this summer, as we shoot headlong down the chute of pandemic recovery. (HBO Max) — Michael Phillips

“Starstruck”

A breezy rom-com that begins with a young woman in London who is dragged out to a nightclub one night, where she meets and ultimately spends the night with a handsome guy who turns out to be a movie star. They run into each other again, and the spark is still strong, despite a few carefully placed narrative obstacles — and this is where you can see the faint outlines of some of the show’s predecessors, from “Notting Hill” to “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” That’s not a dig, but a happy observation. Created by and starring New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo, who plays a character you can get behind, the show is fueled by its chaotic nature and romantic comedy fizziness that makes the show as bingeable as they come. Read a full review. (HBO Max) — Nina Metz

“Mysteries of Mental Illness”

According to Mental Health America, a Virginia-based community nonprofit, 1.2 million individuals living with mental illness sit in jail and prison each year. So when the series, “Mysteries of Mental Illness” came to my attention, I had to watch. The multi-platform initiative launched this month with a focus on de-stigmatizing mental illness as it explores issues surrounding mental health in science and society. The endeavor is comprised of a four-episode broadcast series presented in two-hour blocks, premiering June 22-23 on PBS and a 20-episode digital video series comprised of three- to five-minute profiles of people discussing what a more responsive mental-health-care system should look like. “Mysteries of Mental Illness: Decolonizing Mental Health” explores inequities in access to mental-health resources from communities that have been marginalized.

Cook County Jail features prominently in Episode 3 of the broadcast series. Prisons serve as the nation’s largest de-facto mental-health system; more than one-third of inmates have been diagnosed with a mental illness. We meet detainees, many of whom say they couldn’t believe they had to go to jail to get help, according to Sheriff Tom Dart. “The series looks at how society has dealt with the complex question of what to make of mental illness throughout history. One of the things we explore is how the line between punishment and treatment often gets blurred,” said Edna Alburquerque, a producer of the series. “As America’s largest single-site jail, Cook County offered the opportunity to see how this dynamic plays out today. The fact that they do have a mental health program also allowed us to meet detainees who were getting some kind of care — for a lot of them much more consistently than they have been able to get on the outside — which speaks to some fundamental (and enduring) flaws in how we approach mental health care in America today.”

Watch the series to see how in America, the treatment of the mentally ill has always swung between compassion and punishment. It will break your heart while it enlightens and drops some real knowledge about how plans for progressive care were never realized, given government costs and the nature of the social commitment required to provide it. (PBS: 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., June 22-23) — Darcel Rockett

“Shrill”

Based on Lindy West’s book, “Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman,” Hulu’s “Shrill” is fresh and funny. The series was developed and stars long-time “Saturday Night Live” cast member Aidy Bryant as Annie, an aspiring 20-something journalist who is determined to change her life, while the world would like her to change her body. While dealing with society’s pressure, sick Boomer parents, stupid boyfriends and an egotistical boss, Annie luckily has college roommate and best friend, the lovely Fran (Lolly Adefope) to confide in and work husband Amadi (Ian Owens). The series also features John Cameron Mitchell, Julia Sweeney, Daniel Stern and Patti Harrison. (Hulu) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“Disney’s Launchpad”

In an effort to create a more inclusive entertainment industry, Disney created the Launchpad Shorts Incubator program. It allows creatives from all backgrounds to produce their own short films with the help and backing of Disney executives. The result is six heartwarming, thought-provoking pieces that show what it means to be different from the world around you. From two girls celebrating Eid for the first time in America to a teenage half-vampire-half-human struggling to find her place in high school, these shorts are wide-ranging and relatable, no matter where you come from or how you identify. The good news is Disney is accepting applications for a second season of shorts, and I’m sure more great work will get a chance to shine on Disney+. (Disney+) — Lauren Hill

“Lego Masters”

Competitive crafting is an oxymoron, to my mind, and yet I get sucked in every time, whether it’s a Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman’s “Making It,” “Holiday Gingerbread Showdown” or, my daughter’s favorite, “Craftopia.” “Lego Masters” is a no-brainer. Here, two-person teams build their dreams — to the specifications of the weekly challenge, of course — and the results are delightful. Two episodes in, we’ve watched dragons fly down a parade route and frogs explode. The show’s producers clearly know their audience: Will Arnett (Lego Batman) hosts, and the second challenge featured the aforementioned explosion. Teams had to set up a “hero shot,” wherein a Lego action figure stood in the foreground as the Lego landscape behind them blew up, with glitter, slime, smoke or water adding to the effect. Kids are cautioned not to try it at home; parents, however, well ... you’ve been warned. (Fox, Hulu, YouTube TV) — Jennifer Day

June 11

“Loki”

Another day, another Marvel superhero spinoff, right? Wrong. For one thing, Loki’s no superhero; the Asgardian trickster god played so drolly by Tom Hiddleston in the “Thor” and “Avengers” movies easily holds his own here, in a nicely ambiguous blend of villain, frenemy, grieving outcast and arrogant cuss. Based on the first two episodes, the first of which debuted Wednesday, creator Michael Waldron’s six-episode series has serious promise, in part because it’s the right degree of serious, which is to say: It’s witty, too. (Disney+) — Michael Phillips

“Hacks”

The season wraps up its 10-episode run this week, and if you haven’t given the show a look yet, there’s no better time to start streaming. Jean Smart — all hail Jean Smart! — plays a comedian past her prime who’s still pulling in big money and audiences thanks to a long-standing Vegas residency. When the casino boss attempts to cut back her dates in favor of younger acts, her manager foists upon her the punch-up services of a petulant 20-something comedy writer (played by Hannah Einbinder, the daughter of original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Laraine Newman) whose irony-soaked outlook is an ideal foil to this old-school showbiz veteran. By hook or by crook, this odd couple finds a small patch of common ground. “Hacks” (renewed for a second season) is exceedingly watchable in all its sun-bleached glory, if you take it on its own terms: Not so much a comedy but a wry drama. (HBO Max) — Nina Metz

“Trying”

This BBC/Apple domestic comedy follows Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) as they try to become parents, and during the first season, decide to adopt. “Trying” is currently in the middle of streaming its second season (and a third is already in the works), but I’m just in the last few episodes of the first. While Imelda Staunton is the marquee name (and she is terrific as the couple’s passionate and damn-the-rules adoption advocate), the shooting star here is Smith, whose genuine appeal combines many of the engaging qualities we see in Zooey Deschanel and Cristin Milioti. The way series creator Andy Wolton has written her character — with a dash of innocence, a big dose of resilience and a solid belief in the best of the people around her — is the foundation. Smith, who originated the role of Delphi Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” takes all that and brings her smiling charm to the role. “Trying” also gets out into the streets of London on a regular basis, a great bonus for those of us missing the joys of travel during the pandemic. (Apple TV+) — Scott L. Powers

“The Bold Type”

Inspired by the experiences and career of Joanna Coles, former editor-in-chief of “Cosmopolitan,” Freeform’s “The Bold Type” follows the lives of three millennial women, portrayed by Jane Sloan (Katie Stevens), Kat Edison (Aisha Dee) and Sutton Brady (Meghann Fahy) who work at a fictional New York City women’s magazine, Scarlet, led by editor-in-chief Jacqueline Carlyle (Melora Hardin). The trio of young women juggle their professional goals and romantic relationships, all while living in the Big Apple. The series begins with Jane starting her new position as a staff writer at the magazine as she finds her writing voice; Sutton is in a secret relationship with Richard Hunter (Sam Page), a board member for “Scarlet”; and Kat, the magazine’s social media director, begins to explore her sexuality after meeting a photographer. Catch up on the series as the fifth and final season airs. (Freeform, Hulu) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“Solos”

Coronavirus creates creative film production and storytelling. Incredible actors (Helen Mirren, Morgab Freeman and Anne Hathaway, just to name a few) perform against themselves in these short films. Each of the seven interconnected futuristic shorts focuses on a single character and asks a simple question about meeting a version of yourself, whether through time travel, robot clones, isolation, space travel or simply in the stories that we tell ourselves. As anyone in therapy knows, meeting yourself can reveal deep truths and heal emotional wounds. These performances harken back to stage soliloquies with a single actor engulfing the audience in their every word and emotion as the story evolves in sometimes shocking ways. Learn more about the human condition in a time when we need to connect to each other more than ever. (Amazon Prime) — Lauren Hill

June 4

“Days of Heaven”

Terrence Malick’s dream of early 20th-century romantic tragedy involved massive production shutdowns, reshoots (essentially he made the movie twice) and two different world-class cinematographers, Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler. It turned out like magic. Its small but sturdy tale follows working-class Chicagoans Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Linda Manz relocating to Texas (Gere’s character is on the lam, after accidentally killing a factory foreman) where the wheat harvest brings nature’s bounty, Sam Shepard’s wealthy, lonely farmer, a stunningly realized plague of locusts and a perfect, open-ended coda for the young girl narrating (Manz, wondrous). The Music Box Theatre is screening Malick’s 95-minute gem as part of its “Back on the Big Screen” retrospective. 1:15 p.m. Saturday, June 5, only, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com (Also: VOD) — Michael Phillips

“Tiger”

With tennis champ Naomi Osaka pulling out of the French Open this week, citing the impact of press requirements on her mental health, I was compelled to revisit this two-part documentary about Tiger Woods. It offers a look at how a pressurized media environment might affect professional athletes. “Golf is basically a bastion of Caucasian America, and Tiger was walking into this white world and just dominating it,” Gary Smith, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, tells the documentary’s filmmakers. “The magazine editors at S.I. wanted me to start peeling the layers away and seeing what’s going on there.” Now imagine how it might have felt for Woods, a mixed-raced man at the beginning of his career, to have a white reporter approach him with that sort of energy and intention — to peel back his layers, as if Woods were a specimen to be dissected. “Tiger answered my questions,” Smith adds, “but wanted to give off that he was in control and everything was cool. You always felt that you weren’t getting to the bottom of it.” That can be frustrating as a reporter; you’re always hoping for an unguarded conversation. Some athletes are willing to go there, but no one has to expose themselves on demand. It’s reasonable for athletes (anyone, really) to erect some barriers in that regard. Osaka’s barriers were just more plainly laid out than most. (HBO Max) — Nina Metz

“The Three Stooges”

After a hard week of work, what better thing to do than watch television that takes you back to the heyday of simpler times? That’s where “The Three Stooges” comes in. For two hours every Saturday night on MeTV (5-7 p.m., right before Svengoolie), troubles are forgotten in lieu of slapstick comedy that only this trio can deliver. Watching classic Moe, Larry, Curly, Shemp, or Joe and their hijinks — be it cooking a meal, running their own business, or doing home improvements — never gets old. Although one does wonder how many times Curly can be poked in the eyes by Moe without causing serious damage? I consider them the first Scooby gang — remember when they would try to foil a political plot, or a crime or murder mystery in an old castle? They would get their person in the end, but with bumps that only they could take and deliver. Larry was always my favorite. Tune in and get back to good. (MeTV) — Darcel Rockett

“Tuca & Bertie”

“Tuca & Bertie,” is a hilarious adult animated sitcom created by Lisa Hanawalt, production designer and producer of “BoJack Horseman.” If you’re a fan of “Big Mouth,” you’ll devour “Tuca & Bertie.” The show follows two 30-something bird-women who live in the same apartment complex: Tuca (voiced by Tiffany Haddish), a care-free, spontaneous and newly sober toucan, and Bertie (voiced by Ali Wong), an anxious, career-driven songbird with an impressive baking hobby. The series kicks off after Tuca moves out of their shared apartment so Bertie can live with her architect boyfriend and robin, Speckle (voiced by Steven Yeun, recently nominated for an Oscar in “Minari”). “Tuca & Bertie” began streaming as a Netflix original series in May 2019, but was then canceled less than three months after its premiere. Luckily, the series has found a new home on Adult Swim, with the second season premiering on June 13. This is the second time a Netflix original series will be revived on another network, the first with “One Day at a Time.” Netflix, please stop cancelling original shows that highlight important issues, while also seamlessly being digestible and funny! (Netflix) — Hannah Herrera Greenspan

“Secondhand Lions”

I don’t remember exactly when I first watched “Secondhand Lions” (2003), but I can almost guarantee it was a Friday family movie night pick by my mom. I recently got a friend of mine to watch it for the first time by describing it as such: a nerdy kid (Haley Joel Osment) gets dropped off at his unfriendly uncles’ house (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall) by his terrible mother (Kyra Sedgwick) and ends up having a summer that would change his life. My favorite parts are the stories Caine’s character tells of his and his brother’s youth, proving that a truly gifted storyteller can make an ordinary day more exciting than any TV ever could. The film tackles abandonment, truth, love and growing up with humor and tons of heart. It will leave you in happy tears having learned more about what is most important in life. (VOD) — Lauren Hill

“America’s Got Talent”

Admittedly, I did not watch Tuesday’s premiere of the 16th season of “America’s Got Talent.” I learned early on in the “American Idol” craze that the cringe factor involved in such shows is too much for me. Instead, I wait for the highlights. Recently, friends in a group text sent me slaloming through YouTube reels. It started with 10-year-old Roberta Battaglia’s performance of Lady Gaga’s “Shallow”; made its way through a bunch of kid dance troops; detoured through “Britain’s Got Talent” and “India’s Got Talent”; and landed on 14-year-old Sofie Dossi, standing on her hands, shooting flaming arrows with her feet. “Her butt’s on her head!” my 4-year-old squealed, delighted, before attempting her own death-defying approximation. We’ve since had to watch the contortionist’s clip far too many times but I understand my daughter’s fascination. It has it all: skill, drama, beauty, comedy, wonder — the stuff of pure spectacle. Or, as my friend joked in the original text chat: “I think I have a lot of unprocessed feelings from 2020, but these Canadian children on this corporate capitalist platform weirdly renewed my faith?” (NBC for the full show; YouTube for highlights) — Jennifer Day

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