11/19/2023 0 Comments Apocalypse starzHe grooves with stoner comedies like Smiley Face, took atypical coming-of-age turns with Mysterious Skin and White Bird in a Blizzard, and helmed 1995’s ennui-filled Doom Generation. Yes, he’s directed episodes of Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why lately, but his indie film credits are more telling. Then there’s Araki, the creator of this series, who’s more consistently subversive and flat-out weird. I know it’s strange to start off a review like this, but listen, Soderbergh can bounce effortlessly from blockbusters like Oceans and Erin Brockovich and Contagion to more salacious or niche material like The Girlfriend Experience and Magic Mike. And since we’re thinking about our collective demise, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect upon how we’re living in a world where these two are executive producing together. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.It’s the end of the world, and Gregg Araki and Steven Soderberg’s new Now Apocalypse series greets the apocalypse with cosmic sex. It looks like Starz is trying to see if the TV version of that career move can keep more of the indie spirit alive. So many indie filmmakers have made the jump from smaller films to space-based spectacles. One thing the above synopsis doesn’t tease that also figures into the “Now Apocalypse” equation? Aliens. “American Gods” may not have turned into the all-consuming hit adaptation the network may have been hoping for, but what’s coming in its wake is an apparent commitment to independent-minded entertainment that may give the network better projects to throw the channel’s full weight behind. And “Sweetbitter,” the network’s May premiere, is the kind of bestseller adaptation that has more of an eye to story than as a means to a lucrative franchise. The network’s next upcoming produced series is “Vida,” a look at a Latinx family that’s also creator-driven, coming from “Looking” alum Tanya Saracho.Įven Starz’s upcoming adaptations are still heavily creator-driven, just as “Gods” was: The network’s acquisition of “Howards End” comes with the attachment of being written by “Manchester by the Sea” scribe Kenneth Lonergan. Soderbergh’s involvement in a Starz show has worked wonders in the past, after the artistic and critical success of “The Girlfriend Experience,” one of the best examples of a cable series having it both ways: using a pre-existing property and giving a creator carte blanche to pursue a singular artistic vision.Ĭreator Justin Marks was able to shepherd “Counterpart” to a two-season commitment from Starz that helped make it one of the best new shows of 2018. Besides a recent memorable appearance behind the camera for the CW show “Riverdale,” Araki has also directed episodes of “13 Reasons Why,” “American Crime” and “Red Oaks.” Adapting his filmmaking style to shows across four different networks proves that he can work within a pre-existing framework, but co-writing a new series seems to be the best way for both network and creator to benefit. Giving Araki the reins to a new series is a smart way to capitalize not only on the “Mysterious Skin” filmmaker’s previous work, but his recent TV stints. Between sexual and romantic dating app adventures, Ulysses grows increasingly troubled as foreboding premonitory dreams make him wonder – is some kind of dark and monstrous conspiracy going on, or is he just smoking too much weed?”Īraki is writing all 10 half-hour episodes with author and sex columnist Karley Sciortino, who’s the creator and host of “Slutever” on Viceland. Per Monday’s announcement, the new series “explores identity, sexuality and artistry, while navigating the strange and oftentimes bewildering city of Los Angeles. The latest move for the network is “ Now Apocalypse,” a ten-episode commitment to director Gregg Araki, produced by Steven Soderbergh. The nature of several of Starz’s upcoming shows suggest that execs are now focusing their development strategy in a much different way: auteur-driven shows centered on new ideas. But after the high-profile swing of “American Gods” (considered a mixed success for the channel), Starz has taken a different approach to this idea. The loudest part of the growing drumbeat in TV is for networks to find the next “Game of Thrones,” throwing mammoth budgets at pre-existing intellectual properties.
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