Welcome to another edition of ‘Up Next’ here at Screen Times. We hope you enjoyed our special ‘Cooking with Servant’ feature last week. If you attempted the recipe or plan to make it soon, please remember to share your results and thoughts with us over on Twitter. This week marked the release of the epic trailer for ‘Pachinko’ which arrives on TV+ next month. If you’ve not seen the trailer yet, you can check it out along with all of the other latest Apple TV news here on the site now. Don’t forget to tune into the latest episode of our podcast too, where Sigmund Judge and Devon Dundee break down and discuss all of the latest Apple TV-related news.
Last week, Apple shared a new short film by acclaimed director Park Chan-wook ('Oldboy'), titled 'Life is But a Dream'. Commissioned by Apple and shot entirely on iPhone 13 Pro, the martial arts fantasy tells the story of an undertaker who needs wood to build a coffin for the savior of his village. He digs up an abandoned grave and accidently awakens the ghost of an ancient swordsman. This visually stunning short film really highlighs the power and capability of the iPhone 13 Pro and is well worth a watch. Check it out below.
With that, here’s our guide to your week ahead on Apple TV.
Apple TV+
Severance
S1, E3 | 56 min | TV-MA
It’s fair to say that the episodes 1 and 2 of Severance certainly lived up to the hype and created a real buzz around the plot and characters. The mystery continues to ramp up this week. Mark takes the team on a field trip, but Helly continues to rebel. Meanwhile, a deteriorating Petey struggles to tell Mark about Lumon’s misdeeds.
The Afterparty
S1, E7 | 33 min | TV-MA
This week sees the penultimate episode of ‘The Afterparty’ and moves one step closer to solving the mystery of Xavier’s death. As her unconventional methods land her in hot water, Detective Danner looks to her own past to explain why she needs to crack this case.
Servant
S3, E6 | 30 min | TV-MA
Following last week’s mysterious conclusion, Sean’s dinner party goes south when Leanne is rude to a guest. Dorothy uncovers frightening details from the block party.
Suspicion
S1, E5 | 50 min | TV-MA
We’re beyond the halfway mark of ‘Suspicion’ as the mystery behind the kidnapping continues to unfold. Hiding in a country cottage, the five suspects attempt to uncover who framed them—or who among them is guilty.
Apple Arcade
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
Adventure | 4+
A beautiful new adventure by the two time Apple Design Award winning developers of 'Old Man’s Journey' and 'ELOH', in which a family of gibbons finds themselves lost in a dangerous world beyond their understanding. The game features hand-painted 2D visuals and an hour-long adventure in story mode. Players can also race to freedom through a procedurally generated jungle in liberation mode. If you’ve ever played the stunning ‘Old Man’s Journey’, you’ll be as excited for this one as we are.
Apple Fitness+
If you’ve not yet tried out Coach Kyle’s strength workouts and you have the equipment to do so and feel comfotable with weights, now is the time to jump in. Kyle has been creating some of the best strength workouts ever to arrive on the service over the last few weeks and his most recent half hour session will certainly have you feeling it in your arms the next day. With a great, upbeat playlist and full of moments that will make you laugh along with the trainers, it’s a workout sure to lift your spirits as well as your heart rate.
Don’t forget to also visit Chicago with Coach Cory in this week’s 'Time to Run' as you travel along Lake Michigan’s shoreline and end the session at a world marathon finish line.
Apple Music
The Strombo Show
Daily | Apple Music Hits
This week saw some format changes over on Apple Music Radio, which is one of our favourite features of the service here at Screen Times. Some of the radio shows have moved to new time slots, including 'The Strombo Show' hosted by George 'Strombo' Stroumboulopoulos which now airs live in a daily primetime slot and is also available on demand at any time. The show is a celebration of everything alternative and aims to further bridge the gap between artist and listener through interviews, interesting facts and Strombo encouraging listeners to check out the lyrics to songs as they play and add new discoveries to their library. It's one of the most engaging shows on the station and one that we look forward to daily here at Screen Times. To coincide with the new prime-time slot, Strombo has also launched a new Book Club over on Apple Books. 'Strombo's Lit' will encourage meaningful discussion through regular new book recommendations, followed by a subsequent interview with the author and a livestream discussion about the book itself. The first book selection, 'Termination Shock' by Neal Stephenson, has been posted to the club's page with the audio discussion and interview with the author to follow shortly.
ScreenTimes Apple TV Recommendations
Kogonada Video Essays
Vimeo | Various Shorts | Not Rated
Sigmund: "The South Korean-born American filmmaker first known for his video essays that analyse film and television series via their content, form, and structure, will soon make his Apple TV+ directorial debut with next month’s release of ‘Pachinko.’ Frequently using narration and editing as lenses, his short form videos often highlight a director's aesthetic, from Wes Anderson’s obsession with symmetry to Alfred Hitchcock's use of the human eye and Terrence Malick’s obsession with fire and water. Kogonada is a regular contributor to The Criterion Collection’s supplemental features for its home-video releases but its his two feature films 'Columbus' and 'After Yang' that truly showcase this rising talent. Watch it all."
My Mom, Your Dad
HBO Max | 8 episodes streaming now | PG-13
Devon: “As much as I enjoy prestige TV, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a sucker for mindless reality shows, too. (Okay, maybe just a little ashamed.) My Mom, Your Dad is a fun twist on the reality dating genre: Young adults nominate their single parents to stay at the Second Chance Retreat and take their shot at finding love. Little do the moms and dads know that their kids have a role to play, monitoring the parents’ dates and secretly interfering from time to time. This one caught my eye because it’s created by Greg Daniels (known for the American version of The Office) and his daughter Haley. It’s also hosted by Yvonne Orji, who does a great job. It’s a mostly silly, sometimes cringey, but always enjoyable look into what happens when parents become empty nesters and finally have the chance to focus on themselves. Seeing these people form genuine bonds with one another and even fall in love is touching and wholesome in a way reality TV too often isn’t these days. It’s not about drama; it’s about connecting with others. And I’m here for it.”
Somebody Somewhere
HBO Max | 8 episodes | TV-MA
Jonathan: “This Sunday sees the finale of this new comedy drama on HBO. Bridget Everett is outstanding as a grieving sister who moves back home to her small Midwest hometown. Struggling to move on and fit in, she gradually discovers that the town is full of people who also feel different but have managed to make a home for themselves. The drama is so down to earth and the comedy so natural that it’s produced some of my biggest belly laughs of the year so far. A wonderful way to spend 25 minutes.”
King Richard
TV app | 2 hr 25 min | PG-13
James: “Based on the true story of Richard Williams, ‘King Richard’ tells the story of Venus and Serena Williams and how they became who are they are today following coaching and guidance from their father. I’m a big fan of sports movies and this one really moved me. The film doesn’t shy away from shining a light on Richard’s flaws and the struggles that the family faced, while still leaving the audience feeling inspired as the credits roll. The training and tennis game scenes are absolutely incredible and there’s a real feeling of satisaction seeing the two sisters catch the attention of people who had previously dismissed their talent. It's one of the best sports movies I’ve seen in some time and one of Will Smith’s best performances ever, which will hopefully be recognised come Oscars time."