Welcome to another edition of ‘Up Next’ here at Screen Times. This week, ‘Slow Horses’ arrives on TV+ and it looks set to be another hit for Apple. You can check out our very own Jonathan Reed’s review of the series now before diving into the first three episodes.
Earlier this week, Sigmund Judge sat down with composer Theodore Shapiro to chat about the music in ‘Severance’, working with Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson and more. You can listen to the interview here on the site or in your podcast feeds.
It was a special night for Apple TV+ and ‘CODA’ this past Sunday as the film took home three Oscars at the 94th Academy Awards. The film earned the prestigious Best Picture award as well as Best Adapted Screenplay going to Siân Heder and Best Supporting Actor which went to Troy Kotsur. You can read more about the event and find a full list of winners right here on Screen Times.
With that, here’s our guide to your week ahead on Apple TV.
Apple TV+
Slow Horses
Premiere | S1, E1-3 | TV-MA
This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces. Check out Jonathan Reed’s full review now.
Pachinko
S1, E4 | 60 min | TV-MA
Newlywed Sunja embarks on an epic journey that takes her far from the comforts of home. Solomon gets ready for his big day.
WeCrashed
S1, E4 | 48 min | TV-MA
After a huge investment, WeWork is firmly in the big leagues—and Adam is ready to take aim at his competition. Rebekah's friendship is strained.
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
S1, E5 | 51 min | TV-MA
Ptolemy looks to his longtime friend and lawyer to help protect Robyn. A family gathering in Reggie’s honor brings both healing and confrontation.
Severance
S1, E8 | 46 min | TV-MA
The team prepares a plan. Mark attends Devon and Ricken’s party.
Central Park
S2, E15 | 21 min | TV-14
In search of evidence for a story, Paige brings the family to a wake. Bitsy and Helen try to convince a big investor to join them in buying Central Park.
Apple Arcade
Pocket Build+
9+ | Simulation
Have you ever wanted to make your own little fantasy world? A farm, some kind of castle, or just an epic fantasy city? Pocket Build is an open-world game where you can build with no limitations or restrictions. Build whatever you like, whenever you like, however you like. Build your own city, build your own world, build your own castle, be creative, craft your land, build a town, create your own adventure, build anywhere in an open world. The possibilities are endless!
Apple Fitness+
We’ve been loving Marimba’s new 30-minute pilates workout this week, which focuses on your arms, core and glutes and features a fantastic upbeat playlist. If you’ve got a resistance band at home and haven’t tried this yet, give it a shot. We’re also feeling a little sore this week after the latest 30-minute HiiT with Kim - easily one of the toughest and sweatiest workouts on Fitness+ yet!
Apple Music
Foo Fighters - There is Nothing Left to Lose
Jonathan: “After the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins last week I’ve been going through the back catalogue of Foo Fighters albums. It seems only appropriate to recommend revisiting this, the third album from the Foos, which marked the first appearance in the band from Hawkins. Marking a slight departure into more experimental territory for the band, it at times showed a softer side to them while also containing almost back to back anthems! It’s also only appropriate that the opening 5 seconds or so focuses solely on Hawkins snare drum as he smashes away on it. RIP Taylor.”
ScreenTimes Recommendations
Studio 666
TV App | 108 mins | R
James: “Following the news of the tragic passing of Taylor Hawkins, we decided to move this to the front of our Up Next queue, in addition to also listening to a whole lot of classic Foo Fighters this week. The film follows the band as they move in to a mansion steeped in rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band. It's ridiculously over-the-top and the very definition of late-night horror fun. I could easily see this playing as a closing late-night film at horror festivals. It’s loud, crude, gory and doesn’t take itself seriously. There’s some fun cameos, excellent music, as you can imagine - and a whole lot of easter eggs for Foo Fighters fans as well.”
Dark Side of the Ring
TV App | 3 Seasons | TV-MA
Sigmund: "It’s WrestleMania weekend, the biggest weekend in the professional wrestling world, and so this week’s recommendation somewhat harks back to my childhood and early twenties. Why do I still watch Pro Wrestling? Because I not only find it entertaining but fascinating. Men and women risking their lives 3/4 times a week (often for 20/30 people) to entertain in a controlled and concentrated display of choreographed athleticism. It’s the only sport where its stars live in two worlds and balance their in-ring characters with real life. The Dark Side of the Ring examines these complex intersections of fantasy and reality while uncovering wrestling's dark and untold history. From the moment lines began to blur between backstage business and in-ring fantasy with the infamous ‘Montreal Screw Job,’ to the in-ring tragedy of Owen Hart, the series explores the workings of the business in ways even the most sceptical of viewers can appreciate. Fake? It’s still real to me, damn it!"
Upload
Amazon Prime Video | Seasons one and two available now | TV-MA
Devon: “This comedy series comes from creator Greg Daniels. In the near future, humans develop the ability to transfer their consciousnesses into virtual reality, using a method called “uploading” to enter virtual afterlives and effectively live forever. On the cusp of a big business deal, developer Nathan Brown (played by Robbie Amell) is involved in a tragic car accident and convinced by his wealthy girlfriend Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) to upload before he dies. Suddenly, he finds himself in an ultra-lavish virtual world called Lake View, where he must come to terms with his own death while maintaining an infinitely long-distance relationship with Ingrid, who is paying for his stay in Lake View. But the virtual afterlife isn’t all that it seems, and with the help of his handler Nora (Andy Allo), Nathan starts to discover that the circumstances surrounding his death may be more sinister than they seem. Upload recently returned for season two on Amazon Prime Video, and I’ve enjoyed diving back into this world. Greg Daniels is obviously a beloved creator, and you can see his fingerprints on this show in its humor and its heart. (His son Owen even features in a hilarious recurring role.) If you’re looking for an easy and fun watch, this one is worth checking out.”
The Long Goodbye / The Windshield Wiper
YouTube | 12/14 mins
Jonathan: “After all the headlines from the weekend focusing on non-film related events it’s nice to come back and look at what actually DID win and especially the categories that were egregiously left out of the live broadcast. Two of these are available in full (legally) on YouTube. The first is The Long Goodbye from actor/musician Riz Ahmed, taking inspiration from his album of the same name from last year. Directed by Aneil Karia and written by the pair, it’s a gripping short that shows what happens when a wedding and a far-right march collide. The second is a Spanish-American animated short from director Alberto Mielgo which shows a man pondering the concept of love while going through a whole pack of cigarettes. Both a must-watch for different reasons.”