You just can’t keep a good plotline down

Esteemed Irish playwright Samuel Beckett could likely have written some excellent absurdist sitcoms if he had been born a little later (though no quibbles with his stellar oeuvre, including Waiting for Godot, which will be onstage at Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre next spring).

But especially on point for this edition of viewing recommendations, consider his most famous quote: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” This is the dogged spirit that propels the characters in these streaming options beyond death, war and career failure. Enjoy.

● Imperfect Women

Series premières with the first two of eight episodes Wednesday, March 18, on Apple TV

If indeed “friendships are built on secrets,” as the trailer for this mystery intones, some hard stares will be on the menu at the next brunch.

Onscreen here, Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Kerry Washington (Scandal) star and produce, joined by a solid supporting cast including Kate Mara (The Astronaut), Joel Kinnaman (The Killing), Corey Stoll (House of Cards) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton).

The basic story — a crime shatters lives and assumptions in the decades-long friendship of three women — sounds very similar to that of the newish How to Get to Heaven From Belfast (Netflix).

The latter is darkly hilarious, with some good twisty developments, whereas the new series sounds a little worryingly slick.

 

● Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man 

Movie sequel to the series premières Friday, March 20, on Netflix

There is no truth to the story of razor blades hidden in the hats worn by the real-life ne’er do wells in First World War Birmingham, England, who inspired the original hit series (2013-22).

Even so, the image of those razors being used to orchestrate operatic sprays of blood was enough to put me off watching, in spite of Cillian Murphy in the lead role of Tommy Shelby.

I always meant to catch up, and am often told I should. Instead, I might just dip into this movie sequel, set in 1940.

Shelby (Murphy) ends his self-imposed exile when his wayward son (Barry Keoghan of Saltburn fame) takes a shine to Nazism.

Tim Roth joins the cast, which includes the stalwart, everywhere man Stephen Graham (Adolescence, A Thousand Blows). If you are a completist Peaky fan, be advised that this film will be followed by a pair of six-episode sequel series set in the 1950s.

 

● The Comeback

Season 3 premières Sunday, March 22 on HBO/Crave

No one can say Valerie Cherish is not trying hard. In this show within a show, back for a long-awaited third and final season, the faded sitcom star, played by series co-creator Lisa Kudrow, is trying once again to regain the fame she (thinks she) once enjoyed.

She returns to the network that produced her first attempt at career reanimation, Room and Bored, with high hopes that are, of course, immediately shattered. This time, the disappointment is not just with the failed humans surrounding her, but the writer behind this last stab at relevance: AI.

What could go wrong? Everything, and that’s a great thing. Many of the main players are back, including producer-writer-director Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City). Guest stars include Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) and Andrew Scott (Fleabag).

 

● Bait

Series premières all six episodes on Wednesday, March 25, on Prime Video

Riz Ahmed (The Night Of, Sound of Metal) is a serious actor with aspirations. Here, he has created and stars in a black comedy about struggling actor Shah Latif, who defies family, friends, an ex-lover and the world itself to audition for one of the most famous roles in cinematic history.

Among those lending conditional support are The Gentlemen’s Guz Khan and Yesterday’s Himesh Patel.

 

● Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice

Movie premières Friday, March 27, on Disney+/Hulu

Straight-up violence is a hard sell for this viewer: it’s a hard no to serial-killer shows, or even episodes on the likes of cop drama The Rookie.

But — and therapists are standing by — weird, violent black comedies? Yes, please.

Submitted for your consideration is a new time-travelling gangster revenge comedy in which James Marsden (Dead to Me) plays Mike and Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver) is Alice opposite not one but two Vince Vaughns (Bad Monkey) playing two Nicks. Adding to the fun, Keith David (The Lowdown) also stars.

 

 

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