In celebration of another month in the hellish confines of lockdown, here are five shows worth streaming on BINGE in September.
The White Lotus
Yes. It’s as good as everyone says it is.
I extend my sincerest apologies to the poor sods that didn’t jump on The White Lotus train whilst each episode was being released in weekly installments. I can’t remember the last show that was surrounded by such communal adrenaline.
Mike White’s six-part series is the best comedy (and arguably the best show) of the year. An immaculately written character study that doesn’t miss a beat. An unsettling, albeit sympathetic, indictment of the corrosive nature of wealth. A rare gem that refuses to moralize its audience.
Enlightened
After finishing The White Lotus I had no choice but to pathologically consume everything Mike White has made. His 2011 series Enlightened, co-created with lead actress Laura Dern, seemed like the natural precursor.
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Enlightened follows Amy Jellico (Dern); a narcissistic executive who, following a nervous breakdown, flees to a holistic rehab retreat in Hawaii. It is Laura Dern at her finest, and might damn well be the show that sparked her renaissance.
Tragically the series was prematurely canned in 2013, after two perfect seasons. In the wake of the success of The White Lotus, we hope Mike White considers reviving this delicious woman on the edge.
If you are still reeling from the shambolic mess that was Nine Perfect Strangers, and find yourself ravenous for wellness satire, let Enlightened be your spiritual guru.
Mr. Inbetween
Brutal, hilarious, and very Australian. Nash Edgerton’s black comedy is an unhinged, surreal wonder. Jack Ryan gives a stonking performance as Ray Shoesmith, a hitman for hire with a heart of gold. It’s morally perturbing and totally insane. No one does bone-crushing violence quite like Australia, huh?
Succession
Why are rich people’s problems so satisfying? With Season 3 of HBO’s cult comedy-drama Succession set to air next month, there’s never been a more apt time to engorge the first two seasons in one fell swoop. The spiritually Murdochian romp about a despicably wealthy media dynasty on the verge of unraveling is a foul-mouthed, elegantly executed feast.
The best part is, it’s one of those shows released in weekly installments. With group texts nationwide reduced to complaining about E-commerce parcels that haven’t rocked up, there’s never been a better time to round up the troops and have them all commit to watching Succession together. It’s worth it for the “lowkey would kind of fuck Kieran Culkin…” admissions.
Mare of Easttown
Mare of Easttown is a show that requires a degree of mental fortitude. Fuck, it’s so bleak, like the kind of mysterious sadness that you can feel in your bones.
Kate Winslet is Mare Sheehan, a police detective and local hero investigating the murder of a teenage mother in a dank Pennsylvania small town. Kate Winslet is one of those actresses that is good in everything, but she’s especially excellent as the fiery, vape-honking Mare.
It’s one of those shows that execute a real gut-punching twist with total finesse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm7RmpzCeyk
If you’ve already plowed through this list of September offerings, perhaps check out our other list of BINGE recommendations.
