Sunday Service

Hulu’s Paradise asks you to (Oh) think twice…

Hulu premiered a new limited series starring Sterling K. Brown and created by Dan Fogelman. Paradise, a political thriller, finds the This Is Us actor taking on the role of Xavier Collins, a decorated Secret Service agent and head bodyguard to former President Cal Bradford. But when Bradford is found bludgeoned to death in his bedroom, Collins goes from sole protector to public enemy #1. Agent Collins must race to find the true culprit as lies become truth in a world hiding more than meets the eye.

The pilot episode, “Wildcat is Down,” was released early Sunday before its three-episode premiere on Jan. 28. Fogleman’s signature “show, don’t tell” writing and usage of time to piece a narrative excels. Questions are never left unanswered. And any lingering mysteries are hinted at just enough without leaving viewers upset.

The cast is strong with Brown and James Marsden getting plenty of screen time as our titular lead and Mr. President. Julianne Nicholson also appears near the end of the episode. The remaining supporting cast includes Sarah Shahi, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Percy Daggs IV, and Aliyah Mastin.

In true Fogelman fashion, a last-second reveal unearths a twist that elevates the stakes and the scale of the world we’ve entered.

The first three episodes of Paradise are available to stream on Hulu.

CBS’ Watson isn’t what the doctor ordered

CBS’s reimaging of Sherlock’s iconic sidekick finally premiered after the AFC Championship game. Starring Morris Chestnut, Watson follows the sleuth’s assistant return to practice medicine after the untimely death of his friend and mentor. Now, back in the States — I think — Dr. John Watson delves into medical mysteries with a team of some of the brightest young medical minds.

Early on critics compared the series to a lesser House, which I could see. However, Watson isn’t written as obnoxious or overbearing, as the sauve Chestnut has a much warmer disposition. Others have likened it to NBC’s Brilliant Minds, which wrapped its first season a few weeks ago. Much like the former, it took a minute for me to click, mainly because the ensemble felt weak compared to Zachary Quinto. But soon the show found its groove.

I hope the same happens with Watson, though there are stronger ailments to mend. For starters, BM possesses a stronger central mystery with Quinto’s backstory and how his father’s mental illness impacts him today. Watson’s loss of Sherlock, which should be devastating, is washed over too quickly like the water he drowned beneath. The supporting characters — four aspiring physicians — aren’t particularly eye-catching, even with a set of twins who shared an ex-girlfriend. Eve Harlow stands out as Watson’s potential prized pupil. Elsewhere, Rochelle Ayetes is Chestnut’s bisexual ex-wife and never-not-a-villain, Ritchie Coster, is a colleague with a secret.

Among the nominal case-of-the-week, John works to piece together time and memory lost from his near-death attempt to save Sherlock’s life. Here, he saw a glimpse of the alleged culprit, who suffered a fatal fate. An effort to pull a Matlock falls short near the episode’s end, giving much to be desired for the show’s return on February 16.

I’m rooting for the doctor but he needs to find the right prescription quickly.

A friendly and fresh Spider-Man for the ‘hood

I wasn’t exactly juiced about another Peter Parker project. The Spider-Man content, even within the last decade, has been dizzying. Luckily, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a fresh spin on the classic comic. The series merges the past with the present in its throwback animation style and embrace of modern storytelling.

Instead of watching Parker’s journey to becoming the teen hero, we jump right in after the initial bite. Nothing has changed at the story’s core — he’s still a genius high school freshman balancing teenage problems with his secret web-slinging heroics. But, some added pluses are the supporting characters they decide to focus on. Instead of Mary Jane, we have Pearl, Peter’s former babysitter and forever crush. We also have her boyfriend, Lonnie Lincoln. The star student-athlete admires Peter, for now, as many Spidey fans know who he eventually becomes. His best friend is Nico Minoru, the known teen witch from The Runaways fame. Of course, the Osbrons are still here, with a twist. Norman remains a mentor to the young mind but also knows his secret.

Apart from the brilliant animation — a modern touch on the classic comic book look — the series embraces the wider Marvel universe, stretching from Wakanda to the Multiverse. And while someone was afraid the show would be too awake, a young boy growing up in Queens exists in a borough powered by immigrants. The inclusivity palette is widespread across race and gender. It’s a great sight to see.

The first two episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are available on Disney+ with new episodes dropping every Tuesday.

Netflix’s Mo returns just in time

Experiencing season one of Mo was such a breath of fresh air. Much like Hulu’s Ramy, where I first saw Mohammed Amer, the Netflix series offered a perspective of an immigrant story never shared before. The usual suspects highlighted in a sentiment this country allegedly holds deal have always been reserved for the white immigrant. Ramy Youssef’s series broke that mold, and Mo continue redefining what Muslim Americans look like.

The last time we saw our beloved Houstonian, he was mistakenly carted over the border in Mexico. Now, he aims to return to the only home he’s known most of his life, amid a global embrace of anti-immigrant sentiments and pure hate. If nothing else, watch season two of Mo as an act of joyful resistance against the perils whiteness seeks to enact over the next four years.

Let’s Sundance

Remembering that Sundance was this past week, I hurriedly copped two online films. With shortened time I just purchased the two titles I was familiar with: Ricky and Plainclothes.

Rashad Frett’s Ricky is a feature version of his earlier short that follows a parolee’s attempt to stay on the straight and narrow after a 15-year prison stint. In the film, Stephan James takes on the role of Ricky, who was sentenced for armed robbery and attempted murder at the age of 15. The film studies the tremendous mental anguish prison has on its victims and how that trauma is future impacted by the long noose of the parole system. James is marvelous, embodying the grown man with teen sentiments, adjusting to a world that has matured without him. A world that rather forgets he exists.

Carmen Emmi’s period piece examines a closeted cop (Tom Blyth) in 90s Syracuse coming to terms with his sexuality. After running stings to entrap gay men, he falls for a particular gentleman on the cruise circuit (Russell Tovey). Emmi perfectly captures the drowning loneliness that accompanies this secret; the paralyzing panic of being found out; the blissful sting when you can finally experience the shared sentiment; and, the unbelief when that first love can’t be reciprocated. A powerfully stirring performance from Blyth.

April 18 can’t come soon enough for Ryan Coogler’s vampiric thriller starring Michael B. Jordan. A new trailer displayed more of the story. Wrapped in Southern Gothic mythos, two twins find wealth in establishing a speakeasy that plays the blues. While they enjoy the fruit of their secular arrangement, there is much they don’t understand hidden in the notes and the darkness around them. The music reaches another plane as a horde of vampires promises a gift more powerful than capitalism.

Coming Attractions

• 2.6 Prime Video’s Invincible soars for a third season

• 2.6 Laverne Cox and George Wallace star in Prime’s family comedy, Clean Slate

• 2.7 Critics’ Choice Awards on E! at 7 p.m. ET

• 2.9 Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans sees the two-time champion Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. The halftime show stars Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA.