Streamed: Pee-wee as Himself finds Paul Reubens searching for the love he deserved

Pee-wee Herman commanded audiences and Hollywood through his one-of-a-kind talent and wit. Beyond the screen, his kindhearted kinship with family, friends, and fans inspired a generation to dream unapologetically. While the world loved Herman, his creator, Paul Reubens, hid behind the grey linen suit and larger-than-life smile.

HBO’s two-part documentary, Pee-wee as Himself, is an honest exploration of the man behind the Big Adventure in his own words. Viewers witness Paul’s creative prowess, cultivated at a young age, and his genius focus on his career and craft. His ability to command any stage was a great asset, but also a hindrance. That ability led to controlling the narrative off-camera, building a decades-old shield.

The docuseries was ultimately his moment to break the shield. Come from behind the veil that publicly labeled this closeted gay man as something more sinister. For years, accusations and false charges cast him as a predator. A villain. Something that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sadly, Reubens can’t witness his name cleared. That privacy code he formulated kept him from sharing a six-year battle with cancer. He passed in July 2023 before the film was complete.

Message received, Paul.

Pee-wee as Himself is a swan song to a beautiful life and talent. And this Pride Month, a stark reminder of how deep homophobia’s wounds can scar.

Streaming Now: Max’s Duster is the best fun on TV right now

Before your time is taken up with Chicago’s best unknown chefs and Riri Williams, please check out HBO’s blast-from-the-past action drama, Duster. The JJ Abrams-produced series from LaToya Morgan takes viewers back to the 1970s, following the FBI’s first Black female agent and an honest crook’s take down of a criminal mastermind.

After a long hiatus, Lost’s Josh Holloway returns to the screen alongside This Is Us’s Rachel Hilson as an unlikely pair who share a common trait. The same man murdered someone close to them. Now, to prove herself as an agent, and him more than just an expert getaway driver, the pair proceeds on a wildly fun and personal undertaking.

The series, airing new episodes each Thursday, is a fireworks display of nostalgic Americana, smartly written with a diverse cast, and soundtracked with the best 70s pop music. In addition to Hilson and Holloway’s great chemistry, the cast is bolstered by new and veteran talent, including Corbin Bernsen, Keith David, Asivak Koostachin, and Adriana Aluna Martinez. It also balances the dramatic touchpoints well with the more comically toned set pieces.

Streaming Now: Marvel’s Ironheart soars with action and a strong story

Disney+ released the first Marvel series centering a Black female protagonist with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). The kid-genius Chicago native finds herself searching for her big break after being expelled from MIT. Lacking capital to launch her innovative public safety idea, she aligns with a nefarious Robin Hood group, led by Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), aka The Hood. However, these good intentions suppress a dormant evil that neither Riri nor Robbins fully understands.

As Riri chases a greater purpose, she runs from five years of grief. What currency is she willing to spend to shield her heart from trauma she’s yet to overcome?

I thoroughly enjoyed the first three of the six-episode arc. Thorne is excellent as we learn Riri’s story beyond being a set piece in Wakanda’s battle against Namor. She is brilliant beyond her years and knows it. Yet, this intellectual prowess failed to save those closest to her. Now, like a young Dr. Frankenstein, she seeks to end that type of suffering from happening again.

While the first episode took a minute to gel, we immediately know Riri’s motivations and how Robbins’ proposition would appeal to her. By the third episode, all cylinders are a go as Riri soars too close to the sun. In addition to Throne’s strong lead performance, her scenes with Lyric Ross’ Natalie and Alden Ehrenreich’s Joe anchor the show.

Episodes 4-6 arrive on the platform on July 1 at 9 p.m. ET.

Streaming Next: AMC’s Nautilus is big, throwback cable fun

Back when cable was king, audiences indulged in fantastical shows and miniseries events set in classic backdrops and alternate realities. From NBC’s The Odyssey (1997) to regular series like Xena: Warrior Princess and The Librarians, viewers clung to this escapism for the rich storytelling and character development. AMC’s take on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is reminiscent of those adaptations, with a cast of loveable characters, imaginative production sets, and week-to-week stakes.

Nautilus follows Captain Nemo (Shazad Latif), a revered scholar and Indian prince, who absconds inside a state-of-the-art submarine to escape imprisonment by the East Indian Mercantile Company, aka The Company. His mission: secure a hidden treasure of Norse mythology to supplement his eventual revenge.

The first two episodes waste no time setting our fearless leader and his merrymen on their open-water adventure. Latif is excellent as the determined Nemo who holds an empathetic heart hardened by others’ sins. Among the many other performers, standouts include Georgia Flood’s Humility Lucas, who pursues freedom as a woman of science, and Damian Garvey’s Director Crawley, Nemo’s main antagonist.

With so many moving pieces, the series takes a few episodes to perfect a balance between its swashbuckling fantasy and historical drama. But it excels when its arcs meet real-world consequences, forcing our characters to search within. The series also beautifully handles the racism central to the narrative, as all this is set amidst the British colonization of India. A segment of history scarcely explored in mainstream media.

Verdict: Come for the fun, fantastical storytelling; stay for the dramatized history lesson.

Nautlius airs Sunday, June 29 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+.