This month, I have a slew of new documentaries and shows that I’m excited to share with you. I think there’s a little something for everyone, from the HBO documentary about the sex abuse scandal in women’s gymnastics (At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal) to a female-driven, animated buddy comedy from the team behind Bojack Horseman (Netflix's Tuca and Bertie). Let’s dive in!
At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (HBO, premiering May 3)
“What is a little girl worth?” This HBO documentary directed by Erin Lee Carr (Mommy Dead and Dearest) aims to answer that question. At the Heart of Gold covers a topic I am deeply passionate about: the sport of women’s gymnastics and the broken culture that allowed abusers to thrive and young athletes to suffer. Carr chronicles the abuse perpetrated by USA Gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar, and how he was able to sexually assault young girls and women for decades without retribution under the guise of medical treatment. The documentary features interviews with former gymnasts, including Dominique Moceanu, the Olympic gold medalist who has spoken out about abuse despite the notorious culture of silence. The documentary also features footage from the trial in which more than 100 victims addressed Nassar to his face before he was convicted and sentenced to 40 to 175 years in a Michigan state prison. I’m eager to see Carr’s (a UW-Madison alum) work.
Tuca and Bertie (Netflix, premiering May 3)
Tuca and Bertie!! This new Netflix series comes from the team that brought us Bojack Horseman, consistently one of the best dark comedies on TV today. It continues Horseman’s premise of animated, anthropomorphized animals, and centers on best friends Tuca (Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip) and Bertie (Ali Wong, Baby Cobra). I couldn’t be more excited for this show, as they’ve got a great creative team and two of the funniest women in the game right now with Haddish and Wong. This comedy series comes at a critical time, hopefully filling the Broad City-sized hole in my heart that has lingered ever since that show ended for good earlier this year.
Chernobyl (HBO, premiering May 6)
To be completely honest, I’m not one for stories about nuclear disaster, but I saw the trailer before Game of Thrones and thought “Hey, this might actually be pretty good.” The HBO miniseries chronicles the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine that spread radioactive material all across Europe. Chernobyl bills itself as a dramatization of that event and its aftermath. It’s got a strong cast, led by Jared Harris (Mad Men), Stellan Skarsgård (The Avengers) and Emily Watson (War Horse). From the trailer alone, it looks creepy, nerve-wracking and as if it will have you on the edge of your seat. Even though we know the end result, it will be intriguing to see the chain of events transpire.
What's My Name: Muhammad Ali (HBO, premiering May 14)
It’s no secret: I love a good sports documentary, and what better subject than the Greatest himself? It’s easy to define Ali as simply a stellar athlete and competitor, but it’s more challenging to examine his life as an activist and outspoken public figure. Often, I think Ali gets neatly packaged into an inspiring quote or photo, but so much is left out. This two-part HBO documentary chronicles Ali’s mental and physical prowess in the ring and his refusal to conform outside of it. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and executive produced by Lebron James (a contemporary GOAT in his own right), What’s My Name features recordings with Ali’s voice — information straight from the source. While I’m always more curious about lesser-known or celebrated sports figures, there’s something magical about the legend of Muhammad Ali.
