From an unforgettable standup special (John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City) to a reimagination of an landmark novel (Fahrenheit 451), there is plenty to watch this May.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (Netflix, premiering May 1)
At just 35 years old, comedian and writer John Mulaney (Saturday Night Live) has already delivered three of the best standup specials in recent memory. Mulaney began as a writer for Saturday Night Live in the the late 2000s where he built a repertoire of classic sketches — most notably the character Stefon, which he co-wrote with Bill Hader (Mulaney recently did a superb job as the host of SNL himself.) Mulaney’s comedic style involves telling longer stories with big payoffs — often about his Catholic upbringing in Chicago or a strange encounter he had while working on SNL. Mulaney punctuates each joke with enthusiasm in all the right places. Highlights from this special include his bits about colleges asking for donations after you’ve already paid them a truckload of money, the peculiarities of a Catholic mass, and how he’s grown as a person (“The night before my college graduation I smoked cocaine; now I’m afraid to get a flu shot, people change.”) It’s hard for me to fully describe Mulaney’s nervous effervescence on stage and the way it reels the audience in and and has them cracking up. If you’re looking for laughs, please check out Kid Gorgeous.
Being Serena (HBO, premiering May 2)
Growing up in the age of Venus and Serena Williams, I’ve always looked up to these legendary sisters for what they’ve accomplished on and off the tennis court. Being Serena is a documentary series on HBO that follows the younger sister of the duo as she tries to balance her career as one of the greatest athletes (male or female) of all time, being a businesswoman, a sister, a friend, a mother and a partner to now-husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian. Most women work extremely hard every day to be everything to everyone; the difference with Serena is that she’s in an extremely visible and vulnerable place, as a dominant woman of color in sports. I am interested in learning more about Ms. Williams as an individual and seeing a more personal side to her. Even if you're not a sports fan, I think this series would be of interest to most.
Fahrenheit 451 (HBO, premiering May 19)
For many of us, Fahrenheit 451 was required reading in high school. Ray Bradbury’s iconic dystopian novel about burning and outlawing books seems as relevant as ever in these tense political times. While I didn’t appreciate having to spend my summer reading a book I was assigned, now that Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) is involved, how could I say no? Jordan’s character Guy Montag is a firefighter in charge of burning books without questioning his task. But he soon realizes that what he’s doing is terribly wrong, and the consequences are already affecting society. This iteration is giving me major visual Blade Runner vibes, and with Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water) playing another baddie, this HBO film is looking intriguing.
The Toys That Made Us (Netflix, returning May 25)
The Toys That Made Us is a fascinating documentary series about the toys that shaped people’s childhoods — and in many ways changed lives (both consumers and the individuals involved in making and marketing them.) In the first season, the series covered the Barbie doll, the recording-breaking Star Wars toys, the Masters of the Universe toys (He-Man) and G.I. Joe. Along with providing historical and cultural context, the talking heads bring a unique and sometimes sassy perspective that keeps you invested throughout. I also loved seeing the prototypes of these iconic toys and the decades-old commercial footage, which adds a wonderfully classic touch. I thoroughly enjoyed season one and can’t wait for what’s in store.
