Hanks brings ‘Greyhound’ home; Curtin can’t save ‘United We Fall’
Originally intended for theaters, the pandemic rerouted this Tom Hanks-starring World War II thriller to streamer Apple TV+.
Streaming Friday, “Greyhound” marks a worthy if slight addition to the Tom Hanks-starring/producing greatest generation oeuvre that includes “Saving Private Ryan” and HBO’s “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.”
This time Hanks, who wrote the screenplay based on the novel “The Good Shepherd” by C.S. Forester, stars as a first-time Navy captain aboard a convoy escort ship in the Atlantic during World War II. “Greyhound” chronicles a five-day period during which the convoy goes without air cover as the American ship plays cat-and-mouse with German subs.
Some semi-familiar faces show up in supporting roles — Tom Brittney (“Grantchester”), Karl Glusman (“Devs,” “Love”) — but the focus is squarely on Hanks’ leader. But in the end viewers don’t learn much about him except he’s loyal, prays before meals and has a love interest back home (Elisabeth Shue, “Adventures in Babysitting”).
“Greyhound,” directed by Aaron Schneider, is a sufficient exercise in efficient tension-building — the running time is just 90 minutes — elevated by Hanks’ performance and impressive CGI wartime effects.
‘United We Fall’
Even in a pandemic with a looming TV drought this fall if shows can’t get back into production, ABC opted for a summer burn-off of the completed first (and sure to be only) season of family sitcom “United We Fall” (8 and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, WTAE-TV).
This paint-by-numbers series has everything you expect in a lousy ’90s comedy but don’t want: The judgmental mother-in-law (Jane Curtin, who deserves so much better), the precocious oddball 6-year-old who eventually does the right thing, and the shlubby dad (Will Sasso) with a way more attractive wife (Christina VidalMitchell). Come for the predictable humor, run screaming when there’s a gag — in every sense of
Kept/canceled/revived
Netflix renewed “The Kominsky Method” and “Dead to Me” both for third and final seasons. Netflix renewed “The Last Kingdom” for a fifth season.
Hulu renewed “The Great” for season two.
The CW renewed “DC’s Stargirl” for a second season (the show will exit DC Universe). The CW canceled “Katy Keene” after one season.
MTV Studios will revive a reimagined version of cult hit “Clone High.”
John Mulaney’s Netflix special “Sack Lunch Bunch” will return for at least two more installments on Comedy Central.
HBO Max ordered “Young Love,” a 12-episode animated series based on the Oscar-winning short “Hair Love.”
ABC ordered a pilot for a remake of “The Wonder Years,” again set in the 1960s but told from the perspective of an African American family.
NBC ordered a 13-episode reboot of game show “Weakest Link” to be hosted by Jane Lynch.
Channel surfing
Former Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith has joined CNBC and will anchor a one-hour news program (7 p.m. weekdays) beginning this fall . ... Disney+ will debut “Phineas & Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe” on Aug. 28. … FX’s joint venture with The
New York Times, “The Weekly,” will become a monthly documentary series with the first installment featuring New York City doctors and nurses during the pandemic (10 p.m. Friday). Future installments will look at the making of a pop star (10 p.m. Aug. 7) and the March killing of Breonna Taylor by police in Kentucky.
Tuned In online
Today’s TV Q&A column on the blog responds to questions about “Council of
Dads,” a “Star Wars” TV series, “This Is Us” and a WPXI weathercaster. This week’s Tuned In Journal includes posts on “The Vote” on PBS’s “American Experience.” Read online-only TV content at http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/ arts-entertainment-living/ tuned-in.