The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
‘Pooka Lives! (and kills) on Hulu
‘Onward’ works magic on Disney+, and ‘Three Busy Debras’ do ... something on Adult Swim
In this week’s Five Picks, we have a slice of mediumfun horror on “Hulu,” a couple of long-running premium cable series, a terrific recent theatrical release from Disney landing in the streaming waters and three busy, if also very odd, women named Debra. “INTO THE DARK: POOKA LIVES!” (HULU) » As someone who’s mainly dabbled here and there with Hulu to watch episodes of the streaming platform’s acclaimed “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I was unfamiliar with “Into the Dark.” It’s probably worth paying attention to the monthly horror event series because it comes from Blumhouse Productions, the studio behind “Get Out,” “Us,” guiltypleasure flicks “Happy Death Day” and all sorts of bloody stuff. The show is in the midst of its second 12-episode season. I got a sneak peak at “Pooka Lives!” — an episode dropping April 3 and a sequel to “Pooka,” a firstseason effort that debuted in December 2018. At about an hour and 20 minutes, “Pooka Lives!” plays like a short feature, a B-movie that’s easy to watch — that is if you don’t mind seeing various interactions of a cutesy character with big cartoon eyes murdering people deemed to be “naughty.” Featuring Felicia Day (“Supernatural”), Wil Wheaton (“Stand By Me”) and Lyndie Greenwood (“The Expanse”), it stars Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless”) as a man who has become the target of a legion of Internet trolls. In fact, Internet culture — viral challenges, influencers, etc. — is the backbone of this sillybut-fun tale. Also, if you enjoy Barrett’s work here and are a Hulu subscriber, check out old episodes of the canceled-too-soon ABC series “Better Off Ted.” He’s terrific in that show. “ONWARD” (DISNEY+) » Released in theaters on March 6 but made available for rental on March 20 due to theaters across the country shutting down, the latest effort from Disney affiliate Pixar Animation Studios lands on Disney’s streaming platform April 3. It centers on two elf brothers, voiced by Marvel Cinematic Universe pals Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, who are trying to bring back their father for one wonderful day through magic. I found it to be entirely charming and emotionally satisfying. “THREE BUSY DEBRAS” (CARTOON NETWORK) » Part of the CN’s nighttime block, Adult Swim, and in fact a live-action series, this may serve as a way to kill a few minutes between household chores. (Counting a few commercials at the beginning, the first episode took just over 12 minutes to watch on demand.) Created and starring Alyssa Stonoha, Sandy Honig and Mitra Jouhari, “Three Busy Debras” is a slice of absurdist comedy and, if that just-debuted first episode is fairly representative, a hitand-miss affair. Some of the surreal humor really lands, making this show about three deranged housewives named Debra worth a look.
“HOMELAND” (SHOWTIME) With the series finale set to debut April 26 — and Showtime offering a 30day trial — this is the time to get back into the generally well-regarded drama series in which Claire Danes portrays a CIA operative who, despite dealing with mental illness and having a habit of challenging authority, is highly effective. This eighth season hasn’t been the best in the history of the series created and overseen by Alex Gansa, but it’s had solid moments. The show is at its best when Danes’ Carrie Mathison and Mandy Patinkin’s Saul Berenson share the screen — as they did briefly in the most recent installment — so here’s hoping there’s plenty of that down the stretch. One of the best assets of Season Eight has been Costa Ronin — who also was terrific on FX’s “The Americans” — as Russian GRU officer Yevgeny Gromov, whom Carrie has come to trust. We’ll see how that works out. “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” (HBO) » The recently concluded 10th season of creator and star Larry David’s often-riotously funny show, in which he plays a (probably?) exaggerated version of his obsessive and neurotic self, isn’t its finest. The #MeToo stuff? Tone-deaf and not funny. On the other hand, I have two words for you: “spite store.” Larry’s seasonlong feud with Mocha Joe (Saverio Guerra), which leads to Larry opening Latte Larry’s right next door to Joe’s namesake coffee house, is a lot of fun. It pays off wonderfully in a finale that goes a long way toward saving the season.