Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
'Taco' the town: Netflix serves up Season 2 of 'Gentefied'
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “Gentefied” - Season 2
Jump back into the family business with Season 2 of “Gentefied,” available to stream on Netflix beginning Wednesday, Nov. 10. J.J. Soria (“The Oath”), Karrie Martin (“Roommates,” 2019) and Carlos Santos (“Vacation Friends,” 2021) star as the Morales cousins, a Mexican American family living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Season 1 saw the family come together to save their grandfather’s (Joaquín Cosio, “Quantum of Solace,” 2008) beloved taco shop as their neighborhood becomes more gentrified, and the cousins confront the differences in how they connect to their heritage, culture and their community. Dealing with deportation, disappearances and huge changes to their family business, the Morales family’s story is coming back full force for Season 2. Created by Linda Yvette Chávez and Marvin Lemus, both of whom worked on the original “Gente-fied: The Digital series,” the show once again rests in the very capable hands of director America Ferrera (“Superstore”). Alma Martinez (“Clemency,” 2019), Annie Gonzalez (“Vida”), Julissa Calderon (“Bridges,” 2021) and Manuel Uriza (“Rambo: Last Blood,” 2019) also star in the series.
“Father Christmas Is Back” (2021)
Every family has its quirks, but the Christmas family is certainly one for the history books. “Father Christmas Is Back” premieres Sunday, Nov. 7, on Netflix. This British Christmas comedy stars April Bowlby (“Doom Patrol”), Talulah Riley (“Pride & Prejudice,” 2005), Elizabeth Hurley (“The Royals”) and Nathalie Cox (“Clash of the Titans,” 2010) as Jackie, Vicky, Joanna and Caroline Christmas, four sisters who reunite at a mansion in Yorkshire, U.K., for the holidays. While the dysfunctional family is determined to have a perfect Christmas, mishaps and misunderstandings dredge up old wounds and a buried secret that tore the family apart years earlier. From directors Mick Davis (“The Match,” 1999) and Philippe Martinez (“Wake of Death,” 2004), this fun new film is written by David Conolly and Hannah Davis (both of “Mothers and Daughters,” 2004), alongside newcomer Dylanne Corcoran. Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier”) and John Cleese (“Monty Python’s Flying Circus”), Kris Marshall (“Love Actually,” 2003), Caroline Quentin (“British Men Behaving Badly”), Ray Fearon (“Beauty and the Beast,” 2017) and Ania Marson (the BBC miniseries “Emma”) also star.
WHAT’S NEW ON DISNEY+ “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” - Season 2
Explore the most extraordinarily ordinary world around you with “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” debuting its second Season on Disney+ on Friday, Nov. 12. From ice cream to sneakers to pools and so much more, actor Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park,” 1993) unravels the fascinating histories of everyday things, digging into the weird stories, incredible science and surprisingly big ideas that created the items many overlook or take for granted. Chatting with experts and influencers who are experts in their various fields of knowledge, Goldblum explores the world, bringing a new perspective to it. While Disney is still holding on tight to Season 2’s episode topics at the time of writing, viewers can expect to learn fascinating new things about some of their favorite, everyday items.
“Ciao Alberto” (2021)
Disney/Pixar’s hit animated film “Luca” (2021) took viewers on an undersea adventure through the Italian Riviera with lovable sea monster Luca (Jacob Tremblay, “Room,” 2015). Now, on Friday, Nov. 12, Disney is visiting the waters off the coast of Italy once more, but this time on an adventure with Luca’s daring friend and fellow sea monster, Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer, “Shazam!” 2019), in the new Pixar computer-animated short, “Ciao Alberto.” Life in Portorosso is grand for Alberto, and with Luca away, he puts in the work to impress his mentor, Massimo (Marco Barricelli, “The Book of Daniel,” 2006), the coolest human he knows. Directed by “Luca’s” story artist, McKenna Harris, this adorable new short is not one to miss.
WHAT’S NEW ON APPLE TV+ “The Shrink Next Door”
Dive in deep with “The Shrink Next Door,” the brand-new limited series premiering on Apple TV+ on Friday, Nov. 12, with episodes airing weekly on Fridays. This dark comedy stars Will Ferrell (“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” 2004) and Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man,” 2015) as a longtime therapy patient and his overbearing psychiatrist. Dr. Isaac Herschkopf (Rudd) has been Martin Markowitz’s (Ferrell) therapist for years. With a manipulative charm and unfettered access to Martin’s mind, Dr. Herschkopf slowly makes his way into — and takes over — Martin’s life. The series explores how the seemingly normal doctor-patient relationship becomes an exploitative and controlling grab for power. Directed by newcomer Jesse Peretz and Michael Showalter (“Wet Hot American Summer,” 2001), the series is written by Georgia Pritchett (“Veep”). Kathryn Hahn (“WandaVision”), Casey Wilson (“Gone Girl,” 2014) and Cornell Womack (“The Happening,” 2008) also star.
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME “Always Jane” - Season 1
Take a journey with the new four-part docuseries “Always Jane,” making its debut on Prime on Friday, Nov. 12. This true coming-of-age story follows transgender teenager Jane Noury and her family and she prepares for graduation and gets ready to leave the nest. An intimate look at the Noury family, the series explores the family’s unconditional love for their daughter and their fight to let Jane live her life as authentically as possible while facing some of the deeply personal challenges and roadblocks that come their way. With uplifting humor and love, this portrait of the family follows Jane’s journey as she deals with school, friendship, growing up and love, all while getting ready to leave her rural New Jersey home. From executive producer and director Jonathan C. Hyde (“Blondish: Bye Bye Plastic,” 2019), the series is written by Kaitlin McLaughlin (“Hostile Border,” 2015).
WHAT’S NEW ON AMC+ “Ragdoll” - Season 1
Unravel a juicy mystery with Season 1 of “Ragdoll,” making its series premiere on AMC+ on Thursday, Nov. 11. This thriller series follows a team of detectives trying to untangle the case of the gruesome ragdoll murders. The elusive killer, after committing six murders, sewed together the body parts of their victims and created a single, grotesque body that is not-soaffectionately nicknamed “the ragdoll.” Now it’s up to the detectives to catch the person responsible, figuring out how and why the killer chose their victims, and exactly what possessed them to make the human doll. Unfolding across six episodes, the series stars Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”), Ali Cook (“Kilo Two Bravo,” 2014), Lee Byford (“British Made,” 2019), Perry Jaques (“Vengeance Is Mine,” 2021), Douggie McMeekin (“Harlots”), Henry Lloyd-Hughes (“The English Game”) and Thalissa Teixeira (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” 2019). Niall MacCormick (“The Song of Lunch,” 2010) and Toby MacDonald (“The Duchess”) direct.