“Back to 15”
There is no other plotline that I love more than when a character mysteriously goes back in time and gets to relive a period of their earlier life (“17 Again” is a favorite). So, I am all over this new series from Brazil in which 30-year-old Anita “hits control-Z in real life” and wakes up in her 15-year-old self’s bedroom. Discontented with the way her adult life has turned out, Anita is thrilled at a chance for a do-over in the pre-iPhone olden days. Maisa Silva stars as the younger Anita and Camila Queiroz as the adult version. (Netflix)
“Wasteland” “When it goes bloop ... bloop ... bloop ... get ready, here it comes.” And by “it” the interviewee means a most unfortunate bubbling up of filth in her bathtub. Reminiscent of the events made famous by Erin Brockovich, this four-part docuseries unpacks the widespread scourge of excess wastewater, inadequate treatment facilities and the serious health consequences of otherwise unpotable water in communities throughout our country. Created by CBS Reports, the series explores how we got to the point of collapsing sewers and polluted riverways, and what it will take to prevent further disastrous fallout. (Paramount+)
“The 355” (PG-13) -- Five women who all work for different intelligence agencies in different countries pool their skills to track and fight a common invisible enemy in order to prevent World War III. But these aren’t Charlie’s Angels. If 007 was smart enough to work in concert with his equals to get the job done in half the time so he could get back home to his kids, he might be as tough as these women. Starring Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Penelope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o and Fan Bingbing. (Peacock)
“No Exit” (R) -- Most people, upon finding a child trapped in a van in the parking lot of a highway rest area during a blizzard, would not merely tell the freezing, terrified kid to hang tight and then go back inside to silently try to figure out which one of their fellow stranded travelers was a psychotic kidnapper. No, most people would run back inside yelling that there’s a kid trapped in a van and grab anything possible to break the child free. But most people aren’t the protagonist of a psychological thriller movie. Premieres Feb. 25. (Hulu)
“Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa” -- NatGeo brings it again with the third season of their zoo series, this time profiling the work of the exotic animal caretakers at Zoo Tampa (previous seasons were filmed at Ohio’s Columbus Zoo). Far more complicated than simply tossing hay to elephants and spending the day on pooperscooper duty, the zookeepers show that animal care is a 24/7 job and you never know what new issue might arise. Rescues, rehabilitations, fostering orphans, releasing rehabbed shortstayers and new births are all part of the gig. (Disney+)