“Irma Vep” (HBO)
The masterful director Olivier Assayas (“Personal Shopper”) dug into his own history for this breezy, brilliant dissection of the very process of making a limited series like “Irma Vep.” Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander is currently giving one of her best performances as Mira, an American movie star who has grown tired of the blockbuster system and wants to spread her wings in a remake of an early 1900s French silent film serial titled “Les Vampires.” Assayas uses his own 1996 film as a template, not only expanding on it with the new form but playfully skewering both the movie and TV industries in the 2020s. It’s smart, funny, and sexy. [Read our review] – BT
“The Old Man” (FX)
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, Alia Shawkat and Amy Brenneman, “The Old Man” centers on an aging ex-CIA agent and assassin who absconded from the agency decades ago and has been living off the grid. But once he’s eventually found out, he’s on the run again, but realizing confronting his dark past is the only option. Directed by Jon Watts (Marvel’s “Spider-Man” trilogy), arguably his best work ever, the “Old Man,” is thrilling and full of wrenching emotional drama; a gripping portrait of a man living out the last chapter of his life, reflecting on mortality and regrets while finding out if he’s able to outlive the ghosts and sins that haunt him. [Read our review] – RP
“The Outer Range” (Prime Video)
Some may describe it [reductively] as “Yellowstone” meets the “X-Files” and if that hooks you great, but “The Outer Range,” created by Brian Watkins and produced by Brad Pitt’s thoughtful Plan B company, is much more complex and layered. A family drama about grief, faith, dark secrets, our children, and the legacies we pass on, “The Outer Range” is also a metaphysical sci-fi-ish tale about a mysterious dark hole that lives on the outskirts of a disputed ranch territory in Wyoming between two families. Featuring an outstanding cast—Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tom Pelphrey, Lewis Pullman, Noah Reid, Tamara Podemski, and more—if we’re slightly vague about the plot, that’s because we just want to experience its engrossing eeriness and captivating, must-watch drama all on your own. [Read our review] – RP
“Pachinko” (Apple TV+)
This might be the most visually striking drama on television. That’s what happens when a showrunner hires Kogonada (“After Yang”) and Justin Chon (“Blue Bayou”) to direct this multi-generational study of cultural and generational conflicts based on the novel of the same name by Soo Hugh. Jin Ha plays Solomon Baek, the son of Mozasu (Soji Arai) and Sunja, who is played by a heartfelt Youn Yuh-jung, the Oscar winner for “Minari.” Jin has come to Japan to close a business deal, and he is reunited with his family, leading to flashbacks to the early life of a young Sunja. A story that unfolds from 1915 to 1989, “Pachinko” is a lovely meditation on perseverance and connection, anchored by gorgeous cinematography and empathetic performances. [Read our review] – BT
“The Righteous Gemstones” Season 2 (HBO)
After a 2.5-year hiatus, the Gemstone family returned with a braver, weirder, funnier second season that really took this show from a cult hit to something that had broader appeal. The morally dubious Gemstones, the famous family behind an industry of mega-churches, were still the center, but guest stars like Eric Andrew, Eric Roberts, and Jason Schwartzman completely understood this show’s twisted sense of humor. Star and creator Danny McBride has suggested that he wants this show to run for years. This season gave fans hope that those prayers could be answered. [Read our review] – BT
