March madness

roundup

From Marvel’s shakeup amidst internal turmoil to Pedro Pascal’s continuing world domination and Gwyneth Paltrow’s curious choice of eyewear, here’s what went down in the world of entertainment during the month of March.

Film

- Everything Everywhere All at Once won everything everywhere all at once, and all was right with the world multiverse.

- We marked the one year anniversary of The Slap by wondering … how has it been a year already, and holy heck, where did the time go??

- Netflix continued making movies that were best classified under the “why even bother” genre of filmmaking.

- Marvel gave us lots of drama; unfortunately almost all of it was of the backstage variety. Disney decided to merge Marvel Entertainment and Marvel Studios and fire controversial Chairman Isaac Perlmutter (supposedly as part of its cost-cutting layoffs), soon after getting rid of Victoria Alonso (because she breached her noncompete clause and/or clashed with Disney over censoring LGBTQ+ content overseas). 

The behind-the-scenes drama was more interesting than the last several MCU films combined.

- Lucasfilm cancelled several upcoming instalments of the Star Wars franchise, then announced some more so that they have something to cancel in a couple of years.

- Shazam! Fury of the Gods x (The Rock + the Snyderverse + the James Gunn DCU reset + superhero fatigue + the overall averageness of the movie) = box office bomb.

- John Wick 4 sucker-punched us with that ending, while reaffirming the series’ central theme: don’t mess with someone’s dog, yo.

- Gwyneth Paltrow showed us that a ski-crash trial is probably not the best platform for Jeffrey Dahmer cosplay. If this was an attempt to audition for the role of the serial killer in a biopic though, then … yeah, the Oscar pretty much wins itself.

- And Kamli, Joyland, and What’s Love Got to Do with It? were among the winners at this year's Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival. Because yes, we are awesome. Thank you for finally noticing, world!

Music

- Collaboration sets were in vogue this month as artists teamed up with each other because we all need someone, you guys. There were releases by Kaskade and Deadmau5 (as Kx5); Talib Kweli and Madlib; Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro; and Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily, among others, and we are not complaining. 

- Album announcements: March revealed that coming to our ears soonish will be new offerings from Alison Goldfrapp (May), Yusuf / Cat Stevens (June), Jenny Lewis (June), and Christine and the Queens (June). Also, Def Leppard announced that they have teamed up with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a collaborative album featuring new versions of their classic songs (May). And Matchbox Twenty revealed that they will release their first new album in over a decade (May).

- Brendon Urie effectively broke up with himself when his band, Panic! at the Disco – an outfit with literally one remaining permanent member – performed its final concert.

- Nearly five decades after her death, Mama Cass continued to inspire everyone to make your own kind of music.

- Miley Cyrus’s stupid ‘Flowers’ continued to be stuck in our stupid head as we continued to lose our stupid will to live.

- And yeah it’s been a month and a half, and no we still don’t know how Harry Styles won that Grammy either.

Television

- The Mandalorian released its third season, which is really season 4 because The Book of Boba Fett, but whatevs.

- Between The Mandalorian and the massively popular The Last of Us, Pedro Pascal's world domination continued. (And no, we should not focus on Harry Styles, Pedro!)

- Swarm created quite a buzz.

- Up Here was bafflingly unawesome.

- Tyra Banks announced she was leaving her Dancing with the Stars co-hosting gig. Julianne Hough will serve as her replacement. Who still watches DWTS though and what went wrong with their life is basically what our question is.

- Netflix made its foray into live events with its first ever livestream in the form of the Chris Rock stand-up comedy special Selective Outrage. So now there’s another thing Netflix can be aggressively mediocre at. 

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 2nd April, 2023 *

Recap: June 2021

roundup

Jerry Seinfeld announced a movie about Pop-Tarts; Megan Boone left The Blacklist; the Foo Fighters went disco; and more news from the month of June

Film

- The road goes ever on and on for the Tolkien cinematic universe. Our nerdy hearts were thrilled when it was announced that another visit to Middle Earth is forthcoming. A new Lord of the Rings movie – an anime adventure titled The War of the Rohirrim that is set 250 years before the original trilogy – is officially in the works.

- Jerry Seinfeld is making a movie about the invention of the Pop-Tart ... is news that sounds made-up but strangely isn't.

- Here we were, thinking Lin-Manuel Miranda can do no wrong. Turns out, we were wrong. The film adaptation of his musical In the Heights ended up plagued by accusations of colourism, generating backlash for not featuring Afro-Latino performers in prominent roles and leading Miranda to issue an apology.

- Indiana Jones and the ravages of time? Harrison Ford injured his shoulder while rehearsing for a fight scene for the upcoming fifth Indy movie.

- John Boyega abruptly left the film Rebel Ridge mid-shoot. “Family reasons” were cited as the official explanation, although rumours quickly surfaced that he had “abandoned the project” for reasons including “his dissatisfaction with the script and his accommodations”.

- Issa Rae joined the voice cast of the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel. Which is good news because Issa Rae joining any project is always good news.

Television

- Megan Boone exited The Blacklist several seasons after our interest bid adieu to the show.

- After getting cancelled for speaking out against cancel culture amidst a racism controversy a few months ago, Chris Harrison officially departed from the Bachelor franchise.

- Barack and Michelle Obama announced We the People, their 10-episode Netflix animated series that will teach children about government.

- Bye bye Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The series was cancelled by NBC after just two season. Also canned: the Netflix series Grand Army, Jupiter’s Legacy, and Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!; Fox’s The Moodys; and NBC’s Manifest.

Music

- Time to dust off those flair pants and platform shoes: the Foo Fighters announced they are releasing a new album as disco alter-ego the Dee Gees. 

- UFO enthusiasts Angels and Airwaves sent a capsule into space to announce their new album, Lifeforms, and play an “out-of-this-world premiere” of the disc. If there’s an alien invasion anytime soon, we know who to blame.

- Noel Gallagher wants Michael Fassbender to portray him in a biopic. We approve of this casting choice and would like the film industry to get on it ASAP, please and thank you.

- The late Nipsey Hussle was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The 38 honourees this year also included DJ Khaled, Black Eyed Peas, Ashanti, Avril Lavigne, Francis Ford Coppola, Salma Hayek, Willem Dafoe, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kenan Thompson, and Macaulay Culkin.

Stars

- Everyone sent love to Blink-182’s wonderful Mark Hoppus who revealed that he has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. 

- In a fiery testimony, Britney Spears tore her family and management a new one and asked for her 13-year conservatorship to end.

- Possible queerbaiting allegations and mouthing racist slurs? Yikes! The increasingly problematic Billie Eilish apologised for resurfaced videos, (in part) pleading ignorance and insisting she did not mean for her actions to cause hurt.

- Kanye West and Irina Shayk may or may not have become an item.

- Nick Cannon had several new reasons to celebrate Father’s Day this month. Two new members joined his rapidly expanding brood. The comedian welcomed twin sons – Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir – with DJ Abby De La Rosa, just six months after the birth of his daughter Powerful Queen with model Brittany Bell, who is also the mother of his son Golden. He, of course, has twins – Moroccan and Monroe – with singer Mariah Carey as well. And apparently he is now expecting a child – his seventh! – with model Alyssa Scott.

- Cody Simpson tried his hand at competitive swimming. He made it to the final of the Australian Olympic trials in the 100m butterfly but then finished in last place. Better luck next time?

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 27th June, 2021 *

Recap: April 2021

roundup

Nomadland continued dominating the award season; Taylor Swift released the rerecording of Fearless; and more international news from the month of April

🎥

- Nomadland won the Best Film trophy at every award ceremony that was held in the known universe.

- Production of the second Downton Abbey film commenced. The sequel will be out in time for Christmas because something good finally has to happen this year, right? RIGHT?!!

- The release of the Top Gun sequel was delayed for the 9271835th time.

- Nia Vardalos confirmed that a third My Big Fat Greek Wedding film is in the works, leaving us all with the question: there was a second My Big Fat Greek Wedding film?!

- There is going to be a fifth Indiana Jones movie? Meh.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has joined the cast of the fifth Indiana Jones movie? Ok, now we’re listening…

📺

- More anachronistic corsets and striking sideburns are coming your way. Star Regé-Jean Page may be out but the show’s creator Chris Van Dusen confirmed that Bridgerton has been renewed for a third and fourth season, even before the unveiling of its sophomore outing.

- Apparently it takes three years to make a dozen or so episodes of Stranger Things. Fans were not pleased when Finn Wolfhard revealed that we will have to wait till next year for our reunion with the residents of Hawkins. The previous season was released two years ago; that’s 24 in dog years, which is pretty much how long it feels in human years as well.

- The MacGyver reboot was cancelled. It ran for five seasons, so basically five seasons longer than it should have.

- Dominic Purcell was either angry or upset or joking or trolling the press as he announced his departure from DC's Legends of Tomorrow.

- Hank Azaria, who voiced Indian character Apu on The Simpsons for decades before stepping away from the role earlier this year, apologized for reinforcing negative South Asian stereotypes.

- Just when we thought we were finally getting rid of them, Kim Kardashian revealed that her famous family will now have a new show on Hulu that will premiere after Keeping Up with the Kardashians ends. Woe is us.

- There was drama in the world of beauty pageants. Mrs. Ireland, Kate Schneider, was appointed Mrs. World 2020 after reigning titleholder, Caroline Jurie from Sri Lanka, took the crown off the head of the 2021 Mrs. Sri Lanka World winner, Pushpika De Silva, claiming she was divorced and ineligible to win, leaving us appalled by the fact that beauty pageants are still a thing.

🎶

- Following her Scooter Braun masters drama, Taylor Swift released the rerecording of her 2008 album Fearless. Swifties rejoiced, because, being fans of Swift’s music, they clearly like listening to slightly different versions of the same song over and over again anyway.

- Following the release of a YouTube documentary that covered, among other topics, her near-fatal overdose in 2018, Demi Lovato unveiled her first album in four years, Dancing with the Devil... The Art of Starting Over. She then got into a feud with … a froyo shop (!) because … they sell options catering to dietary restrictions … which somehow triggered the singer who has battled an eating disorder.

- The Wallflowers, Twenty One Pilots, The Black Keys, and Steps all announced new albums.

🌟

- Rapper DMX died at the age of 50 after reportedly suffering an overdose that resulted in a heart attack.

- We also lost the lovely Helen McCrory, who died of cancer at age 52.

- Prince Philip, the longest serving consort in British history, passed away at age 99. The fallout from Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah, meanwhile, continued, although the problematic prince did reunite with his family for the funeral of his grandfather.

- Ashley Cain’s eight month old baby daughter Azaylia’s battle with terminal leukaemia broke everyone’s heart.

- Harvey Weinstein, currently incarcerated in New York, was indicted on sexual assault charges in California.

- The downfall of Armie Hammer continued. After dropping out of pretty much all his upcoming film projects, the actor – who is under investigation for sexual assault – will now no longer star in the Broadway play The Minutes.

- After trying to squash breakup rumours weeks earlier, J.Lo and A-Rod changed their minds and broke up. 

- Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song had a baby … is a sentence guaranteed to instantly make you feel old.

- Dwayne Johnson might run for U.S. President. Matthew McConaughey might run for governor of Texas. Caitlyn Jenner might run for governor of California. 

The rest of us might run away to another planet because this one is just getting ridiculous at this point.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News International - 25th April, 2021 *

In the picture: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

review

An interactive special reunites us with Kimmy Schmidt and her friends for a zany adventure

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

Starring: Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Jane Krakowski, Daniel Radcliffe, and Jon Hamm

Written by: Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Sam Means, and Meredith Scardino

Directed by: Claire Scanlon

The Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt may have come to an end last year, but its sunny protagonist’s story now continues in a delightful special that not only gives us a chance to spend some more time in Kimmy’s whimsical company but also makes good use of its web-based platform.

Billed as a television movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards where it has snagged two nominations, Kimmy vs. the Reverend finds our resilient heroine (played with fitting gusto by Ellie Kemper) and her friends – Lillian (Carol Kane), Titus (Tituss Burgess), and Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) – continuing their shenanigans in an interactive episode in which you, the viewer, get to decide how things play out.

Since the events of the finale, Kimmy has fallen in love with a British royal and is now days away from her wedding to Prince Frederick (Daniel Radcliffe) who has had a life almost as peculiar as hers. But wedding planning takes a backseat when she discovers a book inside her old backpack that does not belong to her. Closer inspection reveals that the paperback was borrowed from a school library six years after she was kidnapped.

Realizing that something is amiss, Kimmy sets out on a quest to unravel the mystery, which leads her back to her now-incarcerated kidnapper Reverend Wayne (Jon Hamm) and the revelation that there is a second bunker with more kidnapped girls. 

Kimmy must now find and free the girls, and it is in the viewer’s hands how she gets there, if she gets there at all.

You are given the chance to make decisions, ranging from silly to serious, that impact the outcome. Choose wisely and you will lead Kimmy to her happily ever after. Make one wrong move though and you could end up dooming the victims, ruining the Time’s Up movement, or even killing the protagonist. But fear not, for the episode will always give you a do-over – make better choices, fix your mistakes, and find the happiest ending. Or mess up on purpose just to discover where each arc leads.

The special offers silliness aplenty as the absurd drama of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt proves to be perfect for a choose-your-own-adventure styled epilogue. The plot may not be very complex but it’s clear that considerable work and creativity went into crafting all the storyline. Not only are there several endings (after most of which you get chided by a character for messing things up), but even something as simple as skipping the theme song leads to humorous results.

It is fun to be reunited with the exuberant characters that populate Kimmy’s world, plus there are also several surprise cameos that keep things entertaining. The cast – from newcomers like Radcliffe (who fits right in) to old favourites like Hamm (who is as amusing as ever as the villain) – remains terrific.

A few inconsistences and dated references – do we really need more jokes about the Fyre Festival and Mark Wahlberg’s schedule? – notwithstanding, Kimmy vs. the Reverend is an enjoyable episode, the interactive elements of which work really well. Kimmy’s joyous disposition continues to be contagious, making her delightful comeback a bright spot in an otherwise dreary summer.

Rating: 4 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 16th August, 2020 *

In the picture: Stranger Things and Designated Survivor

series reviews

Stranger Things returns with another entertaining season; Designated Survivor adopts a more coarse tone as it moves to Netflix

Stranger Things

Season 3

Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, and Maya Hawke

Created by: The Duffer Brothers

Netflix delivers more sci-fi horror along with a barrage of ‘80s references in the third season of its megahit series Stranger Things, continuing the story of the psychokinetic Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends battling monsters from the Upside Down.

As the season commences, much of the love-struck cast is busy pairing up. El is perpetually making out with boyfriend Mike (Finn Wolfhard), angering her adoptive father, police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour), who himself has feelings for Joyce (Winona Ryder). Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) are an item, at least when they aren’t broken up. Even Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) has a girlfriend, although no one around him is certain whether she’s real or imaginary. Will (Noah Schnapp), on the other hand, just wants to play Dungeons & Dragons, but his friends are clearly busy elsewhere.

Danger soon starts to emerge. It turns out that someone is trying to open the portal that El previously closed, and a monster known as the Mind Flayer is on the loose and busy gobbling up the residents of Hawkins.

The proceedings are pretty exciting, often amusing, and always interesting, but they are also quite absurd. The kids are unbelievably resourceful; the baddies are ridiculously inept. The developments constantly test your suspension of disbelief skills, and there gets a point when you can’t just overlook the preposterousness of the situation.

The ‘80s references also misfire a couple of times. From a makeover montage set to ‘Material Girl’ to a discussion about New Coke and even a duet of The NeverEnding Story theme song, some of the throwbacks are more groan-inducing than nostalgically pleasing.

Despite all that, the drama is still very riveting. The cast delivers good performances; El is still a fascinating character; and some of the groupings – like Dustin’s friendship with Steve (Joe Keery) who is now slinging ice-cream at the Starcourt Mall (which is the primary setting of much of the action) with the charming Robin (Maya Hawke) – are particularly fun. 

These 8 episodes ensure that the show remains compelling, not only because it’s visually well-made but also because it doesn’t fail to deliver an emotional impact. It might not do anything particularly fresh for the series, but the third season of Stranger Things will entertains you, make you smile, break your heart, and leave you looking forward to the next instalment (especially since a post-credit scene at the end of the last episode raises a very significant question).

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Designated Survivor

Season 3

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci, Kal Penn, and Maggie Q

Created by: David Guggenheim

After being axed by ABC at the end of its second season, political thriller Designated Survivor has found a new home on Netflix where it now continues its journey with a third round of intrigue and drama, only this time it comes with an unexpected onslaught of swearing.

The series – which tells the story of Thomas Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland), an idealist politician who suddenly became the head of the state when an explosion killed everyone ahead of him in the presidential line of succession – has revamped its style for its streaming debut, adopting a more mature, explicit tone and espousing an agenda that seems reactionary to the current political climate.

The new 10-episode season finds Kirkman running for president and campaigning to be elected for the post that he had initially ascended, dealing with rival candidates and their underhanded tactics while struggling to stay true to what he believes in. Emily Rhodes (Italia Ricci) is still working for the president while coping with her mother’s terminal illness. Seth Wright (Kal Penn) is serving as the administration’s Communications Director and getting acquainted with a daughter he didn’t know he had until now. National Security Adviser Aaron Shore (Adan Canto) is Kirkman’s running mate, and Lorraine Zimmer (Julie White) has been brought on board to serve as the campaign manager.

Meanwhile, FBI Agent turned CIA Case Officer Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) is investigating a possible threat of bioterrorism and trying to thwart a potential attack with the help of biohacker Eli Mays (Chukwudi Iwuji).

The series still feels like two show smushed into one – a drama about a well-meaning but inexperienced president, and a thriller about an agent trying to uncover threats – like it always has, but the language and style is more coarse this time around. The tonal shift is jarring initially, and much of the cursing seems unnecessary, although the strong language does make the characters seem more real. The conflicted Kirkman, too, seems slightly less bland now than he was before. The political stances and diatribes, however, feel like the writers are pushing an agenda, a tactic that doesn't exactly make for compelling drama, irrespective of which side of the political spectrum you support. Showing real segments of Americans airing their concerns, though an intriguing idea, doesn’t quite pay off either.

The Hannah Wells arc, on the other hand, feels like it would have made a more entertaining series on its own, but her promising (albeit often ludicrous) storyline isn’t handled well here; a moment that is meant to elicit shock is delivered so poorly that it simply underwhelms.

On the whole, season three leaves you with the sense that the Netflix revival of Designated Survivor knows that it wants to be sharper but doesn’t really know how to get there, and this set of episodes is ultimately so inessential that it doesn’t explain why the series was revived anyway.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News International - 21st July, 2019 *

Netflix special: shows you can watch amidst a sea of options

netflix reviews

In It’s Bruno!, there is enough passion, charm, and oddball characters to amuse viewers; fans of the more loud and silly SNL sketches in particular might enjoy I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson; while The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience is a ridiculous combination of utterly random ideas

It’s Bruno!

Starring: Solvan Naim, Rob Morgan, and Shakira Barrera

Created by: Solvan Naim

A dog lover and his canine companion take centre stage in It’s Bruno!, a quirky web series that follows a man and his four legged friend as they go about their lives.

Series creator Solvan Naim stars as the protagonist, Malcolm, a man from Brooklyn whose love for his puggle, Bruno (played by Naim’s actual dog), keeps leading him into absurd adventures. The show comes in the form of eight short episodes of zany antics, often with only a sliver of a story holding it all together. Malcolm navigates romance, dodges dognappers, gets into a fierce rivalry with another dog owner, and tries to find a way to take Bruno into a supermarket that doesn’t allow dogs, all while amusing and charming viewers.

This is the kind of show that you’re likely to simultaneously find both ridiculous and stupidly funny. And if you’re a dog person, then you’ll probably find It’s Bruno troublingly relatable.

There isn’t heaps of depth or vast character development here, but there is enough passion and charm in this short series and its oddball characters to keep you interested in the tale of a devoted dog owner and his pet. It may not be the kind of show that will inspire you to subscribe to Netflix, but it’s worth a look-see if you are a member of the streaming service.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

*****

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson

Starring: Tim Robinson

Created by: Zach Kanin and Tim Robinson

Directed by: Alice Mathias and Akiva Schaffer

Saturday Night Light alum Tim Robinson takes his comedy to Netflix in the sketch series I Think You Should Leave, a collection of skits that often take things to the absurd extreme.

The content is basically similar to SNL sketches (unsurprisingly some of the shorts are in fact SNL rejects) but with stronger language. Most sketches start in a normal, often pleasant setting but then things quickly escalate into some form of human madness. 

Robinson mostly plays with clever ideas, although some work better than others. An airplane sketch featuring the terrific Will Forte is a highlight. Other former SNL members and several actors – like Sam Richardon, Vanessa Bayer, Cecily Strong, Steven Yeun, Andy Samberg, Fred Willard, and Tim Heidecker – also show up during different clips.

You’re likely to get different mileage out of the various sketches, and ultimately how funny you find any of this will purely come down to a matter of taste. Fans of the more loud and silly SNL sketches in particular might enjoy this series.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience

Starring: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone

Directed by: Mike Diva and Akiva Schaffer

It’s hard not to be fascinated by the minds that came up with The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, a ridiculous combination of utterly random ideas, the mere existence of which is amusing in itself.

Billed as a “visual poem”, The Lonely Island’s Netflix special is presented as a rap album made by baseball players Jose Canseco (portrayed by Andy Samberg) and Mark McGwire (Akiva Schaffer) in the 1980s when the pair was known as the Bash Brothers.

The 30 minute special reimagines the sportsmen as a Beastie Boys-like outfit performing a Lemonade-esque visual album about steroids and father issues, loaded with baseball references and featuring appearances by the likes of Maya Rudolph, Jenny Slate, and Hannah Simone, as well as a standout Sterling K. Brown who appears as singer Sia. The third member of the trio, Jorma Taccone, plays various different characters.

The comedy rap group mock the Bash Brothers, spoof Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album, and indulge in general silliness as they make their way through this pseudo concept set. There are some delightful moments here, and even some skilled rapping (‘Let’s Bash’).

Not everyone will vibe with The Lonely Island’s over-the-top style of humour, but if you’ve enjoyed the trio’s work in the past, then you might want to give this special a try. And if you’ve always wanted a parody visual record based on two steroid-fuelled baseball players from the ‘80s, then, well, here you are.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep Today, The News International - 15th June, 2019 *

Why are people hating on Batwoman before it has even been released?

trailer review

Batwoman is all set to join the CW superhero family with her own show later this year, and the whole thing has somehow become way more controversial than it should be.

Australian actress Ruby Rose stars as the protagonist Kate Kane, Bruce Wayne’s cousin, who takes over Batman’s mantle to protect Gotham as a vigilante. A quest to save her kidnapped girlfriend spurs the street fighter to don Batman’s very long cape (The Incredibles’ Edna would clearly be disappointed) and fight for justice.

Seemingly it’s as overly dramatic as everything else in the Arrowverse, and yes, admittedly the trailer for the upcoming television series isn’t exactly spectacular. From the few lines we’ve heard so far, the script seems pedestrian and the series seems to be banking a little too much on the gender of its protagonist.

But if you make the mistake of scrolling through the comments the trailer has generated online, you’d think the project was some sort of a crime against humanity.

The complaints are along the same lines as came out when Ghostbusters was remade with a female cast, Captain Marvel was announced with Brie Larson as its star, and Daisy Ridley was made the lead of Star Wars. Apparently there is no place for a woman – especially a woman who is vocal about her gender – on any screen, big or small. It feels as if the moment a powerful female character steps into the lead or the actress portraying her makes a statement about female empowerment, the project immediately gets inundated by a torrent of misogynistic hate.

It may be worth noting that all three of the aforementioned projects, while no masterpieces, did turn out to be just fine despite the negative reaction they received. How anyone can have such a strong, vitriolic reaction to something that hasn’t even been released yet is beyond confusing. We know very little about how the Batwoman series will actually turn out from its trailer, but apparently even a 3 minute preview is enough to upset the keyboard warriors who have been complaining so loudly about this title that you’d think it was a personal insult to each and every one of them.

The Arrowverse isn’t high art, and the dark, intense Batwoman seems in keeping with the rest of the franchise. Many DC fans are actually looking forward to the series. And while the show may not be for everyone, who knows how many young women might relate to the protagonist or find inspiration in her strength?

Maybe instead of unleashing harsh vitriol on a show they haven’t seen, a show they probably aren’t the target audience of, the detractors could take solace in the fact that they don’t HAVE to watch Batwoman. We are lucky we live in a time when there are so many entertainment options; it is astoundingly easy to ignore the programs we don’t like. And in the end, if Batwoman does turn out to be terrible, then everyone can just stop watching it and it will simply go away on its own. Because ultimately that is how the television business works.

Batwoman will join the Arrowverse in fall 2019.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 28th May, 2019 *

Big Little Lies - now with yet another Oscar winner!

trailer review

Two years after the misadventures of the Monterey Five earned Big Little Lies massive critical acclaim, the series is all set to return to HBO for a second season this summer with a cast that now includes yet another Oscar winner.

Meryl Streep joins the star studded ensemble that already features Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and Laura Dern, and we are clearly about to experience, yet again, just how interesting and compelling strong, powerful women can be in leading roles.

The drama, based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, premiered in 2017, and won eight Emmy Awards as well as several other accolades for its first season. As we return to the story, it seems that the events of season one are casting a shadow on the lives of the women who were involved in the murder at the centre of this literary adaptation.

(Caution: season one spoilers ahead!)

Madeline (Witherspoon), Celeste (Kidman), Jane (Woodley), Bonnie (Kravitz), and Renata (Dern) are facing the guilt and pressure of keeping the secret behind the murder of Celeste’s abusive husband Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), while Perry’s mother (Streep) is seeking answers for the death of her son.

Some fans have had trepidations about Big Little Lies returning for a second outing. It was, after all, originally billed as a miniseries and it did have a fairly satisfying finale. Plus Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée, who helmed all 7 episodes of the previous season, will not be reprising his duties in the second season. 

The trailer, though, is very likely to allay any concerns.

The reins have now been handed to British filmmaker Andrea Arnold, with all 7 episodes written by series creator David E. Kelley, and the brief preview suggests that the show will retain its many strengths – the remarkable music, the dazzling cinematography, and of course the terrific acting – as it delves deeper into the lives of its characters. The fittingly ominous vibe leaves you with the sense that things might not bode well for at least some of the people involved.

The addition of Streep is, obviously, such a big draw as well. We rarely get to see this legendary actress in small screen projects, so it will be great to witness her immense acting talents here and see what she brings to the drama as her character tries to unravel the dark secrets and perhaps even seeks some sort of revenge, depending on the direction the show chooses to take. And it will, once again, be amazing to see so many remarkable leading women in one show.

The second season of Big Little Lies premieres on HBO on the June 9, 2019.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 18th June, 2019 *

Dead to Me - charming, intriguing

web series review

Dead to Me

Starring: Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden, Max Jenkins, Sam McCarthy, Luke Roessler, and Edward Asner

Created by: Liz Feldman

Tinged with flavours of crime and mystery, the female-led comedy-drama has risen triumphantly and blessed us with some very intriguing television series over the last few years. With fierce women in the driving seat, shows like Killing Eve, Big Little Lies, and Good Girls have captivated viewers with their fascinating characters, interesting twists, and dark wit. Joining the list is the new Netflix web television series Dead to Me, another dark comedy with a mystery woven into its fabric.

Created by Liz Feldman, the program arrived on the streaming giant earlier this month. The terrific Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini lead the cast, telling the story of a complicated friendship with secrets lingering underneath the surface.

Applegate portrays Jen Harding, a real estate agent who is raising two sons while mourning the death of her husband who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Her sudden bereavement and the frustration over the unsolved crime that took her husband’s life as well as her pre-existing anger issues are making it difficult for her to cope with the situation she finds herself in.

Cardellini plays Judy Hale, a nursing home employee who is grieving the loss of her fiancé and is more troubled than she initially lets on.

The two women meet at a grief support group and strike up a friendship but it soon becomes apparent that everything isn’t quite as it seems. The lies begin to unravel as we learn about the actual events and intents that led them to this point.

The first season of Dead to Me takes quite a few turns along its ten episode journey, but the mystery elements don’t always work quite as well as one would have hoped. Perhaps the series waits too long to make its reveal; you’ve already figured things out long before it actually unveils a twist.

But watching Applegate and Cardellini work off each other is such a joy that it makes it easy for the viewer to be invested in the tale of these complex, flawed women. The ladies are funny, charming, and moving, and make their characters seem convincing or at least interesting even when the writing isn’t at its strongest. It’s because of their talent that once you start watching the series, you don’t want to hit pause as you can’t wait to see what (possibly irresponsible, perhaps even self-destructive) thing they do next. It’s a good thing all ten episodes were released all at once because the dramedy proves to be very binge worthy.

The supporting cast – which includes James Marsden as Judy’s love interest, Max Jenkins as Jen’s real estate business partner, and the always wonderful Ed Asner as Judy’s friend from the retirement home where she works – is also impressive, and the characters are each very well cast.

Dead to Me is at its best when it is examining the bonds of a therapeutic female friendship or exploring the depths of grief and the impact of losing someone. It may not seem quite as novel seeing how it follows in the footsteps of acclaimed shows, like the aforementioned Big Little Lies, and there are a few moment when one character or the other will frustrate you by doing something implausible. But the series has so many intriguing elements going in its favour that it is very hard to resist its charms. 

Its mystery could have been a little sharper and its storyline a little more taut, but thanks to the shining talent of its leading ladies, Dead to Me works quite well and is an entertaining new addition to its subgenre.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Express Tribune Blog - 17th May, 2019 *

In the picture - Russian Doll and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

television series reviews

Russian Doll doesn’t let its unoriginality get in the way of delivering an entertaining, affecting tale; Crazy Ex-Girlfriend bids farewell with a season that manages to recapture many of the show’s strengths

Russian Doll

Season 1

Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Charlie Barnett, and Elizabeth Ashley

Created by: Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, and Leslye Headland

It may not have the most original premise, but the Netflix series Russian Doll doesn’t let its unoriginality get in the way of delivering an entertaining, affecting tale.

Darkly amusing and touchingly poignant, the web series follows the story of a woman who is stuck in a time loop, repeatedly reliving the same night.

The protagonist is Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), a software engineer celebrating her 36th birthday at a party thrown by her friend Maxine (Greta Lee). She eventually ends up wandering the streets, searching for her missing cat Oatmeal, but gets hit by a car and dies, only to find herself back at her birthday party, with everyone around her oblivious to her predicament.

No matter how she navigates the evening, all arcs end in her death, and all deaths lead her back to the same party, leaving her to relive a different version of the same night over and over again.

A new player enters the tale a few instalments into the first season’s 8 episode run, giving the show another curious element to work with.

The series charms viewers from the very start, but initially it does struggle to differentiate itself in a well-worn subgenre. Time loops are a mechanism that has been repeatedly used in Hollywood outings ranging from the comedic Groundhog Day to the action-packed Edge of Tomorrow. Russian Doll especially can’t escape comparisons to the Happy Death Day franchise, wherein a woman is stuck in a time loop on her birthday.

But as things get progressively stranger, the series does find its footing, benefiting from its dark humour, standout soundtrack, and a terrific lead performance by Natasha Lyonne. There aren’t any shocking twists here, but ultimately where Russian Doll emphatically excels is in its interesting, impactful take on childhood trauma, grief, addiction, and mental health.

The basic storyline itself may be familiar, but how things unfold is still entertaining, plus there is emotional weight behind the story which makes it easy to be invested in the fate of the snarky protagonist. And it’s this combination of dark wit and emotional resonance that ultimately makes Russian Doll a worthy addition to Netflix’s impressive roster.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

*****

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Season 4

Starring: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Donna Lynne Champlin, Pete Gardner, Vella Lovell, Gabrielle Ruiz, Scott Michael Foster, and Skylar Astin

Created by: Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna

After entertaining us with its unique wit for nearly four years, The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has bidden us farewell with a charming fourth season that manages to recapture many of the show’s strengths, but also takes an unexpected casting turn.

The musical comedy drama – which tells the story of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a lawyer who, after a chance encounter with a childhood boyfriend, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), leaves her prestigious job in NYC to move to his small town – arrived like a breath of fresh air in 2015, and quickly established itself as a bold, offbeat comedy unafraid of broaching complex topics.

As the fourth season rolled around, we found Rebecca dealing with the consequences of pleading guilty to attempted murder at the end of the previous season, and subsequently trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life, with a little help from her friends Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin), Heather (Vella Lovell), and Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz). A chunk of the season finds her torn between her feelings for Josh, Nathaniel (Scott Michael Foster), and Greg (Skylar Astin), as she tries to choose between the three.

The choice she eventually makes, while in keeping with the show’s themes, is not as inventive as it could have been. Plus it’s the recasting of one of her love interests that doesn’t work quite as well as the show would have hoped. Originally portrayed by Santino Fontana who left the program in season 2, Greg is brought back here with Skylar Astin playing the character. The series takes this recasting as an opportunity to comment on how we sometimes see people differently, but while Astin isn’t bad in the role, he can’t quite match Fontana’s performance, and it simply isn’t very satisfying to not have the original actor reprise the role and wind up his character’s arc.

What makes season 4 special though is the continued development of its characters, many of whom – especially Nathaniel – show considerable growth. Plus its comments on mental health and female camaraderie remain as rewarding as ever. And, as always, there are memorable musical moments aplenty here, guaranteed to please fans of the series.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has been a terrific showcase for the writing, acting, songwriting, and singing talents of Rachel Bloom, and as we say goodbye to her first television project, we can’t wait to see what she does next.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 12th May, 2019 *

Orange Is the New Black returns to former self with latest season

television series review

Even though the drama may not be as impressive as it was at its peak, season six still comes close to recapturing its former glory and is a marked improvement from last year’s outing

Orange Is the New Black 

Season 6

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks, Jackie Cruz, Laura Gómez, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Adrienne C. Moore, Matt Peters, Jessica Pimentel, Dascha Polanco, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Nick Sandow, Dale Soules, Yael Stone, Kate Mulgrew and Laura Prepon
Created by: Jenji Kohan
Based on: Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman

When Orange Is the New Black is good, it’s very, very good. But the comedy drama also has the tendency to lose its way along the shady, murky, raunchy, irreverent corridors of its own premise. It’s this inability to consistently find the right focus and balance that led to the mess that was season five, a digression that seemed to be constructed on some of the series’ worst whims instead of its best assets. Luckily though, the web hit has once again found its footing in its latest season, a return to form with the show once again spinning fascinatingly dark and twisted tales.

We return to the lives of the inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary, with the repercussions of last season reverberating into this set of 13 episodes. The setting has changed from minimum to maximum security as a result of the riot that started with the death of an inmate and led to the death of a guard.

Loyalties are tested amidst the fallout from the riot, as the authorities search for scapegoats, looking to create examples by increasing the sentences of those deemed – justly or otherwise – responsible for the revolt. The incarcerated women find themselves in the position of having to push their friends under the bus if they want to escape unscathed.

On an individual front, Piper (Taylor Schilling) is looking for Alex (Laura Prepon), fearing the latter might be dead. Daya (Dascha Polanco) is suffering physical abuse from the guards, while her mother, Aleida (Elizabeth Rodriguez), who is now out of prison, is trying to get her children back. Nicky (Natasha Lyonne) is worried about Red (Kate Mulgrew) who is feeling betrayed by her girls. Gloria (Selenis Leyva) and Maria (Jessica Pimentel) are at odds. Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) is struggling to adjust to her new surroundings. Lorna (Yael Stone) is having a baby and Blanca (Laura Gómez) is wishing she was having a baby. Frieda (Dale Soules) is worried for her safety. Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning) is on the lam. Flaca (Jackie Cruz) is intent on hosting a prison radio talk show. Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore) is filled with guilt over a choice she made. And Taystee (Danielle Brooks) is trying to fight the charges that have been levelled against her by the authorities.

Not everyone from the previous seasons is present this time around. Much of the recurring cast is missing, and several new characters have been introduced in their place. The main thread for the new additions revolves around the decades-old feud between two prison blocks, each led by one of two rival sisters, Carol (Henny Russell) and Barb (Mackenzie Phillips), aided by their respective henchwomen, Badison (Amanda Fuller) and Daddy (Vicci Martinez).

The newcomers mostly serve as the villains, and the baddies here are a bit of a problem. Most of these characters are like caricatures – just plain bad with no redeeming qualities … although that doesn’t come as a surprise as OITNB isn’t exactly known for its subtlety. But if you prefer your players with shades of grey, then the main villains are likely to disappoint. The antics of their minions may be fun to watch, but ultimately it’s hard to care one way or another which sister eventually triumphs.

But that isn’t a major squabble, since there is plenty of emotional drama on offer from the legacy cast. Orange Is the New Black can’t always get the tone right, but it knows how to create affecting portraits of complex women, and season six is a step in the right direction for character development. The change in setting also helps by injecting some life into a premise that is struggling to find new ways to keep going. And as always, the series effectively rips the prison industry to shreds, highlighting the indifference of the for-profit prison system and shedding light on the predicament of those stuck in its brutal web.

Orange Is the New Black remains one of the most distinctive television shows (that isn’t actually on television). The flashbacks and back stories are not as strong this time, but even though the drama may not be as impressive as it was at its peak, season six still comes close to recapturing its former glory and is a marked improvement from last year’s outing. If you are a fan of the series, then you’ll enjoy this chance to reunite with familiar faces and delve a little deeper into their strange lives.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 2nd September, 2018 *

Killing Eve - quite unlike anything else on television

tv series review

As Sandra Oh lands an Emmy nod for Killing Eve, Instep reviews the series that is headlined and driven by women and is intriguingly strange, brilliantly cast, darkly humorous and rivetingly suspenseful

Killing Ever

Season 1

Starring: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw, Darren Boyd, Owen McDonnell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Sean Delaney, David Haig, and Kim Bodnia.

If you give its premise a cursory look, you probably won’t be best impressed with Killing Eve. A thriller about an agent chasing an assassin? That’s hardly original ground. But if you delve a little deeper, you will be rewarded with a show that’s unlike anything else on television.

Based on the Codename Villanelle novella series by author Luke Jennings, the British-made drama is intriguingly strange, brilliantly cast, darkly humorous, and rivetingly suspenseful.

The protagonist is Eve Polastri (portrayed by the wonderful Sandra Oh), an intelligence operative who appears to be bored with every aspect of her life, from personal to professional. The assassination of a politician leads her to connect the killing to a series of such murders, and she comes to believe that the assassin is a woman.

Eve soon becomes fixated on finding the killer, and when she is recruited by the dubious Carolyn Marten (essayed by Fiona Shaw) for an off-the-books assignment to do just that, she finds herself on the trail of the psychopathic Villanelle (the amazing Jodie Comer), a skilled assassin who is hired by an unknown force to carry out murders across Europe.

The women are both drawn towards each other, and develop a strange obsession that leads them into a bizarre chase, with them both going after one another in different ways.

The main characters are fascinatingly odd. Eve is smart, capable, but also impatient and reckless. Villanelle is cocky, ruthless, and completely devoid of remorse, but seductive and magnetic. They’re on the opposite sides of the law; yet they’re both clearly attracted to each other. Their relationship remains almost indefinable. Will they end up teaming up or destroying each other? You’re never quite certain, and therein lies part of the intrigue.

It also helps that the roles are perfectly cast. Sandra Oh effortlessly holds the series together, and Comer is terrific as the fierce yet alluring antagonist who often brings humour to the show despite the darkness she emanates. The latter’s interactions with children at multiple points in the series – a girl at an ice-cream parlour, a boy she encounters during one of her missions, and an annoying child she kidnaps – are among her most memorable and defining scenes.

With women in both the main parts – a choice you won’t find in most spy thrillers – the men are mostly relegated to supporting roles and while they all deliver fine performances, you’re never in any doubt about who is in charge of the series. It’s all about Eve and Villanelle, and a dive into the complex relationship between these two, their bond, attraction, trust (or lack thereof).

The writing is strong throughout; there are quips you’ll be amused by; there are simple exchanges that hold depths of meaning. Phoebe Waller-Bridge deserves praise for the way she has handled the material and brought it from page to screen.

Visually, the show is stunning. Its glittering aesthetics are something Killing Eve has in common with its more traditional predecessors. Gorgeous locales form the backdrop as the action moves from one country to another. Glamorous outfits are donned. The attention to detail in, for instance, creating Villanelle’s apartment is impeccable.

It’s all these strengths that make this show so impressive despite the fact that it isn’t exactly the most realistic of thrillers. Would someone as idiosyncratic as Villanelle who leaves behind as much evidence as she does evade detection and capture for so long? Doubtful. But it’s these same, odd character choices that make the show so intriguing.

Altogether, this is a riveting inaugural season of BBC America’s terrific new show that reels you in with its first scene and keeps you hooked throughout its eight consistently well-made episodes. The acting elevates the material, and it’s a credit to the lead female actors that they make their characters compelling even when they aren’t necessarily likable.

On the whole, the first season of Killing Eve is brutal, bleakly funny, and cunningly unpredictable, and will leave you wanting more, so it’s a good thing that the second season is already in the works.

- Sameen Amer 

Instep, The News on Sunday - 29th July, 2018 *

The Last Man on Earth ends ... on a cliffhanger

tv series review

The Last Man on Earth
Season 4

Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Schaal, January Jones, Mel Rodriguez, Cleopatra Coleman, and Mary Steenburgen

Cliffhangers are the worst.

Between having to wait a year (or more) to find out how the sequel will untangle the mess left behind by a film’s uncertain ending to spending months waiting for a series to return and reveal how things fared for the characters, the experience of consuming entertainment can sometimes turn into a trying test of patience.

But the most frustrating thing about cliffhangers are the threads that will never be resolved. A sequel that will not materialize; a series that won’t be renewed; an ending that will never come.

That’s the fate that has befallen The Last Man on Earth. A huge cliffhanger right at the end of the season four finale … followed by a prompt cancellation.

Like I said, cliffhangers are the worst.

Set in a future where a deadly virus has swept the planet, the quirky series made its debut in 2015 (and originated from an idea by the great Phil Lord and Christopher Miller), telling the story of the last man on Earth, Phil Tandy Miller, who, it quickly turns out, isn’t the last man on Earth at all, as more survivors start to show up.

With its unusual premise and inventive outlook, the show offered a charming, amusing tale that could sometimes be a bit exasperating for a number of reasons, ranging from some of the more vexing tendencies of its characters to its reluctance to commit to the original premise and fully explore just what it would be like if Tandy really was the last survivor or at least the last “man” on Earth while all the other survivors were women.

But even though there were times when the series made decisions that removed some essential friction that could have been so entertaining – like its choice to neatly pair off characters into couples, for instance – or outright felt like it was struggling to come up with ways to keep going, the writers always made sure that the journey was amusing and there was enough warmth to keep viewers invested in the fate of its oddball characters.

[Spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen the series at all, then you might want to skip the next paragraph as it contains some details from the previous seasons.]

By the fourth season, the group is in the midst of settling down and repopulating the world. Tandy and Carol (Kristen Schaal) are expecting twins, while Erica (Cleopatra Coleman) has given birth to a daughter, Dawn, and is in a relationship with Gail (Mary Steenburgen). Todd (Mel Rodriguez), too, is struggling with baby fever but his wife, Melissa (January Jones), doesn't want to have children.

But it’s the recurring characters that, as always, come along to shake things up. Kristen Wiig’s spoiled socialite Pamela and Jason Sudeikis’s lonely astronaut Mike are both terrific, and it’s disappointing that the series keeps finding reasons to make them leave. Mike, in particular, is essential and Sudeikis is perfect whenever he shows up; his character’s relationship with his brother, Tandy, and his heart-breaking loneliness are among the show’s most affecting aspects.

As for the cast, Forte gives good performances from start to finish, and it is always rewarding when his character shows growth, especially towards the end of the series. The supporting cast is solid as well, even though Jones doesn’t have as much to do in the final season and her character feels underutilized much of the time. And the series’ ability to attract big name guest stars – even if only for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo – is always exciting.

But, ultimately, it all comes to an abrupt, unsatisfying end.

It may not have been perfect, but The Last Man on Earth was certainly nothing like your average sitcom. The series was most fascinating when it threw conventions aside and wandered off the predictable path, and its take on love, loss, friendship, hope, disappointment, and loneliness was unique and interesting. Many viewers enjoyed the road it took navigating its post-apocalyptic setting, and while some of us wish it had dealt with its premise a bit differently, it was still one of the most original comedies with one of the quirkiest protagonists on television, and therein lay its biggest strength and strongest appeal. But now we’ll (probably?) never get to see how things turn out for Tandy and his friends. And that’s just a shame.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1st July, 2018 *

Haroon returns with another animated adventure

interview

After the massive international success of the animated series Burka Avenger, singer Haroon Rashid recently launched another animated show, Teetoo and Tania. Aimed at children, the new series showcases some of Pakistan’s most prominent personalities and highlights social messages along the way.

We chatted with the artist – who is the founder and CEO of Unicorn Black, the production company behind these animated programs – about his latest venture.

Instep: Tell us about your new animated television series, Teetoo and Tania.
Haroon: I am very excited about this new show.  The quality of animation is on par with top international animation productions, and the episodes themselves are highly entertaining and have strong, positive social messages.
The premise is a lot of fun. Teetoo is an alien bureaucrat that works for the Galactic Council. The Council has identified Earthlings as a threat to the very existence of the Universe due to their penchant for aggression and war. Teetoo surveys planet Earth and determines that it should be exterminated. Pakistan is the only country left to survey. He crash lands in the backyard of Tania, a 16 year old Pakistan girl, who rushes out to help him. Touched by her kindness, he advises her to leave Earth.
Tania is shocked and takes it upon herself to change Teetoo’s mind. And so begins Tania’s stories. In each episode, Tania tells Teetoo about a different Pakistani hero or role model. As Teetoo listens to these stories, he is forced to reconsider his assessment of planet Earth.

Instep: What inspired you to create this show?

Haroon: With Burka Avenger I was highlighting a fictional role model.  I thought it would be great to do a show about real life Pakistani heroes and role models.
At a time where there is much negativity about Pakistan in the media and press, this show aims to highlight Pakistani heroes and role models to inspire the youth of Pakistan. Furthermore, the series projects a positive image of Pakistan to the world. The show highlights heroes such as Edhi, who is considered one of the world’s greatest humanitarians, and Aitzaz Hasan, a school boy who sacrificed his life to prevent a suicide bomber attacking a school. Other well-known heroes include Muniba Mazari, Mushtaq Chappra (founder TCF), and many others.

Instep: Could you please tell us about the making of the show?
Haroon: The show was made at Unicorn Black, the animation production company I founded in 2012. The team had a lot of fun working on the show. Ali Safina was the voice of Teetoo, the alien. And Sara Rubab, who voiced Ashu in Burka Avenger, was the voice for Tania.
I have been a fan of Ali Safina’s work for a number of years especially his Milk Sheikh caricature. I wanted someone who can really create a character which sounds and acts from another world and he did that. So grateful for the amazing job he did.
Sara Rubab was also just brilliant as Tania. She is very smart and when we gave her the briefing, she went home and practised overnight and then next day just nailed it.
Animation is a collaborative effort. It takes a huge team to put together such a project. Nida Rehman was our production manager, Maryam Arqem our art director along with Yousuf Ejaz. Arif was our lead animator, and Zeeshan was our editor. Ommer was one of our key scriptwriters. This just a few of the 20 or so talented people that worked on Teetoo and Tania.
The quality of Teetoo and Tania is far superior to Burka Avenger. We set out to do that and we successfully achieved that. We actually animated the first episode twice. We spent a couple of months animating it and then we were like, you know what, we can do way better, let’s not compromise.  And the only way to improve it was for us to build the 3D models of the characters from scratch. So we went and did that. It was a long and arduous journey but one we thoroughly enjoyed.

Instep: Burka Avenger was a huge success and was broadcast locally and internationally.  Has it been difficult or easy to sell Pakistani animated kids shows to channels in Pakistan? Abroad?
Haroon: Burka Avenger won multiple awards and received press accolades worldwide and in Pakistan. The show aired on multiple TV channels in Pakistan and abroad; the show was dubbed into over 10 languages. When the show was released in Indonesia on ANTV last year it was the number one watched show in the 5 to 14 age demographic. For me this is a testament to Pakistani talent that the show was loved by people all over the world.
Teetoo and Tania is a project which is very Pakistani centric because each episode highlights real life Pakistani heroes and role models. However we have subtitled all the episodes in English and are uploading them online. This will give the rest of the world the ability to see all the wonderful work and sacrifices these real life Pakistani heroes have made. Pakistan suffers an image problem and it is up to all of us in our media to show the rest of the world a more balanced picture of Pakistan. The show is airing on PTV and all the episodes are available to view online as well to reach a world-wide audience.
If you have a quality production, then it is always easy to sell your show locally and abroad.

Instep: Unicorn Black is focusing on creating entertainment for children at the moment. Are there any projects – animated or otherwise – aimed at adults that are also in the works?
Haroon: I am very interested in working on projects for an older audience. I am full of ideas and stories for movies. At this point, we have just completed Teetoo and Tania so now we are deciding whether we should plan a full length animated feature film or dive into live action.

Instep: Is there a reason you have gravitated towards television instead of going for the big screen, like Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has done with her 3 Bahadur series?
Haroon: I think with the success of Burka Avenger, it just made sense to do another animated TV series. It certainly was challenging. I directed and produced 52 episodes of 22 minutes each of Burka Avenger with my team at Unicorn Black. No animated project like this has ever been attempted before in Pakistan. This was over 1,100 minutes of animation. Most animated movies are not longer than 100 minutes.

Instep: You had a great run with Burka Avenger. What does the future hold for that character?
Haroon: I am super excited to announce we are working on a new Burka Avenger related project. No, not the movie. Something else that I am very excited about. I will reveal more details in the coming months.

Instep: What about your music career? Any development on that front?
Haroon: That is the golden question everyone keeps asking me. My music career did take a backseat as I jumped into animation production as well as working to create the Taazi music app. When I pick up my guitar and jam, I realise there is nothing else in the world that brings me as much joy as making music. But 2018 is the year I will release new music.
Last year, for August 14th, I launched a revamped version of my song ‘Dil Say Pakistan’ with Muniba Mazari and Javed Bashir. It received over 7 million views online, much to my shock and pleasant surprise. I thought the Pakistani music scene was dead. It is past the glory days, but there is still a strong demand. Pakistani TV channels and radio unfortunately mainly broadcast Indian and English content, so Pakistani artists have to turn to online avenues.

Instep: Are there any other projects you’re working on at the moment? What can we expect from you in the coming months?
Haroon: I am one of those people who is always working on something. My brain is always ticking along. Some of the crazy ideas will see the light of day; some may not. Hopefully some of them will go on to be successful and others may crash and burn. But the main idea is to passionately keep pursuing my dreams and use creativity, media, entertainment, and art as agent for positive change in this world.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 14th January, 2018 *