Image via Complex/HBO/Netflix
We're getting there, y'all. August is notoriously slower for movies and TV, but there are some gems coming through. We got into some decent horror selections on Watch Less this week, but truth be told, there's some really good stuff out there, including one of the more fascinating tales in true crime history—which even includes an arrest—and some dope stand-up comedy to boot.
You know the routine; we hit you with our picks for the best in TV and movies this week, and you make sure you schedule some time to check them out. Then you tell your friends who told you about 'em.
'I'll Be Gone In The Dark'
Where to watch: HBO Max
The day after I'll Be Gone in the Dark premiered on HBO, Joseph DeAngelo Jr. confessed to the crimes of rape and murder committed in California across the '70s and '80s under the monikers police and others deigned like East Area Rapist, Original Night Stalker, and Golden State Killer. The six-part documentary series chronicling his reign of terror and subsequent capture—which concluded this past Sunday—is, refreshingly, so much more than another morbid true crime intrigue that taps into our fascination with heinous real-world offenders. Instead, it's a powerful, gripping look into the lives and effort of those who don't just engage with true crime cold cases as voyeurs, but actually work to do something about it. The docuseries is an adaptation of Michelle McNamara's book of the same name, which was completed posthumously by her widowed husband Patton Oswalt and her citizen director peers, after the mental weight of subsuming herself so deeply into not only a disturbing case but the disturbing psyche of the offender as she wrote first a magazine feature and later, a manuscript with an aim to not just shed light on this ordeal but hopefully serve up some long-overdue justice.
The whole story—famous actor finishes late wife's seminal work exposing monstrous killer—sounds like the story to one of Oswalt's films, but Dark is nothing if grounded. It paints a full picture of Michelle: woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, investigator, author, and eventually champion to the dozens upon dozens of women DeAngelo terrorized, assaulted, and in some cases, murdered. It's not just the story of one of California's most mysterious unsolved crimes, but of one woman's relationship to unsolved crime, and her drive and passion to give the victims a voice as well as closure. Even with centering Michelle—where we learn about everything from a lifelong tense relationship with her mother to an event abroad that helped shape her perspective towards abuse—this documentary has some of the most affecting victim interviews I've ever seen in one of these. I was particularly touched by Bob and Gay, who later at a group gathering post-DeAngelo's arrest, learn they were the only couple to survive his attack and maintain their relationship. Watching the victims come together, find community within each other, and reach closure was in some ways heavier than hearing them detail their attacks. The weight of DeAngelo's damage is never trivialized or sensationalized. And the work it took to catch him is never anything short of awe-inspiring, from Michelle's complete and total (fatal) dedication to the like-minded friends she made along the way, who help Patton pick up the pieces and tie the threads once she passes. It's understandable if the Netflix true-crime doc era has made everyone both wary and weary of more in this genre, but I'll Be Gone in the Dark is an anomaly: true crime that plays on our empathy over morbid curiosity. —Frazier Tharpe
'Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning'
Where to Watch: Netflix
When you think of the go-to spots for comedy, New York City and Los Angeles reign supreme. However, there’s one scene that’s often overlooked. Many famous comedians got their start in the Boston area: Gary Gulman, Amy Poehler, Patrice O’Neal, Josh Gondelman, to name a few. With Sam Jay’s debut special 3 In the Morning, she solidifies herself as one of the best Boston-bred comics working today.
Filmed at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Sam Jay captivates her audience almost immediately, combining a razor-sharp wit with hilarious anecdotes for a wondrous hour of comedy. Sam has been doing comedy for YEARS—she currently works as a writer for Saturday Night Live—but this is her first official special. Sam’s jokes are both sharp and innovative. 3 In the Morning starts with Sam getting a haircut before going onstage; the technical precision of the barber lining her up is a clever way to begin, offering a parallel to the precision of Sam’s own jokes. There is a barrage of material here, and Sam is in clear control the entire time.
What makes 3 In the Morning so remarkable is Sam’s ability to mine humor out of any topic. Visiting museums, her family, packing for a trip, and much more all become absurdist bits during the special. Sam’s ability to pick apart even the most mundane subjects shines through throughout the hour. She even takes one of the most hackneyed topics in the history of comedy and resurrects it—that’s right: there are funny jokes about AIRPLANES in this special.
Sam also discusses current events and people, but it doesn’t feel forced or hacky. Whether she’s discussing Trump’s presidency or Greta Thunberg’s activism, you can tell that she carefully honed her material and isn’t just angrily reacting. This is a testament to Sam’s craft—the whole hour feels meticulously constructed. 3 In the Morning is a merciless onslaught of great jokes and brilliant observations, and it cements Sam Jay as a force to be reckoned with, one we’ll be hearing about for years to come. —Kevin Hall