Story Stream: 10/17 - 10/23
Hello friends!
As I mentioned in last week's Story Stream, I spent basically this entire week in St. Paul, MN, with the whole Fun Parts team, recording Season 3 of the show. It's been an exhausting gift, as usual, which I will recap in detail later. In fact, I may recap it on my flight(s) home later today.
Anyway, as expected, there was very little story consumption this week compared to normal. (In reality, there were exponentially more stories than normal, but not in the way I report here. They were shared on the microphone or around the dinner table among friends, which is perhaps the best way). So here's a breakdown of the few things I did watch/read/listen to this week!
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MOVIES
The Hunt (2020)
This was described to me as a sort of horror version of The Hunger Games. It was absolutely nothing like that. It was a satirical comedy, and despite being sort of intentionally corny (not like The Naked Gun or Hot Shots, but also kinda), it was honestly so clever. It does a phenomenal job of leaning into the caricatures we have societally (especially in the United States) of those on opposite political poles. It paints the perfect InfoWars picture of the "liberal elite," and an incredible Wonkette picture of the "redneck right." The show's protagonist, once you figure out who it is, is this perfect embodiment of Libertarian ideals. This show plays out those caricatures, as if they were fully accurate, to their natural ends. It's layered with brilliant subtlety, on top of very over the top, obvious punchlines. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Streaming on HBO Max. (8/10 - Strongly Recommended)
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TV
The Great British Baking Show - "Dessert Week"
As I've said many times at this point, I just love this show. Everyone I know who watches it loves this show. It's objectively good, and by that I don't just mean "enjoyable to watch." I mean good in the way God describes creation as good in the Genesis creation myth. It is good. It makes you feel good. It makes you want to be good. If the word "uplifting" wasn't so laced with pseudo-Christian Hallmark sentimentality, I'd use it to describe this show. This particular episode was good AND made me sad. Hooray, emotions! Streaming on Netflix. (10/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
Ted Lasso (Episodes 4-9)
We've been stalling, intentionally, starting Season 2. We wanted to give the new season time to release in full so we could binge it all at once, AND rewatch Season 1. We're pretty much there now. One episode away from Season 2. So, I bet you can guess what will be in next week's Story Stream! Thank God for Ted Lasso. Streaming on Apple TV Plus. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
I Think You Should Leave, with Tim Robinson
Those of you who understand how obsessed I've become with this show could have certainly predicted that I'd spend the entire week trying to share it with the Fun Parts team. I did. And to my great delight, they all seemed to love it. They laughed A LOT, which was so deeply affirming, I'm not sure I could articulate it. This show, I've learned, isn't for everybody. Maybe it's not even for most. It's definitely for me though. Streaming on Netflix. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
Big Mouth (Season 1, Episode 1)
I didn't choose to watch this. A couple members of the team put it on so they could watch me squirm. They love the series, and aren't bothered by my discomfort in any way (rightfully). While it certainly makes me pretty uncomfortable to watch, and while I can't give it the highest recommendation, as I don't think it's for everyone by a long shot, I did laugh quite a bit. I also found myself quoting it later in the day, which is a pretty true expression of enjoyment in my world. And, conceptually it's brilliant. Truly. Streaming on Netflix. (8/10 - Very Cautiously Recommended)
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And there you have it. Short and sweet! I'm sure this coming week will be far more jam-packed with stories as I settle back into my normal rhythm. If you have any recommendations, as always, include them in the comments below! They're welcome. Thanks, friends!