How much viewing time do you have this weekend?
This weekend, I have… half an hour, and I like quirky sets.
‘Good grief’
When to watch: Now on Sundance Now.
In Season 1 of this New Zealand comedy, sisters Ellie (Eve Palmer) and Gwen (Grace Palmer) inherit a funeral home and its eccentric employees, which the more uptight Ellie has started to embrace, but the more free-spirited Gwen bristled. In Season 2, Gwen tried to sow wild oats as a DJ in Bali, and she returns home with a fresh, if not always welcome, perspective.
“Grief” obviously has the makings of a sad show, but it’s much more “look at all those adorable goofs; life is short, but we have fun” that “here is the endless chasm of sadness, a darkness so dense that no light can escape; death is coming.” Season 2 is streaming now and also airs weekly on IFC starting August 17.
… half an hour, and I like cooking shows.
“Lost and Found Recipe”
When to watch: Friday, on Discovery+.
There’s an episode of “Friends” in which Phoebe’s grandmother’s secret cookie recipe turns out, after much agony, to be the Nestlé Toll House recipe, printed on the bag of chocolate chips. “Recipe Lost and Found” is more or less that, in its sweetest, most well-meaning form. In each episode, chef and food anthropologist Casey Corn encounters a family trying to piece together a beloved but lost recipe, then Corn sets out to learn more about the dish and its cultural influences before surprising everyone with his recreations. It’s a lovely premise, even though the episodes made available for review all seem to rely on obvious and eminently googleable ingredients.
…several hours, and I like European broadcasts.
“State of Happiness”
When to watch: Now on Amazon (season 1 only) and Topic (seasons 1 and 2).
This Norwegian drama (in Norwegian and English, with subtitles) begins in 1969, and its characters are linked to the nascent oil industry, as divers, secretaries, executives, farmers in danger of exploitation. Anna (Anne Regine Ellingsaeter) is our Peggy Olsen, straddling class and cultural divides to navigate the business world.
“State” sits right between “Call the Midwife” and “For All Mankind,” shows about dynamism and social change, with no real villains but plenty of good costumes. There’s also a refreshing lack of twists or schtick; all of the energy and urgency of the show comes from relatable human behavior. Unbelievable! If you liked “Deutschland 83”, the new season of “Borgen” or PBS shows in which young people hold lambs and fall in love with green landscapes, watch this.
Ny
