An Étoile is born with the new Amy Sherman-Palladino show
For some viewers, the TV shows of Amy Sherman-Palladino (and her writer-producer-director-husband Daniel Palladino) can be a bit much. Shows like Gilmore Girls, Bunheads, and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel are known for their rapid fire dialogue with motormouth protagonists who have a lot to say about everything and never afraid to drop in arcane pop culture references along the way.
But, there’s more to it than chatter. Their shows are heavily loaded with movement. Characters in a Palladino joint never stop moving. Even when they are sitting down to drink coffee (about the only time you ever see a Palladino character stationary), their mouths are moving a mile-a-minute.
It can be a lot for viewers who aren't on the Pallasino’s wavelength.
Today Amy and Dan have a new TV show debuting on Prime Video - Étoile. It’s an ongoing series with an eight-episode first season about ballet companies in New York and Paris who engage in a talent swap to drive publicity and sell some tickets.
In Étoile (and their 2010s show Bunheads, which was also focused on ballet), you get the constant movement. You get the talking. But there’s a new innovation being introduced to what the Palladino’s do: Characters speak French.
Because half of the show is about a French ballet company, it is understandably set in Paris where they don’t speak that bastardized Queens language you hear coming out of the mouths of Americans.
There’s a trap for the Palladino’s with their fourth show. With both Amy and Dan having such a distinctive style, viewers are already very familiar with their rhythms and narrative choices. While that’s certainly a draw for audiences, it eventually gets a bit stale. That staleness can be compounded by tackling dance again for the second time.
But all of that is avoided with characters now speaking a different language. It’s, largely a cosmetic change, but it absolutely works.
It’s not the only change either. While this is largely an ensemble show, so much of it is built around Luke Kirby, playing the head of the New York ballet company. It’s their first series not built around a female lead(s). The feminine energy in the show continues to be very strong (it is a show about ballet), but it does mark a shift.
While Kirby is the glue that holds the show together, the breakout character and the one that I’m sure is the most fun to write, is ballet dancer Cheyenne (played by French actor Lou de Laâge) who has been relocated to New York. She’s an obsessive, rude, and self-interested artist who won’t let anything (people or physics) stand in her way. On paper, that reads pretty tired - a character type we have all seen before on screen. But, powered by the Palladino’s skill with character and a truly compelling performance by de Laâge, she’s an absolute dynamo on screen.
Some things to know about the show going in:
Like every Amy Sherman-Palladino (and Dan) show, the first episode offers a decent taste of what the show is, but then there’s a few bumpier episodes as the show works past the premise and finds what does and doesn’t work about the characters. Because this is a large-ish ensemble show, you’ll feel it a bit more than with their previous shows. By mid-season, the show starts clicking.
There are familiar faces in this from Gilmore Girls and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, but curiously no one from their other dance show Bunheads.
There’s a scene right towards the end of the season (I’m pretty sure it is in the finale) set in a cemetery that might be my favourite scene on TV this year.
The opening title sequence for Étoile is very good. But wait until you see what they do with the closing credits! It’s big, bold and very European-feeling. I’m sure I have over-hyped it, but seeing it at the end of every episode was an absolute joy.
This is not their best show. So far. But, I can’t help but suspect that once we reach the end of season two, we are all going to be deeply invested in this show.
Did I mention Charlotte Gainsbourg is in this? She is and she’s intoxicating.
Étoile debuts today on Prime Video. My advice: Don’t gobble them up all at once - it’ll be over too soon.
Let’s talk about (Star Wars) sex, baby!
Andor came back yesterday for its second and final season and as adult as the show has generally been with its ongoing plots about wealthy elites funding a rebellion and the everyday people caught up in it all, the show stepped it up in episode three.
It’s the first time that a Star Wars show dealt with anything of a sexual nature (though, the mere inclusion of Billy Dee Williams and his moustache in Empire Strikes Back suggests otherwise). But, it wasn’t a sexy moment on the show - it was dealing with an attempted sexual assault. Star Wars even went as far as to use the word ‘rape’ in the episode. A bold act for Star Wars.
Understandably, it is a scene that is getting a lot of attention today.
You can read an interview with showrunner Tony Gilroy at THR where he talks about the decision to include the scene. I was mostly interested in the challenge of including a scene like this in a Disney-protected family franchise. Seemingly, they didn’t push back:
“No one ever ever said anything about it, ever,” Gilroy said. “But I mean, we have limits on what we can do. We are very aware of what we can do sexually and violence wise. Those limits are made very clear.”
News Desk
Ted Sarandos says he spent three years trying to get Netflix into China, but not a single episode of a Netflix show was cleared by the censorship board. Read: Indiewire
On the new Brady Bros podcast (hosted by former The Bradys stars Barry Williams and Christopher Knight), guest Susan Olsen stopped by to talk about how she was badly injured on the set during filming of the pilot. Read: NY Post
The trick to getting work in Hollywood as an actor is to star in an audio drama podcast and then get cast in the same role when it is adapted to TV. Jon Hamm will star in American Hostage based on the rather entertaining podcast of the same name that he starred in back in 2022. Read: Variety
Netflix has renewed Sweet Magnolias for a fifth season. Read: Deadline
Timed with World Book Day, Netflix has announced adaptations of The Age of Innocence and Unaccustomed Earth. Read: Deadline
There’s a new Anne of Green Gables anime series now streaming on Crunchyroll. Read: Polygon
Marking it’s 20th anniversary since the very first YouTube video was uploaded, the UGC streamer has announced it has 20 billion videos on platform. I’m about halfway through. Please don’t tell me how it ends. Read: Variety
The state of physical media is such that the opening of a New York store selling DVDs now warrants a story about the novelty of it in The Guardian.
Hulu has a spin-off from The Kardashians in the works, Calabasas Behind the Gates. Read: Deadline
Bill Hader & Daniel Zelman are developing a story about Jonestown for HBO. Read: Deadline
Viewership of Conclave and The Two Popes has skyrocketed this week. What, no The New Pope? Read: Indiewire
Trailer Park
Wednesday returns to Netflix for part one of season two on August 2.
Pee-wee As Himself debuts on HBO May 23.
Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, "Pee-Wee as Himself" is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer, and a window into his never before discussed personal life.
Head of State debuts on Prime Video July 2. I’m not convinced we really want to see our political leaders as action stars. It was kind of a funny idea in Air Force One, but the joke has been done.
The UK Prime Minister (Idris Elba) and US President (John Cena) have a public rivalry that risks their countries' alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they're forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Grantchester returns June 15 on PBS for season 10.
Secrets We Keep debuts on Netflix May 15.
When a neighbor's au pair vanishes from her wealthy suburb, Cecilie seeks answers - and unravels secrets that shatter her seemingly perfect world.
Tastefully Yours debuts May 12 on Netflix.
He's hunting recipes to claim a fortune. She's guarding her kitchen like her life depends on it.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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