The FilmSoc team looks back at some of 2018’s prominent TV shows, some latest seasons and some new underrated releases.

There is no skirting around the fact that we are now well into 2019. Plenty of new and delightful shows have come out since the start of the year, and perhaps the gems of 2018 have been buried in the instant gratification of new Netflix shows coming out every other weekend. Nevertheless, the Filmsoc blog team got together towards the beginning of the year to write some flash reviews of our favourite shows of 2018. Read, reminisce, and perhaps you will wish revisit some shows that you binge-watched that one March weekend when you had an essay to write but couldn’t be bothered. Here is to more, hopefully somewhat mindful, watching in 2019!

Westworld Season 2 (Xinyi Wang)

The problem with Westworld that stood out in season two was its insistence on pulling an aha! pseudo-intellectual rug from under its audience’s feet. It remains one of the most captivating television shows out there, however it did also feel as if Nolan and Joy want to always one-up their audience: constantly challenging notions and concepts, usually leaving viewers rather confused and tired.

Season two always promises a revelation in the finale that whips its world and characters towards a new, unforeseeable direction while posing more questions – a fine, exhilarating device that is, for the most part, used brilliantly.  However, by opting for a circular narrative, working with even more timelines than before (are they simply refusing to create chronologically linear stories?), the season as a consequence suffers from narratively useless filler episodes that ultimately do not contribute to the finale, where twists edge dangerously close to “for the sake of it”. This is an issue that Westworld needs to overcome in the future.

It is not to say that the show is not a marvel in terms of production and narrative design – the episode ‘Kiksuya’ is a complete stand out that deserves all the praise it received, while the main cast continue to shine in their roles. Character arcs and dynamics are developed in interesting directions, and altogether Westworld continues its fascinating path: diving into questions of free will, humanity and cognition.

The Good Place Season 2 (Sabastian Astley)

Leading on immediately from its incredible twist, The Good Place Season 2 constantly reinvents itself, developing and transforming the show’s core concepts at an incredible rate. The show’s infusion of casual philosophy alongside an ever-developing cast, constantly evolving from episode to episode, helps to highlight The Good Place as one of the most original shows of 2018.

Call My Agent! / Dix pour cent Season 3 (Emma Davis)

This fun French television gem fills the hole in my heart that HBO’s The Newsroom left behind. As in everyone is a terrible person and shouts a lot. It’s taken an incredibly funny premise – of the slapstick and frustration comedy in French show business – and used it to tell the messy stories of mixing professional and personal lives. The third season is impressive in showing how the show can evolve from its initial case-of-the-week of a client causing trouble to commentary on the ridiculous French movie industry and geographic inequality of French society.

The End of the F***ing World (Pihla Pekkarinen)

This show is kind of like Scott Pilgrim, but with more swearing and violence. The End of the F***ing world was born from a graphic novel, and the original format seeps through the frames and graphics of the show. Alex Lawther is brilliant in his deadpan performance of a self-diagnosed teenage psychopath, and Jessica Barden, while somewhat overshadowed by Lawther, manages to lose her self-consciousness enough to portray a character so unlikeable that you end up rooting for the one who wants to kill her. Despite losing itself a little in the second half, as the macabre aesthetics are pushed aside to create a supposedly more heartfelt, yet unfortunately hollow, love story,  the cliffhanger finale ties the show together; leaving the audience with the perfect cocktail of bittersweet satisfaction. However, as a fan of self-contained TV shows, I am not thrilled about the second series currently being filmed: I have no doubt it will spoil the ambiguous ending of the first series, and am therefore doubtful the show will be able to maintain its charisma.

Riverdale Season 3 (Sabastian Astley)

Honestly, this show is the definition of nonsensical – place it against its freshman season and you will find two different productions entirely. Bizarrely enough, this is exactly what makes the latest season so extraordinary. Weaving in a cornucopia of plots – satanic cults and their use of ‘Gryphons and Gargoyles’ and a megalomaniac criminal taking over the town – throwing in musical episodes, and even an 80s-drenched flashback episode, Robert Aguirre-Sacasa suggests that there are no limits for Archie and his friends to explore. I’m sure you’d struggle to find another show that is unashamedly as strange as this.  

The Last Kingdom (Ælfwine the Precarious)

Granted the dubious honour of a Netflix purchase, The Last Kingdom’s fate was in the balance. At the BBC it was a suitably grounded and surprisingly historical venture, outshining Game of Thrones by the very murk of its lustre; much like the earlier seasons of Thrones, it is a series focused more on political machinations than flighty distractions of High Fantasy. Would Netflix sex it up with magic and mystique, kill the gylden gos with a Valyrian axe? Despite the introduction of a Norse spellstress, the thankful answer is a clear no. The Last Kingdom remains a grim, violent, and (still! vaguely!) historical traipse through Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Sharp Objects (Thomas Caulton)

Confronted with childhood traumas and her oppressive mother, tormented reporter Camille Preaker spirals into self-destruction while trying to uncover the truth about the gruesome murder of a young girl and the vanishing of another in the small Missouri town of Wind Gap, isolated in the heartlands of confederate America. The slow-burn narrative cuts deeply, maintaining an iron-fisted grip on the audience’s attention while drawing us further and further into Jean Marc-Vallee’s bleak and sultry vision. The masterful direction and unwavering visual style elevate Gillian Flynn’s source material, offering a relentless and mesmerising experience that establishes itself as one of 2018’s finest releases.

Bodyguard (Maeve Allen)

Jed Mercurio’s Bodyguard was nail-biting brilliance on the BBC. When David Budd (Richard Madden) is assigned a new role as bodyguard to the Home Secretary (Keeley Hawes), he must put aside his personal politics for her protection. Book-ended by terrifically tense scenes of attempted terrorism, this Sunday night series was a thrilling tale of forbidden love and crooked conspiracy. The story swerved and surprised, leaving the audience suspicious. Who should we trust? Is Keely really dead? When will I marry Richard Madden? It was Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: a properly perfect thriller.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Alexandra Petrache)

Delectable, decadent, disturbing: The Assassination of Gianni Versace carries itself magnificently, with an opulent production design and great acting all-around. Darren Criss puts on a stellar performance as Andrew Cunanan (the man who assassinated Versace) and manages to innovate his character; bringing out a new facet every episode, carving out a textbook psychopath with a lingering touch of madness. The viewer is taken on a journey that makes them feel pity, sadness, exasperation, disgust and fear. Some might even find it difficult to watch. The direction and plot are tastefully composed, albeit slightly convoluted at times. All-in-all, a great show gilded in gold, emotion and blood.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 6 (Alexandra Petrache)

I must say I wasn’t sure Brooklyn Nine-Nine would manage to keep its comedic mojo for a 6th season – it somehow felt that Jake and Amy’s wedding sealed the end of the show. However, Season 6 is a bang! Slightly shy in the first episode, testing the waters with the return, it keeps picking up and even though the tone of the jokes is similar to the previous seasons, they feel refreshed and even funnier. The relationships between characters also develop and take slightly unexpected turns. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is crisper than ever before – I definitely recommend being loyal and watching on.

(Featured image: still from Phantom Thread)

2018 boasts an impressive lineup of films, ranging from superhero epics to buzzed-about indies. We compiled a list of films worth watching below, ranging widely and with something for everyone. This list includes UK release dates. 

Phantom Thread (UK release 2 February 2018)

Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis stars in his final film as Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned couturier who begins a relationship with a young waitress named Alma. Directed by the actor’s longtime collaborator Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master), this sensual feature explores the dark underbelly of dependent relationships, gender roles, and control. Garnering early critical acclaim, specifically for Day-Lewis’ performance, the film is sure to be a proper sendoff for the legendary actor.

Wildlife (Sundance premiere 20 January 2018; limited release expected late 2018)

Actor Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood, Love & Mercy) makes his directorial debut with this family drama, set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival in late January. The film will follow a young boy who witnesses the dissolution of his parents’ (Jake Gyllenhaal and Carrie Mulligan) marriage after they move to Montana in the 1960s. Upon positive reception, the film is expected for be picked up for distribution and released at the end of the year. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing Jake Gyllenhaal as a dad, now’s your chance.

Black Panther (UK release 13 February 2018) and Avengers: Infinity War (UK release 27 April  2018)

Marvel Studios’ next two films come out within two months of one another, the former tying up loose ends for the epic face-off to come in Infinity War. Black Panther will follow Wakandan prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as he returns to his home country to ascend the throne after his father’s untimely death. Michael B. Jordan plays Killmonger, T’Challa’s challenger to the throne, with Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett starring as some of the prince’s closest body guards and confidants. It will be Marvel’s first film mainly comprised of actors of colour and has already broken the studio’s record for most pre-sale tickets sold. The film will introduce important characters into the MCU in time for Infinity War.

Infinity War will be set four years after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, when the villain Thanos (Josh Brolin) arrives on Earth to finish his collection of the Infinity Stones, allowing him to control reality and conquer the universe. In order to stop him, every major character introduced since the inception of the MCU – from Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) to Rocket (Bradley Cooper) to Falcon (Anthony Mackie) – will have to put aside their differences, band together, and fight. The film will feature the largest amount of superheroes on screen in cinematic history, and is sure to be an unforgettable ride.

Annihilation (Netflix UK release expected March 2018)

Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, Natalie Portman leads this sci-fi action film surrounding a group of soldiers who enter an environmental disaster zone after her husband (Oscar Isaac) survives a foray in the territory and barely makes it out alive. As they venture deeper into the zone, their perceptions of time, nature, and each other are tested. Director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) continues to expand the sci-fi genre by examining the relationship between human beings, technology, and morality.

Isle of Dogs (UK release 30 March 2018)

Following the success of his first stop-motion animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson returns to the field with this film about canines. Set in a dystopian future, Japan has quarantined all dogs on an island due to “canine flu”. Five dogs agree to help a young boy named Atari to find his lost dog on the isle, and as Japanese forces try to capture him, Atari and the dogs race against time to reunite the boy and his best friend. The voice cast of the film nearly features every single actor who has ever starred in a Wes Anderson film, though Owen Wilson is notably absent. We hope everything is still okay between those two.

The Sisters Brothers (expected late 2018)

The story follows Eli and Charlie Sisters (John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix), two hitmen brothers on the trail of a prospector (Jake Gyllenhaal) who has stolen from their boss. The film is French director Jacques Audiard’s (A Prophet, Rust and Bone, Dheepan) first English-language film and will also star Rutger Hauer and Riz Ahmed in supporting roles. Many thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal for starring in so many films this year.

Boy Erased (USA release 28 September 2018; UK release expected late 2018/early 2019)

Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, The Gift, Loving) writes, directs, and produces this coming-of-age drama surrounding a young boy (Lucas Hedges) who, after being outed to his parents (Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe), is forced into a gay conversion therapy program. There, he comes into conflict with his therapist and the rest of the patients. The film is based on Boy Erased: A Memoir and will feature Troye Sivan, Flea, and acclaimed director Xavier Dolan in its supporting cast.

Widows (UK release 16 November 2018)

Steve McQueen’s (Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) fourth film will center four widows (Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, and Cynthia Erivo) who team up to finish the dangerous heist that killed their cousins. With a screenplay penned by McQueen and Gone Girl author/screenwriter Gillian Flynn, we can expect nuanced female characters, a gripping story, and (hopefully) Viola Davis kicking ass.

If Beale Street Could Talk (expected late 2018)

Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins will follow his acclaimed film Moonlight with this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel of the same name. The story follows Tish Rivers (Kiki Layne), a woman living in Harlem, whose fiancé Fonny (Stephan James) is falsely imprisoned for rape. When Tish finds out she is pregnant, she, her lawyer, and her family race to prove Fonny’s innocence. With police brutality happening daily and mass incarceration continuing to increase in the United States, the film could not be more relevant and timely.   

Ocean’s 8 (UK release 22 June 2018)

Serving as both a sequel and an all-female soft reboot of the original Ocean’s Eleven film series, the film centers around Danny Ocean’s estranged sister Debbie (Sandra Bullock) as she organizes a team to pull off a massive heist at the Met Gala in New York City. Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter round out the core eight, promising a star-studded and exciting ride. George Clooney is not expected to make any cameos, but we can only hope. 

Other expected 2018 releases to keep an eye on:

A Wrinkle in Time (dir. Ava DuVernay)

Suspiria (dir.  Luca Guadagnino)

First Man (dir. Damien Chazelle)

The Death & Life of John F. Donovan (dir. Xavier Dolan)

Solo: A Star Wars Story (dir. Ron Howard)

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (dir. David Yates)

Backseat (dir. Adam McKay)