Netflix: I Just Watched 3 New Shows – But You Should Watch Just One of Them

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

I just watched three new shows on Netflix that are getting considerable attention but I’m here to tell you that you might want to skip two of them, in my humble opinion. And here they are:

The Perfect Couple – Unwatchable!
Nicole Kidman stars as a famous Nantucket novelist who frowns upon her son’s pending marriage to a young zookeeper (Eve Hewson). But what’s normally a run-of-the-mill family disagreement becomes much more when a body washes up on the beach. That sounds like an entertaining premise, doesn’t it? Well, let me tell you. The Perfect Couple is the worst waste of acting talent I’ve seen in years. Despite their impressive skills, Kidman, Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Liev Schreiber, Isabelle Adjani and Meghann Fahy (what a great cast!) cannot overcome the inept direction and sophomoric writing. The show tries to be a blend between HBO’s The White Lotus and Mare of Easttown, but it turns out to just be an annoying mess. It works best as a drama but the odd comedic fillers (interviews at the police station; family dinners after the body is discovered! What is wrong with these people?!) too often detract from the flow of the narrative. And don’t get me started on how they solve the mystery. Ridiculous!

Untold: The Murder of Air McNair – Soft Pass
The Netflix documentary chronicles the 2009 murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair at the hands of his mistress/girlfriend. The official story is that the girlfriend was distraught over McNair’s growing indifference in the relationship and decided to take both their lives. But this is Netflix where no conspiracy is untold. The Murder of Air McNair repeats rumors that an ex-boyfriend and other suspicious characters may have been involved but offers few new details to warrant that explanation. It’s not an uninteresting doc but probably one that should have stayed untold. All it does is cast doubt where it seems unfair to do so.

Rebel Ridge – Watch It!
Aaron Pierre stars as Terry Richmond, an ex-Marine whose plan to bail out an imprisoned cousin in a small Southern town is turned upside down when the local police seize his money without cause. Richmond then turns to Plan B, C and the entire alphabet of plans to bring justice for his cuz and wreak vengeance on the police department. Rebel Ridge is a throwback to those simple but powerful one-man revenge action/thrillers of the 1970s/80s (Billy Jack, Walking Tall) with a taut, fast-paced plot and a magnetic performance from its lead, Aaron Pierre, who clearly has a bright future in this genre. Don Johnson, 74, but not looking it, is a delight as the police chief as is AnnaSophia Robb as Richmond’s helper-in-distress and the great James Cromwell as the town’s judge. Rebel Ridge is winning near unanimous praise from the critics, some of whom are lauding it as one of the great films of 2024. I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and what a shame it didn’t get a chance in theaters before its Netflix release this month.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.

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