What’cha Watchin’?
Screengrabs from the Chronicle staff
Fri., Dec. 15, 2017
White Famous (Showtime)
Ironically, White Famous might actually make leading man Jay Pharoah white famous thanks to his solid portrayal of up-and-coming comedian Floyd Mooney, which is greatly aided by cast members Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mooney's sleazeball agent Malcolm, and Jacob Ming-Trent as his postal carrier/consigliere friend Balls. Don't get me wrong, White Famous isn't going to blow your socks off, but it is worlds better than I'm Dying up Here, which may be the least funny show about comedians ever written, and White Famous also includes Michael Rapaport, who fearlessly overacts, but who gets extra credit for busting Donald Trump's balls regularly on the internet.True Romance (Showtime)
Speaking of Michael Rapaport, his finest work as a bad actor was his cameo role as Dick Ritchie in True Romance, the director's cut of which is also currently available on Showtime. To say True Romance is a masterwork of American cinema would be a gross understatement. If you haven't seen it, you probably voted for Trump. You need to fix that shit, stat. True Romance stars everybody. I mean every goddamned body. Brad Pitt? Check. Gary Oldman? Check. Val Kilmer? Check. Samuel L. Jackson? Duh. Plus Bronson Pinchot and Kevin "Uncle Eddie" Corrigan. That's only half the cast. Google it. It's like Tony Scott had a mason jar filled with the souls of famous actors.SMILF (Showtime)
This comedy, which seems to have borrowed its title from the fetish section of PornHub, is actually one of the most inventive series I have seen in some time. Set in South Boston, SMILF follows the life of a single mom struggling to make it in the modern gig economy. She tutors/babysits, goes on casting calls, tries out for the WNBA, and even dabbles in light prostitution. Guess what? Not only does former Blue Mountain State cheerleader Frankie Shaw write, direct, and star in SMILF, she's also smart enough to enlist the services of Connie Britton, who is literally shitting TV gold these days, and Rosie O'Donnell in what may prove to be her only likable role ever – and yes, I am including A League of Their Own.– Distribution Manager/Luv Doc Rabble-Rouser Dan Hardick