After what I’m referring to as Ye Olde Arrow Debacle last week, it’s clear we just can’t trust anyone these days. Have no fears this week, however, as each of these releases has been verified and enjoyed, with only traces of faulty Netflix press releases. And when you're done with this selection, a couple of other notable options coming out this week are Bones Season 9, ABC Family’s The Fosters Season 2 and the supernatural BBC teen drama Wolfblood, all on Netflix. Otherwise, it’s Jess all day.
Call it “humping the shark,” but Season 3 of Fox’s hit comedy New Girl went down the wrong road by sticking Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) together in a relationship for almost the entire thing. I mean, they had problems the entire damned time they were dating, so where’s the joy in watching that? Thankfully, everything surrounding that fiasco was pretty great, with writing that never loses its one-liner-heavy focus. Damon Wayans, Jr. becomes a major part of the cast, and a whole host of guest stars show up to make everyone’s lives more troublesome, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner, reprising their roles as Jess’ parents. Linda Cardellini has a stint as Jess’ sister and Schmidt’s temporary lover Abby, and this season marks the first ever TV sitcom appearance of the legendary Prince, for an episode that played after the Super Bowl. Season 4 of New Girl premiered this past week, and you can find current episodes on Hulu.
All three seasons of New Girl are currently available on Netflix Instant.
Do you guys remember back in February when L.A.’s Dumb Starbucks coffee shop took over the world for a few days? That was a stunt put into motion by Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder for his Comedy Central series Nathan for You, in which Fielder puts his Bachelor of Commerce into play by convincing struggling business owners and would-be entrepreneurs to try left field tactics to achieve their goals. It’s an unscripted show, so what he’s doing is real, in a sense, and he’s not just pranking people into doing stupid things. (Although some pretty stupid things are done.) Dumb Starbucks gets its own Season 2 episode, joined by others where Fielder takes on a hot dog stand, a liquor store, a dating website and a pet store. The way he advertises said pet store is pretty spectacular. Fielder just has a way of talking to people that makes everything seem optimistic. I bet he’d be a good hostage negotiator. Maybe in Season 3.
Nathan for You Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available on Amazon Prime.
Currently in the midst of being adapted for U.S. audiences, this unnerving 2011 Australian drama is centered on a small controversy at a neighborhood barbecue. One character slaps another couple’s child for antagonizing his kid, and it sets of a ripple effect of tension and conflict as characters stand on both sides of the line as far as how important the slap actually was. Relationships are strained and secrets get revealed that alter these people’s lives forever. It’s pretty dramatic stuff, and each episode is tethered to a specific character, which gives audiences a chance to sit in with everyone's mindset. With all the abuse stories happening in sports these days, The Slap seems like a particularly felicitous choice for TV viewing.
The Slap's lone season is available on Netflix Instant.
