Coming to a Streaming Box Near You!

By Anthony Elio

The world of streaming has officially taken over traditional media! At least that’s what I’ve heard, I’m perfectly content with my DVD collection of seasons 4, 5, and 7 of Everybody Loves Raymond, thank you very much.

Every year, each streaming service releases a slew of brand-new shows looking to become the next big watercooler series. And, as a member of the media (and because I successfully blackmailed a few studio executives), I was able to get advanced screenings of some of these exclusive projects.

Hard Knocks: The Ontario Wombats

PREMISE: Mirroring the style of HBO’s NFL-centric series, Hard Knocks has expanded into the ruthlessly competitive world of the Canadian Curling Club, following the internationally praised Ontario Wombats in their quest to bring home their first title.

REVIEW: This is the Ontario Wombats like you’ve never seen them before, in a format that lets them show their raw emotions while putting everything they have on the ice. Watching star player Luke Leblanc’s return from potentially career-ending gout proves to be one of the most enticing storylines of the series.

That ’10s Show

PREMISE: Following the success of That ’90s Show, Netflix is launching a prequel of the Foreman family’s life in 1910’s America.

REVIEW: While the series might feature plenty of nostalgia for anyone that grew up in the era, it struggles to find comedy from the time with veiled references to the Eighteenth Amendment and President Woodrow Wilson’s signing of the Jones-Shafroth Act.

Temptation Island: Going Solo

PREMISE: A new twist on the classic dating show, Temptation Island: Going Solo takes young, sexy singes and leaves them each on individual deserted islands to fend for themselves.

REVIEW: Although definitely an ambitious project, fans of traditional dating shows might be disappointed by the lack of romance in the program and disapprove of watching the aforementioned sexy singles face compete isolation and a slow descent into madness.

Max Rebo: A Star Wars Story

PREMISE: Fans of a galaxy far far away have been waiting 40 long years to hear the full story of the lead musician of the Max Rebo band from Jabba’s palace, and this Disney Plus series promises to explore the character in a nuanced (and often heartfelt) way.

REVIEW: Fanservice at its finest, giving Rebo his highly anticipated origin story while opening the door for future projects such as The Book of Bib Fortuna and Ben Quadinaros: The Next Chapter

Son of Sam: Dying of Laughter

PREMISE: Combining Netflix’s specialties of true crime programming and live comedy specials, Son of Sam: Dying of Laughter is a onenight-only comedic event featuring David Berkowitz himself.

REVIEW: Berkowitz might be serving at Shawangunk Correctional Facility for 13 counts of criminal violence, but I personally believe he should have an extra charge of first-degree amusement due to his unique, slice-of-life approach to comedy.

Anthony Elio is a writer and disgraced former child star living in Denver, CO. He currently plays drums in the band Television Generation and can be found on Twitter @AntsSweatsBets.