This week, I'm breaking from form to share some of the things that captured my attention this month, ranging from a riveting Netflix series and a uniquely humorous personal essay to an in-depth investigative podcast. These recommendations all managed to stick out from the sea of content and leave a lasting impression. In our fractured media ecosystem, the volume of options can be overwhelming. It's easy to miss a hidden gem, and the streamer’s algorithmically-generated recommendation engines provide little help. At the moment, when I turn on my television, Amazon incessantly recommends a film titled "Ricky Stanicky." Hard pass on that one.
So, with that, here are my April endorsements.
Ripley
Ripley, Netflix's latest miniseries, is an ambitious adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel, "The Talented Mr. Ripley." The series takes place along the Italian seaside of Atrani during the 1960s. Amidst the meticulously composed shots, Andrew Scott stars as Tom Ripley, the down-on-his-luck conman. He brings a fresh layer of complexity to a role that has loomed large in the cultural imagination since Matt Damon's portrayal in the 1999 film adaptation. Yet, this eight-episode iteration offers a more nuanced exploration of the central characters. The show, commissioned by Showtime in 2019, had a rocky production with multiple pandemic-related delays. Netflix purchased the series from Showtime after filming had wrapped. Yet none of this backend turmoil is evident on screen.
Crying Myself to Sleep on the Biggest Cruise Ship Ever
With his trademark absurdist humor, novelist Gary Shteyngart embarks on a commissioned assignment that is as bizarre as it is hilarious. In this personal essay for The Atlantic, he chronicles his seven-day trip aboard the inaugural journey of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which he describes as "like Istanbul had it been designed by idiots." Through the 9,000-word essay broken down by day, Shteyngart reveals the layers of absurdity one encounters on such a ship. His telling of why he opted to board the cruise wearing a t-shirt with "Daddy's Little Meatball" emblazoned across the chest is worth the ticket alone.
Season Four of Serial
When the Serial podcast premiered in 2014, it was a breakout moment for podcasting, the first to break through and reach a massive audience. After a five-year break from the less successful third season, the podcast is back with an ambitious fourth season, delving into the intricacies and controversies of Guantánamo Bay. As host Sarah Koenig explains in the first episode, this is a story she has been trying to tell for a decade. It isn't just a story about a military prison; it explores the human stories from the perspective of both the guards and the prisoners. This production team knows how to weave a compelling narrative, and they deliver it in spades here.