March Madness: 5 TV events to finish out the month

| Senior Cadenza Editor

With the end of spring break come the inevitable blues of returning back to campus and, if you’re particularly unlucky, moving back into Olin for those post-break midterms that professors these days seem to love. Before we know it, it will be April Fools’ Day and the entire school will be gearing up for finals and breaking out the summer wardrobes. Luckily for procrastinators, there are still almost two weeks of March left, and that fortnight is filled with exciting television events to keep you occupied and away from the books. Here are five of the best:

‘Bloodline’

on Netflix, March 20

bloodline
“Bloodline” is one of the latest new series to hit Netflix in recent times, a drama-fueled thriller to counteract the lighthearted comedy of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” The show follows the Rayburn family, the leaders (played by Sam Shepard and Sissy Spacek) of which run an inn in the Florida Keys. Three of their grown children—all played by big names Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor of “Friday Night Lights”), Norbert Leo Butz and Linda Cardellini— live in the sun-drenched home of retirees.

But when the outcast brother returns home for a family reunion, all the old resentments and ghosts come back to haunt the family. A true family drama, “Bloodline” makes use of flashbacks and complex and layered storylines to get at the heart of family and just how difficult it can be when the ties start to come loose and untangle. If you’re missing some tried-and-true family spectacles and heartfelt arguments that you can binge watch (thanks, Netflix), then “Bloodline” is for you.

‘The Late Late Show’

with James Corden on CBS, March 23

THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN
Most people on this side of the pond may know James Corden best from his role as the Baker in last Christmas’ movie musical extravaganza, “Into the Woods.” Which may make you wonder why he was picked to replace longtime host of “The Late Late Show,” Craig Ferguson. However, Corden has been steadily building a reputation for his affable-yet-sarcastic brand of humor over in the U.K, particularly on his hit sitcom “Gavin & Stacey.” Since then, Corden has been making big moves across the Atlantic, earning a Tony Award for his performance in “One Man, Two Guvnors,” on Broadway.

Although the first steps for new “Late Night” hosts are always shaky, Corden is shaping up to start strong. Tom Hanks will be his first guest, with other big-ticket names like Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Kerry Washington filling out his initial week. Corden’s iteration will also be the first time the talk show has a house band, headed by Reggie Watts. To witness a new shake-up in the late-night landscape, tune into Corden’s debut on CBS this upcoming Monday.

‘Going Clear’

on HBO, March 29

People walk past the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles building in Los Angeles
“Going Clear” is not a new television series like the rest of the list but rather a much-hyped and discussed documentary about Scientology, its controversial practices and the people who left the church. The film premiered at Sundance to a full house (those with tickets were even being turned away) and a standing ovation and is being hailed as the most incisive expose of the church yet. With interviews from some seriously high-ranking ex-members, including former senior executive Marty Rathbun, it’s already got the Scientology bigwigs shaking in their boots—they’ve devoted an entire section of Freedom Magazine’s (the Church of Scientology’s official magazine) website to defaming the film’s director (and ex-member) Alex Gibney and every single interview source he uses.

Revelations about the church include the supposed “Hole”—a horrifically harsh punishment center for supposedly deviant members—and how the organization preys upon celebrities and vulnerable people, then traps them within the church by gaining dirt on them through its controversial auditing process. “Going Clear” will not disappoint anyone looking to learn more about the shady, underhanded dealings of this church.

‘Weird Loners’

on Fox, March 31

WeirdLoners
Coming to you from the creators of “The King of Queens,” “Weird Loners” is Fox’s latest entry into the comedy game and another sign that it is becoming the genre’s leader over NBC. Marketed as a new-age “Friends” with four members, “Weird Loners” follows the story of a group of strangers who are forced into each other’s worlds in a New York townhouse (yeah, this premise is sounding familiar).

The idea behind the title is that all four stars (Becki Newton of “Ugly Betty,” Zachary Knighton of “Happy Endings,” Nate Torrence of “Hello Ladies” and newcomer Meera Rohit Kumbhani) are getting on in their years and are somehow “weird” because they can’t find significant others like the rest of their friends.

There’s probably some cheesy stuff about finding value in friendship and building yourself up without someone else, but the appeal in “Weird Loners” will inevitably focus on the quirky antics the foursome gets up to and the uncomfortable situations in which they will find themselves. For those still missing “Friends,” “Weird Loners” might go some way toward filling that gap.

‘Younger’

on TV Land, March 31

Younger
You may be glancing at the network for new show “Younger” and thinking, “What?” You’re not alone. Aside from its proliferation of reruns, the little-known channel TV Land (most notable for being the home of Betty White’s “Hot in Cleveland”) has picked up another original sitcom this season starring Broadway-famed Sutton Foster. The basic plot of “Younger” follows Liza (Foster) as she emerges from a divorce and sets out into the big city to find work—only to find that she’s considered too old to enter back into the workforce.

Enter the “best friend,” who Liza enlists to help make her look—you guessed it—younger, so she can go about getting entry-level work and starting over again. The premise is already sounding a little problematic—Foster asks in the show’s trailer if she’s willing to throw away her dignity and self-respect for “another chance at her 20s,” to which her friend promptly replies, “Yes.”

If the show manages to navigate the issues of ageism and the overdone makeover trope with humor and originality, then it might just work. After all, “Younger” comes from the mind of “Sex and the City” creator Darren Star and Hillary Duff has a role. There’s a lot to look forward to here.

Sign up for the email edition

Stay up to date with everything happening at Washington University and beyond.

Subscribe