This article originally appeared on Complex.com
When a new streaming service launches, the library and back catalog is among the first concerns—rightfully so, in a world where nebulous copyrights now control which of even the most mainstream properties is available and where. But the name of the game is content, and so with each new service comes new originals to ostensibly secure loyal subscribers and set the tone for what kind of brand this service will be.
Now to be fair to HBO Max, some of their originals plans—like, say, iconic auteur Michael Mann's Tokyo Vice, which he was filming on location—have been dashed by COVID-19. And they have long game aces up Bob Greenblatt's sleeves, like 2021's planned launch of Zack Snyder's original vision for Justice League. But, the service launched last week with several original series, so this is what we have to go on now and so far, it's not the biggest splash. A lot of family-friendly fare, Anna Kendrick, a couple of competition shows and a whole lot of BBC imports add up to a nascent service who's biggest draw is still TCM and Studio Ghibli titles. And, Harry Potter I guess, if you're into that sort of thing. Anyway, for curious and ravenous minds, Complex Pop sampled each of Max's originals to tell you what's worth your time. Hit the flip for our first dispatch on HBO Max.
'Craftopia'
Genre: Competition series
Length: 25 minutes
Recommended for fans of: Master Chef Junior, Nailed It!
As I’ve worked my way through previous seasons of Top Chef during quarantine, I’m constantly in awe of how skilled you can become if you dedicate yourself to the mastery of a craft. Top Chef and shows of its ilk are the types of reality competition programs I enjoy: a show where everyone is focused on creating the best possible version of something in their own unique way with their particular skills. Given my admiration for these series, it’s no surprise that I find myself enjoying Craftopia.
Hosted by YouTube personality Lauren Riihimaki, aka LaurDIY, Craftopia swaps food for craft projects and top-rated chefs for three amateur teen crafters, each proficient in some sort of crafting specialty, ranging from yarn to glitter. From there, the trio competes in a warm-up and then larger crafting-based challenge—a format that should be pretty familiar to avid watchers of any existing competition shows. The set is infused with the aesthetics of a Lisa Frank binder on overload—seriously it looks like a rainbow vomited everywhere—and a maniac editing style that frequently verges on too much. However, the actual, technical skill on display from the contestants is staggering; the first episode features a crocheter named Jonah who is so incredibly fast that judge James Worsham goes out of his way to specifically address footage of Jonah at work wasn’t sped up in any capacity.
I didn’t anticipate being this interested in a show that’s definitely geared towards teens, tweens, and families. But those who find appreciation in a perfectly poached egg will find similar admiration for many of the projects and skillsets on display in Craftopia. If you’re willing to embrace the inherent campiness and frenzied pace of it all, you’ll be delighted by how effectively the series wins you over.
'Looney Tunes Cartoons'
Genre: Cartoons
Length: 15 minutes
Recommended for fans of: Classic Looney Tunes characters
Long before they played basketball with Michael Jordan to determine the fate of the universe, the beloved characters of Looney Tunes lived as a series of dedicated cartoon shorts from the mid-1940s to the late-1950s. As helmed by Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, the original cartoons are some of the most treasured bits of Americana and (understandably) cast a large shadow over the 2020 reboot for HBO Max. Lovingly titled Looney Tunes Cartoons, the Peter Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) series looks to capture and update the appeal of what made the shorts such classics all those decades ago.
Despite the presence of a smartphone in some key art for the show, Browngardt and his crew largely avoid incorporating modern elements into the slapstick plots of Cartoons. Instead, the series opts for a decidedly throwback approach that trickles down all the way to its polished 2D animation and vintage-inspired character designs. The animation style looks just as kinetic and alive in 2020 as it was in the '40s and '50s.
However, diehard fans might object to the loss of nuance in the new portrayals of classic characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, as the shorts are often one purely chaotic exercise after another. Maniac energy has always been at the core of Looney Tunes, but Cartoons leans heavily into sight gags and cartoonish violence almost exclusively, which can get exhausting after a while. Fortunately, the episodes are only 15 minutes or so and include two shorts with a brief interstitial in between.
As is the case with any revival, Looney Tunes Cartoons was always going to have a nearly insurmountable amount of expectations placed on it. The good news is they didn’t botch its execution. Rather, Cartoons provides a solid foundation to build upon moving forward.
'The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo'
Genre: Talk show
Length: 15 minutes
Recommended for fans of: Sesame Street, Fallon-era Tonight Show
Considering the sheer amount of talk shows (late-night or otherwise), it seemed inevitable that we’d end up with a puppet-based version eventually. Who better to rise to the occasion than Sesame Street? The Not-Too Late Show with Elmo is exactly what it sounds like, using Jimmy Fallon’s (who fittingly enough appears in the first episode) version of The Tonight Show for inspiration in the same way The Muppet Show used Saturday Night Live as a foundation to build upon. Cookie Monster serves as the sidekick while Elmo interviews celebrities and queues up musical performances just like any other late-night show—albeit with Elmo’s unique sense of charm and warmth.
Some of the guests work better than others. While I personally don’t vibe with Fallon, his energy is a good match for the show; the Jonas Brothers episode didn’t work for me at all (their song about brushing your teeth is weirdly sexual?!) The real winner has to be the John Mulaney and Lil Nas X episode, as both guests know exactly how to tailor their sensibilities for this show. I’ll also give kudos to Kacey Musgraves, who shows up in the premiere episode after Fallon for a lovely rendition of the Sesame Street classic “Rubber Ducky.”
The show makes sense for HBO Max insofar as it leverages one of its splashier IPs as a launch title for kid-friendly audiences, and in turn, provides a solid lure for high-profile talent. The execution of each element doesn’t feel forced and manages to be entertaining for adults too; there’s a bit in the Mulaney episode where Elmo cuts him off before he has a chance to plug anything—a point the comedian himself actively acknowledges—that garnered an earnest chuckle from me.
Roughly 15 minutes apiece, Not-Too Late is an excellent way to wind down your kids for the evening, not unlike the way traditional late-night shows often serve as background noise for an adult’s nightly routine.
'Stath Lets Flats'
Genre: Comedy
Length: 23 mintes
Recommended for fans of: What We Do in the Shadows, The Office
I suspect the initial appeal of UK import Stath Lets Flats will be the presence of Natasia Demetriou. The What We Do in the Shadows actress heads up the supporting cast of this workplace comedy written by and starring her brother Jamie Demetriou (who you might remember as the “Bus Rodent” in Fleabag). As the titular Stath, Jamie infuses the character with a staggering amount of stupidity, creating all kinds of chaos as a real estate broker for apartments in London’s Greek-Cypriot community.
UK housing is somehow even worse than apartment hunting in major US cities and the show capitalizes on this anxiety by having an already difficult process made even worse by Stath’s complete lack of both professional and personal skills. The result is a decidedly cringe-worthy show; situations dogpile up on top of one other in a manner reminiscent of The Office’s more difficult moments. The Demetriou duo plays extremely well off one another, elevating each other’s respective performance in a sort of game of idiot chicken, leading to all kinds of antics.
Fans of Shadows will likely enjoy seeing Natasia flex a different set of comedic muscles in Stath (she’s typically the brains of the household when it comes to Shadows) and interact alongside her own brother. However, those who are totally unfamiliar with the two might have a tougher time deciding to sign the lease on this one.
'Trigonometry'
Genre: Drama
Length: 44 minutes
Recommended for fans of: The Affair, Fleabag Season 2’s relationship intrigue, Parenthood, The Americans minus the spycraft
Let’s get this out of the way up top: Trigonometry is not about math. Well, it kind of is. But not in the solving for equations kind of way. Rather, the BBC Two series (airing in the states for the first time courtesy of HBO Max) is about what happens when you add a new, third party to an existing relationship. So, yes, the “tri” portion of the title does hint at an encroaching threesome—but the series is fully content with easing all parties (including the viewer) into the new situation as delicately and lovingly as possible.
Under the guidance of showrunning duo Duncan Macmillan and Effie Woods, Trigonometry skillfully introduces all the players: couple Gemma (Thalissa Teixeira) and Kieran (Gary Carr) clearly love one another but are saddled with increasing concerns about their futures, both as individuals and as a unit. Gemma’s restaurant (located under the couple’s apartment) is in desperate need of repairs and more servers, while Kieran’s late-night EMT shifts don’t put him in much of a position to help out around the joint house/cafe during the day. With housing costs on the rise (this is the second HBO Max import, along with Stath Lets Flats, to be directly influenced by the London housing crisis), the pair decide to lease a room to a new tenant named Ray (Ariane Labed). A professional synchronized swimmer Ray, of course, is in the middle of her own transitional period after a life-altering accident.
Woods and Macmillan have such affection and warmth for their characters that the whole affair feels decidedly intimate, almost as if the viewer is intruding on the proceedings. The pilot episode ends with a bathroom standoff—for lack of a better term—that evoked shades of one of my favorite moments from The Americans; it’s a quiet sequence that uses glances and the physical presence of the characters to convey an ocean’s worth of emotions. Nothing about the growing sentiments between Gemma, Kieran, and Ray feels forced, rather the growth of fondness between all feels inherently natural. It’s a delicate needle to thread and I’m shocked it works as well as it does.
I’m still early on in the series, but I’m more than impressed with what I’ve watched thus far. The sheer amount of content in HBO Max makes it a little overwhelming to take everything in, but Trigonometry is worth seeking out—as the show is a veritable diamond in the ruff.