For every show that becomes unbelievably popular, there are hundreds that simply fall out of favour and become forgotten. And there are good reasons for many of them.
However, every now and again shows come along that, despite being fantastic and genre defining, simply don’t get what they deserve. That’s part and parcel of the constant churn of content on streaming services, but it doesn’t mean you should just them all pass.
Here are three great examples of TV shows currently available on Disney+ that might have slipped down the cracks but really do deserve a second chance.
DEVS
To simply try and define DEVS in short would be a disservice to the show. Written and directed by the legendary Alex Garland (Civil War, Annihilation, Ex Machina), the show at its basic form is an exploration of loss and the drive to change by whatever means necessary, no matter the cost.
Areas of history, pre-determinism, quantum mechanics, and multiverse theory are all explored in the show’s eight episodes. We get a story of a reclusive and super secret development section of a tech giant, but at no point does Garland attempt to “dumb down” the content in order to appeal to a wider audience. It is intelligent, raw, powerful and unforgiving. It’s also not for everyone, but because of this it has grown a loyal fan base.
Today the meaning behind the show is still being questioned and explored – people seem to get out of it what they look to find. Characters are rich and well developed and act with real motivation and drive. Performances are universally fantastic, with special mention to Stephen McKinley Henderson and a beautifully reserved Nick Offerman.
Take your time, focus and listen to this one. It is absolutely worth your time and could well change how you look at the universe… or just enjoy Offerman’s glorious beard.
We Were the Lucky Ones
There was a time when Disney+ was criticised for hosting shows and movies deemed adult. Many seemed to want the network to focus fully on the family-friendly side of things and not move into territories deemed complicated or problematic.
Thankfully, it stuck to its guns and fully embraced the opportunity to expand its reach with interesting, more cerebral shows.
Based on the novel by Georgia Hunter, We Were the Lucky Ones is the story of a Jewish family before, during and after WW2, struggling to survive as the Nazi threat grows and as the Holocaust becomes a painful reality. It’s a show that is unafraid to show the inhumanity of man and is imbued with a constant feeling of creeping dread. It is a powerful piece of work and the fact that history has taught us the reality of the situation simply adds to the narrative,
Released only a few weeks ago, We Were the Lucky Ones seems to have had none of the usual Disney marketing push (possibly based on the subject material) and will no doubt be forgotten behind a wall of family and teen-friendly superhero stuff. This in no way means it shouldn’t be seen.
Powerful and painful to watch, it leaves a lasting impression, and is another reminder of how, if we do not learn from history, we are destined to repeat it.
Moon Knight
Marvel in 2024 is a juggernaut of content and overlapping release schedules. Pumping out movies and TV shows, one after another, it seems there is simply no end to this age of expansion.
The only issue is that the more you release, the higher the risk of quality being dropped. If you were to be honest you would have to admit that it’s been a while now since it released anything actually good (controversial, I know). Quantity seems to have won over quality.
Back in 2022 however, Marvel Studios was still at its peak and so could afford to be brave with projects decidedly off-brand. Based on a generally unknown character, largely mature in nature, and pulling no punches in terms of themes and focus, Moon Knight takes on themes of trauma, mental illness, mythology and religious extremism in one of the most daring Marvel series so far.
With a fantastic central performance from Oscar Issac playing multiple versions of the same character, and a genuinely chilling Ethan Hawke as a very complicated bad guy, the show was met with critical acclaim but not huge numbers in terms of viewers. It seemed that many Marvel fans wanted big and flashy CGI superhero stuff and not a show with a deep plot and grown-up script.
Thankfully though, there are reportedly talks happening right now about a possible second season, so there’s no better time to watch this almost hidden Marvel gem.
