At the start of the season, we weren’t sure if we had the desire – or rather the mental energy – to attend the Roys’ bickering. A new cycle of emotional abuse, courtesy of a family as wealthy as it is dysfunctional. Scheming, betraying, repeating. Fortunately, the death of a key character shook the cards in a spectacular and unexpected way. Result: the (big) luxury soap will leave the air after a fourth and final season punctuated with highlights. One only has to think of the explosive face-to-face, in balcony mode, between Shiv and Tom, or even the shenanigans behind the scenes during the electrifying election night, an episode during which one believes to have only breathed once. Good feelings are overrated.
The Voice hasn’t been part of our TV routine for several years, but this week we’ll reconnect with the show to watch the last lap of Blake Shelton, who leaves his red coach chair after 23 seasons. Who are the finalists ? No idea. We do know one thing, however: NBC will do it big to mark the departure of the country singer, who forms one of the most unexpected couples in show business with Gwen Stefani. The singer of No Doubt will also come to make her turn, just like Adam Levine, John Legend, Dolly Parton, Pharrell Williams, Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Lewis Capaldi.
This drama by the late Mike Nichols, which shook us so much at the cinema in 2004, has not aged a bit. Just like The Blower’s Daughter, the beautiful ballad by Irish songwriter Damien Rice, which plays twice: at the opening, before the first images even appear, and 100 minutes later, just before the credits emerge. Closing. Depicting the romantic crossovers (?) of two couples of informed adults, Closer (in French version, Intime) is certainly a generator of discussions. Some love it, others hate it, but no one is indifferent. Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, Jude Law and Julia Roberts deliver high-caliber performances.
In February 2020, La Presse awarded Olivier Martineau’s second one-man show three stars (out of five). A pandemic later, the show lands “in full and uncensored version” on ComediHa.tv, a platform that we know more or less well, but to which we can subscribe for $9.99 per month. Captured last February at the Cabaret Lion d’Or, the comic stand-up performance revolves around the clash of generations. According to our colleague Marissa Groguhé, Martineau “often hits the mark when he crosses the line of decent”, a style of humor that we particularly like. The highlight would come at the very end of the evening, when he grabs his guitar to sing ribald songs. Intriguing.
