What We Are Watching, Summer 2023

Next In Fashion is a reality competition comprised of up-and-coming fashion designers, some with already established brands and some who are just starting out. Hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung (season 1) or Gigi Hadid (season 2), it follows the cast through a series of increasingly difficult challenges where they show their creations to celebrity designers like Donatella Versace or fashion icons like Bela Hadid. Each episode eliminates one or two designers until the final one standing wins $200,000.

I always enjoy watching creatives at work and this is one of the better shows I’ve seen in this format. The designers all seem to get along well and there is very little trash talk which is something I never enjoy. A few of the challenges are team affairs and unlike Amazon’s Making the Cut, there isn’t anyone trying to throw his or her teammate under the bus to get ahead. Netflix had initially canceled the show after one season, which was a bummer, but it was surprisingly renewed with all episodes dropping on March 3, 2023. Tan France is a very able host and mentor to the contestants, and I really enjoyed the addition of Gigi Hadid to the show. She is one of the most down-to-earth reality show hosts I’ve seen in any genre. She truly bonds with all the designers as she helps them navigate seemingly impossible challenges like creating a Met Gala-worthy gown in just 11 hours, nuts!

Next In Fashion is presented in beautiful Dolby Vision with lots of bright colors and bright lighting. Contrast is very deep though I occasionally saw a dimming artifact as the dynamic contrast metadata lagged a bit behind changes in scenery and lighting levels. It manifests as a dark few seconds followed by an obvious brightening of the picture. Otherwise, the image is stunningly colorful and vibrant. The resolution is razor-sharp with clear details in fabrics and textures.

The audio is dialog centric as expected with a clear placement of voices in the center channel. During the fashion shows, music thumps through all five channels and gives the sub a workout with drum and bass. Dynamic range is relatively narrow as befits the material.

Even if you aren’t interested in modern fashion or couture, Next In Fashion is a feel-good competition where truly talented designers create beautiful clothes that qualify as art. You won’t love everything they make but one thing’s for sure, it will provoke a reaction. And isn’t that the measure of art’s success?

An unlikely group of criminals, led by a man with a grudge, plots to rob the most secure vault in the world of a treasure worth over $7 billion dollars. Told over eight episodes which can be watched in any order, you’ll learn the back story of each character and how they each have a different stake in the outcome.

If you enjoy crime capers like Ocean’s Eleven or The Italian Job, you’ll love Kaleidoscope. The cast is led by two longtime favorites of mine, Giancarlo Esposito, whom you’ll remember as Gus Fring from Breaking Bad, and Rufus Sewell, seen most recently in The Man In The High Castle.

The idea of watching the episodes in any order was something I had not seen before. A short trailer plays first explaining the format and that each episode is color coded. Netflix will randomly order the episodes for different viewing profiles or accounts. And you truly can watch them however you want. Each one takes place either before or after the heist with one devoted to, you guessed it, the heist. Each time, you get a little more context and as you work your way through, the story comes together. If you think about it, lots of shows and movies tell their stories non-chronologically. This isn’t a stretch, at least not for me. I found it highly entertaining except for the safe-cracker character Bob, played by Jai Courtney. While he is an excellent actor, I was so wishing he would go away. At least he gets a funny sequence after the heist when he hires two goofball henchmen to help him take care of some unfinished business.

Kaleidoscope makes great use of Dolby Vision’s extended color palette with lots of vivid hues and primary colors that can only exist outside the standard HD formats. I would have enjoyed more contrast though. A few scenes, mainly those that take place in the vault and modern office outside it, are well done with deep shadows and bright highlights. But most other interiors and exteriors are a bit flat. The color is there but the dynamic range is not. The image is plenty sharp though, no softness there.

The Dolby Atmos audio encode brings plenty of classic action movie effects like gunfire and explosions to the party with a clean and punchy verve. Dialog is always easy to understand and is clearly mixed to the center of the screen. Object movement takes place all around the viewer with effective use of the surround channels. The sub gets plenty to do as well.

The idea of watching a series’ episodes in random order is intriguing and ultimately, very entertaining. The acting quality here is what really carries the show. The story isn’t terribly original but that doesn’t matter because it’s well presented. Crime caper fans will definitely want to check out Kaleidoscope.

32 top celebrity chefs compete in a single-elimination tournament to crown a winner who takes home $100,000. The bracketed tournament is divided into East and West divisions with the loser of each battle being eliminated. Thrown into the mix is the randomizer, a spinning wheel contraption that determines the protein, vegetable, equipment, style, and time limit for each one-on-one contest. Guy Fieri hosts while Simon Majumdar and Justin Warner provide on-the-floor commentary.

There are plenty of fun and entertaining cooking competitions on Food Network but since the demise of Iron Chef, I have missed watching the very best chefs compete in a high-pressure format. Tournament of Champions is a great replacement for Iron Chef in that it pits some of the best and most experienced competition cooks in a series of sudden-death battles. The talent on display here is truly awesome. Some of them are winners of Iron Chef, Top Chef, Chopped, and other high-profile contests. The addition of the randomizer ensures that all the chefs are challenged to the fullest. The commentary provided by Justin Warner and Simon Majumdar brings plenty of teaching moments and great banter between them and the chefs. The arena-style set with the chefs introduced like boxers in Las Vegas is a bit over the top but it’s such a fun show that you’ll be surprised when an hour and 20-minute episode flies by in what feels like a shorter time.

Food Network films all its content in good ole’ HD and it looks quite good. There is plenty of dynamic range thanks to the bright set lights and dark areas like gray countertops and black flooring. The presentation is designed to make the most of the TVs that don’t do HDR. Color is natural with bright hues seen in the chef’s clothing and Guy’s gangster-style streetwear. Justin and Simon always manage to dress colorfully as well. The detail shown in food close-ups would be at home in a fine food magazine. It is always clear and inviting.

The audio has plenty of exciting music presented as a backdrop to the very forward-mixed dialog. Voices are always clear but get a little harsh at times. That is more a product of the reality format than anything else so it is excusable. But you might find yourself tweaking the volume up or down at times.

Now in its fourth season, Tournament of Champions has hit a good rhythm with an experienced cast and amazingly talented chefs on every episode. Since we no longer have Iron Chef, this show has become a showcase for up-and-comers as well as experienced and established cooks. Any fan of high-energy competition will enjoy it.

From the creators of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, comes Full Swing, a look behind the scenes at the players and personalities of the PGA Tour. Netflix cameras follow several prominent golfers, all at different points in their careers, as they compete and navigate the inevitable politics that come with any high-profile and high-paying sport.

It’s been a long time since I followed professional golf but hearing that Full Swing was coming from the same bunch that produces Formula 1: Drive to Survive was enough to pique my interest. I wound up binge-watching the entire series in a couple of sittings. Like Formula 1, the focus is on the people. Each episode covers two golfers and their activities both on and off the course. Though egos are large, it isn’t quite as brutal as what’s portrayed in Formula 1. There’s plenty of colorful language but the players seem to have a close bond for the most part. Rivalries take place on the greens but in the locker room, it’s more relaxed. A lot is made of the new LIV Golf series and its ties to Saudi Arabia. A few of the players profiled here join that tour, giving up their PGA cards in the process. Whatever your take on the issue may be, Full Swing is clearly against this process. But that is only part of the backdrop. Golfers’ families are also featured and sometimes interviewed which adds a nice perspective.

Video quality is mixed thanks to the inclusion of a good deal of archival footage, some of which dates back decades. The parts filmed by Netflix are in Dolby Vision, which looks stunning thanks to richly saturated color and solid contrast. The old bits don’t hold up so well by comparison but in fairness, there’s nothing anyone can do about 480i interlaced video that exists only on ancient magnetic tapes.

The audio is completely focused on the dialog. Golf is a relatively quiet sport, so you won’t have the excitement that comes with screaming engines or cheering fans. The tournament footage is not from Netflix, so it too has varying quality.

Netflix has crafted a series about golf that will appeal to nearly anyone whether they’re a fan of the game or not. By focusing on the human element, they tell a story that transcends the thing binding the people together. If you enjoy Formula 1: Drive to Survive, you’ll enjoy Full Swing.

In this new reality competition, choreographers put their skills on display in front of a cheering crowd and 100 professional dancers. Not only do they bring the routines to life, but they are also the judges. As contestants are eliminated, the number of dancers in their troupe increases, making each challenge more difficult.

I must continue to applaud Netflix and its ability to come up with new and interesting reality contests. They’ve already taken us to the glass shop on Blown Away and the metal shop on Metal Masters. Add in a whole lot of unique, as in, not like Food Network, cooking competitions and it’s safe to say that Netflix is on a roll right now.

Dance 100 is the first dance competition I’ve seen of any kind on TV. I’m glad it focuses on the choreographers rather than pitting dancers against each other. The element where the dancers are the judges is also interesting. Since the dancers assigned to each contestant can judge their own routine, it puts the pressure on the choreographers to not only create good dance but to be good leaders and directors. The final products are shown on a large stage with multiple levels and colorful lighting though that is the one weakness I noted. The dance routines are sometimes difficult to see thanks to dark costumes and lighting that doesn’t really bring the dancers out of the background. This is a minor point though and I enjoyed the series very much. Hopefully, there will be another season.

Dance 100 is presented in Dolby Vision and shows tremendous dynamic range. Though the stage lighting is too dark, you’ll still see vibrant pops of primary colors with bright highlights that make the image look three-dimensional. Footage of dance rehearsals varies in quality as it is shot in a variety of interior spaces, some of which are poorly lit.

The audio is a thumping Dolby Atmos encode with lots of well-controlled bass. You’ll want a good subwoofer for this show as most of the music is drum and bass-centric. Dialog is clear with good dynamics and solid placement.

Dance 100 is another winner for Netflix. Since their criteria for renewal is a greater than 50% completion rate, meaning more than 50% of viewers who start the show must watch every episode, I think there’s a good chance it will make the cut. TV needs more reality competitions for creatives, and this is one of the best I’ve seen.

The Mandalorian and his sidekick Grogu return for a series of adventures that take them back to the Mandalore home world after its destruction by the Empire. An enemy thought defeated returns with a powerful army in hopes of plundering the planet’s resources. The scattered tribes and factions of Mandalorians must unite to save their race and their way of life.

Live-action Star Wars series on Disney+ have truly given new life to the franchise and The Mandalorian is the king of them all. As good as The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-wan Kenobi are, The Mandalorian is a more fully realized universe within the universe. It takes its own path rather than trying to maintain connections with the feature films. The evolution of the main character and Grogu, AKA Baby Yoda, are well portrayed by both actors and writers. Where Din Djarin started out as a bounty hunter, he has become much more than his own personal quests. By the end of this season, he’s even taken on the mantle of fatherhood.

Katie Sackoff’s character, Bo-Katan Kryze, also takes a journey from entitled princess to the leader of the effort to reunite the splintered Mandalorian factions and restore the devastated home world. Pedro Pascal has the challenging task of creating a character without a face. He literally does not remove his helmet for the entire eight-episode run. I’m beginning to think there is little he cannot do as an actor. If you have HBO Max, you’ll love him in The Last of Us. Of course, watching Grogu, brilliantly portrayed by an animatronic puppet, is the highlight. I could speculate that the success of this entire series hinges on Baby Yoda. He matures a bit here but still manages to convey a huge emotional range without speaking a word.

The Mandalorian takes full advantage of the extended dynamic range and color of Dolby Vision. Contrast is tremendous with a good balance of light and dark scenes that are always rich with detail. Blacks are true with shadow areas creating a proper sense of foreboding. Bright highlights glint from spaceship hulls and the metallic objects that pervade everyone’s clothing. The wide shots of work areas on Coruscant are loaded with light and dark areas that create a believable sense of space. Color is used to good effect with many cold metallic hues that still pop despite a distinct lack of warm tones. Skin colors and textures are natural and realistic, even when they belong to aliens.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is rich with strong bass effects and a solid surround envelope. My only complaint is that Atmos was not used for an even more immersive experience. Dialog is clear and detailed, even when actors are speaking from beneath helmets which is most of the time.

The Mandalorian suffers from only one major flaw, there isn’t enough of it. It’s the most original splinter of the Star Wars universe yet and one that I hope will endure the test of time. The other series are fun too, but they are forced to maintain closer ties to the feature films. The Mandalorian has a bit more freedom to tell a different story and because of that, it is the best of them all.

Admiral Jean-Luc Picard receives a mysterious plea from his old colleague Dr. Beverly Crusher that brings him out of retirement. Together with Captain Will Riker, they manage to hitch a ride on the USS Titan and quickly discover that Changelings have infiltrated Starfleet and are helping to bring about an invasion from another old enemy. Picard gathers the old crew and together with Seven of Nine, fights to prevent the very annihilation of the Federation.

After Season 2, I was a bit skeptical about this third and final season of Star Trek: Picard. I didn’t want to take another trip through Picard’s head in a plot arc that could have been told in five episodes rather than 10. Luckily, Season 3 is almost non-stop action and mayhem. Seeing the Next Generation crew together again was a real treat. I was disappointed that Brent Spiner only appeared late in the run because as always, he is the finest actor of the bunch. He manages to play Lore, Dr. Soong, B4, and Data just by making subtle changes to his inflections and facial expression. He is a true master of his craft.

There are a good number of plot tangents to enjoy here as well. The interaction between Raffi and Worf is a lot of fun. Michael Dorn reprises his role with a dry wit that wasn’t there in the past. I could truly see an evolution of the character. Kudos also must go to Amanda Plummer as the principal humanoid villain. Her casting is certainly interesting in that she plays a similar character to her father’s (Christopher Plummer) General Chang whom we enjoyed greatly in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

The video is presented in Dolby Vision but at 1080p instead of 4K. This makes the image a tad soft in most wide shots with fine detail only appearing in closeups of faces or objects. The additional contrast afforded by HDR isn’t used to its fullest potential. The majority of scenes are dark with only a few highlights like instrument panels to create a sense of depth. Shadow detail is rich though, but you’ll need a good display to see everything clearly.

The audio is of high quality, but I was disappointed to experience just Dolby Digital 5.1 rather than Atmos. The surround envelope is subtle with most of the action taking place in front of the viewer. My subwoofer was used moderately. There is some bass presence but like the rest of the audio presentation, it could have been better.

Season 3 is a fitting end to Star Trek: Picard with an engaging plot, nostalgic appearances by all the best Star Trek Next Generation actors, and some new blood that might be good enough for a spinoff series. I won’t spoil anything here but there is plenty of story potential there. Longtime Trekkies like me will appreciate all the Easter eggs and the appearance of the Enterprise D. This show was a lot of fun and is completely binge-able. Highly Recommended.