Meryl Streep in Only Murders in the Building Season 3

The excellent limited series that mixes our obsession for true crime with humor, Only Murders in the Building, is back for its 3rd season. And there’s the definitive David Bowie music documentary, now available for streaming.

Only Murders in the Building - Season 3 (Disney+) - Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd as recurring characters is the big story behind this Season 3. That Meryl plays a stage actress who’s been passed over too many times, and it’s only in the twilight of her career that she gets a shot is one rich irony - and Meryl makes the most of it, in hilarious fashion, in the first episode. Paul Rudd plays an overbearing, insecure lead actor, which he attacks with relish, as it’s a far cry from his regular roles, whether in Marvel films or as the engaging, smart-aleck protagonist. Here, he’s playing to the hisses and boos that we’d typically heap on this cesspool of a thespian. Ashley Park is also in the cast and looks out for her as her role evolves.

And, of course, OMITB is really about the chemistry between Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This time, they frequently go meta-with Selena’s character complaining that she doesn’t get so many of the stories and asides that her two co-stars engage in because she’s just not that old! At the time of this review, three episodes are available for viewing, and my first impression would be that while still deftly mixing true crime obsession with comedy and witty repartee, there’s a distinct note of melancholy about acting, creativity, and the profession, as the series takes on Broadway. It isn’t as quippy as the first two seasons, but this gravitas pays dividends with a song that caps the third episode. All is well, and the third episode rights the good ship Arconia.

Moonage Daydream (HBO Go) - Directed by Brett Morgen and sanctioned by the Bowie estate, this documentary is a beautiful example of the possibility and promise fulfilled when trying to chronicle the life of a music icon. David Bowie, the musician, is someone I grew up with - discovering him through Space Oddity, and his Ziggy Stardust phase coincides with my heading to England for studies. I witnessed Ziggy's retirement in 1973 and the different permutations of the Bowie persons that followed. So when my eldest son, Quintin, mentioned the documentary as a must-see, I wondered whether there’d be anything new to offer someone like me who has followed his career, its ups and downs.

Beyond the shifts in music, the changes in look, and his chameleon-like qualities, what I did find illuminating in this documentary is how Morgen utilizes new performance and interview footage to go beyond the music and costume changes and delve into the man and his psyche. What Bowie was attempting to create and express via his music career is examined and put on display in the course of this music profile. It tries to scratch beyond the surface and go deeper into the person, and I’ll admire and credit Morgen for doing this while maintaining a rich visual aesthetic. Some may find it meanders and goes on for too long, given that there was mediocrity in the latter part of Bowie’s career. Still, I’ll take it as a sober appraisal of his contribution to popular music and as a pioneer in the politics of gender identity.