Steamy Streaming: BFFs

BY: Zak Wojnar

In honor of My Brilliant Friend on HBO, we’re taking a look at five great shows and movies with an emphasis on the bonds formed between BFFs. They’re not just friends; they’re family.

My Brilliant Friend

Based on the “Neapolitan Novels” by the elusive (and probably pseudonymous) Elena Ferrante, this HBO original series is actually a co-production between the cable giant and Italian television. There are four books in the saga, and this eight-episode miniseries covers the first story, My Brilliant Friend. A sprawling tale following two childhood friends throughout their life, from childhood to adulthood and beyond, My Brilliant Friend aims to eventually complete the entire story in an ambitious, 32-part television event.

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series

Based on the cult Robert Rodriguez film from 1996 (which marked George Clooney‘s first leading role in a feature film, alongside Quentin Tarantino), the television adaptation of From Dusk Till Dawn ran for three seasons on the El Rey Network, carving out a jolly niche of blood, guts, Mexploitation, and family bonding. The chemistry between leads D. J. Cotrona and Zane Holtz is enough to keep the show engaging, even without its spectacular line-up of supporting actors and guest spots: Don Johnson, Robert Patrick, Demi Lovato, Jeff Fahey, James Remar, Gary Busey, and Danny Trejo all appear on the show, which effortlessly jumps from shameless camp to deadly serious drama and everything in between.

Miami Vice

Speaking of Don Johnson, what more can be said about the chemistry between the southern charm of Sonny Crockett and the New York gravitas of Ricardo Tubbs, played by Philip Michael Thomas? For five seasons, from 1984 to 1989, the leads of Miami Vice were the coolest guys on TV. While the fashion may seem either dated or awesome depending on one’s own sensibilities, the style of the show (courtesy of showrunner Michael Mann and, in season three, a pre- Law & Order Dick Wolf) holds up to this day. Every episode is imbued with an unprecedented cinematic flair which continues to influence today’s hottest shows, and Miami Vice‘s uncompromising cynicism towards the ill-fated War on Drugs was boldly bitter in the face of Ronald Reagan’s slipshod presidency.

Escape from Dannemora

Ben Stiller is best known for comedies like Zoolander and Meet the Parents, but he’s showing off a different side of his psyche, directing the new Showtime series, Escape from Dannemora. Written by Brett Johnson (Mad Men, Ray Donovan) and Michael Tolkin (The Player, Changing Lanes), Escape from Dannemora follows the real-life story of the Clinton Correctional Facility escape, a 2015 jailbreak which made for breathtaking national news.

The series covers the story from the perspective of the escapees, played by Paul Dano and Benicio del Toro, two convicted murderers, as well as Tilly Mitchell, a fictionalized version of Joyce Mitchell (played by Patricia Arquette), a prison worker who aided in the escape, and for whom both prisoners develop romantic feelings. To say the least, it’s a unique love triangle.

Elementary

For a long time, fans of Sherlock Holmes were head-over-heels for the BBC‘s Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as modern versions of Holmes and Watson. Those same fans were highly skeptical of CBS‘s adaptation of the timeless Arthur Conan Doyle character, which was also set in the present day, but, with time as the ultimate judge, Elementary stands head and shoulders above its contemporaries.

Jonny Lee Miller is absolutely perfect as Sherlock Holmes, a deeply flawed and modern version of the classic literary character. Elementary is unafraid to show Sherlock’s ugly side, his troubles with drug addiction and complicated relationships with his friends and peers. He’s not just an insufferable super hero, but a legitimate, three-dimensional human being. Lucy Liu marks a departure for Watson, who is traditionally depicted as a male, but makes an excellent and strong-willed foil who is unafraid to call out Holmes on his shortcomings. Together, they are one of the best pairings on TV. Add in the New York City setting, and you have one of the most quietly powerful and satisfying dramas currently on television.

At this point, naysayers who decry the character-rich procedural in favor of the BBC version are just sore losers distraught at the poor quality of Sherlock’s most recent seasons. #SorryNotSorry