DRAMA. “The Bear.” Season 5. / “Margo's Got Money Troubles.” / “Adult Material.”

“The Bear” (Hulu) Season 5, Series Finale. Drama. Talented haute cuisine chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) inherits his family's Italian beef sandwich shop. He returns home to Chicago to run it, leaving behind his world of working in Michelin-starred restaurants. 

       The majority of the (final) season takes place over a single day, picking up the morning after the previous season's finale, in which Sydney, Richie and Natalie learn that Carmy has quit the food industry and left the restaurant to them. With no money, the threat of a sale and a torrential storm in their way, the new partners must band together with the rest of the team to achieve one last service, hoping to finally earn a Michelin star. 

       Nothing really happened here. Tired, bored, redundant. I watched it to just get over it. Done. 🎥💻📽

“Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Apple TV+) comedy-drama. Margo Millet’s tumultuous journey unfolds as the daughter of a Hooters waitress, Shyanne, and a former professional wrestler. 

       The lineup is enough reason to watch this “pushing the envelope too much” series. Stars Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman, Greg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden. I am not a huge fan of Elle Fanning and I don't like Michael Angarano that much, but that's okay. And I like Chinese-born Northern Irish Thaddea Graham.

       And then, this series is created by legal drama wiz David E. Kelley, although “Margo…” is not a legal drama, except with the final episode. This series is based on the 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe. 

       While my view of motherhood or parenthood per se is an individual sense of responsibility and character wisdom, the OnlyFans element is where the “pushing the envelope” ensues, in my opinion. 

        For one, I don't bite the bait that a perfectly healthy, good-looking, and promising writer–in a society with ample of possibilities–would do OnlyFans because she lost other options to earn a living and support a child. And she has support systems, mom and dad. But if we are talking about a situation elsewhere, and so on and so forth, OnlyFans is a credible option over dealing illegal drugs and the likes. 

       But again, I like the performers in this series. 🎥💻📽

“Adult Material” (Amazon Prime) British drama. About an ordinary hardworking mum-of-three who has been working in the adult entertainment industry for many years. The issues that this 4-episode series poses are exactly what are expected, and these can be forced-fed or contrived. 

       But Hayley Squires’ wickedly involved Jolene Dollar/Hayley Burrows, a porn actress and mother of three, kept the joint alive and kicking. But nothing is surprisingly original. 🎥💻📽