GO WEST
The refurbishing of west downtown Spokane continues with the arrival this week of a new, still-untitled public art piece by artist Susan Zoccola. The striking series of bright spheres connected into arches were inspired by the neighborhood's "auto row" history, and sit atop the new plaza west of Adams Street between Sprague and First Avenue, over one of the new sewer overflow tanks. The piece was commissioned through a joint effort by Spokane Arts, the city and the Downtown Spokane Partnership. (DAN NAILEN)
BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE
If you like the 2014 comedy horror film What We Do in the Shadows, and you really should, then you'll enjoy the TV series on FX with the same name, created by the stars of the original film, Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. The series is a mockumentary about a household of vampires in Staten Island stumbling their way through the world. The cast is different from the movie, but it brings the same dry wit and humor to the undead creatures. Somehow, it makes a show about murdering humans a delight. (WILSON CRISCIONE)
THE STREEP DEPARTMENT
Meryl Streep's one flaw as an actress is that she's too perfect — you can sometimes see the perfectionist's "acting!" gears turning just behind her eyes. But when she's placed in the right role, that weakness turns into another strength, adding richness, complexity and duplicity to her character. So it is with Streep's role as the main draw to the second season of Big Little Lies, as the grieving mother of the murder victim from the first season. Both her sweetness and her barbs seem like a performance obscuring her true self — and hint at what makes her so dangerous. Now streaming on HBO. (DANIEL WALTERS)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Some noteworthy new music arrives online and in stores June 14. To wit:
Calexico/Iron & Wine, Years To Burn. Their 2005 collaboration was a killer, here's hoping they repeat the trick on this one.
Baroness, Gold & Grey. The prog-metal heroes offered up previews of this album at their killer Knitting Factory show a few months back.
Bruce Springsteen, Western Stars. Delivering sans E Street Band, the first couple singles showcase the Boss in crooner mode.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Turn Off The News (Build A Garden). Easy for you to say, Lukas! We didn't all grow up in Hawaii smoking dad's weed! (But I'm sure the album is stellar; this band is great.)
Madonna, Madame X. What was the last Madonna song you were truly excited about? Be honest. (DAN NAILEN)
AT WHAT PRICE?
If you discovered a treatment that could save hundreds of thousands of lives, what lengths would you go to in order to get your small startup funded? Give up a relationship with a good friend? Allow someone to spend the night with your spouse, no questions asked? Netflix's new 10-episode show What/If is a slow-burn psychological thriller with all the improbable drama of a serious soap opera, but with high-caliber editing and acting. Even as you find yourself scoffing at some of the developments, you'll find it's pretty hard not to let that five-second timer count you down right into the next episode. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
