CRIMINAL MINDS
New FX/Hulu series Reservation Dogs got a lot of well-deserved attention for its all-Indigenous writing and directing team, and majority-Indigenous cast. The show created by Sherlin Harjo and Taika Waititi about four kids on an Oklahoma reservation committing small-time crimes in hopes of leaving their hometown succeeds as a comedy as the quartet hijacks a potato chip truck and deals with a rival crew of teen troublemakers. It also works as a revealing look at rez life, as the quartet comes to recognize how they're connected to the past, and how those connections affect their futures. Sometimes that past appears in the form of visions of Indigenous warriors of yesteryear, and sometimes through an old relative they haven't seen in a while. The four Rez Dogs are stars in the making, surrounded by memorable characters who make this show something different from your typical sitcom. (DAN NAILEN)
SAVING HUMANITY
This year author Andy Weir treated us to Project Hail Mary, his latest masterpiece filled with sarcasm, cursing and lots of inventive science fiction. As someone who devoured The Martian and Artemis, I had high expectations for the book, which focuses on one man's journey across space as he seeks a fix for the parasitic space bugs killing Earth's solar system. Expectations: Met and exceeded by this excellent read. My mom, who was a bookseller for years and reads more than 150 books a year, similarly offered the high praise of "best book I've read this year." (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
There's noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online Sept. 3. To wit:
Image Dragons, Mercury-Act 1. Rick Rubin produced, and I can only imagine it took a HUGE check for that to happen.
Camila Cabello, Cinderella soundtrack. Sure, there are other artists on here, but Camila's skills are driving this reimagining of the classic tale.
Iron Maiden, Senjutsu. MAAAAAAIDEN! (DAN NAILEN)