SAWING IT UP
One of the most anticipated manga-to-anime adaptations just wrapped its first season, so go binge CHAINSAW MAN in its entirety! In true action anime fashion, the premise is a bit bizarre (but totally worth checking out). Denji, a teen boy living on the streets with his demon dog pal, Pochita, finds himself reborn with new superpowers passed on by said dog — he can now transform into a merciless killing machine with chainsaws for arms and a huge, lethal blade coming out of his head. As part of an elite squad of government-sanctioned devil hunters, Denji and crew are tasked with stopping evil incarnate in the form of the elusive Gun Devil. The quirky team tempers the grimness of their profession with lots of crassness, cigarettes and an all-too-fitting devil-may-care attitude. It's all backed by gorgeous cinematic animation from one of anime's greatest studios, MAPPA. (CHEY SCOTT)
UNDER PRESSURE
On Netflix's new cooking competition show PRESSURE COOKER, chefs from around the country compete over eight episodes for the chance at a $100,000 prize. With chefs within the show's communal house judging each other's cooking, the drama builds as some choose strategic ways to befriend or betray their fellow chefs to avoid getting voted out. One of the notable competitors is Jeana Pecha, who previously cooked at multiple Spokane restaurants including Vieux Carré, where she was executive chef before leaving for California to start her own restaurant. The show has been listed in Netflix's top 10 streaming choices, and is sure to keep you guessing who will ultimately take home the prize. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on Jan. 20.
JOHN CALE, MERCY. The avant-garde multi-instrumentalist legend of the Velvet Underground puts out his first original collection of tunes in a decade with the help of Animal Collective, Weyes Blood, Dev Hynes and other eclectic modern standouts.
WE ARE SCIENTISTS, LOBES. It's still unclear why the American indie rock band is so much bigger in the UK than stateside, but don't let dwelling on that divert from shaking your hips to the danceable new tunes like "Operator Error."
GUIDED BY VOICES, LA LA LAND. Releasing an album in January makes sense for the overly prolific indie rockers, because it means the group still has time to put out four or five more before 2023 ends (this one is GBV's 37th). (SETH SOMMERFELD)
