Following two strokes of genius with Nathan For You and The Rehearsal, the master of cringe humor, meta-fiction, and post-TV, Nathan Fielder, makes a triumphant return with this new TV series co-written and directed alongside Benny Safdie. It stands out as my favorite show of 2023 for various reasons. Firstly, The Curse tackles themes of gentrification and white guilt, which are rarely explored in TV land. Secondly, its humor consistently tiptoes on the edge of the abyss without tumbling, a feat often missed in attempts at the 'cringe' genre. Thirdly, the stellar acting, with Emma Stone delivering her usual brilliance, but it's Nathan who steals the spotlight, portraying a fictional character for a change. Safdie's performance, while passable, suits the character seamlessly. Fourthly, the final episode ranks high on the WTF TV scale, akin to Twin Peaks The Return Episode 8. I recommend diving in The Curse with no expectations, avoiding prior knowledge of characters, situations, or storytelling devices. This brief teaser trailer is all you should see, and if it doesn't immediately entice you, it might not be your cup of tea.

Only one episode in and I can already tell this is the best TV show about *actual human beings* I've  seen since High Maintenance. How To With John Wilson is an HBO series of fake documentaries (or should I say, video tutorials) about random subjects, simple things like "How to make small talk", that slowly turn into a surprisingly profound meditation on life in New York City and/or modern depression while grabbing you by the throat at the same time. Very subtle and clever with haunting visuals. Brilliant stuff!