Assassin’s Creed brings the Syndicate to play this Fall

After Assassin’s Creed: Unity hit store shelves like a freshly pressed disc of nuclear waste, the series name has been put in a precarious position. After some adventures in France, Ubisoft has set their sights on London, in the heat of the Industrial Revolution. Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate follows both Jacob and Evie Frye, a brother and sister Assassin duo who aspire to grow their criminal empire. The reveal trailer teases new systems for plotting assassinations, like caravan hijacking and grappling hooks. With a focus on the economic inequality of the period, Syndicate may prove to be the most politically relevant AC yet. Join the Syndicate on October 23 on PS4 and XBox ONE (PC to shortly follow).

In related Ubisoft news, the company confirmed that Tom Clancy’s The Division will not be making it to players this Fall. The apocalyptic third-person shooter MMO (initially revealed at E3 2013) is now scheduled for release in early 2016. Also coming that year from the French publisher will be a number of virtual reality games, targeting the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Sony’s Project Morpheus VR headsets.

The Father Of Symphony Of The Night Comes To Kickstarter

After departing Konami last year, many speculated what the beloved producer Koji Igarashi (who helmed many of the 2D Castlevania games, including Symphony of the Night and many of the Nintendo DS installments) would do next. As it turns out, it’s another game that looks a lot like SotN. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night launched its Kickstarter campaign earlier this week, and has already blasted past its $500,000 funding goal to around $2 million. The game is described as “An exploration-focused, side-scrolling platformer featuring RPG and crafting elements,” with detailed hand-drawn visuals.

Nintendo takes us back to 1990 for a new World Championship

The late ’80s were a confusing time for America. The fall of the Berlin Wall, the seemingly unstoppable growth of the AIDS epidemic, and the theatrical release of The Wizard, starring Fred Savage. Less of a film, and more of a 90-minute advertisement for various Nintendo Entertainment System games, it’s a road trip flick following a pilgrimage to the Nintendo World Championships. While the film was fiction, the event eventually became real – challenging kids across America to post a top score in Super Mario Bros, Tetris, and Ridge Racer. Now for the 25th anniversary of the Championship event, Nintendo will be reviving the tournament as a part of their E3 festivities. On May 30, fans can flock to select Best Buy locations to compete for a spot in the finals – which will run on June 14 in Los Angeles (leading up to the company’s E3 presentation on the 16).

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25

As the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Therefore, it’s hard to express how much shame I felt as I watched the pilot episode of Wayward Pines.

I’ve been burned on shows like this before. FOX’s summer series has all the hallmarks of bad mystery TV, from an era still obsessed with recapturing the magic of LOST.  The pilot episode is littered with unanswered questions, eccentric characters and an unmistakable air of intrigue. I’ve been here before. Under The Dome, Terra Nova, AMC’s doomed revival of The Prisoner… All frontloaded with promises, only to inevitably underwhelm. Yet despite all the evidence — I want to believe in Wayward Pines.

The series follows Secret Service agent Ethan Burke (Crash‘s Matt Dillon), who wakes up within the mysterious titular town of Wayward Pines, Idaho after a sudden car crash. The town is an artifact separated from time, Twin Peaks with a healthy hit of The Stepford Wives-style retro charm. Within its boundaries is a high-profile ensemble of eccentric characters — including Terrance Howard, Juliette Lewis and Melissa Leo. The latter in particular offers a brilliantly simple take on the classic “cruel nurse” archetype, delivering a stellar monologue that delivers the episode’s biggest chill.

Like any first episode for a mystery series like this, it’s mostly an hour of worldbuilding. Infamous thriller auteur M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable) directs the pilot, reminding us why he’s still being given a shot after so many high profile flops. He’s a genuinely skilled director, painting the sleepy town in soft pastels in contrast with moments of exploration into the sharp real world. It doesn’t take a word of dialogue to realize something’s afoot in Wayward Pines — every frame is familiar yet menacing. Even a typical conversation between ex-coworkers becomes unsettling with some smart camera work. Since Shyamalan is only directing the first episode, it’s hard to say if this style will stay consistent for the series. But if the show can maintain the quality, Pines could be one of the most visually attractive displays of the summer.

I can’t guarantee that Wayward Pines will be worth your time this summer. For every exciting mystery introduced, a disappointing answer could be just around the corner. It’s high-profile cast could easily sink into overbearing quirkiness. Worst of all, it may skew answers altogether in the quest for a second season. But if you’re willing to go on blind faith, this might be the show to keep you guessing all summer long.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 takes us back to the warehouse.

After teasers from the man himself and inadvertent leaks from catering chefs, Activision finally gave Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 a formal confirmation. The first sequel to the Pro Skater franchise in 14 years, THPS5 is returning to its roots of small-scale parks designed for hours of combo perfection. But all is not cheery in the world of the Tony Hawk fandom. Development is being headed up by Robomodo, the studio responsible for the abhorrent Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD (which failed to translate the classic physics to a new engine), as well as the infamous Tony Hawk: RIDE (which employed the use of a large plastic skateboard). Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 will hit later this year on PS4 & XBox ONE, with PS3 & 360 versions at a later date.

Oculus makes like a reluctant fiance and finally sets a date.

The Oculus Rift has been at the forefront of many gamers’ minds since its initial announcement in 2013. After a successful KickStarter, multiple revisions and a $2 billion dollar buyout by Facebook, Oculus has finally announced their first consumer-level headset. The Virtual Reality company has confirmed the Rift will hit store shelves in Q1 2016, meaning sometime between January and April. No price has been announced yet, but pre-orders will open later this year. The 2016 release means Oculus will not be the first VR headset to hit the US market, since HTC & Valve’s Vive is still set for a release this holiday.

EA & Nintendo report profits, stealthily give us newsy goodness.

It’s the end of the fiscal year (I know, I stayed up to watch the ball of tax returns drop at midnight), which means massive companies like EA & Nintendo are meeting with stockholders. Which means news tidbits are getting dropped that may otherwise go unnoticed. First, on the Nintendo side, is the reveal that Nintendo will be partnering with Universal Studios to produce theme park attractions based on their myriad of famous characters. No specific dates or locations were announced, but rest assured you’ll soon be able to pay a sunburnt teenager in a wig way too much money for a cold glass of Lon Lon Milk.
On Electronic Arts’ call, they confirmed release windows for one of their most anticipated titles and announced intention to make sequels in other franchises. Long-delayed parkour sequel Mirror’s Edge 2 is set for release next spring, alongside a new Plants vs. Zombies title. Fans of Titanfall can also start the wait for a sequel, set to launch sometime between April 2016, and March 2017.

This weekend, Mad Max: Fury Road will storm into theaters like an unstoppable freight train of explosions, gore and well – madness. George Miller’s long-awaited return to the Mad Max franchise promises to be a spectacle of the highest regard – with super-loaded cars racing through a dystopian outback. Scavengers mutated from the chaos ride atop vehicles speeding through the desert, swinging from poles and risking everything just feet above certain death. Sure, next to the (literally) sky-high fights in Avengers: Age of Ultron  – Max‘s idea of danger might seem quaint on paper. But seeing is truly believing – regardless of the smaller scale, Fury Road has a sense of danger that you rarely see in a summer blockbuster. Perhaps it’s because, unlike the computer-generated antics of Marvel’s heroes – every stunt in Fury Road is real.

Director George Miller commented in an interview with Hero Complex. “We crashed a lot of cars; every stunt was done, if not by the cast then by some very fine stunt men; and it was shot on a real location. I’ve had enough experience with CG to know that you can’t really get some of that immersive material authentic in a way. Cumulatively, it’s appreciated by an audience. It feels more real.” Miller’s not alone in the desire to go back-to-basics. Last month at Star Wars Celebration, as he was introducing a new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, director J.J Abrams declared the film’s commital to practical sets – to roaring applause from the crowd. While computer generated effects will still be a large part of The Force Awakens, it won’t be relying upon them. “Even before ILM [Industrial Light and Magic, the digital effects studio] gets started, you can watch the movie and see what it is.” Abrams noted.

This is a particularly massive shift for Star Wars, due to the fact that the prequel trilogy is often credited with making CGI a mainstream tool of the blockbuster trade. The technology behind centerpiece pod-racing scene, and the inclusion of an entirely digital supporting character (universally beloved cultural icon Jar Jar Binks) were unheard of in 1993, when the project was announced (For more info on how Phantom Menace came to be, I can’t recommend this hour-long behind the scenes documentary). Digital paint covers every inch of those three films (Within Phantom Menace in particular, only a single sequence didn’t require digital alteration), the only way Lucas saw fit to realize his vision. But it came at the sacrifice of reality itself. As you watch those films, it can become obvious that actors are really on a green sound stage – looking into imagined landscapes.

But it’s not all tragedy. Without the steps taken to portray a war between battle droids and Gungans on Naboo, Peter Jackson may have never had the tools to portray the Battle of Helm’s Deep. Jar Jar Binks, for all of his grating quips, was the original motion-captured digital character (central to the magic of Avatar, or Rise of the Planet of the Apes). That’s the ultimate legacy of the Star Wars prequels – and what The Force Awakens may prove to dismantle.

Of course, neither film will completely toss the progress of the digital generation out the window. Mad Max‘s epic vistas of a world gone insane are the product of computer generation, Star Wars still needs a little magic to make a lightsaber glow in the night. But their approach may trigger a larger shift in Hollywood. While the impossible destruction brought to us through computer generated imagery may be wonderful, it can stand to occasionally take a backseat to a real actor, living through the action that we believe to be imagination.

It’s almost that time of the term again. It’s the ASUO Street Faire, dense with rich scents, new flavors, and lavish trinkets from local vendors across Eugene.

The ASUO Street Faire is an institution, bringing the best of town right into our campus. The event runs from May 6 to the 9th along 13th street. It’s pretty difficult to miss. If you’re looking to make the most of the event, here’s a few booths that will be offering some must-taste items.

Happy Go Lucky Crepes

Crepes are one of the most simple, and versatile foods that has ever come out of the great French culinary dynasty. Thin pancakes cooked on a hot griddle, filled with any variety of goodies to delight the senses.

Happy Go Lucky Crepes is based in Eugene, and is one of the most recognizable booths in the fair with their bright signage — and delightful aroma. Plus, they even have gluten-free and vegan options available for more health-conscious faire goers. Enjoy a sweet crepe loaded with Nutella, lemon and sugar, or bananas, almonds, and rum for a Bananas Foster.

Or turn the experience into a full lunch, with one of their savory crepes. Enjoy one loaded up with smoked ham and swiss, or tomato, pesto, and mozzerella. That’s just the beginning — Happy Go Lucky Crepes offers plenty of options to maximize your crepe experience. Operator Lisa Kline says “mixing it up with students at the U of O is really fun, and that’s why we keep coming back year after year! … We love to cook, and it helps us pay back our student loans, too!”

Localvore

If you’re looking for a lunch with a purpose behind it, be sure to visit Localvore — a food cart serving classic Americana with a commitment to regionally sourced ingredients. Organic and always GMO-free, the cart offers Pulled Pork sandwiches and burritos, seasonal salads and wraps, and even Indian-style samosas loaded with peas, potatoes, lentils, and green chilies. If you’re looking for soul food with a soul, Localvore is a must.

Bandon’s Best Kettle Korn

If there’s one thing that defines the Street Faire for most students, it has to be the intoxicating smell of freshly popped kettle korn. Salty and sweet at once, it’s an impossibly addictive snack that nobody does better than Bandon’s. Their classic Kettle Korn is a thing of beauty — but they’ve also got great flavors like Snickerdoodle and Tooti-Fruiti to keep you coming back for bag after bag. Be sure to stock up — this stuff will practically vanish before your very eyes.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25

I hold the first Avengers film in an unusually high regard. In my eyes, it’s not just the best of Marvel’s films — it was the best film of 2012. As the crown gem to their “Cinematic Universe” gamble, it knows how to please an audience in the most primal ways.

My expectations for Age of Ultron were thus mixed. How could it possibly deliver the same sense of childlike excitement over bringing together old friends, and laying the foundation for new adventures?

As an advantage of being a part of Marvel’s mammoth body of work, Age of Ultron doesn’t need to waste a moment on establishing its team.

The opening is a phenomenal raid sequence — with a one-shot that perfectly encapsulates the frenetic teamwork and smooth action that define the film. These characters don’t need to introduce themselves, or even explain their presence. Marvel has reached a level of confidence nearly unseen in blockbuster film — they know this isn’t your first rodeo, because they’ve got the box office receipts to prove you saw the last movie.

No matter who you are, if you’re in that theater, you’ve got enough of a primer to the dynamics of Tony Stark & associates. That confidence defines Age of Ultron — it knows what you want, and it will happily deliver.

The action is a series of firework shows, propelled by adrenaline. Marvel’s strength has always come from embracing its comic book roots, and establishing action sequences that blend realistic settings with impossible elements.

An African city becomes a theme park of destruction for Iron Man and Hulk as they attempt to pummel each other into the pavement, going beyond the same CGI spectacle that has defined this genre. A strong vision for choreographing and shooting these fights makes them both fun and stimulating to watch. Even in its last sequence, with the team of heroes smashing hordes of generic metal men, the stakes are established in a fresh method.

Just as critical to an Avengers film is the dynamic between the team. Whedon’s script is saturated with charm, peaking in a party scene that would feel indulgent with any other collection of characters. Yet with a cast that has imbued these personas for so many stories, there’s an honesty in it all.

As a fan who has followed every piece of MCU content, I could feel every character arc reflected in their interactions. It’s deeply satisfying, feeling these narrative puzzle pieces fall together without resistance.

Surprisingly, the one character given the most development is the eternal Luigi of the gang Hawkeye. Much like Agent Phil Coulson in the first Avengers, Whedon puts Clint Barton under his wing for Ultron. We’re given a closer glimpse into a guy who’s role in the world feels increasingly irrelevant in a world of metal geniuses and literal gods. His arc is self-aware and loaded with tiny moments that will be quoted for months to come.

Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) are the newcomers to the festivities, taken under the wing of the titular Ultron (voiced by James Spader). As villains go, the trio make for an interesting dynamic. While Ultron’s appearance projects a stereotypical harbinger of doom, Spader gives the robot a true personality — arrogant in his ways, yet knowingly flawed. Scarlet also makes a memorable entrance with her telekinetic powers visualized like a horror film. Quicksilver is the weakest link, made worse by the natural comparisons’ to the scene-stealing version of the same character seen in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Together they form a morbid adopted family, united through tragedy and desire to prove themselves.

Like most of Ultron, it’s hardly new — but told in a compelling manner.

Summer Blockbusters rarely get more satisfying than Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. It’s a stacked film, dense with development of characters both old and new. Every second is designed to charm, wow, or mystify with potential for what comes next. Concentrated superhero film bliss.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter @Mushroomer25.

Valve backpedals on Paid Mods for Skyrim

Last week, Valve announced an immediately controversial update to the popular Steam Workshop mod distribution service – allowing creators to put their creations behind a paywall. The decision was met with near-universal disdain for the feature’s effect on a long-standing community, 25 percent payout to content creators, and reliance on mod creators to issue DMCA requests on other users submitting their creations.

After four days of enraged fans venting on forums, creating petitions and labeling Valve CEO Gabe Newell a “False God” – Valve and Bethesda announced they would be removing the service from Skyrim. In the announcement, Valve was quoted saying, “stepping into an established, years old modding community in Skyrim was probably not the right place to start iterating. We think this made us miss the mark pretty badly, even though we believe there’s a useful feature somewhere here.”

P.T. vanishes, taking Silent Hills with it.

Back in October, a mysterious “playable teaser” appeared on the PS4 online store entitled P.T. The atmospheric horror experience took users through one deeply unsettling hallway into a full-on descent into madness. Once some diehard fans solved the game’s deeply confusing final puzzle, it was revealed that the demo was for a reboot of Konami’s reboot of the Silent Hill franchise, entitled Silent Hills.

The project was set to star The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus, with Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim) and Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid) set to produce. However, after Kojima’s abrupt departure from Konami back in March, the status of Silent Hills was unknown. But this past weekend, a series of developments caused Konami to officially sign the death certificate. First, some eagle-eyed fans realized that PT was set to be removed from the PSN store on April 29 (it is now no longer available). Then at a film festival, Del Toro said the project hadn’t been moving forward and that it “breaks (his) greasy heart”. Reedus also commented that the game appeared to be dead. Finally, Konami formally confirmed that the game was cancelled.

Banjo-Kazooie is Back (In Spirit, At Least).

The term “spiritual successor” is tossed around a lot in this new era of retro revivals. Kickstarter has allowed the original creators of beloved classic franchises to bring back their old idols — without actually bringing them back. Mega Man creator Keniji Inafune raised millions in crowdfunding for his new platformer Mighty Number 9 (which will be seeing a retail release this September), Double Fine just released Broken Age (their fan-funded love letter to classic adventure games), and now the creators of Banjo-Kazooie will be campaigning to fund the creation of Youka-Laylee.

The Kickstarter was a vibrant success, hitting its’ £175,000 goal in less than an hour. The new 3D platformer is heavily inspired by Rare’s N64 classics, from the dual-lead character concept, to the vibrant visuals, even to the title font. Depending on how the crowdfunding round goes, the game is planned for release on XBox ONE, Playstation 4 and WiiU. Backers will be able to get the full game for a $15 donation.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter @Mushroomer25

Mad Max Looks Disastrously Brilliant

After a lengthy period hiding in the shadows, WB Games has shown off the first gameplay footage from Avalanche Studios’ (best known for the exceptional Just Cause games) Mad Max. This is an apocalyptic open world adventure – blending elements of survival with hand-to-hand combat and the franchise’s iconic vehicular mayhem. The five-minute gameplay trailer shows off all of these new dynamics and more. Immediately the game’s combat and open world progression fell reminiscent of last year’s Shadow of Mordor – another WB Games joint. Though in fairness, that game’s main character never ate a can of dog food with his bare hands. You’ll be able to get your hands on Mad Max this September for XBox ONE, PlayStation 4 and PC.

The Internet is Not Happy about Star Wars: Battlefront

When you have a long-awaited sequel to a game with a beloved cult follow and a publisher as openly despised as Electronic Arts (whose fanboy-enraging antics led to two consecutive “Worst Company In America” wins) – the stage is going to be set for conflict. Such is the case with Star Wars: Battlefront. After the game’s announcement late last week, die-hard fans started to notice some beloved features that wouldn’t be making the cut for this fall’s new installment. Compared to 2005’s Battlefront 2, Battlefront 2015 lacks a single-player campaign, 64-player multi-player, space battles, and Instant Action. Additionally, the PC version will not support split screen play. A developer at DICE was quoted suggesting that players “buy a second PC” if they want to play with friends in the same room. Naturally, this has led to a snowball effect of outrage, resulting in countless negative posts regarding the game on enthusiast sites like Reddit, NeoGAF and more. However, the game still hasn’t been fully revealed – so only time will tell if the outrage is warranted. Star Wars: Battlefront hits stores this November.

The Internet is Not Happy about Steam Selling Mods

Ever since the days of Doom in the mid-90s, modding has been one of the biggest reasons for gamers to choose the PC platform. New maps, game modes, characters, weapons, missions and more – all made by die-hard fans. Mods have gone strong into the 21st century, with Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto and more, all supporting active mod communities. (In fact, popular games like DayZ, League of Legends and Rise Of The Triad all got their start as mods of other popular titles.) Last year, Valve’s Steam took a step towards making mods easier to install with the creation of Steam Workshop, which gave a convenient front-end to installation and browsing. But now, a new feature has split the community. Creators of mod content can now charge for their creations – a huge shift from an industry founded on the idea of free content that expanded upon existing games. Strengthening concerns is the fact that mod creators will only see 25% of the profit made from those sales – with both Valve and the game’s original creator taking a cut. Currently the feature is only active on mods for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – but it will likely become a standard part of the mod experience going forward. Many voices have expressed concern that this move turns the mod community into little more than third-party DLC – ending up giving consumers less than more. Steam will still allow free mods on their marketplace, but how many creators will choose to give away their efforts for free?

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter @Mushroomer25

Next weekend, The Avengers: Age of Ultron will hit cinema screens across the US –  putting a cap on “Phase 2″ of Marvel’s “Cinematic Universe”. For those who have somehow managed to avoid all ten of the studio’s blockbuster movies or any one of their three hit television shows, the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” refers to how each of the studio’s comic book films – from Iron Man to Guardians of the Galaxy – all exist in the same reality and have influence upon one another. The result is a level of storytelling that never would have seemed possible in mainstream entertainment just a few years prior. With over 70 total hours of content under its belt, the MCU has developed character arcs that develop over multiple programs, stories and platforms.

In addition to being revolutionary, it’s also extremely popular. Age of Ultron looks likely to smash the current record holder for biggest total opening weekend in cinema history – over the $207 million record held by (you guessed it) Marvel’s The Avengers. On TV, they’re running multiple series on ABC and Netflix to glowing ratings and reviews with spin-offs and crossovers planned for the near future. Marvel’s success in the world of entertainment is absolutely unprecedented. Which begs the question – how the hell did they do it?

When looking at trends in recent popular culture, there’s one type of storytelling that has blossomed in the past decade. Shows like Game of Thrones, House of Cards and The Walking Dead are more than just popular – they’re complex. Storylines and character arcs unfold over dozens of hours of development, demanding the viewer to stay engaged to reach the payoff. Serialized dramas are nothing new – both soap operas and comic book series held onto single plotlines for decades at a time. But with the growth of TV (thanks in part to On Demand viewing options), there’s been a boom in interest for highly polished serial narratives. In an era where television needed to close its stories within an hour (half an hour for sitcoms), depth was skin-deep. But now, we can watch every episode as Arya Stark discovers her calling, Francis Underwood embraces his demons and Rick Grimes comes to terms with humanity. It’s through this wave that Marvel can ride high. Now, it’s not just about the 2 hour adventure that Tony Stark takes on the cinema screen – it’s the journey of the character across multiple films.

Of course, complexity also has a certain monetary benefit as well. Erin Hanna is a professor of media studies at the University of Oregon who has done detailed research on how corporate interests shape fan cultures for popular media. “In some ways, I think the dominance of this type of storytelling is economically motivated. [Media companies] can keep popular stories alive longer by going through different avenues.” The theory holds weight, since Marvel always keeps its most popular franchises within the Disney family (Marvel was purchased by Disney in 2010). Marvel Studios films are distributed by Disney, and they air most of their TV programming on ABC (owned by Disney). Marvel superheroes appear in Disney Infinity videogames, Disney theme parks and cartoons airing on the Disney Channel.

Compare this to a typical blockbuster franchise in the generation prior. Star Wars was as massive as a film could get, yet it never branched out to television (aside from short-lived children’s cartoons or a disastrous Holiday Special). They made three films, then put the brand on hiatus for nearly a decade. As is no surprise, when Disney starts taking in the reigns on Star Wars later this year, they have no plans of stopping so soon. Spinoffs under the banner of “Star Wars Anthology” will keep the universe alive for a new release every year, and deals have already been made for multiple video game spin-offs.

Whether Marvel’s move towards a more complicated lore are driven by feeding a hungry audience or pure economic motivation, they’ll be sure to keep going until the well has run dry.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25

With the new season of Game of Thrones going in full force, it’s likely that you or a close friend has put down the $15 a month necessary for HBO just to keep up with the latest happenings in Westeros. But while you’re investing that hard-earned cash, why not check out some of the underloved gems in the channel’s deep catalog?

Enlightened

This unique dramedy follows Amy Jellicoe (Laura Dern) as she returns to work a changed woman. After a stay in a new-age rehab facility following a mental breakdown, she vows to change the world from the inside of corporate America. Featuring a strong ensemble cast including Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Jason Manzoukas and Mike White, this is a wholly unique take on the “workplace comedy” genre. It bounces between moments of genuine introspection, oddball humor and Amy’s nonstop earnestness. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after just two short seasons, though it still manages a satisfying conclusion. It’s certainly not for everyone, but definitely worth a try.

Bored To Death

Featuring Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zack Galifanakis, it’s shocking that this boldly unique comedy never found an audience. Schwartzman stars as a struggling writer who starts up a private detective agency on the side, solving crimes mostly through persistence and sheer dumb luck. It’s energetic and hilarious, twisting noire tropes on their head into an R-rated comedy of errors. How this didn’t become a cult icon akin to Flight of the Conchords, we’ll never know.

Documentaries

HBO isn’t just about high-quality scripted programming. For the past few years, they’ve become one of the entertainment world’s biggest supporters of documentary filmmaking. Their collection runs deep, with feature length coverage on a wide variety of topics. Get a new perspective on the NSA leaks with Citizenfour, which follows Edward Snowden as he revealed evidence of mass privacy invasions. Gain unprecedented empathy for working class Americans through Paycheck to Paycheck, the story of a single mom struggling to keep her head afloat in the modern economy. See deeper into the infamous West Memphis murder case in the Paradise Lost trilogy. No matter what interests you, there’s likely something in the catalog to keep you invested and informed.

Rome

If you just can’t wait until next Sunday for more period drama deep with character-based intrigue and bloody action, pick up this short-lived 2005 drama series. This realistic take on the birth of the Roman Empire was ahead of its time — a spiritual precursor to shows like Spartacus, Vikings and even Game of Thrones. You may know the names of Roman history from your high school history class, but you’ve never visualized the empire like this.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25