These 4 Little-Known Shows Are Actually Hidden Gems Made by Cult Directors
Gone are the days when the TV screen was just a gateway to the big screen.
In the past, TV shows were just a stepping stone, and many aspiring actors and directors started their careers with them. Recently, the situation has changed.
It's no longer just those who have a number of more or less successful films in their piggy bank that are turning their attention to TV projects, but cult directors as well.
1. Devs — Alex Garland
With his debut film Ex Machina and its follow-up Annihilation, Alex Garland has firmly established himself as one of the best directors in the science fiction genre. The mini-series Devs is further proof of this.
In the show, Garland not only served as the director, but also as the writer and even executive producer. The show centers on a group of programmers working on technology that distorts time and space.
2. She’s Gotta Have It — Spike Lee
Independent director Spike Lee’s tragicomedy grew out of his 1986 movie of the same name. The original film, which was also Lee's directorial debut, once helped him win the love of audiences.
More than 30 years later, Netflix has released a show that not only expands on the film's plot, but also takes on new meanings. The events of the show take us back to Nola Darling and her personal life.
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3. The Knick — Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh's most famous films are usually set in modern America. For The Knick, however, the director decided to experiment with the genre, making his first medical drama about surgeon John, who has a practice at New York's private Knickerbocker Hospital. To make matters worse, John lives in the early 20th-century, where there are no antibiotics or modern equipment.
The main difference between The Knick and other popular medical dramas is the eerie realism of the show, which at times resembles a body horror.
4. Small Axe — Steve McQueen
Shame and 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen's dramatic anthology does not really fit into the framework of a TV show, but rather resembles a series of standalone movies linked by a common plot thread.
Each episode of Small Axe explores the lives of immigrants who arrived in London between the 1960s and 1980s. Unfortunately, the show has remained the bearer of the proud status of a hidden gem.