‘Staged’
Making films and TV shows during the pandemic has proven to be a unique challenge for filmmakers, but none have pulled it off so successfully as Simon Evans with his BBC comedy, Staged. The premise finds Evans playing an incompetent version of himself: a director desperate to carry rehearsing a play over Zoom, while managing the egos of his arrogant stars, Michael Sheen and David Tennant, also playing themselves. The majority is filmed over Zoom, but somehow, Staged has nailed the flow—none of that awkward, out-of-rhythm-ness you get from Zoom scenes in other COVID shows and movies. That’s thanks to Evans’s dialogue, editing, and, most importantly, the natural chemistry between his leads. Staged is a special treat for Good Omens fans, to be sure, but it’s also an enjoyable watch for any looking for 30 minutes of light-hearted British humor. Catch the first season on Hulu in the U.S., while the second season is currently airing in the U.K.