Welcome to the Weekend Binge. Every week, weâll suggest a binge-able title designed to keep you from getting too stir crazy. Check back throughout the weekend for even more gloriously queer entertainment.
The Scandalous: Catch & Kill
Lions of queer documentary cinema Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato teamed with Pulitzer Prize winner Ronan Farrow for this six-part HBO series, based on Farrowâs podcast of the same name. Catch & Kill recounts Farrowâs investigation into the sexual crimes of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. What begins as a standard story takes on a life of its own, as Weinstein pressures Farrowâs then-network NBC to kill the story before it runs. When Farrow persists, taking his story to The New Yorker, Weinstein and his forces follow. What begins as a story of Hollywood scandal morphs into a spy thriller worthy of Ian Flemming, as Farrow engages in clandestine meetings and eludes Weinsteinâs literal spies to bring the truth to light.
Bailey & Barbato use both Farrowâs original podcast tapes as well as new, filmed interviews to map out how protective and aggressive Weinstein had become of his image, and just how far his power could reach. At its core, however, Catch & Kill presents the portrait of a queer hero, an all-American journalist who refused to succumb to intimidation a la All The Presidentâs Men. That said, Farrow isnât exactly the everyman in the vein of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. For that matter, the series also doesnât quite humanize Farrow as well, either. We were left wondering how the stress of a multi-year investigation which threatened to derail his entire career weighed on his relationships and day-to-day life. That minor quibble aside, Catch & Kill tells one hell of a harrowing story, and reminds us again why Bailey & Barbato are two of the great, gay directors working today.
Streams on HBO Max. Finale airs July 26.
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Cam
Harvey Winestein, Donald Trump, Matt Lauer, Bill Cosby, etc. all should have gotten in trouble decades ago. Glad Farrow finally got his stories published.
Jim
Ronan did great work, but what has he done lately ?
Cam
You mean other than working on getting his book turned into a series that will be broadcast on a mainstream platform?
Cam
@Cam (Stolen screenname)
Stop, you know I sit home unemployed and collect welfare. It’s not like I do anything all day. I really wouldn’t ever comment on this topic unless I were cra…
Oh. Wait.
flim
just a series of brilliant pieces in the New Yorker/ most recently about Britneys conservatorship
Cam
“Cam
@Cam (Stolen screenname)”
Awwww, the right wing troll account is so obsessed with me that it forgot to troll Ronan Farrow on the thread.
Looks like me pointing out you’re one right wing troll with multiple screenames really really enraged you, because I was right.
Thank for for every single day confirming that I was completely right about you.
Also, how typically Republican, that the troll account that constantly posts during business hours is trying to attack people for sitting home collecting welfare. We get it, Republicans hate people, and typically accuse other of things they themselves do.
I hope you enjoy the internet access you enjoy paid for by my tax dollars.
DuMaurier
I wish someone would fix this good twin/evil twin Cam thing. Sometimes itâs like that âGilliganâs Islandâ episode when Lovey didnât know which Mr. Howell was the real one.
jcool
maybe they should just have sex and move their act to pornhub
Heywood Jablowme
“Identical cousins” like the Patty Duke Show?
h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr8nJfD7sKE
Cam
It’s easy,
One account is obsessed with saying things about itself to try to make the screename look bad.
The other one points out that one right wing troll with multiple screenames consistently is on here trying to post on stories, or it also talks about movies, or points out people like Meghan McCain’s bigotry or hypocrisy.
So easy to tell. đ
curiobi
Seriously. Its ridiculous. Q, do something about it like make both choose a new screename so the comments can be about something other than whatever Spider-Man pointing contest this is.
Cam
Keep me, keep me! I have a personality!
Cam
Or simply grab the account that is the most recent one, block it and it’s other accounts.
The same troll has done this to multiple screenames on here. I’m just the most recent, and a decent IT employee could take care of it.
inbama
The only thing interesting about Ronan Sinatra is her estranged stepfather.
Cam
Ooooooo, the right wing troll account stopped imitating me long enough to attack the guy who brought down multiple people who had freely attacked women for years.
We get it, you hate any famous person who is out of the closet. You also hate women and don’t think men who attack them should be held responsible, so of course Ronan is somebody you hate Ronan.
LumpyPillows
There is something off about Ronan…cant put my finger on it.