Question: Why do shows like Lisey’s Story on Apple+ have such dark scenes? I realize they’re aiming for mystery or fear, but we can’t tell what’s happening! —SJ
Matt Roush: Next to the issue of blaring background music on TV shows, dark
and underlit camerawork is probably the No. 2 complaint in my mailbag. I watched what I could stand of Lisey’s Story (one of my least favorite Stephen King books) via an advance screener on my laptop, and I do remember that the scenes in the fantasy universe of Boo’ya Moon (which makes me cringe just to type it) were hard to see what was happening. In some cases maybe just as well, but directors of photography for TV really do need to remember that not everyone has state-of-the-art TVs that effectively transmit these dim and dark scenes.
Comment: Did HBO cancel Lovecraft Country because series creator Misha Green was on the verge of signing with Apple? —Michael B.
Matt Roush: This sounds more like a case of a creative parting of the ways because
if HBO truly believed in the project, they’d have stayed in business with Misha Green, the way ABC and FX continue to air ongoing projects from their former top producers, Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, respectively, even after both jumped to Netflix with lucrative deals.
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com