It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week we’ll pull together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.
READ: WATCHMEN
After spending years writing for DC and Marvel’s classic heroes, including Superman himself, Alan Moore decided to do something totally different. The result was Watchmen: a phenomenal and deeply challenging graphic novel, one that subverts and deconstructs the very idea of superheroes, forcing readers to grapple with the question: maybe masked, extrajudicial vigilantes are actually not such a good thing? Full of pulpy noir, meta-commentary on the genre, and absolutely fantastic storytelling, this graphic novel (along with Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One and Art Spiegelman’s Maus) completely redefined what sorts of stories “comics” could tell. Watchmen is as relevant today as it was upon release in 1986, which brings me to…
BINGE: HBO’s WATCHMEN
Two Watchmen in a row? Yes. Because both the graphic novel and the show are equally phenomenal — and inextricably linked. Instead of simply adapting the graphic novel into a TV show (which, uh, didn’t work so well when they tried it as a movie) Damon Lindeloff chose to tell a 2020s story set in the same world as the 1980s set Watchmen. It is simultaneously a sequel AND a prequel; the grand thrill of HBO’s Watchmen is seeing how it takes the themes of Alan Moore’s comic and applies them to today’s world. Even more impressive is how Lindeloff manages to answer several of the original graphic novel’s mysteries in deeply satisfying ways. This is a show that blew my mind every single week last fall, and I’m excited to revisit it and have my mind blown all over again. Steams free on HBO Max.
WATCH: Black Panther
Two weeks ago today, Chadwick Boseman passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43. It’s a devastating loss — Boseman absolutely lit up the screen in everything he was in, from 42 and Get on Up to Da 5 Bloods and, of course, Black Panther. There’s no better way to celebrate the life and legacy of this one-of-a-kind talent than (re) watching Black Panther, the movie that shot him to superstardom. Black Panther is a masterclass — from it’s writing and acting to its direction and absolutely wondrous production design (the costumes! the use of color! the tiny little details in every ship and scene!), this is a film that even non-Marvel fans will love. Anchoring it all, of course, is a fierce, warm, and incredible performance from Boseman, and a firecracker of a performance by Michael B. Jordan. Streams free on Disney +.
LISTEN: Joy Williams – Front Porch
Fall is nigh, folks. And fall means chunky cardigan sweaters, hot toddies, and twangy folk-rock — which is exactly what this album is. I wasn’t familiar with Joy Williams’ music until Joe recommended this album to me, but it’s a perfect album for early fall — a stripped-down, acoustic, country-folk album full of thumpy bass drum and fiddle. The kind of album that’s perfect listening when you’re spending the evening out on the porch, sipping a glass of Buffalo Trace and watching the sun go down.
SOUS VIDE: Steak
Something about late summer/early fall makes me crave steak — and there’s no better way to make steak than sous vide. In order to sous vide, you need an “immersion circulator” — a magic wand of sorts that you put into a tub or pot of water — but trust me, if you’re a carnivore, these are well worth the investment. From there, the process is pretty simple — set the circulator to preheat to your desired temperature (I usually do 130 Fahrenheit, which is a perfect medium-rare), season your steaks with kosher salt and pepper, put them in individual gallon ziplock bags, squeeze out all of the air, drop the bags in the pot of water, and wait an hour or two. To finish, sear the steaks for 30 seconds per side in a blazing hot cast iron — or, if you’re REALLY adventurous, you can sear them with a kitchen blowtorch. The result will be a steak that’s juicy pink from end-to-end, but also has a fantastic crust on the outside. Serious Eats has a more thorough rundown of this whole process, and most sous vide circulators also come with recipe books. Trust me, this is easier than it sounds — and the result is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth perfect. Photo by Tim Rüßmann on Unsplash
About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer. When he’s not working away on his latest pilot script, you can find him scuba diving, hosting Shabbat dinners, or goofing off with his goldendoodle, Biggie Lebowski.