'Star Wars' Maul gets Disney+ treatment; Vince Vaughn on Prime Video

There have been a number of films and television shows that have sprung from the original "Star Wars" Skywalker chronicles that George Lucas unleashed upon the world nearly 50 years ago.

On the screen, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" resonated with fans. On Disney+ series such as "Andor" and "The Mandalorian" have proven to be successful.

And there have certainly been characters such as Boba Fett that gained a fandom from the series. Darth Maul certainly falls into that category as well, and now the cult favorite from "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" receives the series treatment in animated form on Disney+ in "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord," an eight-episode adventure with installments that run just under a half hour with the first two streaming tonight (April 6).

Ray Park, through sheer physical presence, made the character a fan favorite, but he has been fleshed out here in his first dedicated series – animated or otherwise.

Set during the era after "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," an animated series that pre-dates streaming, Maul is attempting to find his footing as a galactic gangster after being discarded from the Sith order.

In that regard, fans will finally get a feeling for what makes the character tick. Take a guess that altruism isn't on the list.

Of course, being a would-be Sith Lord, there are their counterparts on the scene. After the Clone Wars, the Jedi are in hiding.  Master Eeko-Dio Daki (a recognizable voice in Dennis Haysbert of "Major League" fame) serves as mentor for Devon (Gideon Adlon), a padawan who Maul covets as his own student.

It's typical "Star Wars" in that there is always that master-learner dynamic in play in this part of the franchise's timeline. Some tend to be more interesting than others, and that's the case with Devon and Eeko-Dio Daki.

However, the most interesting aspect of "Shadow Lord" is the fact the title character is painted with some nuance. Hardcore fans will appreciate that.

Streaming:Disney+ beginning Monday, April 6 with two episodes with two-episodes to follow each week until May 4 – "Star Wars Day."

Grade:B

"Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice" shoots for irreverence in time travel comedy

"Hot Tub Time Machine" pulled it off twice, so why not a film connected to organized crime doing the time travel as absurdist comedy thing?

You can't get more absurd than "Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice." Long and short of it: Vince Vaughn is Nick and Nick, a gangster who grows a conscience – in the future that sends him back to the past. His goal to prevent the death of mobster colleague Mike (James Marsden), a hitman looking to leave his murderous ways behind him, a feat that's not easy given he literally knows where all the bodies are buried crime lord Sosa's organization.

While Nick comes back to soothe his conscience, Sosa (Keith David) is out to revenge and injustice allegedly visited upon his son Jimmy Boy (Jimmy Tatro) and revenge points in Mike's direction. Between all that drama, some hilarity is supposed to ensue – emphasis on "supposed."

While there are some laugh-out-loud moments, they don't come nearly fast enough in a movie that runs 1 hour and 47 minutes.

The cast is game given the premise. Vaughn normally is. Marsden is currently having a moment with this effort and the second season of "Your Friends & Neighbors." Still, the ultimate problem is a lack of material.

I could miss the boat on this one, we'll see when streaming ratings come out.

Streaming:Currently on Prime Video

Rating:C

Keanu Reeves is suddenly a busy guy

A few months ago, Keanu Reeves was an angel seeking redemption and now he explores the same topic portraying an actor in the meta comedy "The Outcome" on Apple TV. Take a look at the trailer that features an effervescent Susan Lucci (look her up, kids):

Someone has a "Beef" in the second season of the Netflix anthology series

I personally did not see the first season of "Beef," but I am intrigued by the second season in the anthology series because of a cast that features Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan. Take a look:

'Bridgerton' asserts dominance in streaming ratings

"Bridgerton" fans are a devoted lot. The series maintains the top slot in overall streaming as HBO Max's "The Pitt" continues to draw a massive audience. Here are the top five entries for the week ending March 8 across overall, original shows and movies in streaming:

Overall

• "Bridgerton" (Netflix) – 1.986 billion minutes

• "The Night Agent" (Netflix) – 1.121 billion

• "The Pitt" (HBO Max) – 1.112 billion

• "War Machine" (Netflix) – 1.1 billion

• "Grey's Anatomy" (Hulu | Netflix) – 878 million

Original

• "Bridgerton" (Netflix) – 1.986 billion minutes

• "The Night Agent" (Netflix) – 1.121 billion

• "The Pitt" (HBO Max) – 1.112 billion

• "Love is Blind" (Netflix) – 774 million

• "Paradise" (Hulu) – 694 million

Movies

• "War Machine" (Netflix) – 1.1 billion minutes

• "Jurassic World Rebirth" (Netflix) – 741 million

• "Jurassic World Dominion" (Netflix) – 365 million

• "Jurassic World" (Netflix) – 284 million

• "KPop Demon Hunters" (Netflix) – 213 million

George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'Star Wars' favorite turns to crime; Vince Vaughn in Prime Video flick