Every now and then there’s a moment of pop-cultural serendipity suggesting that a bunch of film and TV creators are thinking about the same things at the same time. Consider when Turner & Hooch and K-9 both were created in 1989, a year when we clearly had a lot of anxiety about canine cops. Or when Deep impact and Armageddon arrived in theaters in 1998, recalling an almost forgotten time when we, as a society, does not have root for meteors. 2006 gave us a magician-centric drama duet in The illusionist and Prestige, a premonitory prelude to the collapse of the housing market. (Because the boom was… an illusion. Get it?)
You see the picture: like that of David Lynch Twin peaks once warned us, this has all happened before, and it is happening again. Since Netflix’s Sherlock Holmes spin-off The irregular and the dark fantasy of HBO’s Joss Whedon Nevers Created less than a month apart, apparently the start of 2021 is the time for Victorian alternate history dramas, mostly about women facing supernatural threats. And so now we are faced with the same problem that previous generations encountered with such chance: How the hell are we supposed to tell them apart?
To do this, allow me to present this practical guide to you, to use whenever you might stumble upon a clip on social media or an episode in progress.
[Ed. note: Some spoilers for both shows follow]
IS THERE A VERY LARGE GIRL?
This is probably the easiest way to find out what show you are watching. If you see a 3 meter tall child, you look Nevers. Her name is Primrose and she’s very sweet, although she doesn’t do much in the first few episodes of the show. Mainly, she’s right there, a girl the size of Clifford looking for a dog the size of Clifford. It would be a good addition to the series.
If you don’t see Primrose, we’re going to have to work a little harder.
Is there a synthesizer?
It’s time to use your ears. Would you describe the soundtrack as a bop? It probably is The irregular, unless you like strings and harpsichords, which is fine, but I want some information on your choreography. Also, since both shows indulge in ‘Victorian Sounds’, you should listen to The Irregulars’ the occasional indulgence in a pop song (you can hear Billie Eilish at one point), or when the score bursts the synths for her “Oh shit!” moments, which Nevers done, well… never.
IS ANY OF THE CHARACTERS A RICH PONCY LAD SLUMMING IT WITH THE LADIES?
You are going to have to be more specific.
IS HE A PLEASANT PONCY RICH LAD?
Oh it’s The irregular, which includes Léopold, a secret prince. Just like Char, from Gundam!
WHAT SHOW IS CO-LED BY A WHITE WOMAN WHO CAN SEE THE FUTURE?
Both.
OK, WHAT IS FOCUSED ON ORPHANS?
Also both! The irregular talks about the street kids helping Sherlock Holmes, and Nevers concerns people with strange abilities isolated from polite society, so they are both very concerned about those considered undesirable. It’s a good thing they have in common! But that won’t help you identify the show your partner is watching in the other room, so next question?
There seems to be some occasional stuff.
This is The irregular! This will probably come as a surprise as it is supposed to be an adjacent Sherlock Holmes show, but The irregular is Hello supernatural. It works, however, honestly!
WHAT ABOUT FOREIGNERS?
This one is Nevers. It’s the big twist at the end of the pilot. (Spoilers ahead!) A magical-looking spaceship flying over London is actually what bestowed strange ‘towers’ (powers) on a random assortment of Londoners, and the show is determined to keep the explanation behind that. near the vest at the moment. So I can’t really explain more here, but feel free to use this handy mnemonic: “If it’s flying in the sky, it’s The Nevers, tell me.
Did I just see HITLER?
If you watched The irregular, you did it! You’re also near the very end of the series, so you might want to step back a bit and catch up. The series is pretty good.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?
The irregular, probably. It’s the one who in fact British, so you can be smug about it.
Every now and then there’s a moment of pop-cultural serendipity suggesting that a bunch of film and TV creators are thinking about the same things at the same time. Consider when Turner & Hooch and K-9 both were created in 1989, a year when we clearly had a lot of anxiety about canine cops. Or when Deep impact and Armageddon arrived in theaters in 1998, recalling an almost forgotten time when we, as a society, does not have root for meteors. 2006 gave us a magician-centric drama duet in The illusionist and Prestige, a premonitory prelude to the collapse of the housing market. (Because the boom was… an illusion. Get it?)
You see the picture: like that of David Lynch Twin peaks once warned us, this has all happened before, and it is happening again. Since Netflix’s Sherlock Holmes spin-off The irregular and the dark fantasy of HBO’s Joss Whedon Nevers Created less than a month apart, apparently the start of 2021 is the time for Victorian alternate history dramas, mostly about women facing supernatural threats. And so now we are faced with the same problem that previous generations encountered with such chance: How the hell are we supposed to tell them apart?
To do this, allow me to present this practical guide to you, to use whenever you might stumble upon a clip on social media or an episode in progress.
[Ed. note: Some spoilers for both shows follow]
IS THERE A VERY LARGE GIRL?
This is probably the easiest way to find out what show you are watching. If you see a 3 meter tall child, you look Nevers. Her name is Primrose and she’s very sweet, although she doesn’t do much in the first few episodes of the show. Mainly, she’s right there, a girl the size of Clifford looking for a dog the size of Clifford. It would be a good addition to the series.
If you don’t see Primrose, we’re going to have to work a little harder.
Is there a synthesizer?
It’s time to use your ears. Would you describe the soundtrack as a bop? It probably is The irregular, unless you like strings and harpsichords, which is fine, but I want some information on your choreography. Also, since both shows indulge in ‘Victorian Sounds’, you should listen to The Irregulars’ the occasional indulgence in a pop song (you can hear Billie Eilish at one point), or when the score bursts the synths for her “Oh shit!” moments, which Nevers done, well… never.
IS ANY OF THE CHARACTERS A RICH PONCY LAD SLUMMING IT WITH THE LADIES?
You are going to have to be more specific.
IS HE A PLEASANT PONCY RICH LAD?
Oh it’s The irregular, which includes Léopold, a secret prince. Just like Char, from Gundam!
WHAT SHOW IS CO-LED BY A WHITE WOMAN WHO CAN SEE THE FUTURE?
Both.
OK, WHAT IS FOCUSED ON ORPHANS?
Also both! The irregular talks about the street kids helping Sherlock Holmes, and Nevers concerns people with strange abilities isolated from polite society, so they are both very concerned about those considered undesirable. It’s a good thing they have in common! But that won’t help you identify the show your partner is watching in the other room, so next question?
There seems to be some occasional stuff.
This is The irregular! This will probably come as a surprise as it is supposed to be an adjacent Sherlock Holmes show, but The irregular is Hello supernatural. It works, however, honestly!
WHAT ABOUT FOREIGNERS?
This one is Nevers. It’s the big twist at the end of the pilot. (Spoilers ahead!) A magical-looking spaceship flying over London is actually what bestowed strange ‘towers’ (powers) on a random assortment of Londoners, and the show is determined to keep the explanation behind that. near the vest at the moment. So I can’t really explain more here, but feel free to use this handy mnemonic: “If it’s flying in the sky, it’s The Nevers, tell me.
Did I just see HITLER?
If you watched The irregular, you did it! You’re also near the very end of the series, so you might want to step back a bit and catch up. The series is pretty good.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?
The irregular, probably. It’s the one who in fact British, so you can be smug about it.