12 movies and shows that will force you to get a Disney+ membership

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

I’m a fan of modern shows that can utilize classic film styles in new and effective ways. Most often, we get new takes on noir, the dark and shadowy world best represented in 1940s detective movies and novels. Disney is getting into that world, albeit with a middle-school bent.

Based on the successful book series by Stephan Patsis, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made follows the title character (played by Winslow Fegley) as he navigates the world of school and his own detective agency alongside his imaginary 1,500-pound polar bear named Total.

Some brief footage was shown that leaves me thinking Timmy Failure might be the underrated gem of the entire streaming service. The series was directed and created by Tom McCarthy, who you might know as the award-winning screenwriter of Spotlight. Fegley, to his credit, perfectly captures the deadpan quirk of classic noir detectives like Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe and in just a few minutes of footage I was chuckling at every line he spouted.

I know I’m a soft touch when it comes to neo-noirs set in school settings, but this looks right up my alley and will no doubt appeal to both kids and their parents.