Thread by @WIRED

Netflix ushered in the golden age of streaming with its prestige dramas. The docu-series 'Trigger Warning' falls in-line with its second wave of host-driven shows. What does that mean for Killer Mike as a social commentator, and for @Netflix in general? 1/
wired.trib.al/bulykTH

To get a sense of the show and why it’s important, watch the trailer quickly. We’ll wait. 2/

On 'Trigger Warning,' host Killer Mike mentors youth, spends 3 days only buying products from the black community, and helps a gang (or "street frat") monetize its brand in the form of a soda alternative (Crip-a-Cola anyone?) 3/
wired.trib.al/bulykTH

'Trigger Warning' doesn’t carry the typical sheen of a makeover show, but its framework is modeled on a before-after binary, like 'Tidying Up' and 'Queer Eye' before it. And Mike could just as easily fit into the vocabulary of these shows. 4/
wired.trib.al/bulykTH

‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’ brought the internet a load of memes, but for a makeover show, it puts as much emphasis on domestic transformation as it does self-optimization. 5/
wired.trib.al/JBSWT3e

In the same vein, 'Queer Eye' is a lifehacking show that also carries what have now become familiar calling cards for the streaming platform— insistence on ugly truths, the impulse for personal improvement, and pitch-perfect comedic timing. 6/
wired.trib.al/HLOIFZj

Which brings us back to ‘Trigger Warning.’ It aims for clever provocation—to educate and incite—but ultimately lands somewhere between illumination and shtick. 7/ wired.trib.al/bulykTH

The show is a microcosm of a streaming giant that is still figuring itself out: a self-assured show that echoes several of the series in its orbit, even as it strives to carve out an identity of its own. Read more here: 8/ wired.trib.al/bulykTH