Ride or Die
Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer are having so much fun that it's impossible not to enjoy this freewheeling action comedy. As Debbie comes to grips with the fact that her best friend Judith is an assassin, they find themselves on the run across Europe, chased by the Albanian mob and various ruthless killers. Bill Nighy and Ed Skrein have notably strong supporting roles. And while the tone is resolutely jaunty, the show never shies away from the gruesome violence. So the story takes some very, very dark turns along the way, as it delves into Judith's shady past on its way to a showdown with an angry ex-colleague (Sylvia Hoeks). All of this is finely produced, shot in gorgeous locations with impressive action choreography that's genuinely intense. (Prime)
Alan Cumming and David Morrissey star in this pointed drama from Russell T Davies, which we know from the start is heading to an unspeakable crime. They play long-time neighbours caught in a tense tug-of-war relating to friends and family. The title refers to how queer people must again lie low as society slides into right-wing bigotry. So it's very hotly charged, with riveting conversations and terrifying confrontations. Even if the writing isn't very subtle, the performances are. Cumming and Morrissey find fascinating complexities, as do members of the strong supporting ensemble. Jackson Connor gives a breakout turn as Morrissey's 16-year-old son. The themes are urgently important, but the story's so grim that it's not easy to watch. Or forget. (C4)
This nutty series throws every creepy seafaring tale at a small community living on an island off the coast of New England. Despite growing up here, Mayor Tom (Matthew Rhys) somehow doesn't know any of this folklore and is thoroughly sceptical. Then everything starts happening to him at once. Everything is rather bonkers, with an offbeat pace and a surrounding cast of colourfully amusing characters. There's also a wide range of horrific nastiness on display, including a particularly grim episode set in the early 18th century. And with its haunted town premise, the show sometimes feels like a goofier variation on Stranger Things. So even if the various plot strands seem rather contrived, we wouldn't mind coming back for more. (Apple)
While you can choose to watch this in shimmering black and white or saturated colours, the main joy of this Spider-Man variant series is Nicolas Cage's woozy performance as Ben Reilly, a middle-aged private eye in a cartoonish 1930s New York. He's also secretly the Spider. He's such a broken mess that it's impossible to take our eyes off him, especially with Ben's earthy emotional chaos and a relentless charisma honed from watching vintage James Cagney movies. The back-story, revealed in extensive flashbacks, is far more engaging than the plot of this series. Likeable side roles include Lamorne Morris' snappy journalist, Karen Rodriguez as Ben's sassy secretary, Li Jun Li as the femme fatale and Brendan Gleeson's ruthless mobster. (Prime)
Created by Mindy Kaling, this New York comedy features two 20-something women living across the hall from three 20-something men, Friends-style, as they kickstart their careers. It may not feel terribly realistic, with money issues treated as a bit of a joke and career opportunities coming along right on cue, but the actors are terrific as they spiral around each other and pursue work in banking, journalism, acting and styling. Ella Hunt, Avantika, Will Angus, Jack Martin and Nicholas Duvernay have so much charisma and chemistry that we happily become involved in their amusing personal dramas. And the cast includes the terrific Jay Ellis, Constance Wu, Greg Germann and a hugely enjoyable Victor Garber, plus lots of starry cameos. (Hulu)
A comical sensibility sits at odds with this violent thriller about a single mum entangled with a trail of dead bodies. The title is a tease because the first victim is a camboy, and while there are intriguing ideas in here about the messiness of divorcing couples and lingering desire, none of that is dealt with meaningfully. Still, it's played to the hilt, so Tatiana Maslany's central character Paula is such an idiot she's impossible to like, impulsively making everything worse with each decision and reaction. But then, if anyone in this show behaved like a real person, the murderous monster (a terrifyingly chilly Murray Bartlett) would be caught in episode 2. It's almost worth watching just for him, and the fabulous Dolly De Leon as a no-nonsense detective. (Apple)
Sugar: series 2
After pulling the rug out with a that season-finale twist, this noir mystery could only deepen. And these episodes are even more assured and focussed, produced with a cinematic liquidity that's pure heaven on-screen. Driving the coolest car on television, Colin Farrell gives a staggeringly smart, understated turn as the otherworldly John Sugar, a philanthropic private eye whose current case involves a boxer (Jin Ha), his wayward brother (Raymond Lee) and a deeply corrupt cop (Tony Dalton). But John's playing a longer game, working with old pal Tom (Shea Whigham), flirting with Charlotte (Laura Donnelly) and hiring an assistant (Sasha Calle). The stories unfold with a gorgeous attention to detail, constantly surprising us with lovely emotional resonance. (Apple)
Previously titled Interview With the Vampire, this season finds a new musical vibe as it follows swaggering rock-god Lestat (Sam Reid) and his band on tour, dredging up stories from his past as he's interviewed for a backstage doc by journalist Dan (Eric Bogosian). Meanwhile, Louis (Jacob Anderson) is taunting Lestat, whose mother (Jennifer Ehle) arrives to spice things up. There's also a waitress who looks eerily like the late Claudia (Delainey Hayles). More outrageously over the top than before, and featuring several terrific original songs, this year's storyline is packed with enormous twists and astonishingly grisly violence, although the rowdy sexuality feels more strait-laced, so to speak. Still, the writing digs deeply into the characters, and the cast is well up for the challenge. (BBC)
[Perfil Falso]:
series 3
Subtitled Killer Honeymoon, this Colombian potboiler kicks off its third season with the usual mix of sexy encounters, mysterious new characters and of course murder. The writing is even more absurd than before, largely because of the convolutions needed to keep things going. And the show's eye leans further into leery misogyny, featuring glistening tough guys and girl-on-girl action. It's also a guilty-pleasure, combining uber-sleek visuals with the trashiest plotting imaginable. Poor Camila (Carolina Miranda) is still at the centre, with her dubious boyfriend Miguel (Rodolfo Salas) and evil nemesis Angela (Manuela Gonzalez), somehow in the thick of the action even though police know that she's the mastermind behind all of this chaos. (Netflix)
The Bear: series 5
The first nine episodes of this season are set over a single night, returning this series to its earlier style of storytelling, piling a range of outrageous situations onto a group of already frazzled characters, then watching them rise to the challenges. It's breathtaking to watch, because it's so superbly written and directed, and performed to perfection by this deservedly award-hoovering ensemble cast. The ninth episode is one of the very best in this show's extraordinary run, which is saying something, as everything comes to a head. Oddly, this leaves the final episode feeling a little disappointing, as it works overtime to wrap up each dangling plot thread in a way that isn't strictly necessary. And the final scenes are focussed on the wrong characters. (Hulu)
Essentially a condensed version of the show's fourth season, there's a nicely cinematic quality to this film, which wraps up the series about teens grappling with issues around sexuality and identity. They're young adults now (led by the terrific Kit Connor and Joe Locke), so the film must strike a balance between childhood and more grown-up thoughts and feelings. And while the script tends to steer things in rather cute directions, there are darker and, yes, sexier things going on that make the story resonate strongly
(Netflix) ... FULL REVIEW >
Michael Sheen and David Tennant are back as an angel and demon who rather like each other, with the third season playing out in the form of an overstuffed 90-minute movie. The wacky antics continue, with the theft of the Book of Life throwing heaven, hell and earth into chaos. And then Jesus (Bilal Hasna) goes missing just before the second coming. As before, the goofiness contains rather a lot of existential intrigue, questioning the nature of good and evil, as well as humanity's need for supernatural explanations of earthly realities. There's a lot going on, not all threads are tightly tied, and quite a few details needed to be more fleshed out, as it were. But it's always great to see Sheen and Tennant having fun, and Derek Jacobi and Toby Jones too. (Prime)
I'm halfway through the 4th season of Ted Lasso (Apple) and Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis' The Shards (Hulu). Obviously these are very different shows, but Ted Lasso's smart brand of comedy continues to be utterly winning as he returns to England to coach Richmond's rising-star women's team. The ensemble cast is on peak form. And Murphy's uber-lurid approach feels a bit timid here, even as The Shards remains an entertaining slasher horror romp through an early 1980s drugs-and-sex-filled high school. I'm patiently awaiting for the press to be given the remaining episodes; full comments will be in the next roundup.
ALSO WATCHING: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 4, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Sterling Point
GUILTY PLEASURES: The Traitors Canada, Race Across the World, Pop Culture Jeopardy, Funny AF
COMING SOON: Lanterns, Brothers, The Celebrity Traitors 2, Mobland 2, Chad Powers 2, The Gentlemen 2, Leanne 2, Adults 2
Previous roundup: JUNE 2026 >
