Screen: October TV Roundup

It's been quite a mix of genres on TV over the past few months, and I especially enjoy the shows that blur the lines between them, finding something unexpected in the process. This is so much more engaging and entertaining than simply trying to recreate a well-tested formula. Although even that can sometimes work if the casting comes together. Anyway, watching series is a lovely break from the movies for me. In this roundup, I'll start with the new shows...

Brothers
This good-natured show is "based on a true rumour" that Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey are actually half-brothers. They play amusingly exaggerated versions of themselves, best-friends whose families (played by actors) hang out together at Matthew's Austin ranch as he prepares to run for Texas governor. But Woody is determined to find out if this rumour is true. The scripts are a bit too goofy, full of absurdly corny slapstick. But the show also has smart things to say about the nature of fame. And any show that gives Holland Taylor such a meaty role (as Matthew's larger than life Ma Mac) is a must-see. But if there's a sedonc season, they need to give Woody's and Matthew's wives, played by Brittany Ishibashi and Natalie Martinez, something to do. (Apple)

La Mesías 
[aka The Messiah]
The world-building on this show is frankly jaw-dropping. Made by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo (aka the Javis, see La Bola Negra) in 2023, this award-hoovering show has finally been released outside Spain. It's set around Montserrat in Catalunya, an epicentre for religious visions and UFO sightings. An ensemble of supremely gifted actors play complex characters over multiple decades, centring around Enric (Roger Casamajor) and his sister Irene (Macarena Garcia) as they try to make sense of their childhood with their chaotic mother Montse (Ana Rujas, Lola Duenas then Carmen Machi). Set-pieces dazzle on a scale rarely seen on television, echoing a real love of movie musicals. And ultimately, it's a staggeringly profound exploration of our innate need to find meaning and truth. (Mubi)

Lanterns
There's a nicely scrappy edge to this superhero series, which to maintains genuine intrigue with a strong dose of black comedy thanks to the jagged tension between Hal (Kyle Chandler) and John (Aaron Pierre). Hal is Earth's lantern, an intergalactic protector, and John is his heir apparent, although their boss (Laura Linney) seems to be playing games with them as a potentially cataclysmic situation develops in the middle of nowhere Nebraska. The cast is terrific, including Kelly Macdonald as the local sheriff, Jason Ritter as her sleazy lawyer husband and Garret Dillahunt as her suspicious father. Keeping action in the background allows the characters to bounce off each other in enjoyably menacing ways. Everything shifts dramatically for the final few episodes, leaving us wanting more. (HBO) 

The Shards
Created and written with Bret Easton Ellis (based on his novel), Ryan Murphy's latest provocation is another lurid romp that leans into grotesque violence and teasing sexiness. Confused, over-confident teen Ellis is sharply well-played by Igby Rigney, and the show traces his coming-of-age in a wealthy corner of early 1980s L.A. with a serial killer on the loose. Clever casting includes Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere as his classmates, with Evan Rachel Wood and Wes Bentley as the deranged parents of Bret's girlfriend (Hayes Warner). Amid the period excesses, the murder mystery holds the attention, even if it is written in a way that stretches everything too thinly (cliffhanger alert!). The problem is that Murphy seems to see rampant indulgence as the main event here, rather than characters and storytelling. (Hulu)

Sterling Point
Filmmaker Megan Park echoes themes and settings from her superb debut feature My Old Ass (2024) in this more straightforward coming-of-age drama about a group of teens who spend the summer on an island in rural Canada. There's a terrific sense of the divide between the earthy, relaxed locals and the privileged, wealthy interlopers, a line the show is happy to blur with a series of sparky and very messy youthful romances. There's also a complex mystery at the centre, as twin siblings (Ella Rubin and Keen Ruffalo) explore their connections to this island and its inhabitants. Where all of this goes is enjoyable and engagingly sexy, with rather a lot of teen angst thrown in to spice things up. And there are also lively adult roles for Jay Duplass, Missy Pyle and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. (Prime)

A N O T H E R   S E A S O N

Ted Lasso: series 4
Returning to Ted Lasso's worldview is as joyful as expected, especially since Jason Sudeikis is accompanied by returning costars Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Jeremy Swift, Brendan Hunt and Brett Goldstein, plus a new role for a scene-chomping Tracey Ullman. While we miss the male players, the new women's teammates are very well written and played, arriving with their own engaging mini-storylines (especially Tanya Reynolds' coach Alice). The homespun wisdom is beginning to feel a little stale, but Ted's optimism is a refreshing alternative to cynicism we feel about pretty much everything around us. This season ends with a couple of almost overpoweringly emotive episodes, Thankfully, they never quite give way to sentimentality, remaining edgy and inspiring. We couldn't stop watching if we tried. (Apple)

Star Trek - Strange New Worlds:
series 4
This new season has a bold confidence that perhaps goes a bit too far, with gimmicky episodes that indulge in horror, black-and-white noir, stoner comedy, fairy tale and soap opera, plus puppetry and dinosaurs. Even so, this adventure-of-the-week format is fun, and the terrific ensemble cast (led by Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn) has grown into an engaging crew with remarkably complex inter-relationships. So the big action-thriller episode is unusually exhilarating. It's also fun to see the show weave plot threads together in an effort to bring the story to the start of the original 1960s series. With one season to go, plenty needs to happen yet for Paul Wesley's James Kirk, Ethan Peck's Spock, Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura and Martin Quinn's Scotty. These adventurous writers clearly have a plan. (Paramount) 

Chad Powers:
series 2
Continuing this offbeat show into another season was always going to be tricky, because the premise was pretty much played out the first time around. It's a bit of a stretch here, so the writers cleverly ramp everything up a notch. This means that most of the relationships are more complex, most notably the three central ones between Chad (Glen Powell) and love interest Ricky (Perry Mattfeld), partner in crime Danny (Frankie Rodriguez) and coach Jake (Steve Zahn). But adding a big conflict was a mistake, because turning this into a thriller keeps everything at an annoyingly superficial level. As Gerry, Colton Ryan plays it well, but it's a thankless role with pointless plot turns that take away from the intriguing show this was and could have been. It's difficult to make it through these six episodes. (Hulu)

The Gentlemen: series 1-2
After watching the first series back in 2024, I never wrote about it for some reason. Created by Guy Ritchie, this slickly produced show takes his usual blackly comical approach to a crime thriller, while also playing with the British class system. It centres around Eddie (the absurdly charismatic Theo James), who inherits his family dukedom and discovers a hidden cannabis operation that's linked to a ruthless mobster (Ray Winstone). The second season pushes things much further, adding gangsters from Italy and South America into the mix. Most episodes feature shocking events, including violent murders of main characters. But the show's snarky attitude holds the attention, as does an ensemble that includes Kaya Scodelario, Joely Richardson, Vinnie Jones and Giancarlo Esposito. (Netflix)

Adults: series 2
Watchable because the actors are so likeable, this wildly overwritten comedy gets almost everything wrong in its storytelling, creating situations that never ring remotely true while pretending to tell it like it is to be in your mid-20s. Sharing a house rent-free in Queens, these bright, funny characters have no clue how out of touch with the world they are, which makes them somewhat endearing. But everything they do is silly and contrived, so your ability to enjoy this show requires either a level of delusion or a willingness to take it as the absurd fantasy that it actually is. And in that case, there's quite a bit to enjoy, mainly because of the adorable, up-for-it cast led by Jack Innanen, Lucy Freyer, Malik Elassal, Amit Rao and Owen Thiele, all of whom deserve better material than this. (Hulu) 

Leanne: series 2
This is one of those warm sitcoms that hits the spot when you need to relax and switch off your critical faculties. Comic Leanne Morgan has fun playing around with middle-aged themes like finding new relationships later in life, coping with the indignities of ageing and the challenges of elderly parents (the superb Celia Weston and Blake Clark). And the tight ensemble cast is getting more comfortable with their roles: Kristen Johnson is more earthy and funny as Leanne's boisterous sister, while Ryan Stiles is still silly but less cartoonish as her cheating ex. Some of the story elements feel contrived specifically to keep this series running for years, which is a problem with most TV shows. But the down-home charm and unblinking honesty are refreshing enough to make us look forward to more. (Netflix)

Single, Out: series 3
It's a gear change for this third season of the low-budget queer sitcom set in Melbourne. The eponymous magazine has folded, and Adam (Will Hutchins) has somewhat improbably started his career as a shooting-star photographer. He's also marrying his boyfriend Gabe (the adorable Jake Hyde). The writing and directing are still somewhat awkward, with rather corny dialog and plotting (does anyone hold a stag night several months before their wedding?). But the expanding ensemble of characters is charming enough to keep us watching, offering some charming wrinkles that touch loosely on issues that circle around family, romance and careers. There are also deeper themes that resonate along with the scrappy comedy and goofy embarrassment-heavy slapstick. (Cinephobia)

NOW WATCHING: Mobland 2, East of Eden, Carrie, Stick 2, Scrubs 11, Necromancer

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Celebrity Traitors, The Great British Bake Off, Strictly Come Dancing, Drag Race UK

COMING SOON: VisionQuest, Nobody Wants This 3, Lupin 4, Newlyweds, Dexter: Resurrection 2, Black Doves 2

Previous roundup: AUGUST 2026 > 

Screen: August TV Roundup

After the disruption of the pandemic, we're finally getting to see several delayed series (with more still to come). These long gaps between seasons continue the shift in the way TV shows roll out, so the old network schedule of launching new episodes every autumn feels like it's becoming rare. There's been plenty for me to watch in between my film and theatre work, both enjoyable returning shows, original series and several that are adaptations, spinoffs, reboots or based on existing properties. And that's definitely a trend that is continuing...

Stranger Things: series 4 
With its epic-sized episodes and ramped-up plot, this series powers straight through to set things up for the final fifth season. Since the actors have all aged significantly, they perhaps seem a bit older on-screen than written, but this allows for intriguing nuances in the evolving relationships between them, superbly played by a tremendous cast. Splintering the story into three main strands is sometimes annoying, especially as the Russian plotline, as wildly entertaining as it is, clings to several coincidences. Otherwise, various set pieces produce proper thrills as everything builds to an enormously cathartic intake of breath, then leaves us gasping for more. (Netflix) 

Hacks: series 2  
Pushing these characters further into their rather tense working relationship, this series feels like it gets stronger with each episode. And this is largely due to the towering performance from Jean Smart as Joan Rivers-style comic Deborah, straining to kickstart her career with the help of messy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder). This series also spirals out to follow Deborah's assistant Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), which isn't strongly enough developed yet to be involving. But this season's central idea, putting the characters on the road for a series of warmup gigs, is inspired. And having Laurie Metcalf turn up (too briefly) is a stroke of genius. (HBO)

The Umbrella Academy: series 3
This rather madcap action show continues to play with both alternate realities and the end of the world, as the Umbrellas have returned to the present and find themselves replaced by the Sparrows. Clashes, romances and lots of mayhem ensue, as reality begins collapsing in on itself and these oddly supercharged antiheroes need to once again rescue humanity. The actors are what makes this unmissable, as each character is such a bundle of nutty quirks that it's a wonder they get anything done at all. There isn't a weak link in the excellent ensemble, and the writers make sure each gets plenty of chaotic development along the way. Bring on a fourth season. (Netflix)

Physical: series 2 
Carrying on with the story, this new season continues the extremely slow evolution of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), an intelligent wife and mother who keeps her personal demons secret, then punishes herself by becoming a fearsome 1980s aerobics expert. The narrative focusses on tiny shifts rather than momentous changes, and the cast goes all-in to each twist and turn, most notably Rory Scovel, Paul Sparks and Murray Bartlett, who arrives with a lot of promise but never gets to fully deliver on it. That's kind of how the whole show feels, as so little seems to happen. But the underlying thoughts and feelings make it entertaining and even important. (Apple)

The Boys: series 3 
Things continue to escalate for the rather awful people who populate this show, and this time the eponymous superhero-battling team dabble with their own temporary powers, ramping up clashes enormously. The writers cleverly put key characters in real danger, although we have to wait quite a while to see if they'll bump anyone off. It's a rare show in which both the good and bad guys are abrasive and often unlikeable, and most of them have the ability to kill someone without trying too hard. So it's violent and nasty, but also wry and knowing. And all of the lead actors are terrific at layering vulnerabilities and emotions in unexpected ways. (Prime)

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel: series 4 
A huge step up from the uneven third season, this new series is much more sharply focussed on both the characters and the overarching themes. So Rachel Brosnahan is able to both broaden and deepen Midge, while also remaining genuinely hilarious in her stand-up performances. Meanwhile, the side roles aren't merely spiralling aimlessly this time around: each narrative thread weaves together cleverly to offer meaty scenes for the actors while pushing this extended family further forward. And Alex Borstein just gets more intriguing with each episode, building her business on hilariously fragile foundations. And you can never go wrong with the fabulous Jane Lynch. (Netflix)

M O S T L Y   N E W

Ms Marvel 
Lively and engaging, this Marvel origin series has Pakistani culture and history engagingly woven through it, similar to Moon Knight's Egyptian connection. But this one's an American high school sitcom, as lively junior Kamala (Iman Vellani) engages in banter with her goofy friends and hilariously insistent Pakistani parents. Then a bangle taps into her grandmother's ancestral power, sending Kamala on an odyssey as she realises that she's a superhero connected to ancient folklore. The comical vibe helps make the more violent plot elements easier to take, and the characters are so vivid that we can't wait to see more of them on either big or small screens. (Disney) 

Obi-Wan Kenobi 
Filling in a gap in the Star Wars timeline, this six-episode series returns Ewan McGregor to his eponymous role as the now-jaded Jedi, while Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader marauds across the galaxy trying to finish him off. It feels oddly ill-imagined from the start, focussing on edgy action scenes that are bereft of tension due to the usual prequel issue: we know none of the main characters is in any real danger. A more dramatic approach and some more central (expendable) new characters would have given the series a much stronger sense of intrigue. Still, it's produced to a gloriously high standard, and McGregor and his ensemble of costars are excellent. (Disney)

Uncoupled
Essentially writer-creator Darren Star has created an out-gay remake of his earlier show, Sex and the City, this time starring three New York men grappling with love-life issues. It's equally underwritten and over-designed, but it's also hugely likeable, thank to the up-for-it Neil Patrick Harris as Michael, newly single after a 17-year relationship. His pals (Tisha Campbell, Emerson Brooks and Brooks Ashmanskas) offer the usual mix of good and bad advice/support, mainly for comical effect. Plus the great Marcia Gay Harden as another new singleton who worms her way into Michael's life. It's also actually funny, even if the humorous edges are superficial. (Netflix)

Loot 
Maya Rudolph is terrific in this comedy about a pampered, newly single billionaire who hasn't a clue how to engage with the real world, but wants to try by getting involved in her foundation. Many of the jokes are rather ridiculous, but the Rudolph is so good at playing endearingly naive that we can't help but love her, especially as she begins to connect with others. The wonderful Michaela Jae Rodriguez is terrific as her main foil, plus the absurdly endearing Joel Kim Booster as her hyperactive assistant and Adam Scott as her smarmy ex. The range of subplots are a bit uneven, but if one isn't working the attention quickly shifts to one that is simply genius. (HBO)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 
Now that Discovery has leapt into the distant future, this spin-off reverts to the past to follow Captain Pike (Anson Mount) in the years before the original series, complete with a younger Spock (Ethan Peck) and a rookie Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). The idea here is to mimic the first series' exploratory episodic style, although the showrunners can't resist wallowing in those murky over-arching plot threads. This allows for some character depth, but it also makes the show feel a bit gimmicky, never fully diving in to the adventure of the week because everyone is preoccupied with their larger stories. Thankfully it's sharply well made, and very watchable. (Paramount)

Queer as Folk
Russell T Davies' landmark show gets a second reboot, this time set in New Orleans. The writing cleverly captures present-day attitudes, as sexuality is much blurrier than it was in the 1999 British original or 2000 American remake. Even as characters echo earlier versions, the plot strikes out in new directions, with a group of people whose lives are entangled in the wake of a nightclub shooting. The cast has a sparky freshness, anchored by the Devin Way as likeable disaster Brodie. The range of characters around him feels a bit overly curated, but each one engages with their messy decisions as they try to both fit in and find someone to love. (Peacock)

T H A T ’ S   A   W R A P

Love, Victor: series 3 
With its final season, this warm-hearted teen sitcom carries on with the likeable Victor (Michael Cimino) and friends. In these episodes, Victor ping-pongs between three smart, adorable guys -- Benji (George Sear), Rahim (Anthony Keyvan) and Nick (Nico Greetham) -- as he faces the usual foibles of the dating scene. It ends in the expected bearhug, but along the way, the story veers through some remarkably open-handed themes. Each cast member is particularly strong at playing vulnerability, especially in the face of genuine obstacles, so the pointed explorations of religion (both Catholicism and Islam) and sexuality feel inspiring and important. (Hulu) 

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COMING SOON: Andor, House of the Dragon, The Rings of Power, Reboot, She-Hulk, The Handmaid's Tale (5).