Screen: September TV Roundup

Because I watch most of these shows on press links, I have already jumped ahead to series that aren't out yet, most notably advance episodes in new seasons of Only Murders in the Building, The Morning Show and Peacemaker. I'm loving these shows, although I am waiting impatiently to get the rest of the episodes. I'll start here with this summer's new series...

Chief of War
Jason Momoa stars in and cowrote this epic Hawaiian historical series. Set in the late 1700s, the thunderous plot centres around Momoa's Maui warrior Ka'iana, caught between two outrageously violent kings (Temeura Morrison and Cliff Curtis) and the benevolent Kamehameha (Kaina Makua). It's a robust show with hugely thrilling moments and beefy dramatic beats. Characters are vivid, including some superbly strong women (especially Luciane Buchanan and Te Ao o Hinepehinga). There's also a lot of grisly violence, although the show flinches away from romantic elements, leaving some sequences rather unfinished. This series leads to a staggeringly intense battle on an active volcano. And plenty of nastiness is still lurking for season 2. (Apple)

The Institute
Based on the Stephen King novel, this conspiratorial mystery series centres on a top-secret facility run by the creepy Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker), who kidnaps, exploits and possibly kills children with telepathic abilities for some nefarious reason. Meanwhile, drifter Tim (Ben Barnes) takes a job in a local police station and begins investigating. The intrigue levels are high, largely because the scripts give so little away, centred on the smart teens (including Joe Freeman, Fionn Laird, Simone Miller and Viggo Hanvelt) trying to escape from this shady prison-like facility. The scrappy filmmaking approach makes it riveting to watch, because it feels so unpredictable. Although it takes a long time to get around to supplying the answers. (MGM)

Smoke
This is about as Dennis Lehane as a TV show can be, a thriller packed with conflicted and often downright loathsome characters that give the actors a lot to chew on. Taron Egerton stars as an arson investigator teamed with a local cop (Jurnee Smollett) to solve two sets of serial fires. Meaty support comes from Rafe Spall, Greg Kinnear and John Leguizamo. Each of these tough-talking characters has at least one key moral failing, and they interact in ways that are as fiery as the blazes that are burning everything down around them. The plot takes a series of seriously grim twists and turns. And not a moment of what's on-screen feels remotely plausible. If you don't get too frustrated by this, the show is still entertaining. (Apple)

Leanne
Comedian Leanne Morgan leads this sitcom about a Southern woman who is thrown when her husband (Ryan Styles) suddenly leaves after three decades of marriage, children and grandchildren. She puts her life back together with the help of her tearaway sister (Kristen Johnson), two hilariously sparky siblings against the world. It's fairly standard TV stuff, with the usual children (Graham Rogers and Hannah Pilkes), parents (Blake Clark and Celia Weston) and nosey neighbour (Jayma Mays) on hand to spike the one-liners. Plus a new suitor (Tim Daly) for Leanne. It's also warm and funny, with strong characters and a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments. But the laugh track feels oddly old fashioned, and more than a little distracting. (Netflix)

Stick
With heavy Ted Lasso vibes, but a more formulaic story arc, this sports comedy-drama stars Owen Wilson as disgraced golf pro Pryce who finds new purpose in life when he discovers talented 17-year-old Santi (Peter Dager) and offers to help launch his career. The character-based storytelling is hugely engaging, most notably in the long-time relationship between Pryce and his caddy Mitts (Marc Maron). And Mariana Trevino (as Santi's mother) and Lilli Kay (Santi's love interest) add superb textures as this offbeat makeshift family travels around middle America in an RV. Big story elements arrive with a thud, mainly in the form of unnecessary conflicts, but the show maintains its warm, brittle sense of humour. (Apple) 

Olympo
From the producers of Elite, here's another show about an exclusive school, this time an academy for, yes, elite athletes. It's of course populated by sex-obsessed students and over-serious teachers, all of whom who are stupid or vile, often both. Of course, this makes it just as watchable as Elite, because all of these absurdly super-fit, clothing-averse people are deeply conflicted about the contrived nastiness the writers continually throw at them. With multiple mysteries, scandals and conspiracies for these eye-catching hotties to grapple with over the course of eight episodes, the show is a full-on guilty pleasure. It also makes some gestures toward confronting big issues in sport, such as doping, homophobia and corporate sponsorship. (Netflix)

Adults
While it's snappy and engaging, there's an annoying whiff of artificiality running through this comedy about five lively 20-somethings, starting with the fact that they live rent-free in a friend's house in Queens. This makes their whiny complaints about adult life feel astonishingly shallow and self-indulgent. The dialog is edgy and entertaining, well delivered by the central ensemble even if they're overplaying these likeable idiots. Frankly, there isn't one person on-screen who doesn't seem in dire need of a firm slap. And it doesn't help that every twist of the plot is painfully contrived, while the issues the show pretends to explore are little more than cliches addressed with jokes that aren't particularly funny. (FX)

The Wild Ones
Former commando Aldo Kane and intrepid camera operators Declan Burley and Vianet Djenguet take on some jaw-droppingly intense projects in these six episodes. They travel into inaccessible spots around the globe in an effort to document endangered species and help make sure they don't go extinct. Looking for tigers in Malaysia, bears in Mongolia and whales in the North Atlantic, these guys come up with ingenious ways to capture footage of seldom-seen animals. The situations they get into are astonishing, beautifully filmed to reveal the rarely seen settings and wildlife. It's also a little surreal to realise that they are accompanied by an equally intrepid camera crew that's filming this series, and perhaps could have a show of their own. (Apple) 

C A T C H I N G   U P

Wednesday: series 1-2
Having never watched this Addams Family reboot before, I binged the first season before the second arrived. This is a wonderfully deranged and stylised comedy from the mind of Tim Burton, centred around Jenna Ortega as a dark-minded teen in a nutty boarding school for outcasts. The second season is instantly gloomier, with a stronger sense of violent nastiness woven into the storylines. Thankfully, it's also still hilarious, with the added nuttiness of Steve Buscemi's over-eager headmaster. Everything about this show is delightfully ghoulish, from the bonkers plotting to the thoroughly up-for-it cast. These could easily be one-note characters, but they're full of witty nuance. And at its core this is a terrific celebration of individual quirks and offbeat family bonds. (Netflix)

Fisk: series 1-3
As a Kath & Kim fan, this show has often been recommended, but it took me awhile to catch up with it ahead of the recently dropped third season. This is another riotously bone-dry comedy from Melbourne, populated by amusing characters who are instantly unforgettable. In the title role, Kitty Flanagan has impeccable timing as the intelligent but vaguely clueless probate lawyer Helen Fisk, whose colleagues (Jilia Zemiro, Marty Sheargold and deadpan genius Aaron Chen) never say or do anything that isn't ridiculous. There's even an outrageous recurring role for Glenn Robbins (Kath & Kim's Kel). Each season pushes these people to the breaking point, but they hang on resiliently. And hilariously. Unmissable. (Netflix) 

T H E Y ’ R E   B A C K !

Dexter: Resurrection
The killer who can't be killed returns once more for another gritty series of episodes. Michael C Hall is back in his signature role, as Dexter now moves to New York to keep an eye on his son Harrison (Jack Alcott), who has some demons of his own. But of course, Dexter can't resist getting caught up in murderous shenanigans of his own. After tracking down a serial killer, he finds himself on a collision course with deadly puppet-masters (Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage) who run a club for murderers. Fabulous cameos liven things up considerably, including Neil Patrick Harris, Krysten Ritter, David Dastmalchian and Eric Stonestreet. And the tension between Dexter and Harrison is beautifully well-played. (Showtime)

Single, Out: series 3
Still endearingly awkward, this low-budget queer series set in Melbourne continues the adventures of magazine photographer Adam (Will Hutchins), with new wrinkles provided by younger brother Ethan (Joel Nankervis). Even if the direction is rather clumsy, series creator Lee Galea continues to have fun with an ensemble of lively characters who are likably played by a bright young cast. Everyone falls in and out of love in an instant, slutty one day and chaste the next. But it's easy to ignore the corny plotting and implausible details (can any free gay magazine support such a large staff?), thanks to thoughtful issues that pop up here and there. And it's especially nice to see characters who are so relaxed about sexuality. (Cinephobia)

Long Way Home
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are back for a fourth epic motorbike odyssey, this time riding reconditioned 50-year-old vintage bikes in a huge arching circle around Europe from Ewan's Scotland hometown to Charley's house outside London. They spend much of this series in Scandinavia, which is particularly fascinating as they discover glorious scenery, offbeat sports and several astounding places to camp or rent an unusual room. Their camaraderie is infectious, because they come across as endearing chuckleheads who are simply enjoying the unexpected things they discover along the road. And their families feature as well this time, which makes it even more involving. We'd love to go travelling with them. (Apple) 

O V E R   A N D   O U T

The Sandman: series 2
Grim and almost oppressively dark from the opening moments, this show digs further into its elaborate mythology while majoring in shadowy sets and black-intensive costumes. The overwhelmingly grey imagery and tone are hugely indulgent and not terribly original. But there are a huge crowd of terrific characters along the way, and some churning surprises in the way the story unfolds its tale of gods and spirits and faeries and such. Best of all are the evolving relationships between the mopey Dream (Tom Sturridge) and his friends, siblings, parents and foes. This offers beefy roles for superb actors who manage to hold things together despite seemingly being directed to do everything in slow motion. (Netflix)

Acapulco: series 4
For its final season, this refreshingly bilingual series doubles down on its fractured narrative approach, excessively spinning out sideplots for supporting characters while stretching out the present-day framing device into a separate story strand of its own. And visually, current scenes and those set 40 years ago look increasingly similar, which oddly blurs everything, lowering the stakes because the storylines seem to be warring with each other for our attention. Still, the writers have fun with versions of the characters while also tying up the various threads. The show continues to have plenty of Latin-fuelled charm, with hilarious gags peppered throughout the script. And Eugenio Derbez is engaging as always. (Apple)

Upload: series 4
There are only four half-hour episodes in this final season, and it feels much more plot-driven than before, rushing to tie up a range of loose threads in thankfully unexpected ways. While the tone leans further into the more slapsticky elements, the story itself is surprisingly dark, touching on issues of grief and loss in intense ways that sit at odds with the silly comedy. It helps that Robbie Amell is as charming as always in his now-dual role as two versions of Nathan, even if one of them is very mopey this time around. And as before, he's ably supported by Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards, Kevin Bigley and Zainab Johnson, plus Owen Daniels as the mass-produced AI Guy. Hopefully we'll see these actors in new gigs soon. (Prime)

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Great British Bake Off, Last Week Tonight, The Late Show, Destination X, Battle Camp, Final Draft, South Park.

NOW WATCHING: The Paper, Peacemaker 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3, The Morning Show 4, Only Murders in the Building 5

COMING SOON: Black Rabbit, The Savant, Chad Powers, Boots, Gen V 2, Loot 3

Previous roundup: JULY 2025 >

Screen: January TV Roundup

Extra television was required this autumn to prepare for casting my TV ballots in the 81st Golden Globes. But it's just impossible to catch everything. Still, I'd seen most nominees in each category before I cast my final-round votes, then cheered The Bear, Succession and Beef to victory on Sunday night. Here's what I've been watching over the past four months, starting with nine new series. Or in the first case, new-ish...

Frasier
Kelsey Grammer slips effortlessly back into his iconic role for a third time, still seeming like a man living in the wrong place and time, and loving it despite the constant annoyances. This reworking is more of a standard sitcom than the 1993-2004 iteration, with the usual collection of offbeat characters and predictable tensions. So that Niles-Frasier dynamic feels sorely lacking. That said, these people definitely grow on us. And it's the funniest new comedy in years, a rare show that can make us laugh out loud. (Paramount) 

Fellow Travelers
Lavishly and boldly assembled, this drama traces several decades in American politics through the prism of homophobia and fear, most notably in the 1950s McCarthy hearings. An epic romance is recounted in fragmented snippets that prevent the viewer from properly engaging with the narrative's emotional momentum, but individual scenes are gorgeously written and played, and various story arcs carry strong emotional wallops. Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey have wonderfully prickly chemistry in the central roles. (HBO)

Lessons in Chemistry
First-rate production values and excellent performances add both weight and depth to this 1950s drama, which takes a specific look at the often cruel suppression of women in American society. The story centres on ace scientist Elizabeth (a superb Brie Larson), a survivor of abuse who finds herself increasingly marginalised despite her brilliant mind. Strong performances from Lewis Pullman (as her colleague and romantic foil) and Aja Naomi King (as an intrepid neighbour) add terrific textures. (Apple)

The Brothers Sun
Michelle Yeoh storms the small screen as the mother of siblings (Justin Chien and Sam Song Li) who haven't seen each other in decades. One stayed in Taipei with their Triad boss dad (Johnny Kou) and became a killer, while the other moved with mum to Los Angeles and became "soft". The spiralling interaction within this family, plus a range of terrific side roles, makes this show worth a look, while the violence that surrounds them erupts in fiercely well-staged action sequences. It's a lot of fun, and keeps us on our toes. (Netflix)

Gen V
This spin-off from The Boys has a sparky young cast and a driving sense of momentum, plus the same intensely hyper-violent touches and gimmicky sexual shenanigans. The fresh-faced cast is likeable, even as their super-powered university student characters rocket through a series of outrageous situations while uncovering and trying to expose a massive conspiracy involving a shady cabal that is exploiting all of them. Ultimately, it's a bit of nasty nonsense that folds itself back into The Boys. (Prime)

Blue Eye Samurai
Beautiful manga-style animation brings this epic-legend series to life, with hour-long episodes that feel rather ambitious, but also textured and satisfying. Set in 17th century Japan, when being foreign was illegal, the story sends a young samurai who is half-European (thus the blue eyes) on a very personal quest. Secrets abound throughout the narrative, which unfolds with a wonderful series of unexpected adventures and relationships and lots of underlying secrets. And the characters have complexity and charm. (Netflix)

Still Up 
This sitcom is about an insomniac and her agoraphobic male pal who are never in the same room. Both are insufferable, difficult to like as they communicate by video chat. Thankfully, Lisa and Danny are brightly well-played by Antonia Thomas and Craig Roberts. But their misadventures feel contrived, as does how the story pushes them together. Along the way, they constantly poke fun at Lisa's partner (Blake Harrison), the show's most engaging character who's ridiculed for his humanity and sense of responsibility. Hmmm. (Apple)

Tore 
From Sweden, this is a pitch-black comedy that isn't afraid to get very grim indeed, as the young title character (William Spetz) grapples with both his sexuality and his grief. This makes it often tough to watch, as Tore isn't particularly likeable, because he acts without thinking about anyone, even himself. But it's fascinating to watch as his experiences push and pull him in various directions, shifting his perspective and trajectory. And Spetz delivers an astonishingly brave performance in a wonderfully messy role. (Netflix)

Escort Boys
Corny title aside, this French series has an intriguing premise that could serve as a fascinating exploration of masculinity. Alas, the story is told through a resolutely male gaze, with characters who are unflinchingly macho. It's about a teen girl who, to save the family farm, creates a stable of escorts with her brother and friends. The setting, in a part of France that looks like the Australian Outback, is gorgeous. While the obvious female themes are here, issues of sexuality only timidly emerge in the final two episodes. (Prime)

A   F I N A L   B O W

The Crown: series 6 
This final season's first half builds to the death of Princess Diana (the fantastic Elizabeth Debicki) and her seismic influence on the royal family and the world. Then the show returns to the Queen (Imelda Staunton), Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce), Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville), Prince Charles (Dominic West) and his sons., tying up loose narrative loose ends. As always, this is impeccably produced, with first-rate acting in complex roles. And as it inventively blends fact with fiction, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. (Netflix)

A N O T H E R   H E L P I N G

The Morning Show: series 3 
Far soapier than previous seasons, this show slows its momentum while diffusing the plot among various improbable character threads. Topicality remains strong enough to hold the interest, especially with powerhouse actors like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Greta Lee and Julianna Margulies. It may not be as brisk, bold and nimble as the first season, but it's a rare show that takes on big issues relating to show business. And Jon Hamm has some nasty fun a the Musk-like tech baron on a mission. (Apple)

The Tourist:
series 2
Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald continue the adventures of the amnesiac Irishman, leaving the Australian Outback for Ireland and a new barrage of kidnappings, attacks and mayhem. It turns out that Elliot is actually scion of the Cassidy mob, and he reignites the feud with the rival McDonnell family. The twists and turns are fun, violent but gleefully played with tongue in cheek. While some of the random sideroads feel a bit annoying, the great Olwen Fouere is fabulously formidable as Elliot's no-nonsense mother. (BBC)

Upload: series 3
This show's plottiness increases once again, and the exhausting convolutions distract from the more entertaining relationships and sci-fi nuttiness. As the central premise splinters to follow other characters, Robbie Amell's Nathan is doubled as well, creating two main storylines while further beefing up supporting roles for leading ladies Andy Allo and Allegra Edwards, as well as Owen Daniel (as the entire afterlife hotel staff). This is a guilty pleasure, offering fun while never grappling with deeper ideas in the premise. (Prime)

Our Flag Means Death: series 2 
Adding some terrific new characters and spiralling adventure chaos, this pirate ship comedy charges confidently into its second season. It's hilarious to watch events continually rocket off in new directions, as the characters struggle to make sense of each new situation. This season starts off sparky and silly, then get a bit murky with lots of flashback-induced soul-searching. So the final few episodes feel a little meandering and corny. But the way the show continually punctures masculinity is fiendishly clever. (Max)

Elite: series 7
Madrid's party/murder school is back in session, with traumatised ex-student Omar (Omar Ayuso) now on staff while his new boyfriend (Fernando Lindez) is a student, improbably funded by last year's multiple-tragedy victim Ivan (Andre Lamoglia) then launching into an awkward love triangle. There's a feeling like the stakes have been raised, most notably with the aggressive police, who are seen illegally wiretapping teens and violently evicting homeless kids from a shelter. But several vanished characters are sorely missed. (Netflix)

I   G I V E   U P

Loki: series 2 
Rocketing back into its time-travelling, parallel universe mayhem, this show is far too pleased with its own impenetrable mythology to allow the viewer in. Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson have terrific chemistry, plus the great Ke Huy Quan, but it's swamped by overwrought production values and badly overwritten dialog. I tried to just sit back and have some fun with this, but lost the will to live by episode 3. (Disney) 

NOW WATCHING: Fargo (5), The Traitors (2), Invincible (2), Open To It.

COMING SOON: Expats, Feud: Capote vs the Swans, Mr & Mrs Smith, Sexy Beast, The Woman in the Wall, The New Look, Players, Abbott Elementary (3), True Detective: Night Country (4), The Conners (6), Queer Eye (8).

Previous roundup: OCTOBER 2023 > 

Critical Week: Up on the roof

Press screenings this past week included Spooks: The Greater Good, the first big-screen adventure for the long-running BBC TV spy series (titled MI-5 in the USA). Comments on the film are embargoed until closer to the May 8th release, but the cast includes Kit Harington (above), Jennifer Ehle, David Harewood and series actors Peter Firth, Tim McInnerny and Lara Pulver. And there were two other action movies this week: Sean Penn is The Gunman, an oddly dull and brutal Euro-thriller with the spark of a topical theme, while Jason Statham leads Wild Card, an oddly dull and brutal Vegas thriller with a jazzy undertone.

There were also four comedies: Noah Baumbach's engaging but contrived While We're Young features Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts facing the early flares of middle age; Mae Whitman is terrific in The Duff, a smartly written and played teen comedy that keeps the audience laughing; from the same producers, the perhaps too-snappy meta-comedy Playing It Cool stars Chris Evans as a screenwriter trying to write a rom-com while resisting romance; and Andrew J West leads a starry cast as Walter, a likeable young guy who thinks he's God's messenger and takes a surprisingly engaging journey back to reality.

And two superbly well-made but essentially plotless art films were a tonic to critics worn out by too-literal commercial movies: the rural British coming-of-age drama The Goob and the Colombian class-clash drama Gente de Bien are both beautifully observed studies of people grappling with life in their specific cultures.

Coming up in the next week, we have screenings of the Divergent sequel Insurgent, Liam Neeson in Run All Night, Russell Crowe in The Water Diviner, Elizabeth Moss in Listen Up Philip, James Franco in I Am Michael, sirs Ben Kingsley and Michael Caine in Stonehearst Asylum, the animated adventure Home, the Swedish drama Something Must Break and the finally uncensored 54: The Director's Cut.