WHETHER it’s a new drama, reality show or documentary you’re in the mood for, we’ve got you covered for the week ahead.
The Sun’s TV Mag has a round up of the best new tele coming in the next seven days.
NETFLIX
Heart Of Stone – Available from Friday
Gal Godot proved she’s got what it takes to play a kickass superhero as Wonder Woman. Now she proves that she’s pretty brilliant as a kickass secret agent too. In this action-packed blockbuster, Gal plays Rachel Stone, a member of a shadowy group of elite spies known as The Charter. Not allied to any particular nation or cause, these highly trained operatives spend their time working to keep world peace. And they do it with the help of a super-smart AI called The Heart, which has the power to change world events. So when a rogue hacker (Alia Bhatt) sets out to take control of The Heart, Rachel and her crew must act fast to save the world. Big, breath-taking action.
Untold: Johnny Football – Available from Tuesday
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Johnny Manziel might not be a huge name over here, but he’s infamous among sports fans in the US. Ten years ago, this young Texan was the brightest star in American Football, an unlikely-looking quarterback who broke records while playing for unfancied side Texas A&M, before being snapped up by NFL giants the Cleveland Browns in 2014. However, at the same time as playing hard on the field, Manziel like to play hard off it too, and his partying often led him into trouble. As the fame and fortune grew, his playing career hit the skids and he blew his shot at the big time. In this candid documentary, Manziel – along with friends, family and colleagues – looks back on his many highs and lows, and he reveals why he’s happier now living the quiet life.
Painkiller – Available from Thursday
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The opioid crisis in America provides the backdrop to this compelling six-part drama, produced by Eric Newman (Narcos). A fictionalised version of real events, the series shines a light on the devastating rise of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin and the role played by the company that developed and then heavily marketed it, Purdue Pharma. Centring on Edie Flowers (Uzo Aduba), a lead prosecutor working to make Purdue face the consequences of their actions – which included concealing important negative aspects of the drug from doctors, patients and regulators – the series also stars Matthew Broderick as Purdue boss Richard Sackler. Powerful.
Zombieverse – Available from Tuesday
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If you’ve ever hankered after a show that’s a mash-up of reality series Hunted and zombie drama The Walking Dead, well it’s your lucky week. Get ready for Zombieverse, an utterly daft but hugely entertaining new reality series from South Korea, in which a group of Korean celebrities are thrust into a pretend zombie apocalypse in Seoul and then must work together to survive, all the while trying to avoid being bitten by hundreds of terrifying ‘zombies’ that are running about the place. Much more realistic than it sounds, the show is surprisingly tense and a whole lot of horror-fuelled fun.
Gabby’s Dollhouse – Available from Monday
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Prepare to put on that cat-ears headband because, as Gabby always says, it’s time to get tiny. This kids’ favourite is back for an eighth season of colourful, cat-tastic, crafty preschool fun. As ever, the new episodes will be a mix of energetic live-action moments and adventure-filled animation, with Gabby (played and voiced by Laila Lockhart Kraner) and her little furry pals exploring the dollhouse and all its many rooms, playing games, solving problems, singing songs and making all manner of treats and home-crafted toys and artworks. Little ones will adore it.
Mech Cadets – Available from Thursday
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It’s 50 years in the future and teenager Stanford Yu (voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo) works as a cleaner at the Sky Corps Military Academy. All his life, he’s dreamed of piloting a Robo Mech, one of the giant robots from outer space that came to humanity’s aid when Earth was attacked by a nasty alien species. When Stanford eventually gets his chance, can he and his classmates put their differences aside and work together to save Earth from a new and even deadlier alien invasion? Adapted from the hit comic-book series Mech Cadet Yu, this is an all-action, animated, young adult sci-fi extravaganza.
DISNEY+
Only Murders In The Building – Available from Tuesday
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Warm, witty and filled with wonderful performances, few recent shows have scaled the same marvellous heights as this US comedy-drama. Following the adventures of crime-podcast obsessives Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) – three neighbours in New York apartment building the Arconia – the first two seasons found the friends investigating two rather perplexing murders that took place on their doorsteps. This third series, which starts on Tuesday, joins them as they try to uncover who was responsible for the shock death of Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), the Hollywood star of Oliver’s Broadway play who we saw collapse on stage at the very end of season two. Also starring Meryl Streep as fellow stage actor Loretta Durkin, it promises to be the sleuthing trio’s toughest case yet. The series starts with a double bill, with episodes dropping weekly after that.
LIONSGATE+
Men In Kilts: A Roadtrip With Sam And Graham – Available from Friday
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Pals and Outlander co stars Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish strap on their sporrans once again for another adventure-packed road trip. This time, instead of investigating more of their homeland, the two friends are heading Down Under for an adrenaline-fuelled journey around New Zealand, where Graham has lived since filming The Hobbit 10 years ago. Along the way, they’ll take on dizzying zip wires, go kayaking, get up close to the local wildlife – including sharks – and scale mountains while wearing those kilts. It’s bracing, eye-opening stuff, made all the more enjoyable by the pair’s banter and obvious affection for one another.
PRIME VIDEO
Red, White & Royal Blue – Available from Friday
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Prepare for a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘international relations’. Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is the son of the first female president of the USA, Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman). He’s handsome, charismatic and very popular, but if there’s one thing he doesn’t like, it’s Britain’s Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). The pair have had an ongoing and very public feud for ages, and one which suddenly gets much worse following an altercation at a royal event. In an attempt to smooth things over, both Alex and Henry’s families force the pair to take part in a staged truce – and miraculously their mutual loathing begins to turn into something much more friendly and transatlantic sparks are soon flying. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, this is a ground-breaking, if rather cheesy, romcom.
Cruel Summer – Available from Friday
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The teen mystery drama returns for a new season, featuring a completely new story and cast. This time round, the action takes place at the turn of the Millennium and introduces us to three teenagers, Megan (Sadie Stanley), Isabella (Lexi Underwood) and Luke (Griffin Gluck), whose lives become closely intertwined. However, when one of them is murdered, the other two become the prime suspects, and before long the murder investigation reveals dark secrets and evidence of blackmail and a toxic romance. Can the confused cops, who find themselves in a thrilling game of cat and mouse, discover the truth?
Destination NBA: A G League Odyssey – Available from Tuesday
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For those who don’t know, the G League is a super-competitive development basketball league in the USA, in which young and up-and-coming players can show off their skills in the hope of being spotted and offered the chance to turn pro. This new documentary shines a light on the league, following some of the brightest prospects during the 2022-2023 season – including Scoot Henderson – and introducing us to hopefuls from all over the US. There are also contributions from NBA stars who cut their teeth in the G League, like Seth Curry and Jalen Green, and whole lot of drama and tension.
We Are Newcastle United
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Last season was a triumph for Newcastle United. Qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, and reaching their first domestic cup final since 1999, Eddie Howe’s Magpies proved that they’re a force to be reckoned with once again, thanks to the efforts of stars like Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes. This new four-part fly-on-the-wall docu-series, narrated by club legend Alan Shearer, goes behind the scenes at St. James’ Park to bring us the highs and lows of the 2022-2023 campaign – and to take a deep dive into the club’s long history and its remarkable bond with its legion of fans.
DISCOVERY+
Kim vs Kanye: The Divorce – Available from Monday
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Having lived the rest of their tumultuous marriage in the glare of the media spotlight, there was no way Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s divorce was going to slip by unnoticed, was there? So here comes a two-part documentary that goes deep inside the bitter and dramatic split and boasts unique access to the lawyers involved and all manner of in-the-know insiders. The first episode looks at the divorce from Kanye’s point of view, showing his lawyers’ battle to keep the family together. Then, the second instalment gives us Kim’s side of the argument, highlighting the online harassment she received. Whose side of the argument will you end up on?
APPLE TV+
Strange Planet – Available from Wednesday
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Have you ever thought that human behaviour is rather odd? Well, this smart adult-friendly animation based on Nathan Pyle’s comic strip of the same name points out just how absurd some of our behaviour is. The show transports us to an uncannily familiar-feeling world, where little blue aliens go about their human-seeming lives and relationships. However, the way they talk about what they’re up to, forever using overly technical and literal language – coffee is called “jitter liquid”, while a sun tan is “star damage” – shines a bright and often very amusing light on some of the more daft aspects of everyday human life and traditions.
PARAMOUNT+
Love In Taipei – Available from Friday
When young American Ever (Ashley Liao) is sent by her parents from Ohio to Taiwan for the summer to learn Mandarin, she expects it to be all boring history lessons and homework. Instead, Ever finds herself on a summer-long party extravaganza, where she quickly attracts the attention of two attractive but very different young guys. If that wasn’t disruptive enough, it soon dawns on Ever that her future happiness depends on finding the courage to tell her parents that her studies are less important to her than her true passion, that of dancing. Expect a diverting, if rather formulaic, romantic comedy.
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