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BOO, BITCH (NETFLIX)
A weird combination of smart book and Randall and Hopkirk (deceased), Netflix’s latest high-concept high school comedy is a hip it hurts, slightly funny farrago that is sure to attract a devout, loyal following.
Its attitude is big in its name, the eight-part Boo, Bitch is the story of best friends Erika (Lana Condor) and Gia (Zoe Margaret Colletti).
With only two months left at Parkway High School, the couple suddenly worries that they will only leave high school with “an education”. They’ve only just found out they’re not in the senior text chain and are now complaining about all the “kickbacks, lowdowns, and hoedowns” they’ve missed. But while their first big party night goes well, the next morning Erika not only sees Erika with a hangover, but also when she retraces her steps and finds what appears to be her body – crushed under a moose.
Whatever you do, don’t go into this series from the makers of Awkward and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend who expect coherence or subtlety. Boo, Bitch’s strengths lie in fast back and forth shooting, snappy one-liners and subverting traditional tropes.
BLACK BIRD (APPLE TV+)
Those who have followed Taron Egerton’s career on the big screen are in for a shock.
The British actor best known for his roles as Elton John, Eddie the Eagle and Kingsman’s Eggsy has grown a lot for his final role in this six-part true crime drama. The 32-year-old looks chiseled and muscular as he portrays the series’ protagonist—and author of the 2010 autobiographical novel it’s based on—James Keene.
Initially sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison for drug and firearms offenses, he is given “the choice of life”. Either serve his full sentence with no chance of parole, or enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend a suspected serial killer.
While directing is split between former directors of The Wire and The Drop, it’s the script from veteran crime writer Dennis Lehane (Mystic River) that really shines. Memorable dialogue abounds, as mystery and intrigue deepens with each scene, sucking you into both Keene’s investigation and riddle, until you’re completely absorbed in it, pushing yourself to “just one more episode” to watch.
DELIVERED
Eight great shows to stream this week.
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Delivered
Thomasin McKenzie stars in the drama series Life After Life, which tells the story of a woman who has endless opportunities to live her life.
LIFE AFTER LIFE (TVNZ+)
The return of the former Pixie Hannah from Shortland Street to the small screen for the first time in five years shows just how far she’s come.
Thomasin McKenzie excels in the BBC’s four-part adaptation of Kate Atkinson’s 2013 award-winning novel. You’ll have to wait until the second episode to see more than a fleeting glimpse, but once she takes center stage, you’ll be fascinated, compelled and rather concerned about the fate of her seemingly ill-fated Ursula Todd.
Yes, be warned, this is not feel-good television, our heroine suffers many hardships, humiliations and outright criminal acts as she makes her way through the first half of the 20th century. The twist here is that if she dies, she’s just reborn.
Screenwriter Bathsheba Doran and director John Crowley have done a fine job of distilling provocative text, the costumes and production design are top notch and it’s the television drama that certainly leaves its mark.
THE MOST HATED MAN ON THE INTERNET (NETFLIX)
Three-part docu-series that follows a woman’s mission to take down the self-proclaimed “King of Revenge Porn” after nude photos of her daughter were posted online.
Hunter Moore, a self-proclaimed “destroyer of professional life,” was particularly notable for refusing all takedown requests and was called “the most hated man on the Internet.” in a 2012 Rolling Stone article. He was also known to hack into email accounts, looking for nude photos to post on the site.
Charlotte Laws conducted a two-year investigation, collecting evidence from more than 40 victims, before handing it over to the FBI.
“The series successfully frames the whole story as a story about a bully and braggart who got involved with the wrong mother,” wrote John Doyle of The Globe and Mail.
Delivered
Paper Girls is now available to stream on Prime Video.
PAPER GIRLS (PRIME VIDEO)
With its tween protagonists, 80s setting, American Midwestern background, and sci-fi styles, it’s hard not to see this as Amazon’s answer to Stranger Things.
And indeed, the eight-part adaptation of Brian K Vaughan and Cliff Chiang’s comic book series Paper Girls certainly leans into any comparison, filling the original 1988 Cleveland, Ohio setting with a plethora of pop culture references, from Freddy Krueger and Teen From costumes from wolves to walkmans and the ever-present threat of nuclear war.
An appealing mix of The Goonies, Stand By Me and the Terminator and Back to the Future series, Paper Girls delights with its diverse characters and twist on traditional 80s teen and tween movie styles. Our central quartet is all made up of more than monotonous characters, showing plenty of sass and chutzpah, while also exposing their hopes, fears, and respective brushes with racism, anti-Semitism, and other abuses.
Though perhaps not as smooth – nor scary – as the Duffer brothers world-conquering Netflix seriesPaper Girls might be a more inclusive, thought-provoking coming-of-age story — and all the more impactful.
RAP SH!T (NEON)
Issa Rae from Insecure made this eight-part comedy about two estranged high school friends from Miami who get back together to form a rap group. Shawna Clark is stuck in a dead-end job at a hotel, while solo mom Mia Knight struggles to support herself and her four-year-old daughter. But when Shawna surprisingly invites Mia over for a drink, the unexpected happens.
“The jokes here are impressive, even if they tiptoe into a corny area, the visuals are smooth and the chemistry between the performers feels warm and familiar,” he wrote. Lovia Gyarkye from The Hollywood Reporter.
ITV
Too Close is now available to stream on ThreeNow.
TOO CLOSE (THREENOW)
Emily Watson and Denise Gough team up for this three-part British crime drama about a forensic psychiatrist charged with assessing a woman accused of a heinous crime, who claims she can’t remember anything. Based on the popular 2018 novel by Natalie Daniels.
“The idea of a psychiatrist being fascinated – or manipulated – by a patient is hardly unfamiliar territory, but Gough and Watson are two of our best actresses. Watching them compete against each other is a treat,” wrote London Evening Standard‘s Katie Rosseinsky.
VIRGIN RIVER (NETFLIX)
While it’s more Netflix’s answer to Hart of Dixie, or a nationwide take on A Million Little Things than Yellowstone, it’s easy to see why this Martin Henderson starrer has gained an army of admirers over its three-season run.
The Northern California soap is certainly not limited to drama, conflict, or romance, as it plunges breathlessly from one crisis to the next, starting the next before you’ve had much time to process the last.
But for all its possible ridiculousness, there’s something warm and comforting about watching the sometimes trivial, usually life-enhancing trials and tribulations of the inhabitants of this small town. Need a few hours to escape crumbling democracies, Covid-ridden society and climate change-induced chaos? Welcome to the binge-watch-friendly world of Virgin River, where “the internet is slow, but the gossip is fast”, where a raccoon regularly haunts the local bar to steal the cutlery and the arrival of a handsome new doctor ensures that the waiting room are filled with almost the entire population over 40.