Get notified when Renegade Nell is available to stream on Disney Plus – add to calendar now

It's the month of many new releases on Disney Plus, with the likes of Shōgun continuing to grip viewers with its weekly releases and drumming up comparisons to Game of Thrones.

The series is based on the novel by James Clavell, which makes up his epic Asian Saga book series, and so far, has certainly delivered in the drama stakes.

If you're looking for something a little less intense then the second series of hit comedy Extraordinary has recently landed on the streamer, proving that superpowers aren't just for children.

With hilarious lead Máiréad Tyers back again as Jen, we continue to follow her in her powers journey as she struggles to cope with her late blooming but also, her new relationship, friends and whatever else life chucks her way.

While season 1 left on quite the cliffhanger, you can expect more of the same infectious humour, wit and charm as we see Jen explore the not-so-smooth path of finding her power.

The month of March has also brought with it plenty of other new releases, including Marvel's X-Men '97, new murder mystery series Death and Other Details, as well as newly released documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, which explores the iconic Spring Break street party.

There's plenty more to look ahead to as well, with Grey's Anatomy season 20 set to be released later this month as well as Renegade Nell, a new fantasy series from Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright.

Lest we forget recent hits on the streamer also such as The Bear, which has had a very fruitful recent awards season and scooped up awards for standout performances from Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, as well as for the ensemble as a whole.

That's in addition to acclaimed political spy thriller Homeland, Black Cake, The Artful Dodger, Iwájú and Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3, with the latter marking the return of beloved character Asajj Ventress.

There's plenty more to discover on Disney Plus from beloved comedy Modern Family to Damson Idris's much talked-about Snowfall and vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, all of which have proven popular.

Scroll on for more on the best titles on Disney Plus to watch now, including releases on Star.

Right now Disney Plus is running a limited-time deal where you can get three months for just £1.99 a month. Sign up today or check out our Disney Plus deal page to find out more.

Get three months Disney Plus for £1.99 a month

Showing 1 to 24 of 90 results

  • Death and Other Details

    • 2024
    • Mystery
    • Drama

    Summary:

    Set amid the glamour of the global elite, Death and Other Details centres on the brilliant and restless Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), who finds herself in the wrong place/wrong time and becomes the prime suspect in a locked-room murder mystery.

    Why watch Death and Other Details?:

    Let's face it, it's the boom of the murder mystery and there's just something about pairing it with the glamorous life of wealthy individuals that has proven to be a failsafe format time and time again. Just think of The White Lotus, Death on the Nile, or even Only Murders in the Building. Well, Death and Other Details has flecks of all of those as we follow Imogene Scott (Violett Beane) who seems to find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is implicated in a murder.

    Set on a luxury cruise liner, Imogene quickly realises that the world's greatest detective – and someone who she personally detests – is aboard the ship too and soon, an investigation is underway, throwing every guest's lives into the spotlight. While the series can be a little slow moving in parts and the character development is non-existent in parts, it's an intriguing watch, if only to find out who the bad guy is at the end.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Extraordinary

    • 2023
    • Comedy
    • Drama
    • 18

    Summary:

    Jen is a self-aware young woman who lives in a world where everybody except her has a superpower. Comedy starring Mairead Tyers

    Why watch Extraordinary?:

    When this new comedy series debuted last year, it quickly became a fan-favourite and now, we've got a second instalment full of superpowers, surprises and hilarious mishaps as we follow Jen (Máiréad Tyers) on her own powers journey.

    The 25-year-old shop worker faces her own fair share of problems, not least that she's yet to develop any powers when those around her are practically showing them off. With her infectious wit, Tyers is a delight to watch in the lead of this series which may seem like it's all caught up on the superpower elements, but actually speaks more to identity and feeling like the odd one out.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Shogun

    • 2024
    • Romance
    • Drama

    Summary:

    Early 17th-century Japan teeters on the brink of civil war in a 10-part adaptation of James Clavell's best-selling novel. In the year 1600, the Council of Regents unites against Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), lighting the fuse on a devastating civil war that will definite the century in Japan. Bureaucrat Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira) is Toranaga's fiercest rival and the Lord turns to his trusted general Toda Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka) for advice as conflict looms. A mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village and pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) bears secrets that could benefit Toranaga. They unite with the help of translator and Christian noblewoman Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), who intends to honour her late father and restore her family name in the shadow of her jealous husband Toda Hirokatsu (Shinnosuke Abe)

    Why watch Shōgun?:

    A mysterious ship marooned in a nearby village, a Lord struggling for power and decades-long rivalries converge in this epic new series. Based on James Clavell’s novel of the same name, this new series blends action, adventure and history for one hell of a watch. Standout performances come from Hiroyuki Sanada as the enigmatic Lord Yoshii Toranaga, while Anna Sawai and Cosmo Jarvis’s budding relationship as John and Toda is enough to keep us tuning in, eager to see whether there’s more to Sawai’s translator than meets the eye.

    While it’s definitely not going to be the show you turn to for a relaxing watch, the drama packs a punch with its sprawling cast, battles and cinematography that will likely make this a series people are talking about for the year to come.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Homeland

    • 2011
    • Drama
    • Crime/detective
    • 15

    Summary:

    "Homeland" is an American thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. Danes plays a CIA agent convinced that a rescued Marine held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war was turned by the enemy and now threatens the United States. Already on thin ice after being stripped of her field status following a diplomatic incident in Iraq, she is forced to break protocol to prove her theory, but it would mean sullying the reputation of a man considered by her superiors to be a war hero. Lewis plays Sgt Nicholas Brody, the Marine in question. Morena Baccarin plays Jessica, Brody's wife; and David Harewood is David Estes, Carrie's boss. It premiered on Channel 4 in 2012.

    Why watch Homeland?:

    If you’re in the mood for a good thriller, Homeland has just landed on Disney Plus — with all eight seasons set to take viewers on quite the rollercoaster.

    The series follows CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), who in the first season is reassigned to the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center in Langley, Virginia. Carrie comes to suspect an American soldier, Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), who has returned after being presumed dead in Iraq, could actually be part of a sleeper cell planning a terrorist attack.

    While there are eight seasons to get through, this is one that keeps you on your toes and delivers some surprising cliffhangers, with standout performances from Danes and Lewis, as well as supporting cast members Mandy Patinkin, Morena Baccarin and more.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

    • 2023
    • Documentary and factual
    • News and current affairs
    • 12

    Summary:

    A group of Sarah Lawrence College students fall under the influence of a friend's father, Larry Ray. The series follows the cult from its origins through its still-unfolding aftermath.

    Why watch Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence?:

    Amid the expansive list of TV shows on Disney Plus, it’s often easy to forget that the streamer is home to some documentaries that can stand tall against some of Netflix’s biggest hitters. This three-part series is an example of just that and tells the shocking true story of a group of Sarah Lawrence College students who fall under the influence of a friend’s father, Larry Ray.

    What initially starts out as helping out a friend with a place to live for her recently incarcerated father soon turns into a case of manipulation and gaslighting that still has major ramifications for the group to this day. With access and interviews with the survivors, the three episodes take you on quite the journey through the origins of Ray’s involvement in the group to what it eventually became.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Black Cake

    • 2023
    • Mystery
    • Thriller

    Summary:

    A globe-trotting mystery spanning decades threatens to tear one grief-stricken family apart in an eight-part drama based on Charmaine Wilkerson's best-selling novel. In California, widow Eleanor Bennett (Chipo Chung) loses her hard-fought battle with cancer and the reading of her will brings together her two estranged children, Benny (Adrienne Warren) and Byron (Ashley Thomas). They are bequeathed a flash drive of their mother's untold history, narrated by the late matriarch, which charts her odyssey from the Caribbean to America via Italy, Scotland and England. The truth about Eleanor's troubled past as a runaway bride named Covey (Mia Isaac) in the late 1960s, who is suspected of her husband's murder and goes on the run, dumbfounds Benny and Byron. They reevaluate everything they thought they knew about their mother and their origins

    Why watch Black Cake?:

    In an age of many book-to-TV adaptations, it can often feel like some series were best left in their written form – but the same can’t be said of Black Cake. Here, Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel comes alive with vibrant locations like Jamaica and California interspersed with scenes in London and Scotland. A widow named Eleanor leaves her two children in complete confusion after leaving them audio recordings detailing her life story, one that started out in Jamaica as a girl named Covey.

    The series features plenty of soap opera-style reveals, twists and turns but manages to pack in some pretty heavy themes of racism, sexual assault and immigration that will make this wide-spanning tale one that is ever topical and important.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • The Artful Dodger

    • 2023
    • Romance
    • Drama

    Summary:

    The street urchin from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist is now a surgeon in 1850s Australia but he cannot outrun his predilection for crime. Drama starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster

    Why watch The Artful Dodger?:

    While a Charles Dickens adaptation may not be everyone’s idea of a raucous TV ride, this new series does away with expectations and provides a lively new spin on some beloved Oliver Twist characters. At the end of the well-known tale, The Artful Dodger was sentenced for his crimes and shipped off to Australia, and this series fills in those blanks, providing a new story about the fate of Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins.

    Led by Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the show is fast-paced, as we follow Jack as a surgeon with a penchant for his criminal past – even more so when Fagin (David Thewlis) makes an appearance and the sneaky duo are reunited.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Fresh Off the Boat

    • 2015
    • Sitcom
    • Drama
    • PG

    Summary:

    US comedy drama with Randall Park and Constance Wu. It is loosely based on celebrity chef Eddie Huang's memoirs about an Asian-American family growing up in Florida during the 1990s.

    Why watch Fresh Off the Boat?:

    It was never a hit over here, but this agreeable US sitcom from 2015 ran for six seasons over there and is a minor gem. Based loosely on the experiences of TV chef Eddie Huang, it follows a Taiwanese-American family as they move from Chinatown in Washington DC, to the white community of Orlando, Florida, where their Asian restaurant will be the only one for miles.

    Standard jokes about parenting and coming of age mix neatly with warm character drama and enlightening comment on the immigrant experience.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • Modern Family

    • 2009
    • Sitcom
    • Drama
    • PG

    Summary:

    American comedy following the lives of Jay Pritchett and his extended family in suburban Los Angeles as they face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways. Starring Ed O'Neill and Julie Bowen

    Why watch Modern Family?:

    It’s quite wild to think that it’s been four years since Modern Family concluded with its 11th and final run – but, at long last, we can binge-watch the entire 11 seasons on Disney Plus.

    The final instalment brings with it plenty more barrels of laughs, but is also that bit more poignant, as we see the likes of Luke, Haley, Alex, Manny and Lily face the trials and tribulations of being teenagers and fully grown adults, a far cry away from their baby-faced season 1 characters.

    As per usual, the Pritchett, Tucker and Dunphy clans go through many arguments, trials, tribulations, romances and new beginnings – but in the most hilarious ways possible.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
  • Echo

    • 2024
    • Action
    • Fantasy

    Summary:

    Superhero action adventure, spotlighting Maya Lopez, as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk's criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. Some flashing lights sequences or patterns may affect photosensitive viewers.

    Why watch Echo? :

    Picking up after the dramatic events of Hawkeye, this latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe should provide the grit that fans of the now-cancelled Netflix shows always appreciated.

    This time, Alaqua Cox takes centre stage as Maya Lopez (aka Echo), who recently discovered her adoptive father, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), played a role in her biological dad’s murder.

    Their relationship is explored further in this five-part miniseries, which is the first of Marvel’s Disney Plus originals to drop all at once as a bingeable box set – no agonising week-long waits!

    As part of the new Marvel Spotlight banner, this show is intended to be more of a character study than a tease of things to come, although executive producer Brad Winderbaum has hinted at more stories for iconic villain Kingpin.

    Read our full Echo review for more.

    How to watch
  • A Murder at the End of the World

    • 2023
    • Mystery
    • Drama

    Summary:

    Darby Hart, a Gen Z amateur sleuth, attempts to solve a murder at a secluded retreat.

    Why watch A Murder at the End of the World?:

    The key names on the credits for this highly stylised new drama are those of the creators and directors, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij: their previous collaboration, Netflix’s The OA, was seen by viewers either as an utterly baffling mess, or as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

    This one looks to have a higher budget, since the icy, remote, futuristic mansion in which its set is so impressively realised. Living there is a mysterious, reclusive billionaire played by Clive Owen, and among the guests invited to come and stay for reasons unclear is hacker and amateur sleuth Darby Hart, played by former Crown star Emma Corrin. When someone gets killed, everything quickly gets intensely weird.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • Culprits

    • 2023
    • Thriller
    • Drama
    • 12A

    Summary:

    Yorkshire-born writer-director J Blakeson reunites with actress Gemma Arterton, star of his first film The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, for an eight-part heist thriller. Joe (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) is living the American dream with his fiance Jules (Kevin Vidal) and their two young children, Bud (Baeyen Hoffman) and Frankie (Maria Nash). The family is unaware of Joe's history as a member of a gang of criminals that pulled off a daredevil heist masterminded by Dianne Harewood (Arterton). The past eventually catches up with the doting father when another member of the gang (Kirby) contacts Joe to let him know that they are being targeted by an unknown assassin. To keep his loved ones safe, Joe must return to his old stomping ground to track down Dianne and former associates then identify the merciless killer in their midst

    Why watch Culprits?:

    J Blakeson, who directed the film I Care a Lot and the memorably unpleasant BBC series Gunpowder, is on writing and directing duties for a vibrant heist/revenge thriller. It takes the familiar story of a gang of disparate ordinary people who somehow end up orchestrating a heist together, and flips it: our gang here appear to be regular folk, but they used to be expert thieves. Evidently they made some enemies because someone is now trying to kill them, so together they must decide: fight or run?

    The action is slick and the ensemble — including Gemma Arterton, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Niamh Algar — is a strong mix.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians

    • 2023
    • Action
    • Fantasy

    Summary:

    Author Rick Riordan kickstarted his hugely popular Percy Jackson & The Olympians adventures based on Greek mythology in 2005 with The Lightning Thief. Rich source material is reimagined as an eight-part fantasy by Riordan and co-creator Jonathan E Steinberg, laying the groundwork for a multi-year expansion covering the entire literary catalogue. Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is blissfully unaware that he is the product of a romance between his mortal mother Sally (Virginia Kull) and the god of the sea, Poseidon (Toby Stephens). Exposed as a demi-god, Percy attends Camp Half-Blood under the direction of Dionysus (Jason Mantzoukas) with his best friend Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri), who is actually a satyr. Together, they face erroneous accusations that Percy has stolen a thunderbolt belonging to Zeus (Lance Reddick). Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), a daughter of Athena, joins the quest and the three youngsters face terrifying adversaries including the gorgon Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy)

    Our verdict::

    Move over, The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time — there’s a new epic fantasy quest to get lost in, and it’s full of cheeky, youthful energy. Co-written by Rick Riordan, author of the hit novel series in which Greek gods and legends persist in the present day, the new show casts Walker Scobell as Perseus “Percy” Jackson, an apparently ordinary American kid with dyslexia and ADHD who is in fact a demi-god, and who has been accused by Zeus of stealing his “master bolt”.

    As a trek across the country looms, a snappy sense of humour underpins the lush special effects and the story’s coming-of-age subtext about struggling to find one’s place in the world.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23

    • 2012
    • Comedy
    • Drama
    • 15

    Summary:

    'Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23' is an American sitcom following the life of June Colburn (Dreama Walker) after she moves to New York from Indiana to start work in her dream job at a mortgage company. On her first day at work, she discovers the job no longer exists and she ends up moving in with Chloe (Krysten Ritter), a shameless party girl, con artist and swindler. 'Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek appears as a fictionalised version of himself, who is a good friend of Chloe's and desperate to revamp his lacklustre career. It premiered on E4 in 2012 and was cancelled in America midway through its second season.

    Why watch Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23?:

    Surely this must rank among the most underrated sitcoms in recent television history.

    Krysten Ritter is hilarious in the outrageous role of New York City party girl Chloe, whose first instinct is always to scam, cheat and manipulate in order to get her way. That all changes when an innocent mid-westerner called June (Dreama Walker) unexpectedly manages to outwit her, securing a room in her apartment and endeavouring to get her on the straight and narrow.

    Filled with shocking scenarios, quotable lines and iconic characters – including roles for the eccentric Eric Andre and a self-parodying James Van Der Beek – this is a hidden gem that deserves to be found.

    How to watch
  • What We Do in the Shadows

    • 2019
    • Comedy
    • Fantasy

    Summary:

    Comedy horror series. A look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of three vampires who've lived together for over 100 years, in Staten Island.

    Why watch What We Do in the Shadows?:

    When this mockumentary series, based on the film by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, was first mooted, fans were nervous. Could it truly live up to that original film’s lightning-in-a-bottle concept and execution? Thankfully, it more than did, and over five seasons has become a huge success in its own right.

    Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch and Kristen Schaal all put in strong performances, while Matt Berry remains, unsurprisingly, a scene-stealer, getting a laugh from even the most simple of jokes through his inimitable delivery. If you’re looking for laughs, look no further.

    James Hibbs

    How to watch
  • Loki

    • 2021
    • Fantasy
    • Drama
    • 12

    Summary:

    The mercurial villain Loki resumes his role as the God of Mischief in a sci-fi series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Starring Tom Hiddlestone and Owen Wilson

    Why watch Loki?:

    With MCU fans starting to wonder whether the franchise’s magic had worn off, along came the second season of Loki – another strong outing for the God of Mischief, which gave Tom Hiddleston more to work with than ever.

    His chemistry with the rest of the cast, including Owen Wilson and Sophia Di Martino, is undeniable, while Ke Huy Quan made for a wonderful new addition for season 2. It might not have quite reached the heights of the first season, but it still told a compelling story and truly stuck the landing with a phenomenal finale.

    James Hibbs

    How to watch
  • Ahsoka

    • 2023
    • Action
    • Fantasy

    Summary:

    A pivotal character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, who appeared in the second series of The Mandalorian, takes centre-stage in an eight-part adventure set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) trained under Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars but she turned her back on the Jedi Order to forge her own path of heroic endeavour firmly on the light side of the Force. An emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy compels Ahsoka to investigate, facilitating close encounters with friends and foes including Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), expert pilot Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and mercenary for hire Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson).

    Why watch Ahsoka?:

    Before he was Star Wars’ jackbooted, imposing arch-villain, Darth Vader was a hero called Anakin Skywalker – and Anakin, like any Jedi worth his kyber crystals, had a young apprentice who he taught in the ways of the Force, the lightsaber and (most crucially of all) Jedi robe-swishing 101.

    Now, Anakin’s apprentice Ahsoka – an alien character who wasn’t in the Star Wars movies, but has appeared in a few of the Disney+ TV shows – has her own adventure. At this point, Vader is long dead, but Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) is keen that nobody tries to continue his dark legacy. Cue spaceship chases and twirling laser swords as she takes on the forces of evil, and meets a few familiar faces from her past.

    Huw Fullerton

    How to watch
  • The X-Files

    • 1993
    • Crime/detective
    • Drama
    • PG

    Summary:

    "The X Files" is an American sci-fi drama following the exploits of FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of extraterrestrials, but Scully does not. She uses her skills as a forensic pathologist to try to debunk her colleague's outlandish theories. Although Scully is usually able to supply scientific explanations for unexplainable phenomena, she is rarely able to refute them completely. Their partnership poses a threat to a shadow element of the government known as the Syndicate. Led by the Smoking Man (William B Davis), they use any means at their disposal to cover-up any evidence supporting the existence of flying saucers and little green men. The series also focuses on Mulder and Scully's personal relationship as it develops from a purely working partnership into something a little more personal. For the last two seasons, Mulder's role was reduced as John Dogget (Robert Patrick) took his place in the department. Created by Chris Carter, it premiered in 1993 and ran for nine seasons, clocking up 202 episodes. Big-screen movies were released in 1998 and 2008. It can be seen on Sky Atlantic.

    Why watch The X-Files?:

    The conspiracy theory industry in the US feels much more loaded and pernicious these days than it did when The X-Files made its debut 30 years ago. Now, it’s all talk of stolen elections and secret cabals of child abusers. But oh, for more simpler times when all that preoccupied fringe FBI agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) was the threat of an alien invasion being hushed up by shadowy forces at work in the government. He believed wholeheartedly that the truth was out there, despite partner and sceptic Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) doing her best to debunk his outre ideology. The rest is the stuff of cult TV legend.

    David Brown

    How to watch
  • Justified: City Primeval

    • 2023
    • Thriller
    • Western

    Summary:

    Series based on Elmore Leonard's novel "City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit."

    Why watch Justified: City Primeval?:

    After eight years away, one of US television’s best anti-heroes is back – and his twinkle is undimmed. Timothy Olyphant is Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens, relocated from Kentucky to Florida but fated to head to Detroit on the trail of a ruthless criminal. With a teenage daughter to look after – chemistry is guaranteed there, since she’s played by Olyphant’s own daughter, Vivian – and more fresh blood in the cast, the new show successfully reboots and updates a classic without losing its tough old smarts.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • 9-1-1: Lone Star

    • 2020
    • Drama
    • Crime/detective
    • 18

    Summary:

    Crime drama about a New York firefighter who relocates to Texas with his son to work with a new team of first responders. Starring Rob Lowe

    Why watch 9-1-1: Lone Star?:

    Rob Lowe leads an emergency-procedural drama that was co-created by Ryan Murphy and which adds plenty of character drama, via a diverse supporting cast, to its sequences of death-defying, or often quirky, rescue. As season four resumes, Owen (Lowe) – a New York firefighter, 9/11 hero and cancer survivor relocated to Austin, Texas with his troubled adult son – is worried that his wealthy new girlfriend is treating him like an escort. But could she be useful for his charity fundraising? An elderly woman, meanwhile, baffles paramedics until they deduce she has 12 contact lenses stuck in her eye.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • The Full Monty

    • 2023
    • Comedy
    • Romance
    • 15

    Summary:

    In 1998, feelgood British comedy drama The Full Monty stormed the Academy Awards with four nominations including Best Picture and Best Direction. A quarter of a century later, most of the original cast return for an eight-part series written by Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter set in present-day Sheffield. The old gang of Dave (Mark Addy), Gaz (Robert Carlyle), Gerald (Tom Wilkinson), Horse (Paul Barber) and Lomper (Steve Huison) are still trying to make ends meet. Their on-stage theatrics to Tom Jones' rendition of 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' are but a distant memory. A get rich scheme involving a graffiti artist (Arnold Oceng) temporarily distracts Gaz from his primary focus: supporting his spunky teenage daughter Destiny (Talitha Wing) as she finds her wayward path through life.

    Why watch The Full Monty?:

    Television loves a movie spin-off/sequel these days, but they rarely have such a direct link to the original film: 26 years since the film The Full Monty introduced us to a gang of ex-steelworkers in Sheffield, forming a striptease troupe to try to make ends meet, the same characters are back, played by the same actors.

    As the first episode makes clear with its montage of real-life politicians emptily promising to improve life in the post-industrial North, the underlying theme of people left to cope with their dwindling prospects remains. As the lads and their loved ones get into a series of light comedy-drama scrapes, the portrayal of a society that has simply abandoned these characters is unflinching.

    Sometimes that’s an uneasy mix, but when The Full Monty is funny it’s hilarious, and when it’s hard-hitting it’s devastating.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • The Clearing

    • 2023
    • Thriller
    • Drama

    Summary:

    Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto and Guy Pearce seek redemption in an unsettling Australian psychological thriller based on JP Pomare's book In The Clearing, which launches with two episodes. Freya (Palmer) has spent years running away from memories of her traumatic childhood in The Kindred, one of the few cults with a female leader. The past resurfaces with a vengeance when a local girl goes missing, triggering flashbacks of innocent children being coerced into submission

    Why watch The Clearing?:

    From Australia, a highly atmospheric psychological thriller inspired by the real New Age group the Family. Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches) plays a woman whose youth was spent as a member of a cult, with a mysterious female leader (Miranda Otto) and an army of spookily blond children – an organisation which may now be linked to the disappearance of a schoolgirl. Guy Pearce co-stars in a drama that scores strongly on creepy, crepuscular visuals.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • The Muppets Mayhem

    • 2023
    • Comedy
    • Family

    Summary:

    The crazy creatures created by Jim Henson take a ramshackle tour through the modern music industry in a comedy series for the whole family. Junior record company executive Nora (Lilly Singh) faces the seemingly impossible task of shepherding The Electric Mayhem Band through recording their first studio album. Unfortunately, lead vocalist and keyboard player Dr Teeth, drummer Animal, bassist Floyd Pepper, lead guitarist Janice, saxophonist Zoot and trumpeter Lips are undimmable forces of nature who dance to their own tune. Nora suggests big name creative collaborations and introduces the band to social media but the music gets lost in the ensuing madness

    Why watch The Muppets Mayhem?:

    They’re back! Or at least, the house band from the original Muppet Show have a new spin-off series. Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem have been on tour ever since, but have never recorded an album. Could this be an opportunity for struggling record executive Nora (Lilly Singh) to score her big break? When the Mayhem move in, Nora realises she has taken on a unique project. Not all the Muppets’ recent TV reboots have worked, but this jovial musical sitcom is a hoot, ably mixing human and puppet characters and studding its script with sly gags about the golden era of rock and roll. Look out for some great self-deprecating celebrity cameos too.

    Jack Seale

    How to watch
  • American Born Chinese

    • 2023
    • Action
    • Fantasy

    Summary:

    Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh embodies mythical goddess Guanyin in an action-packed comedy adapted from Gene Luen Yang's celebrated graphic novel. Brimming with fantasy and kung-fu sequences, American Born Chinese centres on socially awkward teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang), who is desperate to fit in at school and solidify his place in the world. Foreign student Wei-Chen Sun (Jim Liu) gate-crashes Jin Wang's humdrum existence and unravels his plans to earn a coveted place on the football team. It transpires that the new arrival is the son of the Monkey King from Chinese legend and requires Jin Wang's help to locate the fabled Fourth Scroll

    Why watch American Born Chinese?:

    Many people will undoubtedly tune into this new action-comedy series for the on-screen reunion of the Everything Everywhere All At Once cast (Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu and James Hong all star) but the focus of the series should really be on the two young leads, Ben Wang as Jin Wang and Jimmy Liu as Wei-Chen.

    When Wei-Chen comes to Ben’s school as an exchange student, Ben is unhelpfully urged by teachers to make friends with Wei-Chen because he too is from a Chinese family. But boy is he in for a shock. You see, Wei-Chen isn’t from this world at all and is actually on a mission to stop an epic uprising against Heaven. It’s a heartfelt and hilarious tale but is also poignant and action-packed – we’d expect no less from the director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, after all.

    Morgan Cormack

    How to watch
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement