All4
No Limit
Created by Luc Besson (Leon, The Fifth Element), this fast-paced French series pairs a nostalgic ode to the 80s spy genre with relatable relationship dynamics – picture James Bond as a family man. Vincent Elbaz gives up his career in espionage to live near his teenage daughter when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. But he soon finds himself dragged back into his old world, as to gain access to experimental medical treatment, Vincent joins a secret agency taking the fight to organised crime. Expect some darkly funny moments as Vincent balances his deteriorating health, his rebellious daughter, and his secret life.
Available from Friday
Avatards
The latest in Channel 4’s well regarded (if daftly titled) Comedy Blaps series, this three-parter also might be its most ambitious. Avatards follows a group of gaming obsessives as they play a role-player in the vein of Warcraft, switching between the “meat space” of the real world and their CGI selves. If that doesn’t pique your interest, the fact that Avatards is exec-produced by Peep Show duo Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong should do.
Available now
Netflix
David Cross: Making America Great Again
Arrested Development man and sardonic standup Cross looks to have emerged from a period of relative dormancy. After reuniting with his long-time collaborator Bob Odenkirk for sketch show With Bob And David, this year he’s embarked on a Trump-mocking standup tour, one date of which has been recorded for this Netflix special. Expect splenetic – and very funny – broadsides against the idiocy of the American right.
Available from Friday
BBC3
Jade: Why I Chose Porn
The sort of BBC3 doc likely to raise the hackles of the Daily Mail, this one-off tells the story of a university graduate who has eschewed a job in fashion to venture into the world of adult entertainment. Beyond answering the question of why she has made such an unlikely career choice, it considers the ethical and logistical issues faced by women in the industry.
Available from Tuesday
Amazon
Please Like Me
The Guide first flagged up this Australian comedy drama in 2014 as one we wanted to see on British screens. Two long years later and someone has finally heeded our call. Please Like Me stars Josh Thomas as a twentysomething who has recently come out to his friends and family and is now seeking some direction in his life. Gentle and understated, it largely avoids traditional sitcom beats in favour of the freeform pacing of a Louie or a Girls. The first three seasons are available to watch in full.
Available now
Podcast
Close Encounters
From Modern Love to the Savage Lovecast, sex and relationships have proved fruitful topics in podcasting. This Guardian series looks to add to that genre, with journalist Alix Fox having “unguarded conversations” with members of the public around matters of love and sex. Early instalments have dealt with the challenges faced in the bedroom after a severe injury and one woman’s creative solution to problems with penetration.
Available now
