Pick of the week
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
This fierce, funny New York drama regained enough energy and focus in season four to make this concluding run an enticing prospect. But it didn’t end well for Midge (Rachel Brosnahan), whose decision to turn down Tony Bennett has led to a long, dark and potentially hypothermic night. Opportunity continues to knock however (just about) – might Midge’s future lie in the writers’ circle? One joy of this show is that it’s never just about Midge; from her wisecracking parents Abe (Tony Shalhoub) and Rose (Marin Hinkle), to her ball-busting manager Susie (Alex Borstein), every character contributes hugely to a show whose dialogue barrels along effortlessly.
Prime Video, from Friday 14 April
***
Waco Untold: The British Stories
Amid the flurry of media marking the 30th anniversary of US law enforcement’s takedown of the Branch Davidian commune in Waco, Texas, the fact that one third of David Koresh’s disciples were British has been largely ignored. This two-part documentary explores the lives and motivations of victims and survivors – Koresh came on a recruiting mission to the UK in 1988, finding many adherents within the Seventh-Day Adventist Church that had rejected him in the States. A few of them tell their stories here, and remember friends who didn’t make it home.
ITVX, from Thursday 13 April
***
Obsession
Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy (in a very different role from her resilient but traumatised cop Ann in Happy Valley) star in this intense, sexually charged and BDSM-laced drama based on Josephine Hart’s 1991 novel. Armitage is William, a surgeon whose feelings for his son’s fiance Anna (Murphy) become distinctly unfatherly. It’s a strikingly well-balanced portrait of the power dynamics of desire: both of these characters are equal (and unapologetic) participants in an affair that feels convincingly impossible to resist.
Netflix, from Thursday 13 April
***
Florida Man
A slight but passable thriller starring Édgar Ramirez as Mike, an ex-cop whose gambling debts force him to take on a risky job. He’s to return to his home state of Florida in search of a Philly mobster’s runaway girlfriend. Clearly the woman doesn’t want to be found, but as the jeopardy increases and the world of organised crime senses his presence, so do the potential financial rewards. Problem is, Mike is a plodding time-server of a lawman – can he get the better of these hoodlums? Logic suggests not but maybe he’ll surprise himself?
Netflix, from Thursday 13 April
***
The Last Thing He Told Me
“Owen Michaels is not who you think he is.” These ominous words, spoken by a cop to Hannah (Jennifer Garner), set the tone for this adaptation of Laura Dave’s 2021 novel. Her new husband Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) doesn’t initially seem like an enigma. On the face of it, his only downside is his surly adolescent daughter from a previous relationship. However, when he suddenly disappears, Hannah is left to question everything about her husband’s life and attempt to form a bond with her suspicious stepdaughter. Garner is excellent as a woman just about holding it together.
Apple TV+, from Friday 14 April
***
Jane’s Animal Adventures
Some saccharine encouragement for the little Greta Thunberg in your life, this kids’ drama stars Ava Louise Murchison as animal-obsessed nine-year-old Jane Garcia who embarks upon a series of cute, imaginary adventures with her pal David and a friendly chimp, Greybeard. Jane is inspired by environmentalist Jane Goodall and, while her fantastical encounters with bears, sharks and lions could be accused of anthropomorphising animals to an unhelpful degree, maybe they’ll provide an environmentally conscious spark for a few youngsters?
Apple TV+, from Friday 14 April
***
Sew Fierce
A new drag eliminator series with a twist: Sew Fierce showcases the craft behind the catwalk as eight designers compete in a series of weekly challenges to create new and ever more elaborate looks. There will then be a photoshoot during which the outfit will be paraded by an up-and-coming drag artist and assessed by the judges. There’s $10,000 on the table for the winner. Barbada de Barbades (who drag reality show fans might remember from Call Me Mother) hosts with Lucinda Miu working as design mentor, and guests including Evan Clayton and Spikey Van Dykey.
Froot, from Friday 14 April
