Doctor Who
A new Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), a new showrunner (Broadchurch’s Chris Chibnall) and – arguably crucially – a new day and earlier timeslot for Gallifrey’s hardy perennial. A bravura start is pretty much guaranteed, as the 13th incarnation tries to work out who she is, but the crux will be how the three new companions are integrated into proceedings.
Sunday 7 October, 6.45pm, BBC One
Heavyweight
Jonathan Goldstein’s touching and interesting podcast about regrets and life-changing decisions returns for a third season. To get things under way, Goldstein will be attempting to track a man on behalf of his estranged ex in order to tell him he’s become a dad. Could go either way …
Podcast
ReMastered
Another batch of musical stories. We begin with Bob Marley: his life, his times and, particularly, his mysterious shooting. The story of the attempt on Marley’s life is placed intriguingly in the context of the wider suppression of roots reggae at the time.
From Friday 12 October, Netflix
The Romanoffs
How to follow up one of the finest dramas of the 21st century? If you’re Mad Men creator Matt Weiner, with an anthology series about people who believe themselves to be heirs to a Russian dynasty. A niche premise on paper, but so was a show about 60s ad execs, and the cast here is impressive: Isabelle Huppert, Aaron Eckhart and Amanda Peet are among its stars.
From Friday 12 October, Amazon Prime Video
The Bisexual
This post-mumblecore comedy-drama comes straight from the brain of Desiree Akhavan, the creator of The Miseducation of Cameron Post. Set in London, it explores the romantic adventures of Leila (Akhavan), a lesbian who starts dating men after the end of a long-term relationship with Maxine Peake’s Sadie. First impressions are promising: the naturalism bears vague traces of Girls.
Wednesday 10 October, 10pm, Channel 4
Women on the Verge
A comedy co-created by Sharon Horgan, and it’s excellent fun in her customary unsentimental style. The women in question are a trio of sardonic Dubliners who are juggling serious dilemmas (pregnancy, the pitfalls of dating) with hedonistic high jinks.
Thursday 11 October, 10pm, W
The Walking Dead
OK, so many will have long-since lost interest in the endless churn of this long-running zombie drama. But the ninth season looks worth watching, if only to see how it handles the exit of Andrew Lincoln’s beardy hero Rick Grimes. Respectful departure or grisly demise at the hands – or mouths – of the undead? Tune in to find out!
Monday 8 October, 9pm, Fox
This Country: The Aftermath
As we left Kerry, she’d found herself embroiled in a criminal enterprise. Indeed, in an unusually dramatic situation for her corner of the Cotswolds, she was forced to choose between implicating her father and implicating herself. So, how did things pan out?
From Wednesday 10 October, BBC iPlayer
Troll Hunter
André Øvredal’s thrilling horror movie is set in Norway’s remote, snowy north, where a student film crew is on the trail of a mysterious bear killer. But what on earth goes around killing bears? Told through recovered videos, this murky, chilling tale leads to monstrous creatures mistakenly thought to be the stuff of myth …
Saturday 6 October, 12.40am, Film4
Beats, Bass & Bars: The Story of Grime
Although grime has now been overtaken in the controversy stakes by drill, it’s one of the most substantial and enduring black British musical genres. This documentary sees British MC Rodney P explore the scene from its inception in the early 2000s, with the help of prime movers including D Double E.
Friday 5 October, 10pm, BBC Four
