The Politician
The first fruits of Ryan Murphy’s $300m production deal with Netflix come to light with this black comedy on the sociopathically ambitious Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) and his dream to become the next US president. Each season follows a different election race, starting with a backstabbing-filled fight for high-school student body president.
From Friday, Netflix
Transparent: Musicale Finale
With the show’s lead Jeffrey Tambor fired amid sexual harassment claims, creator Jill Soloway ends Transparent with a daringly inventive musical extravaganza. A joyously moving end for the forward-thinking show.
From Friday, Amazon Prime Video
Tories at War
A compelling deep dive into how the Conservatives have unravelled at the seams during Brexit. Featuring contributions from the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nigel Farage, it is an absorbing yet often frustrating look at the figures who lie behind the headlines.
Sunday, 10pm, Channel 4
Stath Lets Flats
It’s time for the annual Haringey Letting Awards and estate agent Stath – writer and creator Jamie Demetriou – is in pole position for most improved agency, following a slick local ad campaign. At least he thinks so, until sister Sophie steals the show in this cringe-fuelled, gag-packed finale to the show’s second season.
Monday, 10pm, Channel 4
Live: The Circle
The reality show for amateur catfishers returns for a second series, presented by Emma Willis. In this launch show, the first eight players enter the apartment block where they’ll be hoping to live for the next eight weeks, competing with each other through The Circle – a social media site where players fight for likes and try to avoid getting “blocked”. Phones at the ready as viewers can get involved, too.
Tuesday, 9pm, Channel 4
The $50 Million Art Swindle
It was one of the largest art heists ever committed and fraudster Michel Cohen seemed to have gotten away with it. Vanessa Engle’s doc – Cohen’s first recorded appearance since 2003 – questions his guilt, greed and authenticity.
Monday, 9pm, BBC Two
Passenger List
An impressive cast leads this new mystery series on a plane which goes missing between London and New York. Kaitlin (Kelly Marie Tran) plays a student searching for the truth, as her twin brother was a passenger on the flight. Broadway star Patti LuPone and Merlin’s Colin Morgan also star in a slow-building, suspenseful audio thriller.
Podcast
Joan Armatrading: Me, Myself, I
Hit-machine singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading defies her reclusive reputation to candidly discuss her childhood, career and success in a compelling one-off documentary. She reflects poignantly on the racism and misogyny of the music industry and the process of her genre-defying lyrical craft.
Friday, 9pm, BBC Four
The Seventh Seal
Ingmar Bergman’s haunting 1956 masterpiece is set in a dark age of war and plague, where Max von Sydow’s knight challenges the grim reaper (pallid Bengt Ekerot) to a life-or-death game of chess. A morality play composed with matchless imagery, it was a pioneer of arthouse cinema – and was brilliantly parodied in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.
Sunday, 10.55pm, BBC Four
Euphoria
It’s Winter Formal night for the American teens of Euphoria and there is, of course, much drama in store. Rue (played by a perfectly nonchalant Zendaya) is going through a rocky patch with Jules, while familial secrets threaten to come to light and the tantalising prospect of skipping town is on the horizon. A thrilling end to the series.
Tuesday, 10.10pm, Sky Atlantic
