Years and Years
Predicting the possible events of next week is a tall order at the moment. Nevertheless, Russell T Davies attempts to gaze into the future in this spellbinding new series. Emma Thompson plays a populist politician, but otherwise Years and Years is a family affair, exploring technological advances, gender issues and the redemptive power of love.
Tuesday 14 May, 9pm, BBC One
Mum
This sitcom starring Lesley Manville and Peter Mullan is a rare thing: a witty, touching exploration of a mature relationship that never lapses into mawkishness. This season promises to conclude matters – but will Cathy and Michael achieve closure?
Wednesday 15 May, 10pm, BBC Two
21 Again
Mind the generation gap: this new series sees five mothers immerse themselves in the twentysomething lives of their daughters. Will they emerge with fresh understanding of the challenges facing their offsprings’ generation? Or will they be appalled at their lifestyles?
Wednesday 15 May, 10.35pm, BBC One
The Virtues
Shane Meadows has reassembled his dream team (actor Stephen Graham and co-writer Jack Thorne) for this emotionally eviscerating four-part drama starring Graham as Joseph, a lost soul attempting to confront childhood trauma and piece his life back together. Add a wistful, plangent score from PJ Harvey and there’s every chance of a small-screen classic.
Wednesday 15 May, 9pm, Channel 4
Veep
Fail to the chief! Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s pratfalling politico prepares to depart from public life this week, though not before a final episode that has her reckoning with a deeply shady deal she made with the Chinese and the small matter of the ongoing election campaign. The show’s creators have promised an ending that no one will see coming, although moments of deep cringe are guaranteed.
Wednesday 15 May, 10.10pm, Sky Atlantic
Louis Theroux: Mothers on the Edge
One of Theroux’s more sombre films, this looks at challenges posed to new mums by postpartum psychosis, with the film-maker visiting two special units treating the condition. A tough watch, but Louis finds moments of optimism and even humour.
Sunday 11 May, 9pm, BBC Two
Conversations Against Living Miserably
Part of a roster of podcasts about comedy and mental health (see also Elis James and John Robins’s XFM shows and Griefcast), this new project from Dave and the charity Calm sees comedians such as Zoe Lyons talk about struggles with depression in a way that proves funny, honest and reassuring.
Podcast
Nailed It!
Bake Off fans who still get minor heart palpitations at the mere mention of #BinGate would do well to steer clear of this brash American cake-’em-up, whose primary raison d’etre is to point and laugh at the floury fails of contestants vying to bag $10k by replicating professional-level showstoppers. Spoiler: they fail. Profoundly, miserably, and often.
From Friday 17 May, Netflix
Like Someone in Love
This last full film from Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami was shot in Japan, a long way from his mainly home-based fare. Nevertheless, it is a typically fascinating, gentle, sedately paced character study, which focuses on the relationship between student and part-time escort Akiko (Rin Takanashi) and an elderly professor (Tadashi Okuno).
Monday 13 May, 1.30am, Film4
The Rain
Perched in that TV trend sweet spot between Scandi-noir and teen supernatural drama, this elegant post-apocalyptic thriller returns for its second season. The gist for those unfamiliar with it: a deadly virus carried by rainfall has wiped out most of humanity and a group of intrepid teens are on the search for a cure. Smart, engrossing and frequently harrowing.
From Friday 17 May, Netflix
