Pick of the week
Victoria Beckham
“People thought I was that miserable cow that never smiled.” Looking back on her public image from the post-Spice era is quite difficult for Victoria Beckham, but it’s clear that her poker face was partly a defence mechanism. This three-part documentary (from the makers of the surprisingly entertaining Beckham) is an obvious attempt to set the record straight. In it, Victoria discusses her dysfunctional relationship with the press, her gloomy schooldays and her attempts to establish herself as a creative entity in her own right. The series culminates in her fashion line’s biggest show to date – and with the tabloids polishing their mean “Wannabe” headlines, she can’t afford to fail.
Netflix, from Thursday 9 October
***
The Last Frontier
No drama taking its cue from Nicolas Cage’s berserk 1997 Con Air is going to be subtle. And so it is with this thriller, set in a sleepy Alaskan town whose peace is shattered when a plane carrying dozens of dangerous convicts crashes nearby. Inexplicably, there are many survivors. Jason Clark is Frank Remnick, the cop charged with protecting the town and handling the CIA who have used the plane to transport a top-secret and particularly sinister passenger. From the hilarious crash-landing onwards, The Last Frontier is irredeemably daft … but its willingness to lean into that fact makes it hugely fun.
Apple TV+, from Friday 10 October
***
Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now
This record of Ozzy Osbourne’s life over the last six years is a moving testimony to the struggles he faced over that period. Beginning with a fall in 2019, it charts his health problems (“I used to take pills for fun. Now I take them to stay alive”) and hears from his family about the impact of his illness. Happily, there’s plenty of devil horns-aloft triumph too: rock luminaries including James Hetfield, Billy Corgan and former bandmate Tommy Iommi pay tribute, while Ozzy gets back in the studio and, for one last time, returns to the stage. Iron man, indeed.
Paramount+, from Tuesday 7 October
***
Saquon
The problem with access-all-areas sports documentaries is that they’re also carefully controlled. Few sports people willingly open themselves up to a level of warts-and-all scrutiny that might offer any real revelation – as with this film (executive produced by Martin Scorsese) about Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Saquon Barkley. It’s a familiar narrative involving a vertiginous rise to fame, adversity in the shape of injuries and, eventually, redemption. Barkley himself seems likable, which is fine as far as it goes – but that isn’t far at all.
Prime Video, from Thursday 9 October
***
Boots
This intriguing if tonally inconsistent series (based on Greg Cope White’s memoir The Pink Marine) is equal parts sentimental coming-of-age story, coming-out drama and broad physical comedy. It’s set in the 1990s US Marine Corps after directionless, closeted teenager Cameron (Miles Heizer) decides to follow his best friend Ray (Liam Oh) into boot camp. At this point, it’s still illegal to be gay in the services so Cameron’s voyage of self-discovery is initially pretty limited. But soon, he’s learning that he’s not the only confused, insecure new recruit.
Netflix, from Thursday 9 October
***
Ice Cold Murders: Rocco Schiavone
Even by the standards of maverick, rule-flouting TV cops, Rocco Schiavone (Marco Giallini) is a loose cannon. He’s an inveterate weed smoker and his crime-fighting expertise is seemingly linked to a close relationship with the Italian underworld. As this sixth season dawns, he’s still reluctantly stuck in the Alpine town of Val D’Aosta. He’s even more abrasive than usual, dealing with betrayal at the hands of a close friend. However, another murder soon arrives in his in-tray – and this one looks set to lead him across continents in search of an old adversary.
Channel 4, from Friday 10 October
***
Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars
Given the requirement that inspectors must be anonymous, it’s always been difficult to glean much insight into the activities of Michelin’s roving team of restaurant critics. This series (executive produced by Gordon Ramsay) lifts the lid on their luxurious, secretive world. “It’s like working for the CIA,” says one. Along with inevitably oblique commentary from a handful of (unidentified) inspectors, there’s an insight into the extended freakouts taking place in the world’s elite kitchens as Michelin prepares to award another batch of stars.
Apple TV+, from Friday 10 October
