From Chris O’Dowd’s new comedy set in Ireland to the underground boxing world of Victorian-era London, get sucked into these new series this weekend …
Small Town, Big Story (Sky Atlantic and Now TV)
The hilarious Chris O’Dowd we all loved in Bridesmaids and Moone Boy has done it again, this time in a six-part comedy series set in Northern Ireland, with colourful characters and a big plot. With a stellar cast including Kristina Hendricks (Mad Men), Eileen Walsh (Say Nothing, Small Things Like These) and Paddy Considine (House of The Dragon), it follows a Hollywood producer, played by Hendricks, who returns home with a major film production in tow, only to shine a spotlight on a hidden secret: the town has a long history of attracting interstellar visitors, a phenomenon she has witnessed and kept quiet about for a quarter of a century! O’Dowd stars as the author of the book that this Hollywood production is based on, while he actually wrote the series during lockdown, recalling the quirks of many Irish towns, including his hometown, Boyle in Roscommon. O’Dowd and Hendricks also serve as executive producers.
A Thousand Blows (Disney+)
From the creator of Peaky Blinders, A Thousand Blows is based on the real women-only gang, led by Erin Doherty (The Crown), who menaced London for decades. Set in the 1880s, it tells the story of two best friends from Jamaica who have to fight for survival in the violent melting pot of the East End. They’re tested when they come up against a dangerous veteran boxer, played by Stephen Graham. Who will come out on top when the girl gang gets involved? Also starring Jemma Carlton (Maxine) and debuting Morgan Hilaire, it was renewed for a second series ahead of the premiere, so you know it’s going to be good!
Zero Day (Netflix)
In this US political thriller mini-series, Robert De Niro stars as a former President who gets called back to duty when the country is under a devastating cyber attack that causes multiple disasters nationwide. As he begins investigations, he discovers only more conspiracies, which is a poignant tale for our time. The outstanding cast includes Angela Bassett (American Horror Story), Connie Britton (The White lotus), Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror), Joan Allen Matthew (Game of Thrones), Matthew Modine (Oppenheimer, Stranger Things) and Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls).
Clean Slate (Prime TV)
An Alabama dad (George Wallace) is shocked when his estranged son returns home after 23 years, now a proud trans woman, played by Laverne Cox (Orange Is The New Black). Embarking on their new relationship, the two stars have an undeniable chemistry and lots of laughs, which is to be expeccted as it was co-created by Cox and Wallace, and produced by Norman Lear, creator of hit 1970’s sitcom, The Jeffersons.
The White Lotus (Now TV)
We’re awaiting each episode weekly as the story only gets stranger. The third series, created and written by Mike White, sees a whole new set of characters and a star-studded cast including Patrick Schwarzenegger (Scream Queens), Sarah Catherine Hook (Cruel Intentions), Sam Nivola (The Perfect Couple), Walton Goggins (Fallout), Carrie Coon (Gone Girl), Parker Posey (You’ve Got Mail), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), K-Pop star Lisa, Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone), Leslie Bibb (Iron Man) and Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education). Read all about it here!
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