Stay in, curl up and watch these shows while we wait for the sun to make its return …
Bodkin
Bodkin is an Obama-produced mini-series set in West Cork with all the twists and turns that you would expect a mystery in Ireland would have. Siobhán Cullen stars as a disgruntled Irish detective who is taken off her case in London and sent back to Ireland against her will with two true crime podcasters; Gilbert (played by Will Forte) and Emmy (played by Robyn Cara). These podcasters are setting out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three individuals, which occured during the festival of Samhain many years ago in an idyllic Irish town, Bodkin. They of course uncover more than they bargained for by revealing the secrets of the inhabitants of Bodkin – while also encountering the charm, curiosity and straight-forwardness of a small Irish town. Bodkin is certainly a bingeable one to get through in one weekend.
Bridgerton
Nicola Coughlan shines in the first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3, available to watch on Netflix now. Even if you have never seen the previous seasons, watch the character of Penelope Featherington (played by Coughlan) grow from an awkward, unconfident wallflower, and blossom into a confident, elegant, strong woman. As lead heroine, she is making a case for those of us who don’t seek to be the centre of attention at the party, who find solace and comfort in the pages of books – but still definitely want to have a good time! Coughlan acts beautifully opposite Luke Newton, playing Colin Bridgerton, in this friends-to-lovers trope that, let’s face it, we’re all suckers for. The next four episodes will be released on June 13 so get through the first four episodes this weekend. Photograph courtesy of Netflix.
A Man In Full
Jeff Daniels plays real estate mogul Charlie Croker who is facing bankruptcy, so tensions are running high from the outset. As his political and business interests collide, he does anything he can to defend his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace. Also starring Tom Pelphrey, Sarah Jones, Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, Aml Ameen and an enraged Bill Camp. A nice hit of office tension, money, dirty dealings and egos to get you through the weekend. Gripping.
Murphy’s Law
Murphy’s Law was released in 2001 but has recently come to Netflix and it has reignited the fandom. There are five seasons to grip you, with James Nesbitt starring and an array of other notable characters and cast members popping up – including Micheal Fassbender, Liam Cunningham and others. The show follows the story of Northern Irish policeman DS Tommy Murphy (Nesbitt). Years after the IRA killed his daughter, charismatic but troubled Murphy wages a war on crime as an undercover officer. Photograph courtesy of Netflix.
Baby Reindeer
It is everywhere at the moment but in case you missed it, Baby Reindeer is written by and also stars Scottish comedian Richard Gadd and it will take you on the wildest journey, making you feel every uncomfortable emotion. The limited series defines the phrase “stranger than fiction” and completely immerses you into the world of Richard Gadd when he first arrived to London. Starring as himself, Gadd plays Donny, a 20-something-year-old who has come to London to start his stand-up comic career. Only, it is not going very well. While working in a pub, he meets Martha. He feels sorry for her as she sits solemnly at the bar. He gives her a cup of tea on the house. The rest is chaos. An incredible portrayal of Gadd’s personal experience of stalking, abuse, self-actualisation and love at this time, with seriously harrowing moments (trigger warnings included) while simultaneously having this dark-comedic lightness. An incredibly engaging watch, on Netflix now. Photograph courtesy of Netflix.
Catastrophe
Four seasons of BAFTA and IFTA winning Catastrophe are available to enjoy on Netflix and if you haven’t watched it yet – you should now. Written by and starring Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, this sit-com has funny and engaging bite-sized episodes to keep you ticking along through the series. Rob plays Rob, an advertising executive from Boston, who comes to London for a business trip. He goes to a bar and meets Irish teacher Sharon, played by Sharon. As a result of a one night stand, Sharon becomes pregnant and the two strangers begin to navigate their new life together. Effortlessly funny, the two have major chemistry and you can imagine them both writing the dialogue line by line. With other hilarious and loveable characters played by Mark Bonnar, Ashley Jensen, Jonathan Forbes, Sarah Niles, Daniel Lapaine and even Carrie Fisher who plays Rob’s petulant mother, it is a good one for a rainy weekend spent indoors.
Coming soon:
Geek Girl on May 30
Produced by Zoë Rocha with RubyRock Pictures, Geek Girl is a ten-part series on Netflix about socially awkward, neurodivergent Harriet Manners who ends up being spotted at London Fashion Week and catapulted into the world of fashion, as a model. This is guaranteed to be a fashion fix for the summer, especially with all of the fashion expertise involved in the production of the series! The incredible stylist Karl Plewka was the Fashion Consultant on hand throughout filming – Karl worked as a former stylist for John Rocha, as well as Vivienne Westwood’s assistant for a time. Zoë worked with Karl and many other amazing collaborators and artists to create the show, such as Stephen Jones (milliner), Bimini Bon Boulash, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Val Garland, Sadie Frost and Leomie Anderson. This show is a fun, lighthearted look at those awkward but incredibly exciting teenage years with the added major benefit of taking a look at high-end fashion brands like Simone Rocha, Comme des Garcons, Bella Freud, Alexander McQueen, Dover Street Market and YSL aswell as fresh, new talent. Keep an eye out on thegloss.ie/fashion/ for more information on the making of the show and watch it on Netflix on May 30.
ERIC on May 30
This one sounds harrowing, but with Benedict Cumberbatch in charge – there is no doubt it will be sublime and captivating. Set in 1980s New York, Eric is an emotional thriller directed by Abi Morgan. It follows a desperate father, Vincent (Cumberbatch) who is in search of his nine-year-old son who disappears one morning on his way to school. Vincent, one of New York’s leading puppeteers and creator of the popular children’s television show ‘Good Day Sunshine‘, struggles to cope with the loss of his son and becomes increasingly distressed and volatile. It is Eric, a drawing of a blue monster puppet that his son had done, who Vincent believes will have the power and influence to get his son home. These six episodes will have us glued to our seats no doubt. Watch the trailer for it now.