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9 hours ago
6
Pick of the week
Dept. Q
“Do you ever wonder why people hate you?” Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) never seems unduly concerned about this question. Carl is a rogue cop: brilliant on his day but relentlessly abrasive and traumatised by a shooting. His bosses don’t know what to do with him, so they bury him in a back office with a couple of other misfits and dump a huge file of cold cases on his desk. It’s difficult not to think of Slow Horses, but Dept Q struggles to hit similar heights. The characters lack comparable depth and the dialogue never quite stings or soars. However, as Morck reopens the case of a missing prosecutor, his relationship with lackey turned saving grace Akram (Alexej Manvelov) adds levity. Phil Harrison
Netflix, from Thursday 29 May
Adults
Getting houseshare comedies right is tricky; living circumstances can’t be too bleak but err in the opposite direction and you’re left, Friends-style, with waiting staff occupying prime New York real estate. This latest attempt (by Tonight Show writers Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw) is at least scrappier and more plausible than that – the slightly boilerplate gen Z characters work dead-end jobs and ponder OnlyFans stardom to boost their meagre incomes. There’s hedonism, romantic misadventure and existential doubt. It all feels a little broad but, as is the case with adulthood generally, it’s fine once it gets going. PH
Disney+, from Thursday 29 May
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders
This documentary series explores an extraordinary (and still unsolved) true crime story from the US. In late 1982, people started dying after using over-the-counter painkiller Tylenol. It soon became obvious why when tests found pills tainted with cyanide. But how did it happen? Theories abound, all of which are explored here. But an extra layer of complexity arrived in the shape of James William Lewis, who attempted to extort $1m from the manufacturers of the drug by offering to stop the murders – but whose timeline seemed to clear him of the poisoning itself. PH
Netflix, from Monday 26 May
F1: The Academy
The F1 Academy is an unforgiving school: young drivers have just two years to prove themselves. This latest behind-the-scenes sport series follows the 15 young women of the academy through the 2024 season and delves into their backstories. As the tension mounts, individual rivalries develop and cracks begin to show. The racing itself feels less predictable than the often process-driven world of F1, so it’s an exciting prospect for petrol-heads, but also a trailblazer for increased female participation in a traditionally male-led sport. PH
Netflix, from Wednesday 28 May
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The Better Sister
Jessica Biel (with her impressive swishy bob) and Elizabeth Banks star in this soapy thriller about estranged sisters, based on Alafair Burke’s bestselling novel. Biel plays Chloe, a high-flying media type who lives an idyllic life with her lawyer husband Adam (Corey Stoll) and their teenage son Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan). When she returns to a blood-splattered home and finds Adam’s body, her sister Nicky (Banks) – who isn’t doing quite as well in life – reunites with her to untangle some buried family history that might explain the murder. Hollie Richardson
Prime Video, from Thursday 29 May
Mad Unicorn
No angry single-horned creatures here, sadly: “unicorn” is a term for a privately owned startup worth more than £1bn. This intense Thai drama is a loose telling of a true story and involves a bitter rivalry in the world of express delivery couriers. Eager young driver Santi decides to launch his own company, but when he approaches tycoon Kanin to suggest a partnership, the ruthless entrepreneur simply steals his idea. Cue a tale of underdog business ambition that doubles as a revenge thriller – before long, the rivalry between the two companies escalates to a dangerous degree. PH
Netflix, from Thursday 29 May
Lulu Is a Rhinoceros
Jason and Allison Flom’s children’s book – about a bulldog who looks in the mirror and sees themself as a rhinoceros – was an LGBTQ-coded parable about diversity, self-identification and acceptance. This animated TV version is set in an ultra-cute world in which no setback is a match for Lulu’s relentless positivity and kindness. It’s a message that (sadly) feels timely and even gently subversive in the current climate. Lulu is voiced by Auli’i Cravalho (of Moana fame) while Leland (the resident songwriter on RuPaul’s Drag Race) provides the soundtrack. PH
Apple TV+, from Friday 30 May
