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18 hours ago
6
Pick of the week
Shifty
The first people we see in Adam Curtis’s latest documentary series are Jimmy Savile and Margaret Thatcher. It’s hard to think of a more fitting pair to embody the disappointments of Britain in the late 20th century. Curtis’s signature style – a mix of archive deep dives and uncanny juxtapositions – still startles. Loss is the theme of Shifty: it’s a story of Britain losing industry, community and empire, and struggling to come to terms with the individualistic complexity that replaced these certainties. It takes a while for the narrative to sharpen, but Curtis’s films are often best understood as impressionistic art installations so maybe abstraction is their natural final destination.
BBC iPlayer, from Saturday 14 June
The Waterfront
A wealthy businessman with a recent health scare reasserting himself as his adult children jostle for inheritance? This drama from Dawson’s Creek creator Kevin Williamson has echoes of Succession, albeit without that show’s razor-sharp wit or psychological acuity. It centres on the Buckley family, whose fishing dynasty is threatened by environmental regulations and corner-cutting competitors. When a ship runs aground (and reveals its illicit cargo), it triggers conflict between ailing patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany) and his son and apparent heir Cane (Jake Weary).
Netflix, from Thursday 19 June
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem
Looking back on the story of the late Toronto mayor Rob Ford, it is tempting to posit his success as an early warning of Trumpite populism; a politician whose lack of polish (to say the least) only served to make him more relatable to certain sections of the electorate. However, as this documentary shows, Ford, who became mayor in 2010, pushed this trend to extremes. It explores his unlikely appeal to voters as well as his chaotic lifestyle, which included allegations of sexual harassment and culminated in revelations about crack cocaine use in 2013.
Netflix, from Tuesday 17 June
Somebody Feed Phil
The indefatigable Philip Rosenthal has, for eight seasons now, occupied one of the most desirable niches on television: he gets to travel the world, eating the best every country has to offer. As ever this is a convivial affair – Rosenthal sees food as an expression of friendship and cultural exchange, a means by which people can offer and receive hospitality. This time his destinations include Guatemala, Tbilisi, Amsterdam, Adelaide and San Sebastián. Look out for cameos from actor Brad Garrett, comedian Ray Romano and singer Donny Osmond.
Netflix, from Wednesday 18 June
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The Buccaneers
This frothy “gilded age” costume drama is proudly maximalist, adding sex, sass and power games to its picturesque settings and lavish selection of gowns. In the first season, the brash American arrivals took London society by storm. Now, some of them have become the establishment. As we return, Nan (Kristine Froseth) is preparing for the corseted life of a duchess while Conchita (Alisha Boe) is now Lady Brightlingsea. Still, at least Imogen Waterhouse is keeping things messy: she’s on the run from the police and on the front page of the papers.
Apple TV+, from Wednesday 18 June
We Were Liars
The Sinclairs are American old money – the kind of rich, complacent family who “summer” on a private island in New Hampshire. However, their idyll is jeopardised when a terrible accident befalls the golden girl of the family, Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind). Does their apparent paradise have a dark side? As Cadence tries to understand what happened to her, it starts to seem as if everyone is hiding something. This adaptation of an E Lockhart novel is a glossy, melodramatic, YA-slanted story of wealth and privilege as a pressure cooker and, eventually, a prison.
Prime Video, from Wednesday 18 June
The Great British Phone Swap
This series will probably gain added traction in the wake of Adolescence and the panic about children’s online habits that has ensued. It sees parents and their children swap phones for 48 hours to sample digital life as it is experienced by another generation. Afterwards, psychologists assess the results and suggest possible solutions to problems around bullying, pornography and simple information overload. Expect a lot of frantic deleting from the younger participants but also, hopefully, some fresh understanding of the challenges they face.
Channel 4, from Thursday 19 June
