The period drama first aired back in 2021 and features the likes of James Norton, Eleanor Tomlinson and Tom Riley.
James Norton played Hugo in the supernatural period drama(Image: HBO/YOUTUBE)
Next month, ITV viewers are in for a treat as a popular supernatural period drama is set to land on the streaming platform.
The Nevers, which is originally a Sky Atlantic and HBO series, was first released five years ago in 2021 and consists of 12 episodes, which were split into two instalments.
Set in 1896 Victorian London, it follows a community that is rocked to its core after a supernatural event.
As a result, the event gives people, mostly women, abnormal abilities from the wondrous to the disturbing. This group are then given the name the ‘Touched’.
A synopsis for the show reads: “But no matter their particular ‘”turns,'” all who belong to this new underclass are in grave danger.
“It falls to mysterious, quick-fisted widow Amalia True (Laura Donnelly) and brilliant young inventor Penance Adair (Ann Skelly) to protect and shelter these gifted “orphans.” To do so, they will have to face the brutal forces determined to annihilate their kind.”
The cast features the likes of James Norton, who takes on the role of Hugo Swan, a morally ambiguous aristocrat who runs a secret club. Although he’s fascinated by the touched, he exploits the supernatural group for entertainment.
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Also in the supernatural drama in Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays the gentle but resilient singer Mary Brighton in the series.
ITV viewers will also see the likes of Olivia Williams, Tom Riley, Rochelle Neil and Amy Manson in The Nevers.
Pip Torrens, Denis O’Hare, Zackary Momoh, Elizabeth Berrington, Kiran Sawar, Anna Devlin, Viola Prettejohn, Ella Smith, Nick Frost and Ben Chaplin are also featured in the show.
Speaking to Radio Times in the past about the show, James said: “It’s so unpredictable and as a result it’s just so brave.”
“That’s what makes the series unique, I think. When you watch episode six, your mind will be blown. Ours was blown when we read it, so watching it is going to be an absolutely crazy experience!”
The series has received high praise in the past from fans as one person said: “This is a superb supernatural drama. Well acted, great characters and superbly produced. Well worth a watch, so you can make up your own minds.”
Another shared: “So far, I think this show is a cinematic masterpiece. Slow and deep storytelling, beautiful world-building and intriguing character-building. It sweeps you in. I definitely recommend.”
While someone else shared: “Have just binge watched the first six parts, I am totally hooked. This is a very original series that is really refreshing. It has great characters who you become really attached to. Some of the best television I’ve seen for a long time.”
ITV will launch The Nevers to stream for free on ITVX from February 1
The new courtroom drama has been hailed as a ‘must watch’ for Netflix viewers.
The filmed is based on a true story(Image: Junglee Pictures)
A ‘brilliant’ new film has landed on Netflix, with viewers hailing it as “one of the most powerful and emotionally charged films of 2025”. The courtroom drama, based on a genuine landmark case that film enthusiasts are already dubbing essential viewing, has garnered rave reviews from both critics and audiences.
Helmed by director Suparn Varma, the film Haq boasts an impressive 83% critics’ score and a stellar 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The cast features Yami Gautam portraying Shazia Bano, Emraan Hashmi as Abbas Khan, and Sheeba Chaddha in the role of Bela Jain.
Netflix’s official synopsis states: “After her husband abandons her, Shazia Bano takes him to court, fueling a national debate on women’s rights and justice. Inspired by a landmark judgment.”
The film draws inspiration from the actual case of Mohd Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, involving a 62-year-old woman from Indore who sought maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code following her divorce by her lawyer husband through Islamic law (triple talaq).
The couple had shared over four decades of marriage, and when she requested modest monthly support post-divorce, he refused, arguing his obligations extended only to roughly three months during the ‘iddat’ period according to Islamic law. The legal battle reached the Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark decision that forms the heart of the film’s narrative, reports the Express.
Cinema enthusiasts have already heaped praise on the ‘compelling’ drama, with one viewer declaring on Rotten Tomatoes: “Phenomenal film! ! ! A great movie, after a long time! ! ! Must watch! !”
Another echoed the sentiment: “Class. Amazing biopic. The challenge of religious law and civil law coexisting. Landmark case that ensured all women get protection and rights from a divorce. She almost loses everything but keeps her faith. Amazing acting. Yami steals the show and her final monologue is something else. Definitely watch.”
A third hailed the production as ‘beautiful’ and an ‘absolute must see’, whilst another praised: “Haq is a riveting courtroom drama that blends fearless storytelling with exceptional performances.”
One enthusiastic reviewer gushed: “10/10 A powerful and beautiful film highlighting women’s rights. Both Yami and Imran delivered outstanding performances, but Yami was exceptional… She absolutely owned the screen.”
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
However, not all critics were equally impressed, with The Hollywood Reporter India describing it as “well-intentioned but reductive”. Despite this, the overwhelming response to the picture has been tremendously positive.
On IMDb, one viewer gushed: “Masterpiece of Truth, Courage, and Justice. Haq isn’t just a movie – it’s an experience, a statement, and a revolution in storytelling. Directed by Suparn Varma, this courtroom drama shines as one of the most powerful and emotionally charged films of 2025.”
Another agreed, stating: “Must Watch Movie. I really loved this movie…The story is strong and the film keeps you hooked from start to end. Yami Gautam is the highlight of the movie… Her acting is so powerful that she even overshadows Emraan Hashmi. Every dialogue she delivered gave me goosebumps. She truly deserves a National Award for this performance.”
Yet another person labelled the film as “superb”, penning: “Haq delivers a powerful cinematic experience with its gripping story and heartfelt performances.”
They further added: “What makes Haq special is its bold message about truth and integrity, leaving the audience inspired and thoughtful. It is one of the most compelling films of the year.”
Haq is available to stream now on Netflix.
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A “masterpiece” that comes from the creator of The Night Manager can be streamed for free.
The Night Manager has made its comeback to our screens, but there’s another “utterly amazing” drama that fans can binge-watch.
It’s been a decade since BBC viewers last saw Loki star Tom Hiddleston as former soldier Jonathan Pine, and now he’s returned for a second series which was initially revealed, much to everyone’s astonishment, in 2024.
The Night Manager, which draws from the bestselling 1990s novel of the same title, isn’t the sole John le Carré tale brought to television.
Eight years ago, another of le Carré’s narratives was transformed into a mini-series focusing on Charlie, an English actress recruited by Israeli intelligence to penetrate a Palestinian terrorist organisation by masquerading as the girlfriend of a bomber’s sibling.
Branded as both the “ultimate spy novel” and “one of the most beautiful heartwrenching love stories”, this alternative to The Night Manager shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Little Drummer Girl, which is available to stream without charge on BBC iPlayer, has garnered tremendous acclaim since its original broadcast.
Writing on IMDb, one viewer remarked: “This was such a breathtaking screen adaptation.”
Another agreed: “This is a beautifully made, written, directed and acted period thriller that has it all.
“This is not your typical Hollywood action fodder but an elegant and stylish piece of theatre,” a third contributor noted.
One devoted fan branded it “utterly amazing” whilst another viewer hailed it as a “masterpiece of acting, pacing and writing”. One viewer gushed: “I am speechless and overwhelmed…This has left me wanting for more, unlike The Night Manager.”
With a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%, on par with The Night Manager, The Little Drummer Girl boasts an impressive cast.
At the centre of the drama is Florence Pugh, known for her roles in Marvel’s Thunderbolts, Little Women and Oppenheimer, who plays Charlie.
She stars alongside Alexander Skarsgard, famed for his roles as Eric Northman in True Blood, Perry Wright in Big Little Lies and Tarzan in the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan.
Other notable names include Michael Shannon from Death By Lightning, Simona Brown of Behind Her Eyes fame and Clare Holman, known for Inspector Morse.
The Little Drummer Girl is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Waiting for the Out follows a man who teaches philosophy to prison inmates
BBC slapped with complaints as viewers fume over new prison drama(Image: BBC)
The BBC has been slapped with complaints as viewers fumed over a new prison drama on Saturday (January 3).
New six-part drama Waiting for the Out has been penned by award-winning screenwriter Dennis Kelly from Andy West’s memoir, The Life Inside.
It follows Dan Stewer (played by Josh Finan), who decides to teach a group of male inmates about dominance, freedom, luck and other topics that have troubled philosophers for thousands of years. These topics also gain a new meaning when seen through the prisoners’ eyes, both igniting passions and creating tension.
The official synopsis continues: “Through his work, Dan begins to dig deeper into his own past – growing up with a father (Gerard Kearns) who ended up in prison, as did his brother Lee (Stephen Wight) and uncle Frank (Phil Daniels). Dan took a different path, but this time working in a prison begins to make him worry, obsessively, that he belongs behind bars just like his father.
“As Dan’s personal crisis deepens, his actions begin to threaten both his own future, and his family’s.”
The show’s cast also includes Samantha Spiro, Phil Daniels, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Neal Barry, Alex Ferns, Francis Lovehall, Steven Meo, Ric Renton, Tom Moutchi, Nima Taleghani, Sule Rimi, Charlie Rix and Jude Mack.
The first episode saw Dan begin his first day teaching philosophy in a men’s prison. The lesson soon unravelled as he realised he’d underestimated his audience – and the weight of his own past.
Fixating on small details, Dan lost control of the class, risked his chance to become a father and broke an important promise to his new girlfriend. But when a familiar face resurfaced, Dan was soon forced to confront someone he thought he’d left behind.
BBC viewers were quick to share their complaints after watching the episode, with many sharing their frustration on X (formerly Twitter). “Well this is 45 mins of my life I won’t get back,” one person wrote.
Another added: “This is so weird,” while a third said: “God this is awful. Fella has no survival instinct. I’d be out of there. Don’t think they’d lock him in there alone with no way out.”
Meanwhile, other viewers were impressed with the contents of the episode, with one person writing: “Wow very interesting style! Quite different from anything else I’ve seen,” while another shared: “Just watched #WaitingForTheOut and I think it’s going to be brilliant.”
Andy West, executive producer and author of The Life Inside, previously said in a statement: “I’m so thankful to the writers, directors, producers and everyone involved in adapting The Life Inside. They have brought extraordinary creative and moral imagination to the stories in the book. We all hope to make a series that goes beyond the clichés about prisons and the families inside them and that touches people either side of the wall.”
Writer and executive producer Dennis Kelly added: “It’s not at all unusual for the men in Andy West’s family to end up in prison – but Andy is the only one that chose to be there. His book is funny, insightful, beautiful, genuinely heartbreaking and nothing like what you’d expect it to be – we’ve tried to take that into the series. God alone knows if we’ve succeeded, but we’ve tried…”
Waiting for the Out is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
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It’s the start of a new year and that means the kickoff of a whole new slate of television series. And while 2026 will bring plenty of those, it will also yield revivals, new seasons of beloved shows, spinoffs and long-awaited finales. Though this list isn’t exhaustive by any means, and not all dates have been announced, there’s plenty to start penciling into your calendar.
Holly Hunter as Capt. Nahla Ake in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.”
(Brooke Palmer/Paramount+)
In these awful, uncertain times, it is heartening that “Star Trek,” that most good-hearted, proudly progressive of space operas, continues to create new missions for fresh multiplanetary crews of explorers. The latest series, set like “Star Trek: Discovery” in the far-flung 32nd century, when anything the writers need created can be, takes place both in San Francisco — where the rebuilt Starfleet Academy is welcoming its first new class in more than 100 years — and aboard a training starship, the USS Athena, which will presumably carry cadets into situations more dangerous than rush week or beer pong. Tig Notaro’s engineer Jett Reno, surviving from “Star Trek: Discovery,” and Robert Picardo’s holographic doctor way back from “Star Trek: Voyager,” are seen here, as are several new young actors for youth appeal and Holly Hunter, as the academy chancellor and starship captain, for the “Broadcast News” fans. The voice of Stephen Colbert, making announcements as the Digital Dean of Students, is heard, and Paul Giamatti puts on prosthetics to play the villain. — Robert Lloyd
‘Memory of a Killer’ (Jan. 25, Fox)
Michael Imperioli, left, and Patrick Dempsey in “Memory of a Killer.”
(Christos Kalohoridis/Fox)
Former “Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob Patrick Dempsey trades in his “McDreamy” scrubs for a high-powered rifle in Fox’s thriller drama. Inspired by the 2003 Belgian film “De Zaak Alzheimer,” the drama features Dempsey as Angelo Ledda, a New York City hit man facing a devastating dilemma: he has early Alzheimer’s. The disease complicates his deadly profession and his life as a low-key family man. With a cast that includes Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”) and Gina Torres (“Suits”), the trailer looks particularly intriguing, with Dempsey looking intense while backed by the Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes.” Fox is spotlighting the series with a two-night premiere; the first episode airs following the NFC Championship game. The second episode airs Jan. 26 as the drama settles into its regular slot on Mondays at 9 p.m. — Greg Braxton
‘Scrubs’ revival (Feb. 25, ABC)
Zach Braff, top, and Donald Faison in the “Scrubs” revival.
(Jeff Weddell/Disney)
Ready for another walk through the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital with J.D., Elliot, Turk, Dr. Cox and Carla? The 30-minute sitcom was a comfort watch throughout much of the early aughts, with an endless loop of reruns keeping the show alive in the minds of fans long after it was canceled in 2010. But now ABC is bringing back the medical sitcom nearly 16 years later, and a lot of familiar faces are returning too: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison will reprise their lead roles, and John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes will make guest appearances. But not all is the same — several new cast members will join “Scrubs,” including Vanessa Bayer (“Saturday Night Live,” “I Love That for You”) and Joel Kim Booster (“Fire Island,” “Loot”). As long as J.D.’s daydreams and goofy bromance with Turk remain, I’m all in. — Maira Garcia
‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 2 (Feb. 27, Apple TV)
Wyatt Russell and Mari Yamamoto in Season 2 of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”
(Vince Valitutti/Apple)
It’s been two years since the first season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” ended with a surprise two-year time jump and I’ve been waiting to see what’s next for the extended Randa clan ever since. The Monsterverse series follows Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) — a survivor of a Godzilla encounter — trying to learn the truth about her father Hiroshi’s (Takehiro Hira) disappearance with the help of her newly discovered half-brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and ex-pat hacker May (Kiersey Clemons). It turns out the Randa family legacy is intertwined with Godzilla as well as Monarch, a secret organization dedicated to studying the giant monsters known as Titans. The possibility of kaiju battles was definitely what initially drew me to the show, but the humans have kept me hooked. Season 1 ended with Cate reuniting with her brother and father after escaping a mysterious pocket world beneath Earth’s surface with her long-lost grandmother Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) in tow. If that is not the setup for some gloriously messy family drama, I don’t know what is — and that’s not even taking into account a potential love triangle. But don’t fret monster lovers, the presence of Kong has also been teased for Season 2. — Tracy Brown
’American Love Story’ (February, FX)
The latest iteration of Ryan Murphy’s “American Story” anthology will focus on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, whose relationship and untimely deaths in 1999 created a media frenzy. (The couple died in a plane crash that Kennedy was piloting — the cause of death was deemed pilot error, but with no survivors, we’ll never know with 100% certainty.) Though their deaths occurred more than two decades ago, the event remains a significant moment in the memories of Americans and the Kennedy family, which has endured numerous tragedies over the decades. While Kennedy family members have openly criticized the series, it hasn’t stopped Murphy from proceeding. The television creator knows how to pique viewers’ interest, often dramatizing notable people and events. The series stars Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette, newcomer Paul Kelly as Kennedy and Naomi Watts as matriarch Jackie Kennedy. — M.G.
Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel and Luke Grimes in CBS’ “Y: Marshals.”
(Sonja Flemming/CBS)
More than a year has passed since “Yellowstone” rode off into the sunset. The modern western was television’s hottest series during its five-season run, solidifying the star power of its lead Kevin Costner as patriarch John Dutton while establishing co-creator Taylor Sheridan as one of TV’s top writer-producers. Sheridan hopes to continue his “Yellowstone” triumph with several spinoffs. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will reprise their respective roles as Dutton’s volcanic daughter Beth Dutton and her husband, boss ranch hand Rip Wheeler, in Paramount+’s “Dutton Ranch.” Luke Grimes, who played Dutton’s son Kayce Dutton, will headline “Y: Marshals” in which Kayce joins a top U.S. Marshals unit. Joining Grimes in the CBS drama are “Yellowstone” cast members Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) and Mo Brings Plenty (Mo). Also in development is “The Madison,” a drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell about a New York City family living in Montana’s Madison River territory. — G.B.
‘Imperfect Women’ (March 18, Apple TV)
Elisabeth Moss, left, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara in “Imperfect Women.”
(Nicole Weingart/Apple)
If you’re longing for the elusive Season 3 of “Big Little Lies” or a similar crime-laced psychological thriller led by powerhouse women, Apple TV might be able to scratch that itch with this upcoming drama. Based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, “Imperfect Women” will follow three lifelong friends, played by Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara, as a murder sends their lives into chaos. Moss and Washington also serve as executive producers with Hall. Details about the plot of the series are scant (it is a mystery, after all), but the novel teases a story with deep betrayal and guilt, a secret affair and muddled perspectives, all underpinned by a murder investigation. That all sounds pretty dark, but Moss said the series will somehow be a “fantastic palate-cleanser” after the close of her dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale.” “Imperfect Women” is “super different,” she added. “It’s fun, it’s sexy.” — Kaitlyn Huamani
‘The Forsytes’ (March 22, PBS)
Danny Griffin and Tuppence Middleton in “The Forsytes.”
(Sean Gleason/Masterpiece / PBS)
Written by Debbie Horsfield (“Poldark”), this is, as far as I can tell, a freely adapted, female-forward prequel to John Galsworthy’s “Forsyte Saga” novels, which provided the basis for a highly popular, 26-part adaptation in 1967 and subsequent filmings in 2002 and 2003. Set among a late Victorian-era family of stockbrokers, a phrase that will undoubtedly bring the word “succession” to mind, it promises to be a meaty, cheesy and handsomely dressed — sometimes undressed — romp. The large ensemble cast includes Francesca Annis, Stephen Moyer, Tuppence Middleton, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Davenport, “Doctor Who” companion Millie Gibson and Susan Hampshire, who starred in and won an Emmy for the 1967 series. — R.L.
‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ (April 15, Apple TV)
Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.”
(Allyson Riggs/Apple)
Ever look at a television title and think: “It’s great to see myself represented on TV?” The actual premise of this series may feel less relatable on the surface to most, but the struggle to stretch a dollar like it’s made of industrial-use elastic is a conundrum many of us know all too well these days. And this new series from prolific TV producer David E. Kelley promises humor and heart in its adaptation of Rufi Thorpe’s novel of the same name, which explores sex work and financial precarity without moralization. The series stars Elle Fanning as the titular character, a recent college dropout from a working-class background who, as a new mom raising a baby solo, is forced to figure out how to make ends meet and finds a financial lifeline as a creator for OnlyFans, the subscription-based platform made famous by adult content. The series also features Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo’s mother (an ex-Hooters waitress) and Nick Offerman as her father (an ex-pro wrestler). And to ensure she’s not letting 2026 go by without adding a stamp to her TV punch card, Nicole Kidman is also part of the stacked cast. Because we need that, all of us. — Yvonne Villarreal
‘The Testaments’ (April 2026, Hulu)
Lucy Halliday, left, and Chase Infiniti in “The Testaments.”
(Disney)
The success of Bruce Miller’s award-winning adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” prompted the author to write the Booker Prize-winning sequel “The Testaments,” which Miller is also adapting. Set to premiere in April, it returns viewers to the Old Testament world of Gilead, years after the events in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and focuses on June’s (Elisabeth Moss) daughters Hannah, renamed Agnes (Chase Infiniti), and Daisy, previously known as Nicole (Lucy Halliday), as they face the brutal forces of a misogynistic theocracy. Ann Dowd reprises her role as Aunt Lydia, the only character (with the possible exception of June) who will cross over from the previous series. Miller has characterized the series as a “coming of age” story, but readers of the book will know that all is not what it once was in Gilead; forces both without and within plot its downfall and June’s daughters will not be far from the fight. — Mary McNamara
‘Beef’ Season 2 (2026, Netflix)
Three years after gifting us a darkly comic road rage thriller fronted by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong that was set against a soundtrack of ‘NSync, Tori Amos and Hoobastank songs, Lee Sung Jin’s anthology series returns for its second season with another layered, twist-filled exploration of class struggles, resentment and the absurdity of life’s curveballs. Consisting of eight 30-minute episodes, this season unpacks the pursuit of the American Dream by way of an exclusive Southern California country club and two couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The chaos kicks off when a young couple who work at the club (Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton) witness a heated fight between their boss (Oscar Isaac), the general manager, and his wife (Carey Mulligan), an interior designer, just as the club’s new Korean billionaire owner (Youn Yuh-jung) takes over. The encounter spins out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want. “Parasite’s” Song Kang-ho and K-Pop star BM (of KARD) round out the cast. And yes, there will be needle drops. — Y.V.
‘Little House on the Prairie’ (2026, Netflix)
It’s beyond time that someone revisited the semi-autobiographical series by Laura Ingalls Wilder in a way more suited to modern television. The 1974 NBC adaptation is a classic, but as a family drama of its time, it did not attempt to capture the historical breadth the book series documented. The many tribulations, and triumphs, the Ingalls family experienced as they moved from state to state, (including the locust plague of 1874, described in “On the Banks of Plum Creek,” which devastated the Midwest) provide a unique look into life on the American “frontier.” With any luck, showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and her team of writers will do the same. — M.M.
‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ (2026, Netflix)
Fans of the nearly 10-year long “Stranger Things” chapter on Netflix are sure to be feeling a bit of Duffer Brothers withdrawal in the new year. But their overall deal with Netflix will bear another intriguing project before the creators move over to Paramount exclusively. “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” is a horror drama centering on a soon-to-be bride and groom, although the title seems to imply they never make it to the altar. The Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, and Hilary Leavitt from Upside Down Pictures are executive producing along with Haley Z. Boston, who will serve as showrunner. Boston has written on “Guillermo del Toro’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” and “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” both of which attracted avid horror fans. Camila Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six,” “The Night Manager”) stars alongside Adam DiMarco (“The White Lotus,” “Overcompensating”). Very few other details have been shared, but the talent involved — both behind the scenes and in front of the camera — is enough to pique my curiosity, even if I’ll have to close my eyes when things get a little too scary for my comfort. — K.H.
‘Yellowjackets’ Season 4 (2026, Showtime)
Tawny Cypress in the Season 3 finale of “Yellowjackets.”
(Darko Sikman/Paramount+ with Showtime)
I thought high school was traumatizing enough, but I didn’t have to deal with anything close to what the teens in “Yellowjackets” have endured for three seasons. The coming-of-age survival thriller is about a championship high school soccer team whose plane crashes into the remote Canadian wilderness where they are stranded for 19 months. The story unfolds over two timelines, with one following the girls as they do whatever it takes to survive in the wilds — including cannibalism and ritual sacrifice — and the other following the survivors in the present day as they are trying to live their lives. Unfortunately for them, whatever they started in the wilderness is unwilling to be left buried in the past and is back on the h(a)unt. There is plenty of rage, trauma, secrets and murder in both timelines, as well as some unsolved mysteries that may or may not involve supernatural elements. With the upcoming fourth season confirmed to be the last, here’s to hoping some of the remaining questions — including how the girls were saved, how many girls actually survived, and why the “wilderness” came back to them in the present day — will be answered. — T.B.
‘VisionQuest’ (2026, Disney+)
It feels like forever ago that “WandaVision” kicked off Marvel Studios’ foray into television with a bang. A clever homage to sitcoms, the show followed Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) as she tried to magically piece together a life and family with Vision (Paul Bettany) after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). The upcoming Disney+ series “VisionQuest” will cap off the “WandaVision” trilogy, which also includes one of my favorite MCU installments, “Agatha All Along.” When audiences last saw Vision, the reconstructed android had just regained his memories and, presumably, his sentience, before flying off into the unknown. The new series will see Vision trying to navigate that aftermath to figure out who he is — reportedly with some help from other known Marvel AI programs and robots. Both “WandaVision” and “Agatha” explored grief and trauma and motherhood in their own ways, so I’m curious how these themes might carry over into “VisionQuest.” I’m admittedly a bit more into witches than robots, but I’m looking forward to the proper introduction of Tommy Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica), who in the comics is the grown-up version of one of Wanda and Vision’s magically-created twins, and any potential family reunions. — T.B.
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
One of the bummer parts of any awards season is how it leads to a narrowing down of what movies are getting talked about and subsequently remembered from any given year. There are always way more than five or 10 titles from any given year that deserve the spotlight.
Which is why it was so exciting this week when Envelope editor Matt Brennan chose Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee” and Angus MacLachlan’s “A Little Prayer” as his favorite movies of the year. “A Little Prayer” first premiered at Sundance in 2023, but didn’t get a theatrical release until this past summer. The delicate jewel of a film features warm, tender performances by David Strathairn and Jane Levy as a man and his daughter-in-law both reconciling themselves to the fallout of problems in her marriage. The movie is available now on digital platforms and is well worth seeking out.
David Straithairn and Jane Levy in the movie “A Little Prayer.”
(Music Box Films)
And we talked about “Ann Lee” here last week and will likely have more to say about it as awards season moves on. Matt’s list also included films such as “Sinners,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sirāt” along with “Sorry, Baby,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “Hedda,” and “The Alabama Solution.”
Meanwhile, with 2026 so fresh and new, it’s almost sacrilegious to start thinking about a future best-of-year list. But we’ve got one anyway: Here are the 14 movies we’re most excited to see in 2026. Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Steven Spielberg doing aliens again — at least on paper, there’s a lot of promise here.
4K premiere of Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’
An image from William Friedkin’s 1977 movie “Sorcerer.”
The film was a notorious flop when first released, in part because it had the misfortune of opening a week after the first “Star Wars.” An adaptation of the same novel that spawned Henri-George Clouzot’s 1953 adventure “Wages of Fear,” “Sorcerer” follows four desperate men tasked with transporting a truckload of volatile nitroglycerine through a South American jungle.
Friedkin, who died in 2023, spoke to The Times’ Kenneth Turan in 2013 before receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Venice Film Festival. The only movie shown as part of the tribute was “Sorcerer.” As Friedkin said at the time, “Every one of the films that I made, even the ones that haven’t worked, are films that I had to envision, that I had to see in my mind’s eye. And ‘Sorcerer’ is the film that came closest to my vision of what I wanted to make.”
In a January 1977 interview conducted when he had just completed filming, star Roy Scheider said that working with Friedkin “was not always to my liking as an actor. He is organized and meticulous but difficult, opiniated and tough. He can even be cruel at times. When Friedkin works on a film, nothing gets in his way, including the actors.”
Roy Scheider in the movie “Sorcerer.”
(Criterion Collection)
The film’s initial reception is perhaps well summarized by Charles Champlin’s originalLos Angeles Times review, in which he writes, “William Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’ is one of those movies that must make executives, no less than critics, shake their heads in stunned glum wonder. What the hell went wrong?
“A first-rate and proven piece of material. Executed with loving and meticulous care on a damn-the-cost basis by a prize-winning director with two large commercial successes behind him. But it all ends up a swollen, leaden and almost totally uninvolving disappointment that seems fairly unlikely to be saved commercially by its detonations, special effects and strenuous physical sequences.”
Champlin did seem to enjoy one element: the synthesizer score by Tangerine Dream (later of “Thief” and “Risky Business”), music that he calls “a new flavor, Latin Anxious, that works well.”
‘The Godfather Part II’
Al Pacino in the 1974 sequel “The Godfather Part II.”
(Paramount Pictures)
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, an original I.B. Technicolor 35mm print of Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” will screen at the New Beverly. It’s a rare and unusual way to see a great movie that can sometimes be flattened by overfamiliarity but remains as fresh and revealing as ever. The movie would go on to win six Oscars including best picture (the first sequel to ever do so).
The story cross-cuts between Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the 1950s and Robert De Niro playing his father Vito Corleone in the early 1900s. The film shows the growth of the Corleone family empire and what it takes to keep it running.
In a January 1975 interview, Coppola talked about his motivations in approaching the sequel, saying, “The finished film makes what I consider a tough statement for a $13 million mass-audience picture. It says that this country is in danger of losing its soul, like Michael did. That power without humanity is destructive. … I didn’t want Michael to be destroyed by another gang or by a Senate investigation of organized crime. I wanted him to destroy himself. And to juxtapose his fall with flashbacks of his father’s rise a half-century earlier.”
Coppola, candid as ever, continued, “And, to be completely honest, there was the possibility of my making so much money I could bankroll some of my other projects.”
In his original Dec. 1974 review of the film, our Charles Champlin wrote, “In its way, ‘Godfather II’ is more daring than the original … The risks were worth taking, and the reward is that a single monumental segment of the American experience is neither glorified nor patronized, but made comprehensible and real, transmuted into drama of both scope and depth.”
Points of interest
‘The Birds’ in 35mm
Tippi Hedren and children are attacked by crows in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
(Screen Archives / Getty Images)
On Monday the Academy Museum will show Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 “The Birds” in 35mm. The film is showing as part of a series about nature’s revenge on humans — a fun group of titles that also includes “Jaws” and “Orca” (both playing in 35mm), “Creature from the Black Lagoon” in 3D, “Alligator” with director Lewis Teague in person and “The Revenant” in 4K.
Transporting Daphne du Maurier’s original story to the setting of Bodega Bay in Northern California, “The Birds” presents a classic, apocalyptic what-if scenario when humans are suddenly attacked from above.
Star Tippi Hedren, who turns 96 later this month, made her movie debut in the film and over the years she has been open about how difficult the process of shooting was for her. In an April 1963 interview with Hedda Hopper, she said, “The Humane Society was there to protect the birds but there was no one to protect me.”
In a March 1963 review, The Times’ Philip K. Scheuer wrote, “Are actors people? No matter. Alfed Hitchcock, who filmed ‘The Birds’ at Universal, was once widely quoted as saying he hated actors. After his 1960 ‘Psycho’ and now ‘The Birds,’ it must be fairly obvious that he has extended his abhorrence to the whole human race.”
Oliver Lax’s ‘Fire Will Come’
Amador Arias, left, and Benedicta Sánchez in ‘Fire Will Come’
(KimStim)
Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe’s “Sirāt” has become one of the most celebrated films of the year, popping up on critics list and making a strong showing on the recent Oscars shortlists. On Tuesday, Acropolis Cinema will present the Los Angeles premiere of Laxe’s 2019 film “Fire Will Come” at 2220 Arts + Archives (its original release was curtailed by the pandemic). Laxe is scheduled to attend in person.
In the film, Amador (Amador Arias) has just been released from prison for arson, after having started a wildfire that ravaged the local mountains. Living with his mother, he has to overcome the suspicions and distrust of everyone in the community.
Reviewing the film in 2020 for a digital release, Carlos Aguilar called the film “quietly phenomenal,” adding, “Its discourse on forgiveness simmers in one’s mind inextinguishably.”
Joachim Trier tribute
Director Joachim Trier, photographed at the Los Angeles Times Studios at RGB House during the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
These are also rare opportunities to see two of Trier’s earlier films — his 2006 debut “Reprise” and 2011’s devastating “Oslo, August 31st” — in a theater.
“Sentimental Value” directly engages with the legacy of Scandinavian cinema, with Stellan Skarsgård playing an arthouse filmmaker trying to get a new project off the ground with his daughter (“Worst Person” star Renate Reinsve).
Going all the way back to “Reprise.” Trier has been making a case for a new kind of Scandinavian cinema: “I would hope young people would see this not as the old, dreary, dandruff-on-the-shoulders, slow European film,” he said in 2008. “I wanted to make something more sexy and relevant to people.”
Viewers have been praising a BBC drama that’s been gripping them for months. Some say it’s so good they keep rewatching it, with it being deemed “better than Night Manager”
10:07, 03 Jan 2026Updated 10:08, 03 Jan 2026
The series has been deemed “better than Night Manager” (Image: BBC/The Little Drummer Girl Distribution Limited)
One such gem recently sparked discussion on Reddit when a user shared their obsession with a particular miniseries. They revealed they’d become utterly absorbed by it, watching it multiple times and discovering something new with each viewing. Since then, others have admitted how gripping it is, with some claiming it’s “even better than Night Manager”.
The Reddit user gushed: “The Little Drummer Girl is superb. At the risk of being a pretentious bore, the show really struck a chord with me. I watched it, and then immediately rewatched it. Now I’m watching it again.
“There’s a huge amount of depth here. It’s not Homeland, but it’s seriously good. Strongly recommended.”
The post triggered an enthusiastic response, with another viewer saying: “I agree with everything you just said! I LOVED Little Drummer Girl. Florence Pugh is fantastic in it. Very moving.”
On a separate thread, someone else declared: “I thought it was fantastic, one of the best spy thrillers I’ve ever seen. I chase the high of that show sometimes from other things, but nothing ever quite scratches the itch.”
A third gushed: “It’s a classic. My first exposure to Florence Pugh and loved her moments in just as she’s sassing Skarsgård. All episodes enraptured me to the very end. Excellent acting from everyone, excellent story, plot, masterful directing. Definitely would rewatch again. Recommended to anyone who enjoys political thrillers, espionage and/or spy fiction.”
Meanwhile, a fourth shared: “I watched the show first because I am a huge Park Chan-Wook fan and that is actually how I discovered Le Carré. I absolutely loved it. I thought the performances, cinematography and direction were phenomenal.
“Funnily enough, I haven’t actually read the book yet. When I tried to, I only read a few pages and put it down. Wasn’t in the right headspace for it, and was afraid I might dislike it.”
Other viewers have hailed the series as “magnificent”, calling it essential viewing. The stellar cast has also received widespread acclaim.
What’s the storyline?
For those unfamiliar, The Little Drummer Girl is a British spy thriller series adapted from John le Carré’s 1983 novel of the same title. The initial six-part series premiered on BBC One in 2018 and remains popular with audiences, still streaming on iPlayer.
The narrative unfolds in 1979, following a young English actress who gets recruited by Mossad. Her mission involves going undercover to infiltrate and dismantle a Palestinian organisation planning terrorist attacks across London and elsewhere in Europe.
The series features an exceptional cast, with stars such as Michael Shannon, Alexander Skarsgård and Florence Pugh all earning acclaim from viewers for their performances.
In certain cases, audiences have gone so far as to suggest the adaptation surpasses the original novel – remarkable praise by any measure. One viewer commented: “The book is a bit too long and meandering in parts, but the TV series definitely is worth watching.”
Another added: “Thought it was more engaging than Night Manager.”
GORDON and Tana Ramsay have paid an emotional tribute to their newly-married daughter Holly and her twin brother Jack on their birthday after the wedding drama.
Holly tied the knot with husband Adam Peaty on Saturday in a lavish ceremony in Bath Abbey but the lead up to the big day didn’t go without some drama.
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Gordon and Tana Ramsay have paid tribute to newly-married daughter Holly on her birthdayCredit: GettyThe pair shared pictures of Holly and her twin Jack to commemorate the occasionCredit: InstagramThe twins looked adorable in the throwback snapsCredit: Instagram
Sharing a joint collaborator post on Instagram, the proud parents posted a series of adorable pictures of their children from their younger years.
They penned: “Happy Birthday to our wonderful twins! @hollyramsaypeaty & Jack, there’s not enough words to explain how proud we are and watching you both grow into incredible individuals is such a joy!
“Love you so much Mum & Dad,” they signed off.
Their followers flocked to the comments section to wish the pair a happy birthday on their special day.
However, he deleted it from his Instagram stories just 15 minutes later.
The photo, which was taken on another occasion and not on the day of the wedding, showed the mother-son duo all dressed up in a suit and dress outside the iconic building.
Her Instagram story re-post read: “I won’t end this year pretending everything was fine.
“I lost a piece of myself this year that I will never get back, and I’m not forcing a smile like it didn’t change me.
“So no…I won’t be saying ‘2026 is going to be my year.’ I’ll be praying that I recover next year, that my heart never has to break like this again, that I never have to survive something like this again.”
Her birthday comes just days after she tied the knot with husband Adam PeatyCredit: SplashAdam uninvited several member of his family including his mum Caroline amid an ongoing feudCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role in HBO’s “The Wire” and his collaborations with director Spike Lee in films such as “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods,” has died. He was 71.
Whitlock’s manager, Brian Liebman, shared news of his client’s death in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr.,” Liebman wrote. “If you knew him — you loved him. A brilliant actor and even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.”
Liebman told Deadline that Whitlock died peacefully in New York after a short illness.
Born in South Bend, Ind., Whitlock had dreams of playing pro football. He told NPR in 2021 that, while playing at Southwest Minnesota State University, he got “banged up … concussions, broken ankles.”
“To me it just didn’t seem to make sense anymore. … I wandered by the theater department.” After nabbing a role in “The Crucible,” he said he’d been “working ever since.”
After graduating in 1976, Whitlock joined the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
At the start of his career, the actor picked up roles in procedurals and dramas, including iterations of the “Law & Order” franchise, notably “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”
He most famously left his mark on HBO’s “The Wire” as corrupt Maryland State Sen. Clay Davis, whose drawn-out, drawled profanity, “s—,” became a memorable element of the 60-episode crime drama.
After brief appearances on multiple short-lived TV series, including Fox’s “New Amsterdam,” ABC’s “The Unusuals,” CBS’ “Chaos,” and others, Whitlock made his HBO return with a recurring role on the political satire “Veep” as George Maddox, the secretary of defense and presidential candidate.
Whitlock also appeared on CBS shows “The Good Wife,” “Elementary,” FX’s “Louie,” “Atlanta,” Fox’s “Gotham,” NBC’s “The Carmichael Show” among many more. His final TV role was as Chief of Police Larry Dokes in Netflix’s 2025 mystery comedy drama “The Residence.”
On the big screen, Whitlock appeared in the black comedy horror film “Cocaine Bear” in 2023, as well as multiple movies directed by Lee, including “She Hate Me” (2004), “Chi-Raq” (2015), “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) and “Da 5 Bloods” (2020).
The director shared a photo of the two on his Instagram account, writing, “Today I learned of the passing of my dear beloved brother Isiah Whitlock. God Bless.”
Whitlock is slated for two posthumous releases, the 2026 Pixar animated film “Hoppers” and the Irish American film “The Body Is Water,” directed by Vicky Wight.
EastEnders Executive Producer Ben Wadey has teased what BBC soap fans can expect in 2026, and in the fallout to Max Branning’s special flash forward episode on New Year’s Day
EastEnders Executive Producer Ben Wadey has teased what BBC soap fans can expect in 2026(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
If fans thought the end of EastEnders 2025 was dramatic, wait until they see what’s in store in 2026.
Executive Producer Ben Wadey has dropped huge hints at the storylines on the way, and the characters set to take centre stage. We already know Max Branning will be a key character, and the Brannings in general.
They feature in a flash forward episode this New Year’s Day, which pans into the same day in 2027. With details being kept under wraps, Ben teased the fallout of the episode.
What was also shared was the other big plots unfolding across the next 12 months, with Ben confirming the return of abusive teenager Joel Marshall. Linda Carter and Honey and Billy Mitchell also feature in new drama, as does Harry Mitchell, Ravi Gulati and Phil Mitchell.
Ben spilled of what fans can expect: “We’ve got lots ahead, lots of new stuff that I’m excited about. You may have seen we’ve just announced Ronni Ancona joining the show, which I am very, very excited about. I’m a huge fan of her work and she brings such a unique tone to it.
“I was really interested in just having a story that has a bit more kind of tragic comedy coming through it. She’s an old school friend of Linda’s and she’s called Bea. Bea arrives and her memory of Linda is very different to Linda’s memory of Linda.
“Bea is the sort of character who might attach herself onto people so she kind of comes in and gets to reacquaint herself with Linda. It’s also going to be a big story for some other characters.
Billy and Honey are going to be big in the new year and will be involved in that story as well, so it’s a story which, as a team, every time we watch it and read it we love it. We laugh and we cry and it’s really, really fun.
“Honey and Bea. After the misogyny story last year where we saw Joel was arrested, we’ve got his trial coming up so we’re gonna see Joel again as he faces the consequences of his actions. He’s pleading not guilty, and I think everyone’s struggling with why on Earth he’s put everyone through a trial.
“Vicki’s really going through the ringer of that, and Vicki, who wants to be committed so badly to Ross, but associates Ross now with everything that happened with Joel, her eye has been wandering slightly towards Zack.
“So we’ve got a big soapy love triangle in the mix of the new year. We’ve got a big story for Ravi going forward as he faces the consequences of his actions and all the awful things that he did in the previous few months, and what that starts to do to his psyche and his family.
“A revenge plot from Harry Mitchell kicks us off early in the new year, and the continuation of Phil and Nigel’s story. That beautiful episode, that will continue through and give us heart and warmth and just realism, and just gorgeous performances. Those relationships kind of see us through further into 2026.”
On the fallout to the flash forward, he went on: “You don’t have to wait an entire year to get all the answers, you’ll be getting answers from almost the episode after and then through every month, we’ll be giving you little bits. But also we twist a lot in that episode.
“Things are not as they seem so things that you will assume are going on there when you watch them in a year’s time will actually have quite a different light on them. But there’ll be lots of things within that episode that within the first few weeks and months, quite big answers you will start to get as an audience which I hope will be really satisfying that it kind of comes comes throughout the year.
“The plan is we’ll re-see elements of that [episode] which will make sense in the new light. There’ll be new scenes, there’ll be additional elements, so without giving too much away, it will be I think a very satisfying kind of coming together of two halves that I think will answer questions and be very satisfying to watch.”
Cardiff and Llanelli played host to derbies on 26 December and the action will be in Newport and Bridgend on New Year’s Day.
The Arms Park was packed before Christmas to see Scarlets edge out the hosts, and this time a packed house saw the Blue and Blacks sneak victory.
A sold-out figure of 12,125 tickets issued was announced by Cardiff, with Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia lauding the atmosphere.
“The crowd was amazing, for Cardiff and the Dragons,” said Tiatia, an Ospreys legend from his playing days. “It became a singing contest at the end.
“It was pleasing to see where the game is at with local derbies and fans coming out to support their teams.
“That’s what we want for derbies – that they are competitive, grounds are sold out and the game is growing. It’s all around the tribalism of the regions.”
There were more than 12,000 at Parc y Scarlets as well, with victorious Ospreys head coach Jones hoping there are more occasions like this as the WRU looks to cut a men’s professional side.
“You could tell it was a west Wales derby and long may they continue,” said Jones.
“These occasions are massive. Just at the end of the game, to see your players and coaches going over to meet their families over in the terrace over the far side.
“With so many of them and fans turning up when they could be doing all sorts at this time of the year, but they choose to come down and support their team.
“It is amazing. We talked about the emotional side of the game in the derby and how you have to use the emotion.
“I thought the boys used the emotion incredibly well and the Scarlets did the same. I thought their care for their shirt was equally good.”
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
Even as the year winds down, there are still some exciting new releases hitting theaters.
Few films this year are arriving on quite the wave of expectation behind Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” in part because of the unhinged, go-for-broke promo push from its star Timothée Chalamet. The film tells the story of Marty Mauser, a shoe salesman in 1950s New York who dreams of becoming a champion table tennis player and will stop at nothing to make it happen.
As Amy Nicholson put it in her review, “Like Marty, Chalamet was raised in New York City, and since he arrived on the scene, there’s never been a doubt he’ll win an Oscar. The only question is, when? To Chalamet’s credit, he’s doing it the hard way, avoiding sentimental pictures for pricklier roles about his own naked ambitions. … The movie’s moxie makes it impossible not to get caught up in Marty’s crusade. We’re giddy even when he’s miserable.”
The surprise winner of the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” is a gently enigmatic film revolving around, as the title suggests, parents and siblings. Told in three separate stories — set in New Jersey, Dublin and Paris — the film stars Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Mayim Bialik, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Charlotte Rampling, Luka Sabbat and Indya Moore.
Tom Waits in Jim Jarmusch’s movie “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
(Atsushi Nishijima / Mubi)
In his review, Tim Grierson wrote, “The film’s persistent brittleness may make some viewers antsy. That’s partly the point, but hopefully, they’ll soon be swept away by the movie’s melancholy undertow. … Eventually, we learn to look past Jarmusch’s deceptively mundane surfaces to see the fraught, unresolved issues within these guarded families. The characters occasionally expose their true selves, then just as quickly retreat, fearful of touching on real conflict.”
Tim Grieving spoke to composer Daniel Blumberg, who won an Oscar earlier this year for “The Brutalist,” about his work on “The Testament of Ann Lee,” director Mona Fastvold’s portrait of the founder of the Shaker religious movement. Singing and dance were an integral part of the Shakers’ spiritual practice, so the music for the film was of special importance.
“Ann Lee was very radical and extreme,” said Blumberg, “and Mona is as well.”
De Los also recently published a list of the 25 best Latino films of 2025 as picked by Carlos Aguilar. His favorites include Amalia Ulman’s “Magic Farm,” Pasqual Gutierrez and Ben Mullinkosson’s “Serious People,” Diego Céspedes’ “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo,” Petra Costa’s “Apocalypse in the Tropics” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent.”
All three of this year’s Envelope roundtables are now available to watch: actors, actresses and directors.
New Year’s Eve at the movies
Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps in the movie “Phantom Thread.”
(Laurie Sparham / Focus Features)
When people talk about holiday films, they typically mean Christmas. But what if the movies that featured a New Year’s Eve scene were sneakily better? To judge by the titles playing around town this week, an argument could be made.
Take for example Kathryn Bigelow’s “Strange Days.” An exciting techno-thriller set during the last two days of then-future 1999, it’s about a hustler (Ralph Feinnes) who finds himself in way over his head. The film builds to a huge millennial New Year’s Eve street party filmed in downtown Los Angeles. Still something of a rarity on streaming, “Strange Days” will be showing in 35mm at the New Beverly on Friday afternoon and then at the Aero on Wednesday 31, early enough in the evening to leave time for more fun after.
Then there is Paul Thomas Anderson’s achingly romantic and bitingly funny “Phantom Thread,” in which the controlling fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) initially refuses to leave the house on New Year’s Eve, but then races to be with his muse and lover Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) after she goes out without him. The movie will be showing on New Year’s Day in 70mm at the Aero.
Anderson’s 1997 “Boogie Nights,” which will show in 35mm at Vidiots on the afternoon of Dec. 31, features a very different take on New Year’s Eve. In a pivotal sequence, many of the film’s characters converge on a NYE party to ring in the transition form 1979 to 1980. It does not go well.
jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in 1960’s “The Apartment.”
(Bettmann Archive / Getty Images)
Billy Wilder’s “The Apartment” will play in 35mm at the New Beverly on Saturday and Sunday and also at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz Theater on Dec. 30. In the film Jack Lemmon is a lonely office drone who finds his complex relationship with a co-worker (Shirley MacLaine) ultimately coming to a head on a fateful New Year’s Eve.
Rob Reiner’s 1989 “When Harry Met Sally…” will likely be playing several times over the next weeks in tribute to the filmmaker. Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal as two friends trying to figure out if their relationship can (or should) be something more, the film features not one but two memorable New Year’s Eve scenes. It will be playing at the New Beverly on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Katie Holmes, left, and Sarah Polley in the movie “Go.”
(Tracy Bennett / Columbia Pictures)
Doug Liman’s “Go,” from a screenplay by John August, is not strictly speaking a New Year’s Eve movie, but it does take place in the sort of liminal zone of ongoing partying that occurs during holiday time. With a cast that includes Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Timothy Olyphant and many more, the film revolves around a few grocery store co-workers, some low-stakes drug dealing, questionable choices and a lot of miscommunication. The movie shows at Vidiots on Tuesday.
In a review of the film, Kevin Thomas wrote, “When all is said and done, ‘Go’ is a film about people going too far, which works precisely because its makers know when to hold back. ‘Go’ keeps us guessing … but it never forgets it’s a comedy; if it was too serious it would burst like a bubble. So uniformly skilled and talented is the film’s cast, which has 15 featured players, that it is impossible to single out any one. ‘Go’ is perfectly titled: Exhilarating and sharp, it never stops for a second.”
Points of interest
The Marx Brothers’ eternal comic mayhem
Chico Marx, left, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Margaret Dumont in the movie “Animal Crackers.”
(Universal)
It has become a tradition around town for theaters to show Marx Brothers movies at the holidays, and who are we to argue with that? For pure whimsy and comedy that hits somewhere deep in the unconscious, the Marx Brothers are still pretty much unbeatable.
The New Beverly played some Marx Brothers movies on Christmas Day. For those who still want more, Vidiots will be showing 1935’s “A Night at the Opera,” directed by Sam Wood and including the famous stateroom scene in which more and more people cram into a single room on an ocean liner.
On New Year’s Day, the Aero will show 1933’s “Duck Soup,” directed by Leo McCarey, in which the brothers take over the fictional nation of Freedonia. That will be followed by 1930’s “Animal Crackers,” directed by Victor Heerman, in which Groucho Marx plays African explorer Rufus T. Firefly.
Eric Rohmer’s ‘The Green Ray’
A scene from Eric Rohmer’s “The Green Ray.”
(Janus Films)
Initially released as “Summer” in the U.S., Eric Rohmer’s “The Green Ray” won Venice’s Golden Lion in 1986. The film follows Delphine (Marie Rivière, who co-wrote the script with Rohmer), a single woman in Paris, as she struggles to find someone to go on a holiday trip with her, leading to a series of serio-comic misadventures. The film will show Thursday in 35mm at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz Theater.
Reviewing the film in 1986, Michael Wilmington asked if watching a Rohmer film is really, to quote Gene Hackman on Rohmer movies in “Night Moves,” like watching paint peel? “Not at all,” Wilmington wrote. “‘Summer’ is one of the masterpieces of 1986. It’s one of the most finely wrought, stimulating films of an erratic year. It’s intellectual in the best sense: engaging you emotionally and mentally. It moves faster, wastes less time, and has more to offer than most movies now on view — and those who are skipping it are missing one of the year’s real treats.”
The limited series is one to binge-watch this Christmas period
For those seeking a break from traditional festive TV, Netflix is currently streaming a tense crime drama that had viewers hooked from the very first scene.
The Glass Dome (or Glaskupan) originally dropped in April and quickly climbed the streaming giant’s most-watched charts, but it may have slipped under your radar.
Set in a small Swedish community, the six-part show follows criminologist Leijla as she sets out to investigate the vanishing of a local girl, in the same town she was once held captive.
The search brings up difficult feelings for Leijla, who still hasn’t discovered the truth behind her own kidnapping. While it sounds like a simple whodunnit drama, the limited series is packed with plot twists that most viewers won’t see coming.
Swedish actress Léonie Vincent leads the show as accomplished career woman Leijla. Viewers first meet the main character while she is working in the United States, before she receives a concerning phone call begging her to return to Sweden.
She’s joined by fellow Stockholm-born actor Johan Hedenberg as her adoptive father Valter, who is also keen to uncover the truth.
A glowing IMDb review from the time of release said: “From the very beginning, it pulls you in with its intense atmosphere and never lets go.
“The plot is packed with brutal and unexpected twists that hit you when you least expect them, and the tension only escalates with each episode.”
The same fan added: “Just when you think you’ve figured it out, everything changes again. It’s unpredictable, addictive, and full of surprises right up to the final scene. If you enjoy clever, suspenseful storytelling, this series is a hidden gem you shouldn’t miss.”
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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
Someone else raved: “One of those rare thrillers that hooks you from the very first scene. The storyline is well crafted — just when you think you’ve figured out who’s behind the crime, the plot twists and makes you question everything again.
“It’s a true whodunnit that keeps your brain ticking till the very end.”
While another impressed viewer raved on X, formerly Twitter: “Just binged Glaskupan (The Glass Dome) on Netflix and wow, this Nordic thriller had me on edge! Perfect mix of suspense and mystery, after True Detective, Mind Hunter, The Chestnut Man, This one got me. 7/10, Highly recommend!”
Another X user shared: “Y’all… ‘The Glass Dome’ on Netflix was completely wild to me. I swear I didn’t expect that twist. I did not see that s*** coming,” while a third described it as “mind blowing”.
BBC One’s new Christmas drama Stuffed has been branded “iconic” by fans
A hidden treasure of a comedy on the BBC, hailed as “brilliant” by viewers, is set to air tonight.
Stuffed, starring Guz Khan and Morgana Robinson, is a comedy-drama that follows a family embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lapland.
Khan portrays Arslan Farooqi, who, after receiving an unexpected £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, decides to take his multi-faith family on this festive adventure.
Joined by his wife Hannah (played by Robinson), his two daughters, and brother-in-law Jamie, they trade Coventry for the enchantment of Christmas in Lapland.
However, their holiday soon descends into chaos when Arslan discovers that his bonus was given in error and needs to be returned, reports Wales Online.
The BBC’s synopsis teases: “Things go downhill fast when Arslan finds out the bonus was a mistake, and to make matters worse, they have already spent every penny of it.
“What ensues is one man’s quest to salvage a Christmas he doesn’t believe in, while ideally not losing his job, his family, and everything he has ever worked for. And surprise, surprise, it doesn’t go too smoothly.”
For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website
The film can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and will also be broadcast on BBC One tonight at 9pm.
One enthusiastic fan recommended: “If you’ve not watched it yet, try Stuffed on the iPlayer. Brilliant new addition to the Christmas film list. Guz Khan is brilliant.”
Another viewer gushed: “Absolutely loved Stuffed on BBC iPlayer with my fav man @GuzKhanOfficial, him and Morgana are a dream team working together.”
Another viewer chimed in: “Loved it, hope some more will follow!” while a fourth echoed: “We need a regular series for this! Loved it made me laugh throughout.”
One enthusiastic fan declared: “This is iconic on tv I didn’t know what to watch during the Christmas holidays, same old home alone and polar express but this… is perhaps the best drama I’ve seen.”
Guz had previously shared his apprehensions about Stuffed’s release with The Guardian, saying: “You never know when you make something. I never thought we’d ever be in this kind of slot. There’s lots of things that come along with doing a Christmas special.”
He continued: “A lot of the work I get asked to do is like: ‘Come in and do your thing.’ I just did season two of The Gentlemen, and it was such a fun week. There’s no rules. You can go absolutely crazy.
“But this was a little bit different. You have to follow some guidelines. And so it was a really good challenge for me. Where I’d usually express myself with dialogue, I had to try and get the same feeling with an expression.”
Stuffed airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm and is available to watch on iPlayer.
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
The shocking deaths this week of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner reached far beyond Hollywood. Their legacy will go far beyond show business thanks to their committed political activism for causes they believed in.
Mary McNamara pulled together the different strands of Rob Reiner’s life and career, noting, “As an artist and a public figure, he put his money where his mouth was and remained invariably sincere, a powerful and compelling trait that has become increasingly rare in a time of the sound-bite inanities, muddy thinking, obvious contradictions and outright falsehoods that threaten our public and political discourse.
“Reiner mastered many mediums and wielded a broad palette but his signature artistic trait was empathy. No story was too small, or too brutal, to be examined with kindness and an understanding that the most grave injustice we can commit is to choose apathy or revenge when connection and transcendence are always possible.”
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in the movie “When Harry Met Sally…”
Josh Rothkopf and I rolled out a list of his 10 best movies as a director, which includes his astonishing early run, titles like “This Is Spinal Tap,” “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men” and “The American President.” All of those come in little over a decade.
Tribute screenings have already been announced around Los Angeles, including “When Harry Met Sally…” at the New Beverly on Dec. 30–Jan. 1 and then again on Jan. 3 at Vidiots, which will also be showing “A Few Good Men” on Jan. 6 and “The Princess Bride” on Jan. 18. More screenings are sure to follow.
‘Love & Basketball’ 25th anniversary
Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps in the movie “Love & Basketball.”
(New Line Cinema)
On Saturday, the Academy Museum will host a 25th anniversary screening of “Love & Basketball” with writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood in attendance. Starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps, it is one of the great romantic films of recent decades, the story of two young athletes struggling to reconcile their feelings for each other with their individual careers and ambitions.
In his original review of the movie, Eric Harrison wrote, “The movie is smarter than it has to be, but it’s the sort of low-key smart that can be easily overlooked. Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood doesn’t care if you recognize how hard it is to juggle two distinctly different types of movies (make that three, since the romance and sports elements here don’t obscure the feminist fable that is the film’s heart). … This is Prince-Bythewood’s first feature film as both a writer and director, and she shows admirable command of her craft.”
In an interview from 1990, Prince-Bythewood talked about the difficulty of casting the two leads, worrying whether she should find basketball players who could learn to act or actors who could persuasively play basketball.
“There were a lot of sleepless nights,” Prince-Bythewood said. “Is this a love story or a basketball story? I finally realized it’s a love story first. It doesn’t matter how great the basketball is if you don’t care about the character or the love story.
In 2020, Sonaiya Kelley spoke to Prince-Bythewood, Lathan, Epps, producer Spike Lee, actors Gabrielle Union, Alfre Woodard, Tyra Banks and Regina Hall for a definitive oral history of the film.
“When I first started out writing it, my goal was to do a Black ‘When Harry Met Sally…,’” said Prince-Bythewood. “I love that movie, but I wasn’t seeing myself in movies like that.”
‘Metropolitan’ 35th anniversary
The cast of Whit Stillman’s 1990 movie “Metropolitan.”
(Rialto Pictures)
On Sunday afternoon, the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre will have a 35th anniversary screening of “Metropolitan” with writer-director Whit Stillman and actor Taylor Nichols there for a Q&A. Set during the week between Christmas and New Year’s among a very specific social set of young New Yorkers — labeled in the film as the Urban Haute Bourgeoisie — the film is a delicately detailed comedy of manners. It would earn Stillman an Oscar nomination for original screenplay.
In her original review, Sheila Benson wrote, “Filmmaker Stillman is a pointillist, working in the tiniest, most meticulous degrees. If he seems at times as controlled and distanced as his own UHBs, his impulsive, romantic ending betrays him. Stillman understands caste, class and deportment as perfectly as Audrey’s idol, Jane Austen, and by the time he’s through, so do we.”
In a 1990 interview, Stillman spoke about making a movie about such a specific social set, one that many viewers of the film will not have been a part of. “I think people will enjoy the fact that the film has texture,” he said. “They will sense that there is a joke there, even if they don’t get it.”
Points of interest
Nancy Meyers with ‘Father of the Bride’
Kimberly Williams, left, Martin Short, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in the 1991 version of “Father of the Bride.”
(Disney / Touchstone Pictures)
Director Nancy Meyers had to pull out of a recent Q&A scheduled for a screening of “Something’s Gotta Give,” which starred her frequent collaborator Diane Keaton. Meyers is now set to appear at the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre on Saturday for a Q&A after 1991’s remake of “Father of the Bride,” directed by Charles Shyer and co-written by Shyer and Meyers. As far as we can tell, this will be Meyers’ first public appearance since Keaton’s death in October.
The film stars Keaton alongside Steve Martin, as a couple who are arranging the wedding of their daughter, with Martin Short showing up as an overbearing wedding planner.
In his original review, Michael Wilmington wrote, “Midway through ‘Father of the Bride’ … Martin Short shows up, as the effete, snobbish wedding coordinator that Leo G. Carroll played in the original, and steals the movie from Martin, steals it from everybody. Short’s handling of this silly little role — an outrageous poseur named ‘Franck Eggelhoffer’ who insists on calling himself Frawwnk and acts like a post-disco Mischa Auer — has perfect pitch and real wigged-out comic genius.”
David Lowery and ‘The Green Knight’
Dev Patel in the 2021 movie “The Green Knight.”
(A24)
On Saturday, Vidiots will host a screening of 2021’s “The Green Knight” with writer-director David Lowery in person. Based on the 14th century poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” the film stars Dev Patel as Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, who, after winning a mystical challenge on Christmas, is told he has one year to complete another adventure.
In his review, Justin Chang wrote, “What does it mean to be a knight, or even just to be human? It isn’t an easy question, and ‘The Green Knight,’ in taking it seriously, isn’t always an easy film. But by the time Gawain reaches his journey’s end, in as moving and majestically sustained a passage of pure cinema as I’ve seen this year, the moral arc of his journey has snapped into undeniable focus. He plays the game; he accepts the challenge. His example is worth following.”
Oliver Stone’s ‘Nixon’
Joan Allen and Anthony Hopkins in the movie “Nixon.”
(Sidney Baldwin / Cinergi Pictures Entertainment)
On Sunday, the Laemmle Royal will have a 30th anniversary screening of Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” with the filmmaker in person for a Q&A to be moderated by Times contributing writer Tim Greiving.
Starring Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon and Joan Allen as his wife, Pat (both were nominated for Oscars for their performances), the film covers the political life of the politician who rose to being president only to leave the office in disgrace.
In his original review, Kenneth Turan wrote, “Mostly (though not completely) gone is the disturbing, lunatic Oliver Stone, the bad-boy writer-director who infuriated the political establishment with ‘JFK’ and outraged sensibilities nationwide with ‘Natural Born Killers.’ He’s been replaced by a filmmaker very much on his best behavior, a thorough researcher who consulted 80 books and published a heavily footnoted screenplay. If Quentin Tarantino made a film in the style of Sir Richard Attenborough, the surprise could not be greater. And ‘Nixon’ is in many ways an impressive, well-crafted piece of work.”
The series should offer a fresh take on a beloved classic character
16:36, 18 Dec 2025Updated 16:36, 18 Dec 2025
Fans have been given their first looks at a ‘crazy’ period drama meets fast-paced action prequel series based on a series of classic novels and an iconic literary character.
The new show comes from the acclaimed writer and director Guy Ritchie. He is known for creating Netflix hit The Gentlemen, which in turn was based on his film of the same name. He also helmed British comedy gangster films Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells to name a few.
Ritchie is now returning to the world of Sherlock Holmes, which he previously visited in 2009 and 2011 with Robert Downey Jr as the renowned detective. His new series, set to premiere on Prime Video next year, will examine the character’s origins.
Young Sherlock will be streaming on the platform from March 4 and promises the same kind of wit and charm of found in Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes feature films. According to the synopsis provided by Prime, Young Sherlock follows the origin story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective in an explosive re-imagining of this iconic character’s early days.
Sherlock Holmes is a disgraced young man, raw and unfiltered, when he finds himself wrapped up in a murder case that threatens his liberty. His first ever case unravels a globe-trotting conspiracy that changes his life forever. Unfolding in 1870s Oxford and adventuring abroad, the series will expose the early antics of the anarchic adolescent who is yet to evolve into Baker Street’s most renowned resident.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who has previously appeared in Harry Potter, will star as the 19-year-old Holmes. Joining him in the cast are Joseph Fiennes as Silas Holmes, Sherlock’s father, Natascha McElhone as Sherlock’s mother and Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge. Dónal Finn takes on the role of a young James Moriarty, Sherlock’s future arch-nemesis
The show’s first trailer was released and gives viewers a taste of what they could expect. It seems that the action will be full throttle from the beginning and even some younger versions of Sherlock’s classic villains on the way.
It didn’t take long for fans to react to the announcement and the trailer. Sharing their thoughts on social media, one person posted: “Guy Ritchie doing Sherlock? Sounds wild, cant wait for March.”
Another replied: “The origin story we didn’t know we needed.” While a third commented: “It’s crazy…. but it looks good! Nice surprise.”
Many are excited at the prospect of Guy Ritchie returning to the world of Sherlock Holmes and what he can contribute to the lore and period genre. One person said: “Guy Ritchie directing an origin story means we are 100% getting fast-paced dialogue, bare-knuckle boxing, and stylish editing.
“It sounds like he’s treating this less like a detective show and more like The Gentlemen in the 1870s. The ‘globe-trotting’ aspect suggests this is going to be way more action-heavy than just sitting in Baker Street.”
One person agreed: “Guy Ritchie’s style could reshape Sherlock’s origin story, but period accuracy often clashes with fast pacing.”
Young Sherlock is streaming on Prime Video from March 4.
Released Tuesday, the report examined the top 250 series available on streaming, including both library offerings and current titles. Overall, it revealed a steep fall in cultural diversity among 2024’s top comedies and dramas, as well as fewer projects created by people of color and women.
For Latinos, representation on screen and behind the camera is scarce. Only 1.1% of the top streaming scripted shows were created by Latinos. Of the top streaming comedies and dramas, 3.3% had Latino lead actors and 5.2% were co-led by Latino actors. When looking exclusively at current streaming shows (excluding library titles), 1.1% were created by Latinos and 6.2% were led by Latino actors.
UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report dates back to 2014. The first iteration of the study used data that had been collected since 2011. Ana-Christina Ramón, UCLA’s director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative, says that this level of underrepresentation across all kinds of media is nothing new.
“It’s a consistent finding in our reports. But the numbers are such a stark level of underrepresentation because of the fact that we’re almost 20% of the population,” said Ramón. “Even when the numbers are a little bit better, they’re never close to where they should be.”
This lack of representation isn’t exclusive to the Latino population. The report found that four out of five leads in the most-watched streaming comedies and dramas were white actors, and white men account for nearly 79% of all show creators — leaving nearly every other race and ethnicity severely marginalized.
The downward trend comes at a time when President Trump has consistently targeted and called to end all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. As a result, much of Hollywood has followed his lead. Paramount Global changed its staffing goals related to gender, race, ethnicity and sex; Warner Bros. Discovery restated its DEI activities as “inclusion”; and Walt Disney Co. got rid of its “diversity and inclusion” performance standard used to calculate executive compensation.
These findings generally defy American audiences’ preference for diverse content. The research shows that “a relatively diverse cast and diverse credited writers often resulted in higher ratings,” especially when these stories from diverse communities are live-action and scripted.
This trend isn’t isolated to television — eight of 2024’s top 10 streaming films and 14 of the top 20 streaming films featured casts with more than 30% people of color, according to previous UCLA research.
Despite the lack of Latino representation, Netflix’s narco-drama starring Sofia Vergara, “Griselda,” was the fifth-most-streamed television of 2024. In Latino households specifically, it reached third place, behind children’s TV shows “Bluey” and “Bebefinn.”
“The silver lining is that [‘Griselda’] was very popular, and though it’s a stereotypical topic, because it was made by the same people that made ‘Narcos,’ it had a prestige factor that gets passed along,” said Ramón.
She finds that the shows that tend to do well have to have a well-known lead actor, be of an interesting topic and be attached to something that is already established or popular. In 2023, the report included Netflix’s “Wednesday” at the fourth-most-streamed show and “The Last of Us” at No. 7, both shows featuring Latino lead actors.
All three titles “have a high production value and are familiar stories” — as “Griselda” was based on a true story, “Wednesday” builds off the IP of “The Addams Family” and “The Last of Us” is based on a video game.
“Regardless of which [ethnic] group you’re talking about, it really has to do with these very specific pieces,” said Ramón. “The very promising finding is the fact that underrepresented stories, which include Latinx stories and other BIPOC stories, tend to do better than shows that don’t, in terms of reviews and ratings.”
The Jane Austen period drama starring Keeley Hawes will explore more of the Austen family story in the confirmed second season
The fate of an “exceptional” period drama, which fans have dubbed as “the best of the BBC“, has finally been revealed. Following its debut in February this year, Miss Austen has received a significant update.
It narrates her journey to safeguard her sister’s legacy while grappling with her past through a series of flashbacks.
Viewers were captivated by the drama, praising it as “engaging, heartfelt,” and “absolutely superb” in glowing reviews.
It’s now been confirmed that Miss Austen will be returning for a second season. The first season, based on Gill Hornby’s novel, spanned four episodes, and the upcoming one will be “largely based” on her latest work, The Elopement, reports the Express.
The sequel is set in 1820 and follows the life of Mary Dorothea Knatchbull, the daughter of Jane Austen’s niece, Fanny Knight. Andrea Gibb, who penned the first season, will also be writing the second, according to Deadline.
Masterpiece executive producer Susanne Simpson expressed her excitement about the return of the series, stating: “After the success of Miss Austen, I am thrilled to be working again with the incredible author Gill Hornby, and the impressive team of Andrea Gibb and Christine Langan, who created the first series that was such a moving experience and a joy to watch. I am pleased to be able to announce the return of the series just as we are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth,”.
Executive producer Christine Langan commented: “Fueled by another wonderful Gill Hornby novel, the journey of Miss Austen continues, going deeper into the intimate life of the Austen family. Love, loss and laughter mingle irresistibly in this fresh take on Jane Austen’s world brought to life by a dazzling array of characters both familiar and brand new.”
Miss Austen was set in 1830, and began with Cassandra visiting the Fowle family, as patriarch Reverend Fowle is dying. Vowing to help his daughter Isabella find a new home, she also looks for letters Jane, who died in 1817, had written as a younger woman to Fowle’s wife Elizabeth, in the hope to destroy them.
Meanwhile, Mary Austen, the widow of Cassandra and Jane’s brother James, also hunts for the letters, to write a biography about her late husband.
Discovering them, Cassandra is confronted by her past, with the letters covering her engagement to the late Tom Fowle, James’ marriage to Mary, other relatives they lost and chances at love, and Jane’s literary journey to become the novelist she’s known today.
Flashbacks from the early 1800s show Jane and Cassandra’s lives together, and the societal challenges of the era they grew up in.
The series stars Patsy Ferran as Jane and Jessica Hynes as Mary, as well as Rose Leslie, Max Irons and Phyllis Logan.
Fans fell in love with the four-part drama when it aired earlier this year, with one saying: “Fantastic series, we loved every minute. What a brilliant script and storytelling- so clever and so well done. We are Jane Austen fans and watched one episode each night this week. For us that’s a binge. The very best of the BBC at its best. Totally engaging, heartfelt, emotional and humorous. The actors were superbly cast and they all shone. I’ll give it a month then watch it again.”
Another said: “This 4 part series is absolutely superb, telling the story in a manner that I think Jane herself would have been proud of. The acting from all the cast is exceptional. I found Jane’s deathbed scene, being comforted by her beloved sister Cassandra, heartbreaking. This series will stay with me for a long time.”
Someone else wrote: “This show is absolutely superb. In excels in every possible way as a piece of entertainment. The ladies who play young Cassandra and Jane are perfection and the story is thoroughly intriguing. Loved it more than I can say.”
Another said: “A wonderful series -brilliantly portrayed by first class acting. I found this so moving and emotional- yet had many humorous scenes. Very rarely do we now find such a masterpiece on our screens. Well done BBC!”
Industry is about to return, so now is the perfect time to binge all episodes of the BBC and HBO banking drama
Nicola Roy Spare Time writer and Julia Hunt
10:02, 17 Dec 2025
Industry is returning with a new series(Image: BBC)
A series once called “TV’s wildest drama” is set to return for a fourth season, and its previous episodes are all available to binge.
Industry first aired on BBC Two and HBO back in 2020, and three seasons down the line, it has garnered a cult following.
The brainchild of former investment bankers Konrad Kay and Mickey Down, it charts the journey of a group of graduates at the fictitious bank Pierpoint. It drew drawing parallels with Skins and Succession, and with just eight episodes per season, it’s ideal for a binge-watch.
With captivating performances from the entire cast, edge-of-your-seat tension and a brutally honest glimpse into their inner struggles, it’s no surprise that Industry has been commissioned for a fourth season, due to premiere on January 11 on HBO and HBO Max, and later in the month on iPlayer.
The narrative kicks off in a pre-Covid world at Pierpoint, a high pressure investment banking setting about to welcome a new batch of graduates.
Among them is Harper Stern, portrayed by Myha’la – an extraordinarily bright yet troubled young woman who will stop at nothing to reach the pinnacle, reports the Express.
Marisa Abela, also known for her portrayal of Amy Winehouse in the 2024 film Back To Black, takes on the role of fellow graduate Yasmin Kara Hanani. She’s fully aware of her privileged status as a ‘nepo baby’ in the professional world, but as the series unfolds, we discover that her life isn’t as straightforward as it appears.
Other key characters include Robert Spearing, brought to life by Harry Lawty, another graduate hailing from a more working class background who is desperate to leave his past behind.
Ken Leung plays Eric Tao, Harper’s unpredictable boss who recognises Harper’s potential and mentors her – a decision that would irrevocably alter his life.
Viewers follow as the employees clinch deals, celebrate at wild parties when things go well, and forge connections with influential figures.
However, each character has their own shortcomings. The show is rife with pain, weaving themes of sexism, abuse, discrimination, and death throughout its narrative.
When the third series hit screens last year, The Guardian hailed it as “TV’s wildest drama”, likening it to the cult favourite Succession. The Independent lauded it as “millennial Mad Men with plenty of swagger” and a “thrillingly fresh” series that only graces our screens every so often.
Lacock village in Wiltshire is steeped in history and has been used as a filming location for Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Wolf Hall, making visitors feel like they’re living in a period drama
08:00, 16 Dec 2025Updated 08:13, 16 Dec 2025
Visitors in the Cloisters at the Abbey(Image: Shared Content Unit)
Its Wiltshire timber-framed buildings and magnificent cloisters have drawn numerous productions beyond Austen’s tale to its grounds. Lacock’s famous medieval Cloister, dating back to around 1450, also houses a verdant Cloister Garth. This striking architectural feature appeared in countless Downton Abbey scenes, and doubled as sections of the castle in the original Harry Potter films. It also featured in the BBC’s Wolf Hall adaptation. One TripAdvisor reviewer awarded the destination five stars, saying: “An absolute must if you are in the area! A beautiful village, which you can visit by parking just across the road in the National Trust car park.
“The village is a pleasure to walk around, totally untouched throughout history and is quintessentially English! From the rows of tiny cottages, the church, the tiny bakery, the village pub and a hotel, it has everything and all these are open and running. We stayed for a couple of hours and then had a wander around the Abbey which is also impressive.”, reports Gloucestershire Live. Another reviewer described the village as “frozen in time”, with Explore the Cotswolds concurring that the location “looks a lot like it would have done 200 years ago.”
Lacock’s magnificent abbey began life as an Augustinian nunnery, shuttered during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Subsequently, John Ivory Talbot constructed the mock-Gothic hall – both are now in the care of the National Trust and available for afternoon exploration. A stone’s throw away stands St Cyriac’s Church. Initially believed to be a Saxon worship site, it later became Norman-controlled. The Church was erected near the close of the 11th century by Edward of Salisbury and William of Eu. The dedication to St Cyriac honours a beloved Norman saint.
The church houses numerous later memorials to the Baynards, Bonhams, Crokes, Sharingtons, Talbots and Awdreys. Yet for Harry Potter enthusiasts, the cloisters steal the show. For one devotee, exploring the cloisters topped her agenda upon arriving in Britain. She wrote: “Harry Potter fans NEED to do this! We’re from Canada. As soon as we landed in London, this was the very first thing we did. We did the Harry Potter Tour of London for Private Groups by Black Taxi. “Our guide was Richard and we can’t say enough good things about him! He was absolutely incredible! Ask him how he knows so much about this…such an interesting person, so knowledgeable and passionate about it all.”
