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.”
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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.”
The ITV period drama boasts an impressive 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
The ITV series boasts an impressive 87% Rotten Tomatoes rating (Image: ITV)
A period drama boasting a recognisable face from Outlander has landed on Netflix, with viewers insisting it’s a must watch.
Victoria originally premiered on ITV in 2016 and spanned three series before concluding in 2019. Crafted by bestselling author and screenwriter Daisy Goodwin, the show stars former Doctor Who actress Jenna Coleman in the title role of Queen Victoria.
Coleman, who audiences will recall as Clara Oswald from the time-travelling series, appears alongside fellow Doctor Who alum Tommy Knight, plus Tom Hughes (About Time), Adrian Schiller (Tolkien), and Jordan Waller (The Gilded Age).
The series follows the 19th-century monarch’s rule, spanning from her ascension to the British throne aged merely 18 through to her union with Prince Albert (portrayed by Hughes).
The ensemble also includes Outlander star Nell Hudson, known for playing Laoghaire MacKenzie, who takes on the part of Queen Victoria’s lady’s maid, Nancy Skerrett, reports the Daily Record.
Hudson was utterly charmed by her fellow performers and sang their praises enthusiastically. In a chat with Town and Country, she revealed: “I made such good friends on Victoria, and luckily I’ve forced them all to stay friends with me, and I make them all hang out with me a couple of times a month. [laughs]”.
“I really couldn’t have been around a better bunch of people. It was such a privilege, going to set everyday and hanging out with a bunch of brilliant people, who were also so talented.”
It seems the cast’s behind-the-scenes camaraderie translated brilliantly on screen, as audiences found themselves utterly captivated.
One fan took to IMDb, sharing their emotional journey: “This has been the most amazing series since Downton Abbey I have watched. I laughed, I cried, I got angry. I felt every emotion humanly possible through watching it.
“My mother and I binge watched it together and couldn’t believe how much it draws you in from beginning to end.”
Someone else raved: “The settings, costumes, and general production values were first rate, the show felt incredibly plush and lavish, I shudder to think of the budget for this series. Totally engaging, this was first rate viewing 9/10.”
A third fan added: “If you love period drama and English history, you will be enthralled by Victoria. I wish there were more shows like this on television. A definite must for fans of this genre.”
Victoria, with its impressive 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, continues to garner praise. Another fan noted: “This production seems to strive for a cross between Gossip Girl and Downton Abbey, and is thus an amusing trifle.”
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
Even in a year like this one, during which there are numerous truly remarkable movies in the awards-season conversation worthy of ongoing consideration, it is easy to grow tired of talking about a tightening circle of titles.
Which is part of the reason why the announcement of the program for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival came right on time this week. New movies! This will be Sundance’s last edition in its longtime home in Park City, Utah, before moving on to Boulder, Colo., starting in 2027. Adding to the import and emotion of the event is that it will be the first festival since the recent death of Sundance figurehead Robert Redford.
A number of films from the 2025 festival are still part of the ongoing awards conversation. Just this week, both “Train Dreams” and “Sorry, Baby” received Golden Globe nominations — which I am relatively certain was not on the minds of those filmmakers when they had their world premieres at Sundance this past January.
Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega in “The Gallerist” by Cathy Yan, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
(Sundance Institute / MRC II Distribution Company L.P.)
Among the titles to look forward to for Sundance 2026 are Gregg Araki’s provocative “I Want Your Sex,” Cathy Yan’s satirical “The Gallerist,” Jay Duplass’ family story “See You When I See You,” Tamra Davis’ ’90s music doc “The Best Summer” and a profile on Courtney Love called “Antiheroine.”
Of course, there will also be many titles from relatively unknown filmmakers, and it is that promise of discovery that keeps us coming back to Sundance year after year.
As festival director Eugene Hernandez put it, “As much as we can talk about the legacy and history and the old timers — which I think will add an incredible aspect to the festival this year — we’re creating a festival that is also focused on the celebration of new voices. … For so many people, it will be brand new, no matter what.”
‘Home Alone’ 35th anniversary
Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci in the movie “Home Alone.”
(20th Century Fox)
On Saturday, the Academy Museum will have a 35th anniversary screening of “Home Alone” with star Macaulay Culkin and director Chris Columbus in-person. Written by John Hughes, the film is about a young boy (Culkin) accidentally left behind by his family at the holidays and how he comes to defend himself against two bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).
The movie has become a beloved all-ages holiday classic and seeing it with an enthusiastic audience should be a treat. The event is already sold out, but standby tickets are available.
In his original review of the movie, Peter Rainer noted, “Macaulay Culkin has the kind of crack comic timing that’s missing in many an adult star and even when the script gets soppy, he doesn’t turn himself into a cutesy ball of gloppy goo. He is refreshingly abrasive throughout.”
‘Mustang’ 10th anniversary
An image from Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s Oscar-nominated 2015 film “Mustang.”
(Cohen Media Group)
On Sunday, the American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3 will host a 10th anniversary screening of French-Turkish filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s feature debut “Mustang,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for international feature. Ergüven is scheduled to be there in person.
The film is the story of five teenage sisters living in an isolated village and yearning for a life of freedom. In her review, Katie Walsh wrote, “‘Mustang’ beautifully expresses the girls’ unbridled energy, a force that refuses to be locked up, controlled or repressed. It’s a moving portrait of sisterhood, a celebration of a fierce femininity and a damning indictment of patriarchal systems that seek to destroy and control this spirit.”
In an interview with me at the time of the film’s release, Ergüven described the performances by the five actresses — Elit Iscan, Günes Sensoy, Ilayda Akdogan, Doga Zeynep Doguslu and Tugba Sunguroglu — as “one character with five heads.”
Ergüven added, “From very early on I always said it’s a monster of femininity, with 10 arms and 10 legs. They are intertwined, they are extremely familiar with one another. Sometimes, I said, they react to one another’s bodies as if they are extensions of their own body.”
Points of interest
‘Danger: Diabolik’ and ‘Barbarella’ in 35mm
Jane Fonda and John Phillip Law in the 1968 movie “Barbarella,” directed by Roger Vadim.
(Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images)
The Secret Movie Club is going to have a groovy Euro holiday party on Saturday with 35mm screenings of both Roger Vadim’s 1968 “Barbarella” and Mario Bava’s 1968 “Danger: Diabolik” at the Million Dollar Theater. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their best psychedelic finery.
“Barbarella” is one of those movies that’s difficult to describe and best to just experience for yourself: a sci-fi sex satire starring Jane Fonda directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim and co-written by counterculture maverick Terry Southern. Based on a French comic, the film was shot in Italy and produced by Dino De Laurentiis.
In a 1967 profile of Fonda and Vadim in Rome, which includes Fonda driving a Ferrari through the streets of the city to get from the historic villa where they are staying to Cinecittà studio, Fonda said, “The main thing about this role is to keep her innocent. You see, Barbarella is not a vamp and her sexuality is not measured by the rules of our society. She is not being promiscuous but she follows the natural reaction of another type of upbringing. She isn’t a so-called ‘sexually liberated woman’ either. That would mean rebellion against something. She is different. She was born free.”
“Danger: Diabolik” stars John Philip Law (also in “Barbarella”) as a master thief. With a score by Ennio Morricone and directed with high style by Bava, best known for more lurid genre excursions, the film is the ’60s Euro-heist jaunt of your wildest imagination.
Elaine May’s ‘A New Leaf’
Elaine May and Walter Matthau in the movie “A New Leaf.”
(United Archives via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, the Academy Museum will show Elaine May’s 1971 debut feature as writer-director, “A New Leaf,” in the big David Geffen Theater. Selected by the writer’s branch of the Academy, the screening will feature screenwriter Karen McCullah, writer-producer Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith and writer-producer Katie Silberman in person to talk about the film and May’s ongoing influence.
Even though the film as we know it was taken away from May and isn’t her complete vision, “A New Leaf” is nevertheless a film of bold, confident energy. Walter Matthau plays a trust fund playboy who is fast running out of money. He hatches a scheme to find, marry and then murder a woman of means to continue to fund his lifestyle. Enter May as a botanist who is equal parts awkward and rich. Dark, funny and insightful, the film is a true gem.
Here’s hoping the recently renewed interest in May’s slim body of directorial work — she has so far made only four films — spurs a long-gestating new project rumored to be shooting soon into a reality.
Eric Rohmer’s ‘My Night at Maud’s’ and ‘A Tale of Winter’
Françoise Fabian and Jean-Louis Trintignant in Eric Rohmer’s “My Night at Maud’s.”
(Janus Films)
On Wednesday at the Aero, the American Cinematheque will have a double-bill from French filmmaker Eric Rohmer: 1969’s “My Night at Maud’s” and 1992’s “A Tale of Winter.”
“My Night at Maud’s,” a breakout international hit for Rohmer, was nominated for two Oscars, for foreign language film and original screenplay. A series of conversations among an interlocking cast of characters, the film helped set the template for dialogue-driven adult dramas that still hold sway.
In his April 1970 review, Charles Champlin wrote, “‘My Night at Maud’s’ argues that thee attractive and intelligent people sitting around arguing about the philosophy of Pascal constitutes a movie. I agree. Standing on my chair and waving noisemakers in the air I agree. … But whether or not one cares about the substance of the arguments, ‘My Night at Maud’s’ is a hugely pleasurable evening out because of the excellence of its performances and the convincing and captivatingly credibility of its three principals. It is an adult film which makes clear once and for all what randy juvenilia all other ‘adult’ films are. This one is, of course, in impeccable taste.”
“A Tale of Winter” is the second of what became Rohmer’s “Tales of the Four Seasons.” In reviewing the film, Kevin Thomas wrote, “The French respect the quirky workings of the human heart more than any other people and among the French filmmakers, the keenest observer may be Eric Rohmer, whose ‘A Tale of Winter’ finds him at his scintillating best, never wiser or funnier.”
After 18 months of shopping the script, the proposed Lionsgate Television series based on the gambling scandal involving Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is in development at Starz.
The project will spotlight the audacious theft by Ippei Mizuhara of $16 million from Ohtani to pay off staggering gambling debts. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers after the crimes came to light in March 2024. A year later, he was convicted of defrauding Ohtani in federal court and sentenced to 57 months in prison.
The series will be produced by Tony Award winner Scott Delman, known for “The Book of Mormon” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” and sports journalist Albert Chen. Alex Convery, who wrote “Air,” is on board as showrunner and screenwriter while Justin Lin (the “Fast and Furious” franchise) will direct, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“This is Major League Baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose — and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on,” Chen said in a statement to The Times. “We’ll get to the heart of the story — a story of trust, betrayal and the trappings of wealth and fame.”
Lionsgate was having trouble selling the project to companies with media rights agreements with Major League Baseball — Disney, Warner Bros., Discovery, Apple, Netflix and Comcast — because the companies didn’t want to jeopardize their relationships with the league, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Lionsgate is the former parent company of Starz, but the two formally separated in May.
The story unquestionably is compelling. Mizuhara befriended Ohtani in Japan when the player who would become the most accomplished hitting and pitching combination in baseball history was an 18-year-old rookie with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Ohtani came to the United States in 2018 at age 23, signing with the Angels. Mizuhara soon became his most trusted friend and interpreter, serving as an intermediary between Ohtani and nearly everyone who spoke English, including the media, his agent and Angels officials.
Mizuhara arranged wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account without the player’s knowledge or permission and impersonated him during more than two dozen phone calls with bank employees, all to feed a gambling habit that accumulated $40 million in losses across thousands of bets.
Mizuhara allegedly collected $142 million in winnings but lost about $183 million.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 and the scandal came to light three months later. Ohtani was absolved of wrongdoing and described as a victim by federal authorities.
“Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies,” Ohtani said through his new interpreter, Will Ireton, shortly after Mizuhara was arrested. “I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker.
“I’m just beyond shocked. It’s really hard to verbalize how I am feeling at this point.”
Ohtani quickly put the episode behind him, leading the Dodgers to World Series championships in 2024 and 2025. He was named National League Most Valuable Player both years.
