New Series to Watch This Month
Searching for a new series this month? There are plenty of exciting options to explore across various streaming platforms. From murder mysteries to comedies, there’s something for everyone.
Stan’s Australian Murder Mystery – The Killing at Parrish Station
Mia Wasikowska is the Australian actor of her generation, so it’s important to take note when the Tracks and Alice in Wonderland star returns home for her first television role in 18 years. A dual-timeline murder mystery, the story cuts between a young police detective, Georgia Cooke (Wasikowska), investigating four murdered scientists and a lone survivor at a remote outback research station, and the veteran Georgia (Heather Mitchell) confronting a similar case 37 years later. Created by Ben Jenkins, the plot uncovers mania, ritual and the occult – all grounded by a sturdy supporting cast that includes Xavier Samuel, Emma Lung and Robert Taylor.
Disney+ Comedy – Alice and Steve
Disney+’s Alice and Steve is an upended British comedy created by Sex Education writer Sophie Goodhart. The show features dramatic heavyweight Nicola Walker and Kiwi comic Jemaine Clement as the titular best friends of 30 years, whose bond is torpedoed when Steve finds himself in a budding relationship with Alice’s on-the-rebound twenty-something daughter, Izzy. With awkward dynamics at every turn, from family get-togethers to an enthusiastic Izzy introducing Steve to her nonplussed friends, the show aims to navigate cringe comedy and genuine need.
Netflix Recommendations
Netflix has several recommendations for this month. I Will Find You, starring Sam Worthington, is a thriller adapted from the 2023 Harlan Coben novel of the same name. Worthington plays David Burroughs, an American prisoner serving a life sentence for the murder of his own son. David’s unheard pleas of innocence become an escape plan when he learns that his son may actually still be alive. Fans of Prison Break will find this one intriguing.
Also on Netflix is Office Romance, a romantic-comedy where Brett Goldstein plays a corporate lawyer who falls in love with his new boss, Jennifer Lopez’s no-nonsense airline CEO. Directed by Ol Parker, the film aims to circumvent the formulaic.
HBO Max Highlights
HBO Max’s Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness stars Larry David, who headlines a sketch comedy series that takes a less than august view of American history. Former US President Barack Obama is a producer on a show that will definitely not be textbook faithful, and will reportedly also feature in a sketch. David’s contacts list means the list of guests is top-tier: Bill Hader and Kathryn Hahn will play Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, while Jon Hamm and Sean Hayes will struggle to get airborne as the Wright brothers.
House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel, has something to prove with its third season. Despite a large and loyal audience, the show has never had the acclaim of its fantasy epic predecessor. The second season coyly concluded before a major battle in the civil war between the dragon-riding rulers of Westeros, while Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has publicly washed his hands of creator Ryan Condal’s show.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video’s Every Year After is an adaptation of Carley Fortune’s best-selling novel of the same name, which charts the six-year relationship between Persephone ‘Percy’ Fraser and Sam Florek. The setting for this tale of first love is an idyllic lakeside town, and the creators include Amy B. Harris.
Also on Amazon Prime Video is Over Your Dead Body, a blackly comic thriller about a mutually homicidal couple’s weekend away. When struggling filmmaker Dan and aspiring actor Lisa arrive at a lakeside cabin their toxic relationship has reached the point of murderous plotting, but their scheming soon runs afoul of outside circumstances that introduce a supporting cast including Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis.
Apple TV
Apple TV’s Cape Fear is a darker rendering of the 1962 original, starring Javier Bardem as Max Cady, who’s all menacing stillness and jailhouse legal skills as he circles former attorney Anna Bowden (Amy Adams), her husband Tom (Patrick Wilson), and their teenage children. The creator is Nick Antosca, who did freaky things with Netflix’s horror series Brand New Cherry Flavour.
Also on Apple TV is Sugar, a modern-day noir with unpredictable stylistic flourishes and a science-fiction undertow. The new season gives Sugar a fresh case in Los Angeles, with the supporting cast including Shea Whigham and Jin Ha.
Binge
Binge’s Tip Toe is a limited series examining contemporary fault lines and the new rearing of old prejudices through long-time Manchester neighbours. Leo (Alan Cumming) is a gay bar owner in the city’s Canal Street district, while Clive (David Morrissey) is an electrician with two teenage sons. Given it’s written by Russell T. Davies, expect great heart and lived-in humour even as the story becomes a thriller.
Disney+
Disney+’s Alice and Steve is an upended British comedy created by Sex Education writer Sophie Goodhart. The show features dramatic heavyweight Nicola Walker and Kiwi comic Jemaine Clement as the titular best friends of 30 years, whose bond is torpedoed when Steve finds himself in a budding relationship with Alice’s on-the-rebound twenty-something daughter, Izzy. With awkward dynamics at every turn, from family get-togethers to an enthusiastic Izzy introducing Steve to her nonplussed friends, the show aims to navigate cringe comedy and genuine need.
Paramount+
Paramount+’s Two Years Later is a love story with sharp edges, starring Phoebe Tonkin and Brenton Thwaites as Emily and Ryan, a pair of Brisbane commuters who bonded pre-COVID on the daily bus ride into the CBD. When they reconnect post-lockdown, Ryan impulsively suggests they go on eight dates – a large enough sample size to determine if they should get married. Emily agrees. There are romcom vibes here, not to mention two very attractive leads, but the personal lows definitely balance out the highs.
ABC iview
ABC iview’s Ground Up is a timely sitcom where Sam Pang plays the (very fictional) AFL administrator dispatched to Tasmania by the league to get the state’s 2028 team under way. Pang’s Hugh Shen has to deal with a divided public, costly stadium proposals, a wealthy club president who doesn’t know the game, and a league boss enjoying his predicaments. Created by long-time Shaun Micallef collaborator Gary McCaffrie, this is a scenario rich in satirical promise.
SBS On Demand
SBS On Demand’s Coldwater sees Andrew Lincoln play John, a husband and father struggling with feelings of failure. When a public confrontation goes wrong, John uproots his successful restaurateur wife, Fiona, and children to relocate from London to a Scottish village. Desperate for a second chance, he grows close to his new neighbour, Tommy, only to suspect he’s made another poor decision. Welcome to the midlife-crisis thriller.
