We’re at that slightly odd time of the year when the BFI decides to have a major film festival or something, so there’s not enough happening for a regular programme for two months.
Yes, it’s October/November 2019, folks.
That means there’s pretty slim pickings TV-wise for the next month or two, but what there is is pretty good:
A preview of the forthcoming His Dark Materials at the BFI IMAX, with intro by Dafne Keen and Ruth Wilson
A preview of the forthcoming War of the Worlds (with unnamed special guests)
A complete screening of Rock Follies, complete with Q&A with Rula Lenska, Charlotte Cornwell, Howard Schuman and Andy Mackay
A free celebration of Game of Thrones (with unnamed special guests)
A showing of a restored and extended version of Doctor Who story The Curse of Fenric, with Q&A with Sophie Aldred and Andrew Cartmell
A talk on the rebirth of the TV musical, including a screening of Our Gay Wedding: The Musical
Every Friday, TMINE lets you know when the latest TV shows from around the world will air in the UK
Another week without acquisitions, I’m afraid. Jesus, you might all have to watch British TV programmes at this rate, you poor souls. Fortunately, we do have a few new dates.
Inspired by the popular New York Times column of the same name, Modern Love is a half-hour romantic comedy series exploring love in all of its complicated and beautiful forms, as each standalone episode brings some of the column’s most beloved stories to life with a stellar cast.
The cast includes Jane Alexander, Sofia Boutella, Olivia Cooke, Tina Fey, Andy Garcia, Anne Hathaway, Catherine Keener, Dev Patel, Andrew Scott, John Slattery and Shea Whigham.
Based on the graphic novel by Brian Ralph, the series is a dark comedy which follows 17-year-old high school outcast, Josh, as he searches for his missing girlfriend, Sam, in post-apocalyptic Glendale, California. Joined by a ragtag group of misfits including a pyromaniac 12 year old Angelica and Josh’s former high school bully Wesley, now turned pacifist samurai, Josh tries to stay alive amongst the horde of Mad Max-style gangs (evil jocks, cheerleaders turned Amazon warriors), zombie-like creatures called Ghoulies, and everything else this brave new world throws at him.
Delightfully bonkers prequel to Batman-prequel Gotham focused on the life of future Bat-butler extraordinaire Alfred Pennyworth. Set in an alternative reality 1960s London, it sees Alfred freshly out of the SAS trying to set up his own security company. Along the way, he encounters future boss Thomas Wayne, his boss’ future wife Martha Kane and a series of blighters ranging from the left-wing No Names League to the right-wing Raven Society – and Paloma Faith.
A wonderful homage to everything 60s from The Avengers through to kitchen sink dramas, with a cracking central performance from the world’s best young Michael Caine impersonator (Jack Bannon), the show alternates genres on a knife’s edge, going from comedy to Alan Bennett-style Talking Head, but always maintaining a real English, sardonic authenticity (“There’s a Happy Eater near Luton. You love a fry-up.”).
It’s a slightly eclectic mix of movies this week. First up is Long Shot (2019), in which Seth Rogen plays a journalist who gets hired by his former babysitter to write her speeches – said babysitter now being Secretary of State Charlize Theron. In the process, can he remind her of her youthful ideals?
Then we have Mary Poppins Returns (2018), in which Mary Poppins returns. Isn’t that obvious?
