Best on the box
Stuff’s James Croot’s top TV picks for the week ahead.
Doc Martin, 8.30pm, Friday, TVNZ1
Martin Clunes is back as everyone’s favourite grumpy medic in a brand new season of this popular, long-running British dramedy. As series eight opens, Louisa and Martin are living together again, but Louisa finds herself juggling too many responsibilities at once. ‘‘There was a gentle laugh or two amid the stunning scenery – which is all we seem to require of this enduringly endearing show,’’ wrote The Telegraph’s Gerard O’donovan.
Winter Olympics, from 9.30pm, Friday, Prime
Sky TV’S free-to-air coverage of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea kicks off with a dose of the always popular figure skating, followed by the opening ceremony. They are promising more than 10 hours of delayed action on Prime each day until February 25, including a onehour breakfast show (6am daily), hosted by Eric Young. Naturally, there’s a lot more live coverage on Sky Sport.
Una, 8.30pm, Saturday, Rialto
Ben Mendelsohn and Rooney Mara star in this thought-provoking 2017 adult drama. An adaptation of David Harrower’s 2005 play Blackbird, Benedict Andrews’ film is the story of a young woman who tracks down the man who many years earlier had an unlawful relationship with her. Told with restraint, nuance and style, it offers a knotty and potentially divisive narrative.
Adult Life Skills, 8.30pm, Sunday, Rialto
Broadchurch’s Jodie Whittaker is a quirky, comedic delight in this offbeat inter-generational 2016 comedy. She plays Anna, a 29-yearold woman who still lives in her mother’s shed. Based on her Baftanominated 2014 short film
Emotional Fusebox, writerdirector Rachel Tunnard’s tale feels like a cross between Benny and Joon, Be Kind Rewind, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Son of Rambow, with its mix of popculture references and eccentric coming-of-age comedy.
Making New Zealand, 8.30pm, Monday, Prime
The popular Kiwi documentary series returns for another fourpart edition. This time the focus is on construction, aviation, forestry and mining. Using archival still and film footage, this week’s opening episode looks at the history of iconic buildings like the Dunedin Railway Station, Auckland’s Civic Theatre and the Christchurch Town Hall.
Carole King – Natural Woman, 8.30pm, Monday, Prime
This 2016 documentary tells the story of the much-loved American singer-songwriter’s life and career, in her own words. It follows her adventures from her upbringing in Brooklyn to her string of pop hits co-written with her husband and being the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress.