PICK OF THE WEEK

DRAMA

ALEX RIDER NEW SHOW Gritty new adventures of the teenage spy

Alex is the sort of lad who will scale a wall, break into a building and pick a lock with a paperclip to retrieve a friend’s confiscated phone. He just seems to be naturally good at that sort of thing. After the death of his guardian uncle, who he discovers was a spy, Alex is recruited by a specialist subdivision of the British Secret Intelligence Service. ‘MI6 gather information. We apply it. We take care of the bigger picture and we use any means necessary,’ the department head Alan Blunt (Stephen Dillane) tells him. The teenager is the perfect candidate to infiltrate a school called Point Blanc, which appears to be the link between two high-profile ‘accidental’ deaths. Based on the second novel in Anthony Horowitz’s best-selling series, this stars Otto Farrant (above right) in the title role and Vicky McClure as his MI6 handler.

THIS IS US NEW SERIES Family affairs in time

It may not have found an audience during its brief, free-to-air run on Channel 4 a few years ago, but the US comedy-drama has belatedly picked up a UK following among Amazon Prime subscribers. The fourth season continues to follow the lives and loves of the Pearson family across several decades as they navigate various highs and lows. The run begins as Rebecca returns to LA ahead of Jack’s first meeting with her parents. It’s an event that doesn’t go as well as the couple had hoped. From Friday

EL PRESIDENTE NEW SHOW Tale of a bent Fifa chief

This eight-part Spanish-language dramedy takes a sideways look at the 2015 Fifa corruption scandal, focusing on the role played by an obscure Chilean club president who became a key player in a $150 million bribery conspiracy. From Friday

LIVING ABROAD NEW SHOW Life after football

Four-part docu-series following four of Spain’s World Cup winners from 2010 on and off the pitch as they ply their trade abroad at the fag end of their careers. There’s Juan Mata, in and out of the team at Manchester United, David Villa in Japan and Javi Martínez at Bayern Munich.

More interesting is Barcelona great Xavi Hernández as he takes his first steps in management in Qatar. From Friday