BBC iPLAYER, ALL 4
JUSTIFIED Arresting new drama
Timothy Olyphant (below) is the US marshal Raylan Givens in this hugely enjoyable crime series adapted from the Elmore Leonard stories. Stetson-wearing Givens is old-school and his unconventional but ‘justified’ methods see him reassigned to his old home turf of Harlan County in rural Kentucky. His tangles with colourful clans of local criminals are sometimes complicated by his past in the area and by his personal relationships. All4, available now
BETTER THINGS NEW SERIES Joyous single parent larks – and
Celia Imrie
Pamela Adlon’s joyous comedy about a struggling actress juggling crummy bit parts while single-handedly raising three headstrong daughters is an under-the-radar delight. Adlon plays Sam Fox (not that one) with a disarmingly raw openness, while her three co-stars Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood and Olivia Edward scene-steal in turn. Series 1-3 are already available, and series 4 is now available. Celia Imrie has a ball as the family’s loose cannon of a grandmother. BBC iPlayer, available now
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Dystopian futureshock fantasy
Not the original sci-fi series from the 1970s but the brilliant remake from the 2000s. Filming was delayed by 9/11 because aspects of the storyline resembled what was happening in real life. Cylons, sentient robots initially built by humans and now virtually indistinguishable from them, turn against their creators and all but wipe them out in a surprise attack. The human survivors are now refugees and must try to overcome their differences and find their way back to their legendary planet of origin – Earth (if there even is such a place) – while avoiding being obliterated by the Cylons. The show deftly juggles heavyweight philosophical themes with gripping drama and thrilling action sequences. BBC iPlayer, available now
SOUL AMERICA Once more with feeling: a treat for fans
‘Something you can’t see, you can’t touch but you can feel’ is how one contributor defines ‘soul’ at the start of this fabulous three-part music documentary. It traces the history of the genre from its birth in gospel in the American South in the early 1960s, through its role in the civil-rights movement and as an expression of black identity, down to the seductive style of the 1970s and 1980s and soul men such as Teddy Pendergrass. Features fantastic archive footage of legends such as Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding and evocative interviews with singers and musicians. BBC iPlayer, available now