STREAMING THIS WEEK By Raye Smith
WHAT’S NEW ON HBO MAX “Rain Dogs” - Season 1
New writer Cash Carraway bounds into the TV world with the new BBC/HBO coproduction “Rain Dogs,” which makes its premiere Monday, March 6, on HBO Max (and on HBO’s premium cable network). The eight-episode series is an unconventional love story between a working-class single mom (Daisy May Cooper, “This Country”), her 10-year-old daughter (new talent Fleur Tashjiian) and a privileged gay man (Jack Farthing,“Poldark”).A tale of a mother’s love and deep-rooted friendships, the series follows this dysfunctional family and their friends as they try to go straight in a crooked world. Directed by Richard Laxton (“Him & Her”) and Jennifer Perrott (“The Midwich Cuckoos”), “Rain Dogs” also stars Ronke Adekoluejo (“Christopher Robin,” 201, Adrian Edmondson (“A Spy Among Friends”), Stephen Wright (“I May Destroy You”), Emily Fairn (“The Responder”), Joshua Parris (“A Confession”), Reid Anderson (“The War of the Worlds”), Deana Taheri (“Piss Party”), Tobias Jowett (“On a Roll,” 2020), James Ashton (“Da Vinci’s Demons”) and Daniel Phung (“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” 2021). Cash, “Killing Eve’s” Sally Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris, Jo McClellan (“The Tunnel”) are executive producers.
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “Luther: The Fallen Sun” (2023)
Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation,” 2015) returns to his role as a brilliant but disgraced detective in the new crime drama “Luther: The Fallen Sun,” which premieres Friday, March 10, on Netflix. A continuation of the award-winning British television series “Luther,” this film reimagining of the story picks up with Det. John Luther (Elba) sitting behind bars as a serial killer (Andy Serkis, “Black Panther,” 2018) blazes a gruesome, terrifying trail through London. Haunted by his failure to catch the psychopath who is now taunting him, Luther breaks out of prison to finish the job once and for all — and by any means necessary.Written by Neil Cross (“The Mosquito Coast”), the creator of the original BBC series, “The Fallen Sun” is directed by Jamie Payne (“Outlander”). Series regular Dermot Crowley (“The Death of Stalin,” 2017) returns for the film, alongside Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” 2019),Thomas Coombes (“Save Me”), Hattie Morahan (“Beauty and the Beast,” 2017), Jess Liaudin (“Irma Vep”), Henry Hereford (“Crossbones”), Lauryn Ajufo (“Boiling Point,” 2021), Vincent Regan (“300,” 2006), Dan Li (“Andor”), Edward Hogg (“Pennyworth”), Einar Kuusk (“The Capture”),Tom McCall (“Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” 2018), Carl Spencer (“Rocketman,” 2019) and Natasha Patel (“The Witcher: Blood Origin”).*
“Outlast” - Season 1
Sixteen lone wolves work to prove they have what it takes to make it in the wilderness in the raw new survival competition series “Outlast,” premiering Friday, March 10, on Netflix. With storied pasts and a broad depth of skills, these hardcore survivalists know how unforgiving nature can be. Across the series’ eight-episode run, the competitors set out to beat the harsh Alaskan wilderness (and each other) for a shot at the $1 million grand prize. But, as they work towards their final goal, they must abide by the cutthroat game’s only rule: they must be a part of a team to win. Taking on the challenge in the first season of “Outlast” are Amber Asay (Phoenix), Andrea Hilderbrand (Charlotte, N.C.), Angie Esparza (San Antonio), Brian Kahrs (Holiday, Fla.), Corey Johnson (Parker, Colo.), Dawn Nelson (Creston, Wash.), Javier Colon (San Francisco), Jill Ashock (New Haven, Ky.), Joel Hungate (McCordsville, Ind.), Jordan Williams (Fort Collins, Colo.), Justin Court (La Grange, Ky.), Lee Ettinger (Bigfork, Mont.), Nick Radner (Tampa, Fla.), Paul Preece (Knoxville, Tenn.), Seth Lueker (Winchester, Va.) and Timothy Spears (Fort Collins, Colo.).
“Faraway” (2023)
Right in time for International Women’s Day, the new romantic comedy “Faraway,” made by women, for women, premieres Wednesday, March 8, on Netflix. The film stars Naomi Krauss (“The Invisibles,” 2017) as Zeynep Altin, an overworked, underappreciated wife and mother who is at the end of her rope.While dealing with the death of her beloved mother, her aging father, her unappreciative daughter and her unfaithful husband, Zeynep finally snaps and escapes Munich to do something for herself. Fleeing to a Croatian island where her mother secretly bought a cottage years ago, Zeynep hopes to get some peace and reconnect with herself. But first, she has to deal with Josip (Goran Bogdan, “Father,” 2020), a rugged islander who still lives on the same plot of land. Directed by Vanessa Jopp (“Vergiss Amerika,” 2000) and produced by Viola Jager (“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” 1997), “Faraway” is based on an original idea by Alex Kendall (“All Quiet on the Western Front,” 2022) and features a screenplay by Jane Ainscough (“The Space Between the Lines,” 2019). Adnan Maral (“Turkisch fur Anfanger”),Artjom Gilz (“Without Remorse,” 2021), David Tomic (“Hotel Portofino”) and new talent Bahar Balci also star.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “The New York Times Presents: Sin Eater”
A new installment of “The New York Times Presents,” “a series of standalone documentaries representing the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time” (per Hulu), premieres Friday, March 10, on Hulu. Titled “Sin Eater,” this two-part documentary looks at the story of infamous Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pellicano. Prolific in the 1990s for making any and all of Hollywood’s filthiest scandals disappear, Pellicano played by his own set of rules and worked outside the law to hide the sins of his rich, famous and powerful clients.Accused of harassment and intimidation by many of his victims, Pellicano was ultimately sent to prison for wiretapping and racketeering — but now he’s free once again and he’s talking to The Times, having obtained the FBI case file, including audio recordings of some of his celebrity clients. Now, “Sin Eater” digs into how Pellicano was able to cover up would-be scandals so seamlessly, and the ways his clients skirted the legal system, keeping their secrets buried deep and facing few to no consequences when Pellicano was exposed. Produced and directed by John Pappas (“The Weekly”), the documentary is produced by The New York Times and Left/Right, and features New York Times reporters Rachel Abrams and Liz Day.