THE HOT LIST
BEST OF TV AND STREAMING
SPYING GAME SLOW HORSES AppleTV+, from Friday, April 1
THIS six-part series is based on Mick Herron’s acclaimed 2010 novel about a group of MI5 rejects who are exiled to Slough House because of mistakes they’ve made, where they’re led by Gary Oldman’s unconventional but brilliant Jackson Lamb. Among their number is Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright who sees a chance to redeem himself when a young man is abducted, but is the victim really who he seems to be and what’s the connection to a disgraced journalist? Kirstin Scott Thomas, Jonathon Pryce, Olivia Cooke and Freddie Fox co-star.
A NEW HERO MOON KNIGHT Disney+
THE latest TV series from Marvel Studios looks like being the most out-there yet and that’s saying something after WandaVision and Loki. Oscar Isaac stars as Marc Spector, or at least that’s who he is sometimes as he suffers with dissociative identity disorder and seems to flit between different realities and personalities - one of which appears to be a crime-fighting hero imbued with the spirit of an Egyptian moon god. Despite the outlandish premise and unfamiliarity of the character, this looks like being one of Marvel’s most interesting and innovative small-screen offerings as we delve deep into the psychological realm in this six-part series.
OSCAR WINNERS CODA AppleTV+
AMID all the controversy about Will Smith’s slapping of Chris Rock during the Oscars ceremony on Sunday night, the actual winners got somewhat overshadowed but many are available to watch on streaming services so you can make your own judgement about whether they were worthy winners or not. The winner of best picture was Coda, the first film from a streaming service to win that award, a major coup for Apple TV over its rival Netflix whose The Power Of The Dog was long considered the favourite. Coda (which stands for ‘children of deaf adults) is a beautifully observed film about a teenager Ruby (Emilia Jones), the only hearing member of a deaf family, and the struggles she faces. Jane Campion did win the best director award for The Power Of The Dog and her brutal, bracing Western is well worth a watch. Also look out for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (which Jessica Chastain won the best actress award for), Encanto (best animated feature), West Side Story (best supporting actress for Ariana DeBose) and Summer Of Soul (best documentary), all of which are on Disney+.
POWERFUL DRAMA THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST BBC Three, Friday, April 1, 9pm
SET in 1993, this powerful drama is about a young woman Cameron (Chloë Grace Moritz) who’s sent to God’s Promise, a conversion therapy camp for gay teenagers whose sexuality is deemed to be in need of ‘rectification’ by right-wing Christians. At the camp, Cameron must endure the strict, oppressive regime of the camp’s director Dr Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) but also gets to meet like-minded souls like Jane (Sasha Lane) and Native American Adam (Forrest Goodluck). A moving, heartfelt film, scripted and directed by Desiree Akhavan.
SOPRANOS REVISITED
THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK Sky Cinema Premiere, Friday, April 1, 8pm
THIS is a treat for fans as writer David Chase revisits the world he created to bring us the early years of Tony Soprano and examine how he rose to become a mob boss. The film is set amid the New Jersey race riots of 1967 where Tony (played by the late James Gandolfini’s son Michael) is trying to negotiate his relationship with violent ‘uncle’ Dickie Moltisanti (Allesandro Nicola) as tension runs high between Newark’s Italian and Black gangs. Sopranos fans will enjoy this origins story but it might be harder work for those who haven’t watched the awardwinning series.