BOX SETS AND ON DEMAND

Harry Wild (Acorn TV, from Mon)

Jayne Seymour has made her home in the US for many years, mostly cropping up in Hollywood-backed TV and film projects. However, she’s back on this side of the Atlantic for her latest production, a mystery thriller shot in Ireland. She plays the title character, a recently retired university professor who loves nothing more than letting rip a string of expletives while drinking a tot of whisky. However, her life takes an unexpected turn after falling victim to a mugger. Harry agrees to recuperate at the home of her son Charlie, a police detective, and, to his annoyance, passes the time by ‘assisting’ him with his cases. What’s more, she forms a bond with her attacker, and the pair prove to be rather formidable when it comes to solving crimes.

All the Old Knives (Amazon, from Fri)

Danish director Janus Metz Pedersen’s taut thriller is based on a novel by Olen Steinhauer, who also penned the screenplay. The plot focuses on espionage agents Henry and Celia, two former lovers who enjoy a few reminiscences over a sumptuous dinner. While looking back at their time together working in Vienna, conversation turns to a distressing event – the hijacking of a flight, which ended with the deaths of everyone aboard. The failure to save the hostages continues to haunt those involved, including Henry and Celia. He’s desperate to make amends, and as the evening progresses, it becomes clear that one of the duo will not survive the night. Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton play the pair, ably supported by Laurence Fishburne and Jonathan Pryce.

Metal Lords (Netflix, from Fri)

Although the subject matter has little in common with Game of Thrones, fans of the all-conquering fantasy series may be interested in tuning into this movie

because it’s the latest project from its co-creators and showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss. The comedy follows the fortunes of Hunter and Kevin, the only two metal fans in their high school. They’re already treated as outcasts by their classmates, and matters aren’t improved by their efforts to get a band off the ground. The pair need to find a bass player quickly if they’re to compete in a local Battle of the Bands contest, but the task proves impossible – until they hit on the idea of asking a female cellist to take on the role. If you enjoyed Swedish movie We Are the Best! (which is along similar lines), chances are you’ll love this.

Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (Netflix, from Fri)

The latest South Korean drama to head our way promises to be just as enthralling and inventive as its predecessors. This time the action takes place in Shenyang, the base of operations for more spies than anywhere else in the world thanks to its position as a geopolitical key point in north east Asia. Veteran operative Kang-in is the leader of BlackTeam, which is dedicated to keeping an eye on secret missions carried out by foreign nationals in the country. Nicknamed Yaksha, he will do everything in his power to complete every task assigned to him, but his supposed dedication and loyalty will count for nothing if an investigation into his team’s activities reveals that every report they file is a fake. Now Yaksha and his staff must shake off the special inspector on their trail.

Jane Seymour