THE HOT LIST
THE BEST OF TV AND STREAMING THIS WEEK
TIME AFTER TIME PALM SPRINGS Amazon Prime
■ IT would be easy to dismiss Palm Springs as a sunnier version of Groundhog Day but while it adopts the basic premise of Harold Remis’ 1993 film – a man trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over again – this sparky comedy takes the idea and really runs with it. Andy Samberg plays Nyles, a slacker at a wedding in Palm Springs with his girlfriend who’s one of the maids of honour. Somehow, Nyles has got stuck replaying the wedding day over and over again, until he’s joined by another wedding guest, the bride’s sister Sarah (Cristin Miloti), in the timeloop. At first they have fun together, but eventually they have to face the prospect of breaking out of the routine. Samberg and Miloti are very impressive in this hilarious film which makes some serious points amid all the fun and games.
CRIME SCENES
MARE OF EASTTOWN Sky Atlantic and Now TV, Mondays 9pm and catch-up
■ FAMOUS for so many big screen roles, Kate Winslet transforms herself for this TV crime series as a downtrodden detective in a Pennsylvania town blighted by an opioid crisis. Winslett plays Mare Sheehan, who’s struggling with the repercussions of a recent case and recently divorced after the death of her son when she has to take on a new murder investigation. Guy Pearce and Evan Peters co-star in this gripping, intense drama which slowly draws you in.
FORMER GLORY
THE GREAT BRITISH SPITFIRE RESTORATION Saturday, April 24, Channel 4, 8pm
■ COMEDIAN Al Murray is our guide as a team of expert aircraft restorers spend a year rebuilding a 1943 Mark IX Spitfire so it can fly once again. It’s no easy task as the plane’s in a poor state with many of its parts rusting away but lead restorer Peter Monk and his team persevere. A particular emotional moment in this fascinating documentary comes when one of the original pilot joins the team for a tribute to those who lost their lives in the Second World War.
BOXING CLEVER LENNOX LEWIS: THE UNTOLD STORY Saturday, April 24, Sky Documentaries, 9pm
■ AS Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury look to unify the world boxing heavyweight titles, this documentary looks at the career of Lennox Lewis, the last man to hold all title
WHALE TALES
SECRETS OF THE WHALES National Geographic on Disney+ from Thursday, April 22
■ DIRECTOR James Cameron and actor Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Avatar) are reunited for this intimate look at the lives of the world’s largest mammals. Shot over three years in 24 locations and making use of underwater filming techniques that Cameron helped to develop, Weaver narrates as we get insights into how whale societies work looking at the behaviour and habitats of orcas, humpbacks, belugas and sperm whales. A fitting way to mark Earth Day on April 22. Darryl Webber