Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Finding family: Georgia Hunter’s ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ debuts on Hulu
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “We Were the Lucky Ones”
Bringing Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel to life, the new limited series “We Were the Lucky Ones” premieres Thursday, March 28, on Hulu. Inspired by an incredible true story, the show follows one Jewish family who are separated at the start of World War II. On a quest for survival that spans continents, the family members face impossible odds as they do everything in their power to survive and reunite. “A tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds” (per Hulu), the series stars Joey King (“Bullet Train,” 2022), Logan Lerman (“Hunters”), Hadas Yaron (“Shtisel”), Henry-Lloyd Hughes (“Archie”), Amit Rahav (“Unorthodox”), Sam Woolf (“The Witcher”), Michael Aloni (“Shtisel”), Moran Rosenblatt (“Fauda”), Eva Feiler (“Beyond Paradise”), Lior Ashkenazi (“The Policeman’s Daughter”) and Robin Weigert (“Deadwood”). Written by showrunner and executive producer Erica Lipez (“Julia”) and written for television by Jonathan Caren (“The Sinner”), “We Were the Lucky Ones” is also executive produced by director Thomas Kail (“Hamilton,” 2020), Jennifer Todd (“City on a Hill”), Adam Milch (“The Morning Show”) and director Amit Gupta (“His Dark Materials”), and co-executive produced by Hunter.
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “The Beautiful Game” (2024)
Get an up-close-and-personal look at the beauty and dedication that soccer brings out in fans all over the world when the new sports drama film, “The Beautiful Game,” premieres Friday, March 29, on Netflix. Based on the real-life Homeless World Cup soccer tournament, which has been highlighting the talents of unhoused athletes from nearly 70 countries since 2001, the film stars Bill Nighy (“About Time,” 2013) as Mal, the manager of England’s homeless football team. Taking his players to Rome for the Homeless World Cup and hoping to win it all, Mal makes a last-minute decision to bring talented striker Vinny (Michael Ward, “Empire of Light,” 2022), who could give them a real shot a winning. But, for their dreams to come true, Vinny will have to let go of his past and become a part of the team. Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, the film also stars Susan Wokoma (“Enola Holmes,” 2020), Callum Scott Howells (“It’s a Sin”), Kit Young (“Shadow and Bone”), Sheyi Cole (“Full Circle”), Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (“The Ipcress File”), Robin Nazari (“Snabba Cash”), Aoi Okuyama (“Giri/Haji”), Valeria Golino (“The Morning Show”) and Jessye Romeo (“Pennyworth”). From director Thea Sharrock (“Wicked Little Letters,” 2023), “The Beautiful Game” is written by Frank Cottrell Boyce (“The Railway Man,” 2013).
WHAT’S NEW ON BRITBOX “Time” - Season 2
Taking a turn to the other side of the prison system, Season 2 of the BBC crime drama “Time” premieres Wednesday, March 27, on BritBox. “A powerful depiction of prison life and a raw study of punishment and penitence” (per BritBox), the new, threeepisode season follows the intersecting stories of three women who all arrive at Carlingford prison on the same day. As they are drawn together by circumstance, single mother Orla (Jodie Whittaker, “Doctor Who”) fights to keep in contact with her children and keep them stable, Abi (Tamara Lawrence, “No Offence”) settles into a life sentence and young, pregnant heroin addict Kelsey (Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us”) returns for another stay behind bars. Also starring Siobhan Finneran (“Downton Abbey”), Lisa Millett (“Early Doors”), Louise Lee (“The Show Must Go Online”), Matilda Firth (“Hullraisers”), Julie Graham (“Shetland”) and Nicholas Nunn (“Sexy Beast”), “Time” is created and written by Jimmy McGovern (“The Street”). Season 2 is directed by Andrea Harkin (“The Trial of Christine Keeler”) and also features writing by Helen Black (“Life and Death in the Warehouse,” 2022).
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME VIDEO “American Rust: Broken Justice” Season 2
Moving to Prime Video from Showtime for its second season, “American Rust: Broken Justice” premieres on the streamer Thursday, March 28, with Season 1 also available to stream the same day. Based on the celebrated novel “American Rust” by Philipp Meyer, the series, set in the small, fictional Rust Belt town of Buell, Pennsylvania, saw chief of police Del Harris (Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”) take on a complicated investigation when Billy (Alex Neustaedter, “Colony”), the son of the woman he loves (Maura Tierney, “The Affair”), is accused of murder. Now, four months after the shootout in West Virginia, Del has returned to the Pittsburgh PD, while back in Buell, everyone is trying to get their lives back on track. Assigned a complex, highprofile bombing case with his new partner, Angela (Luna Lauren Velez, “Dexter”), Del finds himself back in the folds of The Brotherhood. While Del struggles to find a balance between his big-city work life and relationships back in the small town, Buell finds itself thrown back into chaos when more murders rock the town. Created and written for television by Dan Futterman (“In Treatment”), “American Rust: Broken Justice” stars returning cast members Julia Mayorga (“Rare Objects,” 2023), David Alvarez (“West Side Story,” 2021), Mark Pellegrino (“Supernatural”), Rob Yang (“Succession”) and Kyle Beltran (“Inventing Anna”), alongside new additions Christopher Denham (“Billions”), Brett Newton (“Suitable Flesh,” 2023), Ben Cain (“Cruel Summer”) and Rae Gray (“A League of Their Own”).
WHAT’S NEW ON PARAMOUNT+ “A Gentleman in Moscow”
Head off on a brand new adventure when “A Gentleman in Moscow,” the eight episode series adaptation of Amor Towles’ internationally best-selling novel, premieres Friday, March 29, on Paramount+ with Showtime. In the aftermath of the Russian revolution, Count Alexander Rostov (Ewan McGregor, “Trainspotting,” 1996) finds that his well-to-do past has landed him on the wrong side of history. Though spared from execution, a Soviet tribunal banishes Rostov to an attic room in the opulent Hotel Metropol, and told that if he ever sets food outside again, it will mean his death. As some of the most tumultuous years in Russia’s history unfold right outside the doors of the hotel, Rostov embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he builds a new life for himself. The series also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Ahsoka”) as glamorous, self-made film actress Anna Urbanova; Alexa Goodall (“Lord of Misrule,” 2023) as the Count’s unlikely young friend Nina; Johnny Harris (“This is England ’86”) as conflicted secret police officer Osip; and Fehinti Balogun (“The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself”) as Mishka, the Count’s best friend from university. Showrunner Ben Vanstone (“All Creatures Great and Small”) executive produces the series, alongside Towles, McGregor, Tom Harper (“War & Peace”), Sharon Hughff (“Strike Back”), Xavier Marchand (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” 2022) and Sam Miller (“I May Destroy You”).