The Week ’s guide to what’s worth watching
Happy Valley
Seven years is an age to wait for a new season of a drama series. Here, the rewards are worth it. The third and final season of this British award winner sees Sarah Lancashire return as uniformed police sergeant Catherine Cawood, a wise, weary crime fighter as well as a grandmother nearing retirement. First, though, the discovery of a corpse forces her to tangle again with the imprisoned rapist who drove her daughter to suicide. Monday, May 22, AcornTV
Victim/Suspect
It’s hard enough to report having been a victim of rape. In this documentary, investigative journalist Rae de Leon uncovers scores of cases in which women who were brave enough to seek police help were unjustly charged with making false claims of sexual assault. Often, the women officially retract their allegations, and the effect is devastating, making the accuser’s story and humiliation public, discouraging other victims from coming forward, and allowing police to cover up their poor work on sex crimes. Tuesday, May 23, Netflix
The Clearing
Cults led by messianic women are rare. Rarer still are cults whose devotees are girls in matching dresses and matching dyed-blond hair. This new series from Australia is built around the story of such a cult. Teresa Palmer plays a former member who must confront her dark past when girls begin disappearing in a series of kidnappings. Miranda Otto plays a cult leader who promises to “clear” the girls of their sins, and Guy Pearce plays her enabler. Wednesday, May 24, Hulu
Platonic
Some friendships are best left in limbo. Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen co-star in this new comedy series as former best friends who reconnect years after a dramatic rift. Byrne’s Sylvia, who’s feeling constrained by the demands of being a married mother of three, reaches out to Rogen’s Will out of sympathy when she hears he’s going through a divorce. Next thing you know, the old pals are sharing a mutual midlife crisis. Wednesday, May 24, Apple TV+
FUBAR
He’s back. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California, is returning to action comedy for his first television series. The 75-year-old actor plays a 65-year-old CIA veteran who’s pulled out of recent retirement only to discover that the operative he must help save is his 28-year-old daughter. Monica Barbaro’s Emma is no damsel in distress, though. She’s a battle-tested superspy herself, which creates plenty of room for mixing action and gags about Dad not realizing his baby is all grown up. Thursday, May 25, Netflix
Other highlights
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Gizmo and the other furry creatures from the hit 1980s horror comedy return in an animated origin story. Tuesday, May 23, Max
SmartLess: On the Road
Actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes take their hit interview podcast on tour, bantering with celebrities in front of live audiences while cameras also capture the behind-thescenes hilarity. Tuesday, May 23, Max
Your Brain: Who’s in Control?
Freud emphasized the role of the subconscious in human behavior. What theories do today’s neuroscientists prefer? Wednesday, May 24, 9 p.m., PBS (check local listings)