The great Australian lockdown continues on thanks to the delta variant of the stupid virus. This weekend, the greater Sydney region (location of the Always Be Watching home office) is joined by the state of Victoria. That means close to half the population of Australia this weekend has nothing much to do besides watching TV.
There are worse fates. I just wish there was some TV that I could strongly recommend.
Dr Death, which debuted just a few hours ago on Peacock in the US (and locally in Australia on Stan) is a solid drama with Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater as doctors working together to stop a negligent surgeon (played by Joshua Jackson). The show isn't exactly a crowd-pleaser, but it has wide appeal - even if most audiences will be watching the horror of the surgery scenes with hands covering their eyes. The surgery scenes aren't graphic, they're just distressing.
HBO's The White Lotus is a much better series, but is far more niche audience offering. It's a new series written/directed by Mike White (The Good Girl, Enlightened, School of Rock) and like all of his work, it is tonally out-of-step with most movies and TV shows we get out of the US. This is a show that isn't for everyone, but those who do connect with it will adore it.
returning:
Making The Cut (s02), Good Trouble (s03) The Outpost (s04), Never Have I Ever (s02), Animal Kingdom (s05), This Way Up (s02), Miracle Workers (s03)
new:
The White Lotus - HBO Max | Binge
Stars: Murray Bartlett, Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Lacy
Set in a tropical resort, it follows the exploits of various guests and employees over the span of a week.
Dr Death - Peacock | Stan
Stars: Alec Baldwin, Christian Slater, Joshua Jackson
As patients entering the operating room of Dr. Christopher Duntsch for routine spinal surgeries start leaving permanently maimed or dead, two fellow surgeons and a young Assistant District Attorney set out to stop him.
Schmigadoon! - Apple TV+
Stars: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong
A couple on a backpacking trip discovers a magical town in which everyone acts like they're in a musical from the 1940s.
American Horror Stories - FX on Hulu | Binge
Stars: Matt Bomer, Merrin Dungey, Paris Jackson
American Horror Stories is a spin-off of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's award-winning hit anthology series American Horror Story.
Naomi Osaka - Netflix
An intimate look inside the life of one of the most gifted and complex athletes of her generation offers insight into the tough decisions and ecstatic triumphs that shape Naomi Osaka as a superstar and a young woman.
Fear Street: 1666 - Netflix
Stars: Ashley Zukerman, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira
In 1666, a colonial town is gripped by a witch hunt that has deadly consequences for centuries to come, while teenagers in 1994 try to put an end to their town's curse before it is too late.
Gunpowder Milkshake - Netflix (US Only) | In cinemas
Stars: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Giamatti
To protect an 8-year-old girl, a dangerous assassin reunites with her mother and her lethal associates to take down a ruthless crime syndicate and its army of henchmen.
Space Jam: A New Legacy - HBO Max | In cinemas
Stars: LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green
A rogue artificial intelligence kidnaps the son of famed basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.
That's it for this week. Always Be Watching will be back in your inbox on Monday morning.
