Finally, you can watch those missing Mad About You episodes. If you're not watching Sinners or an immortal Charlize Theron
This is, without an absolute doubt, the quietest weekend I can remember for years in terms of new and returning shows. It’s just tumbleweeds.
But, a few things to note if you really want to rummage around…
In Australia mid-week, we saw the debut of season 8 of Mad About You on streamer BINGE. It landed on Hulu in the US a few weeks back. Why is this notable?
Season 8 of Mad About You was a revival series from 2019 that was intended to kickstart a few more years of the show, just as shows like Will & Grace had returned to TV. Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt shopped it around and found limited interest. Eventually it was bought by US cable company Spectrum and released on its on-demand platform. No one watched it and it subsequently just disappeared into the deep library, serving as little more than an arcane trivia fact.
The season ignores the events of the season seven series finale and just picks the show up again as you remember it.
So, what is new this weekend? Well, mostly comic book adaptations. You have season 2 of The Sandman - it’s based on the iconic Neil Gaiman comic series from the 90s. Gaiman was the selling point for the series until he got spectacularly me-too’d for what seems to have been some pretty gross behaviour. Now, everyone involved with the show are engaged in a lot of “Who?” chatter as they promote the second and final season of the Netflix show.
And then you have The Old Guard 2 - a sequel to the Netflix streaming hit from too-many years ago. I quite liked the first one and I like the comic this is based on, so I will press play. Also, comic creator Greg Rucka seems like a really good dude, so I’m not expecting a cancellation anytime soon. Charlize Theron and Chiwetel Ejiofor are back for it, joined by Uma Thurman and Henry Golding.
The movie Sinners is now streaming on Max - that continues to have been the most fun movie I’ve seen at the cinema this year and I’m pretty keen to see it again. If you’re going to watch one thing…
Also, just a nod to friend of ABW Melanie Tait - the TV movie based on her play The Appleton Ladies Potato Race has appeared recently on Netflix. It’s an amiable enough Sunday afternoon watch. It doesn’t exactly capture the play and I note that the smart, witty, and all-round delightful Ms Tait wasn’t really involved with the movie. But… it is a very quiet weekend.
Returning TV
The Sandman (s02), Dan Da Dan (s02), Such Brave Girls (s02)
New Movies
The Old Guard 2 - Netflix
Stars: Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Uma Thurman, Henry Golding
Andy leads immortal warriors against a powerful enemy threatening their group. They grapple with the resurfacing of a long-lost immortal, complicating their mission to safeguard humanity.
That’s the TV listings newsletter for this week.
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