There is little to no danger that you will be left short of something to watch this week with so many returning series.
The big new show of the week is new Fox series Best Medicine, which is the US remake of the UK show Doc Martin. My interest in this being lead actor Josh Charles who has so far starred in two of my all-time favourite shows (being Sports Night and The Good Wife), which isn’t bad for a guy who has only been a main cast member in three on-going series (his third was the not-good Hillary Swank sci-fi Netflix drama Away… you’re right not to remember that one).
I’m not expecting Best Medicine to be an all-time great (in the spirit of dopey American dramas, the show title is a pun with Charles’ character’s name being Martin Best…), but I’m still eager to give it a look.
But, I can’t. It is rare these days in this age of globalised streaming that I am waiting to see a show, but with no direct Fox streaming service in Australia, I’m at the mercy of a local network or streamer licensing the show.
I’ve made no secret in this newsletter of my loyalties for The Pitt, which returns for season two delivering a lot more of the same pleasures that we saw from season one.
Like with season one, it’s a weekly 15-episode release, which means there will be plenty of the show to watch over the coming months. Like with season one, I’ve been able to see a lot of the season ahead of time which means I’ve never actually watched the show weekly. I might press play on the show every week to give that a go… plus, this one is well worth watching through a second time… there’s that one scene(!!!) that I need to see again… you’ll know it when you see it…
I’m keen to press play on Netflix show His & Hers, which I understand is a pretty audience-friendly murder-mystery thriller.
But, my strong recommendation is jumping on seasons 1-3 of Industry if you haven’t already. It’s back on Monday and it’s a pretty great season of TV.
Another thing you should probably also consider for your weekend is the filmed stage play Good Night and Good Luck, which has just been added to Netflix. It’s very good.
Oh, also, last week I neglected to mention the debut of new BINGE series Run. It’s a pretty good limited series drama about The Postcard Bandit, a notorious Aussie bank robber. I should have had it in last week’s Always Be Streaming, but the new year and interstate travel had me muddled. It’s in the guide below.
Returning TV
The Pitt (s02), When Calls The Heart (s13), Saint-Pierre (s02), Waterloo Road (s17), The Rookie (s08), Tehran (s03), Will Trent (s04), Small Achievable Goals (s02), Patience (s02), Wild Cards (s03), Allegience (s03), Black Ops (s02), Family Law (s04), The Hunting Party (s02), Father Brown (s13), Alpha Males (s04), A Thousand Blows (s02), Casualty (s45)
New TV
Best Medicine — Fox
Who’s in it: Josh Charles, Abigail Spencer, Josh Segarra
What it’s about: A brilliant surgeon leaves Boston to become a doctor in the small town where he spent childhood summers. Despite his medical skills, his rude manner alienates locals as he battles hidden phobias and struggles with personal connections.
His & Hers — Netflix
Who’s in it: Tessa Thompson, Jon Bernthal
What it’s about: Two estranged spouses, one a detective and the other a news reporter, vie to solve a murder in which each believes the other is a prime suspect.
Girl Taken — Paramount+
Who’s in it: Alfie Allen, Jill Halfpenny, Tallulah Evans
What it’s about: Following the story of twin sisters Lily and Abby, whose lives are shattered when Lily is abducted from their quiet rural English town by beloved local teacher Rick Hansen.
Goolagong — ABC [AUS]
Who’s in it: Lila McGuire, Marton Csokas, Felix Mallard, Luke Carroll
What it’s about: Goolagong is the inspiring true-life story of world champion tennis player, Evonne Goolagong, one of Australia's greatest and most loved sporting figures.
Run — BINGE
Who’s in it: George Mason, Robyn Malcolm, Keiynan Lonsdale
What it’s about: The extraordinary life of Australia’s most notorious bank robber, Brenden Abbott, is dramatized in this high-octane series about his unprecedented career of crime and chaotic life on the run.
New Movies
People We Meet On Vacation — Netflix
Who’s in it: Emily Bader and Tom Blyth
What it’s about: Poppy wants to explore the world and Alex prefers to stay home with a good book, but somehow they are the best of friends. They live far apart, but for a decade they have spent one week of summer vacation together.
That’s the newsletter for this week.
Consider becoming a paid supporter of Always Be Watching.
Connect with Dan on Bluesky. Connect with Dan on Letterboxd. Connect with Dan on Linkedin. Email Dan @ alwaysbewatching.com or just reply to this email.
