There's more television than ever before, but this year there hasn't really been much worth watching. You could say there's been a drought of premium telly but, like Auckland's actual drought, that's coming to an end. So praise the rain and prepare to be left drenched by the downpour of quality viewing thundering over your screens in the next few months.
Netflix
Ozark
It may have started out wanting to be Netflix's answer to Breaking Bad - a worthy, if lofty, goal - but Ozark has since emerged from that shadow to forge its own identity. This is largely due to the always-likeable Jason Bateman bringing his everyman quality to a criminal enterprise and the shock heel turn by the brilliant Laura Linney as his wife.
This drama from Ryan Murphy, the creator of hit shows American Horror Story and Glee, is set in Tinseltown in the tumultuous time right after World War II as a group of wannabe actors and film-makers attempt to hit the big time. Netflix describes it as "provocative and incisive", which sounds promising, as it examines the power structures and biases of race, gender and sexuality which have, unfortunately, survived to this day.
The English Game
They're footy mad, the English, and this historical sports drama explores how the beautiful game became the English game. Even if you're not a sports fan there will be plenty of drama, intrigue and period garb here to grab your attention as the show has been developed by Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey.
Eleanor Catton's award-winning, globe-conquering, shelf-groaning novel comes to the screen with an all-star cast led by Eva Green. Catton penned this adaptation of two star-crossed lovers caught up in New Zealand's gold rush, so fans who made it through her story can expect it to be faithful to her incredibly weighty tome, while the rest of us can be happy that we now have a shot at making it past the first chapter.
Black Hands
This true-crime series dives into one of New Zealand's darkest, awful crimes, the 1994 murders of five members of the Bain family. Based on the popular podcast of the same name, the show will follow each family member in the month prior to the atrocity. Don't expect any closure, however, as the series is said to focus on the "why rather than the how", leaving you to make up your own mind about whodunnit.
Killing Eve
The third season of the violently great British spy thriller Killing Eve is coming to TVNZ OnDemand. The female-led game of cat and mouse between an MI6 operative and a psychopathic assassin has gained worldwide critical acclaim and remains one of the best shows on TVNZ's streaming service. But be warned; things get very real.
Sky / Neon
The Third Day
There's a mysterious island with mysterious goings-on and people who find themselves there without really knowing what's going on. So far, so Lost ... But unlike that intriguing/frustrating show, this British mini-series promises answers at the end of it all to make it worth your while. Jude Law and Naomie Harris star as the two castaways.
The Undoing
You don't get much bigger stars than Nicole Kidman or Hugh Grant and new thriller The Undoing pulls off the unlikely feat of bringing them together. Kidman stars as a successful therapist who somehow misses the fact that her husband is a bit of a scoundrel who may be responsible for a widespread disaster. Things only get worse for her from there.
Chris Rock leads the new ensemble cast of the fourth season of this popular crime anthology series that steals inspiration from the Coen brothers' terrific 1996 film. This time around the show travels back to the 1950s where Rock is the head of a crime syndicate made up of black migrants fleeing the Deep South. Their criminal activity quickly leads to problems with the Kansas City Mafia, which will undoubtedly lead to some brutal violence and some violently funny black comedy.
Disney +
The Mandalorian
This is the show that's almost single-handedly responsible for the initial surge in popularity of Disney's streaming service. Following an enigmatic bounty hunter as he protects the cute Baby Yoda creature, the heavily Western-inspired series managed to out the final Star Wars movie in quality and critical acclaim. We've got a bit of a wait to see what happens to our unlikely duo next but it's safe to think the force will be with it.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Okay, when you think prestige you don't really think superhero, but hear us out. This super-budgeted series picks up where Avengers: Endgame left off, following the titular characters as they embark on a worldwide adventure that will test their abilities. The show ties in with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sees stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprising their roles. If The Mandalorian can turn the sci-fi pulp of Star Wars into prestige TV, there's no reason to think this can't do the same for Marvel.
Okay, we're pushing the boundaries of prestige with this puppet pick, but it's our list and we'll be damned if we're leaving Kermit and the gang off it. Harking back to the glory days of The Muppet Show, this comedy is an "unscripted" series of improvisational comedy starring all the Muppet greats. There are three segments, game show, cooking show and talk show, and each is said to run for a snappy 10 minutes.
Apple TV
Amazing Stories
This reboot of Steven Spielberg's 1985 sci-fi anthology series follows the same formula of similar shows The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Like those, this delights in buzzing you out with freaky twists and turns you don't see coming. Over the 10 episodes of this first season, the show will dive into horror, sci-fi, fantasy and dark comedy, and hopefully serve up an amazing twist on the genres.
Defending Jacob
Chris Evans stars in this adaptation of the novel that the Washington Post described as an "exceptionally serious, suspenseful, engrossing story", which pretty much ticks every box in the "Is this Premium TV?" checklist. It's about a dad who has to deal with the accusation that his teenage son is a murderer, so expect things to get heavy quickly.
Looking for a premium mystery drama the whole family can enjoy? Well, here you go. This show follows a young girl who moves from the big city to a small town where - you guessed it - freaky occurrences are going down. It's based on the life of 13-year-old journalist and author Hilde Lysiak, who began reporting on murders in her neighbourhood at the age of 9. Kids, eh?
