This week’s picks
fall out
The series shares DNA with The Last of Us as a post-apocalyptic thriller based on the computer game Fallout. After the United States is nuked, we travel back in time several centuries and meet a group of survivors who have formed an underground society in a nuclear bunker known as The Vaults. Eventually, events force Vault resident Lucy (Ella Purnell) to surface. It’s sneakily funny in places – a group of barbaric invaders from the surface are simultaneously obsessed with violent slaughter and fascinated by the taste of wedding cake. And the inevitability of humanity creating its own boundaries and fostering its own divisions is clearly a matter of debate.
Prime Video, from Thursday, April 11th
baby reindeer
Comedian Richard Gadd meets his stalker Martha (Jessica Gunning) while working in a pub. Although she claimed to be a successful lawyer, she could not afford to buy a cup of tea. The relationship between the two was not that clear. A relationship that began when Gad felt sympathy for a seemingly vulnerable person culminated in her sending him 41,000 emails and 350 hours of voicemail. This dark drama depicts a traumatic experience in a compelling style. Importantly, Gad does not release himself from danger. He encouraged Martha’s interest in her and at one point followed her home. There are no victim stories here. It’s just a story about two troubled lives intertwined.
Netflix, from Thursday, April 11th
The Fable
Increasingly, anime is to Disney+ what true crime is to Netflix. This latest series is based on a manga comic drawn by Katsuhisa Minami ten years ago. This is a well-realized, dry and funny story of a fish-out-of-water killer. Fable (voiced by Kazuyuki Okitsu) has dedicated his entire life to becoming the perfect assassin. He is coming off a bumper year with more kills than ever before. Sadly, due to ongoing troubles, Fable is ordered by his handlers to lie quietly and not kill anyone for a year. Can our murderous hero stay out of trouble?
Disney+, from Sunday, April 7th
Unlocked: Prison Experiment
It doesn’t seem likely that Arkansas will soon be a hotbed of progressive thinking about crime and punishment. But as this documentary suggests, Sheriff Eric Higgins is something of a maverick. His response to the staffing crisis and prisoner misconduct feels counterintuitive and courageous. That means there will be no keys or staff for six weeks. Will chaos reign? Or could a taste of autonomy and responsibility have a civilizing impact on these hardened felons? An interesting experiment in human nature and the power of trust.
Netflix, from Wednesday, April 10th
Anthracite
A picturesque yet dark French thriller depicting the aftermath of a mass cult suicide in an isolated village in the Alps in 1994. Thirty years later, old wounds are reopened when a woman is murdered. But it seems the perfect scapegoat has just arrived in town in the form of young criminal Giallo. Haro was trying to make a fresh start, but he ended up being accused of murder. With the help of eccentric teenager Ida, who is searching for his missing father, Jaro tries to prove his innocence. The premise is interesting, although the performances and dialogue feel a little clunky.
Netflix, from Wednesday, April 10th
broken heart high
This ’90s Australian teen drama, which Netflix successfully rebooted for the post-Euphoria generation (though maybe not quite as risqué), is returning for a second season. Upon her return, Amelie (Ayesha Maddon) is once again the object of hatred. She’s used to it by now, but this time it doesn’t seem to be her fault. Someone is trying to get her. Thankfully, her loyal friends have compiled a list of suspects. This will necessarily be about the same length as Hartley High School’s enrollment. Elsewhere, a new sports teacher lets his adolescent hormones spiral out of control.
Netflix, from Thursday, April 11th
franklin
Michael Douglas stars as America’s Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in this historical drama (based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Stacey Schiff) about historical intrigue. We meet Franklin as the country goes through its birth pangs, Britain threatens its right to rule, and independence is at stake. Will Franklin be able to persuade France to provide military and financial aid? A trip to Paris beckons, but our surprisingly mischievous protagonist has more than diplomacy in mind. It’s durable, but it tastes a bit like a craftsman.
Apple TV+, starting Friday, April 12th
