Staying in with
Adam Gunton
Ozark
Season Four (Netflix), 21 January
Planning a break at the lakes? Might want to think again. Jason Bateman returns in the fourth and final season of this award-winning, brutal, crime drama. The last season is split into two and the first set of episodes arrive this January. Money laundering might have become second nature for the Byrde family but can they make a clean escape? It might not be the advert the Ozark Lakes tourist board would make themselves but it’s certainly television you can’t look away from.
This Is Us
Final Season, Amazon Prime, 4 Jan
This Is Us comes to an end with its sixth season. A story of a family told between two time periods; the 1970s when parents Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) are starting their lives together and the modern day where Jack and Rebecca’s triplets Randall, Kate and Kevin (played by Sterling K Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley) deal with family, relationships and the effect their parents have had on them. This show doesn’t pull any emotional punches and as it accelerates to the end it’s only going to get more intense. But sometimes we all need a good cathartic cry and a show like this reminds us what’s important after the gluttony of the festive season.
No Return
ITV, Early 2022
Household favourite Sheridan Smith OBE leads this gripping drama. A family holiday gone wrong leads to Kathy (Smith) and her husband having to fight for their son’s freedom after his arrest. They’re left dealing with a foreign and expensive legal system and horrifying feeling that they might be unable to help their son. No Return deals with some tough issues and promises to be a drama that’ll stick with you after the credits roll.
The Gilded Age
Now TV/Sky Atlantic, 25 January
It’s time to meet your new obsession. The Gilded Age, which is set to air on Sky Atlantic on January 25, 2022, has been written by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes. The drama is set in 1882 during a period of economic change, huge fortunes and loss. It stars Sex and the City alumnus Cynthia Nixon as well as Meryl Streep’s daughter, Louisa Jacobson. If she’s got even a smidge of her mum’s acting chops, then we’re in for a good time.
2021… what did you miss?
With so much great telly to watch it’s sometimes easy to miss some absolute gems. Here are three shows you need in your life…
What We Do in the Shadows
BBC iPlayer/Disney+
One of the funniest TV shows around. Watch these vampire house mates tackle modern day challenges such as chain emails they worry might be cursed, dry-cleaning blood covered clothes and dealing with werewolves doing their business on their well-kept front lawn.
Only Murders in the Building
Disney+
Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez star as New York neighbours that bond over their shared love of true crime. When a real-life murder takes places in their building, the trio team up to try and solve the mystery. With a cast like that, it would be a crime to miss this show. Series two is already confirmed with Cara Delevingne joining the line-up.
Bo Burnham: Inside
Netflix
You’re probably trying to forget it ever happened, but this might be the definitive document of lockdown. Bo Burnham wrote, performed, directed and edited the whole thing himself. Packed with comedy, hilarious songs and heart breaking moments. Don’t let this pass you by.