What To Watch This Week 16.12.24
MONDAY
Strike: The Black Ink Heart, BBC
It's been two years since Strike last graced our screens, with Troubled Blood pulling in over eight million viewers. Now, the brooding detective is back as JK Rowling's sixth Strike novel gets its TV treatment. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger return as tenacious detective duo Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott. This time, the case centres on Edie Ledwell, co-creator of the cult cartoon The Ink Black Heart. Desperate for help, she asks Robin to unmask a sinister online troll known as Anomie. Robin declines – but days later, Edie is found dead. With a mystery that’s darker than ever, Strike and Robin are drawn into the murky world of online harassment, obsession and hidden identities.
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WEDNESDAY
My Brilliant Friend, Sky Atlantic
The final double bill of this gripping Elena Ferrante adaptation sees the Solara family on the hunt for a missing child. Spanning four seasons, the series charts the decades-long friendship between Elena Greco and Lila Cerullo, which began in 1950s Naples. The fourth and final season draws from Ferrante's The Story of the Lost Child, bringing their journey to a poignant close. In the finale, Elena and Lila’s bond comes full circle as a glimpse at their past reignites memories of their earliest days together. It’s a powerful coming-of-age tale and a stirring portrait of enduring female friendship.
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FRIDAY
Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King roars into cinemas this Christmas, finally giving the Pride Lands' original king his due. While Simba's story has long been in the spotlight (cue Rafiki’s iconic Pride Rock lift), Mufasa’s tale has remained untold – until now. This origin story charts Mufasa’s rise from underdog to king, and also pulls back the curtain on Scar’s descent into villainy. The story begins with Rafiki recounting Mufasa’s journey to Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, with a little help from Timon and Pumbaa. Before long, we’re pulled into Mufasa’s past, watching his path to power play out in stunning, photorealistic detail. Brixton-born Aaron Pierre (fresh from Othello at Shakespeare’s Globe) voices Mufasa, with Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves, Chevalier) as Taka, the lion who would become Scar. Familiar voices return too – Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, and Billy Eichner as Timon. And in a neat real-world twist, Blue Ivy Carter (Beyoncé’s off-screen daughter) plays Kiara, her on-screen daughter.
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The Six Triple Eight, Netflix
The Six Triple Eight tells the important, yet largely unknown, story of the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour to serve overseas in WWII. Written and directed by Tyler Perry – who has forged a successful career bringing Black narratives to the big screen – the film documents the group of women who, as well as gruelling working conditions, faced bigotry, racism and sexism. Kerry Washington (Scandal) stars as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, alongside an all-star ensemble cast including Ebony Obsidian (If Beale Street Could Talk), Kylie Jefferson (Tiny Pretty Things), Pepi Sonuga (Famous In Love), Moriah Brown, Jeanté Godlock, Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise) with Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Sam Waterston (The Killing Fields) and Oprah Winfrey.
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SATURDAY
Casualty: All I Want For Christmas, BBC
This Christmas, Casualty is shaking up its format. In an emotionally charged special, the long-running soap spotlights the urgent need for blood donations. As patients flood the ward on Christmas Day amid dwindling supplies, real-life testimonials – which inspired the storylines – are woven into the drama for a powerful, hard-hitting twist.
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SUNDAY
A Christmas Carol: The Read With Anne-Marie Duff, BBC
Few stories embody the Christmas spirit quite like this Dickens classic – especially with Bad Sisters star Anne-Marie Duff narrating. In this 90-minute special, she breathes new life into the timeless tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors.
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