What To Watch This Week 18.03.24

After their escapades in Sicily earlier this year, Strictly Come Dancing stars Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice are readying their passports for another adventure. This time, Anton's childhood memories of spending summers with his Spanish family in the north make him the guide. From surfing to flamenco performances, the duo immerse themselves in the Spanish experience. Expect to see them cruising through picturesque countryside with the radio blaring, attempting kayaking, and taking a hot-air balloon ride.

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Kicking off this week, this four-part drama features a best-of-British cast. Devoted family man Simon – played by The Crown’s Jason Watkins – sees his life changed after making a decision in the heat of the moment. As his neighbourhood is being overrun by a group of teenagers, Simon wants nothing more than to keep his family safe. But soon, mild-mannered Simon is pushed to the limit and confronts the group's ringleader.

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This week’s Panorama is a hard hitter. Filmed across an intensive five-month period within a council on the brink of financial collapse, the programme delves deep into the crisis gripping numerous councils across the UK. Focusing on the inner workings of Havering in London – which is facing a staggering £50 million deficit – reporter Alison Holt shadows councillors and officials as they attempt to tackle service cuts and raise council taxes. This documentary is an eye-opening revelation on the escalating care costs for vulnerable demographics – the children, the elderly and the homeless – and how they threaten to plunge Havering and other councils into the red. 

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New on Netflix this week is this new true crime docu-series. Detailing one of France’s biggest judicial tragedies in the early 2000s, a young judge is tasked with investigating accusations of pedophilia. As the story unravels, more inhabitants of the town appear to be involved.

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Oscars fever isn’t over just yet. If you missed it last year, 20 Days In Mariupol is now streaming on Channel 4 OD. The documentary, filmed within the besieged port city during the Russian assault, clinched the coveted Best Documentary award at this year’s ceremony. Helmed by Pulitzer prize-winning Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian journalist who documented the invasion first-hand in early 2022, 20 Days in Mariupol has garnered widespread praise for its portrayal of the war, what it’s like for the citizens, and what it’s like to report from a conflict zone. 

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Palm Royale is set in Palm Beach in 1969. It stars Kristen Wiig and Laura Dern, alongside a renowned ensemble cast including Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Amber Chardae Robinson, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy and Kaia Gerber. The underdog story follows Maxine Simmons (Wiig) as she endeavours to break into Palm Beach high society. As Maxine attempts to cross the impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, Palm Royale asks the eternal question: how much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?

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3 Body Problem is a high-concept sci-fi show loosely adapted from Chinese author Liu Cixin's 2008 novel. The story takes place over many years, starting in 1960s communist China and continuing to the present day. A team of scientists must work together to solve a problem that could disrupt the laws of nature. With big names behind it – Game Of Thrones alumni David Benioff and D.B Weiss to name a few – it’s set to be a hit. 

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This new film is a modern retelling of the 1989 cult classic (which starred Patrick Swayze). In this remake, Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the lead role, but with a contemporary spin: his character is an ex-UFC fighter who finds himself working at a bar in Florida. In his attempt to turn the rowdy bar’s brawling clientele around, he runs into trouble. If you want something to kickstart your weekend, this is it.

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New horror flick Immaculate stars Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria, The White Lotus) as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

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Regina King stars as political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm in a new film chronicling a ground-breaking run for US president. In 1972, Chisholm became the first Black candidate to seek a major party’s nomination. But she was already a pioneer: in 1968, the Brooklyn native made history as the first Black woman elected to the US Congress. Shirley is written and directed by John Ridley – an Oscar winner for his 12 Years A Slave screenplay.

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This year’s Great British Menu final has reached fever pitch. Judges Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona and Ed Gamble have selected chefs from different regions of the country to craft a banquet that will give the Olympians and Paralympians of Team GB a fitting send-off to the Paris 2024 Games. The winner will be decided by the esteemed sporting guests at the British ambassador’s residence in Paris. 

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Wes Anderson celebrated his first Oscar win on Sunday night, clinching the award for Best Live Action Short Film with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, one of his four Roald Dahl adaptations for Netflix. The streamer has bundled these four shorts into an anthology titled The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More, which was released last week. Alongside the winning film, the anthology includes The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison. Each short features a stellar cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel and more – set to a soundtrack by Jarvis Cocker.

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