Widow’s Bay
Wednesday, streaming on Apple TV Plus
You’ve got to hand it to Welsh actor Matthew Rhys — he’s one heck of a versatile performer.
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Just a few months ago he was fronting Netflix’s excellent thriller The Beast In Me, playing a murderous psychopath with designs on Claire Danes.
A few months on, he’s popping up in this series, which Apple is describing as a comedy horror.
If you’re wondering what a “comedy horror” is, you’re not alone — these are few and far between on TV, but if you peeped the underrated Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix (which ran for three seasons from 2017), you’ll have an idea where this is headed.
In this 10-parter, Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of a small coastal town 42 nautical miles off the coast of New England. Tom is desperate to turn his island idyll — with its limited wi-fi, inclement weather and isolated charm — into the next Martha’s Vineyard. He’s invited a New York Times travel writer to experience the quaint idiosyncrasies of his adopted home in the hopes he’ll lure visitors to the island, improving the fortunes of those who dwell in the town alongside him.
There’s only one problem — those same people are convinced their island home is cursed. And all signs seem to point to the fact that they could be right.
Now with potential visitors en route, Tom is having a creeping realisation that he’s made a big, big mistake — but is it now too late to rein in the chaos?
This has a fascinating premise, and it’s great to see Rhys exercising his considerable comedic chops. He reportedly said yes to the project, which he has described as “Children Of The Corn meets The Goonies”, precisely so he could have some fun with the material.
This one is hard to explain, but those who like their jump-scares with a side of giggles will want to check this out.
The Assembly
Sunday, 7.30pm, ABC
Anastasia gives guest Andy Lee a grilling. Credit: Supplied
Nineteen of Leigh Sales’ previous graduate journalism students are returning to interview a new crop of high-profile celebs. Episode one sees them taking on the always charming Andy Lee. His compatriot Hamish Blake has already had a grilling, now it’s his turn — and our intrepid autistic interviewers are not holding back. It’s great to see what questions they come up with. Lee is so gracious in this — I learnt a lot about him. This is always such an interesting watch.
Bad Company
Sunday, 8.15pm, ABC
Bad Company is screening on ABC. Credit: Supplied
Kitty Flanagan’s many Fisk fans will likely love this new ABC comedy, which sees the perennial favourite starring alongside another local comedy legend, Anne Edmonds. Edmonds is the writer and creator of this series, which sees her star as the pretentious artistic director of a struggling theatre — Flanagan’s character, her polar opposite, has been dispatched to help reverse the business’ downturn. This absurd series has “hit” written all over it and looks set to become another local comedy fave.
Rick Stein’s Australia
Thursday, SBS on Demand
Rick Stein’s Australia is streaming on SBS. Credit: Supplied
Rick Stein first visited Australia as a 19-year-old. Suffice to say, the country has changed a lot since then, but his enthusiasm for his adopted “home away from home” clearly hasn’t. The foodie icon is heading out on a trip around New South Wales to discover just how the Australian culinary scene has changed over the years. Fans of Stein’s fabulous travelogues will want to check this one out, especially as it’s considerably closer to home than his usual outings. One for food fans.
Man On Fire
Thursday, streaming on Netflix
Man On Fire is coming to Netflix. Credit: Juan Rosas
This seven-episode series might sound familiar because it is: it’s the TV reimagining of the 2004 film starring Denzel Washington. This time Yahya Abdul-Mateen takes on the role of John Creasy, the former special forces mercenary struggling with severe PTSD. This is a take on A.J. Quinnell’s 1980 novel of the same name and its sequel, The Perfect Kill, but there are some considerable changes, both from book and flick. It will be interesting to see how audiences react to this propulsive, high-octane series. Sure to generate buzz.
