Pick of the week
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model
There’s now a secondary industry around huge, morally questionable shows from the gold-rush era of post-millennial reality TV. After last year’s Netflix expose of fat-shaming behemoth The Biggest Loser comes this series exploring the chequered story of America’s Next Top Model. It’s a depressing insight into the values of the times, tracing the trajectory of a show which began as a source of Black and LGBTQ+ empowerment but lost its ethical bearings. Many former contestants contribute (the story of Shandi Sullivan is particularly grotesque) as does creator Tyra Banks, who seems alternately sheepish and weirdly accusatory. “You guys were demanding it,” she claims. “So we kept pushing.”
Netflix, from Monday 16 February
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Being Gordon Ramsay
This six-parter follows Gordon Ramsay as he attempts to open several floors of foodie heaven at the top of 22 Bishopsgate in London. “This thing is going to take balls of steel,” Ramsay remarks. In his professional life, he’s the polar opposite of self-effacing – but a slightly less abrasive Ramsay emerges via glimpses of his family life and biographical excerpts in which he recalls his council estate upbringing. He also describes an intense, sink-or-swim kitchen apprenticeship under Marco Pierre White. It’s a feast of swearing and theatrical jeopardy, none of which will change anyone’s opinions about the chef.
Netflix, from Wednesday 18 February
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Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted Woman
This true crime documentary tells the startling story of Sarah Jo Pender who was sent to prison in 2002 after being convicted of murder. The case was deeply murky in the first place, involving a violent boyfriend, drug deals and an illegally purchased firearm. But in 2008, Pender escaped from a maximum security prison after conspiring with a guard and another prisoner. This film focuses mainly on the attempts to apprehend her – she was at large for four months. A grimly gripping affair.
Netflix, from Thursday 19 February
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The Night Agent
This intelligent but explosive espionage drama has, appropriately stealthily, evolved into one of Netflix’s low-key but consistent success stories. It stars Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, a special agent who works under deep cover, as a last resort for resolving security issues requiring a combination of extreme discretion and deadly force. In this third season, he’s (reluctantly) working with Genesis Rodriguez’s journalist Isabel who is investigating a dark money network. But as their trail starts to lead upwards, they start uncovering some very dangerous secrets.
Netflix, from Thursday 19 February
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Strip Law
An animated adult comedy about lawyers feels like a hard sell. But this series about an uptight attorney who moves to Las Vegas and soon finds he’s too boring to pass muster in Sin City contains just the right ratio of snarky and stupid. Lincoln Gumb is very much a shirt-and-tie guy. But soon, he’s taking cases involving stunt performers and general freaks – and joining forces with local magician Sheila Flambé who has been recruited to give Gumb Legal a touch of much-needed pizzazz. The impressive voice cast includes Adam Scott and Janelle James.
Netflix, from Friday 20 February
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Watching You
A glossy, melodramatic slice of techno-fear in this Australian thriller loosely based on JP Pomare’s novel The Last Guests. Despite being engaged, Lina (Aisha Dee) enjoys a one-night stand while staying in a friend’s rented apartment. However, when she returns (in a hilariously contrived twist, she’s managed to mislay her engagement ring) Lina discovers that the flat is riddled with hidden cameras. A series of betrayals then ensues as Lina tries to track down her voyeuristic tormentors. It’s surveillance paranoia by numbers but Dee is a persuasive lead.
Disney+, from Friday 20 February
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The Last Thing He Told Me
A slightly surprising second season for this glossy but glacial thriller starring Jennifer Garner as Hannah Hall, a woman charged with protecting her difficult teenage step-daughter Bailey after her partner (and Bailey’s dad) Owen is forced to go on the run. As we return, Owen is still not safe – the ruthless Campano crime family are on his tail. However, seemingly in defiance of all logic, Hannah has a plan – and it involves facing off against this powerful, dangerous mob, pretty much on her own. However seriously it takes itself, none of it really grips.
Apple TV, from Friday 20 February
