Pick of the week
Shōgun
“Now is not the time for good men. It is time for a Shōgun.” The year is 1600 and Japan stands on the brink of civil war. A multitude of interest groups are squaring up – family dynasties, religious traditions and European colonial powers among them. It’s going to get bloody. That said, this lavish adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel doesn’t rush. When the action does arrive, it is often spectacular, as tense diplomacy gives way to immaculately choreographed bursts of ultraviolence. Actor and martial artist Hiroyuki Sanada stars as the resolute but embattled Lord Yoshii Toranaga, facing rivals for control of Japan, and Cosmo Jarvis is also excellent as cunning English adventurer John Blackthorne.
Disney+, from Tuesday 27 February
***
Dead Hot
Love, bereavement, severed fingers and dog grooming parlours: this Liverpool-set comedy-drama is a riot of overripe emotion and underlying horror. Elliot (Bilal Hasna) and Jess (Vivian Oparah) are best friends, both mourning Peter, Elliot’s lover and Jess’s brother, who disappeared, presumed dead, five years earlier. Elliot has fallen in love again; but is Will all he seems? Meanwhile, Jess can’t drag herself away from the DNA matching website she dreams of finding her brother on. The tone is thoroughly unusual, starting bright and sparkly but getting darker and stranger as the sadness and brittleness of the lead pair becomes clearer.
Prime Video, from Friday 1 March
***
Iwájú
Animated Afrofuturism from comic-book storytellers and film-makers Kugali, a collective focused on bringing more African stories to mainstream platforms. Set in a socially stratified near-future version of Lagos, this visually striking series is a classic coming-of-age tale in which Tola, a young girl from a wealthy area, joins forces with Kole, her best friend and a tech enthusiast, to explore each other’s lives. It’s a dazzling swirl of swish nightclubs, bustling markets, neon lights and flying tuk-tuks – but there’s poverty and peril too as Tola gets a dose of Nigeria’s reality.
Disney+, from Wednesday 28 February
***
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders
We live in a rich era for conspiracy theories but this true-crime series is a reminder that pre-millennial US history wasn’t short of them either. It tells the story of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found dead in a hotel bathtub while working on a story in West Virginia. His death was pronounced a suicide – but many people are convinced it’s not that simple. The titular “Octopus”, which Casolaro had in his investigative crosshairs, was alleged to be a hidden organisation with tentacles spreading to all corners of the American establishment. Intriguing.
Netflix, from Wednesday 28 February
***
Reina Roja
A troubled detective genius joins forces with a hot-tempered cop with fists of steel and a heart of gold. Sparks fly and tempers flare but they get the job done. The premise of this Spanish thriller feels overfamiliar but it’s still likely to appeal to fans of crime dramas like The Bridge. Vicky Luengo is Antonia Scott (IQ – 242, interpersonal skills – negligible), forced into an uneasy alliance with Hovik Keuchkerian’s Jon Gutiérrez for a top-secret police operation. Can the ill-matched pair track down the kidnappers of the daughter of Spain’s richest man?
Prime Video, from Thursday 29 February
***
The Red Door
The peculiar Italian drama with its lead detective fighting crime from beyond the grave returns for a third season. It’s frequently every bit as silly as that sounds but, as Commissario Leonardo Cagliostro (Lino Guanciale) reunites with clairvoyant Vanessa (played by Valentina Romani, the only living human who can communicate with Leonardo), it’s hard not to be caught up in where this might be going. This time, a blackout causes chaos in Trieste and a traumatic car accident changes Vanessa’s life for ever. Can Leonardo help her find closure?
Channel 4, from Friday 1 March
***
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
At times, it’s hard not to view this very approximate reimagining of the Dick Turpin story as simply a chance for to prance around in a frilly shirt. But it does have its moments as the dandy highwayman looks to establish himself in a dangerous business. Fielding’s Turpin wants to reconfigure the whole brand (“I’m new school. There’s going to be less violence on my watch”). But he’s soon making powerful enemies. A strong cast of UK comic talent also includes Tamsin Greig, Asim Chaudhry and Hugh Bonneville.
Apple TV+, from Friday 1 March
