Pick of the week
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
This drama uses the wide open spaces of Australia, the country’s paradoxical beauty and harshness, to mirror a narrative of horror and survival. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Holly Ringland, it’s the story of the titular Alice (Alyla Browne and, later, Alycia Debnam-Carey), a girl who lives in increasing terror of her violent father. When a fire in the family’s isolated smallholding shatters the family unit, she’s sent off to live with her taut, taciturn grandmother June (Sigourney Weaver) – who turns out to be full of surprises, thankfully not all of them terrible. The pacing is glacial at times but it’s an atmospheric and beautifully shot journey through trauma towards redemption.
Prime Video, from Friday 4 August
***
Heartstopper
Now in its second season, this LGBTQ+ coming-of-age drama remains smart and charming. It’s slyly innovative, too – has any show incorporated mobile communication and graphic novel tropes into its aesthetic more smoothly? One of the show’s biggest strengths is the agency it gives its lead characters: Nick and Charlie’s obstacles are rarely of their own making – instead, they’re to do with how other people see them. With Nick now out to his mum, their relationship should be plain-sailing. But coming out to schoolmates (Nick’s rugby mates included) proves to be more of a challenge.
Netflix, from Thursday 3 August
***
Physical
Self-realisation comes in many forms – across two seasons, this 80s-set comedy drama has seen Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne) finding herself in the world of aerobics. In this third and final run, Sheila faces a crunch point as her newfound independence continues to grind the gears of her conservative husband Danny (Rory Scovell). And fittingly, given the happy-clappy San Diego milieu of the show, Sheila realises that as new personal and business challenges arise (look out for an entertaining turn from Zooey Deschanel), her real antagonist is herself.
Apple TV+, from Wednesday 2 August
***
Hot Yachts
“It looks like money flying through the water.” This hyper-aspirational, resoundingly hollow reality series is best regarded as a maritime version of the Selling Sunset franchise with various tanned, aggressive yacht brokers squabbling over giant luxury boats in south Florida. You might not be amazed to learn that none of these people seem very nice – basically, they party as hard as they bargain, stab each other in the back without a second thought and live in houses that make Trump Tower look like an exemplar of modest good taste. Exhausting.
Paramount+, from Thursday 3 August
***
Vanishing Act
This drama is based on the bizarre and disturbing true story of Melissa Caddick – a rogue financial adviser who went missing in Sydney in November 2020 and whose dead body was found, three months later and 310 miles away. Caddick (Kate Atkinson) lived a life of luxury but it transpired that her extravagance was fuelled by a giant Ponzi scheme in which she defrauded not only clients but also friends and family (including her own parents). How did her scam fall apart? The drama is accompanied by a documentary examining the facts behind the fiction.
ITVX, from Thursday 3 August
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The Lincoln Lawyer
A second series for this glossy drama (based on Michael Connelly’s novels) about Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an idealistic lawyer who runs his LA practice out of the back seat of his car. As we return, Mickey’s resting up in hospital after upsetting the wrong people in connection with Lisa’s trial. As ever, he is closing in on the truth – but a mixture of the labyrinthine case and his own unconventional methods is threatening to undermine his chances. And all the while, Izzy (Jazz Raycole) is making a series of tricky moves.
Netflix, from Thursday 3 August
***
Enemy of the People
The latest drama unearthed by the Walter Presents strand is this intriguing Finnish thriller, which mines the hysteria of celebrity worship and conspiracy theories. When reporter Katja Salonen (Kreeta Salminen) writes an article alleging that a local football hero is involved in nefarious business schemes, she incurs the wrath of his fanbase. When he’s then found dead at his swanky villa in the Med, their anger becomes physically threatening. Katja finds her life depends on revealing a series of dangerous truths involving corrupt politicians and a crypto scam.
Channel 4, from Friday 4 August
