Pick of the week
We Were the Lucky Ones
It is late 1930s Poland and the Kurc family are drinking “to future adventures”. But the next decade will be more traumatic than they can possibly imagine. This drama, based on Georgia Hunter’s novel, tells the true story of one Jewish family’s attempts to evade the Nazis and stay together while they cross continents in search of safety. It feels a touch too glossy to capture the desperation of the situation as it was really experienced, but it does a good job of tracing the gradually escalating climate of fear as the horrors faced by both the family and the wider Jewish community become clear. Joey King and Logan Lerman star as the siblings at the heart of the story.
Disney+, from Wednesday 19 June
***
Agents of Mystery
The flood of unusual reality formats coming out of South Korea shows no sign of abating. This one is best described as a sort of celebrity, supernatural version of The Crystal Maze. A team of investigators (made up of actors including Lee Hyeri, Trish Le and Kim Do-hoon) are given the task of “solving” various mysteries in spooky underground locations. But, inevitably, it goes a little further than one might expect – via a series of unpleasant shocks and surprises, what starts as lighthearted fun soon develops into an experience the team find genuinely unnerving. Quite possibly a cult hit in the making.
Netflix, from Tuesday 18 June
***
Rick and Morty
The seventh season of this time-travelling adult animation is the first since the departure of main voice actor Justin Roiland, who was accused (but subsequently cleared) of domestic violence. While his absence has proved survivable, it adds to the sense that this funny, clever show is approaching its endgame. Also contributing to that impression is this season’s resolution of a long-running narrative arc – not to mention some neat self-criticism in the shape of a cosmic court case that doubles as a clip show. If Rick and Morty is fading, it’s doing so inventively. PH
Netflix, from Wednesday 19 June
***
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Texas Cowboys
This series following the cheerleaders of the Dallas Cowboys NFL team (including intimate access to their auditions and training camps as well as the matchdays themselves) is unexpectedly fascinating. It’s immediately clear that behind the immaculate presentation, the perfect choreography and the fixed smiles, this is a brutal world – standards are impossibly high, competition is fierce and both hearts and bodies are frequently broken along the way. Think SAS: Who Dares Wins with flags, glitter and pom-poms.
Netflix, from Thursday 20 June
***
Porters
This sitcom, first shown on Dave, is a mildly amusing addition to the canon of hospital-set TV shows. As is often the case, the humour is found in the gulf between the high-stakes nature of the setting and the absurd triviality of the characters. We see this world through the eyes of Edward Easton’s Simon. He’s starting in the hospital as a porter but hopes to “work his way up” to doctor status. He appears unaware of the fact that medical careers don’t really work like that but the snarky likes of Simon’s boss Frankie (Susan Wokoma) soon put him in the picture.
BBC iPlayer, from Thursday 20 June
***
Andy Murray: Will to Win
It is almost certain that 2024 will be Andy Murray’s last ever Wimbledon. While his competitive fire still burns brightly, his body is finally calling time on a remarkable career which coincided with an all-time-great era in men’s tennis and would otherwise have yielded many more major titles. This documentary digs into the Murray family archive to explore his life and times. Murray hails from the Scottish town of Dunblane which, during his childhood, was devastated by the mass shooting in 1996. The sports star put the town on the map for happier reasons.
BBC iPlayer, from Thursday 20 June
***
Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood
Is Taylor Swift a pioneering feminist who has defied the innate misogyny of the music business to control both her business affairs and her artistry? Or is she a mercenary with a frighteningly volatile fanbase? This two-parter explores her vexed relationship with mogul Scooter Braun, who bought the masters of her early music for $300m. Given Swift’s notable dislike of Braun, what lay behind this hard-headed decision? Like everything Swift-related, this “Goliath v Goliath” squabble derives its resonance from the singer’s current absolute cultural domination.
Discovery+, from Friday 21 June
