New year, new telly. Why not give these 5 suggestions a try. Need some more? Try a previous edition of Stream On: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV – 4 x 60 mins)
I’m often loathe to describe something as an ‘essential’ watch but I’d struggle to use any other word to describe this drama, based on the true story of the British Post Office Scandal – where the Royal Mail accused hundreds of it’s sub-postmasters of theft, false accounting and/or fraud. Some were sent to prison, many lost their homes and livelihoods and a few took their own lives. An impeccably written and performed drama which serves as testament to the power of community, the response to the show itself is also a reminder vital impact the arts can have.
Mad About The Boy: The Noel Coward Story (BBC – 90 mins)
A sumptuous exploration of the life & career of one of the most iconic contributors to both stage & screen. Narrated by Alan Cumming and featuring Rupert Everett as the voice of Noël Coward, there’s something beyond refreshing about a life story being told in it’s subject’s own words.
The Tourist (BBC- 12 x 60 mins)
Having finally watched The Tourist season 1 mere hours before season 2 dropped, I can only apologise for taking so long to get on the bandwagon but also acknowledge I would never have coped with the two year wait-time on that cliff-hanger… Thankfully, neither do you – as both seasons of this crime thriller starring Jamie Dornan as an amnesic stranded in the Australian outback are ready and waiting for you.
Good Grief (Netflix – 100 mins)
Written, directed and starring Dan Levy, your milage on this will depend on how much you A) Love Dan Levy and B) Love slightly slower but tenderly told personal stories. Levy plays Marc, a man who watches his husband (Luke Evans) die suddenly, right in front of him. Best friends Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel) are on hand to help him through his grief, as he tries to pull his life back together.
Days of the Bagnold Summer (Channel4 – 90 mins)
On a similar indie vibe, yet something totally different, we have a family drama about a teen boy (Earl Cave) who is forced to spend his summer with his mother (Monica Dolan) when his father cancels their summer plans together. The director debut of Simon Bird, this is a really charming drama about family and how being a teenager is really bloody awful.
Charlotte Sometimes 
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