Pick of the week
Black Mirror
During the pandemic, Charlie Brooker suggested that, given the circumstances, people might not be in the mood for another season of his dystopian anthology. He’s clearly decided things are sufficiently back to normal for us to stomach more of his dark speculations. Settings range from the beige tonal palette of 70s northern England to the blazing hypercolour of the near future, but the preoccupations remain familiar: lives invaded, manipulated, transformed and (who knows?)maybe even enhanced by technology. Once again, the show has attracted some A-list talent: Salma Hayek Pinault, Michael Cera and Aaron Paul are among the stellar names involved.
Netflix, from Thursday 15 June
***
The Full Monty
Writer Simon Beaufoy’s 1997 film caught the post-Thatcher, downtrodden-but-defiant zeitgeist. Now, “eight northern regeneration policies” later, Sheffield’s unlikely strippers are back. All the original cast are present and correct but there’s no exotic dance this time. The tone is similar to the film: bright and breezy with an undertow of melancholy and class anger. And after the accidental kidnapping (by Gaz’s daughter Destiny) of the canine winner of Britain’s Got Talent, it’s clear that these characters remain bound by friendship but more adrift than ever from the imperatives of modern Britain.
Disney+, from Wednesday 14 June
***
Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact
The emergency contact of the title is the punchline of a joke about oral sex – clearly Amy Schumer has lost none of her relish for smut in this new standup special. Filmed at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, Schumer gets plenty of mileage out of the disappointments of marital sex, the problems of baby naming and the pros and cons of chewable Viagra. As ever with Schumer, there are hints of vulnerability that save the material from being gratuitous and nudge it in the direction of something more universal and revealing.
Netflix, from Tuesday 13 June
***
Our Planet II
With David Attenborough offering his voiceover gravitas on tap, this is another beautifully shot and hugely ambitious attempt to portray the extremes of life on planet Earth. Filmed across 204 locations over four years, there’s a strong emphasis on movement in this series; the mass migrations of everything from crabs to whales feature heavily. Across land and sea, the animals are constantly in motion and there are bittersweet moments as their travels take them through zones compromised by human activity.
Netflix, from Wednesday 14 June
***
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Many fantasy shows that seek to build new realms around already well-loved franchises go down the dystopian route – and it can feel slightly lazy, using darkness as a shorthand for depth. This Star Trek expansion (a prequel of sorts) takes a different approach – it’s bright and breezy and a quip is never far away. That said, there’s some serious business in this second season as the crew look death in the eye in order to save a civilisation. However, the emphasis remains on exploration and the interpersonal relationships between Pike, Spock, Uhura and the rest of the gang.
Paramount+, from Thursday 15 June
***
Count Abdulla
Is wearing fangs and a Dracula outfit to a Halloween party cultural appropriation? Maybe not, but just hope you don’t meet a real vampire on your way home. Abdulla Khan (Arian Nik) is a British Muslim doctor in this comedy, trapped between secular temptations and his religious roots. He’s an outsider, but when he runs into vampire Jaime Winston and learns that the undead aren’t just a costume, he acquires a potentially liberating third identity. Vampirism is a slightly clunky metaphor for other forms of cultural alienation, but Nik is a persuasively bumbling lead.
ITVX, from Thursday 15 June
***
The Grand Tour: Eurocrash
While it looks as if Jeremy Clarkson has worn out his welcome at Prime Video, he’s getting a lengthy lap of honour. The latest of his working stag trips with his old pals Richard Hammond and James May sees them travelling through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia in search of automotive curios and vigorous male bonding. The banter highlight of this sixth series is probably Clarkson’s failed attempt to disgorge himself from a Formula One racing car – eventually, the vehicle has to be dismantled around him. Which may be nature’s way of telling him to call it a day.
Prime Video, from Friday 16 June
