Pick of the week
Gutsy
In 2019, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton co-authored The Book of Gutsy Women. This eight-part series sees the mother and daughter bring their book to life, meeting women who, via art, activism or community leadership, have effected change. It begins with a fascinating look at comedy. Chelsea is scarred by her experiences as the president’s daughter (“I was made fun of so much, when I was a child, by people who were professional comics”) and has a troubled relationship with the art form. But by talking to female comics including Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and the excellent, challenging Natalie Palamides, she explores how empowering and subversive laughter can be. Phil Harrison
Apple TV+, from Friday
***
Wedding Season
There’s a tottering tower of cliches surrounding this wedding-set comedy-drama: the messy friendship group, the inebriated intimacy, the one-night stand with far-reaching consequences. But for a maximalist upping of the stakes, it chucks a dancefloor tracheotomy and a number of suspected murders into the pot, too. The story centres on hapless Stefan (Gavin Drea) who meets Rosa Salazar’s Katie a few months before her own nuptials. Their hasty hookup leads Stefan to make an impulsive intervention at her wedding – but how far is he willing to go? Wild, unpredictable and slightly odd. PH
Disney+, from Thursday
***
Cobra Kai
This Karate Kid sequel continues to tout its canny and nicely balanced combination of knowing comedy and morality parables. The fifth season picks up in the aftermath of Miyagi-Do Karate’s tournament defeat. As promised, the dojo is shutting its doors. Into the vacuum steps predatory Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), complete with black capsule wardrobe and blond ponytail. Looking and behaving like an 80s Bond villain, he threatens to spread his brutal karate style across LA. Ralph Macchio’s Daniel has other ideas – and a secret weapon. PH
Netflix, from Friday
***
Redemption
Another of Channel 4’s excellent foreign language dramas, this time from Italy and being launched via their streaming service All 4. Valerio (Alessandro Gassman) is an anguished, isolated former cop whose world darkens still further when the body of his estranged son is found on the banks of the Tiber. There’s a general assumption that the young man has taken his own life but Valerio and his old flame Sara (Maya Sansa) aren’t convinced. Cue an investigation in which, as per the title, Valerio tries to redeem himself as both a policeman and a father. PH
All 4, out now
***
Mike
The life and career of Mike Tyson are dramatised in this eight-part series. Despite not being authorised by the boxer, the show is narrated by the actor playing Tyson (Trevante Rhodes) – a style that will be familiar from I, Tonya, the biopic from this series’ director Craig Gillespie. As it traces Tyson’s career from the streets of Brooklyn to the youngest heavyweight champ in history, plus his 1992 rape conviction and post-release career, it promises to set its subject’s tale within the context of the American dream, the power of the media, and society’s role in shaping his career. Alexi Duggins
Disney+, from Thursday
***
Central Park
This charming curio has made it to a third season. Like an animated musical Parks and Recreation, it’s basically a paean to public space and civic duty. As we return, idealistic park ranger Owen Tillerman (Leslie Odom Jr) is still shielding Central Park from all attempts to commercialise it. When one of his favourite TV shows rocks up to shoot an episode, he’s excited. But only if they’re willing to show his beloved space in a good light. Very likable, and the musical interludes – including a rap about low-level municipal corruption – are good fun, too. PH
Apple TV+, from Friday
***
Narco-Saints
A gripping, fish-out-of-water Korean gangster action inspired by a true story. Ha Jung-woo is Kang In-gu, a small-time entrepreneur who accepts a dubious business proposition and finds himself dragged into a nightmare in cocaine hotspot Suriname. At the behest of cop Choi Chang-ho (Park Hae-soo of Squid Game fame), the unfortunate Kang finds himself imprisoned then used to infiltrate a sprawling, deadly criminal organisation. Jung-woo is a convincing and nuanced lead, who might have a trick or two up his sleeve. PH
Netflix, from Friday
