Three days before the Australian Open kicks off this year, a new 10-part series, Break Point, follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in grand slams and tournaments around the world.
From the team behind the hugely popular COVID-era F1: Drive to Survive, our very own Australian Open men’s doubles champions Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis hit it off in the first episode.
Renowned for their on-court antics, not to mention the theatrics, and song-and-dance routines from showman Kyrgios, the Netflix series follows the new generation of champions desperate to get on centre court and win.
“From career-threatening injuries and emotional heartbreak, to triumphant victories and personal moments off the court, viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the pressure-tested lives of some of the best tennis players in the world,” says Netflix of the January 13 release.
Kyrgios controversially tweeted this week: “Haha so after all this, all the media, journalism saying how bad I am for the sport, disrespecting the game and just a pure villain, I am going to be the number one episode on Netflix … to grow our fan base, basically trying to put tennis on the map again”.
“And essentially putting more money in everyone’s pockets that’s involved with tennis, you all look ridiculous now, your apology should be as loud as your disrespect was.”
After the next-level showmanship and skill from the Special Ks, we get to be flies on the wall for Matteo Berrettini (Italy) and Ajla Tomljanovic (Australia) at the Australian Open, then at Indian Wells with Maria Sakkari (Greece) and Taylor Fritz (USA).
Episode four is based in Madrid with Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) and Paula Badosa (Spain) followed by the French Open Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) and Casper Ruud (Norway) before a resumption of the last five episodes in June.
The Almond and the Seahorse: Paramount+, January 1
Australian actress and comedian, Rebel Wilson, has had a big year, including finding her princess, having a child by surrogate and travelling the world.
In between all that, she’s made Senior Year and this one, exclusive to Paramount+ about two couples brought together after traumatic brain injuries.
Reviews have been mixed.
Variety describes “patchy storytelling”: “This overstuffed narrative never quite finds its footing, wobbling between cutesy comedy and tearful histrionics”.
On the other hand, film review platform commonsensemedia gave it four stars, describing it as a powerful adaptation of the “widely lauded play”.
Live to Lead: Netflix, December 31
Harry and Meghan’s next project is a seven-part series showcasing seven world leaders who’ve made a difference to their countries.
Facing more controversy after their first series about their exit from the royal family, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern distanced herself from the series after being blindsided that it would be voiced and executive-produced by the California-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Kaleidoscope: Netflix, January 1
To kick off the year with a bang is this compelling crime anthology series, loosely inspired by the real-life story where $7 billion in bonds went missing in downtown Manhattan during Hurricane Sandy.
With eight episodes spanning from 24 years before the heist to six months after, Collider reckons Kaleidoscope (formerly Jigsaw) is going to be Netflix’s next big heist drama series, or at least that’s the promise.
“The most noteworthy thing about Kaleidoscope is its narrative. Unlike most other series, this thriller series is structured in a non-linear order, and you can choose to watch the episodes randomly, without any particular order.
“And still, the order of episodes that you watch will tie back to the finale.”
Clever.
Transfusion: Stan, January 1
Sam Worthington is the actor of the moment, thanks to his starring role in James Cameron’s epic Avatar: The Way of Water.
Here, he plays former special forces operative Ryan Logan.
Battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife, Logan is suddenly thrust into the criminal underworld to keep his only son from being taken from him.
Also starring Phoebe Tonkin (Stan Original Series, Bloom) and Matt Nable (The Dry and Stan Original Film, Poker Face), Transfusion could be the flick that gets you through New Year’s Day.
Call the Midwife: Foxtel on Demand/Binge, January 2
In eight one-hour episodes, we get to see once again the nuns and nurses from Nonnatus House for more stories of midwifery and family life set in 1960s East London in season 12.
This time, it’s 1968 and Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech creates serious tension in Poplar, especially when a group of dockers march in support of Powell.
The midwives welcome a new nun, Sister Veronica, who’s an instant hit with everyone – except Nurse Crane.
The Pale Blue Eye: Netflix, January 6
There’s a certain cohort who just love murder mysteries, and this one is about a retired detective who recruits an astute West Point cadet named Edgar Allan Poe to help him solve a grisly series of murders at the US Military Academy.
Vikings: Valhalla: Season 2: Netflix, January 12
Fans of Norse legends, axes and Aussie actors are in for a treat with a new season of Vikings: Valhalla.
Starring Australian Sam Corlett, Netflix says “this historical drama will have you edged to your seats with all the twists and turns like never before”.
Servant: Apple TV+, January 13
From M Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Following its suspenseful season three finale, season four brings the final chapter of the Turner story to an epic and emotional conclusion.
Super League: The War for Football: Apple TV+, January 13
This four-part series documents the high stakes battle that is set off when plans for a breakaway league emerge and the past, present, and future of European football collide, leaving the game’s most powerful leaders to defend, or upend, the traditions of the sport.
Your Honor: Stan, January 14
Starring Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), the acclaimed legal thriller that broke network viewership records in the U.S. will return for season 2.
That ’90s Show: Netflix, January 19
All time favourite sitcom That ‘70s Show is back with a new installment, That ’90s Show, where it’s 1995 and Leia Forman visits her grandparents for the summer and bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids.
Returning to the series many years later are icons Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp, Callie Haverda, Ashley Aufderheide, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Donovan, Reyn Doi, and Sam Morelos.
Tweet from @JeremyRenner
Mayor of Kingstown Season 2: Paramount+, January 16
Starring Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner and Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest, the second series follows the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry.
Extraordinary: Disney+, January 25
From debut writer Emma Moran and the producers of Killing Eve is this UK original comedy series and if you get hooked, all eight episodes drop on the same day.
Lead by a cast of rising talent, this series is set in a world where everyone develops a power on their 18th birthday … everyone, that is, except for Jen.
Grand Designs Australia: Foxtel, January 25
The compelling house design show returns for its final season hosted by multi award-winning architect Peter Maddison, who has been following the remarkable journeys of Australia’s most ambitious and resilient architectural trailblazers for the last ten seasons.
Hampton Court: Behind Closed Doors: Foxtel, January 26
This three-part series is an intimate look behind the scenes of King Henry VIII’s favourite palace and country retreat on the Thames. A Tudor jewel, Hampton Court now receives over a million visitors a year.
In this series we’ll be getting up close and personal with the palace warders as they take us into the vast kitchens, the secret nooks, hidden crannies, vast grounds and gardens.
You People: Netflix, January 27
You People, the long awaited comedy flick starring legendary comic Jonah Hill with Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Lauren London.
Shrinking: Apple TV+, January 27
From Jason Segel, Emmy Award winning Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence and Emmy Award-winning Ted Lasso star, writer and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein, is this new 10-episode comedy.
Apple TV says “it follows a grieving therapist (played by Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.
