This week Matthew Rhys stars in a new comedy-horror and Sheridan Smith returns to the small screen in the casino crime thriller The Cage. Man on Fire gets a new adaptation, this time starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Gemma Arterton is playing spy games and a family saga is told through the eyes of three generations of women in The House of the Spirits.
Widow’s Bay
Available on Apple TV in the UK and the US
Matthew Rhys is the mayor of a small New England island town in this comedy-horror series which proves that politics is far from a simple business. While the locals warn him that dark secrets and superstitions are preventing the town from moving on, he decides that the price of progress must be change, only to unleash many of the worst fears of the community. Character comedy blends with scares in a deliciously dark comic adventure.
Man on Fire
Available on Netflix in the UK and the US
If you recognise the title of this show, it may be because you remember the two previous film adaptations of AJ Quinnell’s 1980 novel, the first in 1987 starring Scott Glenn, and more recently the 2004 Tony Scott movie with Denzel Washington. This time it’s the turn of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to take on the role of the former special forces mercenary John Creasy, who attempts to make a fresh start after leaving the field only for the need for revenge to disrupt his new life.
The Cage
Available on BBC iPlayer in the UK
Written by the Bafta-nominated Tony Schumacher, who created The Responder starring Martin Freeman, The Cage takes us to Liverpool once again for this high-stakes crime drama set in a casino. Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha play characters who are both stealing from the casino, and the show follows their lives as they become intertwined when their crimes bring them under the scrutiny of the police and the gangsters from whom they’ve been stealing.
Secret Service
Available on ITVX in the UK
Gemma Arterton and Rafe Spall star in this new five-part espionage series based on the novel of the same name by the ITV News at Ten anchor Tom Bradby. The fast-paced thriller focuses on the head of the Russia desk of the British intelligence service, who learns that a senior member of the government may be an asset for Moscow. The strong cast includes Mark Stanley, Alex Kingston, Amaka Okafor, Khalid Abdalla, Avi Nash and Roger Allam.
The House of the Spirits
Available on Prime Video in the UK and the US
Based on Isabel Allende’s internationally acclaimed novel, which has sold more than 70 million copies worldwide, this eight-episode series follows the story of a family across half a century. At the heart of the show are the experiences of Clara, Blanca and Alba, three generations of women in a conservative South American society shaped by the constant changes in political leadership and class struggles.
Love TV? Discover the best shows on Netflix, the best Prime Video TV shows and the best Apple TV+ shows. Don’t forget to check our critics’ choices to watch and our comprehensive TV guide, plus our look at the finest upcoming films and TV shows this month