This week we have the extraordinary true story of a social media-fuelled business venture that got out of control and a celebration of the life and career of the British national treasure Barbara Windsor. There’s also tech satire in Mythic Quest, a brilliant counterfactual dystopian drama and a detective procedural with a difference starring Kaitlin Olson.
Mythic Quest
Available on Apple TV in the UK and the US
Co-created by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s (and AFC Wrexham’s) Rob McElhenney, this tech comedy has shades of HBO’s Silicon Valley in its desire to satirise the tech industry. The show centres on the story of the people behind a hugely successful online video game called Mythic Quest and stars McElhenney as Ian Grimm, its creator and creative director. A smart comedy with a sprinkling of just the right amount of silliness, this is a show that will appeal to those who admire sharp writing and quirky performances.
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
Available on Netflix in the UK and the US
An extraordinary exploration of the power of social media and hubris, this documentary chronicles how a music festival in 2017 became the hottest ticket on the party circuit but never actually happened. It follows the creator of the project, Billy McFarland, as he assembles a team and creates a huge amount of online hype around a festival in the Bahamas, but things start to unravel when it becomes clear you need a lot more than models and Instagram to make a music festival in paradise actually deliver on its promises.
The Man in the High Castle
Available on Prime Video in the UK and the US
Based on Philip K Dick’s 1962 novel, this dark and gritty counterfactual dystopian series explores a world where the axis powers of Nazi Germany and Japan had won the Second World War and ruled the globe. Executive-produced by Ridley Scott and featuring a fine performance from Rufus Sewell, it follows a number of characters battling against the oppressive system while attempting to understand secret films that illustrate a world where the Allies had won the war.
Babs
Available on BBC iPlayer in the UK
Focusing on the strained relationship with her estranged father and a glittering showbusiness career, this powerful biopic gives a powerful and fascinating insight into the life and career of the British actress Barbara Windsor. Written by Tony Jordan and starring Windsor herself, as well as a number of actresses including Jaime Winstone and Honor Kneafsey playing her at different stages of her life, this is an entertaining and poignant look at the life of the EastEnders and Carry On legend.
High Potential
Available on Disney+ in the UK and the US
A procedural crime series with a difference, High Potential is about a single mother, Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), with an IQ of 160 (a high-potential intellectual) working as a cleaner for the Los Angeles Police Department. After reorganising evidence unsolicited and inadvertently helping with a case, she ends up being recruited as a consultant to the police. What results is a pleasing mix of odd-couple work relationships, quirky crime solving and plenty of frustrated police officers attempting to do things by the book. It’s a lot of fun with a fine central performance from Olson.
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 films and TV shows this month