This week we have a great gang crime drama from Ireland and two Oscar winners in a story of boom and bust. We’ve got a one-off series from JJ Abrams named after a car, Nathan Fielder’s quirky docu-comedy and a period drama about brothel wars in 18th-century London.
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WeCrashed
Available to watch on Apple TV in the UK and the US
While there’s no shortage of stories inspired by true events, they don’t all star not one but two Oscar winners. Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway head the cast in the extraordinary tale of Adam and Rebekah Neumann, who were the married couple behind the WeWork co-working empire that over a decade grew to be valued at a $47 billion. However, as is often the case with such start-up stories, all was not always well behind the scenes and as the title suggests, the fall was just as spectacular as the rise.
Duster
Available on HBO Max, Sky and Prime Video in the UK and HBO Max in the US
Co-created by JJ Abrams alongside Latoya Morgan, this one-season-wonder crime thriller is based on the FBI’s first black woman agent (Rachel Hilson) operating around a crime syndicate in the southern states in 1972. She’s assisted by a talented getaway driver (Josh Holloway) who drives a 1970 Plymouth Duster (hence the name of the show). A retro thriller with a lot of charm — it’s definitely worth taking out for a spin.
The Rehearsal
Available on HBO Max in the UK and the US
Written, directed by and starring Nathan Fielder, this offbeat docu-comedy has a cult following of people who love it, but remains a mystery to most general TV viewers. As the title suggests, the series is about Fielder helping people to rehearse difficult conversations or life events that they have coming up. Using intricate sets, staging, actors and props, Fielder prepares his subjects with often very amusing outcomes. No subject is too big or too small to be tackled, from white lies to bringing up children. It’s a curious and exciting mix of comedy and real life.
Harlots
Available to watch on U in the UK and on hulu in the US
A period drama inspired by The Covent Garden Ladies by British historian Hallie Rubenhold, this three-series show follows the fortunes of 18th-century brothel owner Margaret Wells as she attempts to battle the religious contempt for her business while improving the fortunes of those who work for her. However, as she moves to a better area of London she becomes embroiled in a battle with a rival madame. The show stars Samantha Morton, Lesley Manville and Jessica Brown-Findlay among a strong British ensemble cast.
Kin
Available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Netflix in the US
A strong cast including Clare Dunne, Charlie Cox, Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds unite for this moody and dark Irish crime drama. Set in Dublin, the show centres on the trials and tribulations of the Kinsella family, a powerful gang who are embroiled in a violent and high-stakes war against an international drugs cartel. With loyalties on the line and questions of blood being thicker than water centre stage, the drama offers a powerful and novel take in a well-trodden genre.
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