29 March – Good Friday
The Beautiful Game (Netflix)
Film. A team of English football players heads to Rome for the annual Homeless World Cup in this feel-good drama. Starring Bill Nighy, Susan Wokoma and Micheal Ward.
The Boys in the Boat (Prime Video)
Sports drama based on the bestselling novel written by Daniel James Brown. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. Stars Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner.
A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount+)
Miniseries. A Russian aristocrat is spared from death but put under house arrest during the Bolshevik Revolution. Starring Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Johnny Harris.
Madu (Disney+)
Documentary. Aged just 12, Anthony Madu, who became an internet sensation for his dance videos, leaves everything he knows in Nigeria to study at a prestigious English ballet school for seven years. Plenty of obstacles stand in the way of Madu and his dreams.
Read: Ten top classic comedy films and where to stream them
Renegade Nell (Disney+)
Series. In 18th-century England, Nell Jackson is framed for murder, becoming the country’s most notorious outlaw. Enter a magical spirit, Billy Blind, to raise the stakes – and Nell’s ambition – to a whole new level. when a magical spirit called Billy Blind appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined. Starring Louisa Harland, Frank Dillane and Ényì Okoronkwo.
STEVE! (martin) (Apple TV+)
First part of a two-part documentary by Morgan Neville about the actor and comedian, from his early days in stand-up to his ongoing search for personal fulfilment. Part 1, Then, chronicles Steve Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionise standup before walking away at 35. part 2, Now, focuses on the present day, with Steve Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life. From A24 and Tremolo Productions, the documentary is directed and produced by Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbour?).
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock – Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Series. Season 2 again follows the adventures of a group of cave-dwelling puppet creatures called Fraggles. Jim Henson’s fun-loving and musical Fraggles – Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt – are joined this time by new Fraggles and Doozers, who embark on epic, hilarious adventures about the magic that happens when we celebrate and care for our interconnected world. Daveed Diggs returns for Season 2 alongside Ariana DeBose, Brett Goldstein and Catherine O’Hara in guest star roles.
Big Mood
Series. Big Mood is a daring new comedy combining wicked humour, messy drama and the ups and downs of female friendships. The series follows best friends Maggie and Eddie, who have lived in each other’s pockets for ten years. But with their thirties looming, careers hanging in the balance, and Maggie’s bipolar disorder making an unwelcome return, Eddie questions whether this friendship is really in their best interests. Starring Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West.
30 March
Vikings – Seasons 1-6 (Netflix)
Series. This gritty drama following the exploits of Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok as he extends the Norse reach by challenging an unfit leader who lacks vision. Starring Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick and Clive Standen.
31 March – Easter Sunday
Antiques Roadshow – Season 45 (ABC iview)
Fiona Bruce and the Roadshow team visit more of Britain’s most sumptuous and unusual locations, inviting the public to bring their antiques for examination and share stories of how they came to own them.
1 April – Easter Monday
Justified – Seasons 1–6 (Prime Video)
US Marshal Raylan Givens, a ‘strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past’, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need … and served in the way he deems fit. Starring Tomothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy and Joelle Carter.
Jumanji: The Next Level (Prime Video)
2019 film. The gang reunites but the game has changed. This time, they have to rescue one of their own and traverse environmental extremes in order to survive – with plenty of laughs along the way. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart.
Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta – Seasons 1–3 (AMC+)
Series following the highs and lows of being born into Hip Hop royalty in the city that the New York Times called ‘Hip Hop’s centre of gravity’, showing that Atlanta’s next generation of hip hop stars do not always get along. Growing up together in the shadow of their legendary parents has established tight bonds and bitter rivalries, as everybody fights for their chance to push their way into the spotlight.
Mayflies (AMC+ & Acorn TV)
Miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Andrew O’Hagan. Thirty years since they first met and bonded over music, films and the rebel spirit in the small Scottish town of their birth, successful writer Jimmy Collins receives devastating news and a request from best friend Tully Dawson. Tully wants to end his life by assisted suicide in Switzerland, and he wants Jimmy to help him.
As Jimmy wrestles with the moral dilemma of Tully’s request, the two men reflect on their friendship and the course of their lives, reminiscing about a magical teenage weekend in Manchester where they made a vow – to go at life differently. Starring Martin Compston and Tony Curran.
Daniel Richter (DocPlay)
Film (2023). Oscar-winning director Pepe Danquart accompanied the painter Daniel Richter for three years. The resulting documentary offers a picture of an artist searching for the meaning of his work.
Read: ABC and SBS this Easter: family-friendly streaming shows and films
Added recently
Windcatcher – Stan (28 March)
Read: Windcatcher, Stan review: fun family film with Jessica Mauboy
Starring Jessica Mauboy in her first film role since The Sapphires (2012), and introducing Lennox Monaghan, this new Stan Original film is ‘a heart-warming tale of a young Aboriginal boy growing up in regional Australia’. In the face of adversity, Percy Boy (Monaghan) must lean on his friends, family and community to overcome his fears, prove his resilience and become a force to be reckoned with.
Obituary – BritBox (28 March)
Series combining dark comedy, crime and drama. 24-year-old Elvira Clancy is feeling unfulfilled, although she adores her job writing obituaries, but when she ‘accidentally’ kills a town low-life, she discovers she has a touch of untapped bloodlust. Starring Siobhán Cullen, Michael Smiley and Ronan Raftery.
Alone Australia – Season 2 – SBS On Demand (27 March)
Ten Australian survivalists are dropped into the extreme and wild terrain of New Zealand’s South Island in the second, ten-espisode instalment of the hit reality series.
