Best new shows to stream – quick links
The Other Bennet Sister – 16 March (Binge)
Series. Based on Janice Hadlow’s acclaimed novel, this new BBC One drama brings Mary Bennet – the oft-overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice – into the spotlight.
Following the events of Jane Austen’s much-loved novel from Mary Bennet’s point of view, the story follows Mary (Ella Bruccoleri, Call The Midwife) as she travels to London and the Lake District, pursuing a romantic adventure in Regency England.
Imperfect Women – 18 March (Apple TV)
Series. Imperfect Women examines a crime that shatters the lives of three women in a decades-long friendship. This unconventional new thriller explores the themes of guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that irrevocably alter our lives. As the investigation unravels, so does the truth about how even the closest friendships may not be what they seem.
Starring (and executive produced by) Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Men) and Kerry Washington (Scandal) along with Kate Mara (Shooter, House of Cards) and Joel Kinnaman (RoboCop, Altered Carbon, For All Mankind). Watch the trailer.
Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 – 19 March (Netflix)
Series. This drama series created, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry, follows two young women from opposite sides of the tracks – one who is trying to survive her day-to-day as a stripper hostage to a violent pimp, and the other juggling a successful haircare company with dysfunctional in-laws and a loveless marriage.
In the second instalment of Season 2, Kimmie takes the reins of the Bellarie empire and confronts a vicious family power struggle, where betrayal, greed and danger lurk at every turn.
Northern Exposure Seasons 1-6 – 19 March (SBS On Demand)
Series. This Emmy-winning series might have been unavailable to audiences for years, but its warm-hearted charms are ready to be discovered again. The series stars Rob Morrow (Quiz Show, Numbers) as a recent med school graduate who owes four years of medical service to Alaska because of a condition of his student loans. After relocating to the remote town of Cicely to settle his debt, it isn’t long before the brash New York City native realises the unique eccentricities of the town’s inhabitants.
Northern Exposure had an indelible impact on TV and culture at large. It laid the groundwork for offbeat series like Gilmore Girls and Schitt’s Creek, featured one of TV’s first gay weddings, and was lauded for its nuanced and celebratory depiction of Native American characters, informed by consultants and cast members.
Its impact even extends into music with Bon Iver deriving his stage name from a phrase he heard during his binge of the series while he was sick with glandular fever. This hilarious and beautifully written dramedy also stars John Corbett (United States of Tara, Sex and the City) and Janine Turner (Steel Magnolias, Cliffhanger).
Deadloch Season 2 – 20 March (Prime Video)
Series. When Aussies Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan (The Katering Show) turned their hand to a dark parody of small town murder series, the result was a global hit – pulling off the rare feat of being both a quality parody and a solid example of the thing it was sending up. Forget Tassie Noir, Deadloch Season 2 is entering its Tropical Goth era in the Top End.
It’s been three years since we last hung out with the crime-fighting duo of Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and Detective Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami). Now, they’ve left the chilly town of Deadloch for Eddie’s home turf of Barra Creek in the Northern Territory, where the duo seeks to uncover the truth about the death of her former police partner.
Sticky, sweaty and juggling comprehensive thrush infections, the detectives find themselves embroiled in a world of crocodile-fuelled tourism, overstretched Indigenous rangers, cagey locals and seven-metre-long prehistoric predators. As the humidity builds, and Eddie and Dulcie dig deeper, more questions arise – not only about the case, but the many secrets that lie beneath the surface of this small town. Sounds like hot stuff.
The first two episodes of Deadloch Season 2 premiere on 20 March, with new episodes released weekly, culminating in the season finale on 17 April. Watch the trailer.
