SBS On Demand: quick links
SBS On Demand: new this week
Karla Grant Presents: Buffalo Legends (22 September)
Documentary. ‘The Legends’ were a group of men who formed the Buffaloes Football Club and championed fair play on and off the sporting field. Many of the men came out of Darwin’s notorious Kahlin Compound where they had been placed because the law classified them as half-castes and removed them from their mothers. The law, however, allowed them to play football and by the 1930s they were playing it better than anyone else in Darwin.
Buffalo Legends allows the descendants of the original Legends to tell us, with their own in-your-face humour and candour, how multiculturalism was established in Darwin long before the word was invented … and why it is still worth fighting for.
Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham (22 September)
Documentary Series. Having made the shock discovery that there are 18 other Birminghams (17 in the US and one in Canada), proud Brummie Joe Lycett embarks on an American road trip to see a country through its Birminghams. With the blessing of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Joe sets out to build a special relationship between Britain’s second city and its namesakes, cementing formal partnerships in the shape of ‘Friendship Agreements’.
The People vs Robodebt (24 September)
Documentary Series. In the long hot summer of 2016, the federal government’s new Online Compliance Intervention scheme roared like a bushfire through Australian society. This automated welfare system soon became known as ‘Robodebt’ and over the next three years, almost half a million Australians were hounded to pay back debts they did not owe. The series has unparalleled access to the heroic people who took a stand against Robodebt. Watch the trailer.
Home, Land & Sea Series 2 (24 September)
Documentary Series. The Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust is committed to finding ways to ensure that Ruatahuna is a thriving community, through their commercial ventures and regular wananga reconnecting people.
Secrets of Flying Scotsman (24 September)
Documentary Series. Flying Scotsman is the world’s most famous steam locomotive. Built in 1923, it became a symbol of the Golden Age of Steam and an enduring example of British design and engineering. This is the story of how it became the first steam train to reach 100mph – and captured a place in the hearts of the nation.
The Patient (24 September)
Series. Featuring Steve Carell as therapist Alan Strauss, The Patient is a psychological thriller about a therapist who is held prisoner by patient Sam Fortner (Domhnall Gleeson), who reveals himself to be a serial killer. With time running out, Alan fights desperately to stop Sam before Alan becomes complicit in Sam’s murders or worse – becomes a target himself. Watch the trailer.
Beyond Bali with Lara Lee (25 September)
Food Series. Beyond Bali with Lara Lee is a captivating new food and travel series that takes us into some of the world’s most exotic islands. Hosted by acclaimed chef and author Lara Lee, this surprising journey of discovery goes beyond the usual tourist hotspots, inviting viewers into the heart of the archipelago.
Air Fryer Diet: Lose Weight, Cook Fast (26 September)
Food Series. This series is packed full of ingenious ways to feel healthier and save cash with your trusted air fryer by your side. Presented by Cherry Healey, we will compare all your favourite meals and treats with an air fryer version, setting you up to be able to have your cake and eat it.
The Orient Express: A Golden Era of Travel (27 September)
Documentary Series. In its golden era, the legendary train was a second home for celebrities, politicians, monarchs and spies – as well as a notable inspiration for author, Agatha Christie. This series explores the history of the route and charts how Europe has changed since the Orient Express launched in 1883.
75 Years At Longleat (27 September)
Documentary Series. Step behind the scenes of the world famous Longleat House and Gardens as it celebrates 75 years of being open to the public. Lord and Lady Bath have granted unprecedented access to their stately home and safari park and a wide selection of the 600 people who work there – from animal keepers to cleaners, gardeners to cooks, historians to handymen, as they reveal what it takes to keep a grand estate open for up to one million annual visitors.
Mysteries From Above (27 September)
Documentary Series. Every episode of this thrilling investigative series explores our planet’s most perplexing puzzles – from eerie abandoned sites, to staggering natural marvels, to the evocative relics of ancient civilizations – Mysteries From Above utilises cutting-edge satellites, drones, and aerial views to uncover long-forgotten secrets; solve earth-bound enigmas; explore bizarre natural phenomena leading to astonishing new discoveries – many of which dramatically change the way we see ourselves, and the world around us.
Naachtun, The Forgotten Mayan City (28 September)
Documentary. Naachtun is the last city of the Mayan golden age. We know little about it and archaeologists have just started excavating a few years ago. Isolated and in the middle of the tropical forest of Guatemala, the researchers are trying to understand how it can have survived for almost 200 years after the collapse of the Mayan civilisation in surrounding cities, and in doing so, to shed new light on the history of the people.
The Lost Empire of Palmyra (28 September)
Documentary. Palmyra, Syria. This glorious ancient city sits in the heart of the Syrian desert. But the passage of time and recent destruction by ISIS terrorists, have left it in ruins. Now, investigators have unique access to return to this lost wonder. They explore why this grand city is built in the middle of nowhere and how its engineers have gone to incredible lengths to ensure its survival.
Uncanny Seasons 1-2 (28 September)
Speculative Documentary Series. Do ghosts exist? Are you Team Believer or Team Sceptic? Danny Robins investigates real-life stories of seemingly paranormal encounters. In this series, the hit podcast Uncanny comes to our screens. Uncanny features real-life stories of apparently supernatural encounters told by the people they happened to – experiences that appear to defy logical explanation. Or do they?
Hudson & Rex Season 7 (28 September)
Series. Hudson & Rex is an action-packed one-hour procedural driven by dedicated Detective Charlie Hudson and his extraordinary German Shepherd partner, Rex, as they solve complex cases each week. In the seventh season Hudson and Rex place more trust than ever in their team and one another as they face unprecedented challenges.
SBS On Demand users can also expect new episodes of the following series this week: If You Are The One, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Adam Richman Eats Football, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Dreaming Big, Aerial Australia, and more.
The World Athletics Championship 2025 also continues, with live events throughout the week.
SBS On Demand: recent highlights
Calipari: Razor’s Edge (16 September)
Documentary Series. Hall of Fame coach John Calipari builds winners, which Arkansas fans expect. However, reaching the top has never been more challenging in today’s chaotic college basketball world. See and hear how Calipari tries to mould young men into champions. Watch the trailer.
Signs For Change (20 September)
Documentary. Rose Ayling-Ellis fronts an exciting and ground-breaking film challenging perceptions of the deaf community and putting audiences at the heart of the deaf experience. Following the news that as of April 2022, British Sign Language has been officially recognised in law, Signs For Change follows Rose Ayling-Ellis on a personal journey as she speaks to those closest to her, as well as the people pushing boundaries within the deaf community. Watch the trailer.
