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Next big things, epic finales, returning favourites, new comedies and killer dramas: we have rounded up the best TV of spring (with two sneaky summer previews) to keep you going for the next three months.
Sabrina Impacciatore and Domhnall Gleeson in The Paper.Credit:
The Paper
Local newspapers get the mockumentary treatment in this terrific spin-off from the creators of the US version of The Office. Starring Domhnall Gleeson as the idealistic editor of the Toledo Truth Teller, a once-grand midwestern newspaper that now shares office space with a toilet paper sales team, it ticks all the boxes Office fans will be looking for, but comes with a real love for the importance of local journalism. HBO Max, September 4.
Task
Mark Ruffalo (left) stars as an ageing agent in Task.Credit:
How do you follow Kate Winslet’s heartbreaking drama Mare of Easttown? If you are Brad Inglesby, you call up Mark Ruffalo and get him to star as a rumpled FBI agent on the tail of a ruthless local gangster, played by Tom Pelphrey. Our reviewer, Craig Mathieson, has already given this drama five stars, calling it a must-see, relentless crime thriller that embraces love and forgiveness. HBO Max, September 8.
Only Murders in the Building
Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short in Only Murders in the Building.Credit:
Our favourite podcasters are back for a fifth season of this delightful cosy crime (just look at the knitwear and jackets!) that has barely missed a beat since its debut. When the Arconia’s beloved doorman Lester is murdered, Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short) become embroiled in New York’s mob-infested underworld. Despite more big-name guest stars – Renee Zellweger! Tea Leoni! Bobby Cannavale! – the true pleasure of OMITB is still the silly chemistry between the core trio. Disney+, September 9.
Top End Bub
Gwilym Lee, Miranda Tapsell and Gladys-May Kelly in Top End Bub.Credit:
A TV series spin-off of the 2019 film Top End Wedding, this catches up with Lauren (Miranda Tapsell) and Ned (Gwilym Lee) five years after their nuptials, with the couple now living in Adelaide. However, a tragedy leads them back to the Northern Territory, and they become the guardians of Lauren’s eight-year-old niece. A terrific local cast, including Ursula Yovich, Elaine Crombie and Rob Collins, helps round out this charming romantic comedy. Amazon Prime Video, September 12.
Dave Hughes, Anne Edmonds, Anisa Nandaula and Tommy Little in Talkin’ Bout Your Generation.Credit:
Talkin’ ’Bout Your Generation
The Boomers have been given the boot in this reboot of the generational game show. Hosted by comedian Anne Edmonds (about time she had her own show), the quiz pits Zoomers, Millennials and Gen X against one another, with comedians Anisa Nandaula, Tommy Little and Dave Hughes as the team captains. Network 10, September 16.
Morning Wars
Nicole Beharie, Reese Witherspoon and Nestor Carbonell in Morning Wars.Credit:
If you thought last season’s Reese Witherspoon-goes-to-space plot was bonkers, I’m happy to report season four of the glossy breakfast TV series continues along much the same delulu path. Oscar-winning guest stars Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons enter the chat, while Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy soldiers on in the most dysfunctional workplace outside the White House. Apple TV+, September 17.
Black Rabbit
Jason Bateman in Black Rabbit.Credit:
The normally clean-cut Jason Bateman enters his beard era in this crime thriller about a pair of brothers – the scruffy Bateman and the slick Jude Law – who (what else?) get caught up in some trouble in New York City. However, there’s also plenty of interest behind the screen, as the eight-part series splits directing duties between Bateman (who won an Emmy for directing Ozark), his Ozark co-star Laura Linney, another Ozark director, Ben Semanoff, and Australian Justin Kurzel. Netflix, September 18.
Mystery Road: Origin
Mark Coles Smith and Robyn Malcolm in Mystery Road: Origin.Credit:
The first season of this top-shelf local drama was a masterclass in prequel-making. By rewinding Jay Swan’s story to 1999, Mark Coles Smith was able to make the character – so wholly associated with Aaron Pedersen across two films and two TV series – his own. Season two picks up a year later, with Swan and his partner, Mary (Tuuli Narkle), in a new town with new problems. Powerhouse Kiwi actor Robyn Malcolm jumps on board. ABC, September 21.
Mother and Son
Matt Okine and Denise Scott in Mother and Son.Credit:
Look, I had grave doubts when season one of this reboot premiered in 2023. However, after a wobbly first couple of episodes, it settled nicely into a genuinely funny and heartfelt comedy with the lovely pairing of Matt Okine and Denise Scott at its centre. Season two does away with a lot of the extraneous characters and focuses even more on the relationship between Arthur and Maggie, starting with a family holiday where Maggie falls for the activities director. There is a dearth of Australian comedy at the moment, so let’s support the good ones while they’re here. ABC, September 24.
The Lowdown
Ethan Hawke in The Lowdown.Credit:
Ethan Hawke stars as Lee Raybon, a Tulsa “truthstorian” who lives in a rare book store and is committed to uncovering the corruption at the city’s heart. It’s loosely based on the life of real-life activist and citizen journalist Lee Ray Chapman, aka the “man who knew too much”. Described as a gritty noir thriller, The Lowdown comes from Sterlin Harjo, who created the bittersweet coming-of-age comedy Reservation Dogs. Disney+, September 24.
Slow Horses
Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Saskia Reeves, Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Jack Lowden in Slow Horses.Credit:
The Slough House team is back! The highly anticipated fifth season of this British spy series is adapted from London Rules, the fifth book in crime writer Mick Herron’s addictive series following the MI5 rejects and their dishevelled boss Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). As Roddy Ho, Australia’s Christopher Chung gets the bulk of the work in this season, when his new girlfriend – yep, actually flesh and blood – turns out to be trouble. In even better news, seasons six and seven have been confirmed! Apple TV+, September 24.
House of Guinness
Louis Partridge as Edward Guinness in House of Guinness.Credit:
Apparently, Guinness is cool again. So, naturally, comes this 18th-century-set drama about the storied Irish dynasty who are thrown into disarray when their patriarch – Sir Benjamin Guinness – dies and leaves the brewing company to his four adult children. Starring James Norton, think Succession with stout, but make it sexy. Netflix, September 25.
Wayward
Toni Collette in Wayward.Credit:
Toni Collette gets her creep on – again – in this drama from Canadian stand-up Mae Martin. Set in the small town of Tall Pines, Martin plays local cop Alex investigating a series of unusual incidents at a local school for troubled teens run by Collette’s character Evelyn. While it is described as the “eternal struggle between one generation and the next”, all I can see is Collette’s fixed grin and dead-eyed stare… Chills, chills, chills. Netflix, September 25.
Chad Powers
Glen Powell in Chad Powers.Credit:
Ever since he broke out in the Netflix rom-com Set It Up, Glen Powell has been on a mission to prove he is a man of all things (Top Gun: Maverick! Twisters! Anyone But You!). In this sports comedy, Powell pops on a honking prosthetic nose and a bad wig to play a disgraced quarterback who is trying to revive his career at a struggling Southern football team. Did somebody say Ted Lasso? Disney+, September 30.
The Savant
Slip this into the “you couldn’t make it up” category: Oscar winner Jessica Chastain stars as Jodi, who infiltrates online hate groups for the FBI and ends up preventing a mass murder. Based on a real-life article in a 2019 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, the eight-part series promises to be a gripping ride. Apple TV+, September 26.
The Hack
David Tennant and Toby Jones in The Hack.Credit:
The real-life phone hacking drama that resulted in The News of the World newspaper being shut down gets the TV treatment in this British drama from the creators of Mr Bates vs the Post Office. David Tennant and Toby Jones play The Guardian journalists who broke the story. Stan, September.
The Diplomat
Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in The Diplomat.Credit:
OK, deep breath: Fresh from his fiery exit in The Handmaid’s Tale, Bradley Whitford pops up in the third season of this political drama, playing Todd Penn, the husband of Grace Penn (Allison Janney – West Wing fans unite!), who has been newly promoted to US president following the death of the president, who may or may not have been killed by Hal (Rufus Sewell), husband of Kate (Keri Russell), who now has the VP spot in mind. Got it? Netflix, October 16.
Mr Scorsese
Director Rebecca Miller does a deep dive on Martin Scorsese in Mr Scorsese.
Few filmmakers have had the kind of influence on cinema that director Martin Scorsese has. From his beginnings on Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, through to Goodfellas, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street (not to mention his recent scene-stealing turn as an actor on The Studio), the 82-year-old has left a legacy few can match. Director Rebecca Miller gets to dig through his files for this five-parter, which also includes interviews with Robert De Niro, Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, Miller’s husband. Apple TV+, October 17.
Nobody Wants This
Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This.
The hit rom-com – she’s a sex podcaster, he’s a rabbi, can it ever work, yada yada yada – zips back for season two. Adam Brody and Kristen Bell return as our star-crossed LA lovers Noah and Joanne, while Justine Lupe and Timothy Simons upstage them both as Joanne’s sister Morgan and Noah’s brother Sasha. Netflix, October 23.
Down Cemetery Road
Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson in Down Cemetery Road.
Slow Horses fans assemble: Mick Herron’s debut novel is getting the TV treatment. Emma Thompson stars as Zoe Boehm, a PI hired by Ruth Wilson’s Sarah Tucker to investigate a deadly explosion in a quiet Oxford street. Not only is the source material first-rate, the series has been adapted by Morwenna Banks, who writes on Slow Horses and is – unbelievably – the voice of Mummy Pig on Peppa Pig. Apple TV+, October 29.
IT: Welcome to Derry
Yet another Stephen King adaptation, this is a prequel to his films It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019). Set in 1962 in King’s favourite stomping ground of Maine, and featuring the return of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown, this is designed to frighten the daylights out of you. HBO Max, October.
Watching You
Aisha Dee in Watching You.
An Australian psycho-sexual thriller, Watching You stars Aisha Dee as Lina, who discovers her one-night stand has been caught on a hidden camera. When the threats begin, Lina attempts to track down the voyeur. A terrific local cast – Chai Hansen, Luke Cook and Laura Gordon – bolster this drama with Fatal Attraction vibes. Stan, October.
How are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)
After spending a year in exile in Saudi Arabia, Norwich’s favourite broadcaster (played, of course, by Steve Coogan) returns to present a documentary on mental health. The mind boggles. HBO Max, October.
I Love LA
Rachel Sennott in I Love LA.
Indie darling Rachel Sennott – star of Bottoms and Shiva Baby – created and stars in this long-awaited comedy about an “ambitious friend group navigating life and love in LA”. Also starring Josh Hutcherson, think of it as a mix of Hacks, Adults, Broad City and Too Much. HBO Max, November 3.
Pluribus
If you still worship at the altar of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, it’s time to clear your schedules for Vince Gilligan’s new series. Details are scant, but we do know it’s a sci-fi series about “the most miserable person on Earth [who] must save the world from happiness”. Better Call Saul alum Rhea Seehorn stars. Apple TV+, November 7.
The Beast in Me
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in The Beast in Me.
Claire Danes on the edge of a nervous breakdown is my favourite kind of Claire Danes. Happily, she obliges in this thriller, in which she plays Aggie Wiggs, a best-selling author who retreated from public life after the death of her son. However, when a shifty real estate mogul (Matthew Rhys, take a bow) with a missing wife moves in next door, Aggie is lured from seclusion in her search for the truth. Netflix, November 13.
Stranger Things
Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton and Gaten Matarazzo in Stranger Things.
Remember when Netflix disrupted the old way of watching TV by dumping every episode at once? They still do that, kinda, except when they decide to break up a series into one, two or three parts. So it goes with the final season of Stranger Things, which rolls out in volumes, starting on November 27, with the second on December 26 and the final on January 1. It has been nine years since the first season was released, and the plot has wandered everywhere from Hawkins to the Upside Down and even Russia. Where it ends is anyone’s guess, but if they come for Steve, I’m gonna hurt someone. Netflix, November 27.
All Her Fault
Dakota Fanning and Sarah Snook in All Her Fault.
Sarah Snook has barely stood still since wrapping Succession in 2023. After wowing the West End and Broadway in The Picture of Dorian Gray, she stars in this thriller adapted from Andrea Mara’s best-selling novel about a playdate that goes very, very wrong. Filmed in Melbourne, it also stars The Bear’s Abby Elliott, Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy and Michael Pena. Binge, November.
Bump: A Christmas Film
If you still haven’t recovered from Bump’s heartbreaking finale, fear not, there is one more chance to catch up with the Davis-Chalmers-Hernandez crew in this movie-length episode that is set in the gap between episodes nine and 10 of Bump’s season five. I won’t say too much – in case you haven’t caught up (which you really, really should) – but it takes place on a family cruise in South America. Starring Claudia Karvan, Nathalie Morris and Carlos Sanson jnr, Bump is one of our true local TV gems. Stan, November.
Emily in Paris
Lily Collins in Emily in Paris.
In a world of grim prestige TV, I’ll defend Emily to the death! Lily Collins is a complete treat as our titular heroine, who is now in Italy heading up the Rome branch of Agence Grateau. With wet-behind-the-ears French chef Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) in the rearview mirror, and new Italian stallion (he plays polo, OK!) Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) on her arm, it’s our heroine’s time to shine … or is it? Netflix, December 5.
Fallout
After his star turn in The White Lotus this year, all eyes will be on Walton Goggins in season two of this post-apocalyptic drama. He plays Cooper Howard, a former movie star who is now a 200-year-old apocalypse survivor passing his days as a bounty hunter known as the Ghoul. Adapted from a popular video game, the action shifts to New Vegas for season two, where Lucy (Ella Purnell) and the Ghoul encounter a deathclaw, Justin Theroux and Macaulay Culkin. You decide which is the most dangerous. Amazon Prime Video, December 17.
What shows are you looking forward to in the next few months? Please tell us in the comments below.
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