The best TV to watch this week chosen by our experts – from Meet Me Next Christmas to Syndrome E
Date: 2024-11-02A HOST of new movies and shows are premiering this week as a number of fan-favourite series return to the screen.
The Sun’s TV Mag has rounded up the best of the best for the next seven days.
NETFLIX
Meet Me Next Christmas – Available from Wednesday
What’s this, a Christmas movie? “But it’s early November,†we hear you cry.
Yes, it is, but there are still plenty of people out there who like to get their festivities started the moment the Halloween decorations come down – and who are we to get all Grinchy with them?
Those folk will be in for some endearing early festive feel-good fun with this new romcom, which follows Layla (Christina Milian), who spends her Christmas Eve racing around New York City alongside professional concierge Teddy (Devale Ellis), trying to get hold of a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix concert.
And why is she so desperate? Because she’s hoping to catch up with the man of her dreams, James, at the gig.
Countdown: Paul vs Tyson – Available from Thursday
Whether you think it a gimmicky stunt that undermines boxing, or a mouth-watering exhibition clash that boosts the sport’s appeal, there’s no doubt that the upcoming fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and the legendary Mike Tyson has got people talking.
This three-part series whets the appetite further, going behind the scenes at their respective training camps to watch Paul, 27, and Tyson – who, at 58, is more than twice his opponent’s age – as they prepare physically and mentally for the bout.
That’s not all, as the series will also report on the preparations for the rematch between super- lightweight champion Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which is set to be the co-feature bout alongside the Paul vs Tyson clash at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in two weeks’ time.
Love Village – Available from Tuesday
In an age when most dating shows depend heavily on a gimmick and centre on young people – hello, Love Is Blind, Too Hot To Handle, Love Island and co – Love Village comes as a refreshing change.
Back for a second series, this reality show from Japan takes ordinary men and women, aged 35 to 60, all hoping to find love while living a communal lifestyle in a traditional Japanese house.
Hosted once again by Atsushi Tamura and Becky, the second season is set in Okinawa and will find the residents opening up about their pasts, their hopes for the future and maybe even falling in love.
Down to earth, raw and heartwarming, this is a dating show with a real difference.
The first eight episodes land this week, with the remaining 12 following over the next four weeks.
Investigation Alien – Available from Friday
Are we being visited regularly by beings from other planets?
In this eerie but engaging new series, legendary reporter George Knapp travels the globe to look for the latest evidence about UFO sightings and to investigate whether they’ve made contact.
Talking to witnesses, whistleblowers and sifting through mountains of supposed evidence and footage, George lifts the lid on a subject that attracts equal amounts of fascination and derision.
“There is an enormous amount of evidence to suggest that we do have a non-human intelligence interacting with us on this planet,†insists George.
“We need to get beyond that obvious question: ‘Are UFOs real?’ to what really matters: ‘Why are they here and what do they want from us?’ We can handle it.â€
Bank Under Siege – Available from Friday
Fans of the much-missed Money Heist are in for a treat with this Spanish thriller, which takes a similar story – not to mention three members of that show’s cast – and gives us something tense and terrific.
The big difference, though, is that Bank Under Siege is actually based on real events.
It’s 1981 and when armed men hold up a bank in Barcelona, and take hundreds of people hostage, reporter Maider (MarÃa Pedraza) races to uncover the group’s motive for the heist.
Was it all about the money, or was there something even bigger at play? Get ready to binge all five explosive episodes.
The Cage – Available from Friday
Young rookie Taylor (Melvin Boomer) dreams of making it big as an MMA fighter, convinced that it’s his one talent.
He seems destined to remain an undiscovered star until he suddenly receives a shot at the big time, taking on the toughest fight in the sport.
Will he make the most of this unexpected opportunity, or does a future as a forgotten also-ran beckon?
Also featuring real-life MMA legends Jon Jones and Georges Saint-Pierre in the cast, expect an intense underdog drama series, boosted by some impressive, no-holds-barred fight scenes.
In French, with subtitles.
Mr. Plankton – Available from Friday
Hae Jo (Woo Do-hwan) has just found out that he has brain tumours and only months to live. Jae-mi (Lee You-mi) has just discovered that she’s going through premature menopause, right before she’s set to get married to someone she doesn’t really love.
Perhaps these two ex-lovers were always destined to be together? So when Hae Jo rocks up on Jae-mi’s wedding day and offers her the chance of escape, it sets in motion a funny, heart-warming but often very rocky romantic road trip, which might just teach the pair the true meaning of life, love and happiness.
Charming 10-part comedy-drama from South Korea.
DISNEY+
The Old Man – Available from Wednesday
Starring 74-year-old Jeff Bridges as a former CIA agent who’s definitely still got it, despite his age, the first series proved that action-packed, explosion-stacked espionage thrillers aren’t the preserve of the young and super-fit.
Back for a second run, we find Jeff’s character, Dan Chase, teaming up with his old nemesis, Harold Harper (John Lithgow), to rescue his daughter Emily, who’s been kidnapped by ruthless Afghan tribal leader Faraz Hamzad.
But uncomfortable revelations about the past ensure that their mission is risky to everyone involved.
Strap in because season two is as rip-roaring and tense as the first, plus we get to see Jeff and John – who have a combined age of 155 – team up, rather than take each other on.
There’s life in these old dogs yet.
PRIME VIDEO
Citadel: Honey Bunny – Available from Thursday
The Citadel universe expands further with this spin-off, which serves as a prequel to the original series.
It follows the backstory of Agent Nadia Sinh’s parents, Agent Honey and Agent Bunny.
When struggling actress Honey (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) auditions for one of India’s top stuntmen, Bunny (Varun Dhawan), she soon discovers that the job will require much more than just acting.
It turns out that Bunny is secretly a spy, and before long he’s recruited her to defend India from all manner of threats.
Fast-forward several years and the now-estranged couple are forced to reunite to take on a dangerous new foe and protect their young daughter, Nadia.
Bursting with spectacular action sequences, enjoyably unfeasible fight scenes and wicked, wise-cracking humour, it’s a worthy addition to the Citadel story.
PARAMOUNT+
CSI – Available from Monday
If you happen to have a spare… ooh, <250 hours>, here’s the perfect way to fill it.
All 16 series – that’s 337 episodes – of CSI are coming to Paramount+, so if you’ve never seen this hugely influential police procedural starring the likes of William Petersen, Jorja Fox, Ted Danson, Elisabeth Shue and Laurence Fishburne, here’s your chance.
Set among the lurid bright lights and gritty backstreets of Las Vegas, the show follows a top team of forensic investigators as they get to the bottom of some complex murder cases, while juggling their own complicated personal lives.
Glossy, big-budget and gripping, it’s easy to see why the show ran for 15 years, spawned several spin-offs and even its own travelling museum exhibit.
CHANNEL 4
Walter Presents: Syndrome E – Available from Friday
Science-fiction, crime and conspiracy collide in this exciting thriller from France.
When plain-clothed policewoman Lucie Henebelle (Jennifer Decker) suddenly starts crying tears of blood, before shooting her patrol partner, the mysterious case is assigned to Captain Sharko (Vincent Elbaz), a legendary but unstable homicide detective who’s haunted by the deaths of his wife and daughter in a terrorist attack years earlier.
Insisting that Lucie be placed on his team, Sharko’s investigations lead them to a shadowy scientific research program.
Meanwhile, more people start being affected by the same disturbing symptoms shown by Lucie.
Can the pair uncover the truth about what’s going on before it’s too late?
Adapted from a novel by best-selling French writer Franck Thilliez.
Invincible Fight Girl – Available from Sunday
Young girl Andy (voiced by Sydney Mikayla) has a dream – to become the world’s greatest pro-wrestler.
Unfortunately her parents would prefer her to become an accountant.
To avoid that fate and make her dream come true, Andy sets off for Wrestling World – a place where pro-wrestling is everything.
There she takes on the name of Fight Girl and falls in with a typically ragtag but supportive crew: wannabe wrestling analyst Mikey, retired champion Aunt P and the wheeler-dealing Craig.
But will she survive this highly-competitive world? Funny, action-packed and boasting impressive, fast-paced anime-style graphics, this is a very promising grown-up animation.Â
Homicide: Hours To Kill – Available from Monday
After a short wait, a second batch of episodes from season two is here.
As ever, each episode will follow investigators as they attempt to piece together the final 24 hours of the victim of a horrific real-life murder.
Cases this time round include the killing of an Ohio man just days before Christmas, the hunt for a missing Florida hotelier, the brutal and frenzied murder of a Florida student and a cold-blooded predator who appears to be getting others to do his diabolical dirty work.
Jolly viewing this isn’t – get ready to be sickened and shocked – but as a window into the workings of real-world murder cases, it’s absolutely gripping.
PARAMOUNT+
Hawaii Five-0 – Available from Monday
Rebooting a classic and much-loved series is always a risky move.
And when the updated version of Hawaii-Five-O first appeared on our screens back in 2010, fans of the original were rightly rather nervous. They needn’t have been.
The reboot ended up running for 10 years and as many seasons, picking up awards and nominations along the way.
Now, the first two of those seasons are available as a box set, giving fans old and new the chance to catch up with the adventures of Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny ‘Danno’ Williams (Scott Caan), leaders of a special major crimes unit tasked with taking down any bad guys foolish enough to bring crime to the beautiful island of Hawaii.
