From Nomadland to Ice Cold Murders: The best on demand TV to watch this week  

NETFLIX, SKY, DISNEY+, APPLE TV+

 

Nomadland

Nomadland has just won four Baftas, including best film, best director for Chloe Zhao and best actress for its star, Frances McDormand, and no one will be surprised if it enjoys similar success at the Oscars

This is very much the right film at the right time. But like Minari and The Sound Of Metal, Zhao’s almost documentary-style drama – about a middle-aged woman travelling America in a van – has an arthouse style that may take mainstream audiences by surprise. 

Those vast western landscapes are stunningly photographed and Frances McDormand (above, with David Strathairn) is quietly wonderful as Fern

But stick with it – those vast western landscapes are stunningly photographed, McDormand is quietly wonderful as Fern and the poignant but far-from-miserable end result has lots to say both about America’s challenging present but also its economically troubled past. Disney+, from Friday

Matthew Bond

 

Rocketman 

You know the story – a young songwriter called Reg Dwight hooks up with a poet called Bernie and, after changing his name to the more fame-friendly Elton John, goes on to become one of the most iconic figures in pop. 

Taron Egerton (above) is stunning as Elton in this musical biopic, as we follow the young prodigy from his breakthrough years in the 1970s to his transformation into a superstar

Taron Egerton (above) is stunning as Elton in this musical biopic, as we follow the young prodigy from his breakthrough years in the 1970s to his transformation into a superstar

Taron Egerton is stunning as Elton in this musical biopic, as we follow the young prodigy from his breakthrough years in the 1970s to his transformation into a superstar. Netflix, from Friday

 

The Mosquito Coast 

We know pretty early on in this seven-episode series that all is not well in the family of anti-establishment inventor Allie Fox (Justin Theroux). He’s attempting to avoid the attentions of the authorities for reasons unspecified, his 15-year-old daughter Dina has to speak to her boyfriend secretly because mobile phones are not allowed and his wife Margot is forbidden from talking to her mother. 

And when the powers that be do catch up with them, the Foxes have to go to ground – in Mexico. This is very loosely based on the best-selling novel by Justin’s uncle, Paul Theroux. Apple TV+, from Friday

 

The United States Vs Billie Holiday 

Singer Andra Day is terrific as the complicated, hard-living jazz legend Billie Holiday in this biographical film, and she earned an Oscar nomination for her efforts. The plot revolves around the authorities’ efforts in the 1940s to stop Billie performing Strange Fruit, the song about a lynching that became a touchstone for the civil rights movement. 

Singer Andra Day (above) is terrific as the complicated, hard-living jazz legend Billie Holiday in this biographical film, and she earned an Oscar nomination for her efforts

Singer Andra Day (above) is terrific as the complicated, hard-living jazz legend Billie Holiday in this biographical film, and she earned an Oscar nomination for her efforts

They decide to launch an undercover operation, targeting the singer for her use of narcotics. Amid the drama, when Day sings Holiday’s songs the film really comes to life. Sky/NOW, available now

 

The Innocent 

Mateo (Mario Casas) finds himself accused once again following a supposed suicide and in a race to prove he is not guilty. Also featuring José Coronado (above)

Mateo (Mario Casas) finds himself accused once again following a supposed suicide and in a race to prove he is not guilty. Also featuring José Coronado (above)

Thriller writer Harlan Coben and Netflix have had success with adaptations of his novels Safe and The Stranger. Now comes a Spanish adaptation of The Innocent. Mateo (Mario Casas), who killed a man while trying to break up a fight, finds himself accused once again following a supposed suicide and in a race to prove he is not guilty. 

Also featuring José Coronado. Netflix, from Friday

 

Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse 

Missing Jack Ryan? This origins story for another all-action hero could be the answer. It’s the tale of John Kelly – played by Creed star Michael B. Jordan – a Navy Seal intent on avenging the murder of his wife. 

With Jodie Turner-Smith and Jamie Bell providing support, expect guns, conspiracies and Russians. Amazon, from Friday

 

An American Pickle 

Gentle, man-out-of-time comedy in which Seth Rogen plays Herschel Greenbaum, an Eastern European migrant to America who looks and behaves as though he’s just stepped out of Fiddler On The Roof. 

He gets a job in a New York pickle factory, falls into a vat of brine and is found alive a century later. He’s taken in by Ben, also played by Rogen who is his great-grandson and last living descendant/relative. 

Herschel Greenbaum's taken in by Ben, also played by Seth Rogen who is his great-grandson and last living descendant/relative. Sarah Snook (above) also stars

Herschel Greenbaum’s taken in by Ben, also played by Seth Rogen who is his great-grandson and last living descendant/relative. Sarah Snook (above) also stars

They bond, fall out and bond again over their shared Jewish faith. Sarah Snook also stars. Sky/NOW, from Friday

 

Things Heard & Seen 

When are people going to learn not to buy a creepy old house in the country? And realise that if you have bought said house and you find a strange old book hidden in a closet, that’s definitely the signal to put the place back on the market. 

Amanda Seyfried and James Norton star in this psychological thriller about a couple who move from Manhattan to a rural home with a less than happy history. Netflix, from Thursday

 

THE TEN HOTTEST SHOWS TO WATCH RIGHT NOW ON AMAZON

BEST FILMS 

1 Parasite

The first foreign-language film to win the Best Picture Oscar (in 2019) is a Korean comedy pitching a working-class family against a wealthy household. 

Sam Mendes’s thrilling First World War drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch

Sam Mendes’s thrilling First World War drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch

2 1917

Sam Mendes’s thrilling First World War drama is a technical marvel that gives the illusion of being filmed in a single continuous shot.

3 The Devil Wears Prada

Spiky satire about an influential Vogue-style fashion magazine. Stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

BEST DRAMAS 

4 Outlander

Wildly romantic saga about a woman who accidentally time-travels to 18th Century Scotland and falls in love with a Jacobite rebel. 

5 Mad Men

The ad agency story recognised as a high water mark in modern TV made household names of Elisabeth Moss and Jon Hamm. 

6 The Good Fight

Christine Baranski excels in a sharp legal drama about office politics and real-life issues.

7 The Shield

Bent coppers? Forget Line Of Duty: this acclaimed US series broke new ground when it came to a drama about police corruption. 

Tragi-comedy that turned creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (above) into a superstar

Tragi-comedy that turned creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (above) into a superstar

BEST COMEDIES 

8 Fleabag

Brilliant tragi-comedy about a troubled young woman that turned creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge into a superstar. 

9 Parks and Recreation

Terrific feelgood series about a local government department employing characters such as idealist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and libertarian meat-lover Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman). 

10 The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Jewish housewife in 1950s New York discovers an unsuspected talent for stand-up comedy. Charming and funny. 

 

ALL4 & BBC iPLAYER

 

Ice Cold Murders: Rocco Schiavone

Marco Giallini is on fine form as Deputy Police Chief Rocco Schiavone, an abrasive character whose uncompromising ways upset his bosses in Rome so much they exile him to the small Alpine tourist town of Aosta.

Marco Giallini (above, with Marina Cappellini) is on fine form as Deputy Police Chief Rocco Schiavone, an abrasive character whose uncompromising ways upset his bosses in Rome

Marco Giallini (above, with Marina Cappellini) is on fine form as Deputy Police Chief Rocco Schiavone, an abrasive character whose uncompromising ways upset his bosses in Rome

When he isn’t pouring scorn on the rules, he’s using his sharp mind to solve tricky cases – starting when a killer is on the loose after a corpse is found on a ski slope. All4/Walter Presents, from Friday

 

Friday Night Dinner 

Hello, bambinos! Robert Popper’s deliriously funny sitcom sees a family of four gather for their traditional Jewish Friday night meal. But it’s constantly interrupted by their oddball neighbour, family drama and other unwanted visitors.

The Chernobyl star (Paul Ritter, above, with Simon Bird, Tamsin Greig and Tom Rosenthal) shone as family patriarch Martin and became a fan favourite

The Chernobyl star (Paul Ritter, above, with Simon Bird, Tamsin Greig and Tom Rosenthal) shone as family patriarch Martin and became a fan favourite

Fans have been waiting for another series but since the news of Paul Ritter’s death, it’s now in doubt. The Chernobyl star shone as family patriarch Martin and became a fan favourite, cracking up viewers with his catchphrases. All4, series 1-6, available now

 

Pandemic 2020 

From James Bluemel, director of the award-winning Once Upon A Time In Iraq, comes this compelling three-part documentary telling the stories of the impact of the pandemic on people in 21 countries around the world. 

Contributors include the follower of a Louisiana pastor dedicated to opposing the state’s anti-virus measures. BBC iPlayer, available now

 

Starstruck 

Promising new sitcom starring Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (above, who also co-wrote the scripts) as Jessie, whose life is about to be changed for ever

Promising new sitcom starring Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (above, who also co-wrote the scripts) as Jessie, whose life is about to be changed for ever

Promising new sitcom starring Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (who also co-wrote the scripts) as Jessie, whose life is about to be changed for ever by a one-night stand with a famous actor (Nikesh Patel). BBC iPlayer, from Sunday

 

Why is there such a buzz about..?

The Bold Type (Netflix)

All a girl needs to destroy the patriarchy is ingenuity, a pair of killer heels and her best friends, or so The Bold Type will lead you to believe. Since Netflix started streaming the comedy drama about three junior staff at Scarlet, a trendy women’s magazine based in New York, I’ve watched virtually nothing else.

The three leads (Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee and Meghann Fahy, above)

The three leads (Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee and Meghann Fahy, above)

The Bold Type is based on the experiences of former Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles and tackles most of today’s hot topics, from slut-shaming to white privilege and influencer culture. 

While showing female empowerment within friendship groups is nothing new, this feels different.

The three leads (Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee and Meghann Fahy, above) never compete career-wise – there is no bitchiness or backstabbing – and they often sneak off into the magazine’s fashion closet to confide in each other.

There’s Kat Edison (Dee), a social media editor who is determined to use Scarlet’s platform as a force for good; Sutton Brady (Fahy), a budding stylist struggling to stay independent without any financial support; and Jane Sloan (Stevens), a highly strung writer who suffers from impostor syndrome.

The Bold Type isn’t perfect, with its sometimes sketchy portrayal of day- to-day journalism, and it seems to sweep over the debates it seeks rather than challenge them, but there is nothing guilty about this pleasure.

Kelly Woodward