The Tourist
BBC iPlayer, from 1 January
If you had hoped to be eased gently into the new year, think again. This thriller, starring Jamie Dornan, is set in the Australian outback, and tells the story of a man with amnesia, searching for his identity and running from a past he can’t remember, all while strangers make attempts on his life. Buckle up: this is set to be high-tension, cat-and-mouse, edge-of-seat stuff. Watch it here.
After Life, Season 3
Netflix, from 14 January
The third and final season of After Life hits Netflix on 14 January, wrapping up the story of Tony as he comes to terms with the death of his beloved wife, Lisa. True to form, Ricky Gervais’ look at grief is unflinching, affecting, frequently hilarious and occasionally shocking. Although its trailer gives little away, there is no reason to believe that the last instalment won’t deliver on those fronts again. An emotional rollercoaster of a show. Watch the trailer here.
Call The Midwife, Season 11
BBC One, from 2 January
This one runs and runs, not least because it is a series whose characters have seeped straight into our hearts over the years. Hot on the heels of its Christmas special, this latest series takes us up to the 1960s and sees the midwives dealing with changes to abortion laws. Watch it here.
Peaky Blinders, Season 6
BBC One, Early 2022 (exact date TBC)
Peaky Blinders is back in early 2022 for its sixth and final season. The trailer gives little more away than a tease, but we have no doubt that that the gritty saga of the Shelby family and their gangster entanglements in slums of post-war Birmingham will be as full of drama as we’ve come to expect from this cult series. Worried about feeling bereft as it bids farewell to our screens? There is also a Peaky Blinders film in the offing too. Watch the teaser here.
This Is Going To Hurt
BBC iPlayer, Early 2022
An exact release date for this adaptation of Adam Kay’s bestselling memoir of the same name has not yet been confirmed but, having wrapped filming in summer 2021, we’re hoping it won’t be long now. It promises to be worth the wait. The always-excellent Ben Whishaw stars as Adam, a doctor grappling with 97-hour working weeks, the hierarchy of hospitals, the terrifying responsibility of the life-and-death decisions he must make on a daily basis, and the personal life he is only just haning on to.
Munich – The Edge of War
Netflix, 21 January
This adaptation of the Robert Harris best-seller is set in the autumn of 1938 as Hitler prepares to invade Czechoslovakia while, back in Britain, Neville Chamberlain attempts to seek a solution by peaceful means. It follows a British Civil servant and a German diplomat – former classmates – as they travel to Munich for peace talks. Starring George MacKay, Jessica Brown Findlay and Jeremy Irons. Watch the trailer here.
Ozark
Netflix, 21 January
‘All decisions have consequences’. So goes the teaser for Ozark’s fourth series, which premieres on 21 January. That maxim goes treble for the Byrde family. Jason Bateman, who plays the beset yet pragmatic and cool-under-pressure Marty, who we last saw being embraced by the kingpin of the cartel, says, ‘A super-sized season means super-sized problems for the Byrdes. I'm excited to end with a bang(s)’. Watch the trailer here.
Archive 81
Netflix, 14 January
At the time of writing, no trailer for this new Netflix horror was available. Still, the premise, which involves an archivist, whose job it is to restore damaged videotapes and, in doing so, gets pulled into ‘the vortex of a mystery involving the missing director and a demonic cult’, sounds pleasingly terrifying. Starring Mamoudou, Athie,Dina Shihab and Evan Jonigkeit. Find more info here.
By Nancy Alsop
January 2022
Read More
Box Sets To Lose Yourself In Over The Twixtmas Lull
6 Of The Best Radio Plays To Download
7 Of The Best Classic TV Adaptations Ever
