From the revealing Kylie documentary to an...

FallingLove story between in nun and a priestYear: 2026Certificate: 12Watch now on Channel 4A romance between a nun and a Catholic priest? There's something about that which sounds a bit cheesy, or even icky. Thankfully, Jack Thorne's six-part drama is none of those things, and with two such strong, watchable leads as Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard, Line Of Duty) as Sister Anna and Paapa Essiedu (Babies, The Outrun) as Father David Hicks, this very quickly becomes a compelling watch.Sister Anna has been a nun for 20 years when she leaves the convent after meeting Father Hicks. The drama takes its time to reveal the true make-up of these two characters so that we understand Sister Anna's sudden decision to surrender her vows, as well as Father Hicks' initial reticence. There are sharp contrasts here between the lives of men and women in religious service - priests enjoy a range of freedoms, while for the nuns it's all or nothing.Through Anna and Father Hicks, as well as other supporting characters, Thorne, the writer of the wildly acclaimed Adolescence, does a good job of humanising people of the church whom the secular amongst us otherwise see as costumes. They also live in a world familiar to us all - an ageing population, poverty, mental illness, domestic abuse - but there are also moments of levity reminiscent of Tom Hollander sitcom Rev. These two shows are very different but both also reflect on the diminishing role of the Church in modern urban life. Overall, the drama's strengths lie in how it grounds the priest and the nun, the boy and the girl, in a recognisable world, regardless of faith, as we follow their cumbersome but growing connection. It is a love story, but one that sees us all as lost souls drifting through life and in need of something to believe in. (Six episodes)PoniesEmilia Clarke co-stars in a 1970s spy thrillerYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on NOWWatch now on SkyA spy thriller that occasionally plays more like a comedy, this eight-parter is set in Moscow, in 1977, and the Ponies aren't small horses but grown women who are Persons Of No Interest - secretaries at the US embassy and also wives to spies, both of whom suddenly die on duty. As these women are of No Interest to the Soviets, though, Bea (Emilia Clarke) and Twila (Haley Lu Richardson) decide they are perfectly placed to investigate the Russkies under the radar after their husbands pop their clogs. And so, after a little huffiness from the suits at the CIA, they do. The show starts strongly in terms of plot and atmosphere and Clarke (Game Of Thrones) and Richardson (The White Lotus) are nicely paired as the by-the-book Bea and the rebellious Twila, with Richardson's performance more than a little reminiscent of Russian Doll's Natasha Lyonne at the start. They remain fun as the show goes on, with a supporting cast that includes Brits Harriet Walter and Adrian Lester, and keep your eyes peeled for a certain CIA higher-up called George HW Bush - the future US President genuinely was in the CIA. As to the wider show, the plot around Bea and Twila occasionally feels a little loose, but it's all good and entertaining stuff on the whole. A second series is on the way. (Eight episodes) The Boroughs Starry mystery about strange things occurring in a retirement communityYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on NetflixImagine Cocoon crossed with Stranger Things and you're a good part of the way to The Boroughs, an eight-part mystery set inside a fully contained retirement community and produced by The Duffer Brothers (of Stranger Things fame). The cast is starry and age-appropriate, with Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman and Denis O'Hare among those playing the inhabitants of The Boroughs, a town in which time may be stalking the residents in more ways than one. Early on, we meet a dementia patient who talks of there being something in the walls - is that a product of his brain's deterioration, or something else? The line is sometimes hazy here, which makes it all the more intriguing to puzzle out, especially with a cast of this calibre to watch while you do so.Our main character is initially the newly arrived and newly bereaved Sam (Molina), but The Boroughs is really an ensemble show, and one that's as much about the everyday drama, choices and regrets of these people's lives as it is about the mystery of that which lurks beneath their Don't Worry Darling-style community. We won't spoil anything about what Sam and co come to find, but it's clear to anyone that the cast are clearly all having a ball acting it out. (Eight episodes)  KylieIntimate three-part profile of the Aussie pop superstarYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on NetflixThe list of stars known only by their first name is short, and Kylie is undoubtedly one of them. The diminutive Australian singer was one of a number of soap stars to make the move into pop in the 1980s but her success, initially tied to Neighbours love-interest Jason Donovan, dwarfed that of her contemporaries - both then, and since. This prestige, three-part documentary from Emmy-winner Michael Harte (Beckham, Still: A Michael J Fox Story) puts it all into context, featuring new interviews with the Grammy-winning Locomotion singer herself, along with her sister Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan, her friend and collaborator Nick Cave and pop svengali Pete Waterman, a key part of her 1980s launch under the hitmaking banner of Stock Aitken Waterman. There's plenty of behind-the-scenes footage from across her career to flesh out the story, but what really gives this depth is when Kylie talks about the challenges she faced, from feeling pigeon-holed as a performer when she knew she was capable of so much more to her diagnosis with breast cancer in 2005, aged just 36. The profile is a well-rounded example of its kind, just like its subject. (Three episodes) Rivals (Series 2)The steamy drama based on Jilly Cooper's books returnsYear: 2026Certificate: 18Watch now on Disney+Rivals was a full-on experience in its first series, in every sense of the word. Yet the drama based on Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles has found another level of 1980s glamour and chintz as it opens its 12-episode second series - you just have to look at the size of Emily Atack's bouffant to see that. Atack's big-haired TV presenter, Sarah Stratton, is pregnant but so prolific has she been at sleeping her way around Rutshire that there's a question mark over the father. She thinks it's TV titan Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) - yes dear reader, Lord Tony. He's very much still alive after being clocked on the head at the end of series one, but he's certainly not interested in fatherhood with her. Not even after a brush with death.That's just one piece of what's going on here. The spine of the story is still the two duelling TV franchises run by rivals Baddingham and Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), the womanising showjumper turned aspiring politician with a secret vulnerable side. Rupert has a lot on his plate this series, not least his lingering love for Taggie, his current clinch with Cameron, the digging of a gossip journalist into his past and more beyond even that. Rupert is really shown in three dimensions here, and it's hard not to root for him against Baddingham - a man who literally has bad in his name. Also appearing in three dimensions is Freddie, the electronics tycoon played by Danny Dyer. Dyer's performance was the acting revelation of series one, and that hasn't changed as Freddie tries to navigate whether or not to have an affair with dear Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson), the romance novelist and Jilly Cooper proxy. Don't miss the short but lovely tribute to Dame Jilly at the end of episode one. The only downside of this series of Rivals is that the release schedule is rather... relaxed, should we say. Which is very 1980s, in a way. The first two episodes go off like a rocket but be prepared for the pace to slacken in the third. (Episodes 1-4 are out now, with 5 and 6 being released May 29 and June 5 respectively and 7-12 following later in the year).Maximum Pleasure GuaranteedDarkly comic thriller about a mother in an extreme situationYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on Apple TVMaximum Pleasure Guaranteed is a darkly comic, ten-part US thriller with a bracingly pacy and unpredictable edge. It stars Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law) as Paula, a newly divorced mother who's trying to navigate a fresh start alone in the city and has been spending money to find intimacy with a man online. Then, one day events take a dramatic turn and Paula finds herself caught in a maelstrom of potential disaster, all while trying to balance spending time with her daughter and dealing with her ex (Jake Johnson). Maslany is a fantastic actress and gets the different dimensions of Paula across very well, from the single woman looking for connection to the mother after the best for her daughter to, fundamentally, a woman who is anything but morally black and white, but refuses to be a victim for who she is.  The show goes off like a rocket from the start and, while you'll need a bit of stamina to stay the exhilarating course that Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed charts, Maslany's performance gives it a very easy heart to hold on to. (Ten episodes) Off CampusRacy college romance based on the Elle Kennedy booksYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on Prime VideoA racy US college romance based on the books by Elle Kennedy and starring Malory Towers' Ella Bright as one half of a couple that starts out as fake - but becomes very real. Bright plays Hannah, a smart music student who strikes a bargain with Garrett (Belmont Cameli), a less smart, college hockey star with a ladies' man reputation. He'll pretend to be her boyfriend to make someone jealous if she tutors him to help with his grades. However - and it's not a spoiler to say this - the agreement leads to more than either of them expect. With a couple of charming leads, some bruising, Heated Rivalry-style ice hockey action and an atmosphere that strives to capture the 'magic that is the college experience' (in the words of show creator Louisa Levy) Off Campus has a decent shot at entering the pantheon of modern teen romances, and the initial release makes it particularly well-timed to capture those looking to graduate from My Life With The Walter Boys and The Summer I Turned Pretty. Such viewers should also be aware though, that it's considerably more graphic than either of those shows right from the start, and has some dark turns later on that puts it closer to We Were Liars territory.It should also prove to be a good calling card for American-born, London-raised Bright who, rather handily for an actress, holds dual US-UK citizenship. She already has BAFTA and Emmy nominations under her belt for playing the angry Darrell Rivers on Malory Towers, and a second series of Off Campus will definitely follow this. (Eight episodes)Believe MePowerful true story of the women who fought to be believed while the 'black cab rapist' stalked LondonYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on ITVXThe public first heard about John Worboys in 2008 when the 'black cab rapist' - who drugged and assaulted his victims in the back of his London taxi - was arrested. This four-part drama focuses on two of Worboys' 100 estimated victims who came forward as early as 2003. That he wasn't caught sooner is down to many factors, none of which paint the criminal justice system in a good light, and that didn't end with Worboys behind bars.Written by BAFTA winner Jeff Pope (See No Evil: The Moors Murders), this is a meticulously researched and astutely handled drama with outstanding performances from Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Aasiya Shah as two of the victims who took on the system that was failing them. They are joined by Carrie (Miriam Petche), the future Mrs Boris Johnson, who took the fight public when Worboys came up for parole.Pope spoke to all three of the women fictionally represented in his script. 'A long process... to gain their trust, it took a number of years.' And while it is an entirely victim-led piece, it must necessarily feature its real-life monster. Played by Daniel Mays, his Worboys lurks mostly in the shadows, seen from his victims' point of view. It wasn't an easy role for Mays, who is no stranger to playing darker roles (Line Of Duty, Des) but none as grotesque as Worboys. 'It did at times takes its toll... unsettling and isolating by its very nature,' he said, adding on a more optimistic note that he hopes the drama inspires other women to 'have their days in the sun'. (Four episodes)The Corinthians: We Were The ChampionsThe joyful story of Manchester football trailblazers Corinthians Ladies Year: 2026Certificate: pgWatch now on BBC iPlayerBefore the First World War women's football was a popular game, with 150 teams playing across England. After the war, in 1921, the FA banned women from playing on official pitches. They called it 'quite unsuitable for females'. It squashed the game and, steadily, even the idea of women playing football attracted a stigma that has taken years to shake, before building back to the levels we see today - from the Lionesses to the Women's Super League to grassroots teams up and down the country.That didn't happen without women demanding to play, though, and this is the story of Corinthians Ladies FC, a Manchester team who defied the ban for their sheer love of the game. There wasn't enough opposition for them in England so they went abroad, and became European champions after beating Germany 4-0 in 1957. By 1960, they were world champions. All while still being banned from playing officially in their home country.This documentary hears from ten of the surviving Corinthians. It's moving, inspirational and just wonderful to watch. There's a sadness underneath it all, when you consider how much talent was wasted in those years before the ban was finally overturned in 1971, but what shines though in every frame here is just how much these women love playing football. (90 minutes) A Very Peculiar PracticeClassic comedy drama satire starring Peter Davison as an idealistic medicYear: 1986-1988Certificate: 15Watch now on BBC iPlayerFrequently ranked in Top TV lists, Andrew Davies' satire gets a long overdue dusting off. Set in the medical centre of a 1960s university, the four medics - Barbara Flynn, David Troughton, Graham Crowden and Peter Davison - represent the tug of war between competing ideas in Thatcher's Britain, a clash between left and right that is mirrored in the campus and the world outside.If that sounds heavy it isn't, this is a hugely entertaining show that plays with surrealism lightly, making the overall feel warm and dreamy. It's driven by its core quartet as they face budget cuts, constant change and general ineptitude, with Davison's Stephen Daker its beating heart and soul - after all, he's an actor that could only ever be likeable. They really don't make TV like this anymore. (Two series)Marilyn And The MobMarilyn Monroe's connections to the darker side of HollywoodYear: 2026Certificate: 12Watch now on Channel 4Marilyn Monroe still captivates us more than 60 years after her tragic death in 1962, aged 36. Hers is a rags-to-riches story that began when the girl born Norma Jean changed her name, dyed her hair, and 'leaned into the voluptuous blonde'. But Marilyn's path to superstardom was paved not with gold but with exploitation and betrayal.This two-part series explores how the Mobster-led criminal underworld collided with Hollywood and the political elite, with expert analysis of what Marilyn gained and lost from these powerful forces. From the very beginning of her career she was immersed in that world and while we might be aware of the misogyny of the 'casting couch', the picture painted here of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, is one of a studio system also riven with the violence and extortion of ruthless Mob bosses.  By 1962 Marilyn was mixing with Frank Sinatra and Mafia figures, as well as president John F. Kennedy, and in August of that year she was dead. Her death is ruled a suicide, but speculation continues to this day. This series can't draw definitive conclusions but does a decent job of analysing the facts and the rumours that swirl around Marilyn's life and demise, as well as reminding us of what a vibrant and impactful star she was. (Two episodes)Ladies FirstLondon-set comedy starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund PikeYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on NetflixIn a comedy powered by two charismatic leads clearly having a whale of a time, Sacha Baron Cohen stars as Damien Sachs, a male chauvinist ad exec who wakes up in a parallel version of London where women are in charge - and such things exist as the 'testicle bra'. There, he meets a female chauvinist who's every bit as demeaning to men as Damien was to women, and occupies what he thinks of as his office - this is Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike). What follows is a film that delights in having women play out vulgar examples of typically male behaviour - cat-calling, cheerily breaking wind and telling members of the opposite sex to 'give us a smile' - on the way to Damien presumably learning some lessons as he competes with Alex for the top job at the ad agency, and maybe finding some power in his new gender position, too.Directed by Thea Sharrock (Wicked Little Letters), Ladies First is an efficient and punchily acted piece of comedy that feels like it could have done well at the cinema in the early-to-mid 2000s, with Pike on particularly strong form. Look out for Charles Dance, Emily Mortimer and Fiona Shaw in the supporting cast. (90 minutes) ThelmaAction comedy starring June Squibb as an OAP on a vengeance missionYear: 2024Certificate: 12Watch now on NetflixWhen ninetysomething retiree Thelma (June Squibb) is conned out of $10,000 by a phone scammer, she refuses to take it lying down. When the police and her family fail to help her, she embarks on a crusade to get her cash back herself, heading across Los Angeles with her elderly friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) on a two-person electric scooter to confront the crooks. Clever, bittersweet and very, very funny, Josh Margolin's inventive indie movie gives action movie cliches a wonderful spin as Thelma and Ben defy society's ideas of what old people are capable of. Clark Gregg, Parker Posey and Malcolm McDowell help fill out a fantastic supporting cast, but the film belongs to veteran Squibb (Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 2013's Nebraska but here taking on her first lead role) and Roundtree, the artist formerly known as Shaft, in what was sadly his final film. (98 minutes) Under Suspicion: Kate McCannDramatisation of the police ordeal of missing Madeleine McCann's motherYear: 2026Certificate: 12Watch now on 5 (Ch5)It's such a sad story, not least because Madeleine McCann, who was three years old when she went missing in the Algarve in 2007, has still not been found. This factual drama, based on official statements and recorded testimony, is set three months after Madeleine's disappearance when, in the interviews we see here, the tone of the Portuguese police shifted from helpful to accusatory. It's very effective at putting the viewer in the place of Kate McCann (played by Laura Bayston), and makes for very sombre viewing.The McCanns have always worked hard to keep Madeleine in the public consciousness and have weathered their fair share of criticism, Kate in particular. It's one thing for us to appreciate the anguish of parents with missing children - it's something every parent worries about - but being a parent accused of bringing harm upon your child, at the same time as being terrified for their safety, is a whole other layer of hell. (60 minutes)Kidnapped By My MumThe extraordinary story of Alex Batty, who disappeared for six yearsYear: 2026Watch now on BBC iPlayerIn 2023, 17-year-old Alex Batty made headlines when he was found in the French Pyrenees after being missing for six years, disappearing in Spain while on holiday with his mother and grandfather.For the first time in this feature-length true crime documentary, Alex tells his story, and also confronts the most difficult aspect of all - why his mother stole him away from his life and kept his location a secret. Also reflecting on the case is Heather Yarker, the police officer who went to pick Alex up, and observed how events unfolded after his return to the UK. Was it simply an abduction, or was something else at play? (94 minutes) We Are JeniThe extraordinary story of Jeni Haynes, who developed more than 2,500 personalities to cope with abuseYear: 2026Certificate: 18Watch now on HBO MaxJeni Haynes was born in London in 1970 and her family relocated to Australia when she was four, a move that isolated Jeni's mother Pat from her friends and family. For this one-off documentary, Jeni talks about the physical abuse received at the hands of outwardly respectable father Richard, and of being raped 'almost every day' by him for years. Jeni's mother and father divorced in 1984. Jeni remained in Australia with Pat and Richard returned to the UK. In 1996, Jeni learned of allegations that Richard had sexually abused someone in the UK - and, at that point, decided to report him to the authorities. It's a sad and awful story, but the extraordinary element of it is that, in order to cope with the abuse, Jeni developed 2,500 separate personalities or 'alters', a condition known as Dissociative Identity Disorder. When Jeni, whose preferred pronouns are we/us/our, testified in an Australian court in front of her father, that testimony came partly through six of those alters - in a case that saw Richard sentenced to 45 years in prison. We hear some of Jeni's alters speak in this documentary - including bleached blonde toughie Muscles, who Jeni calls 'the ideal brother' - represented in part by digital animation. We also hear from Jeni's mother, who said that her husband ensured she took 'loads of pills' for her depression, causing her to miss 'all the red flags' relating to how he treated their daughter. (Two episodes) Legends (2026 series)Steve Coogan stars in the story of Britain's undercover war on drugs in the 90sYear: 2026Certificate: 15Watch now on NetflixIn early 1990s Britain, it was decided that something needed to be done about the flow of heroin into the country - but there was no money for a big, American-style war on drugs. The solution was to drop ordinary, but promising members of the public into a training programme and deploy them as undercover agents around the country and this series, which takes its title from the name used for their undercover identities - Legends - is the based-on-truth story of that.  With a script from Neil Forsyth (The Gold), this six-part series stars Steve Coogan as Don, the veteran investigator who whittles down the candidates and sends them off to work. Don is a mix of dry, on-the-job humour and a clear-eyed view of what that job could cost his recruits. They include Guy (Tom Burke), a family man who's bored of his job inspecting suitcases at Heathrow, and Erin, a civil service secretary with an uncanny knack for detail who takes charge of crafting the 'legends'.The show follows their training and deployment, and has the uplifting feel of a good old British underdog story, as well as the tension of a crime thriller where everything could go wrong at any moment. (Six episodes) Dutton RanchYellowstone spin-off following Beth and Rip to TexasYear: 2026Certificate: 18Watch now on Paramount+For plenty of Yellowstone fans, the star of the show wasn't Kevin Costner but Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton, the tough only daughter to his Montana ranch owner John. Reilly is half the subject of this spin-off, which follows her and husband Rip (Cole Hauser) as they start a new life together in Texas. A fresh start certainly sounds like an appealing idea, given all the drama that dogged the Duttons' lives on the Yellowstone ranch - but it turns out that Texas has its fair share of danger, too, starting with a ruthless rival ranch that's keen to make a point when it comes to territory. Still, if it was all sunshine and roses then Beth wouldn't have anything to be tough about, and watching her deal with trouble has always been a big part of the appeal of that character. That hasn't changed in Dutton Ranch, so fans can rest easy in that regard, although the opening episode can feel a little on the slow side.There have been reports of trouble behind the scenes, with show boss Chad Feehan (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) leaving the show three weeks before its premiere after reports that Reilly, Hauser and Yellowstone supremo Taylor Sheridan weren't satisfied with the show's progress. Still, don't bet against this coming back for a second series, especially with co-stars of the calibre of Ed Harris and Annette Bening fleshing out the sturdy cast. (Nine episodes)Death ValleyBreezy odd couple detective drama set in the Welsh valleys, starring Timothy SpallYear: 2025Certificate: 12Watch now on BBC iPlayerTimothy Spall takes the cosy crime plunge for this BBC series, following in the footsteps of Mark Williams (Father Brown), Jane Seymour (Harry Wild) and Sally Lindsay (The Madame Blanc Mysteries) as an amateur sleuth with a unique set of skills. He's on easy street in this series, in a role that doesn't test the multi-award winner much at all.Spall stars as veteran actor John Chapel, best known for playing a TV detective called Caesar but now living a reclusive life in a sleepy Welsh village. We're introduced to him via his biggest fan, local detective sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) who's upbeat, chaotic and a decent cop who only gets better when she teams up with the eccentrically astute Chapel. Chapel's unique approach to sleuthing is all about 'people, motives, character' as though he were preparing for a role. Peppered with fun one-liners which are sure to have you chuckling along, the mysteries take a back seat to the driving force of the breezy partnership between Chapel and Mallowan. The second series does feature a few murders but, as with the first, is more focused on the hilariously unlikely crime-solving duo at its heart. As we return to the duo Janie has been newly promoted, but her old sergeant role is yet to be filled. Step up John to assist, who goes undercover as a criminal doing community service and takes it as an opportunity to dive deep into character. Janie, though, isn't quite as enthusiastic about teaming up with John again - ever since he started dating her mum... (Two series)

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