Last One Laughing Ireland, Mean Girls and a Golden Globe-winner – what to watch this week

Monday, January 15

True Detective: Night Country Season 4, Sky Atlantic/NOW TV

When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice. New episodes air weekly on Sky Atlantic/NOW TV.

Tuesday, January 16

The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards highlights, Sky Max/NOW TV

Honouring the best in television across the latter half of 2022 and the first six months of 2023, the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday night. Delayed due to the SAG AFTRA strike, Succession leads the nominations with 27 nods access all categories – including three for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Other nominees include The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. For those interested, you can catch the highlights on Sky Max at 8pm.

Wednesday, January 17

The Marsh King’s Daughter, Prime Video

A woman with a secret past ventures into the wilderness she left behind to confront the most dangerous man she’s ever met: her father. Helena’s (Daisy Ridley) seemingly ordinary life hides a dark and dangerous truth: her estranged father is the infamous Marsh King (Ben Mendelsohn), the man who kept her and her mother captive in the wilderness for years. When her father escapes from prison, Helena must confront her past, find the strength to face her demons and outmanoeuvre the man who taught her everything she knows about surviving in the wild.

Thursday, January 18

Book Club: The Next Adventure, Sky Cinema/NOW TV

The highly anticipated sequel follows four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls’ trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing holiday turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure. Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen all star.

Friday, January 19

LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland, Prime Video

Using his trademark wit, host Graham Norton will oversee 10 Irish comedy stars brought together to make each other laugh… without cracking a smile themselves. With the added bonus of some celebrity cameos, their performances will have viewers belly-laughing the whole way through. Whoever can outlast their competitors will be crowned the first winner of LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland and win a grand prize of €50,000 for their charity of choice. I got a preview of the first two eps and I can confirm that it’s very, very funny. You’ll do well to make it through this without tittering.

Saturday, January 20

The Holdovers, in cinemas nationwide

A big winner at this year’s Golden Globes, The Holdovers is a new film by Alexander Payne about a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school. Forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go, he ends up forming an unlikely bond with a brainy troublemaker (Dominic Sessa) and the school’s head cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who has just lost a son in Vietnam. Set in the 1970s, the film has a distinctly vintage feel – greatly enhanced by Sessa who looks like he walked straight off the cover of your favourite vinyl. Highly recommend.

Sunday, January 21

Mean Girls, in cinemas nationwide

A modern – musical – remake of everyone’s favourite 90s flick, the new Mean Girls follows the plot of the original with a few unexpected twists added in for good measure. Was there a need to remake a classic? I think not but I guess Tina Fey felt otherwise…

Imagery courtesy Prime Video