By Lauren Heskin
24th Jan 2022
24th Jan 2022
Supernova
Have you worked your way through your whole to-watch list during that surprisingly quiet Christmas? Fear not, on top of our picks of the best new TV shows for January and the best Netflix picks, we select what to flick over to each night of January 2022.
Monday, January 24
The Responder, 9pm on BBC One NI
Starring Martin Freeman, this new drama starting tonight follows a troubled police officer struggling with my mental health and its effects on his family life. His work record isn’t squeaky clean either and his colleagues on the force keep a close eye on him as he’s paired with a rookie for a night shift on the streets of Liverpool.
Tuesday, January 25
The Gilded Age, 9pm on Sky Atlantic
Might be one of the biggest TV drops of the month. Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon star in this period drama written by Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellows. Setting his sights on the other side of the Atlantic this time, it’s set in 1880s New York City as old and new money come to a clashing head right as a penniless young woman arrives in the city, sent to live with her wealthy aunt.
Wednesday, January 26
The Card Counter, Virgin Media Store
Available now to rent, Paul Schrader’s tell the story of an ex-military interrogator turned professional gambler, played by Oscar Issac in this tense thriller. Haunted by his past actions and the influence of a military officer, Willem Defoe, he meets a woman eager to fund his card-counting habits for a nice profit (Tiffany Haddish).
Thursday, January 27
The Afterparty, Apple TV
Another Tiffany Haddish vehicle, probably poorly timed with her recent DUI. She stars in this hilarious who-dun-it starring as a Sherlock Holmes-esque police detective tasked with uncovering who killed celebrity Xavier (Dave Franco) as an afterparty for a high school reunion as his lavish home. Donnie Walhberg, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Grazer and Zoe Chao also star in this comedy-murder-mystery.
Friday, January 28
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, Netflix
As you can probably already tell from the long-winded title, Kristen Bell stars in this darkly humorous satirical take of the unreliable female narrator trope, as a lonely woman seeking solace at the bottom of a very large wine glass. Finding herself watching the seemingly perfect family across the road. Until one day, she witnesses a murder, or does she?
Saturday, January 29
High Fidelity, Disney +
It was a sad day when Hulu opted not to renew one of the brightest rookie seasons of 2020. Zoe Kravis stars in the TV version of Nick Hornby’s film, taking on John Cusack’s record-shop owner role. Funny, charming, brimming with great music and excellent dialogue, I’m genuinely jealous if you still have this in your future, I’ll certainly be rewatching at the first available opportunity. Who knows, maybe if it performs on Disney they’ll look at reviving it? I’ll try not to get my hopes up.
Sunday, January 30
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, Netflix
Everyone’s favourite member of the Fab Five finally gets his own show following the success of his open and unabashedly kind podcast. Investigating everything from skyscrapers to gender identity, insects to snacks, it’s an educational but always cheerful watch when Jonathan is in the frame.
Monday, January 17
Licorice Pizza, in cinemas
So this one has technically been in cinemas since early January but it’s absolutely worth the watch – expect it to be the indie contender for the big award come Oscars time. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (of There Will be Blood and Phantom Thread fame), this coming-of-age dramedy is set in the San Fernando Valley in 1973.
23-year-old photographer’s assistant Alana (played by Alan Haim) strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 15-year-old up-and-coming actor. Navigating their dual worlds of young adulthood and fame and excess, it’s nostalgic and charming and arguably one of the best films to drop this year.
Tuesday, January 18
Ghislaine, Prince Andrew & the Paedophile, 9pm UTV
Ranvir Singh attempts to unravel the world of heiress Ghislaine Maxwell, the Queen’s favourite son, Prince Andrew and their involvement in millionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.
Looking at the rich and powerful friends that surrounded Epstein for decades before he was convicted as a paedophile as well as the extensive evidence presented at both Maxwell’s and Epstein’s trials, it exposes a world of seemingly untouchable excess and the women and girls who bravely brought it all crashing down.
Wednesday, January 19
Queens, Disney Plus
Starring your 1990s crushes Eve and Brandy alongside Nadine Velazquez and Naturi Naughton, a former girl band decide to reunite in their 40s but find that their lives have all moved on significantly since they broke up at the height of their fame. A heart-warming and fairly straightforward watch, it’s what midweek is made for.
Thursday, January 20
As We See It, Amazon Prime
Okay, so this looks good, but I’m reserving judgement until I’ve seen it. Three twenty-something friends all on the autism spectrum agree to room together on the condition that they set and hold themselves to specific goals. It follows the trio as they attempt to navigate the world, from partners and jobs to just going outside. It’s a short and sweet eight episodes that looks set to brighten your day.
Friday, January 21
Ozark: Season 4 Part 1, Netflix
The sleeper hit show on Netflix returns for its fourth and final season, this time split into two seven-episode parts. Picking up where it left off, with the family cleaning up from the murder as a cartel party rages downstairs. But are they going to get away with it, or will they end up paying the price for their actions?
Saturday, January 22
Supernova, Sky Cinema
One of the most under-the-radar films of 2021, Supernova is a beautiful portrait of long-term love and commitment. Starring Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth as a couple who are facing into a battle against dementia and memory loss, it’s a simple yet piercing look at love, grief, dedication and mortality.
Sunday, January 23
Emma, Netflix
A breakout role for Anna Taylor Joy as the titular character in this bright and bubbly remake of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, a young and sheltered girl attempts to match-make her friends, to interesting results.
Monday, January 10
Euphoria, Sky Atlantic
The astonishing debut season was heralded as a generational piece of work with leading lady Zendaya sweeping the Emmy’s with her performance as drug-addicted teenager, Rue. Now, the sophomore season returns with plotlines very under wraps, though based on Zendaya’s Instagram post about the mature content of the show, it looks to be as viscerally brilliant as the first.
Tuesday, January 11
Rules of the Game, 9pm on BBC One
Following the brutal death of an employee in the reception area of a mid-sized sportswear company, Maxine Peakes stars as the manager tasked with investigating how such an incident could occur. As the company’s aims and those of new HR head come to odds with Peake’s, it’s a roiling pot of office culture, institutional abuse, capitalise and murder.
Wednesday, January 12
Cheer, Netflix
Another hit show back for a second season, although this one comes at a very difficult time as the Navarro cheer team is hit with not only instant celebrity but also scandal as one of the season one team members, Jerry Harris, is arrested for sexual misconduct. Coupled with the looming threat of Covid-19 to upset their season even further and stiff competition from Trinity Valley, can coach Monica Aldama get the squad to Daytona?
Thursday, January 13
The Father, Amazon Prime
Adapted from a French play of the same name, Anthony Hopkins takes an Oscar-winning turn as a man battling dementia. Seen from his confusing, befuddled and sometimes terrifying perspective as his daughter (played by the now-everywhere Olivia Colman) struggles to cope with his wild mood swings and memory loss.
Friday, January 14
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Apple TV
Fresh from his Golden Globe nomination, Denzel Washington stars alongside Oscar winner Frances McDormand and Brendan Gleeson in Joel Coen’s stripped-down take on the Shakespearean drama. Allowing the acting skills to take full precedence, it’s already got a 94% Rotten Tomato approval rating and the critics have been raving about it, so lock this one in ASAP.
Saturday, January 15
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, Amazon Prime
The fourth installment of the hit kid’s movie franchise, Adam Sandler and Selena Gomex return as the voices of Dracula and his daughter Mavis as Dracula struggles to trust his human son-in-law Johnny with his beloved hotel. An easy weekend watch.
Sunday, January 16
Eternals, Disney Plus
The lauded Marvel comics film didn’t quite hit the heights expected of its cast (which included Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Selma Hayek and Barry Keoghan) or its Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao but it’s absolutely still worth a watch. Immortal beings with superhuman skills, the Eternals must come together after aeons of quiet amalgamation on earth to save it from the evil Deviants.
Tuesday, January 4
Black Swan, Amazon Prime
The 2010 Oscar-nominated psychological thriller from Darren Aronofsky comes to streaming sites and brings with it Natalie Portman’s magnificent portrayal of Nina. Newly promoted prima ballerina Nina has lived a sheltered life and she’s perfect for the role of the white swan in her ballet company’s upcoming performance of Swan Lake. However, she struggles with the fluidity and darkness of her alter ego, the Black Swan, especially as it embodies her new rival Lily, played by Mila Kunis. Desperately wanting to capture the darkness and the light, Nina begins to slowly descend into madness, bringing the audience along with her in a series of confusing delusions that culminate in a performance of a lifetime.
Wednesday, January 5
Redemption of a Rogue, Netflix
This eccentric and dark Irish comedy sees wayward Jimmy Cullen return to Cavan to bid adieu to his dead father. However, a condition of his will that he can’t be buried while it’s raining or his children will be disinherited forces the younger Cullen to hang around longer than planned, Jimmy must confront demons old and new and seek his own redemption in a small town he thought he’d left behind.
Thursday, January 6
Deadly Cuts, Netflix
Starring a fantastic ensemble Irish cast including Angeline Ball, Ericka Roe, Lauren Larkin, Victoria Smurfit, and Pauline McGlynn, Deadly Cuts is a wickedly funny comedy set in a Dublin hair salon. When the staff become wrapped up in the workings of a local gang, they decide the only way to save the shop and their community is by entering a hair salon competition.
Friday, January 7
A Discovery of Witches, Sky Max
The third season of the Sky hit returns as witch and vampire couple Diana and Matthew come back from the past with lessons learned, enemies solidified and one (or two) imminent new additions to their home life.
The supernatural thriller-romance is based on Deborah Harkness’s book series of the same name and stars Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode.
Saturday, January 8
The Tender Bar, Amazon Prime
This heartwarming coming-of-age drama stars Tye Sheridan as JR, a young boy growing up in a working-class home in 1970s Long Island. With an absent father, JR is taken in by his bar-owning uncle (Ben Affleck) as he strives to carve out his own life.
Directed by George Clooney and with a script adapted by William Monahan who also wrote The Departed, it’s based on the memoirs of JR Moehringer.
Sunday, January 9
Euphoria, NowTV
The already-iconic show is returning sooner than we expected and will certainly be as dark, if not darker than the first. Following the intertwining lives of a collection of teenagers in a small town as they battle addiction, love, adulthood and loss.
We have a trailer but the plot has been kept very much under wraps with creator Sam Levinson known to continue rewriting scripts right the way through filming. However, based on how much the cast has spoken about its brilliance basically all the way through filming, whatever happens, it looks like the sophomore might live up to its freshman season.
Also Read
