Youth to Brothers: the seven best shows to watch this week
Sharon Horgan’s post-divorce comedy is scabrously funny and poignant, while Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey bring their real-life bromance to TV
Pick of the week
Youth
Sharon Horgan’s new comedy is a clarion call for messy fiftysomethings and the third part of what she loosely conceived as a trilogy, following on from Pulling and Catastrophe. “No decade moves faster than 50 to 60,” says the intro. This means, of course, that if you haven’t got your life in order (Horgan’s lead Alex very much hasn’t), you’re running out of time. What unfolds is by turns scabrously funny and poignant as Alex deals with dates from hell, middle-age health problems and empty nest syndrome. It’s as uproarious as it is emotionally acute – Horgan retains the knack of making her characters simultaneously the butt of many of the jokes and incredibly easy to root for.
HBO Max, from Monday 21 September
***
Brothers
Could lifelong friends Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey actually be brothers? Obviously, DNA tests exist but is it more fun to simply wonder? This series runs with that idea and the result is cheerfully vague and deeply self-indulgent. The pair play lightly fictionalised versions of themselves – Woody has learned about this fraternal possibility while Matthew is preparing to run for governor of Texas. Woody is staying at the McConaughey ranch while this plays out so multiple levels of goofy contrivance are given free rein. As most siblings know, it’s easiest to just go with the flow.
Apple TV, from Wednesday 23 September
***
Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Back to the Highlands for season two of this era-jumping romance. As we return, Henry (Jeremy Irvine) is very confused and, frankly, who wouldn’t be? He has been found, wandering the moors with a dagger sticking out of his shoulder. The doctors doubt his sanity but the truth is harder to swallow, as a journey back to the Jacobite rising suggests. Meanwhile, poor Julia (Hermione Corfield) is marooned in the 18th century, struggling with her husband, Lord Lovat. The big emotions never let up – just don’t expect it to make much sense. PH
MGM+ on Prime Video, from Saturday 19 September
***
Jaÿ-Z in 8
A hip-hop summit of sorts as Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin sits down with Jay-Z for an eight-episode survey of the rapper’s back catalogue. The granular level of song-by-song detail might constitute too much information for casual fans with the pair exploring Jay-Z’s childhood artistic development, block party adventures, ever-evolving writing process and formative influences. But, shot in elegant monochrome and with Jay’s words treated with a level of solemnity normally reserved for spiritual gurus, it’s a goldmine for serious heads.
Mubi, from Saturday 19 September
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Wonka’s Golden Ticket
The early stages of this reality contest resemble the episode of The Simpsons in which Homer fantasises about living in a land of chocolate. However, things get more serious once it becomes clear how much money is at stake (“a lifetime’s supply” apparently). What unfolds is essentially a confectionery-based spin on Squid Game: The Challenge – and as players are eliminated, the tasks become more fiendish and the Oompa-Loompas leading the competitors around the maze become less friendly. Not remotely nutritious but guiltily snackable all the same.
Netflix, from Wednesday 23 September
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The Real Rooneys
Eventually, streaming platforms might run out of retired footballers to make documentaries about. But for now, the train rumbles on – this latest eight-part dispatch from a plush, modernist pile in provincial Cheshire features Wayne and Coleen Rooney who, in fairness, seem a little more characterful than certain of their contemporaries. As they invite us into their home, Wayne is (euphemism alert!) “stepping back” from management while Coleen is coming into her own by designing a Primark range. It’s formulaic but the Rooneys seem a likable enough bunch.
Disney+, from Thursday 24 September
***
American Horror Story
The relentless Ryan Murphy continues to churn out content of wildly variable quality: his latest offering is season 13 of this horror anthology – whose finale will drop just in time for Halloween. It’s the usual parade of kitschy, bloody, slightly shonky gore with an impressive array of big names in the cast: this season’s ensemble includes John Waters, Tig Notaro, Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange and many more. The subject matter includes a creepy doctor with unspeakable hidden intentions (Waters, obviously) and a freshly convened witches’ coven.
Disney+, from Friday 25 September