We've got the deets on the media you're going to want to check out this month, from great shows to hot new albums.
Bingewatching
The One Finding your predestinate, biological soulmate through DNA testing might sound like a sweet and heartwarming premise, but from the first episode of futuristic thriller The One, there’s a slight sense of dread and forboding that suggests happy endings might not be so easily found. Brimming with complex, flawed characters whose choices infuriate as much as compel you, The One is a gripping, dark look at relationships and what might prove most important to people when they are forced to choose. Watch on: Netflix.
Creamerie It could have been a bit awkward in a post-Covid world to make a series about a world in which all the males on the planet have been killed by a mystery virus, but through empathetic characters, a great script and a healthy dose of black comedy, this locally made dystopian drama from Chinese-Kiwi director Roseanne Liang more than makes it work. This vision of a man-free Aotearoa might come with free healthcare and education, but it also comes with a set of wellness rules and a pregnancy lottery that not everyone is happy with. Among the discontent are three dairy farmers who run into trouble – literally – when they hit the last remaining man on Earth with their car. Watch on: TVNZ On Demand.
The Bold Type A kind of woke-culture answer to the likes of Sex and the City or The Devil Wears Prada, The Bold Type seems at first to be a familiar beast: young women, working at a magazine, in New York City. Following three millennials, Jane, Sutton, and Kat, this is a bold, modern take on NYC magazine life that doesn’t shy away from tackling less tidy personal journeys, from their sexuality to their career choices. It is certainly a show that offers a kind of light escapism, from the fashion to the romance, but is also full of refreshingly real, sensitive storylines and a strong thread of female solidarity that gives it its heart. Watch on: Netflix.
Reading
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth Entertaining, gripping and surprising, this psychological thriller-slash-domestic drama follows twin sisters Fern and Rose, who grew up with a sociopathic mother whom only Rose could see for what she was. When Fern has a chance to repay Rose for being her lifelong protector, she jumps at the chance, but both sisters have secrets to keep that might give their mother the last word after all. Two well-crafted and unreliable narrators make this a spine-tingling and unpredictable novel that will keep you riveted until the very last page.
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb What happens when a therapist goes to therapy? In this funny and thought-provoking memoir, we get a look behind the scenes of a therapist’s world; the inner workings of both her patients’ minds, and her own. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone is a deeply personal and yet universal exploration of the human heart, the stories we tell ourselves and others, and turns the spotlight on what it really means to be human.
Bella: My Life in Food by Annabel Langbein One of New Zealand’s most popular cookbook writers talks about how food has shaped her life, from a childhood fascination with food to living off the land to starting her own croissant business in Brazil. Complemented with stunning photography, Annabel highlights 60 key recipes that have resonated strongly with her over the years, created with her signature style and flair that makes cooking easy and enjoyable for everyone.
Listening
Albums
London Grammar, Californian Soil The third album from UK electro-pop trio London Grammar is infused with a new sense of energy and drama, with all but four tracks utilising the cinematic scale of an orchestra, and Hannah Reid’s throaty vocals giving power and emotion to some more candid lyrics. It’s a soaring powerhouse in some places and ethereal and folky in others, making for a well-crafted album you want to listen to on repeat.
Dinosaur Jr., Sweep It Into Space Not quite as long as the dinosaurs, but this indie rock band from Massachusetts have certainly been around a while – since 1984, to be exact. And they’re anything but has-beens, as the exuberant new album proves; full of catchy, bangin’ guitar riffs and some creative instrumentation. It’s foot-tapping and playful, yet still gives enough reason to rock out as ever.
Birdy, Young Heart Written after a first heartbreak and inspired by Joni Mitchell, Young Heart is a poetic journey through the many phases of a break up. The music is pared back and simpler compared to her last album of five years ago, letting her emotions take centre stage. It’s raw, vulnerable and beautiful – the sorrow, yearning and acceptance perfectly complemented with soft piano and gentle strings that sneak into your chest and pull ever so insistently on your heart strings.
Podcasts
Dear Joan & Jericha Filed under silly, satirical and simple light relief is this podcast in which Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine play fictional agony aunts, addressing problems from the outrageous to the filthy.
A Bit of a Stretch An inside look at the boredom, banality and casual violence of day-to-day life in prison, based on the memoir by Bafta-nominated filmmaker Chris Atkins, who spent nine months at HMP Wandsworth for tax fraud.