Netflix: 10 of the best new TV shows to watch in January – The Irish Times

After Life, Season 3

Friday, January 14thComedian and self-appointed free-speech tzar Ricky Gervais is back with his existentialist black comedy. This final outing sees widower Tony Gervais) continuing to rail against the futility of life but after slightly mellowing in the second season, hes now trying not to let his nihilism and pessimism get in the way of his potential happiness with nurse Emma Ashley Jensen). As he tackles his unresolved feelings around his fathers death and his grief at the loss of his wife, Tony wonders whether he will ever be able to diminish the guilt he feels for being alive? After Life has proved to be a huge hit with viewers and critics alike. Gervais has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix, and will continue to loudly say whatever he likes to millions of subscribers worldwide.

Wednesday, January 19th

Just what January needs: a selection box of semi-clad himbos and hotties to make everyone feel better about their post-Christmas-stuffing-physique. The pandemic proof rules remain the same in this simplistic over-sexed reality show: contestants must involve themselves in intimate relationships but without touching each other. As they flounce around in a selection of tiny swimwear and mandatory budgie-smugglers they must flirt their way to a fortune. But every move they make and every ardent act causes the prize money to dwindle, along with our remaining brain cells.

Wednesday, January 19thFrom the creators of the sensational documentary The Imposter about the life of French con artist Frederic Bourdin comes the tale of another criminal who lived a fantasy life. The Puppet Master is a true crime docu-series that unravels the story of Robert Hendy-Freegard, who stole almost 1 million from several people while he masqueraded as an undercover MI5 agent. Over more than a decade he trapped women in relationships, making them fear for their safety as they abandoned their lives to be with him. He was imprisoned in 2005. This three-part documentary recounts these crimes but also follows a family who still live in fear of Hendy-Freegard and describe the effect his deceit had on their mother.

Wednesday, January 19thThe culinary magic of Mexico is revealed one bite at a time in this vibrant docu-series. Heavenly Bites : Mexico showcases the most original and extraordinary foodstuffs the country has to offer. Concentrating on the ingenuity of chefs, street-vendors, and passionate cooks, it covers everything from tacos stuffed into tortillas to hot-sauce jellies. The series highlights the dedication of these gastronomes, all of whom take pride in putting Mexico on the map for adventurous food lovers.

Friday, January 21stThe final series of the acclaimed crime drama will be split in two, with the first seven episodes served up in January. With the Byrde family becoming ever more intertwined with the Navarro cartel and Wendy (Laura Linney) forced into a disastrous decision at the end of season three, the suspense was ratcheted up to unbearable levels. Whether the final season will dissolve into implausible fan service or will go out with an unpredictable twist remains to be seen, but Ozarks swansong signals the end of the era of the white collar, antihero drama serial. As you marvel at Jason Batemans Marty Byrde suffering through another moral dilemma, you may wonder how they got away with it for so long.

Wednesday, January 26thHard-boiled detective and all-round tortured soul, Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) may have retired but the spectre of misfortune still follows him in the final instalment of the anthology series. Ambrose witnesses what he believes is a potential suicide attempt whilst supposedly recuperating on an small island off Maine. The young girl, Percy Muldoon, daughter of a wealthy local fisheries owner, may not have killed herself after all, as others recount seeing her drive away from the scene. A confused Ambrose takes it upon himself to investigate this disappearance, and is pulled further into the Muldoons history of secrets while matriarch Meg (Frances Fisher) tries to disguise the twisted roots of the family tree.

Thursday, January 27th

This beautifully realised Danish coming-of-age drama is concerned with the metaphysical as well as the grinding realities of teenage life. Created by Christian Potalivo and Jannik Tai Mosholt the duo responsible for the smash-hit dystopian eco-thriller The Rain Chosen is another slice of chilling Scandi-sci-fi. Fascinated by the unknowable vastness of space, small-town girl Emma Malaika Berenth Mosendane) thinks her home of Middlebo has nothing to offer other than its dubious claim to fame as the site of a meteor crash. When she accidentally stumbles upon the truth about her town, her sleepy homestead becomes a much more dangerous place. As she learns its secrets, Emma begins to explore her own identity with earth-shattering results.

Friday, January 28thAdapted for Netflix from a celebrated weekly podcast, this series sees Queer Eye grooming guru Jonathan Van Ness dive into a range of subjects guided by various experts. With topics ranging from the psychics of skyscrapers, to the importance of insects, to gender identity, Getting Curious is an insightful and plain-speaking place for inquiring minds. Getting Curious asks the viewer to look beyond their own experiences and refresh their minds.The podcast, which started in 2015, has become such a mainstay due to Van Nesss open, inquisitive style and passion for knowledge.

Friday, January 28thSet in the mid-1990s, this Spanish fantasy-horror series marries the pulpy thrills of Vernica with the gothic weirdness of a Virginia Andrews novel. Written by Elites Carlos Montero, the supernatural series follows sisters Sofia and Eva, whose parents have disappeared. When the sisters learn that their missing parents may have been responsible for the deaths of 23 people as part of a cult ritual, they must try to protect themselves by any means possible as other members turn up in their Andalusian town intent on revenge.

Friday, January 28thIn the grand tradition of parody films such as The Naked Gun series and the Scary Movie franchise, The Woman in The House lampoons the particular popular thriller trope of the slightly unhinged, wine-drenched female protagonist synonymous with this genre, from The Girl on the Train to the Woman in the Window. The Good Places Kristen Bell plays this seemingly untrustworthy narrator, the isolated Anna, who thinks she has witnessed the murder of a girl across the street from her house. As she guzzles giant glasses of wine followed by a cocktail of prescription drugs, her story becomes ever more fuzzy and surreal. The spoof series is created by Adult Swim writers Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson and Larry Dorf, a group unafraid to poke fun at their Netflix paymasters who are responsible for the vast majority of these derivative dramas.

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Netflix: 10 of the best new TV shows to watch in January - The Irish Times