TV Recs, June 25th-July 2nd
Looking for something good to watch this week but not sure where to start? Don’t want to do the dreaded hours of scrolling only to end up watching reruns of a sitcom from 1998? Look no further, I got the goods right here.
Netflix
CIVIL: BEN CRUMP.
Here in the UK you might not know the name Ben Crump, but for Black America he is quite the significant figure, he’s even known as “Black America’s attorney general.”
This documentary follows Ben as he fights for civil rights, fights against police brutality and social injustice, and works to increase the value of Black lives in America. We see many cases throughout, including one against the city of Minneapolis for the murder of George Floyd.
THE UPSHAWS: SEASON 2
The Upshaws follows a working class family in Indiana as they tackle day to day life as Black Americans, and as a blended family. Season 1 is available to watch in full, and Season 2 will be released in two parts. Early reviews say this second season is even funnier than the first, and Netflix have described it like this:
"In season 2, Bennie will continue to have to contend with raising his children with both women, while under the watchful eye of sardonic sister-in-law Lucretia (co-creator Wanda Sykes). Lucretia is very rarely impressed. Expect new romances, the ghosts of loves past and big ambition in season 2.”
STRANGER THINGS, SEASON 4, VOLUME 2
Could this perhaps be THE TV moment of the year? I think so. If you haven’t seen Volume 1 yet, first of all - where have you been? But second of all, look away now as I do a quick recap of where we left off and where volume 2 picks up.
So last we saw, Robin and Eddie had successfully escaped the Upside Down, but when Nancy tried it all went well, upside down, and she found herself stuck in the swimming pool we saw in Season 1 when Barb - may
she rest in peace - was killed. Eleven had finally broken through her hidden memories and discovered the truth about her time in the institute, and the truth about 001. Big spoiler alert if you didn’t look away earlier: 001 is Vecna, the creature in the upside down who has been terrorising Hawkins. And over in Russia, Joyce and Hopper have finally been reunited with the slight downside being they’re trapped in a prison with a demogorgon.
So, it’s not looking great for our favourite group of misfits, will they all make it out alive? (If Steve, Eddie, Robin or Dustin don’t, I will enter a period of mourning.)
Volume 1 is all available to stream now, and Volume 2 drops on Friday, July 1st. Don’t call, don’t text, I’m busy.
Sky
THE LAZARUS PROJECT
The Lazarus Project is kind of Spooks meets Groundhog Day, but with the survival of the entire planet on the line. It stars Paapa Essiedu as George, a data analyst and app developer who lives 6 months, only to wake up the next morning on a day 6 months before. And he seems to be the only one who remembers it.
Until he discovers The Lazarus Project, a top secret organisation who are tasked with preventing the end of the world. And every time they can’t, everything resets to July 1st. But that is the only reason they can go back, because going back means everything that happened in the time since July 1st is undone. Pregnancies, births, marriages, all of it. So doing it for any other reason is a big no no with big consequences - I reckon you might be able to sense what might happen. It’s driven by pain, by grief, by love, by family. And that’s what makes for really great sci-fi, when the heart of it is grounded in humanity.
The Lazarus Project is airing every Thursday at 9pm on Sky Max, or you can watch the whole season now on Sky Boxsets.
BBC
LENNY HENRY’S CARIBBEAN BRITAIN
This 2 part documentary is a much needed change of pace from the documentary’s we have grown used to about Caribbean people in Britain. It does not dwell on the struggle and the strife, instead it is a warm and heartfelt look at the ways Britain has absorbed Caribbean culture into it’s soul. The food, the music, the artists, the creatives. And Lenny is the perfect man to front it, with an ability to strike a perfect balance between the ernest and the humourous, this is like a warm hug on screen.
It also has big guest stars including David Harewood, Judi Love and Benjamin Zephaniah.
Both episodes are available now on BBC iPlayer.
That’s your lot from me this week, if you have any others drop them in the comments below!