The Best of Sky TV – My 2024 Recommendations

Hello Readers,

I have recently started watching television programmes on the Sky channels and I want to talk through my favourites. I only started about mid way through this year so I have focused on programmes I have heard about or been recommended by friends. There is a vast range of channels but most of these programmes are from Sky Max, Comedy or Showcase.

Breeders (2020 – 2023) Age Rating 18

Series available: 4
Show status: Ended
Cast: Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Alun Armstrong, Joanna Bacon

This show tells the story of two parents Paul and Ally and the ups and downs of their parenting life with look-ins from Paul’s parents, Ally’s boss and persnickety mother. Paul has anger issues and Ally is trying to balance her career with being a present mother. The kids are recast for the 3rd series but all the actors are great in the role. Lots of strong language but would class as a comedy drama.

Rating: 4/5

Avenue 5 (2020 – 2022) Age Rating 18

Series available: 2
Show Status: Cancelled
Cast: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Lenora Crichlow, Rebecca Front, Andy Buckley, Zach Woods, Suzy Nakamura, Nikki Amuka-Bird

Set in the near future, luxury space cruise liner Avenue 5 is making its inaugural voyage around the galaxy. Its journey gets thrown off course and eight weeks becomes three years causing a lot of upset for the crew and passengers. We see mission control trying to handle the mission PR on Earth. I really enjoyed this series and it did end with a cliffhanger but was funny and I like all the references to the future. The ensemble cast worked well together.

Rating: 4/5

Mary and George (2024) Age Rating 18

Series available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini-Series
Cast: Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran, Mark O’Halloran

A journey back to Jacobean England where we see Mary and George advance through noble ranks to become close advisors to King James I. George Villiers transforms from lovesick puppy into political player through his relationship with the King. In the background, Mary wields her children to put her into the best possible position in society. The costumes, set and acting were all excellent and the story told is one that has been lost through history. I was aware of George Villiers but had no idea of the role his mother played in their ascent in the King’s Court. There is also an interesting documentary discussing different elements of the show with various cast, crew and historical experts available.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Regime (2024) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini Series
Cast: Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Danny Webb

Satirical comedy drama about a female dictator in Eastern Europe. Elena Vernham has inherited Chancellor from her father and rules with an iron fist but believes herself to be fair and just for her people. Those around her try to keep her on the right path while she starts taking the advice of an ex-army Corporal with a checkered past. I initially did not get into this series after the first episode but I wanted to try and finish it. I thought Kate Winslet gave a good performance but overall the plot was confusing with each episode having time jumps and Elena’s relationship with Corporal Zubak changing every two episodes. I enjoyed some of the general humour and I could see where they were going with it but in my opinion, it was not as effective as in other programmes.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini-Series
Cast: Jonah Hauer-King, Anna Próchniak, Melanie Lynskey, Harvey Keitel, Jonas Hay, Tallulah Haddon, Mili Eshet

This show based on a bestselling novel depicts the story of Lale and Gita, two Slovak Jews as they met at Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. In the future, Lale recounts the story of his romance with Gita and who he had to become to stay alive during his time imprisoned. This show was very intense but told a beautiful story of love in a time of pain and the recreation of the camp was very well done. Acting was outstanding.

Rating: 4/5

Rob Beckett’s Smart TV (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Renewed for Series 2
Presenters: Alison Hammond, Rob Beckett, Josh Widdicombe

Television based panel game show starring some of Britain’s most loved comedians. Rob Beckett hosts with Alison Hammond and Josh Widdicombe as team captains and they are joined by a host of known British celebrities. Rounds include general trivia, guessing the background artist and finish that line. A fun show with questions that anyone who watches British TV will be able to play along with at home. The three presenters all interact well together.

Rating: 4/5

Girls (2012-2017) Age Rating: 18

Series Available: 1, 2, and 6 out of 6 (Others are available to buy)
Show Status: Ended
Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, Zosia Mamet, Alex Karpovsky

Female focused comedy starring wannabe journalist Hannah, uptight Marnie, free-spirit Jessa and anxious Shoshanna as four friends living in New York City in their 20s. I only saw the first two series but I liked the programme. It was weirder and yet more relatable than other friend comedies such as Friends or How I Met Your Mother. I like Lena Dunham’s writing and I thought all the characters were interesting and complex. Would like to watch more if it becomes available.

Rating: 4/5

Manifest (2018-2023) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1 (3 out of 4, others are available on Netflix)
Show Status: Ended
Cast: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Parveen Kaur

I watched Series 3 of the show on Sky but the other three are available on Netflix. This show is about flight 828’s crew and passengers as they travel five and a half years into the future during a short journey from Jamaica to NYC. In the following years, the universe gives the passengers callings and visions to try and help each other and stop the world from casting them out from society. I really enjoyed the show and while it took me a few episodes to get into it, I was then hooked. There is a lot of religious story arcs but once you bond with the characters, the story is more interesting. It did well for a show with no big names. I also walked past them filming a scene in Times Square so they do actually film in New York.

Rating: 3.5/5

Bloods (2021-2022) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 2
Show Status: Cancelled
Cast: Jane Horrocks, Samson Kayo, Lucy Punch, Julian Barratt, Adrian Scarborough, Aasiya Shah, Sam Campbell, Kevin Garry

Classic British comedy set in the world of paramedics contrasting gore with giggles. Centered around Maleek and his new ambulance partner, Wendy, we see their day to day lives as they learn to work together along with the other teams on their squad and no-nonsense boss, Jo. I enjoyed this show and thought it had the right balance of laughs and seriousness especially considering the setting. Starred some great comedy legends and newcomers. Ended on a cliffhanger but unfortunately was cancelled.

Rating: 4/5

The Franchise (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Awaiting Renewal
Cast: Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, Daniel Brühl, Justin Edwards, Ruaridh Mollica

Ensemble comedy around a film crew making a big Hollywood superhero movie in the UK. Our main character is 1st AD Dan with his new mentee, Dag then we have the director Eric who is slowly losing his mind and the plot of the film; action star, Adam and reluctant co-star, Peter along with Steph, Eric’s PA, Bryson, representative of big boss, Shane on set; Pat and Anita, the producers and Rufus, the overused extra. I really enjoyed this show and was clearly written by people who have had these experiences on film sets so I am sure anyone in the industry can relate. Funny but not too over the top; classic Armando Iannucci comedy.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Day of the Jackal (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Renewed for Series 2
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch, Eleanor Matsuura, Chukwudi Iwuji, Úrsula Corberó

A cat and mouse game between assassin and MI6, this series leads the characters all across Europe as the Jackal tries to complete the kills he is hired to do without getting caught. His wife and child wait for him in Spain as their family get more and more suspicious. MI6 agent, Bianca leads the chase but putting her job before her own family is weighing on her. This show is pacy and dynamic with good drama and believable plot lines. Just when you think the Jackal will be caught, he manages to escape but he starts making mistakes and letting his guard down. So many different locations were used, highlighting many cities that you would not normally see on a British drama. I am looking forward to Series 2.

Rating: 4.5/5

On My Watchlist:

Never Mind the Buzzcocks (2021-) Age Rating: 15
Panel Show
Series Available: 4
Show Status: Show Awaiting Return
Presenters: Greg Davies, Noel Fielding and Daisy May Cooper

I’ve seen clips of this show online and looks like a panel show I would enjoy. It’s a reboot of a show from the early 2000s with new segments and presenters. I haven’t got around to watching it so on my list for a potential watch.

The Sympathizer (2024) Age Rating: 15
Drama
Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini Series
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Vy Le, Phan Gia Nhat Linh, Tom Dang, Toan Le, Tien Pham

I saw the trailer when it was new out and the show looks interesting but it hasn’t peeked my interest enough to watch yet. I am a fan of Robert Downey Jr. but I am not as interested in this topic but would be willing to give it a go as it is on the Sky Showcase channel.

The Righteous Gemstones (2019-) Age Rating: 18
Comedy
Series Available: 3
Show Status: Series 4 to be Released in 2025
Cast: John Goodman, Danny McBride, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, Gregory Alan Williams, Tim Baltz, Tony Cavalero

I didn’t want to do a full review on this show as I have only seen a few episodes of the first series but it’s a funny parody comedy about the rich evangelical church owners you can find in the US. Will carry on watching as and when.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Strong Women in Film

Felicity Jones was powerful as Ruth and even though small in stature, she had command and the authority that Ruth had and still has. The portrayal of Rut Bader Ginsburg really inspired me that even though she had been pushed aside, Ruth knew her place was to fight for equality. Her daughter also inspired her as she turned to feminist activism. This film is really one to watch, not just for Felicity Jones’ amazing outfits, inspiring performance but Ruth’s amazing life story.

Hi readers,

I will discussing films that I have seen last month with strong and inspiring female characters. In the past, actresses were there just to be rescued or as someone for the actor to talk to or monologue to. Almost like a plot device. There have been many films featuring women and I feel like society’s attitudes towards women has become more accepting and inclusive. We are getting biopics about amazing women such as the female NASA mathematicians in Hidden Figures that helped put a man in space; Wonder Woman, the first superhero film that I have seen starring a woman; films about female musicians, Amy and Whitney; films remade with a female cast, Ghostbusters, Ocean’s 8, What Men Want, The Hustle. I will be looking at some film’s I have seen last month with a strong female lead.

On the Basis of Sex

Felicity Jones in On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is famous for work toward gender equality and her position as Supreme Court Justice. This origin story shows how she progressed from Harvard Housewife to the woman she is today. Ruth was one of the first women to attend Harvard Law school and when her husband Marty was diagnosed with a serious illness she took his classes for him. She graduates but no law firms in New York will employ a female lawyer in 1959. She becomes a lecturer but when one case opens her eyes to the injustice towards a man then all women, she must take a stand. Felicity Jones was powerful as Ruth and even though small in stature, she had command and the authority that Ruth had and still has. The portrayal of Rut Bader Ginsburg really inspired me that even though she had been pushed aside, Ruth knew her place was to fight for equality. Her daughter also inspired her as she turned to feminist activism. This film is really one to watch, not just for Felicity Jones’ amazing outfits, inspiring performance but Ruth’s amazing life story.

Captain Marvel

Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019)

The first female lead Marvel film was always going to be good but Brie Larson as Carol Danvers just took it to a place beyond anything I thought it could go. The main message running through was that even though Carol had gained Kree powers and could blast people, she was powerful and strong when she was human. Her determination and strength was shown in a beautiful montage of Carol being knocked down at various ages but then standing up stronger and braver than before. Brie Larson’s comedic timing was on point and I believed that she really didn’t have an memories before waking up in Hala, the Kree city. Maria, Carol’s best friend and fellow pilot was also a great female character. Despite being a single mother and black, she became an Air Force pilot. When Carol came back with no memory, she helped her remember her life and their adventures together. Her daughter, Monica who admired Carol as her role model was also a great female character. Definitely one to take young girls who need self-belief and the confidence to achieve their dreams.

A Private War

This film was very powerful and more shocking and sad than the previous two but Rosamund Pike as the war journalist, Marie Colvin was striking. Marie goes to war zone after war zone reporting on the most horrific things she can find and does it with a bravery that most people don’t have in them. A male journalist in her situation might retire after the trauma and danger she went through but she kept going even after having a stint in a rehabilitation facility due to her PTSD. In each war zone: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Syria, Marie felt compelled to share the horrors of war and what was happening to the civilians who had nothing to do with the conflict. Marie also struggles with her personal life, her husband leaves her, she drinks and smokes way way too much, she doesn’t leave enough time for friends and after losing an eye, she becomes depressed.

I loved this film for it’s honesty and showing what war is really like not for the soldiers or terrorists but for the people, the citizens. War really took a toll on Marie and her writing was so visual that she is regarded as one of the best journalists of her time. The ending shocked me as I didn’t know much of Marie’s story and I won’t spoil it here but throughout the film there is a countdown in years to Syria. Would be happy to watch this again.

The Princess Diaries

An older film than the others in this post but she a great film for women. Mia, a normal, socially awkward teenager is told that she is the heir to the Genovian throne, a fictional European country. She starts ‘Princess Lessons’ with her Grandmother, Clarisse, the Queen of Genovia. Mia realises that some people just want fame and not everyone will be as nice as her artistic supportive mum or best friend Lily. This film is full of laughs and I have seen it many a time. Mia is a role model to young girls everywhere as she chooses to use her position to change things in the world for the better. Her house is also really cool. I would encourage any woman, young, old or in-between to watch this uplifting female empowering film. The sequel is also worth a look.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Lee Israel’s motivations are relatable, she can’t sell her work and is living in a cockroach invested apartment in New York. Her actions are not well thought out as she starts forging letters from great literary figures like Dorothy Parker when her work as a celebrity biographer is no longer relevant. She starts selling her letters, claiming her cousin found them in his loft and then ropes in her friend and fellow writer, Jack Hock to help her pass off the letters as originals. It works until it doesn’t. Lee doesn’t have much luck in her personal life, her girlfriend left her and her new love interest at the book shop unravels when the letters are discovered as forged. The film itself is based on Lee’s book she wrote on the ordeal and why she did it. Melissa McCarthy as Lee was one of the best of her career and a real change from her usual comedy such as Bridesmaids, Tammy, Identity Thief and Life of the Party. This film showed Lee’s ingenuity and creativity when she had no other way of making money. Someone else may have accepted a job in a different field but Lee persevered in her chosen profession. A great film that showed the resilience of women.

Isn’t it Romantic

Rebel Wilson in Isn't It Romantic (2019)

An anti-rom-com with Rebel Wilson in her first lead role that made fun of every troupe while simultaneously fulfilling them all. Rebel plays Natalie an architect who loves her job but wishes she did more than design parking garages and watch her friend Josh stare at the beautiful woman on the billboard outside her window. When Natalie bumps her head she ends up in a cliche rom-com with hot doctors, clean streets and handsome men falling in love with her. She doesn’t know how to leave but when Josh starts dating the woman from the billboard; yoga ambassador Isabella, Natalie thinks that breaking them up will get her out of this rosy, annoying world. This film was a feel-good romantic comedy while simultaneously making fun of all the cliches such as women fighting at work, Natalie’s friend/assistant, Whitney suddenly becomes her rival; random bursting into song; perfect flash mob dance sequences. Natalie realises at the end that to escape the ‘perfect’ world she needs to love herself not any man and I think that is a really female empowering message. I love Rebel Wilson in any role she does and this was no exception.

I Feel Pretty

Another film where a woman feels underappreciated then hits her head. This time Amy Schumer is Renee, an under-confident woman not happy with her size, her dating life or her dead end job in a basement in Chinatown working for Lilly Leclair as an IT specialist. After falling off a Soul Cycle bike and hitting her head, Renee wakes up believing that she is the most beautiful woman in the world. This gives her more confidence to pursue her dream job as a receptionist for Lilly Leclair, working in their Fifth Avenue office. Her friends who have always loved her are confused as it everyone else as Renee hasn’t changed at all, she just thinks she has. When Renee becomes close to Lilly Leclair head honcho, Avery Leclair, she starts leaving her friends and new boyfriend, Ethan behind. Being confident makes her self-centred and vain. I thought Amy Schumer was great in this role and the message that you are perfect just the way you are and can achieve your dreams with the right attitude and self-belief was really strong and moving for me.

20th Century Women

This film about 3 strong women raising a teenage boy in 1979 was a true to life look at what struggles women face such as teenage pregnancy, ovarian cancer, single motherhood, rebellious children. The atmosphere of the film and the women interacting with each other intellectually and taking Jamie under their wings while fighting stereotypes and discussing menstruation, sex and womanhood was one I haven’t seen in many films and made me feel seen as a woman. Setting the film in 1979 was important as periods and other female ‘issues’ were regarded as even more taboo at that time. The love that Dorothea felt for her son made you sad that he kept pushing her away but also you understood he just wanted to be free and live his life. A great story and look at life in California in the 1970s.

Happy Watching

Robyn 🙂