KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — 2023 has been chock full of Apple announcements as well as a long list of new shows to watch on the channel.
Here’s my list of shows to cater to different tastes (even if, admittedly some of these shows aren’t to my own preference):
1. Slow Horses
Bumbling MI6 spies. Gary Oldman. Those are two reasons alone to watch, though you could argue that Oldman is enough.
Oldman pretty much runs away with the material and deftly adds layers to his complicated semi-retired spy boss with too many secrets.
With three seasons and another two confirmed, at the very least you won’t be left bereft and disappointed by a show abruptly cut short (looking at you, Netflix).
2. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
If you’re a diehard Godzilla universe fan this is fairly entertaining as well as a nice connect-the-dots expansion of kaiju and their origins.
Kurt Russell is a very welcome presence in the series adding much needed star power as well as a tempering to the really annoying younger lead characters.
Don’t feel guilty fast forwarding all the bickering the younger actors get into because I certainly did as I’m here for the monsters, not the tired overwrought personal drama.
3. The Morning Show
I really dislike this show but I suppose I’m in the minority. What’s most entertaining about this TV show about a morning TV show is the chemistry and banter between Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, with an amiable supporting cast (who I like more than the leads).
Camp? Yes. Too silly to take seriously when it takes itself too seriously? Also yes.
So if you’re a fan of old school TV shows about fictional TV shows you might just enjoy cuddling up to this with some popcorn.
4. Silo
I read the books the series is based on years back and while the show is slow-building, it rewards you if you stick to it (which might be a challenge given how glacial the first couple of episodes feel).
Rebecca Ferguson is riveting in her role as an engineer trying to uncover the mysteries behind the post-apocalyptic communal dwelling, or silos, she and many others are stuck in.
If you love good sci-fi and have enough patience, Silo is worth the watch even as it closes into the final reveal of the season finale.
5. Lessons in Chemistry
Brie Larson plays a widowed wannabe scientist into a reluctant TV star in an interesting premise based on Bonnie Garmus’ critically acclaimed debut novel.
What I wished the show had was a bit more whimsy as the novel itself was lauded by the Guardian as “richly comic” but it can be more dour at times than it should be.
Still it’s a fairly entertaining tale that showcases just how hard it can be for women to be taken seriously in STEM, and how sometimes you just need to be creative to get what you want no matter what roadblocks society puts up.
6. Messi Meets America
There’s no denying the phenomenon that is Lionel Messi and for the football fan(s) in your household this will make light, entertaining fare.
At the very least you’ll get a glimpse of how the La Liga star ended up playing in a country that’s only really just learned to embrace “the beautiful game”.
7. Curses!
For lighter kid-friendly fare there’s the animated series from Dreamworks, Curses!, that shows the adventures of a pair of siblings, with their mother, desperately finding the means to break a curse.
There are spooky bits in it so it would be more suitable for kids 10 years and older but visually it’s a nice change from the usual Disney and Pixar fare, which will make it more enjoyable for adults too.
