Small Town, Big Story

(Sky Atlantic )

Hot on the heels of Bodkin and Obituary, Chris O’Dowd treats us to another tale of strange goings-on in a rural Irish town. When a major Hollywood production rolls into Drumbán, it “throws the spotlight on a secret that’s been kept since the eve of the Millennium.” Christina Hendricks, Paddy Considine, Eileen Walsh, David Wilmot and Ruth McCabe star in the culture clash dramatic comedy, which will be with us soon.

Blade Runner 2099

(Amazon Prime Video)

Written and directed by Shining Girls woman Silka Luisa and executive produced by original Blade Runner kingpin Ridley Scott, this eagerly-awaited miniseries time-warps Philip K. Dick’s source novel 80 years into the future. The always dependable Michelle Yeoh stars as a Replicant facing the end of her life, with New Jersey actor, model and activist Hunter Schafer – she campaigned vigorously against North Carolina’s transphobic bathroom bill – following up her impressive turn as Jules in Euphoria.

Going Dutch

(Netflix)

Following an epically unfiltered rant, a brash US colonel is reassigned to Holland, where he’s put in charge of the least important army base in the world. Played with trademark gusto by Denis Leary, this fish-out-of-water comedy also features Catherine Tate as his local love interest Dr. Katja Venderhoff. The snippets we’ve seen are hilarious.

Austin

(BBC One)

Australia’s moment in the televisual sun continues with this whip-smart comedy about children’s author Julian Hartswood who, as the result of a social media faux pas, appears to have killed both his and his illustrator wife’s careers stone dead.

As he tries (and fails) to face up to reality, the titular neurodivergent son he didn’t know he had dramatically enters their lives. Beautifully played by Love On The Spectrum reality TV star Michael Theo, Austin just might be the most endearing small-ish screen character of the year.

The Boroughs

(Netflix)

From the makers of Stranger Things and The Dark Crystal comes this equally fantastical yarn about the members of a New Mexico retirement home who are suddenly confronted with an otherworldly force. From their ranks emerge some unlikely heroes who aren’t going to allow their most precious commodity – time – to be stolen from them. As with the Duffers brothers’ previous work, the plot is labyrinthine, the humour pitch black and the performances by the likes of Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Ed Begley Jr., Clarke Peters and Alfred Molina spot on.

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast

(Netflix )

Having gifted us Derry Girls, Lisa McGee goes for the comedy jugular again with another semi-autobiographical romp starring the chucklesome likes of Jenn Murray, Chris Robinson, Róisín Gallagher and Sinéad Keenan.

“Clever, chaotic TV writer Saoirse, glamorous, stressed-out mother of three Robyn and dependable, inhibited carer Dara have been a tight-knit group since school,” we’re told. “Now in their late 30s, but still as close as ever, these three friends are about to embark on the most thrilling adventure of their lives.”

Interestingly because of “changes in editorial direction and rising costs”, the eight-parter has switched from Channel 4 to Netflix, which will please Martin Scorsese who’s watched Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James’ escapades on the platform and loved ‘em.

Murderbot

(Apple TV+)

Paul and Chris Weltz, whose combined CV includes American Pie, About A Boy, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, have been entrusted with bringing Martha Well’s acclaimed series of sci-fi novels to the small-ish screen. The action centres around the titular cyborg, who escapes enslavement and starts forming emotional attachments. Swedish breakout star Alex Skarsgard, who was brilliant last year in Mr & Mrs. Smith and What We Do In The Shadows, heads up the impressive cast.

And Did Those Feet... with Alan Partridge

(BBC One)

This six-part, if you will, mockumentary follows Norwich’s greatest ever broadcaster as he attempts to reintegrate into British life following 12 months working in Saudi Arabia. Thirty-four years after Alan made his bow in On The Hour, you’d expect the joke to be wearing thin but, nope, Steve Coogan’s portrayal of the grotesque but strangely lovable Alan is as painfully funny as ever.