ENTERTAINMENT A–Z
Just One Look League of Gentlemen
I IN TREATMENT This HBO chamber drama takes us inside of a therapist’s offi ce (and mind) with Gabriel Byrne in excellent form as Paul Weston, a shrink who inevitably has his own issues to deal with. Among the supreme acting talent involved are Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, Irrfan Khan, Dane DeHaan and Alison Pill while Dianne Wiest plays Paul’s own supervisor, Gina. Indulge yourself with 106 episodes and you might even end up wishing you were in counselling. ■ NOW TV
J JUST ONE LOOK The Walter Presents strand on 4 has been spoiling us with an excellent stream of European drama since 2015. As well as the likes of Deutschland 86 and Blue Eyes comes this taut French thriller adapted from the Harlan Coben novel. Virginie Ledoyen stars as a woman who discovers something odd about her husband, leading to revelations. ■ All 4
K KATH & KIM It’s hard to conjure up memories of the mass adoration afforded this Australian comedy at the time of its initial airing in 2002, but creators and performers Gina Riley and Jane Turner had certainly put in the hard work given that the two Ks arose from an early 90s sketch show called Big Girl’s Blouse. This might be the time to enjoy all four seasons plus their Kountdown Specials. ■ Netfl ix
L LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN All four members of the League have gone on to do special stuff: Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith with Inside No 9; Jeremy Dyson with Funland and Ghost Stories; and Mark Gatiss with the Lucifer Box novels and Sherlock. But for many, they will always be the purveyors of sinister, local entertainment from Royston Vasey. ■ BBC iPlayer / Netfl ix
M MY LEFT NUT Based on Michael Patrick’s one- man play (a big hit at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe as it happens) which was rooted in his own experiences as a teenage boy, this BBC Three comedy-drama brings laughs to a tender topic: the discovery of a testicular lump. Billed by one paper as a ‘male Derry Girls’ (yes, it’s Irish and set partly in a school), Mick is played by the excellently named newcomer Nathan Quinn- O’Rawe, while the under-rated Sinead Keenan (London Irish, Being Human) is his single mum Patricia. ■ BBC iPlayer
N NEXT UP Dubbed the ‘Netfl ix of UK stand- up comedy’, you could easily while away many months on a large number acts of recent shows from top Fringe acts Fraser, Fern such as Joseph Morpurgo, Alice Fraser, Fern es, Jessica Fostekew and Brady, Jordan Brookes, Jessica Fostekew and s a smattering from Laura Davis. Plus, there’s a smattering from the all-time greats: Bill Hicks’ Relentless, Sean the all-time greats: Bill Hicks’ Relentless, Sean ommy Tiernan’s Crooked Hughes’ Penguin and Tommy Tiernan’s Crooked Man are all must-sees. ■ nextupcomedy.com
O ONLY CONNECT In times of weirdness, it goes without saying that we should all try to keep our brains sharp. Admittedly, the BBC Two show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell might make all that matter in your bonce frazzle away to nothing as you try desperately to come up with the connections. But it’s got to be worth trying, right? ■ BBC Two
P PARKS AND RECREATION Starring a veritable stable of top US comedic talents including Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, a post- West Wing Rob Lowe and a pre-Jurassic Chris Pratt, this workplace mockumentary took a while to fi nd its bureaucracy-baiting mojo but once found, the show positively soared. ■ Sky Comedy / NOW TV
18 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2020 The Undoing