The best new TV and films to stream this week – from The Starling on Netflix to Y: The Last Man on Disney+

ever been in a bad TV show? Whether it’s Mad Men or The Crown, Chernobyl or The Beast Must Die, the seasoned actor has a habit of turning up in some genuinely excellent series.

That impressive record is set to continue with Foundation - an eye-popping Star Wars-meets-Game Of Thrones sci-fi extravaganza about a band of exiles sent into the furthest reaches of space, tasked with the rather responsible job of keeping civilisation alive.

Jared plays Hari Seldon, a genius mathematics professor who predicts the Galactic Empire’s end, much to the annoyance of enjoyably shady Emperor of the Galaxy, Brother Day (Lee Pace).

These two are ably supported by a strong cast and staggering visual effects that make recent series Intergalactic look like a primary school play. Space is definitely the place.

Available from Friday.

The Workout Badges With Hey Duggee And Joe Wicks on YouTube

Joe Wicks and his infectious enthusiasm and sweat-inducing workouts were a real beacon of light in the midst of a global pandemic.

His efforts to keep homebound school children active during the lockdowns earned him an MBE and a big fat pat on the back from parents up and down the country.

But Joe isn’t finished with his mission to get kids to fall in love with exercise.

Oh no, he’s now focusing his attention on teeny pre-schoolers, believing you can never be too young to learn the value of exercise for both body and mind.

And he’s got some new recruits – CBeebies woofing superstar Duggee and his merry band of Squirrels! The Workout Badges are available on The Body Coach TV YouTube channel and the YouTube Kids app this week, and they are a whole heap of fun.

Taking the same format as Joe’s more grown up The Body Coach HIIT routines, they feature warm-ups, short sharp bursts of movement and stretches, but this time feature singing and dancing and are rewarded with a badge from Duggee at the end.

Forget the ankle biters - we quite fancy completing the Bouncing Badge, Scarecrow Badge and Speedy Badge ourselves…

Available on The Body Coach TV YouTube channel and on the YouTube Kids app from Wednesday.

Y: The Last Man on Disney+

What would happen to the world if every man on Earth - except for one - was suddenly and unexpectedly killed off by a mysterious, cataclysmic event?

That’s the intriguing question posed by this powerful and action-packed new drama series from the team behind last year’s Devs.

Unsurprisingly, the answer the show provides is a pretty bleak one.

Far from being the peaceful, harmonious paradise that some might expect, this particular bloke-free version of Earth turns out to be a pretty brutal place, where the angry and scared female survivors turn on each other as they try to come to terms with what’s happened.

In the middle of it all is that one remaining man, young escape artist Yorick Brown (Ben Schnetzer), who finds himself adrift in a violent and dangerous world that’s falling apart.

Meanwhile, Yorick’s mum, Senator Jennifer Brown (Diane Lane) who’s been promoted to President, has the tricky task of healing the growing divisions and repairing a society that’s ground to a halt.

Stylish, shocking and often horribly tense, anyone who loves The Walking Dead, or compelling post-apocalyptic movies like The Road and Children Of Men, will enjoy every adrenaline-soaked second. Man alive!

The first three episodes are available Wednesday, followed by new episodes weekly.

The Starling on Netflix

When married couple Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) and Jack (Chris O’Dowd) tragically lose their beloved baby daughter, each reacts to their terrible grief in a different way.

While Jack struggles mentally, withdrawing into himself, Lilly turns her attention to getting through to him and rebuilding their life - with a little help from a very territorial bird in their garden and an unconventional psychologist-turned-vet (Kevin Kline).

Although all three of the leads are better known for comedy, this is a wonderfully moving and sensitively acted portrait of grieving, one that’s filled with humour, honesty and heart.

Available from Friday.

Star Wars: Visions Disney+

The Star Wars universe expands even further with the arrival of this long-awaited new collection of animated short films, created by some of Japan’s best and most celebrated animé studios.

Each film is a completely new story, inspired by familiar Star Wars characters and worlds, including fan favourite Boba Fett and planets such as Tatooine. There’s an impressive voice cast, too, with Neil Patrick Harris, Alison Brie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lucy Liu and Stranger Things’ David Harbour all getting involved.

It goes without saying that the series is a must-see for all die hard Star Wars obsessives, but fans of animé will be blown away too.

Available from Wednesday.

Savage X Fenty Show Vol 3 on Amazon Prime

Attention all fashionistas, Rihanna is back for the third of her spectacular fashion shows, in which the singer-designer-businesswoman showcases her latest Savage X Fenty lingerie collection and treats us to some exciting exclusive performances from a bunch of today’s biggest and best music artists.

If that wasn’t enough, RiRi’s roped in some of her top model, actor and performer mates to up the star power, ensuring it’s a heady, cutting-edge cocktail of fashion, celebrity, music and dance.

Available from Friday.

Top 5

Married At First Sight UK on All4

There can’t be many people out there who’d risk getting married to someone they’ve never met before.

But, thankfully for the legions of fans of this horribly addictive reality series, there are more than enough to give us this brilliant sixth season.

As ever, the 16 singletons who trust their future happiness to fate and a team of match-making experts are a wild bunch - hello, Morag and Luke - and there’s as many tears of frustration and fury as there are of joy.

But amid all the madness and mayhem there are also some unexpected moments of genuine romance. A delicious guilty pleasure.

The North Water on BBC iPlayer

A drama about the volatile crew of a 19th-century whaling vessel, as it threads its dangerous way towards the Arctic, was never going to be a barrel of laughs.

And sure enough, The North Water, which stars Colin Farrell, Jack O’Connell and Stephen Graham, is a heavy and heart-pumping watch - but it’s all the better for it.

Filled with suspense, dread and some utterly enthralling performances, particularly from Farrell as terrifying, unpredictable harpooner Henry Drax, it’s the kind of show that stays with you long after an episode ends. A bleak and brutal triumph.

Good Girls on Netflix

Who doesn’t love the idea of a comedy-drama that features Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Parks & Recreation’s Retta as three formerly law abiding ladies who’ve broken bad and turned to a life of crime?

Smart, original and filled with comic capers, it’s a joy to spend time with sisters Beth (Christina), Annie (Mae) and their best friend Ruby (Retta).
The good news: the new fourth season is as enjoyable as the previous three.

The bad news: the show was cancelled earlier this year, amid rumours of bad blood between certain co-stars. What a huge shame, because Good Girls is bad-ass and brilliant.

The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City on hayu

There are so many Real Housewives shows to choose from, it can sometimes feel a little daunting for the uninitiated.

But there’s little doubt the Salt Lake City-flavoured version of the franchise is right up there with the best, a spectacular carnival of designer clothes, back-stabbing and cosmetic surgery.

Queen of this particular hive is the ridiculously well off Lisa Barlow, although the introduction of super-confident Jennie Nguyen in the new, second season - as well as the recent arrest of Jen Shah on charges of fraud - has certainly put the cat among these perfectly presented pigeons. Glorious.

Another Way of Understanding Life on Amazon Prime

It takes something special to beat both Barcelona and Real Madrid to Spain’s LaLiga title.

And that’s what Atlético Madrid produced during the 2020-21 season, as manager Diego Simeone’s men pipped their rivals to the post.

This new fly-on-the-wall documentary lifts the lid on the club’s remarkable achievement, going behind the scenes as the team - which features world class players such as Joao Félix, Luis Suárez and Jan Oblak - overcome the pandemic and the combined challenge of those two giant clubs of the Spanish game to become champions.

A thrilling yet intimate ride for all fans of the beautiful game.

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The Split on BBC iPlayer

Nicola Walker stars as formidable divorce lawyer Hannah Stern, who makes a living representing the rich and powerful, while trying to juggle her complicated family and personal lives.

With a third and final series in production, now’s the perfect time to catch up on the hugely popular first two seasons.

Suits on Netflix

The show that made Meghan Markle an international star, Suits is set in the high-powered world of corporate law and centres around New York attorney, Harvey Spector (Gabriel Macht), who employs college dropout Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) as an associate, on the strength of his photographic memory.

Flash, testosterone-fuelled and lots of fun.

How To Get Away With Murder on Netflix

There’s a reason this legal thriller won so many awards during its six-season run: it’s brilliant.

Viola Davis is criminal defence attorney and university law professor Annalise Keating, who, along with a group of her students, becomes involved in a murder plot.

Brimming with twists and turns, it’s a stylish, seductive treat.

Better Call Saul on Netflix

The Breaking Bad prequel follows conman-turned-lawyer Jimmy ‘Saul Goodman’ McGill (Bob Odenkirk), who makes a living representing shady characters.

Jimmy’s got a good heart, though, and his relationship with lawyer girlfriend Kim provides the show’s emotional backbone.

Not just one of the best legal dramas on TV, one of the best dramas on TV, full stop.

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Goliath on Amazon Prime

He was once a brilliant, hot-shot lawyer, but when we first meet washed-up, burned-out Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton) in the opening episode of slow-burning legal drama series Goliath, he’s much more interested in barrooms than courtrooms.

It turns out that Billy, who had formerly co-founded large law firm Cooperman McBride with his old buddy Donald Cooperman (William Hurt), had long since turned his back on his successful career, his wife Michelle and daughter Denise, and turned to the bottle after a murder suspect he got acquitted went on to slaughter an entire family.

However, you can’t keep a good man down, and as the episodes and series roll by, Billy pulls himself together and seeks redemption by using his remarkable talents to take on the rich and powerful on behalf of the downtrodden - hence the show’s name.

The show’s fourth and final series starts this week and joins Billy, who’s suffering with chronic pain, as he prepares to lock horns with his biggest opponent so far, the US pharmaceuticals industry.

Featuring a series-stealing guest appearance from JK Simmons as an evil big pharma boss, it’s the perfect way to wrap things up, while Thornton, who really does have the crumpled, world-weary features of someone who’s been to the bottom and clawed their way back up again, is utterly mesmeric.

All eight episodes are available on Amazon Prime from Friday.