STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
Netflix
Ten years before the seminal adventures of Kirk, Spock, Bones and the Enterprise, The USS Discovery boldly goes forth to find new worlds and new civilizations. With dazzling spectacles and technical proficiency, there has not been an iteration of TV Trek more visually glamourous. Despite the fact that, for the most part, the characters hold little interest, this new serialized take works surprisingly well, but with waning interest and an overly-forced agenda, it is a first season that does boldly go into the unknown but leaves much to yearn for. ***JY
COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE
Netflix
Like a good cup of coffee, this show picks you up while it calms you down, as Jerry Seinfeld brings you along for short trips in iconic cars with iconic people. The show snugly stands on the outskirts of reality TV and late night talkshows, doing an excellent job of fitting nicely into a niche of humorous, laidback moreish content that merges episodes seamlessly. Losing yourself easily in the comedic anecdotes of relaxed regular conversation, this show is a bite-sized delight. *****JY
PATIENT 17
Netflix
Tin foil hats at the ready. Patient 17 follows a surgeon who claims to remove highly advanced implants from alleged alien abductees, focusing on one person in particular who has his implant removed and the subsequent investigation into what this implant actually is. The presentation is more highbrow than your usual alien conspiracy documentaries and at least gives us the feeling that we are watching decent investigative journalism and there’s no immediate concern over the people involved. Both interesting and thought-provoking, {Patient 17} is definitely worth an hour and seven minutes of your time. ****CA
BBC ONE (available on iPlayer)
When an old gentleman smashes every mirror in the manor you know someone’s going to get bad luck, and sure enough two deaths occur in the first 20 minutes of BBC One’s new supernatural drama, which is part quest for identity, part mystery and part great for playing ‘spot the Welsh location’. Requiem has an escalating creepiness and an impressive cast – yes, there’s a glaring plot hole but overall this who-is-she/whodunit has all the ingredients of a good spookfest. But when they heard the noises, why didn’t they just break down the door…? ***LN
Netflix
Presumably more of a cheap showreel rather than an actual film, so devoid of coherence, purpose, or basic characterisation is Open House, that I can only assume that the somewhat professional way in which it is filmed was used primarily for the filmmakers to show off that they can actually, y’know, film something competently. The plot is basically ‘what would happen if a serial killer snuck into your house during an open house session?’ and its about as exciting or terrifying as a dry fart. For all its initial ambition, Netflix Originals are fast becoming the new direct-to-DVD. * FT