It’s the Thursday before Christmas, and news is, thankfully, beginning to wind down. Therefore, it seems an opportune moment to do something a little bit different in this space and share some things I’ve really enjoyed on TV this year, because, let’s face it, the most regular shared experience we have over Christmas is the realisation that there’s nothing good on telly. If you find yourself in that spot, hopefully this will help:
For all Mankind is a show that hooked me from the very first moment, with a twist in the opening sequence that you simply do not see coming. The premise is very simple: Imagine the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States had not stopped after Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, but kept going, right up till the present day. Where would we be, in 2023?
The show is not mere alternative history or science-fiction: It follows a single cast of characters over four decades, chronicling their lives and loves, and revealing the little changes to history through smaller vignettes and hints rather than hammering you over the head with exposition. The writing is sharp, the acting is on point, and the storylines are realistic and based on real-world science. Another treat is the creative use of AI, bringing an alternative history to live through fictionalised clips of Reagan, Gorbachev, and a litany of other world figures. The better news is that there are four seasons to make your way through, so you won’t run out of episodes over the holidays.
The successor series to Michael Hirst’s six-season romp through the life of the (legendary) Ragnarr Lodbrok and the (very real) great heathen invasion of England tells the story of a young Harald Hardrada, the great king of Norway. If you’re an Irish person who doesn’t know that much about pre-Norman England and the role the Vikings played in the history of these islands, and loves swords and shields, this is a series for you. Two seasons take you from London, to Denmark, to Russia and Imperial Constantinople, work in the story of the legendary Jomsvikings, and tell the story of the religious conflict between Christian Vikings and those who stuck to the old ways. Like all historical fiction series, it takes some liberties with facts here and there, but the broad outlines of the story are true. This should have been made decades ago.
And now for something completely different: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books were never my cup of tea on the page, but on the small screen, they are brought to life in the best spirit of the novels. Reacher is a man in the Conan-the-Barbarian-with-a-conscience mould: He likes fighting, and beer, and women, and doing the right thing. Alan Ritchson plays the title character as a hulking great bear with a barely disguised vein of sadness and melancholy, and he’s ably supported across two seasons by a supporting cast that’s clearly having fun in the best traditions of hammy American dramatainment. Think CSI Miami, but with better production standards. You’ll enjoy it.
Domina is that rare show – a Roman history show where the main character is a woman. Livia Drusilla has been played on television as a main character by two different actresses over the past several decades – first by Sian Lloyd in the BBC production of “I, Claudius”, and now by Polish-Italian actress Kasia Smutniak. Those familiar with Lloyd’s portrayal will find a very different Livia here – equally as calculating, but with an entirely different take on her motives and historical role. The show is a little bit “soapy” at times, and suffers a little from a lack of the kind of budget we’re used to in modern historical epic. At times, the viewer might find themselves regretting the fact that the script hadn’t been picked up by one of the massive American studios and been given the kind of investment that shows like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones could rely on.
That said, this is the kind of political thriller that will appeal to fans of Thrones, or other epic fantasy. It takes some liberties, as all historical shows do, but this writer, for one, enjoyed it immensely.
Alright, I admit it: I was put off by the reviews as well. Bear in mind though that most of those reviews were written by rather stuffy English writers who (with some justification) found various scenes involving the imagined crowning of King Tony Blair, and the appearance of apparitions of Princess Diana to surviving characters utterly ludicrous. And ludicrous they are – but they aren’t as bad as you might think.
Take the Diana and Tony stuff away, and you have a final series of the Crown that’s actually rather moving and thoughtful, whether you’re a Monarchist or not. The young Prince William, in particular, is brought to life as a teenager exposed to incredible fame and quite unsure how to deal with it. His father’s PR team, in addition, should send the writers a note of thanks for the rehabilitation job they’ve attempted on his reputation as a father. Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce make for a dignified and reflective older Liz and Phil as well, and the episode where Princess Margaret dies (spoiler) is a particularly moving reflection on the cost the Royal Family inflicts on its members.
If you enjoyed the first few seasons, then don’t write this one off. I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did.