It’s a big weekend for shows rather than movies here at the start of March. We’ve got four all-new shows that look worth a watch debuting on the best streaming services, ranging from detective shenanigans to scandalous drama.
There are two returning hits in the form Ted season 2 and the final season of Outlander, and even this week’s one new movie is TV-related, as Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale hits Netflix. Here’s why we’re looking forward to these shows, plus the trailers if you want to see a little more.
Vladimir (Netflix)
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Blessed be for anybody else who’s a hardcore Rachel Weisz fan, as Vladimir delivers the same level of scandalous goods as her 2023 TV adaptation of Dead Ringers. She plays a woman simply known as The Protagonist, a professor at a university with her husband John (John Slattery), who has been suspended after numerous sexual assault allegations against him have come to light.
At the same time, new professor Vladimir (Leo Woodall) arrives on campus — and despite them both being married, Weisz becomes infatuated with him, fantasizing about the idea of Vladimir whenever she can.
The new Netflix show isn’t merely eight episodes of hotness, it’s ridiculously messed up, too. Take the rose-tinted glasses off and we’re left with a complicated soup of unadulterated mess, making us critically engage in ways we’re normally afraid to. In short, a real breath of fresh air. — Jasmine Valentine, entertainment reporter
Young Sherlock (Prime Video)
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Who knew that Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and James Moriarty (Dónal Finn) were basically the Smothers Brothers of the detective game in their youth? Well, at least they are in Matthew Parkhill and Guy Ritchie’s imagining of the famous sleuth’s youth in Young Sherlock.
Filled with exciting action and never-ending mysteries at a faster-than-light pace, it’s shows like this that rejuvenate your excitement about what TV can achieve, the impressive direction entertainment and design can collectively take.
Young Sherlock is fresh, vibrantly energetic and full of so much dynamism that it fizzes with electricity. Give Richie all the money he wants in the future, I say. Who needs Baker Street anyway? – JV
Rooster (HBO Max)
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Comedy icon Steve Carell leads the cast of HBO Max’s Rooster. He stars opposite Charly Clive, and they play a father-daughter duo who have a complicated relationship.
Carell’s character Greg Russo is a best-selling author with a popular character named Rooster. He’s nothing like his much-loved book character and wishes he could be, and he’s forced to confront a lot of things as he’s brought in to speak at the liberal arts college where his daughter, Kate, works. Here, he gets more than he bargained for when he finds her in the midst of a personal crisis that he must help resolve, striking a deal with her department head to help her keep her job (between this and Vladimir, it’s all going on in academia at the moment…).
The series runs for 10 episodes, with the pilot dropping on March 8. If you like it, you can look forward to weekly releases and add something new to your viewing schedule. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
RJ Decker (Hulu)
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Set against a sunny Floridian backdrop, RJ Decker follows an ex-con turned private investigator who is described as a “private eye, but public mess”. I’m already keen to see how Scott Speedman takes on such an intriguing role in this new Hulu crime series.
Across the nine episodes, RJ Decker takes on strange cases alongside his journalist ex, her cop wife, and a woman from his past with unclear intentions. That’s quite the crowd, and I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of drama and butting heads throughout the series.
If you’re missing High Potential like me, this series could be the perfect way to get your quirky crime solving fix, and it’s an interesting new addition to Hulu’s library. – LB
Ted S2 (Peacock)
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As I said to my new best friend Alanna Ubach during an interview earlier this week, the world has never needed the explicit silliness of Ted season 2 than it does now. John (Max Burkholder) is hitting high school, with Ted (Seth MacFarlane) along for the wild and foul-mouthed ride.
But it’s not just these two who are spiralling out of control. Susan (Ubach) gets arrested and the entire family partakes in a raucous game of Dungeons & Dragons to try to score some drugs. Precious memories to be made, I’m sure.
Ted is still the star of the show, and if MacFarlane is reading this, I need more episodes injected into my veins, stat. — JV
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Netflix)
You’re cordially invited to the scandal of the season, as Downton Abbey opens its doors for the last time. The Crawleys are forced to embrace change with the next generation, because they’re now responsible for leading the estate and its legacy into the future.
That’s easier said than done, of course, especially when Mary finds herself embroiled in a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble on top of that. The threat of social disgrace suddenly becomes all too real, and they must fight to protect their reputation.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale was grand indeed, and critics praised the movie for being a satisfying conclusion to the long-running period drama. It’s now on Netflix, so you can revisit the beloved estate whenever you’d like. – LB
Outlander season 8 (final season – Starz)
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And so, the end is near. After 12 years of following Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) time-traveling love story, Outlander season 8 is its final chapter. If early reviews are anything to go back, we’re about to head back to the pure romantasy magic of season 1.
What will be particularly interesting is how prequel spinoff series Outlander: Blood of My Blood might be folded into the main storyline, following Claire and Jamie’s parents. We know that a second season has been filmed around the same time, so surely it’s not too big a stretch to assume some intriguing cameos could be at play. Or perhaps I’m just a dreamer… make of it what you will. — JV
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