What to Watch TV Reviews: Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Necaxa, The Voice & Playing Gracie Darling
Like its predecessor, this story is touting itself as 'a romantic tale that unfolds across time,' shifting between the eve of the Jacobite uprising in the 18th century, and World War I.
This time, there are new lovers at the centre of the story, namely the parents of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe).
The first episode largely focuses on the beginnings of the story of Jamie's parents Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), with Claire's 20th century mum and dad, Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia (Hermione Corfield) only getting a look-in towards the end of the episode, though there's plenty to come from those two.
Real talk: those looking for highbrow storytelling may be disappointed. They'd also be missing the point: fans watch Outlander (and presumably its prequel, too) for the romance at the centre of the plot, and it's not long before we're fully invested in the stories at play here.
Beautifully shot, gorgeously cast (Heughan is about to get a run for his money in the be-kilted-heartthrob stakes) and boasting stunning Scottish Highland scenery, this is one for both rusted-on Outlander fans and those of us (guilty!) who like a good period romp (in all senses of the word).
Mark your diaries: this one's going to be big.
Eva Longoria is clearly a fan of Welcome to Wrexham. As she says in this new series, which charts her decision to help re-invigorate the fortunes of the struggling Mexican football club Necaxa, her involvement was born out of the idea 'that one day you can be an underdog, and the next you're building a football empire'. If there's one thing Longoria is good at, it's empire building — she's enlisted Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds to help. They've all got buckets of cash, so that will probably help.
It's just not an Aussie drama unless Teresa Palmer or Bella Heathcote are starring — they're both in this one. Based on the novel by Sally Hepworth, it tells the story of Isabel (Palmer) who arrives in Pleasant Court, a picture-perfect suburban cul-de-sac in a town on The Great Ocean Road. She's there in mysterious circumstances, and it's not long before she's upending the lives of all those who reside in the quiet street. Directed by Emma Freeman, this is beautiful to look at and has an intriguing off-kilter feel to it — I lapped up the first episode. One for your watch list.
Rolling on my boob tube, snapping up my Adidas trackies and slicking back my high pony in anticipation for Mel C's arrival as a mentor on this long-running show. She's always been my fave Spice Girl (and the only one with any talent —
cough
who said that?), so I have no doubt she'll elevate the contest with her knowledge of the industry. She's joining returning judge Kate Miller-Heidke, who's nestled in the red chairs alongside Richard Marx and Ronan Keating. Should be a good year.
Last seen delivering blenders on The White Lotus, Kiwi actor Morgana O'Reilly is back on the small screen in this fantastically moody and instantly gripping six-part mystery series. She plays Joni, whose friend disappeared in mysterious circumstances during a seance they were all doing as teens in the Nineties. Two decades later, local kids are 'Playing Gracie Darling' when another girl goes missing. Joni is determined to piece together what's afoot. Don't miss this one.
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Canberra Times
9 hours ago
- Canberra Times
Spooky new Aussie mystery will have you hooked
Outlander fans rejoice! The beloved epic romance series' spin-off Blood of My Blood has arrived on Stan. The series serves as a prequel to Jamie and Claire's story, and follows their respective parents' love stories. Episodes are dropping weekly. AppleTV+'s comedy series with Seth Rogen and Aussie Rose Byrne, Platonic, is back for season two, with episodes arriving weekly. In the mood for some Spanish black comedy? HBO Max has Rage, a show following five middle-aged women reaching their limits. Over on Prime Video you'll find a new buddy (kinda) cop comedy, The Pickup with Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Welcome to Wrexham was magical TV. This spin-off sucks
Necaxa ★ Imagine taking the ingredients that made Welcome to Wrexham so magical, adding in a bucket of poo, and stirring. That's Necaxa. I'll be absolutely amazed if a more cynical piece of television emerges this year. If Welcome to Wrexham is pure surprise and delight (and in its first two seasons especially, it was), Necaxa is the most nakedly beady-eyed attempt to capture that lightning-in-a-bottle magic, water it down, bulk it up with additives, and pawn it onto an unsuspecting market at double the price. In short, it sucks. Writing about the first season of Welcome to Wrexham a few years back, I described it as 'a gloriously well-rounded portrait of the relationship between a team and a town', and noted that while it never would have been made without Rob McElhenney (as Rob Mac was then still known) and Ryan Reynolds, the club's celebrity owners were 'the least interesting thing' about it. Sadly, the people behind Necaxa didn't get the memo. They think Eva Longoria – a member of a US-based investment group that bought a 50 per cent stake in the Mexican soccer club in 2021 – is the most interesting thing. There are other issues. As a transplant from Mexico City 22 years ago, the team they have chosen to follow simply does not have the emotional connection to the city in which it plays, Aguascalientes, in the same way Wrexham does. And as a fixture in the top flight Liga MX, it's not a struggling club in any meaningful sense, no matter how much drama you might try to wring from its mid-table mediocrity. Former Desperate Housewives star Longoria is given the nickname la Padrona (the boss) and positioned in the series as if she were the key figure in the narrative. But she's not. We're never told what stake she owns, but the consortium has many members (former Arsenal and Germany star Mesut Ozil among them), so it's likely small. Just like the stakes. When the show opens in 2024, Longoria confesses to having almost no knowledge of the game (despite having been a part owner for three years). She grew up with an NFL-loving father. Her connection to the team, the game, and the city feels like it's being crafted on and for the camera, driven purely by the numbers (Mexican soccer has a huge TV audience in the US). It feels utterly inauthentic.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Necaxa review: Welcome to Wrexham spin-off starring Eva Longoria
Imagine taking the ingredients that made Welcome to Wrexham so magical, adding in a bucket of poo, and stirring. That's Necaxa . I'll be absolutely amazed if a more cynical piece of television emerges this year. Rob Mac also features in the series, along with his Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds. Credit: Disney+ If Welcome to Wrexham is pure surprise and delight (and in its first two seasons especially, it was), Necaxa is the most nakedly beady-eyed attempt to capture that lightning-in-a-bottle magic, water it down, bulk it up with additives, and pawn it onto an unsuspecting market at double the price. In short, it sucks. Writing about the first season of Welcome to Wrexham a few years back, I described it as 'a gloriously well-rounded portrait of the relationship between a team and a town', and noted that while it never would have been made without Rob McElhenney (as Rob Mac was then still known) and Ryan Reynolds, the club's celebrity owners were 'the least interesting thing' about it. Sadly, the people behind Necaxa didn't get the memo. They think Eva Longoria – a member of a US-based investment group that bought a 50 per cent stake in the Mexican soccer club in 2021 – is the most interesting thing. There are other issues. As a transplant from Mexico City 22 years ago, the team they have chosen to follow simply does not have the emotional connection to the city in which it plays, Aguascalientes, in the same way Wrexham does. And as a fixture in the top flight Liga MX, it's not a struggling club in any meaningful sense, no matter how much drama you might try to wring from its mid-table mediocrity. Eva Longoria fronts the sports docuseries Necaxa, a spin-off from Welcome to Wrexham. Credit: Disney+ Former Desperate Housewives star Longoria is given the nickname la Padrona (the boss) and positioned in the series as if she were the key figure in the narrative. But she's not. We're never told what stake she owns, but the consortium has many members (former Arsenal and Germany star Mesut Ozil among them), so it's likely small. Just like the stakes. When the show opens in 2024, Longoria confesses to having almost no knowledge of the game (despite having been a part owner for three years). She grew up with an NFL-loving father. Her connection to the team, the game, and the city feels like it's being crafted on and for the camera, driven purely by the numbers (Mexican soccer has a huge TV audience in the US). It feels utterly inauthentic.
