Television & radio

‘I’ve done a bit of escaping myself’ – an ex-prisoner picks the best jail dramas

From Time to Screw to Scum and now Black Bird, can prison dramas ever capture the brutal reality of life inside? A former inmate reveals how they stack up against his own spells in the slammer

Eric Allison

01, Jul, 2022 @12:00 PM

Stranger Things season 4 finale review – so perfectly judged it could be the ending for the entire show

This crazily luxurious, firework-packed double-bill makes so many impeccable choices that it would be the ideal way to end the franchise. How will it follow it for season five?

Jack Seale

01, Jul, 2022 @10:03 AM

King Richard to Dunkirk: the seven best films to watch on TV this week

Will Smith’s turn as Richard Williams, father of tennis champions Venus and Serena, is full of heart and won him an Oscar. Plus, Christopher Nolan’s wartime movie that is nothing short of magic

Stuart Heritage

01, Jul, 2022 @8:00 AM

Black Bird to How to Build a Sex Room: the seven best shows to stream this week

Taron Egerton and Ray Liotta star in a gripping prison drama based on a true story, while Netflix is on hand to help you design your own fetish dungeon

Phil Harrison

01, Jul, 2022 @6:00 AM

TV tonight: will Claudia Winkleman’s new quizshow become a Friday night fixture?

One Question reinvigorates the traditional quizshow format. Plus: Avoidance treads the line between hilarious and heartbreaking. Here’s what to watch this evening

Hollie Richardson, Jack Seale, Ali Catterall, Phil Harrison and Stuart Heritage

01, Jul, 2022 @5:20 AM

The Terminal List review – Chris Pratt’s Amazon action series is terminally dull

The star makes for a listless lead in a dated and drably made eight-part military thriller that offers little intrigue or excitement

Benjamin Lee

01, Jul, 2022 @5:17 AM

What’s on Netflix and Amazon this month – July

Our monthly rundown of the best new releases on Netflix, Amazon, iPlayer, All4, Sky/Now and more in the UK

01, Jul, 2022 @5:00 AM

The Undeclared War review – Enid Blyton could have written this cybersecurity drama

Adrian Lester, Simon Pegg and the Mark Rylance star in a glacially paced show where GCHQ staff seem like bored office workers, and the one-note dialogue feels like something from a kids’ novel

Lucy Mangan

30, Jun, 2022 @9:00 PM

All hail the Machiavellian man-eater! The Love Island character that guarantees dynamite TV

Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has stirred up so much drama that she already belongs in the show’s hall of fame. Femme fatales like her make Love Island great

Yomi Adegoke

30, Jun, 2022 @11:00 AM

Is Stranger Things even TV any more?

Episodes are now movie-length and the amount of major characters is out of control. Is it time to start thinking of the sci-fi epic as the new MCU?

Stuart Heritage

30, Jun, 2022 @10:37 AM

Best podcasts of the week: Sam Smith charts 40 years of progress on HIV and Aids

In this week’s newsletter: The singer reflects on the legacy of Terrence Higgins and life-changing advances in treatment in A Positive Life. Plus: five of the best TV show companion podcasts

Alexi Duggins and Hannah Verdier

30, Jun, 2022 @8:45 AM