TV Reviews: Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, The Four Seasons, Spider-Noir & Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran!

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed

Streaming now on Apple TV Plus

Remember that old Foxtel series Weeds? It starred Mary-Louise Parker and ran for eight seasons from 2005. The early years were great: it won bucketloads of awards, with critics praising the show’s edgy and unique “comedy crime” style of storytelling, which was then a wholly new thing for TV. I was all about it.

Fast forward two decades, and this new 10-part series, starring Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany and New Girl’s Jake Johnson (Australia’s Murray Bartlett also plays a key role), is its natural successor — and I’m all about this, too.

Described by Apple as a darkly comedic thriller, it tells the story of newly divorced mum Paula (Maslany) “as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder and youth soccer”.

This is giving Mary-Louise Parker’s Weeds character Nancy Botwin, but reimagined for a new generation.

This time around, she’s not a suburban-mum-turned-drug-dealer, but a fact checker at a local media organisation who gets mixed up in some seriously shady stuff, and honestly this middle-aged journo couldn’t help but relate to her manic energy.

Paula’s entire world gets tipped on its head after she befriends a “cam boy” (don’t know what that is? Google it. Actually, maybe don’t!) online out of loneliness. Things very quickly take a turn after she becomes convinced she’s witnessed him being attacked while live streaming.

But has he? Or is she being scammed? She’s on a mission to find out either way, and (we’re quoting the official synopsis here, as we don’t want to accidentally reveal too much) “while simultaneously struggling through a custody battle and an identity crisis . . . Paula begins her own investigation, one that could unravel a greater conspiracy while also holding the keys to rebuilding her family and sense of self”.

I’m calling it: my new favourite TV series of this year.

Don’t miss it.

Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran!

Sunday, 7.30pm, SBS

Something tells me people have been telling John Safran to do this for the better part of three decades.

Will he ever learn?

Apparently not: he’s once more ruffling feathers, this time taking a deep dive into the concept of “free speech” in Australia. “Australia is in a battle over offence,” he points out, before asking whether new laws limiting offensive speech around ethnicity, sexuality and religion are really doing what they’re supposed to.

This is hilarious, insightful and 100 per cent worth a watch, regardless of your political persuasion.

Safran — never stop opening that gloriously big mouth of yours.

My Name Is Gulpilil

Wednesday, 7.30pm, NITV

It’s National Reconciliation Week, and what better way to acknowledge it than by dipping into two great David Gulpilil docos. My Name Is Gulpilil airs this Wednesday, before this year’s AACTA award-winning Journey Home, David Gulpilil drops Sunday 31st on NITV.

Spider-Noir

Wednesday, streaming on Prime Video

Nicholas Cage stars as Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator in 1930s New York, grappling with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero. Audiences can choose to stream this in the very noir-esque black and white, or in “True-Hue Full Color”. Intrigued!

The Four Seasons S2

Thursday, streaming on Netflix

Hooray! One of last year’s best series is back — and it’s every bit as good. We’re picking up a year on, checking back in with our fave middle-aged besties as they navigate this next chapter in their lives. You’re going to love this.