Retrospective viewing gems: Back-catalogue delights for drama, comedy and scary stuff

The strike of the Writer’s Guild of America has ended but it will take time for the immense machine that is Hollywood to return to its previous levels of output. Many projects had their schedules pushed back while a settlement was awaited. So now is the perfect time to catch up on a few gems you may have missed among the non-stop barrage of content over the past several years.

There are many great workplace comedies, including The Office (UK and US versions), Parks and Recreation, Superstore (all available on TVNZ+). These follow a cast of characters as they navigate the ups and downs that come with their particular jobs, and the relationships they form along the way.

But what about a workplace comedy that isn’t about the people working, but the absurdity of the work itself? Enter Utopia (Netflix). This Australian series follows the people working at the fictional Nation Building Authority (NBA), a government organisation responsible for the development and oversight of major infrastructure projects delivered across the country.

Those heading up the department often find themselves having to answer to superiors who have no comprehension of reality, and wrangle subordinates who don’t know what their jobs are. Along with searching for ways to build near protected grass and kill a bullet-train proposal before it can even manifest, they find themselves dealing with all the latest workplace fads, from healthy snacks to communal yoga. Utopia is one of those shows that will have you alternating between chuckling and howling from start to finish.

We once again find ourselves in that time of year when the supermarkets push their candy displays, and some stores see a copious increase in plastic pumpkins and fake cobwebs. As a result, you may find yourself with a hankering for something to chill you to the bone. In 1845, an expedition led by Sir John Franklin to traverse the final unnavigated sections of the Canadian Arctic departed from the UK. The two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, never returned to their homeland.

Based on the book of the same name by Dan Simmons, The Terror (Prime Video) presents a fictionalised account of what befell the two ships after they became trapped in the ice. The crews find themselves stalked by a seemingly unstoppable evil force. As the years go on, provisions dwindle, hope of rescue gets fainter, and threats begin to emerge from within the ships themselves. With an exceptional cast led by Jared Harris (Chernobyl), The Terror provides an enticing tale of humans pushed to the very brink.

The second season of this anthology series, subtitled Infamy, is set during World War II, and follows a Japanese-American family being held in an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as they find themselves menaced by an unrestful spirit. Content warning: both seasons of The Terror contain graphic depictions of suicide.

I’m not sure who had “show about sandwich shop becomes one of the most engaging dramas of the decade” on their bingo card, but that paid off. With its incredible second season this year, The Bear (Disney+) has cemented its spot in entertainment history. After the passing of his older brother, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a Michelin-star winning chef returns to Chicago to run the family sandwich shop. When he arrives, he decides to bring his new kitchen up to the standards of his last with the help of his enthusiastic young sous-chef, despite the pushback from the established staff, while at the same time trying to come to terms with the grief that brought him back home.

The resulting show is a fast-paced, high-energy drama which manages to perfectly balance its ensemble cast with scores of pathos.

Once you start watching The Bear, you simply won’t be able to stop until you’ve reached the end (as it is so far). Content warning: suicide is not depicted but is referred to.

In watching The Bear, I couldn’t help but be reminded of another show, which trades the hustle and bustle of Chicago for the peace and serenity of the English countryside; the BBC comedy Whites (Prime Video).

Roland White (Alan Davies) once had a promising career, but now finds himself to be barely going through the motions in his role as head chef of the White Hotel. Roland refuses to take an interest in what goes on in his kitchen unless he sees an opportunity for personal gain. This is often at the expense of his long-suffering sous-chef Bib (Darren Boyd) who, despite Roland’s best efforts, is yet to have his own passion for cooking stamped out. Although it doesn’t have the same emotional highs as The Bear, Whites tells just as engaging a story. It’s what happens when you pair an unstoppable optimist with an immovable cynic, and the best and worst (but mostly the worst) they bring out in each other.

Other viewing options are given in the panel.

Nat Dolan is an Auckland actor and movie enthusiast