Crocodile Dundee 7pm Saturday on Nine/Hoges 8.30pm Sunday on Seven
So, unlike my prediction last week, poor old Hoges did not rate its pants off as it got famously beaten by 60 Minutes. Wow. After a momentous first week of official ratings, in which MAFS also beat Seven’s (formerly) unassailable MKR, Nine is making mischief again with (yet another) repeat of Crocodile Dundee this Saturday. One would assume they are only showing the original movie in the hope that viewers don’t watch the re-enactment that will form much of Hoges’ Part 2 the following night.
Big Little Lies 1pm Monday and 8.30pm on showcase
The latest from HBO, “Express from the US”, based on the book by Aussie author Liane Moriarty and adapted to television by David E. Kelley. The topnotch cast includes Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard, Reese Witherspoon (magnificent as usual) and Nicole Kidman (disconnected as usual). “There’s clearly a lot of bad blood in this community,” says a detective and it is delicious to watch. Bring it on – Show of the Week.
54: The Director’s Cut 11.20pm Monday on SBS Viceland
The news isn’t great for SBS’ youth channel given it has lost 26% of its audience since re-branding from SBS2 to Viceland. That is a shame because along with all those crazy new shows, the channel is continuing with the most eclectic movie range of any digital channel. Recent lunchtime movies at midday have included rarely seen 70’s sci-fi titles such as Rollerball and Futureworld (sequel to the original Westworld). Now this week the channel gets into the Mardi Gras groove with gay titles such as Head On (Alex Dimitriades tonight at 9.25pm) and then this new cut of the Ryan Phillippe/Mike Myers flick about New York’s legendary disco Studio 54. The 1998 drama, which was extensively re-edited and de-gayed by the studio, has since had those studio re-shoots removed and 45 minutes of original material restored.
Bates Motel 9.35pm Tuesday on showcase
The fifth and final series of the Psycho prequel is finally catching up with its original source material with Freddie Highmore (who will write and also direct an episode this season) becoming more and more unhinged playing Norman Bates. Vera Farmiga, who played his Mother, was killed off during the last season but lives on as a “presence”) and the actress is still an Executive Producer). And let’s not forget Rihanna, who will take over from Janet Leigh in the crucial role of Marion Crane. Anyone else looking forward to her blood-soaked shower?
Billions streaming on Stan
Paul Giamatti’s US attorney character (Chuck) was a broken man at the end of last season (“I got NOTHIN’ to lose!”) but how worried is the insider trader (Axe) played by Homeland’s Damian Lewis? Aussie actor Toby Leonard Moore stars as as Chuck’s right hand man but he is mulling over a fascinating offer from Axe, but someone knows what he got up to last season. The first episode of the second season has been available to watch for a few weeks now, but the remainder will be streamed the same day as the US from next Monday, which should make our editor James Manning very, very happy.