What to watch: Our top 5 must-sees this weekend

by · TheJournal.ie

THE WEEKEND IS kicking off – but what should you watch?

We’ve taken a look through what’s on offer and picked out series and movies to check out over the next three days on streaming and the telly. 

The Greatest

Kai Parham and Jaalen Best in The Greatest Ian WatsonIan Watson

The success of the legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali is explored in this new series, which is executive produced by his wife Lonnie Ali and Michael B. Jordan. In fact, it’s the first authorised scripted series about Ali, so hopefully we can expect some new insights into his life inside and outside the ring. Interestingly, it focuses on the years 1960 – 1964, with Jaalen Best playing Ali just after his Olympics gold win and during the lead up to his defeat of heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.

Streaming on Prime.

Possible Love

Zo In-sung as Sang-woo, Cho Yeo-jeong as Ye-ji, Jeon Do-yeon as Mi-ok, Sul Kyung-gu as Ho-seok in Possible Love Joo Jae-bum / NetflixJoo Jae-bum / Netflix / Netflix

This Korean film is about two married couples: one comprises a laid-off worker and his wife, while the other is a documentary filmmaker and her husband. A funeral sees Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) and her husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) encounter filmmaker Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), who is chronicling laid-off workers. Ye-ji and her husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung) live an affluent lifestyle, so as the couples get to know each other, cracks appear. This comes from the acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong, who was behind the excellent movie Burning. 

Streaming on Netflix.

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Ireland’s Population Crash

Miriam O'Callaghan RTÉRTÉ

Presenter Miriam O’Callaghan is on a mission to look at why Ireland’s birth rate has fallen to 1.5, below the replacement level of 2.1, and what that means for the country. She even visits South Korea, where the birth rate has fallen to a record low of 0.8, to meet members of the 4B movement. These women are turning away from marriage, dating and childbirth, and explain why. 

Streaming on the RTÉ Player.

Slo Pitch

Varun Saranga as Roy and Emily Hampshire as Leanne Sphere AbacusSphere Abacus

This Canadian comedy has its roots in an online series, and now it’s been made into a series for the telly. It’s a mockumentary-style series about a queer baseball team called The Brovaries, and we follow the members as they play games, fall in and out of love, and find community. It’s more like Adults than Heated Rivalry, with the awkward vibes of shows like The Paper, plus added sport.

Streaming on NOW. 

The Galway Bay Murders

John Connors as Detective Eddie McDonagh and Kate Mulgrew as NYPD lieutenant Nora Savage in Galway Bay Murders RTÉRTÉ

There’s a fascinating story behind this new RTÉ crime show. Actor Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek) bumped into Elaine Verling of the Galway City Museum while on holiday in Galway, and the pair became fast friends. Verling went on to write a TV script with Mulgrew at the centre, and now that has become The Galway Bay Murders. Mulgrew plays seasoned NYPD detective Nora Savage, who takes a career break in Ireland but gets wrapped up in a murder investigation after a female climate activist is found dead on a bog. As you’d expect from such a show, Savage also ends up facing some of her own personal demons. The cast includes John Connors and India Mullen.

Airing on RTÉ One, Sunday (8 November) at 9.30pm