Is this the real life or is this just fantasy? The answer appeared to be a little bit of both when the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody took over cinema screens last year. The film was a hugely entertaining and spirited ride that stuck mostly to the factsbut wasn't afraid to indulge in a little artistic licence. Rami Malek's transformative, Oscar winning performance as Queen's flamboyant genius vocalist Freddie Mercury was rightly applauded as he superbly captured the singer's majestic energy and isolating loneliness. For a more studied lesson on Queen you'll need a documentary, but for a rocking good time this will more than do the trick. Streaming from Saturday.
Better Things (Lightbox) Better Things has always been great, but the new third season of Pamela Adlon's ode to family and single parenthood is hands down its best yet. This is the first season she has steered without the show's disgraced co-creator Louis CK and its quickly apparent the show's far better off without him. There's a new energy to the show and an even more admirable commitment to presenting a searingly raw and honest look at all the good, bad and messy bits of navigating adult life as a solo parent while also raising kids. This season also doubles down on the sexual desires of her character, Sam, which leads her into previously unexplored territory. The show's funny, real and recommended. Streaming now.
The girls are back in town as the acclaimed comedy Derry Girls returns to Netflix for its second season. This coming of age sitcom set in Northern Island during 'The Troubles' was described by the pop culture website Vulture as "Teen TV at its best," and we wholeheartedly agree. It follows five teenage girls as they navigate the usual teen life bombshells, while also navigating actual real bombshells. For a show with backdrop of extremist violence Derry Girls is hugely funny. The problems of, say, the town's bridge being blown up by terrorist bombers takes a backseat to the girls more pressing concerns about getting to school on time. Perfectly juggling the silly with the serious Derry Girls is terrific craic and well worth a watch.
Simon Amstell: Set Free (Netflix) As host of the BBC's musical quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks comedian Simon Amstell revelled in making musicians of all genres sweat, stress and, on occasion, simply split halfway through recording of the show. His brand of razor sharp snarky wit delivered disingenuously saw Jermaine Jackson now knowing whether to hug or hit him, Huey from the Fun Lovin' Criminals smashin' a mug in frustration and Preston from indie band The Ordinary Boys walking off in anger. Hilariously funny but it was hiding pain that he has since been mining in film and in stand-up His latest comedy special, Set Free, hits Netflix on Tuesday and sees him joking about love, ego, intimacy and the time last year he danced around naked in Peru high as a kite on ayahuasca.
