September would appear to be Kenneth Branagh month on Sky as he appears both in front of (though you might not recognise him!) and behind the camera in two high profile outings.
Updated 11-Aug-2022: Bloods S2b (1st Sep; confirmed) - Forged in Fire S9 (1st Sep; confirmed) - Belfast (2nd Sep; confirmed) - The Slow Mo Guys' Big Adventures S1 (2nd Sep; confirmed) - Trolls: TrollsTopia S2 (2nd Sep; confirmed) - The American Presidency with Bill Clinton (2nd Sep; new) - Brassic S4 (7th Sep; confirmed) - This England (21st Sep, confirmed)
Updated 12-Aug-2022: Russell Howard Hour (8th Sep; confirmed)
Updated 18-Aug-2022, Paramount+: Minx S1 (TBC) - Savage River (TBC) - Son of a Critch S1 (TBC)
Updated 26-Aug-2022 Sky Cinema: Even Mice Belong in Heaven (3rd Sep; new) - Monstrous (4th Sep; new) - The 355 (9th Sep; confirmed) - Last Looks (10th Sep; new) - Stowaway (11th Sep; new) - Marry Me (16th Sep; confirmed) - Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (17th Sep; new) - Uncharted (23rd Sep; confirmed) - Shark Bait (24th Sep; new) - Georgetown (30th Sep; new)
Updated 26-Aug-2022: Mind Over Murder S1 (4th Sep; confirmed) - 1972 - Munich's Black September (4th Sep; confirmed) - Munich Games (9th Sep; confirmed) - Britain's Greatest Obsessions S1 (12th Sep; confirmed) - Never Mind the Buzzcocks S2 (13th Sep; confirmed)
Updated 26-Aug-2022, Paramount+: Son of a Critch S1 (7th Sep; confirmed) - Minx S1 (14th Sep; confirmed) - Unplugging (16th Sep; new) - Savage River (21st Sep; confirmed)
Updated 08-Sep-2022: Scream 2022 (12th Sep; new) - Never Mind the Buzzcocks S2 (14th Sep; confirmed) - GoldenEra (24th Sep; new) - Booze, Bets and Sex (25th Sep; new) - Train S1 (28th Sep; new) - Fantasy Football League S1 (29th Sep; confirmed)
Updated 08-Sep-2022, Paramount+: Girl in the Box (19th Sep; new) - Savage River (22nd Sep; confirmed) Rise of the Billionaires (27th Sep; new)
Updated 12-Sep-2022: This England Limited Season (28th Sep; confirmed, moved from 21st Sep) - Meet Cute (21st Sep; new)
Updated 16-Sep-2022: Train S1 (Moved to October)
Updated 22-Sep-2022: Train S1 (Moved to back to September 27th)
As September heralds the summer wind down, settle down to longer nights and cooler days with new content making its way to Sky and Paramount+.
The UK’s recent tumultuous political landscape is examined in This England, a high profile, 5-part dramatisation in which Sir Kenneth Branagh transforms into former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and which documents his attempts to navigate the country through the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Tory Party’s stabs at negotiating a workable Brexit deal. While the inner workings of government can sometimes be a tad dry in the retelling, such has been the breakneck impact of rampant global and local political events that This England may well feel like a run through a new season of 24 with Boris as Jack Bauer!
Sir Ken’s second contribution to Sky’s offerings comes in the form of Belfast, his elegiac tale of the early days of the Troubles in late 60’s Northern Ireland set against a coming of age tale which sees a family pulling together as sectarian strains appear.
Other movies include Sky Original After Yang - a Sci-Fi meditation on life in the vein of Spielberg’s A.I but without the more flashy futuristic elements, plus blockbuster game adaptation Uncharted.
There’re several returning Sky mainstays including the second half of season two of paramedic comedy Bloods (Sky clearly taking a leaf out of the Netflix, Disney+ playbook in splitting seasons up here) as well as season 4 of comedy drama Brassic.
Panel and chat shows from yesteryear crop up with a second outing for Never Mind the Buzzcocks while the fondly remembered Fantasy Football League resurfaces on Sky after nearly two decades with a familiar feel but new hosts, and just in time for the World Cup too.
Moving to Paramount+ and there’s another re-appearance after a long absence here too (this time 42 years!) with Jon Bernthal taking over from Richard Gere in a continuation of the American Gigolo tale over eight episodes - surely Paramount isn’t cynically mining its decades old IP for new streaming exclusives!? Still, Bernthal’s usually a safe pair of loafers.
Here’s a closer look at the best on offer in September.
Note: This is a preview, so content is liable to suffer from Sky’s constant schedule tinkering and some air dates have not been confirmed yet. We’ll update the article with new information as it becomes available so please check back on a regular basis and watch the comments section for notification updates.
Movie Premieres
(Requires Sky Cinema subscription or Now Cinema Pass)
2nd September (Friday)
Belfast (2021, True Events, Coming-of-Age, Drama, Cert: 12. Jude Hill, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, Dir. + Scr. Kenneth Branagh) - confirmed 11-Aug-2022
Set against the tumult of late 1960's Northern Ireland, 9-year-old Buddy spends his time with his family - Ma, Pa Granny and Pops - and playing in the local streets near his house with his friends. But the stable and loving community begins to unravel as simmering political and sectarian winds blow through his neighbourhood in a sudden explosion of violence which leads Ma and Pa to consider whether the family’s future might be more secure in England. Suddenly, Buddy is faced with leaving behind all the joy and laughter of his hometown, as well as his beloved grandparents and the Catholic girl he has recently become firm friends with.
Kenneth Branagh turned his recollections of growing up in Belfast into a personal and joyful story that reaped Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe recognition as a well as a Golden Raspberry Redeemer Award for Jamie Dornan after his Razzie nod for Fifty Shades Darker in 2018.
3rd September (Saturday)
Even Mice Belong in Heaven (2021, Animation, Adventure, Comedy. Cert: U) - added 26-Aug-2022
After an unfortunate accident, two mortal enemies - cheeky mouse Whizzy and the fox Whitebelly - meet again in animal heaven. In this paradise they lose their natural instincts and become best friends. But their wish to stay together after they return to earth becomes complicated when they are reborn into opposite roles.
4th September (Sunday)
Monstrous (2022, Horror, Mystery, Thriller. Cert: 15. Christina Ricci, Santino Barnard, Don Durrell, Colleen Camp, Dir. Chris Sivertson) - added 26-Aug-2022
In the 1950s, Laura and her seven-year-old son, Cody, relocate to a remote, lakeside home in California to flee from her abusive ex-husband. While the threat of him uncovering their secret sanctuary weighs on Laura, Cody is disturbed by a hidden presence below the surface of the water just outside his bedroom window.
9th September (Friday)
The 355 (2020, Action, Thriller, Cert: 12. Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Lupita Nyong'o, Diane Kruger, Dir. Simon Kinberg) - confirmed 26-Aug-2022
When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason "Mace" Brown has to go off the grid without Agency back up and so joins forces with an international array of skilled agents on a lethal mission to retrieve it. As the team tracks the weapon across the globe, they are pursued by a mysterious woman at every turn.
10th September (Saturday)
Last Looks (2021, Action, Comedy, Thriller, Cert: 15. Charlie Hunnam, Mel Gibson, Morena Baccarin, Rupert Friend, Dir. Tim Kirkby) - new 26-Aug-2022
Once LAPD's top detective, Charlie Waldo has dropped out of society, lives in a tiny hilltop cabin with only 100 possessions and minimises his carbon footprint. However, he’s pulled out of retirement when his former lover, private investigator Lorena, asks for his help investigating the high-profile murder of the wife of eccentric TV star Alastair Pinch. Pinch is accused of the brutal crime but spends so much of his time drunk that he cannot remember anything. Soon Charlie finds himself grappling Hollywood executives, gangsters and nursery teachers in the pursuit of clearing Pinch’s name... or confirming his guilt.
11th September (Sunday)
Stowaway (2022, Action, Thriller, Cert: 15. Ruby Rose, Frank Grillo, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Luis Da Silva Jr. Dir. Declan Whitebloom) - added 26-Aug-2022
A tenacious party girl fights to survive after thieves commandeer her luxury yacht. Unable to escape and trapped on the boat in high seas, she turns the tables on the intruders and takes matters into her own hands.
12th September (Monday)
Scream aka Scream 5 (2022, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, R. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, Dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett) - added 08-Sep-2022
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new Ghostface appears and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
Bringing together fan favourite original characters with new protagonists to satirise the trend of reboots and legacy sequels, the film also comments on the horror fandom culture more widely and has led to a further sequel due in March 2023… which may or may not lead to yet further pokes at sequels! Because it’s a sequel… to a reboot.
Read our Scream 4K disc review and watch the AVForums Movies Podcast Scream short below:
16th September (Friday)
Marry Me (2021, Romance, Music, Comedy, Cert: 12. Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, John Bradley, Dir. Kat Coiro) - confirmed 26-Aug-2022
Music superstars and celebrity power couple Kat Valdez and Bastian plan to get married and exchange vows live onstage at one of Kat’s concerts before a live audience of 20 million fans. However, when Kat discovers at the last minute that Bastian has been unfaithful, she decides the only way to move forward is to shake things up by accepting what she thinks is a proposal by stranger Charlie, a random man in the crowd who is there with his daughter.
What begins as an impulsive reaction evolves into an unexpected romance under the constant glare of the limelight. But are their worlds just too different for love to last?
17th September (Saturday)
Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller, Cert: R. Ed Skrein, Kate Hudson, Jeon Jong-seo, Craig Robinson, Dir. + Scr. Ana Lily Amirpour) - added 26-Aug-2022
When Bonnie, a struggling single-mother, befriends a mysterious girl with unusual abilities who has escaped a mental institute, she sees a lucrative opportunity to make some fast cash. But they draw the attention of a detective and the pair's luck starts to run out as the cops close in on their crime-spree.
22nd September (Thursday)
After Yang (2022, Drama, Sci-Fi, Cert: PG. Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, Justin H. Min, Dir. + Scr. Kogonada)
Jake and Kyra live with their adopted daughter Mika and her A.I. companion Yang. When Yang malfunctions and becomes unresponsive, Jake searches for a way to repair rather than replace him. In the process, Jake discovers life that has been passing by in front of him and sets him on a parallel journey to reconnect with his wife and daughter across a distance he didn't appreciate was there.
Based on the short story Saying Goodbye to Yang by Alexander Weinstein, After Yang gets a simultaneous theatrical and Sky Cinema release.
23rd September (Friday)
Uncharted (2021, Action, Adventure, Cert: 12. Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Dir. Ruben Fleischer) - confirmed 26-Aug-2022
Street-smart grifter Nathan ‘Nate’ Drake works as a bartender in New York City where he hustles to make ends meet. When Nate is approached by seasoned treasure hunter Victor ‘Sully’ Sullivan who is looking to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago, he agrees to join the search. Together, Nate and Sully decipher the clues that are keeping one of the world’s oldest mysteries hidden as they are pursued across the globe by Monocada, a ruthless businessman who believes his family is the rightful beneficiary of the treasure. With $5 billion at stake, the chase is on but for Nate, the prospect of finding out what happened to his long lost brother, Sam, is what is really driving him.
Principal photography on Uncharted began on March 16, 2020 but had to be shut later the same day as Covid restrictions were suddenly introduced. Filming restarted a few months later and the project suffered a protracted production up until October 2020 - par for the course really given its years in development hell! Reshoots took place in July 2021 and the film was finally released on 18th Feb 2022.
Uncharted will be showing on Netflix in the US from 5th Aug 2022.
24th September (Saturday)
Shark Bait (2022, Horror, Thriller. Holly Earl, Jack Trueman, Catherine Hannay, Malachi Pullar-Latchman, Dir. James Nunn) - added 26-Aug-2022
After a night of partying on the beach, a group of spring breakers steal jet skis and head out to sea. But the fun quickly turns to horror after a head-on collision leaves them injured, bleeding and stranded in shark-infested waters fighting for their survival.
30th September (Friday)
Georgetown (2019, Crime, Drama, TrueEvents, Cert: 15. Christoph Waltz, Vanessa Redgrave, Annette Bening, Corey Hawkins, Dir. Christoph Waltz) - new 26-Aug-2022
Ulrich Mott is an ambitious and smooth-talking social climber who seems to have everyone in Washington, D.C. wrapped around his finger. But when his wealthy, well-connected and much older wife turns up dead in their home, her daughter Amanda suspects Ulrich may not be the grieving husband that he seems.
The film marked star Christoph Waltz’s features film directorial debut and is based on the true story of the murder of Viola Herms Drath.
TV Shows on Sky/NOW
(Requires Sky TV subscription, Now Entertainment Pass)
1st September (Thursday)
Bloods (2022, S2b, Sky Original Comedy Series, Sky Comedy) - confirmed 11-Aug-2022
Tough-acting loner Maleek and over-friendly divorcee Wendy are a pair of mismatched paramedics in a South London ambulance station.
Bloods returns for its second tranche of episodes for season 2 and picks up after New Year's Eve when the South Hill team were kept hard at work with Jo and a newly single Lawrence working together on a booze bus. Now Jo is absent from work after Lawrence’s rejection of her and there’s potential fallout over Wendy and Maleek’s misdiagnosis of Jack.
The show’s returning cast includes: Lucy Punch as boisterous station boss Jo, Julian Barratt as Lawrence plus Adrian Scarborough, Aasiya Shah, Kevin Garry, Sam Campbell while Katherine Kelly joins the cast as the ambulance stations acting counsellor and Nathan Foad plays Wendy's son Spencer.
Forged in Fire (2022, S9, Reality Series, Sky History) - new 11-Aug-2022
The best bladed weapon-makers in the country go head-to-head building everything from Viking battle axes to Samurai swords to Indian claw daggers. There will be new weapons and contestants every week, and stunning tests of their creations. Judged by an esteemed panel of unimpeachable weapons experts, the race to create the episode's weapon of choice is a journey through weapon history under Mission Impossible time constraints with an explosive finale. The winner leaves with $10,000 cash and the coveted title of Forged in Fire Champion'.
2nd September (Friday)
The Slow Mo Guys' Big Adventures (2022, S1, Children's Science/History Show, Sky Kids)
YouTube stars Gav and Dan, otherwise known as The Slow Mo Guys, recreate some of history’s most explosive developments and film it all in the only way they know how - at thousands of frames per second. The pair examine Archimedes’ key engineering principles, Tian Li's invention of gunpowder in ancient China and the Wright brother's struggle to motorise flight: all to understand each important key breakthrough, why it was necessary and what important scientific discoveries needed to be made.
Written by Horrible Histories creator, Terry Deary, and interspersed with animations, each episode is packed with memorable characters, explosive experiments, and appealing (and appalling) historical stories.
Trolls: TrollsTopia (2022, S2, Kids, Hulu/Peacock Animated Series, Sky Kids)
The fun continues in TrollsTopia as the residents celebrate the launch of the new Metroll Station train system and Dad-urday! However, with friendships between the tribes stronger than ever and all the neighbourhoods now connected, Poppy suddenly realises she accidentally excluded an entire tribe from TrollsTopia when Chaz, a smooth jazz troll arrives. To make amends, Poppy endeavours to do everything she can to make her new friend feel at home.
The American Presidency with Bill Clinton (2022, Docuseries, Sky History) - new 11-Aug-2022
Damaging sex scandals not withstanding, former President Clinton is one of the few men alive who understands the often-agonising responsibility of being the Decider-in-Chief at the eye of the storm at critical moments of US history. In this is six-part series, Clinton - along with a team of expert contributors - will share his experience and beliefs. Each episode takes on a different theme in US history; Race, Rights, Extremism, Global Power, Vision, and Economic Might.
4th September (Sunday)
Mind Over Murder (2022, S1, True Crime Docu Series, Sky Crime)
Six-part documentary series which chronicles the complex story of six individuals who were convicted for the 1985 murder of a 68-year-old grandmother, Helen Wilson, in Beatrice, Nebraska. Despite five of the individuals originally confessing to the crime, the "Beatrice Six" as they became known, were exonerated by DNA evidence in 2009. This turn of events divided the rural town, incensed the family of Helen Wilson and led to a huge civil suit against Gage County, Nebraska on behalf of all six defendants. As the filmmakers track the case from the murder, through the investigation, trial, exoneration and resulting legal proceedings, the shifting perspectives and stranger-than-fiction events raise important questions about the reliability of confessions and memory in criminal cases.
1972 - Munich’s Black September (2022, Documentary, Sky Documentaries)
Feature length documentary marking the 50-year anniversary of the tragic events that shocked the world at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games which saw eleven Israeli athletes and a West German police officer killed by terrorists from The Black September group.
7th September (Wednesday)
Brassic (2022, S4, Sky Original Comedy/ Drama Series - Sky Max)
Vinnie O'Neill and the gang are back in Hawley causing more mayhem as they hatch eccentric plans, complete questionable heists and appropriate bizarre items. Vinnie, Erin, Tommo, Dylan, Ashley, JJ, Cardi, Carol, Sugar, farmer Jim, and Dr. Chris bounce from one poorly planned disaster to another as they discover severed body parts, train racing dogs, put up with unexpected guests and cause mayhem at a murder mystery night. It’s all par for the course in Hawley.
Based on the true-life misadventures of BAFTA nominated lead actor and co-creator Joe Gilgun, Brassic also stars Michelle Keegan, Dominic West, Damien Molony and Tom Hanson.
8th September (Thursday)
The Russell Howard Hour (2022, S6, Sky Original Comedy Show, Sky Max)
Comedian Russell Howard returns to put the world to rights with a new series of The Russell Howard Hour, tackling the big news stories with his trademark irreverence. As with all his previous series, there’ll be a mix of stand up, topical observation, filmed exploits with Russell’s showbiz mates, hilarious views from school kids, guest interviews and performances, and hopefully a good deed or two to leave the audience with a smile on its face.
9th September (Friday)
Munich Games aka Munich Match (2022, S1, CBS/Sky Original Drama Series, International: Germany, Language: English, Sky Atlantic)
Fifty years after the Black September terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, a memorial soccer match between an Israeli and a German football club is planned as a commemoration for the victims of the tragedy. Police and secret services are placed on high alert to ensure the security of the match.
Despite everything having been done to make the match a safe and peaceful event, tensions and nerves are running high and, with the political stakes even higher as the eyes of the world watch, things start to fall apart - could it be that history might be repeating all over again. Mossad agent, Oren Simon, stationed in Berlin is partnered with Maria Köhler, a German State Criminal Police officer with Lebanese roots, to prevent a deadly repetition.
12th September (Monday)
Britain’s Greatest Obsessions (2022, S1, Documentary Series, Sky History)
Some of Britain's favourite stars explore some uniquely British preoccupations. Each episode sees one host take us through the history of these obsessions and explain just what it is that gets the public so consumed by them.
Harry Hill delves into humour and why self-deprecating Brits think they have the best in the world; Suggs has a personal take on the important role pubs played in communities: Liza Tarbuck investigates our obsession with the weather and why we talk about it so much; Lorraine Kelly guides us through World War II with a view to separating the myths from the facts, while Reginald D. Hunter turns his attention to class, including an honest chat with Alexei Sayle. Finally, naturalist and activist Chris Packham focuses on pets, finding out how animals went from working for us to being companions and family members
14th September (Wednesday)
Never Mind the Buzzcocks (2022, S2, Sky Original Panel Show, Sky Max) - confirmed 08-Sep-2022
Following one of Sky's best performance launches ever, music quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks is returning to the broadcaster for a second series.
Host Greg Davies oversees the musical festivities, while the teams will be headed up by Buzzcocks' veteran Noel Fielding alongside Daisy May Cooper and regular guest, Jamali Maddix. Joining them will be a roster of top stars from the world of music and comedy, as they test their wits and musical knowledge against classic rounds returning for the new series along with some new surprises. The tone remains anarchic and subversive in style, celebrating musicians and the music industry while calling it to account where a little humility might be required!
16th September (Friday)
Vampire Academy ( 2022, S1, Peacock Original Drama / Fantasy Series, Peacock. First four episodes available)
St. Vladmir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - it's a hidden place where vampire royals are educated and half-human teens train as their guardians to protect them from the savage 'Strigoi' vampires who would like to see them all destroyed. In this world of privilege and glamour, two young women's friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter royal vampire society in their destined roles.
Based on the novel series of the same name by Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy serves as a reboot of the 2014 film version starring Zoey Deutch.
21st September (Wednesday)
Meet Cute (2022, Comedy, Romance. Peacock Original Film. Kaley Cuoco, Pete Davidson, Deborah S. Craig, Sierra Fisk, Dir. Alex Lehmann) - new;12-Sep-2022
Sheila and Gary are having a great first date and seem to be falling in love straight off the bat. But Sheila has a secret; this isn’t their first date! She’s been using a time machine she discovered in a nail salon to keep coming back to fine tune the evening so it’s absolutely perfect and they can fall for each other over and over again. But when the perfect night is never quite enough, Sheila travels to Gary’s past to heal his trauma and sort out his issues, all to turn him into the ideal partner. Has she now gone too far?
The film's screenplay, written by Noga Pnueli, was featured on the 2018 Black List, which compiles the best unproduced scripts of the year.
24th September (Saturday)
GoldenEra (2022, Feature length documentary, Sky Documentaries) - new: 08-Sep-2022
The inside story behind one of the most defining video games ever made, GoldenEye 007 is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. Released for the Nintendo 64 console in the summer of 1997 after two and a half gruelling years, missed deadlines and an unwavering commitment to perfection, this groundbreaking title was created in a farmhouse in Warwickshire by a small team of university graduates, most of whom had never worked on a game before.
Told through interviews with those involved in the iconic first person shooter’s development along with leading game journalists and industry professionals, GoldenEra captures an unmissable moment in the history of gaming.
25th September (Sunday)
Booze, Bets and Sex (2022, Sky History Documentary Series) - new 08-Sep-2022
A look at the surprising origin stories of the American alcohol, gambling, sex, and tobacco industries and the notorious entrepreneurs who built some of history's biggest fortunes on the nation's cravings. Through a time when condoms were illegal, smoking was pervasive, and alcohol made illegal then legalised again, the great debate raged between accepting the freedom to indulge and agreeing the need for protection from the chaos of debauchery.
27th September (Tuesday)
Train (2020, S1, Korean Fantasy/Mystery Series, Sky Sci-Fi, All episodes available) - confirmed 22-Sep-2022
Detective Seo Do-won is relentless when it comes to bringing criminals to justice and he’s made an impressive name for himself by taking on the toughest cases. But after the woman he loves becomes the latest victim of a serial killer and he finds he is mysteriously able to move between two parallel worlds, he uses his unusual situation to protect the other version of his girlfriend who remains in danger from the killer. Of course; two universes means two murderers and he soon finds he cannot protect his alternative love and track down the dual killers without help from his colleagues in both worlds.
28th September (Wednesday)
This England aka This Sceptered Isle (2022, Limited Season, Sky Original True Events / Drama Series, Sky Atlantic) - confirmed:12-Sep-2022
This England follows Boris Johnson's tumultuous first months as Prime Minister as he and his Tory government are forced to grapple with some of the most devastating events to ever befall the modern United Kingdom.
As the first wave of the global Covid-19 pandemic sweeps across Europe and the UK, Johnson has to deal with a massively challenged NHS, a scared and desperate public and his own illness, along with a national lockdown and the pressure of looming Brexit negotiations - something he had personally promised to “Get done!”
As well as the drama inside the corridors of power, events in government are interwoven with stories from around the country. Experts and scientists race against time to understand the virus and create a vaccine, doctors, nurses and care-home workers on the frontline work tirelessly, and ordinary people’s lives are thrown into turmoil as they are separated from loved ones, sometimes for the very last time.
Co-written and initially directed by Michael Winterbottom (though he stepped aside due to ill health) and starring BAFTA and Academy Award-winner Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson.,
It will be interesting to see exactly where the series finishes its narrative but a second season could well be on the cards to cover Party Gate, the Number 10 refurbishment probe, the attempt to re-write parliamentary standards, a barely survived vote of no-confidence and the final embarrassment of the Chris Pincher affair which led to many cabinet colleagues turning against Johnson, leading to his eventual resignation. There really does feel like there could be a “To Be Continued… “ at the end of This England. We shall see.
29th September (Thursday)
Fantasy Football League (2022, S1, Sky Original Panel/Chat Show, Sky Max)- confirmed 08-Sep-2022
Coming at just the right moment following the Lionesses’ recent magnificent victory to emerge as European champions, and returning after 18 years away from our screens, Sky is bringing back Fantasy Football League.
Formerly fronted by the show's creators, David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, the presenting ball will now be headed over to brand new hosts, Matt Lucas and Elis James who’ll follow the formula of celebrity guests competing against each other as managers in a 'fantasy league' as well as chatting all things football. Whether the likes of legendary regular feature, ‘Phoenix from The Flames’, where a star footballer recreated one of their most memorable moments in football, returns is yet to be seen but if it does they could do worse that recreate Chloe Kelly’s Euro Championship celebration or Alessia Russo’s sweet-as-a-nut backheel in the semis.
Airdates TBC
Catherine the Great (2019, Limited Season, HBO Historical Drama, Sky Arts)
Amidst scandal, intrigue and immense conflict, German-born Empress Catherine marries into the Russian Imperial family, deposes her husband, and enters into a unique and devoted relationship with Grigory Potemkin as they overcome their adversaries and serve as the architects of modern-day Russia.
Already available as a box set for Sky subscribers, the lavish Sky Original drama Catherine the Great arrives freely available on Sky Arts - possibly riding on the coat tails of hit Hulu series The Great - and starring Dame Helen Mirren as the legendary Empress of Russia, alongside Jason Clarke, Rory Kinnear, Gina McKee, Kevin R, McNally, Paul Kaye and Richard Roxburgh .
Paramount+
Requires Sky Cinema or standalone subscription
7th September (Wednesday)
Son of a Critch (2022, S1, CBS Comedy Series) - confirmed 26-Aug-2022
This coming of age story, based on the childhood and adolescence of Canadian comedian Mark Critch, looks through its heartfelt window into the life of young Mark – much older inside than his 11 years would have you believe – as he grows up in 1980's Newfoundland and attempts to make the most out of his limited world.
Son of a Critch stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as the young Mark alongside Brit stalwart Malcolm McDowell as his grandfather.
10th September (Saturday)
American Gigolo (2022, Limited Season, Showtime Crime Drama Series. Weekly episodes)
After 15-years in prison for a murder he did not commit, former male escort Julian Kaye is released after new evidence comes to light, exonerating him. Now back in an unfamiliar Los Angeles, Kaye is keen to get back to the only profession he knows and calls upon his old contacts to help him adjust to a modern-day L.A sex industry that has changed beyond recognition. As he attempts to reconnect with Michelle, his one true love, there’s still the question of who framed him… and why?
A present-day reimagining of Paul Schrader’s iconic Richard Gere-starring 1980 film which sees Jon Bernthal step into Gere's immaculate outfits.
14th September (Wednesday)
Minx (2022, S1, HBO Comedy Series. All episodes available) - confirmed 26-Aug-2022
Set in 1970's Los Angeles, Joyce, an earnest young feminist, is pitching her ideas for magazine that addresses the issues faced by women when she catches the eye of Doug, a low rent, over confident publisher who thinks he spots a more appealing angle. Now Joyce finds herself spearheading the launch of the first erotic magazine for women, 'Minx'.
Minx stars Ophelia Lovibond, soon to be seen as Carrie Johnson in This England over on Sky Atlantic, and Jake (Jurassic World/New Girl) Johnson.
16th September (Friday)
Unplugging (2022, Comedy, Romance. Eva Longoria, Matt Walsh, Lea Thompson, Keith David, Dir. Debra Neil-Fisher) - new 26-Aug-2022
When Dan and Jeanine Dewerson realise the only spark left in their marriage is from their phone chargers, they agree on a self prescribed digital detox with a relaxing and possibly romantic weekend in a remote mountain town with no kids, no phones and no social media. But what starts out as the perfect getaway, quickly spirals out of control as they encounter rural cuisine, cranky locals and a pesky one-eyed dog, forcing Dan and Jeanine to reconnect with each other.
19th September (Monday)
Girl in the Box (2016, Drime, Drama, True Events. Addison Timlin, Zane Holtz, Zelda Williams, Brittany Allen, Dir. + Scr. Stephen Kemp) - new 08-Sep-2022
In spring 1977, 20-year-old Colleen Stan was hitchhiking from Oregon to California to visit friends when, with a little over 40 miles of her journey left, she fatefully accepts a lift from a young couple, Cameron and Janice Hooker.
What follows is a seven year nightmare that sees Colleen kidnapped and forced to spend up to 23 hours a day trapped in a coffin sized box. And when not incarcerated, she is compelled to act as the Hooker's slave and child-minder, as she is gradually drawn into a bizarre and complex world of extreme dark obsession. Based on real events, the narrative unfolds from the perspective of Janice who herself is under the spell of the charismatic but dangerous Cameron and of whose dark secret she has now become a willing accomplice.
22nd September (Thursday)
Savage River (2022, Limited Season, ABC Original Crime / Drama Series) - confirmed 08-Sep-2022
Miki Anderson returns to her hometown in rural Victoria after serving ten years in prison for manslaughter. Having paid her debt to society, she is determined to move on with her life, but the close-knit community of Savage River is not about to let her forget the past. When a murder rocks the town, suspicion immediately falls on Miki and with the local police determined to pin it on her, she sets out to prove her innocence.
27th September (Tuesday)
Rise of the Billionaires (2022 Documentary Series, Paramount+. All episode available) - new 08-Sep-2022
From Jeff Bezos to Elon Musk, from the Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg - a small handful of astronomically rich tech titans have come to dominate our society. With their endless wealth they can pursue their every fantasy and fulfil their every vision and in doing so they have reshaped our world and changed our culture, our economic structures and our ways of living in the most profound ways.
With extensive use of rarely seen, evocative archive, in-depth interviews with key witnesses, best friends, employees, rivals and commentators, experience the story of naive dreams gone global, a story of the bizarre twists of 21st century capitalism.
So those are the highlights so far for September 2022. Let us know what you think about the lineup in the comments section. As new content is added, we’ll update the listing, so be sure to check back so you don’t miss out.
Source: Geektown, Sky Media Village, Digital Spy
Image Source: Google, Sky