Critics' picks: A heartfelt series and a bluegrass virtuoso's new album
The Guardian's critics round up the week's best TV and music. Highlights include the Australian drama Dalliance, starring Hugo Weaving, and a documentary about the Rainbow Warrior bombing. Also featured are a series about an airport chaplain and a new album from Billy Strings.
The Guardian's weekly culture roundup highlights several new releases, led by the Australian drama Dalliance, which stars Hugo Weaving as part of an ensemble following friends in their 60s navigating life's complications. The same actor also appears in The Airport Chaplain, a Netflix series about a minister helping travelers. Other featured programs include a documentary revisiting the 1985 Rainbow Warrior bombing by French agents, and Kabul, a thriller about an Afghan family during the American withdrawal.
The film section showcases De Gaulle: Résistance, a two-part biopic with Simon Abkarian as the French general and Simon Russell Beale as Churchill, plus Pedro Almodóvar's meta-drama Bitter Christmas. Music coverage includes bluegrass artist Billy Strings' new album. The reviews span streaming platforms including Paramount+, Netflix, and BBC iPlayer.
This roundup could influence viewing and listening choices among audiences seeking quality drama and documentary content. The Rainbow Warrior documentary may renew public awareness of environmental activism's history and state actions against protest groups, potentially prompting reflection on current climate advocacy. The focus on stories featuring older characters, like Dalliance, could challenge ageist assumptions in entertainment and broaden representation. However, as a critics' selection, its direct societal impact is likely modest, primarily shaping cultural consumption rather than policy discussions.