38 / 58
Seth Rogen’s comicbook cool has never been in doubt,
but he and his regular writing partner Evan Goldberg
have surpassed all expectations with this hilariously dark
adaptation of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s graphic novels.
The Texan preacher of the title is Jesse Custer (Dominic
Cooper), a former bank robber who has taken up his late
father’s calling in a belated bid for redemption. However,
his faith is tested when he unexpectedly receives – he
assumes that’s it’s from God but is it? – the power to
compel anybody to do anything he says. Also along for the
ride are his badass former girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga), who wants him
to return to a life of crime, and an Irish vampire named Cassidy (Joseph
Gilgun), along with assorted creatures from Heaven and Hell. One of the
year’s best new TV shows.
John Ferguson
On a mission from God
PREACHER:
SEASON ONE
Release Date:
09/11/16
Format:
Oops, we spilled some
Doctor Who
into our historical
drama. Not to worry, for it worked a treat.
Outlander
,
based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels, is one of those rare
shows that captivates people of any age (our mum even
has a mad crush on Jamie: “I wouldn’t mind having
known him when I was 21 or so.”). This second season
sees our time travelling heroine in an increasingly bigger
pickle; beyond the issues back in 1700s Paris and trying
to infiltrate the Jacobite uprising, there’s the return of
the despicable Randall and the Battle of Culloden to
deal with. Then there’s the more complicated stuff, like making sure that
your husband from your own time actually gets to be born someday and
explaining how you’re pregnant to another man. “But it was hundreds of
years ago, honey, honest!”
AF
The etiquette of war
OUTLANDER:
COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
Release Date:
09/11/16
Format:
After six years, winter has finally arrived and the show has
overtaken the books. Throners are in uncharted territory
now – anything can happen and anyone can die. The
season five cliffhanger left one big question dangling: is Jon
Snow really dead, and will the Red Woman resurrect him?
Elsewhere, religious fanatics continue to hold the balance
of power in King’s Landing while Cersei plots to overthrow
the High Sparrow, and over in Braavos, Arya discovers
what a girl must do to reclaim her sight in the service of
the Many-faced God. Daenerys finds herself back in the
company of the Dothraki and learns what happens to a former Khaleesi, and
Bran, having now become the three-eyed raven, takes a trip back into the
past, where intriguing
insights into the nature of the White Walkers and Jon
Snow’s lineage are revealed. The best
GoT
season to date.
SH
A dance with dragons
GAMES OF THRONES:
SEASON 6
This lavish British-French-Canadian production could easily
be seen as the Gallic Tudors, and although the French
monarch here, Louis XIV, didn’t have quite as many
wives as Henry VIII, he had an equally colourful life by all
accounts. The focus is on the eponymous royal chateau,
which the young king (played by former
Vikings
star
George Blagden) is determined to transform into Europe's
most magnificent palace. However, his nobles are restless,
with a number of them actively plotting to overthrow
him. He also has a love/hate relationship with his gay
brother Philippe (Alexander Vlahos), whose wife is one of the king’s many
mistresses. All this makes for a juicy historical romp – and the fact that the
Sun King ruled for more than 70 years means there's plenty of material for
future seasons.
JF
Rise of the Sun King
Versailles:
Complete Series One
Release Date:
09/11/16
Format:
visit
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&
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REVIEWS
38
jbhifi.co.nzNOVEMBER
2016
DVD&BD
Release Date:
05/10/16
Format: