NOW TV may be uncharted territory for some, but Sky’s on-demand service undoubtedly holds the streaming goods. Wary of branching out from Netflix and Amazon Prime? Don’t fear: consider Empire your guide to the best TV shows, films and documentaries on offer each month, and swiftly pop the below dates into your streaming diaries.
The best TV shows on NOW TV
** The Night Of – 1 September**
You know that thing where you wake up with no idea how you got somewhere? Dial that scenario up to 11 and imagine waking up to find a girl you’ve just spent the night with dead, with all evidence pointing to you as the murderer. Nasir (Riz Ahmed) is the man dealing with this very situation in HBO’s acclaimed The Night Of, a nail-biter from Steven Zaillian – the pen behind Moneyball and Schindler’s List. John Turturro also stars as Nasir’s lawyer, a man who may or may not be on the right side of the law.
Quarry – 9 September
Logan Marshall-Green returns to the small screen in this ‘70s-set drama, taking place amidst the aftermath of the Vietnam War. After returning to his Memphis home, Mac Conway (Marshall-Green) soon realises how his friends and countrymen have changed during his US-serving absence. This eight-part drama (based on Max Allan Collins’ novels) promises to be a tense, honest look at PTSD – expect relationships to be particularly fractious when Peter Mullan's also onboard.
Criminal Minds: Seasons 1-10 – 1 September
With 11 seasons already under their belt – Season 12 airs in the US later this month – this lot show no signs of stopping. If you don’t know your Spencer Reid from your Aaron Hotchner, now is as good a time as any to become familiar with the BAU (the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit) as they try to get inside the minds of America’s most dangerous killers. Aaron Paul, Melissa Leo, Forest Whitaker and Tim Curry have all made guest appearances, if you fancy a game of cameo bingo while watching the ten seasons now available on NOW TV.
The Affair: Seasons 1-2 – 1 September
Joshua Jackson and Maura Tierney are the none-the-wiser other halves being cheated on in Showtime’s critically-acclaimed drama. Dominic West and Ruth Wilson are the cheaters at its heart (a waitress and teacher, respectively), a pair whose constant lies have explosive consequences for everyone around them – themselves included. Wilson and Tierney bagged themselves Golden Globes for their involvement in The Affair’s tangled romantic web. Season 3 returns in November.
The best movies on NOW TV
Bridge Of Spies – 30 September
Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg tackled the Cold War in last year’s Bridge Of Spies, a film lacking obvious spectacle, but stuffed with precise performances and dramatic tension. Hanks plays James B. Donovan, a lawyer unexpectedly caught up in a stalemate between Russia and America. Mark Rylance plays Rudolf Abel, the spy Donovan must defend – it’s not hard to see why Spielberg was immediately smitten with his new muse. Sorry, Sly: we were always in Mark Rylance’s corner on Oscar night.
Daddy’s Home – 23 September
Daddy’s Home hardly breaks the mould, but the prospect of Ferrell and Wahlberg pairing up again post-The Other Guys was always going to be a welcome one. This time the jokers go toe-to-toe for the respect of their partner (‘former’, in Wahlberg’s case) and children (‘step’, in Ferrell’s case). Yes it’s ridiculous, and yes it’s full of absolutely-in-no-way-possible slapstick set-pieces, but there’s a lot of fun to be had watching these two spar – even if we do wish they’d bumped the rating up to a 15.
Steve Jobs – 9 September
Michael Fassbender received his second Oscar nomination for his titular role in this three act biopic from Danny Boyle. Aaron Sorkin is the pen behind the man behind the Mac, choosing to focus in on three specific product launches, and in turn create a fascinating snapshot of the man many considered a rock star. Boasting a brilliant, on form cast (Winslet! Rogen! Waterston! Stuhlbarg!), it's Jobs’ epic, verbal joust with John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) that remains one of 2015’s – and Sorkin’s – very best scenes.
Find out what you should be watching during September on Netflix.
Find out what you should be watching on Amazon Prime in September.