Trigonometry
Cash-strapped couple Gemma (Thalissa Teixeira) and Kieran (Gary Carr, Downton Abbey)) decide to open their small apartment up to a third resident. Surprisingly, their new lodger Ray (Ariane Labed, The Lobster) seems to make things easier for the couple. But they soon enter a polyamorous relationship and each of them must learn how to navigate love and relationships in an entirely new way. Refreshingly original, authentic and funny, this brand-new show from the UK is about love, bravery and following your heart.
Invisible Heroes
Based on a true story, Invisible Heroes takes us to Santiago, Chile in 1973. Augusto Pinochet has just overthrown the president in a bloody military coup, throwing the populace into fear and turmoil. At the time, Tapani Brotherus was working as a Finnish diplomat and enjoying the expat lifestyle with his wife Lysa. But when people literally start climbing the walls into their compound, desperate for help, he ignores all diplomatic protocol and instructions from above, helping ensure safe passage to Europe for over 2,000 Chilean citizens.
This multilingual political thriller from Finland in collaboration with Chile is utterly captivating, highlighting what can happen when individuals choose to act from a moral rather than policy standpoint. Pelle Heikkilä () stars as Tapani, and real-life wife Sophia Heikkilä plays Lysa. Also look out for Mikael Persbrandt (Beck, Sex Education, ) as Swedish ambassador Harald Edelstam.
The Carmichael Show
Stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael stars in this multi-generational sitcom. In episode 1, he announces his girlfriend Maxine (Amber Stevens West) is moving in. Not short of opinions, how will his family react? His father is the type to vote Republican if it means receiving an economic stimulus payment, his mother is always right with Jesus and his brother has bright ideas on tap.
This comedy comes with a twist; not your standard network sitcom and not afraid to discuss issues such as mass shootings, whether it’s okay to still like Bill Cosby’s comedy and obtaining consent from a woman before sex. Featuring an incredible cast including Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery and Loretta Devine, this show is topical and funny – give it a whirl.
Joint Venture
In a fictitious future in São Paulo, Brazil, marijuana has just been legalised. Now, small-time dealer Biriba (Luís Navarro) must decide whether to make his business official in a quickly saturated market, or stay on the wrong side of the law dealing harder more dangerous drugs for much bigger pay. Changing from one world to another is more difficult than he imagined, and to make matters worse, certain people from his past aren’t too happy with his decision.
Produced by HBO Latin America this series explores the grey area between what is criminal and what is legal, diving into the social and economic consequences drug trafficking can have on not only a person, but their country as well.
Apnea
Women call the shots in this powerful and sensual murder mystery from France. Set on a small island in the Mediterranean, a series of suspicious deaths and a sudden lack of fish coincide with the arrival of mysterious stranger, Théa (Laetitia Casta) who enthrals the young Chloé (Noée Abita). This thrilling supernatural series is inspired by the myth of the mermaid and will lure you in. The scenery and underwater sequences are shot beautifully and poetically, elevating this coming-of-age/ecological drama.
The Hot Zone
This mini series is extremely intense, but ultimately has a happy ending, which isn’t a spoiler because it’s based on a true story. In 1989 it is discovered that the Ebola virus has infected a group of chimpanzees in a research lab in the suburbs of Washington D.C. Spread by blood, the virus has a fatality rate of 90%. Luckily Dr. Nancy Jaax (Julianna Margulies), a real-life researcher with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases knows the importance of containing and stopping the virus, and while she comes up against naysayers, there is no way she’s letting Ebola spread. The virus itself is one scary thing, but what’s really moving is how deadly or helpful the human response to a virus can be.
Killjoys
This sci-fi series, from the producers of Orphan Black and the creator of Lost Girl, follows a fun-loving, hard-living trio of interplanetary bounty hunters sworn to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants throughout the Quad, a distant system on the brink of a bloody, multi-planetary class war. If you can follow all that, this show is for you! Hannah John-Kamen stars as Dutch, a much-loved top-level Killjoy with a unique gift for earning people’s trust and respect, regardless of their class. But beneath her banter and protective flirtations lies a dark and secret past. Smart, funny and featuring a badass cast with incredible chemistry, if you liked Firefly you will enjoy Killjoys.
The Pier
Alejandra is a high-profile architect who is shattered by her husband’s suicide. After discovering that he led a double life with another woman for years, Alejandra tries to appease the pain by approaching her under another identity to discover why her husband lived a lie – and what really happened on the night he died. Starring Álvaro Morte (a.k.a The Professor from the hit series Money Heist) and created by Álex Pina (who created Money Heist) you won’t want to miss this addictive Spanish thriller.
The Family Law
Based on Benjamin Law’s best-selling memoir, this dramedy following everyone’s favourite almost-functional Asian–Australian family has been warming audiences’ hearts since it first aired in 2016 – and this year we brought back all 3 seasons to SBS On Demand. 14-year-old Benjamin is slightly self-obsessed, with aspirations to be famous despite his severe lack of talent. For the Law family, all communication can lead to misunderstanding and unlikely comedy stems from tragedy. This is a show about sabotaged expectations, growing pains, finding your place in the world, and the strange embarrassment we feel towards the people we’re supposed to love the most: our family. The Family Law delves into divorce, romance, coming of age and coming out, all while making you laugh and cry.
The Family Law seasons 1–3 are now streaming at (also available with subtitles).
The Principal
2015 crime drama miniseries The Principal (which came back to SBS On Demand this year) is a whodunnit set in a multicultural school. Matt Bashir (Alex Dimitriades), history teacher and former Deputy at a prestigious girls’ school, is swiftly promoted to the position of Principal of Boxdale Boys High. In this notoriously difficult Sydney school, Bashir’s radical approach brings him into conflict on all fronts and leaves his personal life dangerously exposed. He works overtime to get the local community on side, promising change in his charges. But just when it seems he is making progress, a 17-year-old student is found dead on school grounds. The murder and subsequent police investigation threaten Bashir’s fledgling reforms, his support from staff and even his resolve. But he’s determined to do his best for the boys of Boxdale despite his fear that students will take matters into their own hands. The murder investigation shifts from students, gang members, local shopkeepers, parents and the teaching staff.
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