• Ms. X (Binge/Foxtel, 6 episodes)
Ms. X is a six-part dramedy that tells a “good person gone bad” story, through the eyes of a suburban kiwi mum. A stay-at-home mother of two, Mia Bennett (featuring the return of Melissa George), suspects her husband is cheating. He arrives home after a night out apparently dining with clients and then sleeping in his car.
Mia enlists the help of an old high school friend, who is now an inexperienced private investigator who she reunites with after he crashes into her car, to find out what he is up to.
Andrew’s Show of the Week.

• Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO Max, 7 episodes)
A sketch comedy limited series created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. Produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, the series takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The show consists of seven episodes, each containing approximately four historical sketches.

• After the Flood S2 (BritBox, 6 episodes)
British police officers Jo Marshall (a wonderful performance from Sophie Rundle) and her police officer husband Pat Holman also featured in the first season of After the Flood where they were involved in an investigation into the death of someone who died in the flooded town. The series also revealed a web of crooked coppers including Jo’s dad who was also in the force. Orchestrating the bent coppers was DS Phil Mackie, who is again a key character in S2.
It’s a good watch whether you saw the first season or not.
James’ Show of the Week.

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At the halfway mark of 2026, Andrew Mercado and James Manning list their Top 10 shows of the first six months of the year.
There are just three shows that make the Top 10 for both:
Riot Women (SBS)
Love Story (Disney+)
Rivals (Season 2, Disney+)
On Andrew's list and just missing out on James' were:
Tip Toe (Binge/Foxtel)
Half Man (Stan)
Listen to the podcast for the full Top 10 from each co-host with explanations about programs they underrated at the time.

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The Killings at Parrish Station (Stan, 6 episodes)
When a brutal massacre at a remote desert research station rocks 1987 Australia, Detective Georgia Cooke (Mia Wasikowska) and her partner, Michael Thorne (Xavier Samuel), uncover disturbing links between a delusional survivor, a mysterious text called The Bone Gospel, and the station’s eccentric benefactor, Callum Parrish (Nic English). As the case becomes more inexplicable and descends into the paranormal, Georgia’s grip on reality fractures—costing her career, her daughter Frankie’s (Grace Owens) trust, and ultimately her freedom. A “cosmic horror” drama from Mark Fennessy’s Helium Pictures.
Thirty-seven years later, Georgia (Heather Mitchell)—now institutionalised—is pulled back into the Parrish Station nightmare when a string of identical murders emerges.

Small Prophets (ABC iview, 7 episodes)
A six-part British dark comedy-drama created and written by Mackenzie Crook. It follows Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley), a grieving man who has drifted through life since his partner, Clea, mysteriously vanished seven years earlier. Urged on by his eccentric, elderly father, Brian (Sir Michael Palin), Michael converts his garden shed into an alchemist's workshop to help find an answer to what happened to Clea.

The Four Seasons (Netflix, 8 episodes)
Season 2 of The Four Seasons follows the surviving friend group as they navigate life, grief, and relationship changes following Nick's sudden death. With Nick's heavily pregnant girlfriend Ginny now part of their quarterly trips, the group struggles to redefine themselves and find meaning as they enter middle age.
Tina Fey and Will Forte return as Kate and Jack, along with Kerri Kenney as Anne, the show’s most complex and interesting character.

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