Keeley Hawes is menopausal and murderous in new TV drama

Perth Now

6 days ago

A prickly, no-effs-to-give menopausal woman who's also a trained assassin? Has there ever been a more terrifying proposition? I think we all know the answer to that one, and it's a resounding no.
British screen star Keeley Hawes plays the aforementioned, a woman who was once a feared gun-for-hire, now living out her retirement on an idyllic Greek island, suffering hot flushes and random bouts of irritability like the rest of us.
Though she'd probably like to unleash her very particular set of skills on some of the village's more annoying inhabitants — there's a very funny scene where she gets unreasonably peeved with having to wait in line at the butchers for a steak (I've never related to something more) — she's so far managed to rein in her worst impulses and is living a pretty mundane life.
That is, until her estranged adult son, played by The Good Doctor's Freddie Highmore, comes to visit, and her entire life is upended.
To elaborate would be to spoil things for viewers, but let's just say the show begins as one thing and does a radical 180. By the time you get to the end of the second episode, it's very evident this is something else entirely. Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore in The Assassin, coming to Stan. Credit: Supplied
I probably should have known it would veer in a different direction — the creative duo responsible for Stan's equally twisty-turny drama The Tourist are also behind this, and it shows. The Williams brothers love a plot twist and a savage fight scene or two, so you can guess where this is headed.
Joining Hawes and Highmore is a stellar ensemble cast, including Jack Davenport (a personal fave since my days watching This Life in the 90s), Neighbours legend Alan Dale, Perth-raised Baby Reindeer star Shalom Brune-Franklin and screen siren Gina Gershon.
Something tells me this series is going to make quite the splash when it lands. Mark your diaries. Outrageous is streaming on BritBox. Credit: Supplied
Almost a century on from when they were kicking around, the Mitford sisters continue to fascinate and now they're the subject of this period drama.
Not heard of these historical ladies? Ooh boy, are you in for a treat as you take a deep dive down the Google hole to research the six wildly different, wildly glamorous aristocratic sisters 'who shocked 1930s Britain with their scandalous choices and deeply divided loyalties'. Think of them as the Kardashians of old, if you will.
Nancy was a novelist and probably the most famous of the clan at first. In later years, her sisters Unity and Diana overtook her in the notoriety stakes, the latter by marrying the British fascist leader Oswald Mosley and the former by being close friends with Hitler. Rightly repulsed, Jessica, known as Decca, left home and became a committed communist, well-known journalist and author.
Interest piqued? You won't want to miss this one. Sold! Who Broke The Australian Dream is streaming on Binge. Credit: Supplied
Spoiler alert: it wasn't anyone under the age of 45! Mark Humphries goes deep into the Aussie housing market to find out why so many of us are locked out of home ownership. Depressing and illuminating in equal measure.
Based on May Cobb's book, this series sees Brittany Snow play Sophie, who moves with her family to a new town and becomes close with society queen bee Margot (Malin Akerman). She lives an affluent life in a small East Texas town — but all is not as it seems. Chrissy Metz and Dermot Mulroney also star. Happy Gilmore 2 is streaming on Netflix. Credit: Scott Yamano / Netflix
The legendary character comes back to life via a sequel, only 30 years in the making. Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald all reprise their roles. Can't wait!