News

I don't know if you folks have heard this or not, but the British anthology series "Black Mirror" is heavily inspired by the 1960s American anthology series "The Twilight Zone." Sure, the former may not have its creator stopping by twice an episode to narrate like the latter (something Rod Serling actually hated to do), but it's still easy to see the connection between the two. Both show use their speculative one-off premises to explore the darker sides of the human psyche, feature a different cast each episode, and are unafraid to end things on a bummer note.

That's why it's no surprise that "White Bear," an absurdly bleak season 2 episode of "Black Mirror," was at least partially inspired by "Judgment Night," a dark season 1 episode of "The Twilight Zone." They're different enough that most viewers won't notice, but there's undeniably a ton of overlap in their themes and plot beats.

This article contains discussions of child abuse, mental health, sexual assault, and suicide.

In the second-ever series of Charlie Brooker's anthology series "Black Mirror" — back when it still aired on the UK's Channel 4 and before it migrated to Netflix — Brooker and director Charlie Tibbetts introduce a harrowing installment titled "White Bear." The episode opens as a woman named Victoria (Lenora Crichlow) wakes up in an empty house with a television showing an odd symbol; pictures of a man (Nick Ofield) and a little girl (Imani Jackman) surround her. Though Victoria tries to interact with various people in the seemingly empty suburb, they just take photos and videos of her on their phones instead, and though Victoria thinks she's saved when she meets two helpful strangers — who explain that the TV symbol she saw makes people into passive gawkers — there's more to this entire situation than she realizes.

Explaining...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Murderbot is a sci-fi action dark comedy series created by Paul and Chris Weitz. Based on The Murderbot Diaries book series by Martha Wells, the Apple TV+ series follows a Murderbot, a biological security cyborg who hacks its Governor module and acquires its freedom. It is soon purchased by a group of misfit scientists, who take it on a dangerous assignment. Murderbot stars Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski, and Tattiawna Jones. So, if you loved the hilarious dark comedy, eccentric characters, and an entertaining story in Murderbot, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Avenue 5 (HBO Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – HBO

Avenue 5 is a sci-fi dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The HBO series is set on the premises of the interplanetary cruise ship,...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Orville is a sci-fi adventure comedy-drama series created by Seth MacFarlane. The Hulu series is set in the 25th century, and it follows Captain Edward “Ed” Mercer as he and his crew take their USS Orville spacecraft on various adventures in different parts of the galaxy. The Orville stars Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Halston Sage, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, Jessica Szohr, and Anne Winters. So, if you loved the hilarious comedy, a sci-fi story, and entertaining characters in The Orville, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Avenue 5 (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – HBO

Avenue 5 is a sci-fi dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The HBO series is set on a fictional interplanetary cruise ship, Avenue 5, and it follows Captain Ryan Clark and...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Chelsea Detective is a British mystery crime drama series created by Peter Fincham. The Acorn TV series is set in Chelsea, London, and it revolves around Detective Inspector Max Arnold and his partner as they investigate various murder cases to put away dangerous criminals. The Chelsea Detective stars Adrian Scarborough, Sonita Henry, Vanessa Emme, Peter Bankole, and Lucy Phelps. So, if you loved the case-of-the-week style storytelling, engaging murder mysteries, and compelling characters in The Chelsea Detective, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Suspects Credit – Channel 5

Suspects is a British crime drama series created by Darren Fairhurst, Steve Hughes, and Paul Marquess. The Channel 5 series is set in London, and it revolves around police detectives as they investigate various controversial cases ranging from murders to child abuse. Suspects stars Damien Molony, Clare-Hope Ashitey,...

Black Mirror Season 7 will feature a series first — its first-ever sequel episode. The success of USS Callister 2 could pave the way for a follow-up story for fan-favorite stories like Season 2's "White Bear".

Black Mirror's first two seasons featured some of the best episodes in the series. Charlie Brooker's dark anthology imagined a dystopian near-future from a unique perspective: it depicts humans as helpless victims of unbridled technology. Seasons 1 and 2 were relatively short with three episodes each, but standouts like "The Entire History of You", "Be Right Back", and "Fifteen Million Merits" teased the future of the series. "White Bear" is arguably the most unsettling episode because it depicts cruel and unusual punishment; speaking to Radio Times, director Carl Tibbetts said that episode is begging for a sequel.

Related 10 Black Mirror Episodes That Would Make Even Better Movies

Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror is a sci-fi horror anthology, but...

The sci-fi genre has always been one of the most beloved among cinephiles as it gives us a new look at a particular technology or our world. There was a time when Max (formerly known as HBO Max) was the place for peak sci-fi shows but after taking off Westworld and Raised by Wolves from the service, and since then it has been lacking a bit regarding sci-fi shows. But still, we picked the seven best sci-fi shows that we could find on Max.

Avenue 5

Avenue 5 is a sci-fi dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The Max series is set in the future and mostly in space and it follows the story of the crew and passengers on board the interplanetary cruise ship named Avenue 5. A little mistake and the death of its chief engineer causes Avenue 5 to veer 0.21 degrees off course which results in the...

Poster for Sundance Now’s ‘The Lovers’

AMC+’s December 2023 lineup includes the premiere of Sundance Now’s The Lovers series, a holiday special with Harry Hamlin, and new episodes of BBC America’s Planet Earth III. The streaming service will also host the Shudder original films It’s a Wonderful Knife and The Sacrifice Game.

AMC+ also announced The Killing starring Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman will be available for binge-watching on December 4, 2023. Season one of UK’s Being Human with Lenora Crichlow, Russell Tovey, and Aidan Turner streams beginning on December 14, with additional seasons arriving on Thursdays. Plus, the quickly canceled Pan Am starring Margot Robbie and Christina Ricci flies in on December 21.

AMC+ December 2023 Lineup The Lovers – Premieres Thursday, December 7 on AMC+ and Sundance Now; New Episodes Continue Every Thursday Until the Season Finale on January 4

The series follows Janet, a foul-mouthed supermarket worker who doesn’t care about anything,...

As the calendar turns to October, BritBox is adding even more Brit hits to its platform. It’s a big month at the British entertainment streamer for fans of Olivia Colman, with the Oscar winner starring in two of the soon-to-be-available titles: the Emmy-winning serial “The Night Manager” led by Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie and “Flowers,” the Channel 4 black dramedy.

Also coming to the platform are multiple North American premieres, the debut of the new BritBox series “Payback,” and more.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what is coming to the platform this month (and what’s already here)!

7-Day Free Trial $8.99 / month BritBox.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to BritBox in October 2023? “The Sixth Commandment” | Wednesday, Oct. 4

Timothy Spall and Anne Reid star as Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in the British true-crime drama that explores their deaths and subsequent events,...

In December 2022, the critically acclaimed, mega-successful stage musical based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book Matilda came to cinemas translated into a punchy, inventive feature film. Written by playwright and screenwriter Dennis Kelly with songs and lyrics by comedian and writer Tim Minchin (Upright), the musical – like the book – is a terrific blend of poignancy and rebellious satire.

Famously adapted for a 1996 American feature film starring writer Mara Wilson in the title role, Matilda is the story of an extraordinary young girl born into a neglectful family who are unable to see, or appreciate her uniqueness. Matilda Wormwood isn’t just an academic genius, and when she goes up against the cruel, child-hating headmistress Miss Trunchbull, she uses her powers to right a generational wrong.

The new film retains the original musical’s anarchic heart, chiefly by retaining its director Matthew Warchus, who pulled the whole thing together...

This list applies to UK streaming services

When I find myself in times of trouble/Streaming channels come to me/Speaking words of wisdom/ Watch TV/Watch TV-eeee/Watch TV-eeee/There will be an answer: watch TV (repeat to fade).

Go on, do it, it’s good advice – we all need a bit of escapism now and then. All of the below are British dramas currently available on UK streaming services, some free-to-air, some subscriber-only, some short, some long, some old favourites and some new arrivals, all in pleasing alphabetical order.

We’ll keep this list updated as new series are added and taken away. If you’ve children to entertain, then here’s our list of the top kids’ shows currently available on UK streaming services, and if you’re in need of a laugh, here’s our collection of the best British comedy TV shows. Sorted.

A Discovery of Witches...

Network: HBO

Episodes: 17 (half-hour)

Seasons: Two

TV show dates: January 19, 2020 -- November 28, 2022

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rebecca Front, Lenora Crichlow, Suzy Nakamura, and Ethan Phillips.

TV show description:

A sci-fi comedy series, the Avenue 5 TV show is set 40 years in the future when traveling the solar system is no longer the stuff of fiction, but a booming, multibillion-dollar business.

Created by Armando Iannucci (Veep), the story follows Ryan Clark (Laurie), the confident and suave captain of “Avenue 5.” It's a space cruise ship that features luxury amenities like gourmet buffets, a spa, an observation deck, and yoga classes.

As the series begins, Avenue 5's eight-week journey around...

The satirical space series “Avenue 5", set 40 years into the future, starring Hugh Laurie ("Bones") has been canceled after two seasons on HBO Max:

"...'Captain Ryan Clarke' (Laurie) is the host of space cruise ship 'Avenue 5;, set 40 years in the future when the solar system is everyone's oyster. Now with 'Captain Clarke in charge nothing can go wrong..."

Cast also incudes Suzy Nakamura, Rebecca Front, Zach Woods, Josh Gadd, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Lenora Crichlow, Ethan Phillips and Himesh Patel.

Click the images to enlarge...

Avenue 5 has been cancelled, with HBO deciding not to renew the show after long delays. Created by Armando Iannucci, the sci-fi comedy series is set 40 years into the future. The story follows Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) and his crew on a luxury space cruise ship as they deal with disgruntled passengers and logistical obstacles after the accidental death of the chief engineer complicates their safe return to Earth. The show also stars Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips.

Now, after making its debut in January 2020, and running for two seasons, HBO has announced its cancelation of Avenue 5. Per Deadline, It had long been speculated that the series won't return for a third installment. Because of the pandemic, Avenue 5 season 2 only began filming in August 2021 which was two and a half years after season 1. The cast was released...

How bad is this trip going to get in the second season of HBO's Avenue 5 TV show? As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Avenue 5 is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the second season episodes of Avenue 5 here. *Status Update Below.

An HBO sci-fi comedy series, the Avenue 5 TV show stars Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips. Guest stars in season two include Andy Buckley, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Adam Pålsson, Daisy May Cooper, Lucy Punch, Leila Farzad, Jonathan Aris, and Arsher Ali. While...

Thanks in part to the pandemic, it's been two and a half years between seasons of Avenue 5. The ratings weren't very good in its first season, and the members of the HBO cast have been released from their contracts. Is it possible that Avenue 5 could still be renewed for a third season, or is it sure to be cancelled? Stay tuned *Status Update Below.

A sci-fi comedy series, the Avenue 5 TV show stars Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips. Guest stars in season two include Andy Buckley, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Adam Pålsson, Daisy May Cooper, Lucy Punch, Leila Farzad, Jonathan Aris, and Arsher Ali. While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd ( Gad), Captain Ryan Clark (Laurie) finds himself in over his...

Every vacation has its end. HBO has announced they have canceled the comedy series Avenue 5 after two seasons. The series was created by Veep’s Armando Iannucci and starred Hugh Laurie (House), Josh Gad (Frozen), Lenora Crichlow (Black Mirror), Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), Rebecca Front (The Thick Of It), Suzy Nakamura (Dr. Ken) and more, as the crew and passengers of Avenue 5, a space cruise ship that finds itself stranded when they are knocked off course and the head engineer dies. Leaving their not-so-qualified captain (Laurie) in charge of the ship in crisis.

The ship isn't getting home. To little surprise, HBO has cancelled the Avenue 5 series so there won't be a third season. The second season finished airing in November.

A sci-fi comedy series, the Avenue 5 TV show stars Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips. Guest stars in season two include Andy Buckley, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Adam Pålsson, Daisy May Cooper, Lucy Punch, Leila Farzad, Jonathan Aris, and Arsher Ali. While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd ( Gad), Captain Ryan Clark (Laurie) finds himself in over his head when the ship is thrown disastrously off-course. This turns what was meant to be an eight-week cruise into an eight-year journey. Picking up five months after failing to reroute the vessel, season two follows the crew...

We have some sad -- but expected -- news about HBO's Avenue 5.

According to TV Line, The Hugh Laurie comedy series has been canceled after two seasons on the premium cabler.

"Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey," an HBO spokesperson said in a statement.

"While we will not be moving forward with a third season of Avenue 5, we look forward to many more adventures together."

The series took us to a not-so-distant future where space tourism is a booming business.

"While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd (Josh Gad), Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) finds himself in over his head when the ship is thrown disastrously off-course – turning what was meant to be an eight-week cruise into an eight-year journey," HBO's description for the second and final season reads.

"Picking up five months after failing to reroute the vessel, season two...

The HBO series "Avenue 5" is one of the funniest shows on television. The story, which comes to us from "Veep" creator Armando Iannucci, is set in the near future on a luxury spaceliner that gets knocked off course. Their weeks-long cruise through space has now turned into an eight-year journey. The ship is owned by a billionaire named Herman Judd (Josh Gad), who is ... well, let's say that Elon Musk might recognize himself in this character. Judd wanted the passengers to see only good-looking people in the crew, so he hired a bunch of actors to fake it while the real crew is shoved below deck in a bit of a hovel. 

Hugh Laurie plays Captain Ryan Clark, one of the actors who knows nothing about running the ship. The two seasons we have so far have given us a look at a future with extinct camels, no more fruit,...

“Avenue 5″ has crash-landed. The Armando Iannucci science fiction comedy series has been canceled at HBO after two seasons, IndieWire has confirmed.

The news comes almost three months after the show wrapped its second season in November. The series, led by Hugh Laurie, originally premiered in January 2020.

“Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement to IndieWire. “While we will not be moving forward with a third season of ‘Avenue 5,’ we look forward to many more adventures together.”

“Avenue 5” starred Laurie and Josh Gad as the captain and owner of the titular interplanetary cruise ship. Set in 2060, the show also featured Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips as the various employees and passengers onboard Avenue 5. The ship gets tilted off course after a mishap, forcing the group to work together in order...

Avenue 5 will be headed back to Earth as it’s been confirmed that HBO has officially cancelled the sci-fi comedy series from Veep creator Armando Iannucci.

The series followed the crew of a luxury space cruise ship as it embarked on an eight-week trip through the solar system, only for the accidental death of the Chief Engineer to throw them off course and years away from home. “Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey. While we will not be moving forward with a third season of Avenue 5, we look forward to many more adventures together,” said an HBO spokeswoman.

Related Hugh Laurie is a galactic cruise-ship captain in trailer for HBO’s Avenue 5

Avenue 5 starred Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird and Ethan Phillips. Although HBO quickly renewed the series for a second season,...

Avenue 5‘s journey through outer space has ended: HBO has cancelled the sci-fi comedy starring Hugh Laurie after two seasons, TVLine has learned.

“Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement. “While we will not be moving forward with a third season of Avenue 5, we look forward to many more adventures together.”

More from TVLineLast of Us Recap: Endure and SurviveTVLine Items: Sulphur Springs Return Date, Weeknd Concert Trailer and MoreThe Last of Us' Joel Is Not a Good Guy (But That's So Easy to Overlook!) and More Post-Episode...

The Armando Iannucci comedy series “Avenue 5” has been canceled after two seasons at HBO, Variety has learned.

“Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey,” an HBO spokesperson said. “While we will not be moving forward with a third season of ‘Avenue 5,’ we look forward to many more adventures together.”

The series originally debuted on HBO in January 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic production on Season 2 could not begin until late 2021, with the second season finally debuting in October 2022. The series ultimately received middling reviews upon its release and generated only modest ratings.

The series starred Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips.

The series took place in the not-so-distant future when space tourism is a booming business. Per the official logline, “While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd (Gad), Captain Ryan Clark...

The crew and passengers of Avenue 5 won’t be returning to Earth.

HBO has canceled the space-set comedy from Armando Iannucci after two seasons. The show’s second and now final season aired its finale on Nov. 28, with the ship saved from a disaster but a decidedly uncertain future.

“Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey,” HBO said in a statement. “While we will not be moving forward with a third season of Avenue 5, we look forward to many more adventures together.”

Iannucci created the multiple Emmy Award-winning Veep for HBO and is an executive producer, along with director Sam Mendes and others, of the premium cabler’s comedy pilot The Franchise, about the making of a superhero movie.

Avenue 5 is set aboard a spacefaring cruise ship and follows the various mishaps of its crew and passengers. Hugh Laurie heads a cast that also includes Josh Gad,...

Armando Iannucci’s space comedy Avenue 5 officially has been canceled by HBO.

The Warner Bros. Discovery premium cable network has finally confirmed that the series will not return for a third season.

It comes eight months after Deadline revealed that the series likely was coming to an end and a few days after star Hugh Laurie emerged as the star of Season 3 of Apple TV+’s Tehran.

Related Story TV Series Fading To Black In 2023 & Beyond: Photo Gallery Of Canceled Shows Related Story HBO Content Set To Move From Disney+ Hotstar In India Related Story 'Ginny & Georgia,' 'The Walking Dead' Top Nielsen U.S. Streaming Charts; 'The Last Of Us' Posts Impressive Debut Night Viewership

“Going to space with Armando Iannucci has been an incredible journey,” said an HBO spokeswoman. “While we will not be moving forward with a third season of Avenue 5,...

Season Two of the comedy TV series "Avenue 5", noted as “The White Lotus” in space, 40 years into the future, stars Hugh Laurie ("Bones") now streaming on HBO Max:

"...'Captain Ryan Clarke' (Laurie) is the host of space cruise ship 'Avenue 5;, set 40 years in the future when the solar system is everyone's oyster. Now with 'Captain Clarke in charge nothing can go wrong..."

Cast also incudes Suzy Nakamura, Rebecca Front, Zach Woods, Josh Gadd, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Lenora Crichlow, Ethan Phillips and Himesh Patel.

Click the images to enlarge...

If you thought the glittering poop cloud around an interplanetary tourist vessel in season 1 of the HBO series "Avenue 5" was funny, season 2 had a lot to show you. It went from wildly funny and a personal favorite to completely outrageous (in the best way). 

"Avenue 5" is set 40 years in the future on a ship full of tourists. An accident means their trip of several weeks will take them eight years. Food is down to eels who are dying in the tank (Rip Eel Patrick Harris), and the only hope is a space station that is full of cannibals and pedophiles. 

If you're a fan of comedies like "What We Do in the Shadows," you must check out "Avenue 5." Creator Armando Iannucci ("Veep") and star Hugh Laurie ("House") spoke with Collider in October 2022, where fans learned about Iannucci's favorite joke of the season and Laurie's thoughts on how...

If you haven't started watching the HBO series "Avenue 5," 2023 is a great time to start. The absurdist comedy was created by Armando Iannucci ("Veep"), and it's a riot. "Avenue 5" is set 40 years in the future when civilian space travel has become big business. A huge spaceliner owned by billionaire (and Elon Musk analog) Herman Judd (Josh Gad) is flying thousands of people on a short luxury cruise. During the largest yoga class in space, events knock the ship out of orbit, meaning that it won't return to Earth for years. At the moment, that number is eight years, but that could change at any time. 

The guests see a crew that is made up of actors like Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie), who is there so Judd and the passengers won't have to look at anyone who is "unattractive," while the actual crew is hidden away. That includes...

Vulture Watch

Next to the Titanic, this may be the worst cruise vacation ever.  Has the Avenue 5 TV show been cancelled or renewed for a third season on HBO? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Avenue 5, season three. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

A sci-fi comedy series airing on the HBO television network, the Avenue 5 TV show stars Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Ethan Phillips. Guest stars in season two include Andy Buckley, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Adam Pålsson, Daisy May Cooper, Lucy Punch, Leila Farzad, Jonathan Aris, and Arsher Ali. While manning a...

"Black Mirror" has a reputation for being cynical. Its very first episode centers around the UK's Prime Minister being forced to have sex with a pig, while the country's citizens watch for entertainment on their TVs. The second episode centers around a character who passionately tries to fight back against the corrupt entertainment system, only to immediately fold on his values the moment they give him money and his own TV show. The third episode centers around a man who's paranoid that his wife has cheated on him, and he turns out to be right. The show only gets darker from there. 

As a result, the show's also known for being a little fearmonger-y about technology, with its social commentary often being reduced to "phones bad" in public discourse. That "wat if ya mum ran on batteries" meme making fun of the show took on a whole life of its...

In the near future, cruises might not be exclusively on the ocean. Some of them could be in outer space. Of course, everything becomes way more complicated inspace if something goes wrong, as it does on the eight-week cruise of the luxury ship Avenue 5. The HBO series "Avenue 5" stars Hugh Laurie as the (sort of) captain of the vessel, which is knocked off course in season 1 and faces a three-and-a-half-year journey home. But now it's increased to eight years, and things are only getting worse!

If you haven't seen this show that launched days before the pandemic lockdown in 2020, you simply must catch up. It's not only funny enough that I recommend waterproof mascara, but it's the perfect encapsulation of what life was like in isolation. "Avenue 5" may put you off space travel, but it's got one of the best comedy casts on television, with Josh Gad ("Frozen"), Zach Woods...

If you haven't watched the HBO comedy series "Avenue 5" yet, you're missing out. The first season premiered days before lockdown began in 2020, and maybe you were occupied with other things. Funnily enough, because of the plot, the show actually gets a lot right about isolation. It hits differently now, as the kids say. It's also one of the funniest, most absurd, and delightful shows on television. 

The story is set 40 years in the future, where a group of civilians is aboard a massive spaceship for an eight-week cruise. When the ship gets knocked off course and ends up with a 3.5-year travel time, everything goes haywire. Not only that, but the ship's billionaire owner (Josh Gad) has hired a bunch of actors to play crew members, so he and the passengers don't have to look at anyone who isn't attractive. The ship's "captain" is played by Hugh Laurie, who uses an American accent,...

The HBO comedy series "Avenue 5" is returning for a second season, continuing to deliver a very disturbing yet hilarious vision of the future. The series is set 40 years from now on a commercial space cruise. It was supposed to be up there for eight weeks, but after a technical mishap, the trip is now going to take 3.5 years. But the trip is about to get even longer in the second season.

Commercial space travel isn't the only thing that has changed in this future though. I recently spoke to star Hugh Laurie ("House") and creator Armando Iannucci ("Veep") about the show's vision of what's to come, including Toto Potus, an additional President of the United States that looks like some sort of Alexa device, which is both terrifying and apparently absolutely possible, according to Iannucci and Laurie.

Running Out Of Camels And Fruit

I asked Laurie and Iannucci about this vision for the future,...

Season Two of the 'space tourism' comedy TV series "Avenue 5", set 40 years in the future, created by Armando Iannucci ("Veep"), starring Hugh Laurie ("Bones"), streams October 10, 2022 on HBO Max:

"...'Captain Ryan Clarke' (Laurie) is the host of space cruise ship 'Avenue 5;, set 40 years in the future when the solar system is everyone's oyster. Now with 'Captain Clarke in charge nothing can go wrong..."

Cast also incudes Suzy Nakamura, Rebecca Front, Zach Woods, Josh Gadd, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Lenora Crichlow, Ethan Phillips and Himesh Patel.

Click the images to enlarge...

(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)

The Series: "Avenue 5"

Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max

The Pitch: Forty years in the future, leisure space travel is a thing. Billionaire Herman Judd (Josh Gad) is on board his interplanetary luxury cruise liner Avenue 5. They passengers are supposed to be on an eight-week cruise through space, headed by Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie). This ship has everything from spas to comedy clubs to an incredibly attractive bridge crew. 

On the way back to Earth, an accident kills a technician, and when the ship shudders, it throws the world's largest yoga class against one side, pushing Avenue 5 off course, and turning their eight-week trip into a 3.5-year odyssey. As all hell breaks loose, we learn that the super...

Avenue 5 is finally returning to HBO. The cable channel has announced a second season premiere date for the sci-fi comedy series. The first season finished airing in March 2020.

Starring Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rebecca Front, Lenora Crichlow, Suzy Nakamura, and Ethan Phillips, the series is set in a time when space travel is a booming business. Avenue 5 is an interplanetary cruise ship and an accident causes the ship to get off course temporarily. As a result, it will take the ship three years to return to Earth. Unfortunately, there are only enough supplies to sustain the guests and crew for an eight-week cruise.

Read More…...

Created by two-time Emmy(R) winner Armando Iannucci (HBO’s “Veep),” the eight-episode second season of Avenue 5 debuts Monday, October 10 (10:00-10:30 p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The comedy series is set 40 years in the future when traveling the solar system is no longer the stuff of sci-fi fantasy, but a booming, multibillion-dollar business. Avenue 5 takes us to a not-so-distant future where space tourism is a booming business. While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd (Josh Gad), Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) finds himself in over his head when the ship is thrown disastrously off-course – turning what was meant to be an eight-week cruise into an eight-year journey. Picking up five months after failing to reroute the vessel, season two follows the crew – including fiery engineer Billie (Lenora Crichlow), unpredictable head of customer relations Matt...

HBO has released a new trailer for the second season of its original series, "Avenue 5." The show was created by two-time Emmy Award-winner Armando Iannucci and stars Hugh Laurie ("House") and Josh Gad ("Beauty and the Beast"). If you haven't watched it yet, it's the story set about 40 years in the future aboard an interstellar spaceship. It's owned by clueless billionaire Herman Judd (Gad in a ponytail and some pretty wild outfits), who hired mainly attractive actors and models for his crew, so everyone would look good on the bridge and please the passengers. The ship itself is actually run by a second crew who weren't deemed pretty enough to be seen.

The titular space cruiser, Avenue 5, was supposed to be out on an eight-week cruise, but the death of an engineer and the temporary loss of artificial gravity changed their course. Instead of eight weeks, the ship would...

Avenue 5 is finally coming back! The Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad-led space comedy returns to HBO on October 10, and the Avenue 5 Season 2 trailer teases one hilarious galactic existential threat. The season premiere will air at 10/9c on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. (The Avenue 5 Season 1 finale aired in March 2020.) The comedy series is set 40 years in the future when traveling the solar system is no longer the stuff of sci-fi fantasy, but a booming, multibillion-dollar business. While manning a luxury spacecraft owned by Herman Judd (Gad), Captain Ryan Clark (Laurie) finds himself in over his head when the ship is thrown disastrously off-course — turning what was meant to be an eight-week cruise into an eight-year journey. Picking up five months after failing to reroute the vessel, Avenue 5 Season 2 follows the crew — including fiery engineer Billie (Lenora Crichlow), unpredictable head of customer...

Captain Ryan Clark, played by Hugh Laurie, is ready to just “sit here and wait for death” as an ill-fated spaceship heads straight into the Sun.

So starts the trailer for Season 2 of HBO’s “Avenue 5,” where food is running low and passengers on a luxury space craft will have to wait eight years before returning to Earth. Josh Gad reprises his role of billionaire Herman Judd, who owns the spaceship captained by Ryan (Laurie) as customer relations executive Matt (Zach Woods) tries to thwart the growing panic onboard. The second season premieres October 10 on HBO.

Created by two-time Emmy winner and “Veep” alum Armando Iannucci, “Avenue 5” is set 40 years into the future where traveling the solar system is a booming tourism business. The eight-episode second season charts how an eight-week space cruise has turned into a nightmare never-ending vacation for those onboard.

Picking up five months after failing to reroute the vessel,...

The second season of Avenue 5 has yet to receive a premiere date but the HBO comedy has reportedly been cancelled already. The show is highly unlikely to be renewed for a third season as the cast has already been released from their contracts, per Deadline. Starring Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rebecca Front, Lenora Crichlow, Suzy Nakamura, and Ethan Phillips, the series is set in the future where space travel is a booming business.

Read More…...

Exclusive: Avenue 5‘s space voyage may be coming to an end. Season 2 of Armando Iannucci’s space comedy, delayed by the pandemic, has not been scheduled yet. I hear it will likely launch in the fall and is expected to be the series’ last. A rep for HBO declined comment.

This is not surprising. Season 1 of Avenue 5, Iannucci’s followup series to the Emmy-winning Veep, premiered in January 2020 and was renewed for a second season in February of that year, just a couple of weeks before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Filming on the new season, delayed by Covid, finally got underway in August 2021 and wrapped in November.

Given the time that has passed, the options on the cast, led by Hugh Laurie, came up, and the actors were released, sources tell Deadline. Some of them have moved on, signing as series regulars on new shows.

In addition to Laurie,...

Goliath Season 4 starts where previous seasons of the Amazon series began -- with Billy Bob Thornton's Billy McBride picking himself up, brushing himself off, and taking a new direction.

Billy got shot at the end of Goliath Season 3. Slaying dragons being his thing, it could have worked for a series finale.

But since Billy and his partner, Patty (Nina Arianda), have made it their mission to go after the biggest of the big bads, their journey wouldn't have been complete without spinning the slingshot in the direction of big pharma and the opioid crisis.

As the season begins, Billy is grappling with his death experience. Flatlined for six minutes, Billy can't wrap his head around his close call.

Goliath's tone has always been quirky. Dennis Quaid and Amy Brenneman played a brother-sister duo who put Billy through the paces.

They were about as cartoon-villains as you'd expect from the show,...

Exclusive: Lesley-Ann Brandt, Luke James and Erica Ash are among 13 actors who have joined the cast of Shudder’s upcoming horror anthology Horror Noire.

Horror Noire, a Shudder Original, will feature new work from both established and emerging talents, showcasing horror stories from Black directors and screenwriters. The anthology will feature six stories – “Daddy,” “Bride Before You,” “Brand of Evil,” “The Lake,” “Sundown” and “Fugue State” — presented together as a two-hour film. Horror Noire premieres in October on Shudder.

Also joining the anthology are Brandon Mychal Smith, Sean Patrick Thomas, Peter Stormare, Malcolm Barrett, Rachel True, Tone Bell, Lavell Crawford, Tony Todd, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre and Lenora Crichlow.

Brandt and McIntyre will appear in “The Lake,” written by husband-and-wife writing duo Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due; James will appear in ”Daddy,” written by Victor Lavalle ; Smith will appear in “Brand of Evil,” written by Ezra C. Daniels; Ash, Stormare, Bell...

The case of the Mangrove Nine — named after the once-popular eatery in London’s Notting Hill district that became a nucleus for the Black British community — was a landmark decision in England’s judicial history. It’s the story that kicks off director Steve McQueen’s latest venture: five feature films, collectively titled “Small Axe,” that dig into the experiences of London’s West Indian community between the 1960s and 1980s and is airing on Amazon Prime Video. The first film of the series, “Mangrove,” stars Shaun Parkes as Mangrove restaurant owner Frank Crichlow, the reluctant, accidental leader of a revolution.

“He just wanted to do what he wanted to do, like so many people who come to another country because of dreams of a better life,” Parkes said. “But what they’re met with is something quite different. And then they just have to deal with it. But when you have this conviction of,...

Did you know that in some years, as many as 4% of all films released in the UK have used the death or serious injury of a woman to drive the plot? At Eye For Film we're not big fans of that particular cliché, so approached this film with a degree of trepidation. It proved to be a pleasant surprise. Much more complex than it appears on the surface, this is a film full of multi-layered characters powered by great performances, addressing familiar cinematic subjects with a voice of its own.

The woman, on this occasion, is Fiona (Lenora Crichlow), whose skin colour immediately marks her out as vulnerable in the small West Virginia community where she's tagging along with boyfriend Neelyn (Vinnie Jones) whilst he acts as muscle for Malcolm McDowell's hard-bitten London gang boss Harris. Harris is looking to set up a dodgy oil deal with old pal Preston.

Debut feature from the production company is crime drama ‘The Big Ugly’.

UK actor Vinnie Jones has launched 4G Vision, a new $100m production company with Us writer-director Scott Wiper.

The two are working with co-producer Michael Downey and Michigan-based entrepreneur Gregg Gibson Williams, who provides the four G’s in 4G Vision and the financing.

The company’s first project is Wiper’s crime drama The Big Ugly starring Jones, which is set for theatrical and VOD release in the UK and Us through Vertical Entertainment on July 24 and July 31 respectively.

They are also developing a $25m female-led action...

Set 40 years into the future, series creator Armando Iannucci takes viewers into his reimagined world on the maiden voyage of “Avenue 5.” Although it will take another four decades before anyone can praise Iannucci on his predictions, the hilarious HBO comedy leaves fans wondering if flashy tracksuits, inadequate personnel and cheap billion dollar ships will be a part of everyone’s unforeseen future.

Recently, “Avenue 5” stars Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Lenora Crichlow, Ethan Phillips and Iannucci sat down with Variety’s Michael Schneider in the Variety Streaming Room to breakdown the scientific research they did for the series and dissected the characters of the show.

The sci-fi series takes place aboard a billion dollar space cruise ship known as Avenue 5. The titular vessel is set for an eight-week journey around Saturn, but when the ship suddenly encounters technical difficulties, it...

Armando Iannucci’s HBO series “Avenue 5” feels like the catastrophe comedy perfectly suited for our unprecedented times. The freshman series chronicles a futuristic, luxurious journey around Saturn that goes horrendously off course thanks in part to the horribly inept leadership of its actor-turned-captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) and a revolution amongst its privileged passengers.

The show spotlights and satirizes the failures of leadership during a major crisis and the follies of those who disbelieve scientific truths, but despite this unintentional timeliness in the age of a global pandemic “Avenue 5” lags significantly in the Comedy races in our combined Emmy odds.

See our video interview with ‘Avenue 5’ star Suzy Nakamura

Yet the freshman series also boasts similarities to Iannucci’s preceding HBO comedy series “Veep” that could foreshadow some Emmy success come nominations morning. Not only did Iannucci reassemble much of his creative team from “Veep” to work on “Avenue 5,...